Lifted Living with Morgan Witkin, Founder of Morganic Kitchen
Vegan Chef. Transformation Health Coach. Mother.
Holidays are known as a time for indulgence, but of course we all look to January as a time to reset and detox. What are your five top tips for starting the new year with a clean slate?
The key is to approach a new year with a holistic perspective, considering not only dietary choices but moreover lifestyle factors that contribute to overall well-being.
My top five tips for beginning a new year with a clean slate would be to:
Promote the consumption of whole, plant-based foods to nourish your body with essential nutrients. Incorporate a variety of colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients, promoting overall health and supporting the body's natural detoxification processes.
Encourage mindful eating practices to help reconnect with your body and build a healthier relationship with food. Mindful eating can lead to more balanced food choices, reduced overeating, and increased enjoyment of meals.
Include, on a daily basis, gentle movement and exercise to support the body's natural detoxification processes.
Remember the importance of primary food and begin to take stock of: relationships, work-life balance, spiritual practices, sleep habits, and mindfulness. Maybe incorporate one new habit into daily life.
I am a huge believer in gratitude. I believe that incorporating gratitude practices is a wonderful addition to a holistic approach for starting the new year on a positive note. As a health coach, holistic nutritionist, and vegan chef, you can guide your clients in cultivating a sense of gratitude, which can have numerous mental and emotional health benefits. They can begin by keeping a gratitude journal, taking a few minutes each day to write down things they are grateful for. This practice can shift focus toward positive aspects of life, fostering a more optimistic mindset, and it’s the perfect way to begin a new year.
What are your Top 5 favorite recipes, and Top 5 Hero beauty/skincare products of all time?
Top 5 recipes: green goddess smoothie bowls, turmeric ginger matcha lattes, seasonal buddha bowls, marinated tempeh skewers, chocolate chip cookies.
Top 5 beauty skincare products: Naturium retinaldehyde cream serum; NUXE Citrus Cells Glow Rich Moisturising Cream; Lavika (a new Sicilian natural brand here in Italy) Illuminating Ritual; Biossance Squalene & Vitamin C Rose Oil; and The Ordinary Multi-Peptide and Copper Peptides 1% Serum.
I know that mental health and general wellbeing are also super important to you. What are some things we should be doing to look after ourselves better in this arena too?
My plant-based, nutrient-rich meals are crafted not only for exquisite taste but also to provide essential elements supporting cognitive function and emotional well-being. Mental health is fundamental to overall well-being, driving one of the reasons why I co-founded Lifted Living.
Our mission extends beyond culinary expertise – it's about curating a lifestyle where both body and mind thrive. Partnering with Teresa Fracasso, a dedicated life coach and fitness instructor, has been pivotal in shaping our holistic approach. Beyond stress management, Teresa empowers individuals with a range of tools, fostering self-awareness, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Her coaching is a comprehensive toolkit, equipping individuals with the skills to enhance overall well-being.
Teresa's guidance in movement and exercise is another crucial pillar of Lifted Living. Whether through pilates, yoga, or meditation, our holistic approach integrates physical activity to release tension and promote mental clarity.
At Lifted Living, we believe in the synergy of nourishing meals, transformative coaching, and mindful movement, creating a powerful trifecta. Every meal, coaching session, and movement contributes to a resilient, balanced, and uplifted life. It's not just about what you eat or how you move; it's about how you live – the essence of Lifted Living. We look forward to bringing our program to the wellness world.
What are the most important things you are teaching your daughter about healthy living?
As a single mother, I am lucky enough to spend time connecting and communicating on a deeper level with my nine-year-old daughter. There are a number of principles I am slowly teaching her to integrate into our daily life in order to provide her with a strong foundation for healthy and balanced living. My goal is to model positive behaviors and attitudes that she can carry into adulthood. A few of these principles are centered around: connection to nature, mindful and intuitive eating, gratitude and positive thinking, cooking skills, and open creativity, body positivity, and self-love and acceptance.
Please list any upcoming wellness retreats you have planned for next year:
At the moment I have three scheduled retreats for 2024: Lifted Living will be hosting a weekend retreat in Umbria at Eremito with Teresa Fracasso; I am working on a longer retreat in Greece at the end of April/beginning of May; and my first U.S. retreat this year will be in Asheville N.C. next October with yoga teacher and embodiment coach Rachel Zitin.
