Inspirations for happy, healthy, sustainable living
Period poverty is a subject that I’ve been meaning to write about for some time and it recently came into the limelight again as The Guardian and the charity Bloody Good Period reported how the issue ‘has increased sharply during the pandemic’. So it feels timely that I bring you this guest post, written by 15-year old student, Mariam Al-Azzawi.
Continue reading “7 Things You Need to Know About Period Poverty”
I love coffee, love trying new coffees and love the mild buzz I get from coffee. Once upon a time I tried to resist being a regular coffee drinker and felt smug about smashing 6:30am crossfit and olympic lifting classes on caffeine-free energy (until I got more experienced and swinging a barbell around in a half sleepy state no longer felt safe). These days, on training mornings, coffee is a given. On rest days, it’s less important but still enjoyed.
My morning habit consists of getting the filter machine percolating while I hydrate with a ginger tea. Then I sit back and sip my caf (black, no sugar) slowly while writing in my journal, reading or doing my mobility moves and yoga to gently wake my body up before my work out. By the time the magic is seeping through my system I’m dressed and ready to train.
My coffee purchases range from budget supermarket buys to single estate, freshly ground from artisan roasters. So when I heard about Exhale Coffee with its health claims and sustainability efforts I was keen to know more. The brand kindly sent me a pouch to try.
Continue reading “Review: Coffee with Health and Eco Benefits”
Did you know there are now an estimated 600,000 vegans in the UK and over 500,000 people have pledged to go vegan with Veganuary this month – that seems incredible considering just five years ago it was still a niche interest; and over 13 years ago, when I switched from vegetarian to vegan, it was barely even talked about.
So whether vegan living is part of your day to day or you’re just trying it out, one thing is for sure and that’s nutrition is key. Getting the balance right is super important because once you’ve knocked meat, fish and dairy out of your diet, it could be quite easy to end up with a nutritional deficiency.
B12 for example, is only found in meat, fish and dairy so experts emphasise how important it is to supplement this for optimum energy as well as brain and neurological health. Keeping on top of what you eat, exploring new foods and ways to substitute animal ingredients and eating a wide variety of foods (to get a wide range of nutrients) is a big part of being vegan – and for me, it’s what makes it interesting and creative.
Here, Jenny Carson, BSc, MRES, Nutritionist and Technical Supervisor at Viridian Nutrition reveals the nutrients deficient or are at very low levels in the vegan diet and why they’re important. Hope this inspires you to take an active and curious interest in your vegan adventures!
For more tips and inspirations, follow me on Instagram @YanarFitness and share your vegan stories.
Continue reading “11 Micronutrients You Need for a Vegan Diet”
As someone who trains daily, vegan protein shakes are like my daily bread. So any mention of a new plant-based protein powder, and I’m there. And if superfoods and interesting health ingredients are in the mix then you have me on board, before I’ve even put the barbell down.
I was excited to hear of Naturya’s new collection of superfoods and protein blends: Functional Blends and Plant Proteins, which were kindly sent to me to try.
I’ve been a fan of the brand for many years (I used to be obsessed with the Breakfast Boosts) so it’s great to see bold, revamped packaging (high fives to the designers) and the brand branching out into protein products not just superfoods, because getting enough protein is important. This comes relatively easy for meat and fish eaters but needs a bit more effort if you eat vegetarians or vegan diet.
Quick nutrition recap: why do you need to keep on top of protein in your diet? Protein helps to fight fatigue, helps maintain normal muscle function and supports the immune system.
Continue reading “Review: Naturya Vegan Protein Superfood Blends”
As a health and wellness writer for the last 15 years, I’ve always been fascinated with vitamins and mineral supplements and always quizzing the experts for their recommendations.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been vegetarian nearly all my life and vegan since my mid-20s that nutrition has been a special interest of mine. I watch what I eat to try and avoid common vegan-diet deficiencies (D3, B12, EPA/DHA are common ones), and equally aware of supporting my sports and fitness lifestyle, which puts an added strain on my body.
That’s why I was excited to be introduced to Truth Origins water soluble liquid vitamins and invited to be part of the brand’s referral programme. This is the first referral and affiliate programme I’ve joined in the ten years I’ve had this blog so it’s definitely a product that I think is worth checking out.
Continue reading “Nutrition News: Liquid Curcumin by Truth Origins is Worth Checking Out”
I wrote this post a while ago, long before Coronavirus kicked in, but it’s been sitting in my drafts until now, when suddenly it seemed more relevant than ever to post it.
More than a few friends recently have talked about their stress and anxiety, with levels ranging from I can’t get dressed in the morning without crying, to I feel so overwhelmed at work I can’t sleep properly at night.
So I thought I’d write a few words about a very simple breathing exercise that’s not only helped me drift off more peacefully at night, but has been scientifically proven to help increase relaxation and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
How does it work? Deep, slow and controlled breathing has been shown to activate the body’s relaxation response, leading to changes in the autonomic, parasympathetic and central nervous system.
Continue reading “Super Easy Breathing Exercise to Help Stress, Anxiety and Sleep”
If you’ve been inspired by the continued rise of natural and organic beauty then you’ll love this DIY natural facial massage from Weleda, one of my favourite natural and organic beauty brands. It’s also a lovely, nourishing treat to give skin at this time of year as the season and temperatures change.
The key product in this facial is Weleda Skin Food – an iconic skincare product that contains natural extracts of calendula, chamomile, rosemary and lavender, with natural waxes and plant oils (now also available in light version, lip balm and body butter) – alongside a few other Weleda products.
Continue reading “Step-by-Step Guide: How To Do a DIY Natural Beauty Home Facial”
Yoga nidra is an old yogic practice that takes you to a deeply relaxed state between waking, sleeping and dreaming, and can be quite transformative. I’ve been doing yoga nidra as part of my yoga practice for over ten years now and as more of today’s teachers and studios are talking about and offering it, it seems fitting to share the benefits of yoga nidra and how it’s helped me.
Translated from Sanskirt, yoga nidra means yogic sleep. It’s a guided relaxation technique that leads to a light withdrawal of external senses while connecting to internal awareness and still maintaining full consciousness. Through a systematic sequence of verbal instructions, it helps to release physical and mental tension, relieve stress as well as help with issues such as insomnia and anxiety.
My teacher, Swami Pragyamurti at the Satyananda Yoga Centre in London treats the advanced classes to a monthly session and beginner classes to one a week, so I’ve experienced firsthand how amazing the practice is. Now that I’m teacher training and learning to deliver yoga nidra myself, I can share its incredible benefits and see how much people really do love it.
I love a good cookbook. I have over 35-40 of them – bought, inherited or gratefully received. A few have proven their worth and have become absolute favourites. They’re the ones I can always rely on to provide me a new or interesting way of cooking with an ingredient. Or offer an inspiring recipe I can pull together with minimum effort and with simple foods I usually already have.
Friends often ask if I can recommend a good book and there are a few I always call out, which I’ve listed here. Each one is best for a different reason, occasion or cooking style. So if you’re looking to renew your repertoire of recipes or need fresh inspiration for healthy, plant-based cooking (that’s still hearty and filling!) then this is the list for you. Feel free to pass it on.
And it really is a bible. If you’re excited by the variety and flavours of world cuisine you will love this. Organised by region, the authors have cherrypicked recipes that show off the best from that area. I usually turn to this book when I’m looking for a curry, going straight to the index to see the options for my chosen veg (which is how I use most cookbooks) and then I can almost guarantee the dish I find in here wouldn’t be in any other cookbook.
This was a gift from a good friend and very quickly became a regular go-to. I’m quite averse to vegan food that’s light or superficial, inadvertently channeling the notion that vegans are not hearty eaters (which is far from the truth, in my case anyway!). The Flynn brothers have taken everyday, popular ingredients such as squash and lentils and not only given them fuss-free makeovers but the recipes are sure to fill you up too. There’s not a drop of pretentious cooking here, just down to earth, wholesome meals that are both inviting and easy to follow.
I received this as a birthday present from another good friend only a few months ago and it’s been the most exciting edition to my collection. I made three recipes within the first few days of receiving it and instantly bookmarked so many more to try. Possibly because I’m obsessed with vegetarian Indian cuisine – you’ll find me at one of London’s local pure vegetarian restaurants feasting on dosa, idly and vada at any possible opportunity – that I was smitten by this book but also because Meera Sodha makes everything so simple. For example, I’ve picked up lots of new (and uncomplicated) ways of cooking Indian-inspired sauces and I found it super easy to take ingredients from one recipe and combine with the method of another, depending on what I have in the kitchen.
This book isn’t vegetarian or vegan (in fact, apart from the nut butters there’s hardly any vegan recipes) but I have easily adapted ideas and replaced dairy ingredients with non-dairy alternatives. The highlight for me is the Peanut Sweet Potato Gratin – once I’d swapped the cream and milk for coconut milk, it was divine. I have also discovered super easy ways to turn nut butter into sauces, dips and dressings which has transformed my lunches and dinners. I now make peanut and sriracha sauce almost daily!
Who would have thought that one day there would be as many modern vegan cookbooks as there are out today. Bookshops and bookshelves are bursting with them all vying for our attention but it’s hard to see which ones are really worth having. Having eaten a vegan diet for over a decade now (way back when veganism was still very hippie) I feel like my plant-based cooking skills constantly needs challenging and refreshing which is why Aine Carlin’s collections appeal. If you’re looking for the next step up in plant-based cooking I’d definitely recommend this. The ideas go the extra mile to impress but still accessible and easy to make.
By GuyWatson
Would love to hear what your go-to veggie/vegan cookbooks are! Thanks for reading :)
Yoga is one of the cheapest and most effective means of releasing trauma, stress and emotions from the body.
Symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD) include anxiety, nightmares, sleep disturbance, withdrawal, loss of concentration, stress-related physical ailments, anger and aggression. These issues can easily impact a person’s ability to function in society.
Here’s why simple techniques from classical yoga are powerfully therapeutic.
Continue reading “7 reasons how yoga can improve mental health”
It’s a common misconception that yoga is an exercise. When people hear or talk about yoga it’s almost always referred to and understood as a form of exercise. But is it? Well, not really. So what is the difference between yoga and exercise?
While exercise and yogic postures (asana) share similarities in that they both involve movement, (most) exercise works on the sympathetic system and yoga (when done correctly) works on the parasympathetic system which is why it can be useful for people suffering from stress and anxiety. Both contribute to physical health but yoga relates to so much more than the physical.
Next weekend I’m running London Marathon, which I’m really looking forward to. It will be my third marathon but my first in London (Brighton and Edinburgh previously). I had never planned to run but was offered a last minute place by Lucozade Sport via Health & Fitness magazine who I write for, and seeing as London is so difficult to get into (oversubscribed ballot entry and expensive charity places) of course I said yes quicker than I can send the email reply. But I had just under three months to train so it’s been tight to say the least – a bit like cramming before a huge exam.
Interestingly, a year and a half of weight training and CrossFit has made me stronger than I was for my previous marathons so I’ve been able to tackle the long distances without too much risk of injury. All those deadlifts have luckily come in handy!
But long steady runs have had a surprising effect on my body. At the start of the training when I was building up from eight, nine miles to 15 and more I got leaner and noticed some excess weight fall off pretty quickly. However, during the weeks where I was running 18, 19, 20 and 21 miles I noticed things change – I was no longer feeling light or lean but quite the contrary, I felt like I’d filled out a bit despite doing big mileage every weekend.
I’d cut back on CrossFit (from four sessions a week to three) but I didn’t think that was the cause. Could I be imagining it? A quick step on the weights at my parent’s house confirmed I was right as I’d gone up a kilo but endurance training requires good fuel so I put it down to the extra calories I’d been consuming.
Turns out there’s more to it than that. When I saw my sports massage therapist – the brilliant Uju Eze, who is actually a movement specialist because she’s definitely more than just a sports masseuse – she confirmed there is science behind the gain.
“When you run at around 65% of your maximum heart rate for a long, sustained period the body goes into a catabolic state (muscle-wasting) which means it adapts and starts to store fat and use muscle as as fuel instead because it thinks something is wrong and it needs to get ready to survive.”
This, and a number of other reasons are why low intensity steady cardio (otherwise known as LISS which is the opposite of HIIT – high intensity interval training) can actually be the wrong choice of exercise if fat loss is your goal. Here are a few reasons why the body is not in a fat burning state:
So it wasn’t all in my head, I was indeed actually holding onto weight. There are more explanations and studies shared about this in this article, Does Cardio Make You Fat and following that, check out this article which compares HIIT vs LISS and explains why high intensity interval training is a better option for fat loss and toning up than low state cardio.
I’m now looking forward to the end of this marathon when I can go back to short, sharp and strength based interval training. However, research shows that some steady state cardio can be good as a means of recovery from high intensity strength training so I won’t be giving up on the steady state cardio just yet – it just won’t be as long as it is now.
And I almost forgot! For those friends and family wishing to donate here’s my marathon Just Giving page which a friend kindly set up for me. Even though I don’t have to raise any money for my entry we thought it was only fair to put a few pounds in the pot as a show of gratitude for my place – I’ll be donating to Parkinson’s UK. Thanks all!
x
A few months ago I attended the launch of Ten Health & Fitness’ new class, Yoga for Hormone Balance. Designed to support and strengthen natural hormone function as well as to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind, after trying it out it seemed like the perfect antidote to a fast-paced life that puts a strain on the nervous system and hormones.
“When the sympathetic nervous system is constantly over-active, the adrenals are churning out adrenaline and cortisol to keep us going” says Dr Annaradnams of The Marion Gluck Clinic in London.
A little bit of this is ok when we need to kickstart ourselves into action but when the body is constantly in red alert mode there’s a knock on effect. Without sufficient downtime health and hormones will suffer.
The Ten Yoga for Hormone Balance class is two hours long and created by yoga teacher and movement expert Danielle Willemsen. It focusses on poses that open up the hips, elongate the spine and encourage the four key hormonal glands – pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and ovaries – to behave more harmoniously.
So much of modern yoga is fast-paced and dynamic and on top of an already stressful day and hyped up nervous system the results can be over-stimulating on the body so this new hormone-balancing class is a welcome change of pace.
Yoga was not originally designed to be a workout – in my opinion, if you want to sweat do a cardio class and choose to do yoga to slow down your breath, soften the mind and create more balance, physically and mentally.
Hormone doctors even agree that slow movement can benefit hormone function as it taps into the parasympathetic nervous system to settle the body and in turn, the nervous system.
After trying this Ten Pilates class at the press launch it inspired me to check out what classical yoga says about hormone balancing. For the last seven years I’ve been practicing a classic hatha yoga (Satyananda yoga) which is super slow and meditative and calms everything right down – mind, body and breath. My weekly Wednesday class is like a natural tranquilliser – there’s nothing quite like it – and I leave fully grounded and deeply relaxed.
The Bihar School of Yoga which I’ve been reading recently has an extensive library of books and in Yogic Management of Common Diseases I found a whole chapter on thyroid function. Here are a few extracts if you’re looking for more inspiration on yoga for hormones:
“Long before medical science knew about the existence of thyroid glands, the yogis had devised practices that maintained healthy glands and metabolism. The good health of the neuroendocrine system was understood to be vital to higher awareness.” (pg. 24-45)
“Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) is the most well recognised asana for the thyroid gland. An enormous pressure is placed on the gland by this powerful posture. As the thyroid has one of the largest blood supplies of any body organ, this pressure has dramatic effects on its function, improving circulation and squeezing out stagnant secretions.”
“The most effective pranayama (breathing work) for thyroid problems is ujjayi breath. It acts on the throat area and its relaxing and stimulating effects are most probably due to stimulation of reflex pathways within the throat area which are controlled by the brain stem and hypothalamus.”
“One of the most prominent precipitating factors in states of thyroid imbalance is long-term suppression and blockage of emotional expression. Balancing the emotions and giving a suitable outlet for their expression is an important part of yoga therapy for thyroid disease. Kirtan (signing of mantras collectively) is one of the most useful means. Another is ajapa japa meditation in conjunction with ajjayi breath.”
xx
Brrr.. it’s baltic! Surviving winter without getting ill is no mean feat. The Organic Pharmacy Immune Tonic (which I previously blogged about here) is brilliant for supporting health and wellness over a period of time but for on the spot defence do not leave home without A. Vogel Echinaforce Sore Throat Spray.
At the very first sign of a tickling throat (you know that feeling when you might be coming down with something) or if you already have a sore throat, or people around you are coughing or contagious just whip out this mean machine herbal tincture and spritz three to four times.
With a few sprays to the back of the throat (I’m warning you now it’s got a crazily intense taste that will shock your taste buds but a few seconds later most people love the sage-hit) it instantly attacks gristly germs trying to bring you down.
It’s probably the one product I recommended the most and everyone who’s bought it at the back of my recommendation now swears by it. I love it even more because it’s a combo of natural, herbal and botanical ingredients: freshly harvested echinacea purpurea herb and root and sage leaves. The back of pack also says it contains sorbitol (407mg), ethanol (370mg), soy lecithin (20mg) and sucrose laurate (5mg).
It rarely leaves my side November through to March and even throughout summer I take it with me on travels, especially if I’m on a plane where the air is rife with germs. Even my editor, Anna Magee at Healthista love it- here’s her raving about it on Instagram:
I’m already on my second bottle this winter because this stuff really works!
In August I visited Amchara Detox Retreat on Malta’s sister island, Gozo for a review in Health & Fitness magazine. I stayed for five sunny days, three of which I spent on a juice detox and two were spent on a raw food diet. After a summer of festivals, holidays and fun it was a welcome break but the no-food-only-juice days were a shock to the system, mainly mentally because I hate going hungry! But after day two I started to settle into the process and after a few treatments a more positive feeling took over. Amchara is a laid-back, down to earth, nurturing and the people (staff and guests) really make the stay extra special. If you’re a first-timer to detoxing or fancy a relaxed retreat this is a great place to start. Here are the highlights with snapshots of my stay…
Continue reading “Review: Amchara Detox Retreat in Gozo, Malta”
If you’re considering a meat and dairy-free, plant-based diet but don’t want to lose friends or your social life in the process then read on…
As someone who’s been vegan for over ten years and vegetarian nearly all of my life I thought I’d share my top five tips. After years of experience these are my go-to ways and shortcuts.
Maybe you’ve discovered your own – would love to hear them – and if you want more tips and tricks (I have so many) don’t forget you can leave a comment by hitting the plus sign below or tweet me @yanarbeauty.
Why are you doing it? What’s your motivation for taking on this way of eating. It’s also a way of life so the more you believe in what you’re doing the more likely you are to stick to it.
I wrote about my motivations and reasons for being vegan in a previous post here. It was a natural extension of being vegetarian from the age of nine – as my knowledge of the meat and dairy industry (and the impact it has on our health) grew so did my commitment. It’s taken years of education and awareness and I now passionately believe in it, it’s nothing like a fad.
At the very beginning when I first toyed with the idea of going vegan I tried to be strict and failed miserably. A very miserable six month start ended up with a huge Christmas binge on cake and chocolate – lesson learnt – extreme and sudden deprivation can only lead to rebellion or failure!
There’s no need to lose your head over it so start gently, especially if you’re going from being a full meat eater. If someone offers you some cheese after dinner or chocolates in the office and you really can’t resist, it’s ok! Take it easy and be lenient and kind to yourself.
My boundaries are meat (obviously) and dairy as a whole ingredient, for example I would never have an egg sandwich but if someone has baked a cake for a birthday then I may have a bite or a slice out of courtesy (and sometimes I won’t – I’ll just judge the situation). I think it’s good to be balanced in mind and make small exceptions when needed and know you’re committed all other times.
Eating out my seem like an impossible feat at first but it gets easier once you get the hang of it, I promise. The trick? Be flexible and open minded with the menu (mix and match ingredients and check out the sides menu for vegan-friendly options), be nice to waiters/waitresses, and don’t be anal. By that I mean, if something has a hint of butter in it maybe you can let it pass? For me, as long as butter, eggs or cheese are not the main ingredients I don’t get too caught up. For example, it’s ok if some ghee has been used in an Indian vegetarian meal (it’s likely to be minimal) but I won’t choose a paneer cheese dish. No one likes a food bore so it works for me to be flexible when social and then as true to veganism as I like when I’m at home. That way I get to keep my friends and social life too!
Cutting out three major food groups (meat, fish, dairy) means making up the calories, vitamins and nutrients somewhere else otherwise you might waste away or end up looking like a pale, unhealthy, anaemic vegan and that’s no fun. Stay strong and satiated with bigger portion sizes than you’re probably used to – the calorie content of vegetables and pulses is far lower than meat, fish and dairy so you have a lot of catching up to do at meal times.
Anyone who knows me well knows I eat family portion sized meals (and I’m still small) with a mega fast metabolism. In the past I’ve tried dipped into packet vegan / meat substitute foods (non-dairy cheese springs to mind) but found unprocessed wholefoods in their most natural state work best for me. This area is yours to experiment with.
My secret to staying fuller for longer is to eat plenty of plant fats… I always have avocados, coconut oil, tahini paste, olive oil, argan oil and rapeseed oil in the cupboard and eat them with food on a daily basis. I use coconut oil instead of butter to spread onto toast (delicious on sourdough or rye bread) and drizzle olive or argan oil on food so it goes the extra mile. Otherwise I’d be starving again very soon! PLUS all of these plant fats are nourishing for skin and cells so it’s a win-win situation.
I do believe you need to be a bit of food lover to be vegan otherwise it’s difficult to make it work as it’s already a restricted diet. Enjoy yourself and be creative within the boundaries and experiment… Don’t be afraid to try something new and you’ll eventually arrive at foods and meals you love. Would love to hear any questions or tips you might have… Happy eating!
(Image credit: Gemma Correll – my favourite illustration, brilliantly depicted)
Every October it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a worldwide annual campaign to highlight the importance of breast awareness, education and research to support the 55,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer every year – that’s one person every ten minutes.
Brands across beauty, fashion and lifestyle release products to support the cause and it’s easy to spot these every October as they’re usually in some shade of pink (apart from Jane Iredale’s this year, which goes against the grain in green!). Whatever your thoughts on this charitable twist in commercialism, it does generate a lot of money (and awareness) for breast cancer charities, which I’m sure, can’t be a bad thing.
For October issue Health & Fitness magazine, I picked my three favourite breast cancer awareness beauty buys:
As well as these, a few other interesting things popped into my mailbox which I couldn’t squeeze onto the page but definitely worth a shout out:
Not Another Bunch of Flowers
notanotherbunchofflowers.com – launched by Annika Burton, who was suffering from an illness herself and received so many gifts she couldn’t use during treatment she decided to set up a site with more suitable pampering gifts. You’ll find a whole variety of crafty ideas and cards that don’t shy away from the subject of illnesses such as cancer, and may even put a smile on someone’s face. It reminded me of Not On The High Street website but with a specialist spin. There’s also a great blog so check it out.
Beauty Despite Cancer
beautydespitecancer.co.uk – a site dedicated to maintaining health, beauty and vitality despite the difficulties of illness, treatment and hair loss. Founder, Jennifer Young has dedicated her time to create skincare, beauty and even makeup suitable for patients undergoing cancer treatment and has even written a book to support this journey which would make a touching gift this month. Buy Recognise Yourself, Beauty Despite Cancer on amazon. The site also offers a wealth of resources, inspiration and motivation for cancer patients.
You can read more about the products Jennifer Young has produced for cancer patients in an interview I did with her previously for Healthista.com here.
If you’ve spotted any interesting breast cancer awareness buys or like to mark the awareness month in any particular way, do let me know – in the comments below or on Twitter @Yanarbeauty.
x
I’d never heard of GABA rice until recently when Minvita.co.uk introduced me to two varieties: Green Tea Jasmine rice, and Black Rice. Both are germinated / sprouted rice before being milled to encourage a higher content of vitamins, nutrients and particularly an amino acid called GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid). I tried both and the results were pretty tasty…
According to nutritional experts, germinated or sprouted rice has higher nutritional value than ordinary rice with more fibre and antioxidants. According to Minvita this rice contains ten times the amount of gamma-amino butyric acid which can aid kidney function.
It took a little longer than conventional white rice, probably about the same time as brown rice, and the cooked texture is not as soft and fluffy as white but is a bit more solid.
How to cook GABA rice:
You can buy GABA rice from Minvita.co.uk, £5.99
I’m on the west coast of Morocco in a tiny village outside Essouira watching 30-40 local Berber women crack argan oil kernels with little rocks and nimble fingers onto big slabs of stone. The sound of tick-tick-tack-tack fills the air above the low murmur of chitter chatter. I’m with Weleda UK, the health and beauty brand that sources its fairtrade and organic argan oil from this women’s cooperative.
These Berber women have been shelling argan for generations but now they’re being paid a better wage with good working conditions and even family benefits. They kindly let us film and photograph this fascinating process, which was a very special experience so I’m really pleased to be able to share it with you.
Continue reading “How Weleda makes fairtrade argan oil in Morocco”
If you’re stressed out by sleepless nights you’re not alone. Apparently 56% of adults say lack of sleep is stressing them out*. April was Stress Awareness Month so here are my favourite natural sleep and relaxation products from supplements to sprays that I use, recommend and often write about.Wishing you a calmer and more peaceful night…
If you’re a green tea devotee then you might also enjoy its South American counterpart, Yerba mate. Sent to try by new superfood retailer Nutriseed.co.uk I realised it’s more than just your average brew. It’s loaded with energy, vitamins and minerals and used for medicinal purposes too. I’m aware there are traditional ways of preparing and drinking this tea but here’s how I did it in my kitchen…
Yerba mate (pronounced yer-bah mah-tay) literally means ‘cup-herb’ in Spanish or Portuguese. It tastes similar to a mild green tea but without the smoky oakiness that some green tea varieties offer.
The team behind Nutriseed.co.uk are also behind one of my favourite health drink brands, Super Eleven Shake, the power drink made with 11 superfoods.
There are more unusual finds on Nutriseed too such as the Ayurvedic ashwagandha (a stress-relieving and restorative herb), 28-day detox tea (a blend of 6 cleansing herbal teas), superfood capsules (spirulina, maca root and acai berry) and a variety of cacao (great for keen cooks).
If you’re a Yerba mate fan too, would love to know!
I’m on a mission to get stronger and if you read my column on Healthista.com you’ll see I’ve taken up Crossfit. To build more lean muscle only protein will help. As I don’t eat dairy I need an alternative to whey powder so I’ve been trying a variety of non-dairy shakes and powders suitable for vegans. These are my favourite, ie. the tastiest and best I’ve tried so far.
Continue reading “In the kitchen: 4 best non-dairy and vegan protein powders”
Roasted fennel is, for me, one of the tastiest vegetables that can come out of the oven but sometimes I want to take advantage of its fresh, raw goodness – refreshing, energising and detoxing – as well as its distinct, aromatic aniseed flavour and gorgeous crunch so only a salad will do. This is one I prepared in under ten minutes and brings out the best in this bulb.
Mix the grated fennel and grated carrot with the sliced cucumber in a big bowl. Add the rest of ingredients to the bowl and mix again. Serve.
Mine tasted delicious served with soup and then again served on sourdough bread toast.
Give it a go! Fennel love X
Good news for celebrity vegans attending the BAFTA awards (Sunday 14th February) as this year vegan food is on the menu. Hoorah! Finally, a plant-based diet without dairy or meat is coming out of the shadows and being noticed by the mainstream as something desirable to try.
I was away for most of January but it seems Veganuary was a huge success. According to the organisers, around 23,000 people had pledged to give up meat and dairy so far, up from 3,000 in 2014. Very impressive.
I’ve been a vegan for around 10 years now (and vegetarian since I was nine) so it’s no new thing for me but there’s never been a better time to go dairy and meat-free.
Blogs and websites are full of inspiration for cooking and health (Green Kitchen Stories, Natural Kitchen Adventures and Sprouted Kitchen are a few of my favourites) and supermarket shelves are exploding with non-dairy produce. Years ago I’d be lucky if found one variety of non-dairy milk. Look at it now! (That picture was taken in Morrison’s a few weeks ago.)
Years ago it was not the coolest of lifestyle choices. I was usually too embarrassed to say the V-word in case people thought I was weird let alone promote it as something to try. I would always say I’m ‘vegetarian and I didn’t eat dairy’ (mumbled quietly and quickly before anyone really noticed).
Now doing the big V is like proudly wearing the latest wellness badge and touted as the must-try new thing to help you lose weight, stay slim or eat more superfoods. Luckily they were never my primary motivations but definitely an added bonus of not eating butter, cheese, cream, eggs or meat. Some people will try Veganuary as it’s another trend to try, for others it will resonate more deeply and they will hopefully stick with it.
Sticking to a vegan diet has never been hard for me as it was never a fad or fashion. It was something I believed in
I did it for fairly strong ethical and health reasons of my own will. It came from an unwillingness to support the very act and nature of meat and dairy farming. I realised the problems that motivated me to be vegetarian (inhumane, unnatural and intensive farming) still very much existed in the dairy industry so it didn’t make sense to eat dairy and not meat. The more I read about the dairy industry the more I knew I couldn’t support it.
I didn’t want to buy into an industry that’s unethical in its practices (see ethicalconsumer.com report here), pumps its animals with antibiotics and growth hormones which we end up ingesting, puts unfair pressures on farmers to meet unrealistic supermarket quotas, and intensive farming methods that have massive environmental and human impact. I don’t agree with any of those things and don’t want any of them on my conscience.
So whatever your reasons for going vegan, whether it’s to less meat, be more healthy, lose/manage weight or even do your bit for the environment, the secret to sticking to Veganuary after January is to make sure the motivation comes from within.
The more the decision resonates with you personally, the more likely you are to stick to it.
Read up about what you’re doing, learn how to make it work, what sacrifices you may have to make, and how to eat well – being vegan means you omit a few major food groups so it’s important to substitute well so you don’t fall weak or ill. Discover where your boundaries lie (e.g. will you eat honey, but say no to a leather sofa? Or are you happy to have a bit of cake on special occasions (like I am!) particularly if your friend has baked it, but won’t wear a leather jacket. Experiment and you’ll discover what’s right for you and your lifestyle and where you can draw the lines.
If you’re going from full meat eater to vegan then it’s a massive jump so take small steps rather than going cold turkey, excuse the pun. Don’t be hard on yourself for having a bit of cheese after dinner and be open to trying new and alternative ways of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. In restaurants, be creative with the menu but always smile sweetly at the waiter/waitress when making your extra special requests.
Remember, it’s not a punishment so enjoy it. Done with an open, relaxed and flexible mind it can be a really vibrant and creative way to eat.
It’s the best thing I ever did and if you’re giving it a go, let me know how you’re getting on and hope you love it too.
x
A few weeks ago Lifespan Fitness sent a press release about a treadmill desk – a health-fanatic’s upgrade to the standing desk – I was hooked. A slow-moving treadmill connected to a height-adjustable desk, a novel way to workout while you work I thought. I buzzed my editor at Healthista.com, knowing she would absolutely love it, and before I knew it my ordinary desk, where I also work at BeautyMART HQ, was whipped away and this mean-machine was put in place instead.
Walking and working became my daily grind for a few weeks, with the lulling sound of the treadmill in the background. The girls in the office found it hilarious and loved making videos but I was knackered.
Then Victoria Beckham tried it and tweeted about it. We’re so on the pulse! Although VB and I don’t share the same taste in footwear (see her sky-high stilettos below) we certainly know a good health craze when we see one…
Thank u @SusieCollege. Every office should have one of these,work out and work at the same time!! Genius!! X vb pic.twitter.com/OaaCuaIBZP
— Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) March 12, 2014
Health benefits of a treadmill desk – it’s meant to be used as an office hot-desk so if you persuade your boss to introduce one, everyone will feel the health benefits. The treadmill is capped at a very slow speed so no chance of flying off and makes multi-tasking more simple than expected. Hop on and off throughout the day and it will wake up all the muscles that have been sitting sedentary for hours and lengthen the spine again. A half-hour burst certainly helps to bust away a mid-afternoon energy slump and minimises a hunched back from sitting at a desk all day. It’s thought just two hours on the treadmill desk, interspersed throughout the day, can counteract the damaging effects of a desk-life.
The downsides – because it was my actual desk for this review, I was literally walking for hours on end which had a knock-on effect on concentration levels. I wasn’t really able to focus on anything more taxing than being on the internet or posting on Facebook. By 4pm I was crawling to our office sofa, feeling grouchy and losing concentration.
But my legs had turned to steel (I hailed it the secret to red carpet legs on the BeautyMART blog), I felt lighter and I’d zapped away countless calories, although my appetite had tripled. For my Healthista.com review I spoke to Max Henderson, co-founder of Hot Pod Yoga about why sitting at a desk is bad for us and what we can do about it.
“Hunched over a desk will lead to bad posture, which is intrinsically linked to back and spine problems. Our central nervous system runs alongside our spine, which the spine protects. A curved spine prevents the muscles from protecting the nerves which can cause huge problems for the main trunk of the nervous system,” explains Max. “Plus a sedentary life can lead to wider health issues related to the pancreas and heart.”
So is it worth it? Check out my review in Healthista.com here for the full verdict!
Where do you get your calcium from? That’s probably one of the most common questions people like to ask when they hear I don’t eat dairy. The simple answer is, I go green – kale, spring greens, Chinese cabbage, savoy cabbage, parsley are all high calcium-rich foods. But did you know that kale is one of the highest sources of well-absorbed calcium compared to all other foods? Yes including milk…
Kale contains more of the good stuff per gram than milk (and although specifics on grams of calcium per 100g serving vary from site to site across the internet, just type kale vs milk calcium into google and you’ll see the battle is well documented but kale always wins). It’s a fact that still surprises many but what’s even more delicious than lovely, bold green kale is deep, dark and frilly purple kale.
But the next question that everyone asks: How do you cook it? I’m not one for following recipes by the book and whenever I look up a recipe for a green leaf I’m always disappointed to find it’s just a sidekick – like adding Swiss chard to a soup and getting a few measly leaves as part of the deal. Lovely, but no thanks.
So I generally do my own thing, cook up the whole bag and make it a dish in itself. Not only to get the full whammy of nutrients – iron, calcium, vitamin E (great for skin), vitamin K (great for bone health too), vitamin C (more than an orange), omega 3 and 6 (great for skin and joints) and magnesium (necessary for absorption of calcium) – but inevitably, if you just cook half with the intention of cooking the rest another day, that day never comes and that poor half-bag of kale just sits there in the fridge, wilting and getting old. So cook the whole bag and have the rest (if there is any!) for lunch the next day.
My current favourite way to cook kale is really very simple. I chop it as finely as you fancy, stalk and all (that part is actually very delicious cooked with a subtle sweet flavour), and add it to a pan with around 3 – 4 cloves of garlic (pressed lightly against a chopping board with the back of a knife). Then I cook for just a few minutes, just so the kale softens a little and the garlic infuses the leaves.
More often than not, I’ll serve it like this, with salt/pepper seasoning, olive oil and half a lemon squeezed on top. Lemon is a never-to-be-missed addition to any green leaves dish as the vitamin C is essential to for iron absorption. Its alkalising properties also release enzymes for better digestion.
For more flavouring, I love adding a tablespoon of Clearspring Organic Japanese Miso which melts down into consistency as thick or thin as you like, depending on how much water you mix it with (use hot water so it melts down easily). Pour into the pan as the kale is cooking and let the flavours of this ancient Japanese food spread into the leaves.
Serve your kale as a side with any dish you like – today I’ve chosen to go simple with good old avocado on toast (that powerhouse food I turn to day or night); or serve with meat if you’re not a veggie.
A few more tips for cooking kale:
Blend: Use a food processor to blend leaves down to a finer texture to reduce the toughness. Blend with tomatoes, parsley, nuts, olive oil, seasoning and lemon to make a delicious and colourful tabbouleh-style salad. I do this quite often.
Try raw: Blend, juice or add uncooked kale to smoothies for maximum nutrients. After my adventures with raw food, reporting for Healthista.com, I’ve been experimenting with raw slaws which are super easy to make as long as you have a food processor. You simply add three salads or vegetables together with a bunch of herbs and seasoning and blend.
Find organic: If you can, choose organic – probably around a £1 more than a standard bag – but because pesticides love getting into the nooks and crannies of kale’s frills, it’s always better to go organic if possible.
Now enjoy! x
Christmas, health, diet and wellbeing don’t usually go hand in hand, which is why I’ve taken away a dream team to help me through the festive period in a slightly better state – let’s call it damage control. Not only is it Christmas but I’m on holiday too so double trouble.
These health favourites are nothing fancy, and nothing complicated, just products that are natural, simple to use or take, easy to incorporate into a daily diet (however overindulgent it might be) and will hopefully mean the damage-remedy in January will be less of a mammoth task to manage.
From left to right:
Viridian Equinox Elixir – with nasty air con blasting, you’re lucky to get off a flight without sneezing or coughing so I take this herbal tincture with a bit of water when I’m in the air to ward off any bacteria or germs. Antioxidants are my number one in-flight essential and because Viridian Equinox is helpful for boosting the immune during a change of seasons, it’s perfect for travel too.
Viridian Digestive Elixir – I’ve made it a daily habit to take 20 drops of another great Viridian tincture, Digestive Elixir, after learning about the benefits of morning bitters from the experts at Grayshott Hall. This one supports the enzymes necessary for digestion and I’ve taken it every day without fail this holiday. I’m eating extraordinary amounts of food this holiday, some of which I’m not used to, so setting myself up on the right path first thing in the morning helps my tummy get through the day!
VeryWise EnergyWise – this is a new kid on the health block so I’ve taken it away to try. There are six oils in this new range of Omega 3 ‘shots’ by VeryWise, as Omega 3 is thought to be the cornerstone of heart, brain and joint health. Each variety is specially formulated for a different health focus and this one, EnergyWise, is the only one that’s vegan (the others contain fish oils). It’s got a lovely mixture of B vitamins, some caffeine (75mg) and the medium chain fatty acids (MCTs, as found in coconut oil) that support balanced blood sugar levels and metabolism. It tastes like a caramel espresso shot (yum!) and gave me a noticeable boost of energy. My only gripe is that the bottle and cap gets messy, reminding me of the way children’s medicine does, so don’t throw away its cardboard container.
Nosh Detox Raw Boosters – as I can’t take away my green veg and blender on holiday, these little sachets of health containing raw, organic, freeze-dried super powders are a portable substitute. A power-mix of alfalfa, kelp, chlorella and other greens for a quick way to balance any acidity from overindulgence; bread, wine, dairy or meat are the biggest culprits for an over-acid stomach and that means one thing: bad digestion, low absorption of nutrients, bad skin and weight gain. One of these green shots (pictured) can help rebalance the alkaline in the tummy, even with festive over-eating. Lemon water first thing in the morning also helps.
I thought mixing with water rather than juice would taste terrible but it wasn’t bad at all and I’m definitely going to buy some the next time I go away.
Pukka Organic Coconut Oil – I’m a huge fan of coconut oil and use it practically every day so I wouldn’t dream of going away without it. Most tubs are huge but this one from Pukka Herbs is the perfect size for holidays, trips and overnight stays. Delicious on bread or toast, on skin and generally for health, coconut oil is a powerhouse for health and diet: its slow-release energy keeps you fuller for longer, it’s used by the body as instant energy rather than stored as fat and has an amazing power to increase the metabolism – not far off detoxing while you eat!
The Organic Pharmacy Detox – after reading my Raw Food Diet Challenge, founder of The Organic Pharmacy, Margo Marrone, kindly sent me her Detox capsules to try, telling me they’ll keep my tummy flat without having to slave in the kitchen for a raw food diet. I’ve taken them meticulously as instructed (three capsules 30 minutes before food in the morning and three caps in the evening after food) and I have to say my tummy would not be as well behaved and un-bloated for the copious amounts I’ve eaten this holiday, and with all the baklawa I’ve eaten, there’s no way my skin would have remained so clear.
I’ve tried a lot of detox and cleanse supplements over the years and this one is also gentle, as it says it is, i.e. no sudden rushes to the bathroom. The blend in the vegan capsules contains burdock root, alfalfa, chorella, slippery elm, psyllium husks, barley grass and other fabulously detoxifying herbs. Highly recommended as a supplement to any festive food and drink blow out.
Happy eating!x
I’m on a mission to stop bread, from being bad-mouthed and rejected. It’s time to stop the bread-hating and the guilt. This wonderful food that’s been a staple in our diet for hundreds of years seems to be the bane of so many eaters and experts, not to mention dieters who can’t even say the word without shuddering (or salivating). The columnist Eva Wiseman once wrote a love letter to bread which was very endearing (apart from the ending where she grew apart from it).
Many nutritional therapists and naturopathic experts have tried to convince me to banish bread from my diet, scaring me with stories of gut irritation, intolerance and inflammation, but of all the health and food concerns I’m passionate about, bread is the one thing I’m the least interested in giving up or scaring people away from.
Colds, flu, coughs, sneezes, headaches, sore throats, germs, illness – there’s something in the air at this time of year. A new season, a new start. But if your immune system is buckling under the pressure of seasonal change then you need to get your hands on some effective winter health care. I’ve discovered, tried and tested three easy, natural ways to prevent and cure a cold.
Notepads at the ready:
“Start your day with a hot water and lemon” – it’s an age-old health tip that most of us have heard a thousand times but experts rarely explain what it does in our bodies that makes it so good. My younger cousin asked me about this the other day, which got me thinking – we’re always told it will help detox and cleanse etc etc but it wasn’t until I spoke to founder of Honestly Healthy, Natasha Corrett, that it really clicked. She explained exactly why, in very simple terms, and now I drink this almost every day as well as squeeze lemon onto almost everything I eat to aid digestion. Here’s what she said:
Continue reading “Juicy Notes: Why lemon water is good for you”
Brighter Shade of Green 