If you’re anything like me, you’re padding into the kitchen this week in fuzzy socks, still half-asleep, reaching for something warm before you attempt human conversation. I’m writing this blog in December for Christmas week… the season of both comfort and chaos. Your to-do list is longer than Santa’s flight path, your sleep is probably patchy, and your nerves? Let’s just say the tree isn’t the only thing sparking. Or maybe it’s just me.
So let’s talk about that morning drink ritual, the one that can either calm your biology or kick inflammation into high gear before you’ve left the house.
This is a simple guide for the holidays, because this time of year already comes with enough drama. I hope you like it, please share it if you do. 
1. Coffee: The Good, the Bad, and the Electrifying
I’ll admit it: Coffee was my co-pilot for decades. I gave it up a year ago because it triggers reflux and jacked up my heart rate (which already gets high from all my athletics).
But coffee has another dark side to it -even decaf. It pulls minerals from your body like a little electrolyte burglar. Did you know that? Most people don’t. They associate coffee with energy and a good bowel movement. For real, coffee is a drug mugger of your magnesium, potassium, sodium… and losing three of these can impact your body in ways you may not have thought of.
A few symptoms of coffee-related electrolyte shifts:
• leg cramps
• heart flutters or tachycardia
• headaches (If you get headaches or migraines, READ THIS)
• anxiety or irritability
• feeling “wired but tired”
If that sounds familiar, it’s not your imagination – it’s chemistry. Coffee does this either way, but the symptoms hit harder when you’re a bit dehydrated – after workouts, diuretics, or energy drinks.
How to enjoy coffee without the fallout:
Drink a small glass of water or electrolytes first thing.
This simple trick softens the blow and makes your heart very happy with you.
And yes, this applies to decaf too, especially the highly processed kinds.
- Tea: The Gentle Middle Ground
Tea is kinder than coffee, but it can still push your minerals around if you drink it daily. Black tea, green tea, oolong, and chai are delicious, but they all contain natural compounds that make you urinate a little more, and that can shift your minerals if you’re drinking them daily.
It’s not “bad,” it just means your body may be losing more magnesium than you think. And magnesium is your anti-stress mineral. It’s your smooth-move muscle relaxer. It’s your internal fire extinguisher.
Over the holidays, when stress is already sky-high, losing magnesium is like losing the garden hose while the house is on fire.
Better choice: Herbal tea
Ginger, peppermint, cinnamon, hibiscus, chamomile and rooibos are teas that warm the belly and gently calm inflammation.
- What to Add to Your Cup to Make It Anti-Inflammatory
This is where your kitchen pantry becomes a pharmacy. Welcome to my world. Try mixing in a pinch of:
• cinnamon (helps with blood sugar swings from holiday cookies)
• cardamom (soothing to digestion and softens caffeine spikes)
• ginger (calms inflammation + nausea from overeating)
• cacao (rich in magnesium so your stressed holiday brain will thank you)
On snowy freezing cold mornings, I love taking a hot shower and then getting back in bed and curling up with herbal tea steeped with fresh ginger slices. Sam doesn’t love the smell, but that’s marriage.
- Oils, Creamers & Add-Ins: The Hidden Trouble Makers
Holiday-flavored creamers like eggnog are basically desert disguised as breakfast.
Most are loaded with emulsifiers that have the ability to irritate your gut lining, artificial sweeteners that drive bloating, and seed oils that fan the flames of inflammation.
If your stomach is tender, or if you’ve noticed more reflux, try swapping to one of these. Your pancreas will send you a thank-you card!
• a splash of real dairy cream, not a substitute
• coconut milk
• plain almond milk, you can make your own
• or nothing at all
- The Morning Drink That QUENCHES Inflammation Instantly
Electrolytes. I know, not glamorous. Not even comforting.
But if you wake up with palpitations, leg cramps, dizziness, or anxiety, your body is waving a tiny white flag.
Holiday eating → low sleep → more caffeine → stress → mineral loss.
It’s a perfect little storm.
An electrolyte drink, even a small amount, can stabilize you enough to enjoy the day without feeling like your nervous system is fried.
If you prefer a more natural approach, coconut water or a pinch of sea salt in warm lemon water works too (just skip the lemon if you have reflux).
And finally, there’s Yummy Greens a superfood blend that supports a more alkaline internal environment and delivers a spectrum of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and plant minerals to gently replenish what stress and holiday indulgences deplete.* With ingredients like sea lettuce, BEETROOT, chlorella, acai, and wheatgrass, it helps support alkalinity, energy production, gut balance, and detox pathways in a delicious berry-flavored scoop you can stir into water or a smoothie.*
Here’s what I reach for when I feel a little too “hot” from over-working out, overstimulated, or just unbalanced from pushing too hard:
- Warm water (or white tea if I have it)
- A splash of coconut milk or regular milk
- Three thin slices of fresh ginger
- A pinch of cinnamon (or nutmeg if that’s what calls to you)
- A tiny drizzle of maple syrup (or honey)
It’s simple, soothing, and feels like someone just turned down the volume on the world. I put it in my small cast iron tea pot.
It tastes like a hug. It doesn’t strip minerals. And it gives me just enough comfort to face everything from last-minute holiday shopping to writing blogs, answering medical questions or doing a sink full of dishes that multiplied overnight.
About the Mulled Spice Tea in the Photo
If you’re wondering what’s in the featured photo above, that’s a simple mulled citrus spice tea which is a cozy winter blend made with hot water, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. It’s beautiful, fragrant, and absolutely delicious, especially on cold mornings. While it’s a bit more citrusy and aromatic than the calming cup I personally drink, both drinks share the same spirit. They’re warm, soothing ingredients that help settle your system and reduce inflammation.
- Final Thoughts: Your Body Is Listening, Even on Holidays
There’s no need to give up your favorite morning ritual.
This isn’t a lecture, it’s an invitation.
Just support your body the same way you support your family and your kids:
With warmth, steadiness, and a little extra care when the days get hectic.
If you want to check your mineral status, electrolytes are easy to test. You can order an electrolyte test yourself these days. By the way, if you want to order any specialized tests all by yourself (without having to go to the doctor), just order any lab you want right here at my LAB SHOP. For electrolytes choose “Serum Elements”by Doctor’s Data which is listed on the page- you’ll see it. (If you check out my lab shop, you’ll see some of the best tests in the nation. You can even self-order many specialty tests there, not just electrolytes).
Getting your lytes tested once a year (along with a SMAC is great). It’s convenient and gives you peace of mind, especially if you have a chronic illness or feel dehydrated.
You deserve to feel good this week, and all the time… not jittery, not depleted, not inflamed. Just energized enough to enjoy the magic in front of you.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
