4 Things Your Morning Routine Shouldn't Lack

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Optimum intake for an average, healthy person seems to be I gram to 10 grams per day. For those who suffer from disease, live in a polluted city, have a stressful life, take drugs including aspirin, drink excessive amounts of alcohol or smoke, optimum intake rises.

And in the short term, taking your vitamin C in the morning will help you feel at your best all day.

Plus, enjoying that a.m. OJ is a natural pick-me-up—the smell and taste of citrus will?invigorate you.

Stretch

If you sleep in weird positions, all curled up or on your side—even on your back or stomach—chances are, you're waking up stiff and unbalanced. Stretching in the morning both activates your muscles and loosens them up, getting them ready for the day, and increases your blood flow. Not to mention, when you stretch you're already releasing stress and tension and you're not even at the office yet.

Take at least seven minutes?after waking up?to stretch out your shoulders, your back and your hamstrings—those are the major muscle groups that will most likely be causing you tension.?

You also may want to do a couple of twists to wake up your spine and keep it limber (twists will stretch out your neck, for those of you who wake up with stiff necks).?

Here are a couple of yoga poses that are revitalizing and perfect for starting your morning.

??????????Tadasana Urdhva Baddha Hastasana: This is Mountain Pose with your arms overhead,?? fingers clasped and palms facing up. It's important to keep your trapezius moving down your back and your elbows straight.
?????????Uttanasana: Forward Fold
?????????Tadasana Gomukhasana: Mountain Pose with Cow Face arms; standing cow-faced pose
??????????Adhomukha Svanasana: Downward Dog

Initiate Positive Thinking

Positive thinking helps start your day off right, helps with stress management and can improve your overall health. Studies show that optimistic personalities can reflect on your outlook on life and overall health.