All Photos By Gail Except Where Noted

Getting older really sneaks up on you. No matter how much I still feel like I’m 17 years old in my head, my body is reminding me that I’m actually 65. Around the time of the pandemic, I had a bit of a wake-up call and decided it was time to take better care of myself. I increased my exercise routine, started paying more attention to what I was eating, cut back on fats, and became much more diligent about preventative doctor’s appointments. In other words, I decided that if I couldn’t stop the aging process, I could at least try to stay one step ahead of it.

It’s  paid off — to a degree. But there are certain things that happen to your body as you get older that could use a little extra help. One of those things, for me, has been digestion.

Let’s be honest: regularity isn’t exactly the most glamorous topic. But when your digestive system is happy, you notice. When it isn’t, you really notice. Finding ways to support healthy digestion through a good diet, exercise, probiotics and other nutritional choices can make a surprisingly big difference in your overall quality of life.

That’s what caught my attention when I recently received a sample of Morning Complete, a daily nutritional supplement from Activated You.

A Little About Activated You

Activated You was founded by actress and wellness advocate Maggie Q, whose own experiences navigating health and nutrition inspired her to create the company. The brand’s philosophy combines contemporary nutrition research with ingredients and traditions drawn from Eastern wellness practices, with an emphasis on whole-body wellness. Activated You says its formulas are developed with a focus on real-world results, science-backed ingredients and educating consumers about health and nutrition. The company also works with Dr. Frank Lipman, a well-known physician and pioneer in integrative medicine, who serves as its Chief Science Officer.

The company offers a range of plant-based nutritional supplements aimed at areas including digestion, energy, skin, sleep, strength and overall wellness. Morning Complete is one of its best-known products and is designed as an all-in-one morning drink combining greens, fiber, prebiotics, probiotics and several other nutrient blends.

Image Courtesy of Morning Complete

Morning Complete Makes It Easy

I have to admit that I was a little daunted by the idea of starting some kind of daily green-drink routine. The thought of having to buy a bunch of vegetables, pull out a blender every morning and somehow figure out how to make a nutritious green concoction before heading to work sounded like one more thing I didn’t need on my to-do list. Morning Complete takes that entire process and makes it remarkably simple.

All you do is put one level scoop — the scoop is included in the jar —into 8 ounces of cold water, stir until dissolved and drink. That’s it. No blender. No chopping kale at 7 a.m. No elaborate recipe requiring ingredients you may or may not have in your refrigerator.

Activated You even sent me a cute lidded tumbler that makes mixing and taking it with me especially convenient. There’s an 8-ounce measurement marked right on the outside of the cup, so even measuring the water is practically foolproof.  Here’s the part I wasn’t expecting: it’s slightly sweet, lemon-lime flavor, Citrus Medley, actually tastes delicious. It also comes in Mixed Berry, and Apple Cinnamon flavors, so you can choose your reference.

That may sound like a small thing, but when you’re trying to establish a new daily habit, taste matters. A product can contain all the supposedly wonderful ingredients in the world, but if drinking it feels like a punishment, chances are good that it’s eventually going to end up abandoned in the back of the pantry. Morning Complete didn’t have that problem.

What’s In It?

Morning Complete is formulated around several different blends designed to work together. Depending on the flavor, a serving provides roughly 15–20 calories and 4–5 grams of dietary fiber. Its formula includes a green superfood blend featuring ingredients such as spinach, broccoli, kale, alfalfa and barley grass, along with a prebiotic fiber blend and a probiotic blend providing 10 billion CFU at the time of manufacture.

The probiotic blend includes multiple strains of beneficial bacteria, while the prebiotic fiber is intended to provide nourishment for the microorganisms in the gut. In addition, Morning Complete contains antioxidant, metabolic-support, adaptogen, and cellular-function/ liver-support blends.

In other words, it isn’t simply a powdered green juice. It’s more like a nutritional multitasker designed to pack several wellness-supporting ingredients into one very easy morning ritual.

Of course, as with any nutritional supplement, individual results can vary, and Morning Complete isn’t intended to replace a balanced diet or medical care. For me, though, the interesting part isn’t just what’s listed on the label — it’s how I’ve actually felt while using it.

Two Weeks In…

I’ve been drinking Morning Complete every day for about two weeks, and I’ve already noticed some changes. The biggest one has been better regularity and less bloating. When your digestive system is functioning better, it can have a ripple effect on the rest of your day. I’ve also noticed more energy in the morning, particularly on those days when I might otherwise feel a little fatigued from the stresses of my job.

I’m not suggesting that one scoop of a powdered supplement magically solves everything. Getting older still means getting older, and there is no nutritional shortcut around eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and keeping up with preventative healthcare. But I do think there is something to be said for finding simple habits that make it easier to take care of yourself — and actually sticking with them because you can see results. For me, Morning Complete fits that description.

At 65, I’ve come to appreciate anything that makes healthy living easier rather than more complicated. I don’t need another chore in my morning routine. I need something I can realistically incorporate into my life, even when I’m rushing to get ready for work. One scoop, eight ounces of water, a quick stir and I’m done. And because I genuinely enjoy the taste, it’s something I want to do rather than something I have to force myself to remember.

That’s probably my biggest takeaway from trying Morning Complete. Sometimes improving your health isn’t about making any enormous, dramatic lifestyle change, but about finding a small, manageable habit that you can incorporate into your everyday life and keep doing. In retrospect, it’s something I wish I had started earlier.

To learn more about Morning Complete and the other wellness products from Activated You, visit This Link.