Easy Caffeine Free Warm Drinks to Enjoy!
So a few days ago I made the decision to do an elimination of some foods that have been giving me inflammation. One of those was coffee! This is a big deal for me. I don't know about you but coffee is more than a pick me up for me. Honestly, I had gone to half-caf cups anyway so it wasn't about giving me energy. I do that in many other ways; like getting good sleep, essential oils, supplements, foods and drinking enough water. Drinking coffee is emotional for me. My family actually even owns a coffee company where they roast in house, Texas Coffee Company. So needless to say coffee has been a part of my life since birth. Then when I met my husband, at the time high school sweetheart, we bonded over coffee. Even now that's what we do; coffee dates at lunch and after work on the porch outside. Most of our dates outside of the house involve a cup of coffee too. So you see, totally emotional for me. What about you? Is coffee a pick me up, you just love it, emotional or maybe all of the above?
When I realized I needed to give up coffee for a few weeks to reset my body; I started thinking about how to replace it and especially the emotional component. I wanted to still be able to sit and enjoy that warm drink with my hubby that connected us together. So here are some recipes I'm going to be drinking for the next weeks while I'm on this journey to wellness. I love taking steps for my body that will help me feel better and bring lifelong health. It's so worth it. Plus these are great Fall inspired drinks to get you into the season and they all have health benefits.
Drinks to Help you Cut Out Caffeine and Still Enjoy a Warm Cup of Love
My version of a London Fog:
Brew 1/2 cup of tea (caffeine free)
Add 1 tsp honey
Warm 1/2 cup milk (whole, half and half or dairy free), froth
Pour over the top of the brewed tea.
Note: not all dairy free milk alternatives froth well. I have found oatmilk to froth the best.
Upgrade it by adding a drop of Young Living Lavender Vitality. So yummy and great for your respiratory system. It's very calming too.
Pumpkin Spice Steamer:
1 cup whole milk (or milk alternaitve)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbls sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
Whipped Cream, Optional
Cinnamon, Optional
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. I love this blender. Then pour into a pot on the stove to warm. Pour into cup and froth. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.
Starbuck's Copycat Vanilla Steamer
1 cup of warm milk of choice
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 tsp. organic cane sugar
Heat all together and froth.
Golden Milk Lattes are my favorite. I don't make them from scratch. Here's a good one.
I like to make mine with coconut milk.
Another option is a warm cup of your preference of caffeine free tea with honey and a drop of Young Living Lemon Vitality. This is a great way to start your morning.
Here are some of my favorite teas right now:
My favorite is to warm a cup of water and add 1 drop of Young Living Thieves Vitality and 1 tsp of honey. It's an instant immune support drink and it warms my whole body.
What about you? What are some of your favorite caffeine free, warm drinks?
By the way, come hang out with other moms navigating this journey and doing life together. We share recipes, tips, encourage and cheer each other on. This group is full of joy and inspiration. Join here!
*This post has affiliate links. These are all brands we use and love.
How to Drink Enough Water Each Day to Improve Your Health
Water is the most underrated drink and I get it. It's pretty boring to drink. The thing is when I started intentionally drinking the amount of water my body needed a whole lot of good things started happening. Now I can totally tell when I'm not hydrating with water enough during the day. Read to the end to find out how we upgrade water at our house. It has helped us drink more water and stay consistent.
Why do you want to drink water all day? Here are just a few of many reasons.
- Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids.
- Water Can Help Control Calories.
- Water Helps Energize Muscles.
- Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good.
- Water Helps Your Kidneys.
- Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function.
What happened when I started drinking enough water daily? These are just a few that really stood out to me and when I don't drink enough I can tell.
- I started having more energy.
- I felt less bloated.
- My skin started looking more healthy.
- I didn't want to eat as much.
- My brain wasn't as foggy.
How much water should you be drinking each day?
According to the Mayo Clinic,
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.
There is really no set amount because each person's day is different. You have to take into account exercise, overall health, environment and pregnancy or breast feeding. These all factor in to how much your body needs. You also get some water from fruits and vegetables as mentioned above. Plus water is not the only thing that contributes to your fluid intake. You can consume herbal teas and broths too.
So how can you tell if you are drinking enough:
- You rarely feel thirsty.
- Your urine is colorless or light yellow.
The best thing to do is start your day with a lukewarm glass of water. After going all night without fluids, you will get your body hydrated, quick start your metabolism and digestion. It also starts to cleanse out the body and make way for the good bacteria.
How can you upgrade your water to enjoy it and get more benefit?
- Infuse it with fruit, veggies or herbs...my favorite is cucumber/mint or raspberry/rosemary.
- Put Young Living Vitality Oils in it...I put a drop of lemon vitality in mine in the morning and a drop of peppermint vitality in the afternoon. This supports my body in many different ways, especially with digestion and my immune system.
- Add Young Living Vitality Drops...they are full of electrolytes without all the sugar for a flavored water that tastes yum.
What about cups that make you drink more water?
This is a thing at our house. Seriously, my kids have specific cups they like to drink out off and they will drink more water when they use these cups. I'll admit I'm like that too.
Also, we are likely to take a refillable bottle out with us to stay hydrated. This is the worst when you are out and about and you get thirsty. We learned our lesson too many times. Oh and when you put vitality oils in you water, you need to do it in glass or stainless steel. Here are some of our favorites:
What about water filteration:
This one became important to me when I learned what kinds of toxins and harmful chemicals were in our tap water. Just a few that stood out to me were lead, chlorine, mercury, arsenic and many others that I decided didn't need to be going into our bodies. There are many kits out there to test your water if you are not sure. We decided to go with a water filtration system to purify the water and we are very happy with it. We even have one for traveling. Check out the Berkey Water System for more info.
So, what about you? Do you have this water drinking thing down or do you want to work on it? What helps you drink more?
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I do not recommend anything that is not in line with my values. The products I recommend we truly use and love.
Before we get into the hand soap recipe let me tell you a quick story. A few years ago when I was cleaning right after I brought my first born home from the hospital and NICU; I started to feel light headed and my chest was tight. It got me thinking about what I was cleaning with and how these ingredients were effecting my family, especially my growing baby. What I found out woke me up and I moved forward with making changes. I have not looked back because when I did this for my family it helped us start to feel better, be sick less often and our immune systems became stronger than ever before. I want my children to continue with these natural alternatives because it does make a difference for their bodies, generational changes for their children and honestly the world.
One of the easiest changes I made was making our hand soap. It literally takes me 2 minutes and I just keep what I need on hand all the time to make it when needed. You only need 3 ingredients to make this soap.
DIY Hand Soap Recipe
Mix Straight into the Soap Container
1/4 cup Liquid Castile Soap-I get mine at Thrive (Dr. Bonner's Unscented)
3/4 cup Distilled Water
5-10 Drops of Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils (I usually use the Young Living Thieves for it's power)
Foaming Hand Soap Container- Grab this one here.
So easy and quick! There are no synthetic fragrances either. For us this means no more constant headaches, immune systems being suppressed and skin irritations. I also have peace of mind knowing that I am not possibly contributing to long term health issues for our family. I know that this is not in my complete control but I do have choices I get to make for my family that are in line with my beliefs for our health. This is one change you can make to help you move closer to a place of wellness that is possible.
Are you going to give it a try or do you currently already make your own?
