Balance

How to Deal With A Difficult Conversation

Difficult Conversations

… have to happen in life.

It’s not nice and most people feel very uncomfortable to be in that kind of difficult situation BUT leaving them to bubble or sweeping them under the carpet can lead to passive aggressive behaviour – which we all know is not good for our health.

Many people often shy away from these conversations which can often reinforce the behaviour of the negative party – rather than nipping it in the bud on the first occurrence.

Here are my top tips for dealing with difficult conversations:

1) It’s hard as you need to have your say but you do not know how to say it

Often sitting with a friend and going over what you want to say can often help you articulate what you want to get across.

One of the things I often do is write bullet points of what I want to discuss and cover in the conversation. If it does escalate or go off tangent I am then able to look back and check that what I needed to express has been covered.

it reinforces my confidence and strength especially if the other person is dominant and/or aggressive.

2) Do not belittle the point by making it smaller than it is

This is a very British thing to do.

If it has got to the point that you need to raise to another person it is not something that is small.

Many people instantly go to making a joke or belittling their point at the first sign of confrontation which leaves the other person questioning what point you had to raise in the first place.

Be firm and be calm and work out the issues till both parties have a mutual understanding.

3) Keep it objective: Unless it is a personal attack do not make it personal

This is very important. Do not take things personally. If it is Work – keep it professional.

If someone is not pulling their weight, taking credit for your work or doing something within the professional realm that is not ok – address as you would any other business meeting.

Address the point – articulate how it impacts your work – express how you would like to move forward and then leave it at that.

4) Find the outcome you want and work backwards

When going into difficult conversations most people forget what they want the outcome to be. I find if you work out what you want the outcome to be you can then start to look at the journey to get there.

If you do not know the outcome then the conversations will not have a definitive end.

5) Be open to the other person’s point of view

This is a conversation, not a dictation – therefore remember there are always two sides to every outcome and be prepared to meet in the middle to move forward.

To mutually agree a way of dealing with any difficulty situation will always be the best solution.

Conclusion

As I said, no one likes to have a tough conversation, but you will be far more respected by being open in your communication and setting boundaries.

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La Eva – The Art behind Organic Beauty

La Eva – The brand you need to know

If you haven’t heard of this delightful brand you are about to go on a journey of artisan discovery. La Eva, born out of a small town in Oxfordshire, is run by a pixie-like, incredibly creative, and quality striving individual called Louisa.

Soil association certified and gorgeously organic – this brand really sets itself into a different league.

The products

When you are introduced to the products you are instantly hit by their incredible design. Paint textures of hues of blue or pink, the eyes are enlightened. If you head to their website La-Eva, the paint texture theme continues, with incredible depictions of colour created by Rose-Marie Caldecott. But before I get distracted with how visually beautiful the products are – let us talk about what the products are like.

La Eva Range

The range is split in two: Roseum and Blu. The product ranges take you down two sensory routes. Created with the highest quality ingredients, La Eva, believe that every product should be gentle enough to be used on the face and therefore it is gentle enough for the rest of the body. This means the product can be multi-purpose and limits you from having shelves and drawers full of clutter you do not need. Minimalism at its finest.

Let us now look at each of these wonderful ranges.

ROSĒUM

Roseum introduces geranium, petitgrain and clove to your sense of smell, meandering you toward a feeling of relaxation and light. Soft in its texture – the floral nature of the scent is perfect for Spring Sundays and relaxing mornings.

BLŪ

Blu introduces chamomile, cedarwood and vetivert. Calming and soothing, this range is my personal favourite. I am naturally more drawn to earthy and centring smells and this is the perfect range if you are sharing with a male partner. The scent is perfect to balance out our stressful lives with its calm and earthy notes.

The Wash

The wash is kind to your skin and does not leave you feeling dry. I have very sensitive skin and I find this product leaves me feeling cleansed from all the grit in the London air and removes makeup with little to no trouble at all. When I use it in the shower it gently bubbles with the scent moving around the air transcending you into a blissful cleanse.

Add a few pumps to your bath to delight in some well-earned you time.

The Lotion

This was the product that hooked me from the second I set eyes on it. When I was told this product was gentle enough to be used on my face – I was astonished that for the price, I was getting an organic and luxury product!

The lotion absorbs into your skin with only one little pump covering what you need. It is not greasy in the slightest and left your skin with a soothed and moist glow. The larger bottle means you can use it on body and face when leaving the shower. Nourishing your skin with all that it needs with one simple and effective product.

It was gentle enough for my sensitive skin and works perfectly for my normal/ dry skin and my partner’s combination skin.

Verdict

I cannot rate La Eva high enough. The story, the founder and the products are just incredible. Authenticity and quality are what you get with these products. They are a work of art – just look at them.

They bring joy to my eyes in a visual way. Joy to my skin by giving me organic and quality products.

This post was not sponsored – these are my opinions on discovering La Eva and meeting their founder and purchasing their products

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Pip The Queen of the Nut Butters | Selfridges

Pip and Nut

Peanut Butter

For many years Peanut Butter has been one of those condiments that came out at breakfast. Usually a weird camel colour and an ingredient list that went on for miles. Used predominantly on toast – it was just another kitchen cupboard lurker in between the marmalade and jam.

Then came the PB and Jelly phase – many of which us Brits found confusing until we realised that Jelly was Jam – something that the more adventurous people would go to this side of the Atlantic!

Roll on to 2017, Nut butter is now becoming a superfood! Smear it on celery, dip in your apples or enjoy a dollop on a spoon – the ideas have been growing each year for more innovative ways to use these nuts.

Nut butter used to have a bad rep – loaded with chemicals and palm oil – until Pip Murray entered the scene!

The Nut Butter Cook Book

Pip Murray and Pip and Nut came on to the scene in 2015. Fuelled with her ideas from her marathon running days, Pip created a unique, fun and original set of nut butter’s, which have been growing in popularity.

Intertwining ingredients and introducing new flavours, you will find an array of choice from Limited Edition Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter (personal fav!) to delicious Coconut Almond Butter.

Not only has she brought flair and originality, Pip has now opened the world to a variety of new dishes to use these butter rather than just being relegated to a slice of toast! In her new cookbook, Pip shares a number of recipes including:

Coco-Nutty Banana Pancakes and Cashew
Blackberry and Pear Porridge
Peanut Soba Noodle Salad
Vegan Almond Fudge
Baked Peanut Butter and Raspberry Cheesecake

As nuts can be used across a variety of cuisines, the range provides you with a pot of flavour that can be mixed into a variety of dishes from sweet to savoury.

Vegan-friendly, environmentally friendly and sustainable – making this the ultimate cookbook for people looking to give a healthy, protein-fuelled boost to their diet.

Selfridges Pop-Up Nut Bar

Want to try some of the delicious recipes straight out of the book? Head over to Selfridges Food Hall to try!

With flavours ranging from Almond, avocado and spiced seeds to Peanut, chilli, lime and coriander you will be left wanting more! (see picture)

Available until February 12th, I would head down before the Nut bar hits the road! In the mean

In the mean time you can grab Pip’s book from a number of places including here for any of you who cannot make it.

Buy the Cookbook

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How to become lean for life!

January

The time of year for new starts and new years resolutions. High hopes after the Christmas cheer of shifting those extra squidgy bits that came from the cheese platter…guilty!

Many of us start out with a plan to start eating better and to shift Christmas pounds but when we go to search for the plan that will suit our needs we are bombarded with so much information it can become very confusing.

“No Carbs”

“More Fat”

“Gluten Free”

There are many different plans to follow however most people will find that these plans may make us reach our goal but what next… you will never have a carb the rest of your life?

Lean is a Lifestyle

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of joining a talk hosted by Lauren Armes, Welltodo, with Louise Parker from the LPM to discuss her new book Lean for Life: The Cookbook. The Louise Parker Method is well known as being the fame and celebrity go to for all things ‘weight loss’ and lifestyle chance. This perked my interest and I went along to get the inside scoop of this method.

I loathe dieting and I’m on a mission to end it!

The opening line from her book was read aloud to the crowd – this really perked up my interest! Louise started to tell us about her journey through health and lifestyle and how the Louise Parker Method came about. Contrary to this ladies slim physique she explained she had battled with weight and yo-yo dieting for years and is well aware the different ‘diets’ that women put themselves through in order to look great.

Letting go of the all or nothing approach

Louise explained that to be lean for life you have to accept that some days you won’t get it right. If you indulge a little too much just get back on it with the next meal or snack. It is all about mindset and lifestyle. The odd glass of wine here, or steak and chips for dinner there won’t impact you, as long as the majority of your decisions are good for your body. Operating at a 70:30 ration means that it will give you the longevity mindset to continue.

The Louise Parker Method

Lauren and Louise continued to discuss how the Lean for Life: The Cookbook can support those who are following the LPM method and then introduced the four pillars that make up the Louise Parker Method.

Think Successfully

To achieve your goals and make the right choices to become the best you – you need to change your mindset! Once you get the method and the principles behind making the right choices, you have fundamentally taken one of the hardest steps in the right direction. With this new mindset and belief in success you will set yourself up for success on your goals!

Your brain is the most important muscle there is in your transformation, and you are going to train it consistently, as you would your body.

Eat Beautifully

No gimmicks, no ‘free froms’, no fads just filling your plate full of nourishing whole food that will give you all the right energy you need. The recipes in the book will provide you the tools to make excellent meals that will make life and living lean easy and part of your lifestyle

With a lower calorie diet you need to make sure you pack those calories full of nutrition

There will be days where you indulge and may be a little naughty – but that is fine as long as 70% of the time you are nourishing your body with simple, healthy and beautiful foods!

Work Out intelligently

Very simply, you’ll move more. You’ll also exercise in the most intelligent way, combining the maximum amount of fat-burning and toning, while boosting your metabolism and making you feel fabulous.

There is no point wasting your time with exercises that you will not keep up or enjoy. With any goal in sight you need to keep moving (even if it is just getting in those 10,000 steps a day)

Remember if you don’t enjoy it, find something you do. When you want to change your lifestyle and incorporate exercise in – it has to be something you enjoy otherwise you will not stick to it!

Live Well

The last foundation is about your Lifestyle. Making changes that apply to your wider health. Sleep, Digital Detox and starting to change those patterns that cause you to make bad choices.

When you get a bad night’s sleep it puts your hormones out of whack and this can impact everything from feeling low to how hungry you are.

We are surrounded by digital – even now writing this – my phone is buzzing, the screen is bright and I have my favourite episode on.

We can all take a leaf out of this one!

Become Lean for Life

Listening to Louise talk, it really struck a chord with how much information we are bombarded with, and how many do this, do that, eat this, stop that there are in the world… when actually it is all very simple.

By following simple principles of eating protein, fat, good carbs and balancing that with exercise you really have set the foundations for a life of ease.

We can all do with a bit of guidance, which is why I would recommend taking a look Louise’s new book, which offers recipes and meal guidelines to give you an idea of how you can live your life a simple way and achieve your lean goals.

Personal Rant!

From a female perspective, we are born into a World where how we look is discussed every day!

Magazine front covers are filled to the brim with crap to make us feel bad! The new fad to make you a size zero, drinking some tea that will ‘detox’ you (a.k.a a laxative), don’t eat a carb or you will look like a whale or gobbling keytones will be the be all and all!

All in all, generally confusing the f*** out of us – when all we really need are simple positive principles, regular ways to exercise, a confident and chilled mindset, which when followed the majority of the time will allow us to be free of the negativity and allow us to live lean and happy lives.

The above article was written with my own opinions and values

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The Christmas Guide: Inspiration for the Perfect Gift

It’s mad Friday! Last Chance to pick up those gifts!

It is the ‘last’ Friday before Christmas – but when I mean last – I mean the last that you would risk leaving your house amongst the sea of last-minute shoppers! I have pulled together this list of my favourite gifts to buy those you love. Separating the gifts into different types of

Separating the gifts into different types of friends, I have tried to make your life easier when purchasing the gifts for your nearest and dearest. All links have been provided to make your Friday a touch less MAD!

The Green Goddess – Skin + Tonic

The wellness and beauty conscious friend who reads the labels of her products – skin + tonic is the perfect gift.

Beautiful, simple and organic products – anything from this range will show that green goddess you love them!

My Personal Favourite is the Steam Clean cleanser with the Cotton Flannel. I have never used a product that melts away the dirt of the day with such ease and tranquillity.

The Foodie – Argan Oil

Voted by Jasmine Hemsley, of Hemsley + Hemsley, as the Ultimate Gift to give your Foodie friend – Arganic Argan Oil is the perfect purchase.

Fill to the brim with antioxidants, vitamin E and unique composition that is delicious! This is the epicure gift.

Drizzle on salads, serve on roasted veg or jazz up your Avo Toast! For £15 this is a steal! (and you will look like the best friend ever!)

The Girl Boss

The business owner, the blogger, the GIRL BOSS in your squad – this book is a compilation of all the tactics of some of the World’s most successful people.

The book is split into sections covering topics from Health to Wealth.

It is a funny and witty read and definitely going to give the Alan Sugar of your crew a good read!

Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

The Gym Bunny – Gym Tote

This is not just a regular handbag… it is the ULTIMATE handbag!

This all in one handbag means that you are hot to trot from work to gym without looking like a bag lady. Too good for a friend? Treat yourself to one to make a very stylish start to 2017!

This bag has the following…

Top handbag compartment with additional slip & zip pockets for all your small items
Separate base compartment in our water resistant for your gym kit
Exterior pull out sleeve pocket for trainers
Mesh eyelets in the kit and trainer compartments to keep your sweaty kit well ventilated
Extra soft padded handles help make it comfortable to carry when fully loaded. Longer over-the-shoulder handles make sure it fits nicely under your arm and over your winter coat
Separate water bottle pocket – you can store your umbrella in there too for rainy days

This is by far one of my most treasured items. I cannot wait until the backpack is back in stock!

The Ethical Angel – KIN Nutrition

This is the friend who may be Vegan or you know is a prime target for Veganuary! As I discussed in my last article

As I discussed in my last article Vegan for a Month it is very important to make sure you get the right nutrition – otherwise, your body is in for a nasty shock. Treat your friends with the brand new range from Kin Nutrition – OMG NO WHEY! which comes in a variety of different flavours to pick from here.

Founded by husband and wife team Kyle and Kelly Maslen – this really is the brand to watch!

Their Vegan protein is made up with a unique blend of high-quality hemp and pea protein and natural flavours to support a healthy lifestyle and a delicious taste!

Support your friend as well as buying one of the most stylish looking proteins I have seen on the market!

The Tea Lover – Bodyism

Finally – that friend who knows how to Hygge.ell the perfect present has got to be one of the most delectable teas on the market provided by the Husband and Wife duo which power the Business of Kindness, Bodyism!

Well, the perfect present has got to be one of the most delectable teas on the market provided by the Husband and Wife duo which power the Business of Kindness, Bodyism!

In a range of great tastes to relax and recharge – this is a must for the ultimate cosy bunny who loves a perfect cup of tea.

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Tired! Why am I always tired?

What is going on?

Has the world got some kind of sleeping illness? I am tired. Really tired. No matter how much sleep I seem to get – and I mean I am on the full 8hours – I awake in the morning wondering how long it is till I next get into bed.

I do an overall check:

Have I eaten – check
Have I slept – check
Am I busy – check

So I thought to myself – I should probably dig a little deeper into what the cause could be.

Good quality sleep?

Most people think because they shut their eyes this is good quality sleep, but there are a number of factors that can improve on this.

Phone and Laptop

Kick your phone and any blue light operated equipment out of your room. Constantly being available online right up to the moment you sleep may be affecting you in a far more serious way. Have you heard of the circadian rhythm? Bit of a mouthful I know but the circadian rhythm is our own natural rhythm which governs our attention and alertness but also when we switch off and down time.

A Harvard Study has suggested that over exposure to this blue light (the light we originally only had in the day) can lead “to several types of cancer (breast, prostate), diabetes, heart disease, and obesity”. Time to put your phone away, put on a low yellow lit lamp and enjoy a nice book before bed (rather than the latest on #brangelexit)

If you are a Netflix fiend (aren’t we all) try downloading this app Flux it adjusts the colours of your mac book in order that you receive less blue light and warmer tones in the evening

Are you eating Seasonally?

Now before you roll your eyes at me thinking I am suggesting another fad diet; I’m not. Each country has beautiful vegetables that are grown locally and guess what are perfectly full of those vital vitamins that your body needs for that time of year.

In the UK some of the best available are; Aubergine, Beef, Beetroot, Blackberry, Broccoli, Sprouts, Cabbage, Cavelo Nero, Celeriac, Chicken, Garlic, Fig, Kale, Lamb, Leek and the list goes on.

Source Locally

If you can source these from a local farmers market even better but most supermarkets will have them and at lower prices due to the abundance of in-season!

If you are stuck for ideas on what to cook – take a look at Wendy Rowe’s book Eat Beautiful. Makeup artist to the stars and famous for her nude skin look – she knows a trick or two about how to keep you glowing and feeling alive during the seasons.

The alternative is to take a multi-vitamin for all your needs. My favourite is VITL. They come delivered to your door in daily strips to provide you with all your vitamins. Make sure you have them with food as most vitamins are fat soluble. Use my coupon for a discount: VTAMCYN

Exercise: Get moving!

This is a bit of a no-brainer. We all know it, however – do we all do it? There is a difference between exercising and moving. Going to the gym for 45-60mins is great but not if you spend the rest of said day sat on one’s bottom not moving.

While the sun is shining and it’s brisk enough to wrap up… grab those sunnies and start walking to work. Get out at lunch-time. Just move.

Vitamin D

The extra sunlight will help boost those well-needed vitamin D reserves and the movement will get you feeling naturally more tired toward the end of the day in order you can get those high-quality ZZZzzz’s

Be careful about exercising at night. Light exercise like yoga and pilates can be great but weights or high intensity can leave you pumping full of endorphins and ready to go.

So breathe deep, stretch and ease into the evening.

De-Clutter that diary

Are you like me and your answer to most things is “I’m busy”? Well this is the month to clear your diary down to the bare minimum. Put dates in your diary for your own MOT days. Buy a book and have a date with you time. Having a full event calendar may look like a status symbol but the only one losing out is you.

If you feel bad letting people down; just use your famous excuse of I’m busy and leave it there. Or as I said post diary invites for nights in so it really does leave you with no excuse.

Fed up for feeling tired?

Try and apply these tried and tested tricks. I am not supplying you with anything you aren’t already aware of. It’s like losing weight – we all know how it’s done – but whether we do it is a different story.

So here is my homework for you. Kick your phone outta bed, Get those vital vitamins in from seasonal food, Get moving and schedule some well earned YOU TIME!

Balance

Review: Eat Beautiful Wendy Rowe

Eat Beautiful

About

Eat Beautiful? What does that mean?

Well…Wendy Rowe in her new book tries to explain just that! There has been a shift recently away from looking into what’s scientifically proven to make your skin look younger using the most modern chemicals to looking inside your kitchen cupboards to go back to basics to nourish your body with the right ingredients found in your Kitchen.

Wendy Rowe is an international make-up artist and advisor to the stars. When you look into the women she works with; namely Sienna Miller and Victoria Beckham, you can see she has a high profile portfolio of women we all know and love.

Right, I needed this book. I wanted to know what the tricks are because I don’t know about you but as I hit my mid-late 20s my skin is becoming my most important accessory!

Spring

Each chapter starts with Wendy’s top tips for that season starting with Spring. She touches on the elements you should start to think about when addressing a spring clean. The new skincare routine: to exfoliate out the dead winter skin cells and brighten for spring

The new skincare routine: to exfoliate out the dead winter skin cells and brighten for Spring season. She reminds us that now is the time to dust off the winter layers and start to rekindle the idea of the dreaded bikini body season. Finally, she lists the types of food which will boost the skin and your body in that season. Focussing on less heavy and rich meals.

Summer

Summer is the season of hydration! As we enter the longer days with more sunshine it is important to nourish your skin with more water. Wendy recommends “eating your water” as well as drinking it; introducing more salads a high water content food.

She lists out a number of food ingredients which add an extra layer of defence to help the body protect against the sun. Vitamins and foods which support you in fighting against dangerous UVB and ageing UVA.

Autumn

Our current season. This chapter is loaded with delicious recipes using seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin, walnuts and kale.

Bright colours, darker days and cooler weather; Rowe suggest this is the season to get to bed earlier, exercise every day, meditate and not to eat too late.

For you skin; you need to think about hydrating with lots of good fat. I personally top up on avocados and argan oils in this season to keep my skin looking plump

Winter

Ohhh the hibernating season. I don’t know about you but I do find something magical about the dark days and all the beautiful layers you can wear. This is the season for short brisk walks in the cold to keep the blood pumping. Filling your body full of hot broths such as bone broths and vegetable soups to boost your vitamins and loading your plate with protecting and health boosting foods to stave off colds.

Dry brushing your skin and encouraging circulation mean that your body doesn’t get dull and dry with the constant movement from central heating to the cooler air.

Skincare

Throughout the body, Wendy gives her top tips for your skin routine. From addressing different issues your skin may be facing to introducing a new plan to your daily routine to make sure you naturally grow through the years.

The only thing I wish there was more of in the book was perhaps meal plans for the different seasons. However, Rowe may have deliberately done this to show us all there is no rule book when it comes to everyone’s routine. You need to find what works for you and keep it as natural and seasonal as possible.

Would I recommend this book? Yes

The more we can all learn about using fewer chemicals on our skin and eating right to achieve our beauty goals the better. We need to educate ourselves and stay true especially in a world that is constantly advocating the next miracle cream.

Stay Natural – Eat Beautiful

Balance/ Stress Free Style

How to Enjoy Summer in Style

Every Summer has its own Story

And has’t that been true for our hot hot hot Summer. When we started it out from the muddy puddles of Glastonbury… We thought the tale has been told for the future of a very wet Summer… until one fine day the Sun finally came out.

The parks are filling up with bodies soaking up the sun, our wardrobes become a plethora of colours and textures to brighten up those days, BBQ becomes the go to for dinner and there is always time for a fruity cider.

The sun enables us to produce valuable vitamin D which in turn prevents us from getting seasonal affective disorders and other ailments. This means the time is now to get outside and enjoy this Summer in Style… here are my top little hacks…

1) Hang up the boring Work clothes and embrace the day with Style

Smart Casual in hot weather is tough. With heavy fabrics and tight tailoring it can lead to people getting hot and agitated. Let go of the rules and bring out those natural cottons, flowing dresses, cami tops and crops.

We are a nation who embraces every minute of sunlight like it might be our last… so you will be forgiven for breaking the office dress code on these days. Live a little!

2) Kick out the heels and jump into those Kicks

The sun is out and it is time to get moving. The tube is a near death experience, traffic jams and being stuffy in the car! No way – get out and move. Four miles may sound a long way to work but put on your favourite kicks and get moving. You will get those early morning rays and keep your beach bod in check with the exercise.

I am drooling over my new kicks Footlocker is smashing it with styles this summer. These beautiful adidas quilted ZX Flux are stylish enough to be worn with a co-ord or summer dress meaning you can head straight from the office to the Park – BBQ – Sun Adventure without having to carry lots of bags with a change of clothes in.

3) Bring Nature in…

Flowers in every room. Brighten up your day. Go to the market after work and treat yourself to a new plant. Boost that smile every morning with the beautiful colours of nature.

From Columbia Road to your local Florist. Pop in – find out whats local. Get the scents in and embrace the colours. If you want to order beautiful British Flowers online – check out Arena Flowers for special offers that are beautifully local to bring any room to life. or you can use wynne66708 for 25% off 😉

Enjoy every moment…

Summer always ends with good memories

Balance/ Recipes

5 Easy Ways to Get Sun Kissed Skin While Stuck in the Office

The sun is shining outside as we enter into August. Now unless you have kids and firmly in the middle of school holidays… many of us will be gazing out the window longing for our lunch breaks to get a few minutes in the sun. Well I am going to share with you some of my little tricks for getting that Sun Kissed Glow on your skin without having to put in the hours outside.

1) Nourish Your Skin from the Inside Out.

To get radiant beautiful skin you need to make sure you are supplying your body with all the vitamins and anti-oxidants it needs to glow. My little trick for getting all the good stuff in me with none of the hassle is to pick up some Pack’d Smoothies and throw the ingredients in the blender to get a tasty smoothie with minimum faff and maximum impact.

When your skin is nourished you naturally glow.

2) Scrub, Scrub and Scrub

To get that beautiful baby soft skin that looks stunning in a summer dress you need to start buffing your beautiful skin with a body scrub. My favourite is a home recipe and if you love coffee your are going to like this:

Coffee Sugar Scrub:

¾ cup solid organic virgin coconut oil
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup dry ground coffee

Use the whisk attachment on your mixer to blend sugar and coffee grounds together – about 2 minutes until it’s fluffy. Then add ¾ cup solid coconut oil and whip mixture together for another 1-2 minutes. Press down in a tupperware or kilner jar.

You now have a beautiful and natural scrub which used in the morning will bring that great smell of freshly made coffee straight to your shower.

3) Get Organically Tanned

I love having a tan! It makes everyone just look that extra bit healthier. However the sun rays can be harmful to your skin. Even more harmful when the only time you have to top up is at lunch time when the rays are most harmful. My little trick is to use Tan Organic. It is by far the most natural looking (and smelling) tanning lotion I have ever come across. The results give you that natural sun kissed look which makes you feel that extra freedom when wearing a dress and showing off your pins.

As its naturally certified you know it isnt harbouring any nasties.

Get Organic with your Skin – both inside and out.

4) Hydrate

Everyone looks better when hydrated.

You eyes sparkle, your skin glows and your energy improves.

In Summer you naturally lose more water from hot commutes and general rise in temperature. For this reason you need to make sure you stay hydrated.

Jazz up your daily water by adding strips of cucumber or slices of strawberry.

Detox your water by adding some lemon and cayenne

Ice up your water for that extra coolness.

Whatever way you like it just make sure you are getting plenty of it.

5) Top Up on Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Turmeric has been known to contain numerous antioxidants as well as antibacterial properties. Giving you amazing benefits for your skin, hair and health. Rachel Nazarian, M.D., at Schweiger Dermatology Group. “Studies have also shown that ingestion of turmeric helps protect against the aging effects of sun-damage UV radiation and the formation of wrinkles and dark spots.”

Whether you sip it in a beautiful tea like Pukka Tumeric Gold Tea Bags, supplement it in a capsule Pukka Tumeric LifeKind or incorporate it in your cooking using delicious spiced from Wunder Workshop Golden Turmeric Powder get this beautiful spice into your skin to have gorgeous, glowing and protected skin.

Below is a recipe for my favourite way to cook with Turmeric:

Ingredients

2 medium organic butternut squash
7 cloves organic garlic, chopped
6 inches fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
6 medium organic onions
2.2 – 2½ litres homemade chicken bone broth
500g organic red split lentils
1 tsp black pepper
1 bar organic creamed coconut
2 tsp or more turmeric
Organic baby spinach (you can also use cabbage/seasonal greens) sliced
2 tsp sea salt
2 small limes or 1½ large lemons, juiced
150g (or 4 large handfuls) fresh coriander, washed well

1. Peel the squash and dice into 1 inch chunks

2. Place the garlic, onion, ginger and squash into the pan with the creamed coconut and cover with just over 2 litres (8 cups) of water or homemade bone broth

3. Put the lid on and bring to a medium simmer.

4. 10 minutes later, add the red lentils, black pepper, turmeric and chilli if using, stir and let simmer on medium for a further 15-20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the squash is tender. You might wish to add the extra 200ml (1 cup) of water during cooking – it depends if you like your stew thicker or thinner.

5. In the last few minutes, add the sliced cabbage/greens and stir through. If using spinach, just add when you turn off the heat so it wilts

6. Turn off the heat, add the sea salt and pepper, the juice of the lime or lemon and check for seasoning and consistency – it should be like a thick stew – add more water if needs be.

7. Stir through the roughly chopped coriander and ladle into shallow bowls to serve.

There you have it. My top tips to glow this Summer without all the extra heat and hassle. What are your tips for sun-kissed skin? Any family tried and tested tricks? Please share with me below!

Balance

Best exercises for stress management

Stress

Everyday stresses can really wear you down. When the office seems to be getting on top of you and the work-load seems to be ever growing it can be hard to let go and separate home from work. Part of having a work-life balance is learning techniques to know when to turn off you work head from your home head. This can be difficult if there is not a natural break between leaving work and getting home.

Exercise

Exercise is often the best cure when your day has stressed you out. An after work gym session could be the best break you could have between leaving the office and getting home. Most people need to digest and sometimes take the stress of their day out which if you keep bottled up could lead to you having a stressful home environment. No-one enjoys having their head bitten off when they ask “how was your day”.

Pilates

Pilates is a great form of exercise to Centre, Concentrate and Connect with yourself while using up that negative energy to burn calories. Pilates is similar to yoga but emphasizes your body’s core. It strengthens the abdomen, obliques, lower back, inner and outer thigh, butt which is great if you have a desk job as it helps support your posture.

Pilates develops strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, coordination, balance, and good posture — with a much lower chance of injury than with other forms of exercise. The discipline emphasizes correct form instead of going for the burn. Which means even if you are absolutely shattered after a hard day you may be able to find enough energy to re-connect before heading home.

Variations

There are a few types of Pilates you can try: Reformer, Hot and Mat.

Reformer: Is great for those who prefer more resistance as the reformer machine allows you to add weights to certain moves. Allowing you to get all the benefits while challenging yourself more. Try Fitness Fusions in Clapham for a challenging Reformer for FREE for your first time or for an all over body changer FRAME Pilates Package.

Hot: Like Bikram Yoga this refreshing way of doing pilates gives you the buzz and energy that you get from hot classes. Challenging and helps achieve the feeling of sweating out the stress. Try HotPodYoga for a sense enlightening session at one of their venues across London.

Mat: Best option for beginners or those who want clarity. You will strengthen your core while improving your posture. Search for your local pilates class to find the right match for you.

Clothing

Wear something reasonably fitting which allows you to move while not restricting you with extra clothing. Leggings from Lululemon or Fabletics are perfect to give you good fitting as well as stylish choices. If you want to rock both style, stretch and ultimate chic then check out the new collaboration between Bodyism x Charlotte Olympia.

Refresh

Pilates doesn’t require as many calories as other activities such as running therefore you do not need to load up after a session. Re-hydrate well as continue with your Supper as you would normally. For an added boost of clarity and de-stress I often have a Pukka Tea from either the Matcha Range (if i do a morning pilates) or Turmeric to soothe and benefit from anti-inflammatory properties from any stresses from work

Balance/ Stress Free Style

Do you check your Ingredients?

Do you check your Ingredients? Answer majority is usually Yes

However

Do you check your ingredients in your Beauty Products? This often leads to a few less in agreement.

Green for All Seasons is hosting a series of events to investigate, educate and discuss the importance of Clean and Organic living through in the products that we use on a daily basis.

First in the series was to discuss Organica and Clean Beauty. In attendance were a panel of experts to discuss Wellness and How your beauty regime is a key player when talking about holistic Wellness.

Victoria- Anne founder of Green for All Seasons opened the session by calling out some harrowing facts.

“11% of the 10,500 products approved by the FDA have actually been tested for safety”

“2000 new chemicals are registered daily in the US to be used in beauty products”

“An average woman uses 12 personal care items a day…exposing yourself to 168 chemicals daily”

We often spend time making sure the food we put inside us if of the top standard but may forget to check the finer print when it comes to our beauty regime. We went on to discuss the importance of skin and how we can make small and simple changes to thrive and seek wellness holistically in our day to day routines.

Looking after your wellness and well-being is a holistic action. It is all about living without extremes and operating in a balanced way. We often hear the remark that you can’t live a healthy life if you smash hours in the gym but fill your fridge full of processed food. We check labels, search for organic food, are on a quest to reduce sugar and fighting against the big companies to be honest with us yet we seem to be missing out on some crucial items that we put on our skin everyday.

Victoria-anne opened up her questioning to the expert panel – Here is what the experts had to say

The panel started with Tanya Hawkes from Therapi. Tanya was a bee keeper and found her passion for skincare and bee-keeping and combined these to create her product line.

“Honey is Nature’s liquid gold, a precious elixir containing the nutritious nectar and therapeutic essences of a thousand flowers in just a single drop. Our certified organic products combine honey with active botanical extracts in exceptionally pure and gentle formulations, using cold-pressed organic oils and nourishing plant butters to keep your skin looking beautifully radiant and healthy day after day”

She expressed Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food as she handed around a shot glass filled with Therapi toner which we proceeded to sip. One should not put anything on their face which one would not put in their mouth.

Tanya’s top skin tips: Radiate with Wellbeing: Balance Work, Love, Exercise. Secondly use Japanese Konjac Sponge and Honey Gel Cleanser to clean the face leaving your skin soft and hydrated.

Next to discuss Clean Beauty was creator and founder of Twelve Beauty: Pedro Catalá

Pedro started as a pharmacist and through his passion created Twelve beauty. Pedro used his extensive research and knowledge of plant extracts to develop and create TWELVE BEAUTY, his revolutionary range of nine skin care products which are highly suitable for various concerns, especially stressed, sensitive and reactive (allergy-prone) skin.

His values revolved around: Simplicity.

He expressed how you should keep it simple with only a few products that your skin likes. There is no need to own a whole range of products. Find something that works and keep to the basics.

TWELVE Beauty range is a divine and has a simple yet sophisticated branding. Using powerful anti-oxidants and beautiful elixirs – his products are recommended by experts. You can find him online or at Content Beauty in Marylebone.

Pedro’s top skin tips: Don’t be stressed. Relax – and be happy and your skin will Glow

Next on the panel Natalie and Marie from Aevi

They are the ladies behind a beautiful Wellness Box (see above). Filled with gorgeous products which are natural and good for your skin.

Marie was very passionate about Wellness. She and Natalie created the boxes having both suffered from skin problems caused by high street products.

Look after your heart, mind and skin
You have to be the healthiest version of you

This echoed the feeling of the day where it was not about forcing you to take on certain products but find something kind and natural for your skin in order to flourish.

Aevi’s top skin tips: Stay Hydrated, Eat foods high in Vitamin E (nuts, avocados) Exfoliate – all over

Finally we moved to our last panelist Sjaniel Turrell from Chemistry of Wellness

A nutritional therapist and holistic make up artist she spoke of the importance of making sure your products are a reflection of health and not chemicals.

She gave us a live demonstration on Chessie King and showed us products that will make you glow without putting harmful chemicals on your skin.

If you are un-sure where to go with making your make-up more natural and kind to your skin you can book consultations with Sjaniel Turrell here

The day was rounded off with some light refreshments and divine teas provided by Pukka Tea and Charlotte Pukka discussed with us their new Turmeric range and the power of healing herbs such as Matcha and Turmeric. Their new Turmeric range is in store now.

Join the turmeric revolution.

Caring about your skin from the outside in can really make a change to your overall well-being. From a mental health point of view: when you feel and look tired it can often bring you down. You may eat all the right foods and hit the gym but if you expose your skin to the wrong and harmful products you can lose your radiant glow and be left feeling dreary and washed out.

Don’t feel you have to go to your cupboards and throw everything out, this should be a transition. Start by reading the labels, asking the questions and sourcing the right products.

The Soil Association has a list of products which have been certified clean and organic to start your education here.

Check out some of the Chemicals to look out for and where you will find them!

Love the skin you’re in

If you have any questions surrounding clean beauty or any other questions raised in this article please feel free to comment below and I will get back to you or put you in contact with the right people

Balance

Fitness Friday’s: Fitness Fusions

After a hard week in the office which has often been stressful and exhausting it has become the societal norm to head out in the evening and go for drinks. Often than not this can take a greater toll on our mental and physical well-being than the week at work we have just had resulting in us returning to the office the following Monday without have the adequate R&R. Perhaps it is time for a re- think of your weekend activities and focus on something that will restore clarity, strength and a sense of well-being.

Exercises classes these days have transformed from the 1980’s aerobics class into a much more social event with fun names like Destiny’s Child Dance Workout or Light Meditation. They build community and friendships and add an activity to your evening which will leave you in a much better state than other alternatives. Try it this weekend. Make a change to your usual routine and try something new.

This Friday is all about: Fitness Fusions: Class Reformer Pilates

This small Yoga and Pilates business is based in Clapham High Street. Tucked by the side of BetFred really close to Sainsburys. The venue is cute, small team and has beautiful flowers supplied by Bloomon which really brighten up the place.

Reformer Pilates is a different kind of pilates to mat Pilates. Its on a Reformer Machine (see pictures). Reformer targets both large and smaller supporting muscle groups, toning you up like no other exercise. Once your muscles are worked to fatigue by the springs and pulleys you can use small equipment on the reformer gives you that little bit of extra stretch. Because of the extra focus on stretching out your muscles, Reformer Pilates gives you long, lean and toned limbs without adding bulk which other exercises can. By correcting posture in your back and shoulders you’ll be walking taller and leaner.

Come and try it out this week. It is on most days but I will be heading to the 18:15pm class.

Download the Mind Body Online App and get booked in! They are offering your first reformer class free to try! Bargain!

Comment below if you go! I will see you there. Places fill up quick so get booking.

Balance/ Stress Free Style

Create Beautiful Hair in Minutes for a Stress Free Morning

It’s been a long day and you hit the gym to de-stress.

You get home wash your hair and blow dry it silky smooth.

You hop into bed to get your beauty sleep.

Only to wake up looking like you’ve been play fighting in a rose bush while pumped with static!

Welcome to my world!

This was my life until I discovered a simple and easy life hack which means you can wake up with loose rolling waves allowing you to get work ready in half the time.

This little hack is so simple yet so effective it will completely revolutionise your morning routine leaving you less stressed and giving you more time to spend on other things such as a morning meditation, cooking a nutritious breakfast or even taking an extra shut eye.

The bed-time top knot.

This cute hairstyle is most effective on freshly washed hair which is slightly damp.

You can still do it with dry hair but adding a spritz of hairspray will give extra hold.

Follow these simple steps to rolling curls

Start by washing your hair with a good quality Organic Shampoo and Conditioner such as Tabitha James Kraan Hair Cleanser and 4-in-1 Conditioner. Organic Haircare is important for your hair especially when working in polluted cities. Many high street brands strip your hair of its natural oils and then drown it in thick silicone which weighs it down leaving it lifeless. For rolling curls you need light and nourished hair.

Once washed comb through using a Tangle Teezer. Tangle teezers are gentle on your hair. When your hair is wet it is more flexible but vulnerable to breakage when using normal hairbrushes. Tangle teasers are gentle on your hair preventing breakages leaving your locks luscious and full. This gorgeous Gold one can be snuck into your gym bag so you can wash at home or away.

Next apply your pre-styling products. My current favs are: Bumble& Bumble Invisible Oil Primer and Kerastase Resistance Volumifique.
Protecting your hair against heat and other UV damage is key to keeping your hair in good condition. A good mousse gives your hair that extra lift but also a little bit of tackiness for styling the next day.

Blow dry your hair to 90% dry.

Finally grab your hair band. The bain of my life (if you follow me on snapchat you will see) is hair tyes snapping. The first world problems of big hair. For this reason my friend at Feelunique.com introduced to me Invisibobble and I am a convert. Stretchy, painless and kind to your hair these are the perfect alternative.

Grab your hair and twist into a top knot that sits on your head. You want it as high on your head as possible so it does not interfere with your sleep but you also get the all over curl.

Come the morning when the alarm goes off…

Your hair will have transformed into rolling waves. Before you let your hair down lightly spritz it with Bumble & Bumble Dryspun Finish or TRESemme Extra or Freeze Hold and leave it while you finish your make-up. Once completed let your hair down and let waves roll. You may want to tame around your face or back brush the back for more lift.

Bed ready to work ready in just 20mins!

Balance

5 Ways to Keep Your Office Hydrated and Happy

Do you ever feel like you have a constant fuzzy head?

Lack of concentration in meetings?

Feel less productive but don’t know why?

Nearly all of us are dehydrated and this is exacerbated more from being in the Office Environment.

Coffee Breaks: Meetings: Catch up with Colleagues all generally lead to use picking up a mug of the hot java lava or breakfast tea.

However, these habits could be the cause of your fuzzy head and general lack of productivity.

80% of people reading this article will be de-hydrated. That is a lot when you start to research how even being a little bit dehydrated can start to affect your overall performance.

Losing as little as 1 or 2% of body weight in fluid can result in dehydration.
Losing as little as 3 to 5% can negatively impact concentration, judgment, and reaction time.
Losing 9 — 15% results in severe, life-threatening dehydration.

5 Ways to Keep Your Office Hydrated!

Water Cooler: All offices should provide you with a water cooler and if they are not you need to approach your Managers.
Providing basic filtered water is a must in all work environments. A glass of cool water can re-invigorate you and boost those energy levels. Make it more exciting by providing slices of lemon which can flavour your water if you fancy something different
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables: Fruit and Vegetables are loaded with water that can easily be absorbed in the digestion process. Snack on cucumber, nibble on apples and get your 5-a-day in to support your hydration levels. Tasty and hydrating they can also reduce cravings for sugary snacks.
Reduce your Caffeine intake: Now I LOVE a good coffee but try and limit the number you have to 1-2 a day.
Preferably in the morning. Make sure the coffee you have is good quality too maximising the anti-oxidant properties from coffee. I use Cru Kafe capsules in my coffee machine to get high quality coffee straight to my espresso cups.
Offer Alternatives: And I don’t mean the sugar loaded tooth rotting alternatives – I mean variations on just plain old tap water. Why not try offering alternatives such as Ugly Drinks – sparkling water infused with natural fruits. They come in delicious flavours such as: lemon and lime and grapefruit and pineapple – a perfect alternative.
Fruit teas such as Pukka teas which come in a variety of different flavours to suit all palettes. A boost of flavour and natural herbs for a holistic drink.
Water Bottles: Encourage your Employer to provide company wide environmentally friendly water bottles. Speak to your marketing team they may already provide these to your customers.

Some people may be asking themselves why is this important to your Employer?

1) Hydration increases productivity: Studies have shown that people who are hydrated perform 14x better in IQ tests than their less hydrated counterparts.
2) Hydration reduces stress: “Studies have shown that being just half a litre dehydrated can increase your cortisol levels,” says Amanda Carlson, RD, Director of Performance Nutrition at Athletes’ Performance, a trainer of world-class athletes. “Cortisol is one of those stress hormones. Staying in a good hydrated status can keep your stress levels down.”
3) Hydration keeps you healthy: Being dehydrated swells your brain leading to lack of concentration, feeling sick, memory loss, headaches, poor sleep, feeling tired and reduces your energy levels.

A poorly hydrated workforce can lead to higher sick leave, reduction in productivity and a general low energy and un-happy environment.

Hydration is one of the most important pillars of Workplace Wellbeing.

Employers and Employers should be working together to make sure you have the facilities available in order that you can keep yourself hydrated helping towards better skin, weightloss, better concentration and all round wellbeing to provide your Employer with better productivity, concentration and overall output.

Balance/ Recipes

Guide to Wedding Guest Season

Wedding Season has begun.

Our diaries are populated throughout the spring/ summer with engagement parties, hen doo’s and weddings.

The first things that comes to mind when I get the invite is What to Wear and Wedding Gift.

This can be quite stressful – especially if you have more than one wedding and it’s the same group of friends.

This is my little guide to staying on it this season and without blowing the budget.

The Outfit

This is always hard for me because – guess what – it’s not ok to wear black to a wedding.

An occasion dress is like no other dress. It’s not partywear it’s not workwear. Its finding that graceful balance between the two.

My suggestion is to keep it simple and accessorize.
This means you can wear the same dress to a couple of weddings and mix up the shoes, bag and fascinator.

Monsoon is fantastic for jackets, fascinators and accessories to change the look of a dress.

Beautiful and really effective in dressing up a simple dress.

You have to make sure you are comfortable as Weddings are a long and often move from Church to Reception to Dancing – so plan ahead with those shoes.

My go -to’s for Weddings are: New Look and Louboutin ( I know a bit of a difference but they really make the comfiest shoes)

Dresses: House of Fraser, Monsoon, ASOS, Reiss.

The Alternative Outfit

Now this is another great trick using the best network you have: Your Friends.

Team together with your best friends. If you have similar styles and shapes to your friends – then reach out – share! Everyone looks different in a dress so if your summer is choca block with Weddings and you’re saving for other occasions – then bring your network together use your resources!

Stylish and Saving money = win/win

Wedding Gifts

This is a tricky area. Most couples these days have already set up their homes so wedding lists are often to guide those who want to get them a gift but not end up with duplicates.

Again these can often be costly.

If you’re not sure what to buy the newlyweds: sometimes the token of a little bit of money in a card would be greatly appreciated to put toward the honeymoon or their new life together. Weddings are expensive and honeymoons too. Every little helps.

DIY Wedding Gifts

These are the cute touches you can do for someone special if you want to give a personal touch. Something homemade something original.

A close family relative is getting married this weekend and has strictly said no gifts. But I am bending the rules a little bit.

I have made her Wedding Breakfast Granola

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil: 1tbsp
Oats: 400g
Coconut Milk: 200ml
Honey: 1tbsp
Cinnamon: Sprinkle across
Dried Fruit: Handful
Flaked Coconut: Handful
Edible Gold Dust

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Melt the coconut oil, either in a small pan on a low heat or in the microwave. Combine the oats, rice milk, coconut oil and honey in a bowl and mix together using your hands. You want to create little chunks and the mixture will naturally stick together.

Spread the oat mixture evenly in the lined baking tray and bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes.

Spread the pecans on another baking tray and put into the oven to toast with the oat mixture for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.

Remove the oats and pecans from the oven and leave to cool. Once cold, mix them together and add the cinnamon, fruit and flaked coconut.

Once the mixture is cooled – sprinkle edible gold dust all over the granola for that extra special touch.

Get a cute Kilner Jar and a nice label and you have a personal touch present that the happy couple can enjoy in together in their new lives together.

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The key to life is Balance

Difficult Conversations

Here are my top tips for dealing with difficult conversations:

1) It’s hard as you need to have your say but you do not know how to say it

2) Do not belittle the point by making it smaller than it is

3) Keep it objective: Unless it is a personal attack do not make it personal

4) Find the outcome you want and work backwards

5) Be open to the other person’s point of view

Conclusion

La Eva – The brand you need to know

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Verdict

Pip and Nut

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