Tag: healthy living

A Simple Detox Ritual To Start Your Day

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Starting your day with hot water and lemon has often been suggested on every wellness blog and detox blog that I have ever read or perused.  I began to include hot water with honey and lemon into my morning ritual about 10 years ago after reading about the metabolism and immunity boosting benefits that it provided.  I began this ritual when I was in fashion school full time and working full time – I couldn’t afford to get sick. I truly believe that this simple ritual helped to keep me healthy.  Over the years I have adjusted this drink, at times I omitted the honey and included a pinch of turmeric and black pepper or a few drops of turmeric oil for an anti-inflammatory boost.  But drinking a mug of hot water with fresh lemon has remained a constant to my morning ritual over the years.

Because I often read about the benefits of drinking this simple warming drink, I just assumed that it is something that everyone does. But after working with clients and speaking with friends and family over the past few years, I have learned that I was wrong.  Despite the plethora of evidence supporting this simple detox ritual, many people have yet to get on board.  If you are one of those people – don’t feel bad, but I would like to encourage you to include this simple drink into your morning routine.

Reasons to begin this detox ritual:

  1. It helps to rehydrate your body by replacing fluids you may have lost during the night while sleeping
  2. Aids digestion as the lemon juice helps to flush out unwanted toxins and waste from the body
  3. Boosts your immune system, lemons are a great source of vitamin C and honey is anti-bacterial.
  4. Helps to balance your body’s PH level. Disease thrives in an acidic environment within the body and lemons are one of the most alkalizing foods (once metabolized), so they are superstars when it comes to re-balancing your body’s PH to a healthier level.
  5. Helps to keep you skin clear.  Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which combats free radicals, this in turn helps to decrease wrinkles and blemishes and boosts your glow factor.
  6. Aids in weight loss.  The pectin fibre in lemons helps to squash hunger cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

What to do:

  • It’s a good idea to use spring or filtered water as you want to keep it as clean as possible
  • Use warm – hot (not boiling) water
  • Squeeze the juice of half of a fresh lemon into a mug
  • Pour in the hot water
  • Optional additions to your lemon water: half a teaspoon of raw or Manuka honey, a pinch of turmeric powder/a few slivers or raw turmeric/3 -4 drops of turmeric oil with a bit of black pepper

Some people may feel that including a mug of hot lemon water to their mornings may be time consuming and that they just don’t have the time for it as they rush to start their day.  I would suggest that if you are one of those people, then try to include this ritual into your mornings a few times a week when you are not so rushed (weekends perhaps?).  Another option is to fill your travel mug with hot lemon water to sip on your way to work and have your first coffee when you arrive at work.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Do you have any detox rituals that you swear by?  Let me know in the comments below!

I hope that you have a wonderful day!  XXS

The Self Care Shower Ritual That You May Be Missing

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Detox is a commonly used word amongst people in the wellness community, and over the past few years it has become a commonly used buzz word in popular culture as well.  It means many things to many people, but essentially it is used to communicate a method to rid toxins – most commonly from the body.  While your body has detox organs that help to eliminate toxins from your body naturally, there are certain things that one can do to help further stimulate this process within the body.

This year I decided to incorporate a new detox ritual into my self care routine, namely dry brushing.  This self care routine has become popular over the past few years, and while I had attempted once or twice prior to this year, 2016 is the year that I committed.  For those of you that don’t know, dry brushing is the process of brushing your skin with a natural bristle brush.  Some of the benefits of dry brushing include:

  • It sweeps away dry skin cells
  • Improves digestion
  • Stimulates the lymph nodes
  • Improves the appearance of cellulite
  • Boosts circulation

It is best to dry brush before you take your shower and many prefer to do it in the morning as they feel energized after.  How to maximize your dry brushing experience:

  • Use a soft but firm natural bristle brush
  • Start dry brushing at your feet and brush upwards to your heart
  • While dry brushing your stomach, brush in a counter clockwise circular motion
  • Use a circular motion when dry brushing your chest – that is where lymph drainage occurs
  • Take your time, spend 3 – 5 minutes dry brushing
  • Enjoy the process, it is a great time to breathe and take some time for yourself while doing something great for your body.

I am so happy that I have added dry brushing into my self care routine.  My skin looks and feels great since I have started.  It forces me to slow down and take a minute for myself while I am brushing.  It is extremely therapeutic and I find myself looking forward to my new self care ritual on a daily basis.

Are there any new self care rituals that you have included in your routine this year?  Let me know in the comments below.

I hope that you have a fabulous day!  XXS

 

Beautiful Black Rice

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There is something about black rice that makes me happy.  I think that it is the rich purple-black colour and how it makes any dish that it is a part of a gorgeous work of art.  For thousands of years black rice was reserved for Chinese royalty and was often referred to as “forbidden rice”.

Rich in powerful disease fighting antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and dietary fibre some studies have shown that black rice can potentially to stop the development of heart disease, diabetes and cancer in the body.

The deep purple-black colour is an indication of black rice’s high antioxidant properties similar to those found in blueberries.  Black rice is the only grain that contains the antioxidant Anthocyanin.  This particular antioxidant has been shown to help reduce inflammation, improve brain function and prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer caused by free radical damage.  Nutrients are generally lost from grains when the outer layers including the hull and the bran are removed.  Only whole grains that include all of their naturally occurring parts are able to retain their vitamin, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.  Therefore, black rice is a a wholegrain nutritional superpower.

Black rice is high in Vitamin E which is often promoted to slow aging, reduce scarring, protect against air pollution and assist with infertility issues.  Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin though so ensure to include some healthy fats when using black rice in a dish to help with absorption.

So what does all of this mean for you?

Black rice is a superpower in the world of whole grains and deserves a place on your plate. It is a beautiful and tasty addition to many meals. Black rice is filled with both health and beauty benefits that will help you to look and feel your best and keep you on the road to good health.

One Serving of black rice contains (1/2 cup cooked)

160 Calories                      2g of Fibre

1.5g of Fat                          5g of Protein

34g of Carbohydrates     4% DV of Iron

Prior to cooking, I recommend soaking black rice for a minimum of 8 hours to help to release any phytic acid within the rice (grains, rice and legumes are all high phytic foods which raise the risk of zinc and iron deficiency.  Soaking helps to resolve this issue by releasing the phytic acid within the food).

Do you regularly include black rice in your diet?  What is your favourite meal to include it in?  Let me know in the comments below

I hope that you have a great day!

XXS

 

 

My Battle With This Horrible Tasting Superfood

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In my quest to clean up my diet I have tried a myriad of so called superfoods.  One superfood that caught my attention a few years ago was algae – more specifically spirulina and chlorella. As high source of protein and nutrient dense, this blue green algae is filled with many vitamins and minerals including magnesium, calcium and B vitamins. The benefits of spirulina and chlorella include regulating blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, boost energy and detoxification from heavy metals.

Given the amount of research supporting the beneficial health claims of both spirulina and chlorella I was interested in adding it into my diet.  Most people who supplement with these algae tend to add it to their smoothies but I am not a big smoothie drinker as I generally prefer to chew my food. Adding aqua greens into my non existent smoothie routine was not going to work for me.  I decided that the best way to take the spirulina and chlorella was to mix it with water and just gulp it down.  I generally don’t have to much difficulty introducing new things into my diet and I assumed that spirulina and chlorella wouldn’t be an issue.

I was wrong.

Nothing I have ever eaten in my entire life could have prepared me for the disgusting, pungent, nauseating taste of this algae.  It smelt funny, tasted worse and left me with an distinctly queasy feeling that I hope to never experience again.  I was traumatized. But I am also stubborn and giving up on my goal of including spirulina and chlorella in my diet was not something that I was willing to do just yet.  So for the next few days I would faithfully mix a spoonful of the powdered greens with water and choke it down telling myself that it wasn’t that bad, that the agony that I felt was all in my head. I was lying to myself and I was not very convincing.

Spirulina and chlorella soon became my superfood nemesis and I was willing to avoid it all cost.  I would think of excuses as to why it was not a good idea to drink it that day, I would “forget” to drink  it on the days that I couldn’t think of an excuse and I would hide the container in the back of my fridge so that it would be “out of sight, out of mind”.  I should have just thrown in the proverbial towel, thrown away the pricey container of spirulina and chlorella and moved on, but I read a lot of articles and do a lot of research on health and well being, and I was frequently reading about the benefits of these powerful algae.  A small part of me was just not willing to completely give up.

I finally came across an article that solved my dilemma. It discussed how wonderful blue green algae was for the body, and offered a simple suggestion for those wanting to create an easy and energizing beverage using spirulina and chlorella – instead of mixing the greens with plain water, use coconut water instead.  The sweetness of the coconut water neutralizes the strong seaweedy taste of the chlorella and spirulina and the addition of the coconut water offers extra hydration and electrolytes.  Genius!  I hadn’t thought to mix it with anything else as I generally stick to water or tea as my choice of beverage. I immediately ran to the grocery store to purchase a carton of pure coconut water and the next morning before heading to the gym I tested out my “new” concoction – while the taste wasn’t amazing, it is tolerable and even somewhat refreshing.  Now I’m hooked.  Spirulina and chlorella mixed with coconut water is the perfect pre-workout beverage, it’s protein rich, hydrating, energizing, healthy and filling.

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For those of you interested in boosting your superfood intake with spirulina and chlorella:

  • only purchase algae that is clean, safe and pure – environmental pollution can contaminate algae
  • purchase organic to ensure that it is free of fertilizers and toxins
  • purchase from a reputable maufacturer
  • some people are allergic to spirulina and chlorella, seek medical attention at the first sign of an allergic reaction
  • spirulina and chlorella can interfere with certain medications including blood thinners.  Check with your doctor to ensure it won’t interfere with any medications you are on and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Spirulina and chlorella can be great and healthy additions to many diets but the key is to find a way to take it in a way that works best for you and be consistent.  By mixing it with coconut water you have an easy, energizing and healthy drink to help you power through your day.

Are there any super foods that you have struggled with?

I hope that you have a great day!  XXS

My Latest Beauty Obsession

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I love to try out new beauty products, and without a doubt my favourite beauty product in my beauty arsenal are masks. Sheet masks, foam masks, clay masks, DIY masks – I love them all and I try a new one every chance that I get. I consider masking a bit of self love for my skin in my on going quest to be the  glowy-est possible version of myself.  Recently, I treated myself to the new Honey Potion mask from Farmacy, and to say that I am obsessed with this mask is an understatement.  It is fabulous!  Filled with hydrating ingredients and anti oxidants, this mask leaves your skin moisturized, glowing and refreshed.

True to it’s name Honey Potion looks like a jar of honey (just don’t eat it) and when you massage it onto your skin it turns white and begins to warm up.  The warming sensation adds to the spa feel of this mask. Wash it off with warm water after 10 – 15 minutes and enjoy the glow!  As an extra little bonus the spatula that comes with the jar magnetically attaches to the lid – perfect for someone like me who always loses the spatula!

The ingredients in Honey Potion include ultra hydrating honey, propolis and royal jelly all of which makes this mask a must have for winter as cold outdoor temperatures and indoor heating can be incredibly dehydrating and wreck havoc on your skin.

For those of you that are not familiar with the Farmacy brand, it is definitely one that you should check out.  They combine farm grown botanicals with cutting edge technology to produce clean irritant free products.  Plus all of Farmacy’s products are made from naturally derived ingredients and free of parabens, formaldehyde and artificial colourings plus their products are not tested on animals.  Effective clean, green beauty – this mask checks every box and is the perfect addition to my beauty arsenal.

Have you tried any products from Farmacy? What is your favourite beauty product?

I hope that you have a beautiful day!

XXS