BETH RICANaTI, MD
Wife, Mother, Physician, Speaker, and award-winning Author of Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs
my morning routine
My morning routine has ebbed and flowed since my medical school days. Then, I was lucky to just get out of the house in the morning with my teeth brushed, a bit of moisturizer and enough time to grab a cup of coffee. Mornings were early, and frantic.
Many years later, a few cities later, and a few children later, I have come to appreciate that how I start the day really does set the tone for the rest of my day. And for me, that means incorporating rituals. Doing the same things every morning helps me to feel calmer and in control, knowing full well that I won’t necessarily be calm or in control during the day!
7:00am: An unintended consequence of lockdown that I’ve held onto is a slightly later start. While I often wake up between 6 and 6:30 am, our days start closer to 7am. While I don’t use a lot of products, I have found that a simple morning skincare routine works. I wash my face with CeraVe and use loads of moisturizer in the morning and evening.
By 7am, one of us has started the coffee and gotten the dog, Columba. Mornings are my favorite time. I sit in the same chair, with a cup of fresh coffee (with a splash of organic half and half) in my favorite mug (I’m currently loving the life doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful mugs from maman nyc), the newspaper – yes, an actual paper newspaper – and a view outside. If I am really fortunate, I might even see a hummingbird. Coming from the Midwest, I still can’t believe it when I see one.
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8:30am: On the days that I don’t go into clinic and am instead writing or working on future challah workshops (based on the tenets of my memoir, Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs), I am at my desk. Since lockdown, when we had to reshuffle to accommodate all of us being home and trying to work and go to school, I moved into the corner of the kitchen. Turns out I love having my desk tucked away in the center of the house. Columba usually curls up underneath the desk and together we tackle email and writing and social media and all that goes into my business.
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10:00 am: By 10am it’s time for a break and a chance to take a walk. Living in Santa Monica, where it is usually sunny and comfortable, I am able to wear a relaxed comfortable wardrobe when I work from home. I’m currently favoring jeans and oxford shirts by Citizens of Humanity or comfortable cotton dresses while I push off the imminent arrival of cooler temps. While I am not from here originally, I have come to appreciate the wonders of the sun, and also some it’s negative consequences. As a result, I now use sunscreen daily! Ideally, to keep it simple, I have gravitated towards moisturizers with SPF in them, like Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer. I rarely wear any more makeup than that, but when conducting workshops or giving talks, I’ll use BeautyCounter’s eyeshadows and maybe a lipstick from Kjaer Weis.
When I was younger, I would just grab a bagel or muffin in the morning because it was easy. I often felt sluggish by mid-morning and yet didn’t realize the connection. Now I know better. I believe that food is medicine and has the power to both heal us and impact our health negatively. It matters what we eat. I tend to eat less early on the morning, sticking to coffee and water. By midmorning, I often eat some fruit and nuts, or a hard-boiled egg. Wherever I am, I try to always drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Beth’s Top 5 Wellbeing Rituals
Ritual #1: Sleep hygiene. I wake up at the same time every day, often between 6 and 6:30 am. Sleep is so important for our overall health and getting between 6 – 8 hours a night is the goal. I find that sometimes it is difficult to do, so I try to go to bed and get up at approximately the same time every day. We really can teach our bodies how to sleep better!
Ritual #2: A Morning Routine. For me it’s my morning coffee and a walk with my dog. There is even some medical evidence showing that owning a pet can help provide psychological support and boost one’s mood!
Ritual #2: Get outside. Getting outside is a great antidote to stress and anxiety. I encourage my patients to get out, and so I try and practice the same behavior. Even just stopping to look out the window can have health benefits.
Ritual #3: Wear sunscreen. Every. Single. Day!
Ritual #4: Healthy food for the win! I am a huge fan of the Mediterranean Diet, not only because of all the scientific literature documenting its’ merits, but on a personal level because I have found that I feel so much better when I eat this way. What’s in it? Loads of fruit, vegetables, nuts, lean protein, olive oil, and even wine.
Beth is available for challah-making workshops (both virtually and IRL, location depending) and for speaking engagements. To learn more about this, please contact lily@entouragec.com.
