By Miwa Hiroe

It’s January, the first month of a fresh new year of possibilities. And yet, I can’t deny January’s restrictive qualities. Our daylight hours are limited. We’re eating prematurely picked produce that’s matured on the road in the foster care of rootless crates. Frigid temperatures have oxygen clinging to hemoglobin like a tired toddler to her mom’s leg, making oxygen less available to the muscles and causing stiffness, possibly accompanied by the feeling of exasperating immobility. What can we do to counter this naturally induced winter lethargy? The bears have wisely hit their dens for a season of hibernation and an extra 1, 2, or 3 cups of coffee may be the only thing keeping us from doing the same. I have no qualms with coffee. It’s an incredible stimulant but at some point, our own incredible bodies inhibit its effects. (At least the rejuvenating effects. It is likely still pestering the adrenal glands and throwing off our water balance). Here are a few alternative coffee recipes to give you that extra boost.

“Fresh air impoverishes the doctor.” – Proverb

Exercise a la mode

Okay, you’re on to me. You can put your recipe cards away. These alternatives are on liberal terms. If your inner chef is disappointed, I can humour you with three important ingredients: fresh air, movement, and fun.

Deep Breathing

It’s a side dish that goes with exercise, but it can also be served as a light main course. Deep breathing is not only calming, it also promotes blood flow, relaxes muscle tension, reduces blood pressure, releases toxins, and strengthens abdominal and intestinal muscles. How is this calming activity comparable to coffee? It’s a “Stop. Reset.” Start easy. Try taking 5 deep, mindful breaths before a meal to diminish adrenaline and allow your body to focus on digestion.

“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness”
– Sakyong Mipham

Inspiration

This is my favourite equivalent to a double shot of espresso. Invigorating. Motivating. It’s a beautiful antidote to lethargy because it extinguishes stagnation. It freshens, augments, and stirs things up. My personal ingredients for Inspiration are beauty, creativity, learning, connecting and reflection. Beauty begets appreciation. Creativity promotes innovation. Learning expands realities. Connecting and reflection reveals meaning. I’ve discovered that I can easily squeeze in a dose by watching a Ted Talk or short documentary while I wash the dishes. Not only do I learn something, but it keeps me at the sink until my job is done.

Rest

The complementary yin to Stimulation’s yang. Sleep is the primary ingredient here, but I like to add a healthy dose of electronic-free time and, when available, a few shakes of alone time.

Nutrition

Food and nutrition are fuel for the body. What you put in the tank determines how efficiently your engine runs. Supplementing may be helpful, depending on eating habits and what ingredients are available to you. One winter specific supplement I like to take is Rhodiola Rosea. As with many herbs, the scientific studies on Rhodiola are insufficient, but it seems to improve mental fatigue and winter bluesy symptoms.

“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Photo credit to Wide Open World

Environment

This is our surroundings, what we constantly expose ourselves to. Some of us are more immune to it than others and the saying, “clean room, clear mind” may or may not run true to you. But environment is more than how things look. What does it sound like? Is the radio or TV on? And what is the content of the background noise? How does it smell? Like foods or fragrances or odours? Does it need airing? How does it feel? Are you cozy and comfortable in your space? And who is in your space? All these aspects of your environment have a boosting or draining effect on energy levels.

Grooving to the Rhythm

In other words, timing. Circadian Rhythm is a biological oscillating clock that runs on a 24 hour loop. It’s a subcategory of sleep, but understanding how it works can help to navigate daily energy spikes and dips. This rhythm is built into our systems, although it adjusts to local environments and external cues. It means there are biologically ideal times for rest, food and for activity. Because this rhythm fluctuates with daylight hours and temperatures, winter might require adjusting our patterns. As for that afternoon dip, it’s not only normal, it’s biologically ingrained, which makes between 1-2pm a particularly ideal time to try adding an alternative coffee boost to your day.

“Great,” you say, “but I still want an alternative coffee recipe.” Fair enough. Here’s a lovely beverage from almostbananas.

Get a 15% discount on the following items at Infinity when you mention the blog: Mate Factor -Cardamom Chai, Teeccino – Herbal Hazelnut Coffee Alternative, Akava – Instant Coffee Alternative