Are you struggling to eat healthy? Lacking energy? Challenge yourself to eat 10 plant-based meals for 10 days. Get free access to daily plant-based recipes, expert interviews, and inspirational documentaries! Starts June 11

Introduce more plant-based foods into your diet

Increase your energy and vitality

Prevent and minimize your risk of chronic disease

Implement new healthy eating habits

Shop & eat locally and say no to factory farming

Cook more plant-based foods with video from renowned chefs

Live more consciously and sustainably for your health, the planet, & animals

Register your free spot now and get access to:

Daily delicious plant-based video recipes

Daily Interviews with leading plant-based experts

Daily health documentaries to keep you motivated

10-day meal plan, recipes & helpful tips

Downloadable PDF: Top 12 Food Additives To Avoid

Save your free spot here

1 bunch celery with leaves sliced (reserve, a couple of celery, leaves for garnish)
6 cups homemade vegetarian stock
1 bunch spinach chopped
1 cup coconut milk
2 turnips peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large brown onion chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Himalayan Salt and freshly cracked pepper

1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, celery, thyme and cook for 20 mins until celery is softened.
2. Add vegetarian stock, turnips and half the spinach and turn heat to high until it reaches boiling point.
3. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 10 minutes until turnips are tender.
4. Turn off heat and let cool then pour the soup into a blender add the remaining spinach (this will keep the soup bright green and fresh tasting) and process in batches.
5. Return mixture to saucepan add coconut milk and simmer for few minutes.
6. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with celery leaves and season to taste.

Serves 6

If the newspapers are to be believed, we are in for a fantastic summer this year. Last time I wrote about, how to combat dryness over the winter, this time we are going to go through what you can do to help your skin look its best over the summer.

Once the warmer weather starts, you will notice that your oil glands will become more active. An increase of sebaceous oil on the skin can lead to breakouts, uneven skin tone and texture.
While continuing the routine that you have become accustomed to over the winter ‘Drinking water, cleansing morning and night, toning, exfoliating, using a mask, serums and moisturising day and night,’ a few tweaks in your regime may help you be more radiant over the summer.

Over the summer months, you should have a look at the products on your shelf and check that these are not too rich and oily. You do not want to add to the oils your skin is now producing.
I would recommend using a lightweight cleanser and moisturiser, increasing your exfoliation to 2-3 times per week and using a clay mask once a week. Use products that contain Glycolic acid, Enzymes, Vitamin C and/or Vitamin A which will help to awaken your skin giving it that summer glow. You should always remember to wear sunblock even if you are only out for a few moments and especially when you are just in the car, UV rays come through your windscreen! We have two beautiful sunscreens in stock Natural-Zinc or a light-weight matt finish that you can use under your make up.

Facials and products that I would recommend over the summer period are as follows, Vital Radiance Detoxifying, Transformation Treatment and Vital Radiance Gold Facial from our Nahaia range. These treatments rejuvenate and restore, improving skin clarity and texture. Use at home Nahaias’ Grape-Cleanse Anti-oxidant, Enzyme-Joy Exfoliant, Radiant-Light Serum, ultra-fade enzyme moisturiser and Intensive-C as your night cream.

From our La Clinica Range, the facials I would recommend are Gly C Micro Dermabrasion Treatment, Gly C Skin Peels, Rebalancing Vit A Spa Facial, Ionic Purification Mineral Facial. These facial help to refine, balance irregularities, reduce blemishes, detoxify and remineralise the skin. For home care, we have a large variety that will suit every sort of skin type, which you can mix and match to best suit you, i.e. Rebalancing Vit A Range, Gly C Range, Anti Aging Range and our white-brilliant range.

Here at Aqualive, we are happy to recommend or help advise you on what treatments are best suited for your skin, and we can’t wait to hear from you!
Sasha

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, spelt, kamut and barley.

If you have any of the following symptoms, it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance.

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation.
2. Keratosis Pilaris, ( also known as “chicken skin on the back of your arms.”
3. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten.
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma and Multiple Sclerosis.
5. Neurologic symptoms such as dizziness or feeling of being off balance.
6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility.
7. Migraine headaches.
8. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia.
9. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints, such as fingers, knees, or hips.
10. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and ADD.

How to test for gluten intolerance?

The single best way to determine if you have an issue with gluten is to do an elimination diet for at least 2-3 weeks and then reintroduce it. Please note that gluten is a very large protein and it can take months and even years to clear from your system so the longer you can eliminate it from your diet before reintroducing it, the better.

In order to get accurate results from this testing method, you must eliminate 100% of the gluten from your diet. Even trace amount of gluten from cross contamination or medications or supplements can be enough to cause an immune reaction in your body.

Winter weather is not fun for the skin! With cold weather and low humidity levels resulting in much drier air, it then steals moisture away from our skin every day. Harsh winter winds, heating and long hot showers exuberates the issue, leaving our skin feeling dry, flaky, red, itchy and even inflamed!
To counter act these effects we need to add moisture to our skin internally and externally. To keep the skin looking young and glowing in winter, we need to be using gentler skin products with moisturising/hydrating benefits.
Here are my 8 tips for this winter to get your skin back into shape.

1. DRINK MORE WATER
When our body is dehydrated, our skin is the first to show signs. When we are dehydrated our collagen production decreases, and this has a domino effect in the body. Drink at least 2litres of water per day. And more if you are exercising.

2. CLEANSE MORNING AND NIGHT
I advise to double cleanse at night, once to remove your makeup, bacteria and help remove any grime left from the day. Your second cleanse helps go into the deeper layers of the skin, softening and prepping the skin for the next step of your regime. Your morning cleanse is just as important as your night cleanse. Believe it or not but we can still pick up environmental debris while we sleep, not mention that you may sweat and touch your faces through the night. Plus, you are prepping your skin for the next phase.

3. TONE
If your skin care provider has a toner in your range, you should be using it. Toners help remove any cleanser left behind and helps balance the PH in your skin. Now toners double up as hydrating spritz that can be utilised throughout the day to moisturise your skin. Very handy at work when air-conditioning is on non-stop!

4. EXFOLIATE
For dry skin, you should be using your exfoliant 1-2 times per week. You should be using an exfoliator that has a mild exfoliant effect such as one with jojoba beads or a fruit enzyme. You are clearing away any dead skin so that your moisturiser is reaching the deeper layer of the skin. In the process smoothening and helping to awaken your tired, dull skin.

5. USE HYDRATING MASKS
It is best to use your mask 1-2 times per week also and particularly after your exfoliation. You should use a mask that replenishes and soothes the skin. You need to be using products that protect the skin from environmental factors.

6. USE A SERUM
Serums help to amplify your moisturising cream. They go under your moisturiser. Use Serums rich in active ingredients to make your skin look revitalised, smooth, hydrated and nourished.

7. MOISTURISING DAY AND NIGHT
Some over-the-counter moisturisers have allergen, toxins and petroleum-based ingredients. The ingredients in that can further dry your skin in the winter months so be sure to choose a natural, nourishing product with active ingredients. Night creams with active ingredients help your skin repair and restore during sleep.

8. GO FOR REGULAR FACIALS
Facials are not just an hour of pampering. They have huge benefits for the health of your skin. Your skin is just like the weather, seasonal. You may need to change your products to reflect the needs of your skin, your therapist can advise you on what products you should be using. Facials also help to remove milia, detoxify your lymphatic system, unclog pores, and distress your mind and skin. I would recommend having a facial every 4-6 week.

Facials and products that I would recommend over the winter period are as follows, Vital Radiance Facial from our Nahaia range. This treatment restores the skins vital energy and function, leaving the skin feeling soft, smooth and radiating natural vitality and health. Use at home Nahaias‘ Coconut-Cream Cleanser, Enzyme-Joy Exfoliant, Radiant-Light Serum, Botrix-Me Moisturiser and Intensive-C as your night cream. From our La Clinica Range the facials I would recommend are Anti-Aging Hydra Restore Treatment and Anti-Stress Sensitive Skin Facial. Both these facials will leave the skin feeling younger, restored, hydrated and calmer. For homecare, we have the sensitive and anti-aging ranges that will help restore balance over the long winter.

Sasha

By the time you have finished reading this post, you will become a convert!

Sugaring, what can I say…. It’s amazing! A centuries old formula that had been forgotten over the modern period. At its simplest, it contains sugar, water and lemon. As a product that is completely natural and water soluble, it is gaining momentum within the beauty industry.

Over the few years working with Pharo Sugaring System I could not recommend it more, and I wonder why it is not being used in every salon. The Pharo Sugaring Gel formula contains skin enhancers of with Manuka Honey, Kiwifruit, Aloe Vera and Lemon Juice. Pharo Sugar Wax is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins with antibacterial properties to protect and heal sensitive skin.

The pain associated with waxing is due to the use of glues and resins that adhere to the skin, ripping an active layer of skin which causes our skin to appear inflamed, red and irritated. Our skin overreacts to this process and in turn, causes ingrown hairs and dry skin on the area treated. Waxing can also leave hard wax, and a sticky residue and the use of harsh chemical-based solvents are needed to clean the area. One of the most common problems waxers face is early regrowth since wax hardens on the skin, it has a tendency to break hair off at the surface rather than pull it out, leaving 15-30% of breakages behind.

Sugaring is a natural, eco-friendly formulation, free from any harsh solvents and additives. It adheres strongly to the hair NOT the skin, resulting in less discomfort. The sugar wraps around the hair shaft and seeps into the hair follicle, removing it from the roots. There are significantly fewer amounts of broken hairs, and the skin is left feeling more nourished than before your treatment. Unlike wax, sugar is heated slightly above body temperature preventing any possibility of burning or scarring. Sugar can be used on people who suffer from eczema and psoriasis, being more of mild exfoliant on the affected areas.

From a person who would let panic overcome me as my waxing appointment drew closer, I have to say I’m glad sugar came into my life; now I do not bat an eyelid when getting sugared. With my Irish sensitive skin, I would break out with ingrown hairs, get a dry and itchy skin on the area treated, not a look anybody wants! My skin now feels nourished, smooth with minimal ingrown hairs in comparison to wax.

And best of all you just use a hot towel to wipe down afterwards, and your clothes no longer stick to your body, how could you not convert!

Sasha

Do you feel bloated today…. just like you did yesterday?
The most common symptoms of clients who have visited us regarding digestive problems are a bloated tummy, feeling full, and distended. Do you wonder why?
Bloating is a health issue, adding centimetres to your body, especially around the waist and can be caused by many things. So let’s take a deeper look at common causes.

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the most common digestive disorder, and twice as many women suffer from the condition as men. In IBS, the normal rhythmic muscular contraction of the digestive track become irregular and uncoordinated. This interferes with the normal movement of food and waste material and leads to the accumulation of mucus and toxins in the intestine. This accumulated material causes obstruction of the digestive track, trapping gas and stool, which in turn causes bloating, distension and constipation. Medical science has not yet identified the specific cause of IBS. Some theories suggest that people may be overly sensitive to certain things. Lifestyle factors such as stress, diet and accumulation of toxins, and the constant bombardment, in the colon, are probably common causes.

2. Indigestion
If your body is not producing sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and enzymes (the levels decrease as we age) then the food is not digested properly, it ferments in the stomach and upper intestines, producing gas. Keep in mind that the HCl triggers the release of pancreatic enzymes secreted in the stomach. Overeating, swallowing air by chewing with your mouth open, gulping down food, and drinking liquids with meals contribute to indigestion. Certain foods and beverages like grains and legumes, caffeine, greasy, spicy, refined foods, or vinegar can also cause indigestion. Other factors that can cause or contribute to indigestion include intestinal obstruction, lack of friendly bacteria, malabsorption, and food allergies.

3. Hormones
If you get bloating in the led-up to your period, it is usually caused by hormones and water retention. Excessive levels of oestrogen and inadequate levels of progesterone, as well as sensitivity to fluctuating hormones, can cause some digestive issues including excess gas or constipation. The liver may not be able to process the hormone as quickly or efficiently, and the liver’s capacity to cleanse the blood of oestrogen is compromised.

You can help your “bloated belly” by acting on these main factors: chewing, digestion and evacuation.

Tips to reduce bloating

1. Chewing
Proper chewing is the first step to helping reduce bloating. 20-30 times per mouthful until liquefied or lost all of its texture. Your body needs to liquefy the food for your intestines to absorb nutrients from the food particles as they pass through. Chewing properly allows your stomach to work more efficiently and break down your food faster, so you don’t end up with undigested foods in your colon. If undigested foods arrive, fermentative and, putrefactive bacteria become particularly active, and absorption of nutrients is reduced.

2. Digestion
Drinking water with apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper before meals can help to increase stomach acid production, which further helps with proper digestion of food. To avoid diluting digestive enzymes and maximise the action of stomach acid drink water separately from eating.
By following the principles of proper food combining, you prevent fermentation in the digestive system and be less bloated. The first rule is to eat fruit on an empty stomach. Fruits pass through the digestive system very quickly. They usually leave the stomach within 30 min, but not if you eat them with other foods that take three to five hours to digest.
Always eat protein with non-starchy vegetables and do not mix with carbohydrates. When you eat animal protein and carbohydrates together, the acidic and alkaline conditions neutralise each other stopping digestion. Digestive enzymes can’t do their job, resulting in incomplete digestion and fermentation.

Supplementing with digestive enzymes has been shown to produce a multitude of benefits.

A healthy liver is critical for hormonal balance. When the liver has to work hard to eliminate toxins such as alcohol, drugs, or caffeine, the liver’s capacity to cleanse the blood of hormones is compromised. Eating lots of cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts and eliminating caffeine and alcohol helps to remove excess hormones from your liver.

3. Evacuation
Your colon gets all the leftovers from your small intestine and when not all gets processed we fill bloated. For some people, the transit time (how long it takes for food to travel through the digestive tract) can be anything from days to weeks. The ideal bowel transit time is anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.
To measure your transit time: Eat a generous serving of beets or corn, wait to see how many days it takes for you to see the colour of the red beets or corn in your stool.
When waste cannot be properly eliminated, it accumulates in the colon and then backs up into the rest of the digestive track. The toxin from the colon is carried into the bloodstream and absorbed into the cells of your body. Cleansing the colon reduces digestive discomfort by flushing out waste material that your body is not removing efficiently.

The above are just some of the common reasons.
I hope the suggestions and tips I have mentioned will help you keep your digestion functioning optimally with minimum bloating and leave you feeling healthy!

To your health and vitality,
Inka Krupa, CCT

Ingredients

• 1 Banana
• 1/2 avocado
• Juice of 1/2 – 1 lime
• 3/4 cup of coconut water
• Spinach

Place banana, avocado, lime juice and coconut water into a blender. Fill the blender to the top with spinach.

Process and enjoy!

This soup is high in iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin K, folic acid, beta-carotene and other powerful phytonutrients. This soup contains nutrients that may help reduce some types of cancer such as the incidence of breast, colon and lung cancer. Green vegetables can also help with fluid retention and may reduce blood pressure.

Ingredients

• 1 leek
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small head of broccoli
• 6 kale leaves
• 1-2 zucchini
• 2 sticks of celery
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Handful of Parsley
• Sea salt and pepper

Directions

Wash and chop all veggies.
Lightly heat the oil on low heat, add leeks and garlic and slowly cook.
Add the vegetable stock and vegetables (zucchini, kale, broccoli, celery), slowly bring to a boil and cook until the zucchini is soft. The less you cook the vegetables, the better. You can make your own veggie broth using leftover pulp from your juicer.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Use a stick/immersion blender, or transfer to a blender, and process the soup ( You can leave it chunky if you prefer)
Add the parsley.

Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

Stretching
A few weeks ago, I wrote a little bit about knots and how they are formed (have a read if you missed it). Today I’m following up with one vital step that all my clients should try to do at home, to help ease knots, tension, bad posture, stress and increase circulation all over the body. That is Stretching!
Stretching is often overlooked because the results are not immediately visible, but they play a key role in improving your well-being. Here are 12 reasons you should start stretching today;

· Encourages an optimistic outlook
· Fortifies posture
· Enables flexibility
· Increases stamina
· Decreases risk of injury
· Improve energy levels
· Promotes blood circulation
· Improve athletic performance
· Reduces soreness, tension and knots
· Reduces cholesterol and toxins
· Terrific for Your Thoracic Spine
· Better Balance

To reap the benefits of stretching, you have to do it the right way. Hold the stretch at the first sensation of resistance. Imagine and feel the muscle tissue becoming suppler, hold each stretch for about 15-30 seconds, and aim for a program of daily stretches or at least three or four times per week.
Stretching once today won’t magically give you perfect flexibility. You’ll need to do it over time and remain committed to the process. It may have taken you many months to get tight muscles, so you’re not going to be perfectly flexible after one or two sessions, it takes weeks to months to get flexible, and you’ll have to continue working on it to maintain it.

I have provided a table of different stretches to get you started.

Happy Stretching!

Sasha