August 8, 2025 • 26 mins
Starting your day with intentional habits that support your gut and nervous system is key to bloat relief, managing IBS symptoms and a healthy bowel routine!
If you’re ready to support digestion by reducing cognitive overwhelm and setting your gut up for success (with routines you’ll actually stick to), this episode is for you!
⏱️ Chapters:
- (0:00) — Welcome + why your morning matters for gut health
- (1:17) — How your first hour impacts IBS and bloating
- (2:44) — Starting with mindful wake-ups
- (4:17) — Screen-free mornings: the #1 habit to try
- (7:02) — Hydration before caffeine
- (8:52) — Sunlight for gut-brain connection and sleep
- (11:54) — Gentle morning movement for digestion
- (13:54) — Warm drinks to stimulate bowel movements
- (15:38) — Creating a gut-friendly bathroom space
- (18:17) — Building a blood-sugar-balancing breakfast
- (21:17) — How to fit it all in (realistic timeframes)
- (22:15) — The “ABC” approach to morning routines
- (24:56) — My personal essentials — rain or shine
- (25:56) — Key takeaway: protect your first hour
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
So the heat can really encouragethe digestive system to
contract. And then also if there is
caffeine and it can act as a stimulant which can help
increase intestinal muscle movement.
So for those of you with Constipation or who struggle
with more infrequent bowel movements, this can be a really
good one for you. And then again, just having some
time to relax and help our nervous system regulate and put
(00:22):
us in that digest and the rest and digest response can help
support a regular bowel movement.
Welcome to the Gut Fit NutritionPodcast, the show where we dive
deep into the world of gut health, nutrition and fitness to
help you unlock your best self from the inside out.
I'm your host Lee Morado, a registered dietitian, gut health
expert, long distance runner, and movement enthusiast on a
(00:43):
mission to empower you with science backed whole body
strategies to fuel your body, heal your gut, and thrive in
your active life. Whether you're here to finally
break free from IBS and digestive symptoms, optimize
your fitness performance, or learn how to support your gut
health natural strategies, you're in the right place.
Each week, we'll explore topics like conquering digestive
symptoms, building a gut friendly lifestyle, enhancing
(01:06):
endurance and strength performance, and more.
So grab a cup of your favorite gut friendly tea and settle in
because we're about to get gut fit together.
Hello everyone. So today we're going to be
chatting about morning routines and morning habits and why they
are essential for IBS and bloat relief.
(01:28):
So if you can think back to those maybe early COVID days
when you were working from home,we used to roll out of bed and
sit at our desk and chug a cup of coffee and get started on
work. And maybe some of you are still
doing that today. So we're going to talk about why
the first hour of your day is really so important when it
(01:49):
comes to setting your gut and your nervous system up for
success and really making sure that you're supporting your
digestive health for the rest ofthe day and the days to come.
So we're going to go through a few key strategies and really
habits that I recommend implementing in your morning
that are actually realistic. And we'll talk about varying
(02:11):
levels of implementing these habits so that you can help to
really support a good bowel routine, have a good quality
bowel movement, and essentially set up your nervous system on a
positive note. Because we know that there's
such a strong connection betweenyour gut and your brain that
making sure that you're down, regulating your nervous system,
getting yourself rest and digestresponse is really going to be
(02:34):
what what will really help you support IBS management and
minimize your risk of bloating and more symptoms throughout the
day. So let's get into it.
The first thing is thinking about how we're waking up and
what we're consuming in those first few moments of our
morning. So I actually love the sleep
(02:56):
Cycle app. So this is a free app and there
is a premium paid version, but the free app definitely gets you
a lot of great tools. And essentially this app is
something where you can set a timer window to wake you up.
You can set it between I believe15 to 30 minutes, maybe a bit
more than that. And what it does is essentially
(03:18):
tracks your movement through your sleep.
So you do have to keep your phone near your bed, but it
picks up when you're in a lighter mode of sleep rather
than in a deep sleep and will wake you up at your within your
proposed window so that it's actually waking you up in a
lighter sleep rather than a deepsleep.
And a lot of people find that this actually just helps them to
(03:40):
wake up a lot more calmly and feel more energized, more rested
when they wake up, when they're not jolted out of a deep sleep,
which can happen if you just useany alarm and you set it for a
specific time, like 7:30 on the dot.
You might find that opening or waking up within a specific
window actually just helps you to wake up more energized and a
(04:00):
bit more calm too. So this might depend on what's
available to you and what time you start your work day.
And it may not be realistic, butif you do have the ability to
even set that 20 minute window, this could be a great way to
just wake up a bit more calmly and even get a head start.
I'm feeling better for the day. The next aspect I really want
you to think about is implementing screen free time.
(04:24):
So it can be so distress distressing really for our brain
if we just wake up and we're bombarded with all this
cognitive overwhelmed by lookingat our emails first thing, our
boss telling us to do something,maybe scrolling on social media
and seeing other people doing stuff and instantly having our
brain filled with all of these things that maybe aren't
(04:47):
relevant to us right away. So I really recommend if you
want to make is probably the most important point I'm going
to make in this episode is to really implement screen free
time in your morning. So I like to set my phone on do
not disturb, have this on for most of the day, but especially
overnight. That way when you pick up your
phone, even to turn off your alarm or check the time in the
(05:09):
morning, you won't see a bunch of notifications on the front of
your screen. So you'll just see the time and
you'll just be able to turn off your alarm.
Or if you using the sleep cycle app, be able to shut that off.
And trust me, give this maybe even two or three days and
really reflect on how you feel when you don't wake up and
scroll on your phone first thing.
(05:31):
Really, really want you to see how much this helps, you know,
improve your mood and even reduce levels of anxiety and
stress by just taking a break from the screen.
You'll get to look at it later, but making sure that it's not
something that you're consuming first thing and while you're
waking up and and still in bed. The other benefit to that this
(05:52):
too is that you may find that itactually helps support your
focus and your overall clarity. When you just wake up and just
let your brain take in the light, whatever thoughts will
naturally flow into your head and just focus on how you're
feeling and get out of bed without using any screens or any
distractions. A lot of people find that this
actually just helps them to be more consistent with the other
(06:14):
habits that will help you to feel good for the day.
So as we'll get into hydration and movement and getting
sunlight because your time is not taken up by automatically
scrolling on your phone or your device.
And for those of you who are thinking like, oh, I need to get
a head start on the day, I want to see my emails, chances are
you're not going to be productive and at your best
looking at your phone first thing in the morning.
(06:36):
So why not just take a break andput it away.
So I recommend even starting with 15 minutes of screen free
time if this is new to you. But ideally I would work up to
getting at least an hour of screen free time before you get
into all that stuff and just focusing on the things that your
body needs and that self-care toset yourself up for success for
the day. So this brings us into our next
(06:59):
point, which is hydration. So what we want to avoid doing
is jumping into caffeinated beverages right away.
So jumping into coffee or jumping into tea, for example.
And we want to make sure we're getting a head start on our
hydration. So overnight you've been
fasting. You probably weren't taking
anything in unless you were getting up to have some small
(07:21):
sips of water. But that's why it's so essential
to really start your day with some water and some hydration.
So I recommend after you get outof bed, maybe you go to the
kitchen. It could be helpful to keep like
a pitcher of water there so thatyou see it visually, or even
pour a cup the night before and trying to get in around 16
ounces of water to kick start your hydration for the day.
(07:43):
We're always more successful when we set our day up for
success rather than trying to catch up later in the day.
And the same goes with hydrationtoo.
So I would definitely recommend starting your day with some
water. The other benefit of this too is
that drinking some fluids can also help stimulate the
digestive process. So it may also contribute to a
better bowel movement, which of course, when we have IBS is
(08:07):
something that we want to prioritize.
And when it comes to bloating, we know that when we've emptied
out properly, that also makes a big difference in bloating and
how we feel. You may be wondering, do I need
to add lemon? Are there any like tinctures
that I should be adding? I suggest just keep it simple.
Focus on the water, focus on thehydration and make that a
consistent habit. And then if you want to add
(08:28):
something for some flair or, or if that helps you to be more
consistent with it, then you can't.
So lemon juice, there's a benefit of some vitamin C.
It helps the water taste a little bit better.
Is it a super food? No.
Is it going to make or break your hydration?
Probably not. But you can add it if you find
that it makes the water more enjoyable and then makes you
(08:48):
more likely to drink it. The next component of and
morning routine to help with IBSand bloat relief would be sun
exposure. So sunlight has gotten a lot of
attention the last few years. There's been some key health
podcasters and Wellness gurus that have talked about the
(09:10):
benefits of sunlight. But this isn't just hype, there
actually is good quality sciencebehind it.
So by viewing direct sunlight, ideally within the first hour of
your day. The benefit of this is that it
sends a message to the master clock in your brain and tells
your brain that it is daytime and to essentially put in
(09:34):
process, put in motion a series of hormone timers that can help
you to one have more energy and focus throughout the daytime.
But it also sets in motion a timer for melatonin release
around 16 hours after you view that sunlight and melatonin is
your sleep hormone. So when we have more natural
(09:56):
melatonin production at nighttime, that helps us to get
better quality rest, fall asleepeasier and get more deep sleep,
which what does that mean? That means that the next day and
the next morning, we're going tofeel more rested and we're going
to have a better and more productive morning.
So when it comes to direct sun exposure, this means directly in
your eyes. So not through sunglasses or not
(10:18):
sitting by a window, fortunately, or driving in a
car, but actually getting outside and seeing the sunlight
in your eyes. It will be much stronger if you
get or if you get it on a sunny day.
So around 5 to 10 minutes would be a good target to aim for of
direct sun. That is a cloudy day.
There is still lots of sun and it's still going to be brighter
(10:40):
than any indoor lighting. So around 15 to 20 minutes is
what you want to aim for. There are specific light pads
you can get on line. There's like the sun lamp, but
there are light pads that can mimic the amount of lux of the
sun. I think it's somewhere around
25,000. I'll have to check on that.
So if you're someone who has to wake up really early, I know I
(11:00):
have some clients that work a shift work or they work in the
lab and they have to get up and be at work before the sun comes
out. This could be an option for you
too. And it can definitely be really
helpful. And to make this more enjoyable,
you could stack it with another habit.
So even movement as we'll get into, maybe you go out for a
short 10 minute walk, nothing big.
(11:22):
Or maybe if you have a porch or you live in an apartment or a
condo and you can stand outside on your balcony.
I know personally I've done thisin the winter or in the rainy
days, you can stand and maybe just do some stretching and some
mobility and get some sunlight in your eyes.
Trust me that 5-10 minutes will make all the difference just by
getting some sun before you really start the rest of your
(11:45):
day. So the next piece of the morning
routine would be adding some movement so it does not have to
be anything crazy. If you don't like to work out in
the morning, you don't have to. Or if maybe it's not realistic
to always get your full workout in in the morning, that's OK,
but I would just suggest even doing something gentle.
(12:05):
So again, to get that sunlight, maybe you go out for a short
walk around the block or even standing outside and doing some
mobility work. So I find that just getting some
movement helps to support motility.
So it can also help support yourbowel routine.
But we know that movement is good for mood, right?
If we just wake up and then we crawl right into our our desk
(12:27):
and then we're stiff for the rest of the day, it's going to
lead us to feel pretty tight. So even just getting our blood
flowing, that can help one with your mood and your mental
health, which also supports yourdigestion through the gut brain
connection. But it can also even reduce some
tension around your abdominal area where your digestive
organs, your house and just helpthings to relax more and can
(12:48):
actually improve bloating throughout the day.
I personally love to do everydayat least a short walk and some
mobility, even if it's just 10 minutes.
And there are certain poses or movements that you can do that
will also help to reduce that abdominal tension.
So things like your cat cow, your spinal twist, even shoulder
rolls are great. Upward dog, downward dog, just
(13:10):
some easy things that you can do.
Whatever makes it easy for you. So maybe you live in a condo and
there's a gym. You could pop down there for 10
minutes and then go for a walk. Or if the weather is nice
outside, maybe there's a local park or green space, you could
do a short walk and then do someof your mobility movement
outside can be very easy and very enjoyable.
(13:31):
So something to keep in mind as well.
Again, if you like to work out in the morning and you have that
time, you can definitely incorporate that in your morning
routine. And that that's a great way to
start the day too. But it doesn't have to be a
crazy workout. Even just getting a short walk
and doing a little bit of thingsto get your joints mobilized and
help your abdominal tract relax,that can make a huge difference
(13:53):
in the day. Then next component of a morning
routine to help relieve IBS and bloat is having some time, some
comfortable time with a warm drink.
So we know that warm drinks, even coffee or things like
ginger tea or herbal teas, if you don't like caffeine, pairing
(14:15):
that with some relaxed time can really help you to stimulate a
bowel movement. So even if this means then
starting your work day and having a warm drink and you're
comfortable at home, this counts.
Or if you have to go into the office for the day, maybe
carving a little bit of time to have that warm drink, you could
pair it with reading a little bit of a book or maybe this is
(14:37):
when you incorporate some screens.
But again, I would try to keep it things that are positive.
So maybe looking at good news orreading some positive articles
or a book on your phone and justtaking maybe even just 20 to 30
minutes to let your rest and digest system turn on and help
to stimulate some time to have abowel movement.
(14:59):
So this can be really, really helpful.
Again, the drink works for you. Some people do enjoy their
coffee in the morning, which is totally cool or even doing other
warm drinks like a ginger tea ora black tea can be great.
So the heat can really encouragethe digestive system to
contract. And then also if there is
caffeine and it can act as a stimulant which can help
increase intestinal muscle movement.
(15:21):
So for those of you with Constipation or who struggle
with more infrequent bowel movements, this can be a really
good one for you. And then again, just having some
time to relax and help our nervous system regulate and put
us in that digest and the rest and digest response can help
support a regular bowel movement.
And then something else to thinkabout S #7 actually on our list
(15:43):
here would be to create a comfortable bathroom space to
have a good bowel routine. So this is more of like a long
term solution and it can be something that you put in place
so that it works for your morning.
But I always suggest keeping your bathroom nice and clean,
even if you could put in some, you know, plants that work well
in low light spaces or some fakeplants just to have some
(16:05):
feelings of nature, which we know can help us to just feel
calm and support mood. Keeping your bathroom clean and
tidy. We know that clutter free spaces
just actually helps our mind to relax and feel more at ease when
we don't see that sort of physical clutter.
It helps with mental clutter too.
And then of course, one of my favorite tools would be to have
(16:27):
a squatty potty. So that's essentially A stool
that helps to put you in a squatposition when you have a bowel
movement. So there actually is a lot of
good evidence behind this too. So the idea is that the Squatty
Potty can help increase your rectal canal angle from 100°,
which is what will be if you're just sitting on a regular toilet
(16:48):
and your feet are flat on the ground and your knees are level
with your hips to around 120 degrees.
So when we increase the angle, this essentially means that our
rectum which is the last part inour large bowel opens up and
when we want to have bowel movement, we want to open up
that angle which helps to have amore pleasant and more full
(17:10):
evacuation. So the idea too is that when we
squat during a bowel movement then our sit bones are able to
separate and this allows our annual sphincter which helps
release the stool from our colonto fully expand and helps waste
move through with the help of gravity.
So there actually was a 2019 study, which I can link below,
(17:30):
where they looked at 52 participants who recorded their
bowel movements for four weeks and after using the Squatty
Potty for two weeks, the participants reported increased
bowel emptiness, reduced straining patterns, and reduced
bowel movement duration. So less time in the bathroom.
So if that isn't enough to convince you, I don't know what
(17:51):
is. So squatty potties are great.
Or even just using another stoolthat puts you into a squat
position. Again, we want knees elevated
above your hips. They're a great tool for
everyone, not just for Constipation, but for diarrhea
as well, just to prevent any straining.
And again, to put your colon in a more optimal angle for a
(18:11):
better quality bowel movement. Because really, the key to a
good day is having a good successful bowel movement.
So why not increase our chances of that with all the tools that
we can, right? And then the final component of
a morning routine to set our gutand nervous system up for
success would be a fueling breakfast.
(18:32):
So a breakfast that helps us to feel our best should be one that
helps support stable blood sugarlevels.
This means that we're going to have more regular, regular
energy through the day. And it is important to eat
something in the morning. You don't have to eat something
right away. I usually suggest you could wait
an hour or two till you have some appetite that is totally
(18:53):
cool. But we don't want to be skipping
meals or waiting a really long time to eat and getting to the
to the point where we're low blood sugar and we're ready to
crash and then eating something.We want to make sure that we're
fueling earlier. And part of the reason for that
is it just sends our brain and our body a signal of safety when
we're are fueling that it's like, OK, I've got enough fuel.
(19:13):
I feel calm nervous system feelslike it can down regulate and it
actually can help set up better mood and just a more calm
nervous system for the day. When we do get in some fuel and
let our body know that it's OK and it's not in starvation mode,
you've got enough to support thedaily processes that your body
needs to go through and all the resources that it needs.
(19:34):
So the components of a blood sugar balancing breakfast that
will work for most people would be a good dose of protein.
So I would suggest, you know, for most people, and it could be
more depending on your age or goals or how active you are, but
most people would benefit from aiming to get at least 30 grams
of protein in your breakfast in that first meal a day.
(19:56):
Again, it doesn't have to be first thing when you wake up.
You can wait a little bit till you have some appetite.
But getting in a good dose of protein super great for helping
us to regulate blood sugar levels and sending your body a
signal of safety. The other component would be
some fiber. So doing things like our rolled
oatmeal or chia, different fruits, vegetables also helps us
(20:16):
to feel satiated and support regular blood sugars.
And then the other component would be some healthy fats.
So things like our chia or flaxseed and small amounts of
avocado, egg yolks, those also help with satiety and set us up
for success. Of course, if you have IBS or
gut issues, you may be followingcertain dietary restrictions or
(20:37):
have foods that you don't eat. So this needs to, you know, be a
combination of foods that's going to work for you.
This is definitely something that I work with a lot of my
clients on in my gut Harmony method programs, making sure
that we're not restricting more than we need to, but we're
setting you up with, you know, specific meals and, and certain
foods that feel best for you andtake into account your
(20:58):
individual food intolerances. But still making sure we're
covering all your nutrient bases.
And we're making sure that your meals are giving your body what
it means so that we can help support your gut brain
connection and nervous system and overall health too.
So there's definitely ways to make this work for you depending
on your food tolerances and yourneeds.
And that's definitely why working with a registered
(21:19):
dietitian can be so helpful as well.
So that brings us to the end of our sort of ideal morning
routine and and habits that we want to think about including.
All of these can be really simple and they don't need to
take an excessive amount of time.
So I would say all in probably around an hour to an hour and a
half. So while you may have a rushed
(21:41):
morning or maybe you're always catching up on sleep, I would
suggest even just carving that hour can be so impactful for the
rest of the day and making that work for you.
One thing I do want to highlighthere because when it comes to
routines, yes, they all sound amazing and we've seen what
favorite influencers doing online and their routines look
(22:02):
amazing and it's 20 different steps and we wish we could do
that everyday. The truth is that you know, most
of us lead very busy lives and having an ideal routine every
day, it may not be realistic foryou.
So I love the concept of ABC routines.
So this was actually inspired from Sahil Bloom from his book
(22:23):
The Five Types of Wealth where he recommends the ABC approach
to routine. So I'll include the book link in
the show notes here. So he feels that every routine
should have an AB and C level. So A is your ideal routine where
everything somehow goes perfectly to plan.
B is your baseline routine and one that you can just pull off
(22:45):
on an average day. And C is like bare bones
essential, you know, when maybe something goes off track.
This is what you aim to include.So maybe your ideal routine is
doing it all, waking up mindfully, hydration.
Maybe you get in that, you know,kick butt, workout for 45
minutes or you go on your run, you feel amazing, you have some
(23:07):
time with your coffee to journaland have a great bowel movement.
That's your A, that's your idealroutine.
Maybe B is paring it back a little bit.
So of course still hydrated because we know that is key.
Waking up mindfully, maybe you get 5 minutes of sun and a short
walk and then have some quiet time with your warm drink to
(23:27):
start your day. And then maybe see routine is
even more compacted. So you wake up, have some water,
stand outside for 5 minutes, do a little mobility, and maybe you
grab your coffee to go and you take it on the train with you
and you do some reading. And then at work, you have your
bowel movement. But maybe you weren't able to
get in, you know, the perfect workout or all of the steps
(23:50):
there, but at least you got in some key things that are going
to help set your day up. So you avoided screens.
You got in your hydration, we had some sunlight, just those
key essentials and included themthere.
So I find this really helpful, even for myself.
I'm very busy running a business, very active.
I train over 10 hours a week, you know, have a busy social
(24:10):
life and sometimes my morning routine is not always perfect.
But for me, I have those essentials that I do everyday,
rain or shine. I always wake up without
screens, always hydrate, I get my sunlight, go outside mobility
even if it's just 5 minutes, take a shower, make my breakfast
and then settle into my work day.
(24:31):
Because I know that if I skip those habits then I'm just not
going to feel great for the restof the day.
So those are essential to me. And on an ideal day, I'm able to
go for a longer run or do a workout or, you know, take a
longer walk outside, have more time before I I jump into work.
But I find it helpful to think about the ABC routines and not
(24:52):
always aiming for it to be exactly perfect when you go
through it. So it's just to wrap things up,
take away here is that really the first hour of your day is so
important and really will make such a difference when it comes
to your mood and your mental health and your digestion for
the remainder of the day. So I encourage you to think
(25:14):
about some ways that you can setyour day up on a more positive
note. Try out some of these strategies
that I've mentioned here and really launch your day with good
intentions and giving your gut the best chance at success.
So I'd love to know what you found helpful in this episode or
(25:34):
what you're currently doing and what you may be adding to your
morning routines or your morninghabits.
You can leave a comment in the show notes below.
And I can't wait to talk to you soon.
Bye for now. That's a wrap for today's
episode. Thank you so much for listening
and being a part of our community here.
If the Gut Fit Nutrition podcastis giving you value, helped your
(25:55):
digestion and fitness, made you rethink how you approach your
gut health, consider leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or
wherever you're getting your podcasts.
If you have questions for my listener Q&A episodes, you can
submit them as a comment on thisepisode or send me an e-mail at
lee@leemorado.com. For more digestible IBS gut
health and fitness tips, be sureto follow me on Instagram at Lee
(26:19):
Morado under score Rd. and to apply for coaching, shop the
resource suite or grab a freebie, visit
gotfitnutrition.com. Thanks for tuning in.
We'll be in touch soon.
So the heat can really encouragethe digestive system to
contract. And then also if there is
caffeine and it can act as a stimulant which can help
increase intestinal muscle movement.
So for those of you with Constipation or who struggle
with more infrequent bowel movements, this can be a really
good one for you. And then again, just having some
time to relax and help our nervous system regulate and put
(00:22):
us in that digest and the rest and digest response can help
support a regular bowel movement.
Welcome to the Gut Fit NutritionPodcast, the show where we dive
deep into the world of gut health, nutrition and fitness to
help you unlock your best self from the inside out.
I'm your host Lee Morado, a registered dietitian, gut health
expert, long distance runner, and movement enthusiast on a
(00:43):
mission to empower you with science backed whole body
strategies to fuel your body, heal your gut, and thrive in
your active life. Whether you're here to finally
break free from IBS and digestive symptoms, optimize
your fitness performance, or learn how to support your gut
health natural strategies, you're in the right place.
Each week, we'll explore topics like conquering digestive
symptoms, building a gut friendly lifestyle, enhancing
(01:06):
endurance and strength performance, and more.
So grab a cup of your favorite gut friendly tea and settle in
because we're about to get gut fit together.
Hello everyone. So today we're going to be
chatting about morning routines and morning habits and why they
are essential for IBS and bloat relief.
(01:28):
So if you can think back to those maybe early COVID days
when you were working from home,we used to roll out of bed and
sit at our desk and chug a cup of coffee and get started on
work. And maybe some of you are still
doing that today. So we're going to talk about why
the first hour of your day is really so important when it
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comes to setting your gut and your nervous system up for
success and really making sure that you're supporting your
digestive health for the rest ofthe day and the days to come.
So we're going to go through a few key strategies and really
habits that I recommend implementing in your morning
that are actually realistic. And we'll talk about varying
(02:11):
levels of implementing these habits so that you can help to
really support a good bowel routine, have a good quality
bowel movement, and essentially set up your nervous system on a
positive note. Because we know that there's
such a strong connection betweenyour gut and your brain that
making sure that you're down, regulating your nervous system,
getting yourself rest and digestresponse is really going to be
(02:34):
what what will really help you support IBS management and
minimize your risk of bloating and more symptoms throughout the
day. So let's get into it.
The first thing is thinking about how we're waking up and
what we're consuming in those first few moments of our
morning. So I actually love the sleep
(02:56):
Cycle app. So this is a free app and there
is a premium paid version, but the free app definitely gets you
a lot of great tools. And essentially this app is
something where you can set a timer window to wake you up.
You can set it between I believe15 to 30 minutes, maybe a bit
more than that. And what it does is essentially
(03:18):
tracks your movement through your sleep.
So you do have to keep your phone near your bed, but it
picks up when you're in a lighter mode of sleep rather
than in a deep sleep and will wake you up at your within your
proposed window so that it's actually waking you up in a
lighter sleep rather than a deepsleep.
And a lot of people find that this actually just helps them to
(03:40):
wake up a lot more calmly and feel more energized, more rested
when they wake up, when they're not jolted out of a deep sleep,
which can happen if you just useany alarm and you set it for a
specific time, like 7:30 on the dot.
You might find that opening or waking up within a specific
window actually just helps you to wake up more energized and a
(04:00):
bit more calm too. So this might depend on what's
available to you and what time you start your work day.
And it may not be realistic, butif you do have the ability to
even set that 20 minute window, this could be a great way to
just wake up a bit more calmly and even get a head start.
I'm feeling better for the day. The next aspect I really want
you to think about is implementing screen free time.
(04:24):
So it can be so distress distressing really for our brain
if we just wake up and we're bombarded with all this
cognitive overwhelmed by lookingat our emails first thing, our
boss telling us to do something,maybe scrolling on social media
and seeing other people doing stuff and instantly having our
brain filled with all of these things that maybe aren't
(04:47):
relevant to us right away. So I really recommend if you
want to make is probably the most important point I'm going
to make in this episode is to really implement screen free
time in your morning. So I like to set my phone on do
not disturb, have this on for most of the day, but especially
overnight. That way when you pick up your
phone, even to turn off your alarm or check the time in the
(05:09):
morning, you won't see a bunch of notifications on the front of
your screen. So you'll just see the time and
you'll just be able to turn off your alarm.
Or if you using the sleep cycle app, be able to shut that off.
And trust me, give this maybe even two or three days and
really reflect on how you feel when you don't wake up and
scroll on your phone first thing.
(05:31):
Really, really want you to see how much this helps, you know,
improve your mood and even reduce levels of anxiety and
stress by just taking a break from the screen.
You'll get to look at it later, but making sure that it's not
something that you're consuming first thing and while you're
waking up and and still in bed. The other benefit to that this
(05:52):
too is that you may find that itactually helps support your
focus and your overall clarity. When you just wake up and just
let your brain take in the light, whatever thoughts will
naturally flow into your head and just focus on how you're
feeling and get out of bed without using any screens or any
distractions. A lot of people find that this
actually just helps them to be more consistent with the other
(06:14):
habits that will help you to feel good for the day.
So as we'll get into hydration and movement and getting
sunlight because your time is not taken up by automatically
scrolling on your phone or your device.
And for those of you who are thinking like, oh, I need to get
a head start on the day, I want to see my emails, chances are
you're not going to be productive and at your best
looking at your phone first thing in the morning.
(06:36):
So why not just take a break andput it away.
So I recommend even starting with 15 minutes of screen free
time if this is new to you. But ideally I would work up to
getting at least an hour of screen free time before you get
into all that stuff and just focusing on the things that your
body needs and that self-care toset yourself up for success for
the day. So this brings us into our next
(06:59):
point, which is hydration. So what we want to avoid doing
is jumping into caffeinated beverages right away.
So jumping into coffee or jumping into tea, for example.
And we want to make sure we're getting a head start on our
hydration. So overnight you've been
fasting. You probably weren't taking
anything in unless you were getting up to have some small
(07:21):
sips of water. But that's why it's so essential
to really start your day with some water and some hydration.
So I recommend after you get outof bed, maybe you go to the
kitchen. It could be helpful to keep like
a pitcher of water there so thatyou see it visually, or even
pour a cup the night before and trying to get in around 16
ounces of water to kick start your hydration for the day.
(07:43):
We're always more successful when we set our day up for
success rather than trying to catch up later in the day.
And the same goes with hydrationtoo.
So I would definitely recommend starting your day with some
water. The other benefit of this too is
that drinking some fluids can also help stimulate the
digestive process. So it may also contribute to a
better bowel movement, which of course, when we have IBS is
(08:07):
something that we want to prioritize.
And when it comes to bloating, we know that when we've emptied
out properly, that also makes a big difference in bloating and
how we feel. You may be wondering, do I need
to add lemon? Are there any like tinctures
that I should be adding? I suggest just keep it simple.
Focus on the water, focus on thehydration and make that a
consistent habit. And then if you want to add
(08:28):
something for some flair or, or if that helps you to be more
consistent with it, then you can't.
So lemon juice, there's a benefit of some vitamin C.
It helps the water taste a little bit better.
Is it a super food? No.
Is it going to make or break your hydration?
Probably not. But you can add it if you find
that it makes the water more enjoyable and then makes you
(08:48):
more likely to drink it. The next component of and
morning routine to help with IBSand bloat relief would be sun
exposure. So sunlight has gotten a lot of
attention the last few years. There's been some key health
podcasters and Wellness gurus that have talked about the
(09:10):
benefits of sunlight. But this isn't just hype, there
actually is good quality sciencebehind it.
So by viewing direct sunlight, ideally within the first hour of
your day. The benefit of this is that it
sends a message to the master clock in your brain and tells
your brain that it is daytime and to essentially put in
(09:34):
process, put in motion a series of hormone timers that can help
you to one have more energy and focus throughout the daytime.
But it also sets in motion a timer for melatonin release
around 16 hours after you view that sunlight and melatonin is
your sleep hormone. So when we have more natural
(09:56):
melatonin production at nighttime, that helps us to get
better quality rest, fall asleepeasier and get more deep sleep,
which what does that mean? That means that the next day and
the next morning, we're going tofeel more rested and we're going
to have a better and more productive morning.
So when it comes to direct sun exposure, this means directly in
your eyes. So not through sunglasses or not
(10:18):
sitting by a window, fortunately, or driving in a
car, but actually getting outside and seeing the sunlight
in your eyes. It will be much stronger if you
get or if you get it on a sunny day.
So around 5 to 10 minutes would be a good target to aim for of
direct sun. That is a cloudy day.
There is still lots of sun and it's still going to be brighter
(10:40):
than any indoor lighting. So around 15 to 20 minutes is
what you want to aim for. There are specific light pads
you can get on line. There's like the sun lamp, but
there are light pads that can mimic the amount of lux of the
sun. I think it's somewhere around
25,000. I'll have to check on that.
So if you're someone who has to wake up really early, I know I
(11:00):
have some clients that work a shift work or they work in the
lab and they have to get up and be at work before the sun comes
out. This could be an option for you
too. And it can definitely be really
helpful. And to make this more enjoyable,
you could stack it with another habit.
So even movement as we'll get into, maybe you go out for a
short 10 minute walk, nothing big.
(11:22):
Or maybe if you have a porch or you live in an apartment or a
condo and you can stand outside on your balcony.
I know personally I've done thisin the winter or in the rainy
days, you can stand and maybe just do some stretching and some
mobility and get some sunlight in your eyes.
Trust me that 5-10 minutes will make all the difference just by
getting some sun before you really start the rest of your
(11:45):
day. So the next piece of the morning
routine would be adding some movement so it does not have to
be anything crazy. If you don't like to work out in
the morning, you don't have to. Or if maybe it's not realistic
to always get your full workout in in the morning, that's OK,
but I would just suggest even doing something gentle.
(12:05):
So again, to get that sunlight, maybe you go out for a short
walk around the block or even standing outside and doing some
mobility work. So I find that just getting some
movement helps to support motility.
So it can also help support yourbowel routine.
But we know that movement is good for mood, right?
If we just wake up and then we crawl right into our our desk
(12:27):
and then we're stiff for the rest of the day, it's going to
lead us to feel pretty tight. So even just getting our blood
flowing, that can help one with your mood and your mental
health, which also supports yourdigestion through the gut brain
connection. But it can also even reduce some
tension around your abdominal area where your digestive
organs, your house and just helpthings to relax more and can
(12:48):
actually improve bloating throughout the day.
I personally love to do everydayat least a short walk and some
mobility, even if it's just 10 minutes.
And there are certain poses or movements that you can do that
will also help to reduce that abdominal tension.
So things like your cat cow, your spinal twist, even shoulder
rolls are great. Upward dog, downward dog, just
(13:10):
some easy things that you can do.
Whatever makes it easy for you. So maybe you live in a condo and
there's a gym. You could pop down there for 10
minutes and then go for a walk. Or if the weather is nice
outside, maybe there's a local park or green space, you could
do a short walk and then do someof your mobility movement
outside can be very easy and very enjoyable.
(13:31):
So something to keep in mind as well.
Again, if you like to work out in the morning and you have that
time, you can definitely incorporate that in your morning
routine. And that that's a great way to
start the day too. But it doesn't have to be a
crazy workout. Even just getting a short walk
and doing a little bit of thingsto get your joints mobilized and
help your abdominal tract relax,that can make a huge difference
(13:53):
in the day. Then next component of a morning
routine to help relieve IBS and bloat is having some time, some
comfortable time with a warm drink.
So we know that warm drinks, even coffee or things like
ginger tea or herbal teas, if you don't like caffeine, pairing
(14:15):
that with some relaxed time can really help you to stimulate a
bowel movement. So even if this means then
starting your work day and having a warm drink and you're
comfortable at home, this counts.
Or if you have to go into the office for the day, maybe
carving a little bit of time to have that warm drink, you could
pair it with reading a little bit of a book or maybe this is
(14:37):
when you incorporate some screens.
But again, I would try to keep it things that are positive.
So maybe looking at good news orreading some positive articles
or a book on your phone and justtaking maybe even just 20 to 30
minutes to let your rest and digest system turn on and help
to stimulate some time to have abowel movement.
(14:59):
So this can be really, really helpful.
Again, the drink works for you. Some people do enjoy their
coffee in the morning, which is totally cool or even doing other
warm drinks like a ginger tea ora black tea can be great.
So the heat can really encouragethe digestive system to
contract. And then also if there is
caffeine and it can act as a stimulant which can help
increase intestinal muscle movement.
(15:21):
So for those of you with Constipation or who struggle
with more infrequent bowel movements, this can be a really
good one for you. And then again, just having some
time to relax and help our nervous system regulate and put
us in that digest and the rest and digest response can help
support a regular bowel movement.
And then something else to thinkabout S #7 actually on our list
(15:43):
here would be to create a comfortable bathroom space to
have a good bowel routine. So this is more of like a long
term solution and it can be something that you put in place
so that it works for your morning.
But I always suggest keeping your bathroom nice and clean,
even if you could put in some, you know, plants that work well
in low light spaces or some fakeplants just to have some
(16:05):
feelings of nature, which we know can help us to just feel
calm and support mood. Keeping your bathroom clean and
tidy. We know that clutter free spaces
just actually helps our mind to relax and feel more at ease when
we don't see that sort of physical clutter.
It helps with mental clutter too.
And then of course, one of my favorite tools would be to have
(16:27):
a squatty potty. So that's essentially A stool
that helps to put you in a squatposition when you have a bowel
movement. So there actually is a lot of
good evidence behind this too. So the idea is that the Squatty
Potty can help increase your rectal canal angle from 100°,
which is what will be if you're just sitting on a regular toilet
(16:48):
and your feet are flat on the ground and your knees are level
with your hips to around 120 degrees.
So when we increase the angle, this essentially means that our
rectum which is the last part inour large bowel opens up and
when we want to have bowel movement, we want to open up
that angle which helps to have amore pleasant and more full
(17:10):
evacuation. So the idea too is that when we
squat during a bowel movement then our sit bones are able to
separate and this allows our annual sphincter which helps
release the stool from our colonto fully expand and helps waste
move through with the help of gravity.
So there actually was a 2019 study, which I can link below,
(17:30):
where they looked at 52 participants who recorded their
bowel movements for four weeks and after using the Squatty
Potty for two weeks, the participants reported increased
bowel emptiness, reduced straining patterns, and reduced
bowel movement duration. So less time in the bathroom.
So if that isn't enough to convince you, I don't know what
(17:51):
is. So squatty potties are great.
Or even just using another stoolthat puts you into a squat
position. Again, we want knees elevated
above your hips. They're a great tool for
everyone, not just for Constipation, but for diarrhea
as well, just to prevent any straining.
And again, to put your colon in a more optimal angle for a
(18:11):
better quality bowel movement. Because really, the key to a
good day is having a good successful bowel movement.
So why not increase our chances of that with all the tools that
we can, right? And then the final component of
a morning routine to set our gutand nervous system up for
success would be a fueling breakfast.
(18:32):
So a breakfast that helps us to feel our best should be one that
helps support stable blood sugarlevels.
This means that we're going to have more regular, regular
energy through the day. And it is important to eat
something in the morning. You don't have to eat something
right away. I usually suggest you could wait
an hour or two till you have some appetite that is totally
(18:53):
cool. But we don't want to be skipping
meals or waiting a really long time to eat and getting to the
to the point where we're low blood sugar and we're ready to
crash and then eating something.We want to make sure that we're
fueling earlier. And part of the reason for that
is it just sends our brain and our body a signal of safety when
we're are fueling that it's like, OK, I've got enough fuel.
(19:13):
I feel calm nervous system feelslike it can down regulate and it
actually can help set up better mood and just a more calm
nervous system for the day. When we do get in some fuel and
let our body know that it's OK and it's not in starvation mode,
you've got enough to support thedaily processes that your body
needs to go through and all the resources that it needs.
(19:34):
So the components of a blood sugar balancing breakfast that
will work for most people would be a good dose of protein.
So I would suggest, you know, for most people, and it could be
more depending on your age or goals or how active you are, but
most people would benefit from aiming to get at least 30 grams
of protein in your breakfast in that first meal a day.
(19:56):
Again, it doesn't have to be first thing when you wake up.
You can wait a little bit till you have some appetite.
But getting in a good dose of protein super great for helping
us to regulate blood sugar levels and sending your body a
signal of safety. The other component would be
some fiber. So doing things like our rolled
oatmeal or chia, different fruits, vegetables also helps us
(20:16):
to feel satiated and support regular blood sugars.
And then the other component would be some healthy fats.
So things like our chia or flaxseed and small amounts of
avocado, egg yolks, those also help with satiety and set us up
for success. Of course, if you have IBS or
gut issues, you may be followingcertain dietary restrictions or
(20:37):
have foods that you don't eat. So this needs to, you know, be a
combination of foods that's going to work for you.
This is definitely something that I work with a lot of my
clients on in my gut Harmony method programs, making sure
that we're not restricting more than we need to, but we're
setting you up with, you know, specific meals and, and certain
foods that feel best for you andtake into account your
(20:58):
individual food intolerances. But still making sure we're
covering all your nutrient bases.
And we're making sure that your meals are giving your body what
it means so that we can help support your gut brain
connection and nervous system and overall health too.
So there's definitely ways to make this work for you depending
on your food tolerances and yourneeds.
And that's definitely why working with a registered
(21:19):
dietitian can be so helpful as well.
So that brings us to the end of our sort of ideal morning
routine and and habits that we want to think about including.
All of these can be really simple and they don't need to
take an excessive amount of time.
So I would say all in probably around an hour to an hour and a
half. So while you may have a rushed
(21:41):
morning or maybe you're always catching up on sleep, I would
suggest even just carving that hour can be so impactful for the
rest of the day and making that work for you.
One thing I do want to highlighthere because when it comes to
routines, yes, they all sound amazing and we've seen what
favorite influencers doing online and their routines look
(22:02):
amazing and it's 20 different steps and we wish we could do
that everyday. The truth is that you know, most
of us lead very busy lives and having an ideal routine every
day, it may not be realistic foryou.
So I love the concept of ABC routines.
So this was actually inspired from Sahil Bloom from his book
(22:23):
The Five Types of Wealth where he recommends the ABC approach
to routine. So I'll include the book link in
the show notes here. So he feels that every routine
should have an AB and C level. So A is your ideal routine where
everything somehow goes perfectly to plan.
B is your baseline routine and one that you can just pull off
(22:45):
on an average day. And C is like bare bones
essential, you know, when maybe something goes off track.
This is what you aim to include.So maybe your ideal routine is
doing it all, waking up mindfully, hydration.
Maybe you get in that, you know,kick butt, workout for 45
minutes or you go on your run, you feel amazing, you have some
(23:07):
time with your coffee to journaland have a great bowel movement.
That's your A, that's your idealroutine.
Maybe B is paring it back a little bit.
So of course still hydrated because we know that is key.
Waking up mindfully, maybe you get 5 minutes of sun and a short
walk and then have some quiet time with your warm drink to
(23:27):
start your day. And then maybe see routine is
even more compacted. So you wake up, have some water,
stand outside for 5 minutes, do a little mobility, and maybe you
grab your coffee to go and you take it on the train with you
and you do some reading. And then at work, you have your
bowel movement. But maybe you weren't able to
get in, you know, the perfect workout or all of the steps
(23:50):
there, but at least you got in some key things that are going
to help set your day up. So you avoided screens.
You got in your hydration, we had some sunlight, just those
key essentials and included themthere.
So I find this really helpful, even for myself.
I'm very busy running a business, very active.
I train over 10 hours a week, you know, have a busy social
(24:10):
life and sometimes my morning routine is not always perfect.
But for me, I have those essentials that I do everyday,
rain or shine. I always wake up without
screens, always hydrate, I get my sunlight, go outside mobility
even if it's just 5 minutes, take a shower, make my breakfast
and then settle into my work day.
(24:31):
Because I know that if I skip those habits then I'm just not
going to feel great for the restof the day.
So those are essential to me. And on an ideal day, I'm able to
go for a longer run or do a workout or, you know, take a
longer walk outside, have more time before I I jump into work.
But I find it helpful to think about the ABC routines and not
(24:52):
always aiming for it to be exactly perfect when you go
through it. So it's just to wrap things up,
take away here is that really the first hour of your day is so
important and really will make such a difference when it comes
to your mood and your mental health and your digestion for
the remainder of the day. So I encourage you to think
(25:14):
about some ways that you can setyour day up on a more positive
note. Try out some of these strategies
that I've mentioned here and really launch your day with good
intentions and giving your gut the best chance at success.
So I'd love to know what you found helpful in this episode or
(25:34):
what you're currently doing and what you may be adding to your
morning routines or your morninghabits.
You can leave a comment in the show notes below.
And I can't wait to talk to you soon.
Bye for now. That's a wrap for today's
episode. Thank you so much for listening
and being a part of our community here.
If the Gut Fit Nutrition podcastis giving you value, helped your
(25:55):
digestion and fitness, made you rethink how you approach your
gut health, consider leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or
wherever you're getting your podcasts.
If you have questions for my listener Q&A episodes, you can
submit them as a comment on thisepisode or send me an e-mail at
lee@leemorado.com. For more digestible IBS gut
health and fitness tips, be sureto follow me on Instagram at Lee
(26:19):
Morado under score Rd. and to apply for coaching, shop the
resource suite or grab a freebie, visit
gotfitnutrition.com. Thanks for tuning in.
We'll be in touch soon.
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