Christmas Activities To Book In London

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It’s getting dark before 4 in the afternoon and our woolly hats and scarves are firmly on before we’ve even rolled out of bed each morning, yet it still doesn’t feel like Christmas…! Sound familiar? Well, fear not, because we’ve put our Christmas detectives to work to search out and reveal the best of London’s Christmas activities to get you into the full spirit of things!

 

Wreath Making
First up, an event of our own! If you want it to feel like Christmas at home, you’ve got to dress your home like Christmas, head to toe! So why not join Daylesford at our brand new concept store in Belgravia to make a wreath of your own to take home and display proudly? Because you’re never too old to get ‘artsy and crafty’!

What: Wreath making with Daylesford

Where: Hip & Healthy’s Pop-up Concept Store, 77 Elizabeth St, SW1W 9PJ

When: Wednesday 6th December, 6:30PM – 8:30PM

(Book tickets at hipandhealthy.com/event/wreath-making-daylesford)

 

Carols and Shopping
Or, if you fancy an evening less hands-on, head out West to Richmond to join Petersham Nurseries in the launch of their Christmas Collections. In true Petersham Nurseries style, the braziers will be lit and carols will be sung. And if you’ve managed to resist temptation so far, what better place to indulge in your first mince pie and mulled wine of the season?!

What: Carol and shopping evening

Where: Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Richmond, TW10 7AB

When: Wednesday 6th December, 6PM – 9PM

 

Ice Skating + Dating
Somerset House’s infamous ice rink is back for another year of festive celebrations! This year, Somerset House have partnered with Fortnum & Mason to provide an experience the goes beyond the rink. Having skated your socks off, you can then enjoy a delicious treat for two, served at the Fortnum’s Lodge. Choose from four ‘Skate Extras’, including ‘Wine & Cheese Fondue for Two’ or, if you’re feeling sweeter, opt for the ‘Champagne & Chocolate Fondue for Two’… So, what are you waiting for?! Get your skates on!

What: Skate at Somerset House with Fortnum & Mason

Where: Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA

When: Now until 14th January 2018

(Book tickets at somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/skate-somerset-house/skate-extras)

 

Christmas at Kew
If there’s one thing that’ll get you into the Christmas spirit (bar putting Michael Bublé on repeat) it’s Christmas lights! And if there’s one place that know how to put on a Christmas light spectacle like no other it’s Kew Gardens. So, get yourself down to Kew one of these evenings to see the Gardens light up for an unforgettable after-dark festive trail of lights. Get ready to enter an enchanting world of seasonal cheer and Christmas colour!

What: Kew’s Christmas Lights

Where: Kew Gardens

When: Now until 1st January 2018, 5PM – 10PM (Entry from 5PM to 8PM – tickets can be bought on the gates but are advised to be purchased in advance online at christmasatkew.seetickets.com)

 

words by Kate Harrison

Is Bone Broth The Key To Healing Your Gut?

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Thousands of years ago Greek physician, Hippocrates, said that all diseases begins in the gut. Today the term “leaky gut” is so commonly spoken about, but exactly what is a leaky gut?

 

Think of the gut like lots of little lego bricks, in a healthy gut the little bricks should be stacked nice and closely together, like a wall. When we say someone has a “leaky gut”, it means that the little lego bricks that make up the gut separate and the tight junctions become loose. As a result of inflammation, the gut wall becomes leaky and this means that particles bigger than what can usually get through, now have free rein.

 

What causes this damage? There are a number of theories as to what exactly causes this gut damage. This will vary for every single one of us, but the main things that are likely to cause a leaky gut are stress, toxins, undigested food particles, medicines, bacteria and pathogens. We live surrounded by stress of every sort and unfortunately many foods we are exposed to are processed and high in sugars, preservatives, additives and more. The body views these foods, especially ones that aren’t natural, as foreign and these go on to cause inflammation.

 

The effect of this inflammation and the leaky gut that ensues is that large particles can get through the gut lining. Usually the tight junctions that are found in the gut wall stop these large particles getting through, but when we have a leaky gut undigested food particles and toxins can leak straight through the gut wall, directly into the blood stream. As these particles end up on the wrong side of the wall, the immune system is triggered, like bouncers trying to get trouble makers out of a club.

 

Lucky enough for all of us, the gut can be healed, our tight junctions repaired and our lego brick wall brought back together. One way to do this is using a protein called glutamine, which helps repair the gut wall and can be found in our bowl du jour: the mighty bone broth. Think of bone broth in similar terms to a green juice, a concentrated source of all the amino acids found in meat, but this time it’s going to help heal your gut and in turn calm and strengthen your immune system. Bone broth is delicious and warming, perfect for these winter days – either just drink it on its own or use it as a base for a soup or stew. Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley (AKA Hemsley & Hemsley) made bone broth cool in their first book, Good & Simple and we’ve been hooked since!

How to:

To make bone broth, all you really need are some bones to boil. The best way to do it is in a slow cooker, and most butchers will give away bones for free or for very little (go to a good butcher to get good quality bones). Depending on your preference, you can use beef, lamb or chicken bones, all three work well. Here’s how the Hemsley sisters do bone broth!

1. Place the bones and any additional  ingredients into a large stainless steel cooking pot and cover with cold water. The water level should cover the bones by 5 cm whilst still leaving room at the top of the pan.

2. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, lid on, for at least 6 hours for chicken and 12 for beef or lamb, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. The longer the bones simmer, the more nutrients are released. We like to boil the chicken carcass for up to 12 hours until the bones begin to crumble and keep beef bones going for 24 hours until they look as if they were washed up on a beach.

3. Fresh chicken carcasses from the butcher usually have a fair amount of meat on them. We tend to poach the carcasses for 20 minutes, then pull off the meat (and save it for another meal like a chicken salad or chicken pho) before returning the carcasses to the pot and continuing to simmer to make broth.

4. Strain the liquid, using a fine mesh strainer for poultry. Use immediately or leave to cool before storing (preferably in glass/ceramic rather than plastic). Bone broth will keep in the fridge for several days or up to a week if you leave it undisturbed, as a layer of fat will form on the surface and keep it sealed from the air.

Notes:

You can also make Bone Broth using a slow-cooker. Just turn to high and cook for 12 hours or more.

Broth will happily keep in the fridge for up to a week. Divide your batch between 2 containers. This will allow you to use up one jar over the first few days while the second forms a fat layer which will keep it good for the second half of the week.

Small portions of Bone Broth are great for cooking up quinoa or braising vegetables and larger containers are great for making batches of soups, curries and stews.

Beef Bones produce a lot of nutritious fat – (skim some of it and save it for roasting vegetables). Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or freeze the stock in a glass container.

Visit hemsleyandhemsley.com for more info and to buy their best-selling cook books!

 

Words by Rachel Cruickshank

Work At A Desk? Here Are the Best Workouts For You

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For most of us, sitting at a desk for elongated periods of time, is an unfortunate fact of working life. It’s quite unnatural to be sitting in the one position for eight hours a day, five days a week – with if you’re lucky – a one hour break to stretch your legs at lunch. Yes, there are now standing desks and some people bring in balance balls to help their posture. But for most of us, it’s a simple chair – table combo and there’s not much getting around that. So what can we do to maximise our health and fitness, while working in a predominantly sedentary job? Find the best workouts to suit your lifestyle.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

Regular movement is just as – if not more important than exercise. So to start with – it is important desk workers make sure they’re getting that right. If you’re not getting the basics aligned, it’s going to undermine your workouts when you do go from desk-working to working-out. Here are three to keep in mind;

  1. Get up from your desk at least once every hour. The easiest way to make sure this happens is to buy yourself a nice big litre water bottle, and drink a minimum of two of them by home-time. Not only is the water intake side of this trick important, but you’ll be needing to duck to the loo…at least once an hour.
  2. Stretching while you work. Preferably for at least two minutes at a time. Release the pressure on your back with some arches backwards and forwards, and some overhead reaches. It doesn’t sound much, but doing this as you wait for the kettle to boil is an easy way to keep limber and give your muscles a reprieve. The next step up, is investing in a foam roller, which is perfect for stretching out and elongating tired desk ridden muscles. There are brilliant tutorials on YouTube that will help take you through the best way to use your roller. Focus on stretches of your mid-back, IT band, calves and glutes.
  3. Don’t underestimate walking. Fitting in a workout in an hour time frame, while also squeezing in a shower and time to eat, isn’t for everyone. Sometimes the lunchbreak just isn’t long enough! But even a stroll around the block is going to do your legs the world of good. The next step up from this, is walking to and from work. If the whole route is just too far, catch transport half way and walk the rest. 20-30 minutes walking is a good amount to start with. Do that there and back and you’re looking at roughly an hours walk a day! If THAT is still too daunting. Take the stairs instead of the lift once you’ve hopped off the train. When it comes to moving your body in and around hours of sitting – everything matters.

TURN IT UP A NOTCH

There isn’t one ‘miracle cure’ workout that is going to reverse hours of desk sitting. The key to keeping fit is varying your workouts, and keeping them whole body. Surprise your body, change it up, keep it different – the human body will adapt and get used to any one exercise technique. So for desk sitters, it is particularly important to evolve your workouts and to experiment in different areas of ‘movement’ to ensure your body doesn’t plateau. We have hand-picked the best workouts that tick the two most important boxes for desk sitting 9-to-5ers, high fitness & time sensitive.

CROSSFIT

CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. Workouts are based on functional movements, reflecting the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. CrossFit is a perfect example of full body training, and will not only make you fitter and stronger, but more flexible. The fastest CrossFit workout can be done in four minutes, but generally they are 30-45 minute sessions. If you’re new to more formal types of exercise, CrossFit is a great place to start – as they pride themselves on a personal training style approach catering to all levels.

BODY PUMP

This is the best workout to sign up to when perusing your local gym schedule. It’s a full body workout with a strong emphasis on barbell-weighted moves. Incorporating weights into your workouts is one of the best ways to reach your goals fast. It’s also the perfect shock to your system that’s going to get your body thinking and reacting, if you’ve been sedentary for the past nine hours at work. Or, if you’re an early bird – do a workout like this before work, and your body will continue to reap the benefit for hours after.

DANCE

Dance is such a wonderful form of exercise, and has many mental and physical benefits including muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness, muscle tone, weight management and better coordination. For those that find the above weight based training quite intimidating, you can get similar results with a high intensity body-weight related dance class. The important thing is you are moving, getting your heart rate up and improving your fitness in a high intensity state will full body movements. Dance fits the bill.

PLYOMETRIC RESISTANCE TRAINING

Think Joe Wicks ‘The Body Coach’ and Kayla Itsines; these workouts are full of body weight movements and high intensity training with weights intermixed. It’s designed to get you sweaty fast and is all about short sharp bursts of movement with minimal breaks; think weighted squats, high knees, skipping and lunging. Neither of these two training regimes include workouts over half an hour. Which is perfect for desk workers, as you can slot it in before or after work and still have some time left over for everything else.

 

By Gemma Bath

@gembath www.sunliteyes.com

The Ultimate Wellness Stocking Filler Gift Guide

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For those of you that have already completed your Christmas shopping, we applaud you! If you haven’t even thought about your gift-giving plans then you’ve come to the right place! Below, we’ve compiled our ultimate wellness stocking filler gift guide for 2017 and we think it’s our favourite one yet! So, if you’re stuck for ideas, then scroll down for some awesome ideas both luxe and affordable.

APL £140

S’well Bottle from £25

LNDR Christmas Gift Set £140

Elemental Herbology Oil £12

Olympia Sparta Bra £69

MZ Wallace Metro Pouch £45

Bramely Oils Gift Set £40

Neom Christmas Candle £30

Seafolly Palm Leggings £55

Luminosity Crystals from £8

Wanderlust Life Necklace £29

de Mamiel Sleep Kit from £35

Beauty Chef Holiday Boost £28

Mauli Rituals Himalayan Salts £42

Granola For Gangsters Christmas Pud (In The Hood) £5.50

Tarka Dal With Grated Courgette

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A sneak peak at Jasmine Hemsley’s new book, East by West? Yes please! Here she shares her sumptuous, warming Tarka Dal!

Tarka Dal is an absolute Indian classic — it’s cooked every day in most households. Everyone needs a good dal recipe up his or her sleeve; often my go-to dish, this one is nourishing, easy to make and gentle on a stressed digestive system. Make sure the lentils are cooked very well — old chana dal doesn’t cook well, so make sure your packet is fresh. If you didn’t soak the lentils overnight, use split red lentils or split mung dal that can be cooked straightaway.

I love my dal with something green and fresh — if I’m eating this for supper, 
I usually sauté the courgettes to gently cook them, but for lunch I sometimes enjoy them raw. Feel free to add your choice of greens, remembering to cook them for evening meals.

Tarka refers to the technique of adding spices to hot oil, which helps to bring out their flavour (as well as their properties). Everyone has their favourite way of serving tarka — it can either become the base of the dal, or for a really fresh flavour you can pour the tarka over the freshly cooked dal, top with a lid and then leave to infuse for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Ingredients: Serves 3

200g (1 cup) chana dal, soaked in water overnight

750ml (3 cups) water

2 tbsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

10 curry leaves

1 large spring onion or
 1 medium onion, sliced

1 green chilli, finely sliced

1 medium tomato, skinned and deseeded finely chopped

1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric

1⁄2 tsp sea salt

2 garlic cloves (use wild garlic leaves in summer), crushed

1⁄4 tsp asafoetida

1 large courgette, grated

freshly ground black pepper

handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

 

Method

Simmer the chana dal in the water for about
45 minutes until very soft. Adjust the consistency to your taste, adding more water if you like it more soupy and lighter to digest.

To make the tarka, melt the ghee in a pan and fry the cumin and mustard seeds on a medium heat until they start to pop. Add the curry leaves, spring onion and chilli and stir for a few minutes.

When the chana dal is cooked, stir in the tomato, turmeric, salt, garlic and asafoetida. Add the tarka to the dal and remove from the heat, placing a lid on top.

Meanwhile, in the same pan that was used for the tarka, sauté the grated courgette for a couple of minutes with a pinch of salt.

Garnish the dal with freshly ground black pepper and a scattering of coriander leaves, then serve with a handful of sautéed courgette.

East by West: Simple Recipes for Ultimate Mind-Body Balance by Jasmine Hemsley is out now, published by Bluebird (£25). Image credits: Nick Hopper. Click here to buy a copy!

Where To Get Zen Fast In London

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The festive whirlwind of gift-hunting, meal-planning, cheer-giving and entertaining will soon be upon us, when the chance to savour a little peace and pampering would be the ultimate treat amidst the chaos. No matter how important we know it is, finding time for ourselves can be difficult – but no longer! Where to go for a little self-indulgence when time is of the essence? We’ve got just the list you’re after… Our favourite places to get zen fast!

Gazelli House
Situated in South Kensington, Gazelli House provides the ultimate respite from the bustling city, offering relaxation and escapism in the most luxurious surroundings. Parquet flooring, plush sofas, marble sinks and striking ornaments add warmth to the carefully designed three-floor space, while magazines and wellbeing books are neatly arranged on circular coffee tables, making you feel instantly at home. There is also an impressive selection of loose tea infusions on offer – we particularly loved the fragrant rosebud tea. The house feels like your best friend’s sitting room, filled with lots of friendly faces. We could live here in an instant!

Descend the spiralling golden staircase to one of three treatments rooms, where Gazelli’s Facial and Body Experts can be found hand-blending products and administering your personal diagnostic, treating its members to serene body massages and facials. Or climb the stairs to the Sky Parlour for a spell of meditation, acupuncture and life-coaching. There is also a pretty whitewashed terrace decorated with handmade Spanish tiles, perfect for those balmy summer days or for an impromptu movie screening.

 

House of Elemis
As if a beautiful Mayfair townhouse wasn’t enticing enough, the wonderful House of Elemis have also solved the problem of how busy London women can enjoy some well-earned pampering without sacrificing their schedules. They call it the ‘Speed Spa’ and it’s all about maximum results in minimum time. Their curated selection of condensed, world-renowned Elemis treatments includes the Radiance Renew facial lasting thirty minutes. But don’t be fooled into thinking less time means less effective! This soothing, cellular-boosting facial is a powerful antidote for dull-looking winter skin. The ultrasonic peel uses its vibrational energy to exfoliate, brighten and protect against urban pollution, while the elderberry and orange flower extracts help to reduce dark circles and even out your skin tone. This is the hydration boost and glow-getter you’ve been looking for!

 

Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salon
After a long day or week, seeking refuge in the urban oasis that is the Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa is the ultimate antidote. Its warm hues and luxuriously tranquil vibe can be found across South West London in Westbourne Grove and Fulham, but it’s the four-storey wellness haven in Wimbledon that has us hooked! Here, you can have your locks, nails, complexion and/or full body pampered. The holistic massages and body wraps are truly glorious. While you savour the treatment, your choice of essential oil aromas will float delightfully yet subtly around the room. As well as relaxing and reviving your weary limbs, you’ll also leave with a calmer mind and noticeably softer skin thanks to the aromatic and botanical-based Aveda products.

 

TriYoga
Helping you to feel fresh and balanced into the New Year and beyond is fan favourite, TriYoga. Their meditation and mindfulness practices are open to anyone, and the class lengths range from thirty to sixty minutes, making them ideal for a little me-time between meetings or the school run. The combination of yoga, deep breathing and guided visualisation creates a nurturing experience that allows you to pause and reflect on your day, which is paramount to self-care. The class aims to help you to be more present in the moment and quieten your internal monologue, and has also been shown to improve your sleep, concentration, metabolism and mood. These studios of serenity can be found in Chelsea, Soho, Shoreditch, Camden and more, and the chic décor doesn’t hurt either!

words by Zoe Louise Cronk

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What Does It Take To Become A Yoga Teacher?

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Hip & Healthy contributor, Rachel Cruickshank, recalls her summer in Goa where she fulfilled her dream of training to become a yoga teacher. Here, she shares what it really takes to become qualified and what she learnt along the way.

 

When I first went to a yoga class, I hated it. I was so bored. If you’re re-reading the title of this article, wondering if you’ve ended up in the wrong place then stay with me. I was initially drawn to yoga because I wasn’t comfortable in my body, I wanted something physical that would make me sweat and feel like I had done a really hard work out. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely some yoga classes that will do this for you, but this class was not that. So, there I was, in savasana, I couldn’t stay still, I was fidgeting and itching to get out.

 

Years later I came back to yoga. It was at a confusing time of my life and I wanted to calm my mind, I started doing some meditation and realised the amazing effects of breathing and moving and thus my love affair with yoga began. I found one class I loved and that was it, I wanted to be in that class every opportunity I could. I wanted to have this feeling that yoga gave me all day every day, and that’s pretty much what led me to the decision that I would be a yoga teacher.

 

I’m going to start with what a yoga teacher training course is not. It is not a holiday (sorry everyone). I trained in Goa, it was sunny and we were pretty much living on the beach that’s how close we were, but it was hard. It was physically, mentally and emotionally draining. Every day we started at 7.30am for meditation and practice which lasted until 10am. This was followed by more practice, lectures or theory for another five hours a day.

 

As well as learning about the history and theory of yoga, we did a lot of work on energy centres called chakras (if you don’t know about chakras, they are fascinating). This work is largely based on psychology and it felt like all of these layers that I had built up around me for protection and comfort were slowly pulled away from me to then build me back up. Habits in both my practice and my personality were pulled to the surface. It was like getting a magnifying glass out and inspecting yourself in a way you’ve never been triggered to before. It was quite terrifying in some ways, but it was a process and there is so much that I have taken from that process into my daily life back in London. Even thinking about it now is quite emotional for me. There were days when I was left wondering “who am I?”. We all build so many walls up around ourselves, subconsciously and without knowing it, walls that when we’re asked to bring down can be so frightening. The biggest lesson for me was accepting myself exactly as I am and learning that if I need a wall or a mask up to be around someone else who can’t accept me for exactly who I am, then it’s probably best that I don’t give that person my time or energy.

 

The hours on my mat left me with a physical strength I had never experienced before. Maybe more importantly, it left me with a love and appreciation of my body that I had never had before. This body had carried me through 200 hours of hard graft, day in and day out. No matter how tired I was or if something hurt, it carried on carrying me. It got stronger, more agile, more flexible. “You are stronger than you think you are”, was something my teacher said a lot during morning practice when we’d all be on our last legs and more than ready for closing. This line couldn’t be more true and, for the most part, it now replaces my inner doubter or critic that creeps into the back of my mind when I’m tired or fallen out of a posture for the fifth time.

 

I will be forever grateful for the whole training process, in particular my teachers Jamie and Dulce and to every single one of the other humans who were there alongside me. These people started as strangers and ended as some of the closest friends I have, they saw me in the rawest state possible, on good days and bad days and opened their hearts with love and empathy. These are the people we should all fill our lives with, there are beautiful souls out there and if you live with love, they will find you. I have learnt how to teach yoga, but I’ve learnt so much more about life and myself on the way.

 

The real beauty of yoga for me is progress, physically doing something that seemed impossible a few weeks ago and mentally dealing with things rationally that would have left me angry and frustrated before. Four weeks, 200 hours, three rest days and many a gallon of sweat and tears. These were the hardest and yet most rewarding days of my life and I cannot wait for where the journey takes me next. And remember, you are always stronger than you think you are.

 

For more information on my teachers, The Yoga People, go to theyogapeople.com. My advice on picking a training is do your research, try some taster sessions and speak to your teachers to see who they trained with. The person who first really inspired me with yoga was Tracey Mansell (@traceyyoga), queen of the handstands and of whom I am forever in awe. Find a yoga teacher you really connect with – the best way to do this is try lots of different classes and styles until you find something that works for you, one of my favourite places for lots of variety is triyoga with five studios in London (triyoga.co.uk)

If you want to practice with me and hear more of my worldly ramblings then please visit www.thebodynatural.co.uk

Words by Rachel Cruickshank @thebodynatural

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yoga teacher

Hip & Healthy Guide To Bristol

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Bristol has long been a haven for free spirits, with a lively art scene, abundance of veggie restaurants and access to all sorts of alternative therapies. It’s a city packed with personality, so great for a fun, feel-good weekend whether you fancy chilling out in a luxurious spa or want to try something totally different. Here’s our Hip & Healthy Guide to Bristol!

SLEEP

Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa
This elegant new hotel is housed in two former banks, with no expense spared when it comes to comfort, from the enormous beds with Egyptian cotton sheets to the complimentary decanters of gin and sherry in every room. Even better, there’s a spa. Work out in what were once vaults, for stashing gold bars, before soothing aching muscles in the hydrotherapy pool. Unwind, as pressure jets pummel out the knots in your shoulders and back, then take the temperature up a notch with a session in the sauna and steam room. You’ll want to book in for one of their dreamy aromatherapy massages too.

The Paintworks Apartments
Channelling upscale Airbnb vibes, these arty lofts make the perfect base for exploring this creative city. The luxurious Brick Loft has a peaceful balcony, perfect for savouring your morning coffee, while the serene River Loft has its own secret roof garden.

 

EAT

Lido Bristol
You could easily miss this reimagined Victorian Lido, situated as it is in a residential neighborhood in Clifton, but that would be an awful shame as it’s one of the most serene spots for breakfast in the city. Savour your smoked salmon and sourdough toast or Turkish poached eggs poolside.

Cafe Kino
This Stokes Croft stalwart does wholesome veggie food like no one else. Post workout, pre-party, or just because you damn well feel like it, wrap your chops round one of their ridiculously good burgers, made with organic badger beans. They also serve excellent falafel.

Salt & Malt
This Wapping Wharf branch, the second by top chef Josh Eggleton, is part of the cool new Cargo container development of cafes, bars, shops and restaurants. Yes, yes, it’s fish and chips (hardly the healthiest): but not as you know it. It’s all gluten free, so you don’t have to worry about causing a scene with special dietary requests and you can finish your cod, wrapped in crisp, light batter, without the usual bloat. Veggies will love the battered halloumi.

 

DO

Circomedia
In search of a new way to get fit? Try out Bristol’s world-renowned circus scene for size. You’ll find the UK’s first full-time circus school in a reimagined church in St Paul’s. Sign up for one of their monthly taster sessions – in three hours you’ll get to sample a whole range of circus skills, from ground-based acrobatics to aerial silks. And to see how the professionals do it, check out one of their eye-popping shows.

The Nurturists Co.
Glimpse a new wave of wellness at one of The Nurturists Co.’s creative group workshops: from Yoga aboard ‘The Nurturship’ to women’s flower circles. And keep an eye out for the Women’s Nurture Circles, an alternative to baby showers for mums-to-be, with garland making, storytelling and feasting. The collective of practitioners also offer one-to-one and couples treatments in little-known locations around the city.

 

Words by Hannah Stuart-Leach. Find her on Twitter and Instagram at: @thisretreat.

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Suffer With SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)? Here’s How To Combat It!

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Not to point out the obvious, but it’s cold, wet, and miserably dark (have you noticed?!). Whilst winter (particularly the lead up to Christmas) is usually associated with creating fun memories with family, celebration, and lots of eating, for a surprisingly large amount of people, it uncovers a darker side (like we need that this time of year!)

If you are feeling lethargic, having trouble sleeping, feeling generally low and craving carbs and sweet foods… you are not alone. You may be amongst the 2-3 million people in the UK alone suffering with SAD; Seasonal Affective Disorder also known as the ‘Winter Blues’.

But don’t suffer any longer, the battle can be won. With an insight to our valuable 4 top tips, you could just beat those blues once and for all.

 

Light up your life
Let’s start with the big one, light. Like most mammals in the natural world, the human body responds to light. As a result, our bodies are tuned into the daylight hours in order to maintain our circadian rhythms, the body’s biological clock. These rhythms regulate many important bodily functions, and without natural sunlight it provides many complications. If you’re human, chances are you’ve woken up on a grey, wintery day and wanted to stay in bed at least a handful of times!

It’s no wonder we feel less motivated, and even down during the winter.

What to do?!

  • Make sure to soak up as many rays as you can as you, especially as you first wake. Open your curtains, step outside.
  • If you work indoors, make sure to take a brief walk at lunchtime. Get some fresh air into your lungs, and some light onto your bones. Make your indoor space as light and as airy as possible. Sit near windows if you can.
  • Get a lightbox (SAD lamp) which replicates sunshine and start a bright-light therapy

 

Get the inside right and the outside falls into place
Make a conscious decision at the start of the season to eat to nourish your body, and only to eat when you are hungry.

Serotonin is the “feel-good hormone” and is produced by sunlight. During the winter season, producing this hormone gets difficult, however by mindfully monitoring what enters our body we can help tremendously…

What To Eat?

In general, immunity-boosting foods include those that are fresh, organic, easy to digest, pure and wholesome. Foods that are hard to digest should be avoided if you want to increase your immunity.

Ease up on the coffee and salads too, it’s time to change it up with warm soups, homemade broths, hot herbal teas, and stewed fruit. Foods that nourish and balance the body in the cold, winter season are the sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Warm, home-cooked, soothing foods. Cold, or leftover foods will diminish your digestive fire. Keep the heat !!

 

Use the power of your breath
Pranayama are breathing exercises that are fabulous especially at this time of year. They help to clear the lungs of toxins and any stagnant energy, and make the way for a lighter and more grounded you.

Breathing consciously is one of the most powerful tools you could ever learn to master. It is the direct path for us to communicate quickly to the brain via our body. Breathing not only oxygenates the body, but re-energises us and keeps our bodies alert. It also is 75% of the bodies detoxification process. Taking deep breaths supplies the brain with a good amount of oxygen, preventing mental sluggishness, negativity, and depression.

Practice deep breathing:

  • Sit comfortably or lie down. Close down your eyes softly and start to notice your breath.
  • Inhaling gently through your nose as you start to elongate the breath into the belly bowl, here feeling it expand like a balloon, and as you exhale drawing the navel back towards the spine. Working with the breath in this simple exercise to find relaxation. Continue for 4-5 breaths, allowing the breath to sink you deeper and deeper into relaxation.
  • Now after your next exhale hold the breath for a few seconds, finding a subtle natural pause before taking your next inhalation. This centres your mind and activates the PNS; Parasympathetic Nervous System, “rest and digest”.
  • Repeat this for 8-12 breaths, before slowly opening the eyes and observing the present moment.

 

Essential oils
Essential oils and aromatherapies target the location of the brain that is responsible for mood control, sleep and hunger. Steaming with essential oils is a very relaxing technique to help with the winter blues.

Be sure to match your oils with your current moods and feelings. Simply add them to your bath, moisturiser, inhale directly from the bottle, or add to an aroma lamp or diffusers.

With the use of our 4 top tips, you should be feeling uplifted once again in no time!

words by Sarah Drai, Yogi2Me www.yogi2me.com

 

8 Mindful Ways To Deal With Festive Stress

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We love Christmas, don’t get us wrong, but for many, it can be a massive stress-inducer… all those dinner parties to go to (and organise, if you’re playing host) last-minute Christmas present purchasing amongst other frazzled shoppers, organising who’s family you’re spending that day with and this day with, let alone the big day itself! There’s no such thing as a smooth Christmas season, so as long as you prepare yourself and accept there will always be hiccups and things that go wrong, your festive stress should be significantly reduced. To help, we’re sharing 8 mindful ways to cope with this time of year, so you can fully embrace the celebrations and magic of Christmas with your friends and family.

Try mindful eating
Find yourself constantly on your feet during the countdown to Christmas? Take regular breaks and tuck into your favourite snacks to lower your stress levels. The trick is to eat them mindfully – imagine you’ve just landed on Earth from another planet, and never seen the snack before. Examine it closely, notice the smell, and consciously chew and swallow the food. Focusing on the pleasurable sensations will boost feelings of relaxation, while lowering any tension too.

 

Adopt the 5-5-5 technique
If you feel like your mind is whirring at a million miles an hour when you hit the shops, the 5-5-5 technique is a great way to bring you back to the present moment. Just become aware of five things you can see, five things you can hear, and five things making contact with your body. The calming technique will soon bring you out of your thoughts, and leave you feeling more positive about all those presents you need to buy.

 

Practice “letting go”
Most of us find big crowds stressful. But the key is to “let go” of any judgemental thoughts that pop into your head while you’re navigating them. Observe negative thoughts like, “I can’t stand crowds”, as an impartial witness. By being aware of the negative thoughts, you’ll stop your them spiralling out of control, and avoid a pre-Christmas meltdown.

 

Deal with difficult emotions head on
Spending too much time with tricky in-laws, parents or siblings can bring all sorts of difficult emotions to the surface. Lingley recommends a mindfulness technique of identifying these emotions arising within you, instead of ignoring them. Is your mother-in-law interfering again? Or is your dad being overbearing? Identify any troublesome emotions by saying, “I have a sense of anger arising”, or “I can sense irritation.” This will help stop difficult emotions from going unchecked and a heated argument escalating.

 

Focus on your breathing
Navigating the manic Black Friday and Christmas crowds can quickly raise your stress levels. When you feel your heart-rate start to rise, Lingley recommends a quick mindfulness trick – bringing awareness to your breathing. Get into the zone by focusing on the rising and falling of your chest, during the in-breath and out-breath. You’ll soon feel calm and collected, even in the midst of all the festive shopping frenzy.

 

Listen to calming music
Nothing beats a relaxing playlist to help you stay calm during Christmas preparations. But, if you really want to get in a chilled out mood, make sure you listen to soothing music genres. Lingley suggests popping relaxing piano music or instrumental Chinese tracks onto your playlist. Calming nature tracks, or enchanted forest music can be great at relieving stress while you’re out and about running last-minute errands or cooking a big family meal.

 

Accept the situation
Hate the achingly long queues on the High Street in the run-up to Christmas? According to Lingley, much of the stress comes from wishing things were different. So instead of saying to yourself, “Why do they not have more people serving!”, try repeating the mantra, “It is what it is!” Accepting and surrendering to the situation will make it much more bearable, and not half as stressful as you originally thought.

 

Slow it down… 
For many people there is a natural tendency to want to rush when faced with large crowds  and be impatient when you cannot move from one place to another as fast as you would like. Lingley recommends slowing down all of your movements and be mindful of bodily actions like opening a door, or the muscles involved in holding shopping bags – this will hopefully develop some patience & a greater acceptance of the crowded shopping area, supporting you to be calmer.

 

For more festive survival tips, shopping excuses and stats, click here

How To Be More Successful At Work & Happier At Home

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Ever feel like you are juggling far more than you ever thought possible and the fear that any minute now, everything may tumble into one giant mess? Then, fear not. You are not alone. One of the biggest factors of life in today’s society is that we have so much going on, and so much opportunity, that it makes it very difficult to say no to things. Either way, you’re likely to feel overwhelmed by adding more to your plate if you say yes, or have a FOMO (fear of missing out) moment and like you wasted an opportunity if you say no. You can’t win!

As with most things, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and there are many ways to help you combat, lessen or remove these feelings of uncontrollability or failing at “balance”. You will also note that every single person will be affected at one point (probably more than once), with this problem so you are not alone!

There are simple effective ways in which to regain your equilibrium, and a lot of this is being able to understand how to manage your time effectively and perhaps changing your perception on things you feel are in your way.

So, to help, we have detailed our 8 best ‘methods’ to help counter the crazy and build harmony which will hopefully help you to become more successful at work and happier at home!

 

Filter
A key factor to overcoming anything is stepping away from your *gadgets*, let the digital world work without you for a while, limit your need to view work emails (preferably stop altogether) at home. Set yourself a limit of 20 mins to go through instagram, twitter, facebook and/or catch up on emails in the evening and then focus on the living people around you. If you can, put a *do not disturb* on your phone between 8pm – 9am, so you don’t see any messages, hear any phonce calls or alerts. We have become so consumed with this digital world that we have forgotten what it was like to not be surrounded by electronics. Letting go of the need to have 24 hour access to the internet will actually make your life a lot less stressful, so let’s start slowly and if you do one thing, try turning the computer and TV off 2 hours before you go to bed, then maybe add in not looking at your phone until 9am the next morning. Eventually you can take bigger steps and go ‘old school’ for a whole weekend. Its sounds extreme but really it’s a great way to take a moment, not be contactable every second of the day, and take time out for you…

 

Blocking out Time for YOU
What better way to find time to work on things than to ‘Block’ out chunks of time in your diary, whether that’s at work or home, so you can manage your time. This method is used across the globe and to a high degree of success. It allows you to focus on all the big and little things you put on the back burner and those “I’ll do when I have time” reminders. Which may be lower in priority but still sitting in your conscience buzzing around causing you distractions. So block out time – get them done, no one disturbs you, if you do this at home then let your nearest and dearest know this is for a better future together and a calmer you – the Greater Good! At work, this is the time to focus on tying up loose ends, replying to emails, finishing things and once done… the sweet release of completion can waft over you and start calming your nerves.

 

Embracing other ideas
According to reports, the Danes rank top of the Better Life index with a score of 9.1 out of 10 for their work-life balance. The UK is a low 6, so lets take a page out of their book and adopt thier healthy respect of efficiency as well as prioritizing life over work. Bring about a change in your working environment, build on a friendship and take lunch at a set time so you can enjoy it together out of the office. Camaraderie is especially important in promoting a happier working environment, so if you can and management will allow, ensure your working day works for you, be efficient with your time as well as flexible in your working hours. All this helps to embrace the term ‘Hygge’ – A term we love and is loosely translated to mean enjoying life’s simple pleasure, friends family, graciousness. Shouldn’t we all really try to embrace this term and bring more ‘Hygge’ into our lives? A happier person = a more efficient person. It’s a no brainer really.

 

Tea Break with a Difference
Yes you read correctly, make the most of your tea breaks with some quick learning. Pop on a ted talk and look for the playlist “10 talks under 6 minutes”, which are designed to fit around your break, and simply learn or just listen to something new. We all need to take breaks more often throughout the day, especially desk workers who look at a screen from morning until evening. It’s important to step away periodically to not only give your eyes a break, but to also move around, fill up your water and create blood flow around your body again. So, next time you finish a task, before you start the next, get up from your workspace, plug in your headphones for a 6 minute ted talks and you’ll most likely discover your mind is more ready for the next task on your to-do list.

 

Cleanliness
Untidiness can create a frazzled mind and can send us into chaos without even trying. Your workspace and your home can really have a big effect on your mood and productivity, so take time every day to tidy up your living space and your desk area and then make a habit to keep on top of it, so it never builds up. This could range from doing the dishes as soon as you’re finished using them rather than waiting until the next morning, to organizing and filing all your paperwork and putting your ‘Priority’ workload to the surface, so as to not cause any undue anxiety. These are all easy ways to help you think rationally, and make you more productive.

 

Did anyone say Coffee Shop?
This could be a little controversial and obviously won’t work for everyone but working in different locations has been found to create more focus and have a better productivity than in the office, whether that’s working on the train, working from home and even working from a coffee shop. There’s something about working in a different environment that sparks creativity and a change of scenery every so often could be just want you need.

 

Get Creative
Instead of going home and collapsing in a big heap of knots, use your personal time to do something creative, such as writing, gardening, playing with the kids, playing a musical instrument, painting. Separating yourself from your work day can go a long way in helping you relax and unwind and allow you to switch off. Being creative allows our brains to shut down and almost slip into an almost “meditative trance” where our worries and negative thoughts are starved of any attention. So instead of crashing out in front of the TV, try doing something creative for an hour or two and you will start to see the difference in being able to recharge the batteries.

 

Mindfulness meditation
If, after a busy day, you find your thoughts are on a non-stop moving train, take a moment, breathe deeply and allow your breath to wash away the stresses. Instead of engaging with your thoughts and all the things you have to do or haven’t yet done, just let them fly past… Thoughts are transient, they flow in and out and only if we let them do they ever become something, so just let them float and bring your body and mind back to a level playing field. Doesn’t have to be long, as little as 5-10 minutes can help increase your memory function and allow you to be more focused. It will do you the world of good!

Words by Carole Armitage: Personal Trainer, Wellbeing Coach and founder of The “Change Movement”

Instagam: Carolearmitage Website: www.carolearmitage.co.uk

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Turmeric Tikka Fish Stir Fry

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East by West is the first solo cookbook from bestselling author, cook and TV presenter Jasmine Hemsley, co-founder of Hemsley + Hemsley. Featuring 140 delicious recipes from around the world, East by West champions the ancient Ayurvedic philosophy of eating to nourish, sustain and repair for ultimate mind-body balance. Here’s a sneak peak at her Turmeric Tikka Fish Stir Fry!

I don’t have a tandoor (a type of clay oven), but I do like tikka — usually small pieces of meat or fish in a spicy marinade, baked in said oven. This adaptation is a deliciously easy fish dish that I can pop in the oven while I prepare a stir-fry of veggies, making it perfect for entertaining. In India the tikka marinade is made with yoghurt and spices, but since yoghurt with fish is an Ayurvedic ‘no-no’, I’ve swapped it with ghee, which helps to activate the spices as well as baste the fish. Marinate the fish in advance for the best flavour, then bring to room temperature before cooking. The whole dish comes together really easily
and looks the business.

 

Ingredients: Serves 2

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste

tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste

tsp toasted cumin seeds or ground cumin

2—3 tbsp ghee

1 lime or lemon

1 tbsp water (optional)

2 fillets (about 300g) 1 firm white fish such as pollock, cod, haddock,
 coley, tilapia

1 pak choi, quartered lengthways

1 fennel, trimmed and cut into long slices

1 tbsp black mustard seeds

1⁄4 tsp chilli powder

(optional)
2 large carrots, grated sea salt and freshly

ground black pepper,
to taste

 

Method

Mix the ginger, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, salt and cumin together. Combine with 1 tablespoon of ghee and the juice of lime to make a paste, adding ½ to 1 tablespoon of water if necessary.

Coat the fish in the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. When you are ready to cook, bring the fish to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 180oC (fan 160oC/gas mark 4). In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee over a medium heat and sear the pak choi until golden, then season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the fish on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked, adding the pak choi for the last 5 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, melt the rest of the ghee in the same pan, if needed, and sauté the fennel. When it is lightly browned, add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop (be careful not to let them burn and become bitter). Add the carrot, season and stir-fry for a few minutes, until just tender. Plate everything up and squeeze over the juice of lime.

Easy by West (panmacmillan) is out now. Click here to buy a copy!