Don’t skip breakfast!
Many people are too busy in the morning to eat breakfast or just do not feel hungry. If you’ve been used to skipping breakfast, start with a little something each morning and work your way back to a healthy breakfast. And I don’t mean shakes: The high convenience factor of protein shakes makes them a very easy breakfast food.
Protein shakes no matter how much fruit and veggies you put in them are highly processed foods. Your digestive system is not quite sure how to deal with a highly processed food and if you suffer from any gas, bloating, constipation, hiccups, heartburn or diarrhea – then you have an impaired digestive system. You see the nutritional value of a food drops considerably after processing. That means processed foods like shakes lack the vitality or life force of real food. Your body reacts to this with symptoms of poor digestion.
Why not try this easy ‘make in your mug’ breakfast muffin. Healthy, natural and so quick to make – it will make it easy to get rid of that morning protein shake.
Eastern View: With the cold winds of winter beginning to blow through many regions, you may find your body feeling cold and congested, longing for warmth and comfort. Battling the cold may seem like a necessary evil as we head into the deep winter. Yet, a simple remedy for cold hands and feet may be as close as your everyday spice rack. Long relied upon for its stimulating effect on the circulation, cinnamon warms your blood and your body into coziness with its sweet taste and powerful punch. The warmth it brings to cold hands and feet has also been used for conditions like Raynaud’s Syndrome.
Cinnamon not only helps your hands and feet, it stimulates circulation especially in the lungs and joints. It’s pungent spiciness warms up the lungs and liquefies mucus congestion. Cinnamon’s demulcency also coats the throat, soothing it.
Cinnamon is a popular garnish atop many desserts. While many of us choose cinnamon in desserts for its unique taste, this choice also reflects the body’s innate wisdom. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar and its stimulating pungency makes it perfect for heavy, sweet foods. Cinnamon also regulates metabolism of fats and sugars, helping with type II diabetes and insulin resistance.
Cinnamon’s taste freshens the breath and is used in many commercial products. Natural anti-microbial properties in cinnamon cleanse the mouth, addressing the root cause of bad breath. Its stimulating fresh taste can also be used to quell nausea and stop vomiting. As an analgesic cinnamon is useful for toothache.
The warming, stimulating and sweet qualities of cinnamon make it a powerful aphrodisiac.. Cinnamon also stimulates oxytocin, the cuddle hormone. Oxytocin increases breast milk production and stimulates uterine contractions, useful during labor. The warming and stimulating qualities of cinnamon flush uterine congestion, relieving painful menstrual cramps and restoring normal, natural flow of the menses. Paradoxically, cinnamon’s heat stimulates blood flow, while its dryness & astringency acts as a hemostatic (stops blood flow). That makes cinnamon useful for both light and heavy periods. Oxytocic herbs can stimulate miscarriages and should not be used during pregnancy.
Western View: Cinnamon is a powerful spice that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. It is still used daily in many cultures because of its widespread health benefits, not to mention its distinctly sweet, warming taste and ease of use in recipes.
According to researchers, out of twenty-six of the most popular herbs and medicinal spices in the world, cinnamon actually ranks #1 in terms of its protective antioxidant levels! (1)
Researchers have concluded that the health benefits of cinnamon can be obtained in the form of its pure bark, essential oils, in ground spice form (which is bark powder), or in extract form when its special phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidants are isolated. These compounds make cinnamon one of the most beneficial spices on earth, giving it antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, immunity-boosting, cancer and heart disease-protecting abilities. (2)
QUICK BREAKFAST MUFFIN IN A MUG
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- 3 tablespoon almond flour
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Directions
- Spray mug with cooking spray.
- Mix coconut flour, almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a mug, until blended. Add in egg, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil. Mix well to combine.
- If the batter is stiff, add in 1-2 teaspoons of water and mix in. Microwave for 1 ½-2 minutes
- Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Like this breakfast recipe? Download my top Ayurvedic breakfasts below for some more morning inspiration.
In health,
