Some of you may already be familiar with Pinterest, but I am sure many are thinking something along the lines of:

“I don’t have time to get involved in another social media platform”
OR
“Isn’t Pinterest just full of pretty pictures of fashion, interior design ideas and crafts?”
???????

Well first off, Pinterest isn’t actually a social media platform, it is a visual search engine.

Every image or ‘Pin’ as they are called, that you see on Pinterest, is a link to a web page and usually to a specific blog post. Very often Pins have text overlaying the image which is actually the title of the blog post that you will travel to if you follow the link.

Pinterest is designed so that you can search for a topic and see a list of ‘Pins’ relevant to your chosen topic, or you can use other users’ suggestions for the best articles related to that topic.

This is accomplished with what are known as ‘Boards’ which are essentially collections of Pins on particular topics, made by users. As with Pins, you can search for Boards on any subject.

This means that there are literally thousands of curated collections of really useful healthy living articles available with just a few key taps!

Not only that, but it is incredibly easy to build your own collections of Pins; a bit like ‘bookmarking’ the articles that you enjoyed and want to keep a note of.

Let’s jump in and have a look around…..

Creating your Pinterest account

1. Go to www.pinterest.com. You will see a ‘Sign up to see more’ popup

2. Add your email address, a password and your age and click ‘Continue’

3. You now need to complete a short profile building survey

   • Select your gender

   • Pick your language and country and click ‘Next’

   • If you like you can let Pinterest install a browser button that will make it really easy to create your own Pins from content you see online (You can skip this step if you like).

   • Select 5 or more subjects that you are interested in (What you select here doesn’t really matter as your behaviour when using the Pinterest will determine the type of content it serves up for you automatically, but this gets you started).

     Some healthy living suggestions are:

     • Men’s fitness

     • Food drink

     • Recipes

     • Healthy eating

     • Health and fitness

     • Gluten free

     • Fitness

4. Well done! You now have a Pinterest account.

Your  Pinterest account dashboard

So your dashboard is where Pinterest will open each time that you log in.

Main Panel

The main panel displays what Pinterest calls your ‘smart feed’. This is essentially a page of Pins that Pinterest believes will be of interest to you, based on your use of the platform, and which Pins are trending at the moment in the topics you are interested in.

As we chose topics like ‘fitness’ and ‘recipes’ during the initial setup, you can see Pins relating to these topics are displayed. If we scroll down the page using the scrollbar at the right-hand side, we see an endless stream of ‘on topic’ Pins!

Menu

The menu allows you to do the following:

• ‘Home’: Click this at any time to return to your dashboard

• ‘Following’: This takes you to a page that only displays Pins from Pinterest users that you follow (we will go into this in more detail later)

• ‘Profile’: This allows you to view or edit your Profile.

• ’Message Bubble’: Where messages that you receive from other users are viewed

• ’Notification Bell’: Where all Notifications are found. These can include suggestions from Pinterest, and notifications of actions of people you follow or who follow you.

• ‘3 dots icon’: This option allows you to adjust your account Settings such as your Profile information or Notification choices, or to get Help

If you want, you can go to your Profile settings and add an image and some details about yourself so other users know who you are.

Search bar

The search bar enables you to search using keywords. You can search for individual Pins, Boards, Users and other options (see below for more information).

Pins & Boards

So lets get to the business end of Pinterest. Click this link to visit our Pinterest profile page

The page has an automatically produced header made from our most recent Pins, and displays various information and links related to our account. The most important ones are:

• Link to our website – all business pages display this so you can verify it is a real site

• ‘Follow’ button – every user on Pinterest has these buttons on their profile page and their Pins. Clicking this means you want to follow the output of this user in the ‘Following’ page of your dashboard. Why not go ahead and ‘Follow’ Vitalise Your Life Blog now?

• ‘Boards’ link – clicking this will display all the boards that we have in our account.

  Go ahead……..

Boards

On this page our boards are laid out. You can see the board names beneath each board – these tend to be keyword based and usually give you a great idea of the sort of Pins it contains.

Notice that you can also ‘Follow’ Boards individually rather than the User. This allows you to be very specific about the subject matter that appears in your ‘Following’ feed.

If we click on the ‘Healthy Living Blog’ Board, our main articles Board will open:

Each board has a description of what type of Pins it contains and then the Pins are laid out in reverse chronological order ( newest first) as you scroll down the screen.

Here are links to some of our other boards related to living a healthy lifestyle:

Health Spa @ Home
Healthy Smoothies & Juices
Gluten free & Dairy free Recipes
Womens Health Tips

Pins

On the desktop version of Pinterest, if we hover the cursor over a Pin, it displays a button to ‘Save’ the Pin to our own account (or to one of our Boards if we have any), and the link to the article.

On both the mobile and desktop versions we can click the Pin to get more information about it.

Clicking the Pin enlarges the image and displays the Pin’s description, who created it, the number of times it has been ‘repinned’ (saved on users own boards) and any comments that have been left by users. Again there are buttons for following the creator and for saving the Pin to our own Board.

By clicking the image a second time, we are sent to the article itself

Creating Your Own Boards

To make your own collections of Pins of interesting articles, go to the ‘Boards’ section of your profile and click the ‘Create Board’ PLUS symbol, and give it a name. Alternatively, when you are ‘Saving’ a Pin you can easily create a new Board during that process after clicking the ‘Save’ button on the Pin.

Finding loads of useful Healthy Living content on Pinterest

So a quick summary of what we know so far:

• Pinterest is a visual search engine, with articles from all over the web represented by ‘Pins’

• We can ‘Follow’ people whose content we like so their Pins show up in our ‘Following’ feed

• Pins are stored in collections called Boards – we can make our own and ‘Follow’ other peoples’ Boards so any Pins added to that Board will show up in our ‘Following’ feed

• We can create a collection of Pins that we like by Saving them to a Board of our own

Most importantly we can also Search for Pins, Boards or People using the search bar. Just type in some keywords into the bar. Pinterest will initially display a list of Pins related to that topic. Lets try searching for “healthy living”

We have 3 choices here – we can:

1. Scroll down through the Pins displayed below and Save or click through any we find interesting

2. Click one of the coloured keyword tabs that have appeared below the search bar and offer suggestions of subheadings related to your search term

3. Search by Board or People by clicking the down arrow at the right hand end of the search bar (Filter icon on mobile) and selecting one of those two things.

Lets try searching for Boards related to ‘healthy living’

And this is where the power of Pinterest reveals itself. You now have literally hundreds of Boards listed. Each one a curated collection of links to blog articles (and a few products) all on the topic you are interested in!

Here are a few keyword phrases related to healthy living that you might like to try searching and making your own Board for:

Wellness tips
Nutrition advice
Womens health
Healthy recipes

You now have access to recipes for every conceivable diet type or dietary restriction, thousands of yoga routines you can do at home, money saving tips, natural cleaning ideas, nutritional advice, and everything in between……good luck!

PS: DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW US FIRST :)

Although changing the way you live can be difficult at first, developing new healthy habits is the key to creating permanent change in your level of health and subsequent quality of life.

Once a new habit has been developed, it becomes a ‘normal’ action and no longer requires effort.

Changing to better health habits can be particularly challenging as they require new ways of eating, cooking, running your life e.t.c. Thankfully there are many resources available (such as Vitalise Your Life!) to help you make these changes.

Technology is also increasingly offering us new choices, and as more and more people start to learn about and follow a healthy lifestyle, so the number of ‘gadgets’ that can make that transition easier also grows.

Below are some of the most useful devices available that can help to protect your health, often with little effort!

Don’t forget to let us know in the Comments section at the bottom if you have any recommendations for ‘healthy living’ tech!

#1
Sunrise ‘Bodyclock’ Alarm Clock

• Bodyclock alarm clock wakes you with a natural, gradually brightening light, helping you feel refreshed, alert and energised all day

• Light cues your body to produce more cortisol, setting a healthy sleep/wake cycle, aiding early mornings and beating winter blues

• 30 minute sunrise/sunset options, dimmable bedside light, snooze function, back up beeper

Why we love it?
The gradual brightening daylight bulb wakes you slowly. SO much better than the adrenalising screech of a traditional alarm clock.

#2
Nutribullet juicer

• The NutriBullet completely breaks down your food, liquefying and mixing together all the essential nutrition.

• It bursts open seeds, cracks through stems, and shreds tough skins to get the most out of your fruit and vegetables

Why we love it?
A much quicker and easier way of making delicious healthy juices. See our recipe for an anti-inflammatory green juice that we drink every day!

#3
Drinking water bottle with inbuilt carbon filter

• Reduces chlorine and other impurities (e.g. lead) from tap water as you drink, for enhanced taste on the go

• Made of BPA free multi-use plastic, the bottle has a replaceable cartridge filter

• Refill with water when you are out and about

Why we love it?
Totally removes the need for single-use plastic water bottles, and ensures the quality of all the water you drink when away from home - saves money & the environment!

#4
Vegetable Spiralizer

• For making long vegetable strands for healthy vegetable / carb replacement meals quickly.

• Perfect for making spiral slices from firm fruits and vegetables like apples, onions, carrots, zucchinis, cucumbers, cabbages, beetroots, turnips, rutabagas, cucumbers, and more.

• Makes it so convenient to cook for Keto and Low Carb Diets, Paleo, Vegan, and Gluten-Free lifestyles.

Why we love it?
The perfect way to go low carb and replace pasta in your diet. Courgette spirals particularly soak up sauce flavours. Try this recipe to see what we mean :)

#5
Daylight Light Box

• With light intensity of 10,000 lux to combat seasonally affective disorder (SAD)

• Certified grade II medical product

• Ideal for your desk or at home

• Flicker-free, UV-free, LED technology

Why we love it?
The dark winter months can be really difficult for people who suffer from depression or seasonal affective disorder. This desk lamp provides loads of ‘daylight’ to help boost your mood.

#6
Instant Pot Duo Multi-Cooker

• Duo is a 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute/Browning, Yoghurt Maker, Steamer and Warmer

• Automatic keep-warm and 3 temperatures for saute and slow cook

• 10 proven safety mechanisms; Highly energy efficient and kitchen friendly emitting hardly any noise, heat or steam

Why we love it?
We use this all the time, to easily make bone broth and slow cooked healthy stews. Set and forget and get on with your life!

#7
Essential Oil Diffuser

• Diffuser for Aromatherapy with 8-Color LED Night Lights

• BPA Free, Waterless Auto-Off

• For Home, Office, Bedroom, Baby Room

Why we love it?
Fantastic way to get healing or calming oils into the air when you are sleeping or unwell, or just need to unwind!

#8
Food Dehydrator

• Cool, dry air is sucked into the dehydrator, heated up and then evenly distributed across each tray, removing the moisture from the food

• Create healthy alternatives such as vegetable crisps, kale or seaweed chips, or linseed crackers

Why we love it?
For many, the hardest part about going gluten-free, low carb or just generally healthy is replacing crisps and biscuits in your diet. With a dehydrator and some experimentation, problem solved!

#9
Blue light-blocking glasses

• The Orange Lens features Spectrum Control Technology (SCT), which absorbs more than 98% of the blue light emitted from your laptop, computer, iPad etc.

• Avoid eye-strain at night and also block the wavelengths of light that disrupt the sleep cycle

Why we love it?
As we spend more and more time infront of screens, staring at our phones or laptop in the evening can stimulate our brain and make falling asleep difficult. Although not an instant fashion choice, these glasses can make all the difference!

Good nutrition is one of the main foundations of the Vitalise Your Life philosophy.

Although a cliché, “you are what you eat” is the truth - one of the simplest ways to support our own health is by making good choices about what we put into our bodies; in terms of hydration, supplementation where necessary, but most of all what we eat.

By eating a balanced diet that provides all the nutrients our bodies need such as vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins we support our immune system, our endocrine system (adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, e.t.c.) and all the other vital bodily systems that allow us to be fully-functional and protect our health as we go through life.

The key to being able to enjoy a good diet EVERY day of our lives is:

• Knowing what ingredients to use ( and NOT use)

• Understanding the healthiest way to prepare and cook our food

• Having plenty of inspiration so we can create delicious, mouth-watering meals that WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF!

Our List

The following list is chosen using a very simple criteria - we love them! These are some of our favourite books that have fed our family over the last few years.

Whether it was looking for a new spin on paleo breakfasts, on the hunt for something special for a dinner party, or just creating some tasty high-fat low-carb snacks for between meals, these are our go-to sources of inspiration.

We have deliberately chosen a wide range of subjects for this blog post; from sugar-free, through raw food to traditional home-cooked. Hopefully you will find something in here that really appeals and we would love to hear in the comments if you try any of these fantastic recipes!

Dive in. . . .

#1
Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

by Jamie Oliver / Penguin

Discover the art of cooking simply and naturally with Jamie Oliver's bestselling Jamie at Home “This book is very close to my heart. It's about no-nonsense, simple cooking with great flavours all year round. When I began writing it, I didn't really know what recipes I would come up with, but something began to inspire me very quickly... my vegetable patch!” - Jamie 

Why we love it?
Every meal is hearty; the flavour combinations are delicious and the recipes are organised seasonally

#2
The Art of Eating Well

by Hemsley & Hemsley / Ebury Press

The Art of Eating Well is a revolutionary cookbook that will help anyone who wishes to feel better, lose weight or have more energy. Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley teach their principles of life-long healthy eating with exciting and inventive recipes that are so delicious you forget the purpose is good health and nourishment. 

Why we love it?
Great healthy alternatives. Generally all low-carb/healthy fat and a diversity of healthy ingredients

#3
Deliciously Ella

by Ella Woodward / Macmillan

From sumptuous desserts, to food on the go, delicious dips, raw treats and rainbow bowls of awesome veggies, Ella's philosophy is all about embracing the natural foods that your body loves and creating fresh, simple dishes which are easy to make and taste amazing.

Why we love it?
A great book for those starting out on a plant-based diet. Full of nourishing recipes.

#4
I Quit Sugar: Simplicious

by Sarah Wilson / Macmillan

Sarah Wilson, bestselling author of I Quit Sugar, taught the world how to quit sugar in eight weeks. Now with I Quit Sugar: Simplicious she strips back to the essentials, simply and deliciously. She shows us:

* How to shop and cook without sugar and other processed foods
* How to buy in bulk, freeze and preserve, with ease
* How to use leftovers with flair

Why we love it?
Creative, practical, clever. This book is a bible for healthy living!

#5
The Homemade Vegan Pantry

by Miyoko Schinner / Ten Speed Press

Kitchen crafters know the pleasure of making their own staples and specialty foods, whether it's cultured sour cream or a stellar soup stock. It's a fresher, healthier, more natural approach to eating and living. Now vegans who are sick of buying over-processed, over-packaged products can finally join the homemade revolution.

Why we love it?
Some of the best vegan recipes we have ever seen. Full of healthy, nourishing recipes to replace all the usual dairy & meat staples.

#6
The Uncook Book

by Tanya Maher / Hay House

The Uncook Book by Tanya Maher is the perfect book for anyone who wants to celebrate life through food. Raw food really gives you that opportunity because it gives you so much energy and clarity - but this book is as much about pleasure and enjoying life as it is about health.

Why we love it?
An all-round raw food recipe book from an intelligent, experienced raw foodist

#7
The Alkaline Diet Recipe Book

by Ross Bridgeford / Energise For Life

Have you ever wanted to live alkaline but didn’t have a clue what to cook? Now, at last, the Alkaline Diet Recipe Book gives you over 100 simple, delicious & alkaline recipes for you and your busy lifestyle!

Why we love it?
This book gives you a basic understanding of what eating alkaline means, along with plenty of recipes to get you going.

#8
Sweet & Savory Fat Bombs

by Martina Slajerova / Fair Winds

Learn to make 100 savory and sweet snacks perfect for fat fasts and boosting your fat intake. These delicious, high fat snacks are ideal for Low Calorie High Fat, Ketogenic, and Paleo diets, and are also a great alternative to sugary treats.

Why we love it?
Contrary to most common held beliefs that eating fat makes you fat, and is bad for your heart - actually it is essential for health. This book has 100 recipes for delicious ways to increase your healthy fat intake. Great for kids too!

#9
The Paleo Cookbook

by Rockridge Press

THE PALEO COOKBOOK simplifies the transition into the Paleo lifestyle. This comprehensive Paleo cookbook has 300 mouthwatering recipes for every meal and occasion, all gluten free and full of whole, unprocessed ingredients. 

Why we love it?
A mammoth collection of 300 everyday meals without any gloss; just loads of inspiration

#10
Allergy-Free Cooking for Kids

by Antoinette Savill

Award-winning cookery writer, Antoinette Savill has used her expertise to create tasty and child-friendly gluten, wheat, dairy, egg, yeast and nut free recipes that the entire family can enjoy. She caters for all age groups and all occasions, including toddler foods, packed lunches, party foods and meals that will appeal to teenagers.

Why we love it?
This book may be older now but was our bible when raising our kids on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet

The Cold and Flu season, does it really exist?

The answer is yes.

Statistically speaking in the colder months there are many more admissions to hospitals because of the flu or complications from it like secondary infections such as pneumonia.

Doctor’s surgeries are inundated with patients suffering from viral cold infections. We all hear of a ‘bug’ going round, friends coming down with a virus and it knocking them out for days and if we are really unlucky, it gets us too.

On average most of us suffer from 2 to 4 colds a year, mostly in the winter.

The colder months allow these viruses to proliferate because:

1.      We have lowered immunity in colder weather – the mucous membranes lining our nasal passage and respiratory tract protect us from virus and bacteria particles that we breathe in. However these membranes dry out when we breathe in cold air or spend a lot of time in heated environments, lowering our protection.

2.      We spend more time inside, socialising in close proximity to others, thereby transferring viruses and bacteria’s easier, increasing the probability of catching a cold.

However, there is a mystery about these colds and viruses……. 

Why is it that some people don’t seem to get sick?

To answer this question we need to understand more about microbes and our immune system.

The truth about microbes

• We are constantly being exposed to microbes in our environment - We are surrounded by microbes of all shapes and sizes. There are bacteria, viruses, fungi and moulds living in our homes, at work, in the garden, on our pets, on our food and drink - everywhere!

• We cannot avoid them and we cannot, and should not, try to kill them all - The existence of microbes is a part of life, a part of our entire ecosystem and essential to life on this planet.

• They constantly change form - Microbes can evolve and adapt to an environment, and are extremely clever at surviving any attack because they grow and reproduce so rapidly that they literally evolve as they are being attacked.

  This is why there needs to be a new flu vaccine every year, because we know the flu virus will evolve into a new strain, for which we have no antibodies. However, there is no way of predicting accurately what the new strain of flu will be in the following year.

  Research shows that the efficacy of the flu vaccine is poor. Public Health England’s published data on the effectiveness of the 2017-2018 season flu vaccine shows that the overall effectiveness of the vaccine was only 15%!

• We harbour microbes within us - Our human organism has a huge, diverse population of microbes which is estimated at 100 trillion! Most of these play vital roles for our health.

  Our body has many non-sterile surfaces and cavities such as the oral cavity (mouth, nose, throat, sinuses), the skin, the lungs and the digestive tract. These areas are our interface to the outside world and the microbes that live in and on us protect us from pathogenic (“bad”) microbes entering our bodies.

Our Microbiome – the key to our health!

The term microbiome is used to describe the ecological community of microbes that share our bodies with us. Our microbiome is the primary defence against pathogens (viruses and bacteria) and the health of our microbiome plays a vital role in maintaining our health.

• Bacteria in our digestive tract metabolise certain dietary fibres that our stomach and small intestine cannot digest. These fibres, known as prebiotics, are food for our good bacteria and help them proliferate, colonising large areas of our intestines and crowding out pathogenic (“bad”) bacteria.

• The gut microbiome also creates vitamins for us such as folate, vitamin K, biotin and B vitamins such as B1, B2, B5, B6 and B12.

• The gut bacteria also assist the immune system by:

  • producing toxic substances called bacteriocins that act like an antibiotic which kill pathogenic bacteria

  • producing substances that either switch off inflammatory processes of the immune system or switch them on to signal the need for repair

  • educating the immune system as to which microbes are friendly and which are harmful

  • triggering the development and release of white blood cells in the bone marrow in response to an invading pathogen

  • they maintain the integrity of the tight-junctions in the digestive tract, preventing the contents of the gut entering the blood circulation.

We become susceptible to colds, flus and other infections when this microbiome is out of balance. People who have a well balanced and healthy microbiome full of “good” bacteria are able to guard against invaders like the cold and flu viruses.

This is why some people get sick less often and are able to fight off infections quicker when they do!

How to strengthen your defences and prevent an infection

Gut Health – look after the microbiome in your gut.

• Eat plenty of fibre – this will feed the good bacteria and help maintain the health of your colon as a whole. Fibre can be found in whole grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds and eating as much variety as you can in your weekly diet is important, to get both “soluble” and “insoluble” fibre.

  You can also take a fibre supplement, like psyllium husk (but this is not a replacement for fibre from food).

• Avoid processed foods – including refined sugars that feed bad bacteria, refined carbohydrates, and other artificial additives that can have an adverse effect on gut bacteria.

• Take a good probiotic – you need a probiotic supplement with a wide spectrum of bacteria and with a viable high dose.

• Eat probiotics – these are available in foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir which are all types of fermented foods teeming with good bacteria. You can either buy them or make them yourself.

• Avoid the following, because of their negative effect on your good bacteria:

  • chlorinated or fluoridated water (can harm the good bacteria in your gut)

  • non-organic commercially produced meat (may contain antibiotics)

  • antibacterial soap (kills good bacteria and the bad)

  • antibiotics, unless required for a bacterial infection (will eradicate large colonies of your good bacteria)

Other ways to protect yourself

• Intermittent fasting will boost your immune system

• Optimise your vitamin D levels, especially in the winter (check your levels)

• Get as much quality sleep as possible

• Exercise for at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week.

How to ease symptoms and shorten an infection

When your body has been invaded then a battle commences. This battle is what produces the symptoms of a cold or flu:

• Our defences kick in and will induce a fever in order to kill the pathogens.

• Our mucous membranes produce mucous, full of substances that prevent the pathogen from multiplying, or as a result of the pathogens toxin release.

• Our lungs will produce mucus as a mechanism to cough up any pathogens.

• Our heads will hurt perhaps due to dehydration as our body uses up far more water when fighting an infection.

• We may have nausea, vomiting or gas and diarrhoea as a result of the infection or the fight between the good and bad bacteria.

Why do people get affected differently?

Each strain of pathogen will have different modes of infection which is why we may find we have similar symptoms to someone else who is also infected.

Often, however, we are affected in different ways and this variation in symptoms is caused by our own general level of health and disposition. For some of us an infection tends to go “straight to the lungs”, for others it affects appetite and digestion and others are more feverish.

Antibiotics – are they the answer?

• Most colds and flus are actually viral infections and cannot be treated by antibiotics.

• Broad spectrum antibiotics will destroy and damage your microbiome, making you more susceptible to infection.

• More and more bacteria are becoming antibiotic resistant.

Whatever the symptoms or the type of pathogen, it is vital we support the body’s process of fighting it.

Rather than taking over the counter medications that suppress the symptoms that are part of your immune system’s reaction and part of the recovery process, we should use natural means to help our bodies fight the infection.

12 Top Tips for Fighting an Infection Naturally

1. Avoid sugary and junk food - these can also suppress the immune system.

2. Vitamin C – this is used up very quickly when you are fighting off an infection and our bodies don’t store it so we need to take it in fairly big doses regularly throughout the day.

3. Zinc – this has been shown to reduce the length and severity of symptoms through supporting white blood cell activity and production.

4. Garlic – it has to be raw! It contains a very powerful antibacterial and antiviral natural substance, allicin. Make lots of garlic butter! Eat 2 raw cloves several times a day. Warning – other than the obvious smelly breath you may also get a sensitive stomach and gas. Ease up if it’s too uncomfortable.

5. Probiotics – take a good broad spectrum, high dose probiotic (link above)

6. Hydrate – drink lots of water throughout the day; your body needs it to help fight the infection. You can squeeze the juice of a lemon into some warm water for extra vitamin c and the antibacterial/antiviral properties of lemon.

7. Drink fresh green juice – homemade not manufactured. Here’s a great recipe and how to.

8. Manuka honey – a powerful antibacterial/antiviral, have it in hot honey, lemon and ginger tea or eat a few teaspoons a day. Make sure you get an authentic true Manuka honey.

9. Olive Leaf Extract – this is one of the most effective remedies I have taken for any kind of infection. It’s antiviral and antibacterial.

10. Antioxidant supplement – a good quality antioxidant will supply a variety of antioxidants as vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that support the immune system in fighting off pathogens. This fight produces a lot of free radicals that damage healthy cells.

11. Rest and sleep – there is no greater medicine. Once you have been infected by a pathogen you have to surrender to it and allow the body to fight. Rest is the only way you can free up the energy for this. However I do recommend short walks, fresh air and sunshine, but wrap up warm!

12. Epsom salt baths – very restorative for the aching muscles.

13. Essential oils – there are so many that can help. Menthol ones that open up the passage ways, antibacterial and antiviral ones to inhale and kill of microbes, soothing ones to help you sleep. Here is a link to a menu of them.

WARNING!

There are times when the infection can overwhelm our ability to fight it and this is when we need to seek medical help. Some examples are Sepsis, Kidney infection, or Appendicitis. Generally any infection that generates high fever sustained over a day or longer, and in the case of children always be aware of any signs that a serious infection is at play, as it can overwhelm them very quickly.

It is vital that we all learn how to protect ourselves from infections, how to prevent them from spreading and how to support our bodies when infection strikes.

Supporting our body’s microbiome and understanding the role of bacteria in our health, rather than waging a war against them, can boost our health generally and protect us against infections.

Look after your “good” bacteria, support the immune system naturally and hopefully avoid too many days in bed!

It’s no surprise that January is the most popular month for joining gyms, starting weight loss programs and doing a detox. The festive season brings plenty of temptations and indulgences that involve alcohol, sugar and fat, and putting on weight is a common problem.

This can leave us feeling lethargic, uncomfortable in our bodies and desperate to change the way we feel, all of which can drive us towards a knee-jerk diet or detox.

Winter, however, is not the right time to starve ourselves or to detox, but there are ways in which you can make yourself feel better and lose weight that are appropriate for this time of year.

Here are the 2 best natural and nourishing ways to gently cleanse and lose weight over the winter without over-stressing your body.

Tip One - Start hydrating!

The single most important step you can take to help your body flush out stored toxins and release any congestion and stagnancy from the overload of alcohol, sugar and overeating is to drink more water. Toxins are often stored in our fat cells, so as we lose weight they are released into our blood stream.

Depending on gender, your body uses around 2-3 litres of water in a day (2l for women / 2.5l for men) just to complete daily tasks like digestion, breathing, urine production and maintaining blood pressure. If you are not replacing this amount through consuming water then you are going to be dehydrated (you may need more than the standard daily amount if you exercise or are sick).

Water consumed in tea, coffee, soft drinks and in food (like soups and stews or lots of vegetables) does count, however, you could also be consuming empty calories, chemicals and toxins, and diuretic compounds that make you excrete more water. Better to err on the side of caution and drink lots of pure, clean water if you can.

The quality of water you consume is also important:

• Tap water can contain chemicals, pharmaceutical products, metals and bacteria. You can test your tap water to check what is in it or you can buy a filter.

• Drinking water that comes in single-use plastic bottles is bad for the environment and it can still contain toxins. Buy yourself a PCB free or glass reusable water bottle with its own filter so you can fill up anywhere and know that your water is clean.

Here are some great ideas for improving your hydration:

1. Cut down on caffeinated and sweetened (or diet) beverages - replace tea/coffee/cordial/soft drinks with a glass of water, or a cup of herbal tea or hot water with fresh lemon juice.

2. Go slow – don’t flood your body with lots of water all in one go. Going from a glass or two a day to two litres is not a good idea, you will end up on the toilet all day!

   Add water in slowly so that your body can adjust and absorb it, gradually rehydrating over days. Then be consistent with drinking a regular amount every day.

3. Drink a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice every morning on waking.

4. Take a small glass of water with every coffee/tea/alcoholic drink you have.

5. Eat soups and stews – consume hydrating food rather than dry food that will take moisture from your body.

6. Do all the above consistently to properly hydrate.

EXTRA TIP: Buying a water bottle with an in-built filter will not only help ensure the quality of the water you are drinking, but it is a great way to monitor the amount of water you drink through the day (just count the number of refills)

Improvements you should feel are:

• Better concentration

• Improved mood

• Radiant skin

• More energy

• Less “toxic” - water is essential for flushing toxins out of your body

• Good blood pressure balance

• Improved digestion – better absorption and better bowel movements

• Less hunger – often the hunger signal is actually a sign of dehydration

Tip Two – “Find your rhythm” – control your circadian rhythm, control your weight!

Our Circadian rhythm is a 24 hour cycle that influences every cell in our bodies. It is set by a specific part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (great name, SNS for short!). This rhythm is vital for coordinating the timings of all of the complex cellular processes that keep us healthy.

The circadian rhythm in our cells regulates metabolic processes including glucose and lipid balance, hormone release, immune response and digestive processes. If you disrupt the circadian rhythm you disrupt those processes which can then lead to gaining fat.

There is a natural cycle for our bodies that optimises our health; it is one where we are in tune with our natural environment.

Here are 3 simple rules that help us maintain this cycle in winter:

1. Eat carbs early in the day and stop eating at night - this keeps our blood sugars balanced.

2. Activity and energy expenditure are more beneficial earlier on in the day – this maximises our metabolism, burning fat faster .

3. Exposure to light is important in the morning (sunrise), and then as daylight fades we should also limit our light exposure in tandem to it – this improves sleep and regeneration.

Our bodies literally synchronise to whatever consistent pattern we live in. Our eating, sleeping and exercise routines, as well as the quantity and quality of the light we are exposed to, will train our circadian clock.

In the winter we often have to get up in the morning before the sunrise and we stay awake and active after sunset; this immediately upsets our circadian rhythm and leads to lack of sleep, disrupted eating patterns, and imbalanced hormonal secretions that cause weight gain.

Winter’s effects on a busy, working human being include:

• Rising before the sun - Our bodies will not have produced enough of the hormone cortisol yet to stimulate us into action and we will still have a large amount of melatonin circulating which maintains our sleepiness.

• Less hours of daylight - Our daylight exposure is limited because there is less of it in the winter and most of us will spend all day inside in artificially lit environments. This artificial light is stimulating to our brain and will encourage cortisol production which is great to get us mentally alert and stimulated.

  It becomes a problem though when we continue this artificially stimulating light exposure all day and into the evening, when we should be winding down. This interrupts the production of melatonin and we won’t be able to sync with a normal, healthy sleeping pattern.

It is hard to find a good healthy balance in the winter but there are things you can do:

1. Use a sunrise alarm clock that has a daylight bulb and can simulate a sunrise, stimulating cortisol production gradually

2. Make sure you get outside to expose yourself to natural light as much as possible

3. Use blue light blocking glasses after sunset to block the stimulating blue light and encourage melatonin production

4. Limit your eating hours by finishing your evening meal as early as you can

5. Don’t snack in the evening

Takeaway truths about avoiding weight gain in winter

• Eat earlier in the day, and don’t snack in the evening

• Try to limit your exposure to blue light later on in the day

• Maintain a regular sleep pattern

The good news about fat

Fat gets a lot of negative attention, but there are some things about fat that are vital to our health.

Did you know?

• After puberty fat cell production more or less ceases. Your body can store more fat, but the number of fat cells remains the same. Each fat cell just gets bigger as it is forced to store more fat. 2 exceptions – excessive weight gain will generate more fat cells, and after liposuction the body produces more fat cells.

• Fat tissue provides heat insulation and mechanical cushioning for vital organs.

• Fat tissue contains hormone producing cells that are vital for regulating blood sugar, cholesterol and sex hormones, blood clotting, blood pressure and the storage and release of fat for energy.

So we need fat, especially in the winter when we are cold. But if we have too much fat we interfere with those hormonal processes. We need a good balance.

The good news about metabolism and weight loss

Did you know?

• You burn more calories in your resting metabolic state.

Metabolism is the process your cells go through to burn fuel to generate energy. We have three rates of metabolism:

1. basal metabolism, the energy used for basic functioning while at rest (sleeping, not exercising)

2. energy used to break down food

3. energy used for physical activity.

Of the total calories you burn in one day your resting metabolism accounts for 60 to 80% while digestion accounts for about 10% and physical activity is from 10 to 30% (unless you are a professional athlete or have an extremely physically demanding life).

So, you will get better weight loss results from adjusting diet, and therefore taking in less fuel, than you will from exercising. Exercising can also trigger increased hunger which leads to higher calorie consumption, negating the energy used to exercise.

Exercise, of course, offers many other very important health benefits and we should all exercise regularly, but weight loss should not be the main focus.

• Metabolic individuality can make a big difference in our body types

There can be significant variation in metabolic rates depending on gender, age, genetics and lifestyle. And although there is a lot of research going on it is still unclear as to how we can assess our own metabolic individuality.

• Dieting slows down metabolism.

As we lose weight the basal metabolic rate slows down. This makes sense as losing weight often means we lose muscle mass too and so metabolic rate adapts to our smaller body.

However, in dieters who lose a lot of weight quickly, this leads to a greater metabolic slow down than the body size demands. This slow down effect can last for years after the weight loss and makes the metabolism less efficient, leading to greater weight gain over a long period. Slow weight loss does not have the same effect.

• You can’t speed up your metabolism by eating

Despite beliefs to the contrary, consuming chilli, spices and drinking coffee will not shift your metabolism up a gear. The results are too short lived.

• You can speed up metabolism with more muscle

If you build more muscle and lose some fat, your body will need more energy to fuel the muscles and so your metabolic rate increases.

However, so will your appetite! You will need to exercise more to build muscle, which means a higher energy output and nutritional demand; you will feel a lot hungrier! And in order to build enough significant muscle you will have to keep up an intense exercise program which is hard to maintain.

When we reach a tipping point, the “I-can’t-stand-the-way-I-look-and-feel-anymore-moment”, we feel really motivated to do something about our health and want to get results fast by taking drastic action.

But knee-jerk reactions like crash dieting can actually lead to greater weight gain over the long term. If you want to lose fat, feel good while doing it and for the fat loss to last, then the best place to start is to understand the importance of hydration, circadian rhythms and metabolism.

You don’t have to starve yourself and you don’t have to spend hours and hours at the gym but if you follow my tips to drink more water, get in sync with natural rhythms and cut out the unhealthy food, you will set yourself up for fat loss yet maintain your happiness!

Being vegan is often a compassionate (moral), ecological and philosophical choice - the beliefs at the heart of being vegan are typically that it’s inhumane to breed animals for human consumption and that it’s also bad for the environment.

For many vegans these concerns override any question of whether being vegan is good for your health or not, but is it possible to have a balanced diet with sufficient protein as a vegan?

In a nutshell

We all know that eating more plants is good for you, but cutting out large food groups like meat and dairy from the diet can leave a big gap in daily nutrient intake, primarily protein. Plants are capable of filling that void however, because they offer such a huge range of nutrients, as long as informed choices are made about what you do and don’t eat.

The key to getting enough protein as a vegan, as well as other nutrients (like calcium and healthy fats) is to know which plant foods to eat and how much of them you need to consume on a daily basis.

Why is protein so important?

Protein is a nutrient that is essential to life and health. Proteins play fundamental and structural roles in every cell of our bodies and are essential to growth, repair and maintenance of good health. They are made up of amino acids that are combined in a huge variety of ways to create chains that have specific qualities.

All of the following are composed of proteins -

• Enzymes – an enzyme is a catalyst, a molecule that speeds up or enables essential biochemical reactions. We need enzymes to digest our food for example.

• Antibodies – antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight infections and remove foreign substances.

• DNA – DNA is purely made from combinations of amino acids - proteins

• Muscle – our muscles are able to move because of specific contractile proteins.

• Structure – connective tissues are made of protein and provide support to our organs, muscles and bones.

• Hormones – hormones are made of proteins and they co-ordinate our bodily functions - insulin and growth hormone for example.

Where do we get protein from?

Protein is a component of all animal and plant cells and so whether you eat plants or meat you are consuming protein. Microorganisms and plants can biosynthesize all of the 21 amino acids but humans can’t - there are 9 amino acids that our bodies are not able to synthesize and they are called essential amino acids; these we need to get from food.

Animal protein always contains all 21 amino acids whereas most plants do not. This has led to the idea that meat protein is superior for nutrition purposes, and it is true that weight for weight meat provides more protein.

However we now know so much more about protein metabolism and we know that we can get all the protein we require from a vegan diet. In order for a vegan diet to contain all 21 amino acids, however, it needs to be composed of a variety of plants, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.

Protein Digestion

Proteins are the hardest macromolecules for the body to metabolise. They require a sufficient level of stomach acid and the enzyme pepsin in order to prize apart the proteins and break them into smaller chains of amino acids. This is why protein dense meals keep you satisfied for longer, because they take longer to digest.

Protein continues to be broken down further as it travels through the small intestine and eventually reaches the protein absorption sites where the amino acids are transported out of the digestive tract and into the blood.

The blood contains a pool of amino acids, some of which are from food and some of which are from the body’s own recycling of proteins from dead cells. Every day 250 grams of the protein in your body is dismantled and 250 grams of new proteins are built.

It is vital to your health that you consume a sufficient level of all 21 amino acids every day (but especially the essential ones) in order to service your body’s protein needs.

How much protein do we need each day?

There are so many conflicting views about protein in terms of how much is good for us, and how much is bad for us. Our protein needs will vary depending on age, gender and demands such as exercising and recovering from injury and illness. According to the British Nutrition Foundation our general daily protein needs are as follows:

Men - 56 grams of protein.
Women - 45 grams of protein (71 grams if pregnant or breastfeeding)
Children (7 - 14) - about 40 grams
Kids (4 - 6) - roughly 23 grams
Toddlers - about 17 grams per day

Protein Sources

How much protein can we get from plants?

Below is a list of the most protein-rich plant foods showing the amount of protein content per portion in each category. When your daily diet is composed of many different plant foods eaten throughout the day your protein requirements are easily achieved. You are also ensuring that your diet is rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and a myriad of phytonutrients.

Of the pulses - in a portion of 200gms:

• Soya beans have the largest amount of protein at 34 grams, however soya can be problematic health wise (see later).

• Edamame beans contain 22gms

• Lentils contain 20gms of protein

Of the grains - in a portion of 70gms dry (200gms cooked):

• Quinoa contain 12.2gms of protein

• Amaranth = 10.5gms

• Oats = 9.8gms 

Of the vegetables - in a portion of 250gms raw:

• Beansprouts contain 17.5gms of protein

• Kale = 10.75gms

• Brussel sprouts = 9.5gms

• Broccoli = 8.25gms

Of the seeds - in a portion of 20gms:

• Hemp contains 7.4 gms of protein

• Sunflower seeds = 5.4 gms

• Pumpkin seeds = 4.9gms.

Of the nuts - in a portion of 30gms

• Almonds contain 5.75 gms of protein

• Peanuts = 7.8 gms

• Pistachios = 5.8 gms

Here is a link to a great chart with all the protein amounts

TAKEAWAY -  If you have porridge for breakfast (containing about 10gms of protein), followed by a big salad for lunch with seeds and sprouted beans (about 25gms protein), a snack of hummous and crudites (15gms protein) and a dinner of lentil bake (20gms protein) then you’ve hit a whopping 70gms of protein! Well over the recommended daily protein amount.

What about Vegan “meat”?

The vegan market has grown so much that supermarket chains now offer a large range of vegan foods; you can get vegan “pulled pork”, vegan bacon and even vegan chicken nuggets.

They offer all the convenience of the original meat based dishes and they make going vegan a much easier task. However, do they offer a nutritional advantage or are they potentially damaging to health?

Soya

Soya beans offer a whopping 34gms of protein per 200gm portion, the highest level of protein in any plant based food and they contain all of the required amino acids including the essential ones - it has been heralded as an amazing health food. However there are problems with soya:

• GM crops - Soy crops from America have often been genetically modified and they can be highly contaminated with pesticides, especially glyphosate. There are many conflicting opinions on glyphosate and whether it is a danger to our health.

  FURTHER READING: A renowned MIT scientist Dr Stephanie Seneff who is a great resource for research, offers information on glyphosate.

• Textured Vegetable Protein – this is made from soy and used to create vegan sausages, vegan burgers, vegan nuggets and others. The processing of soy to create TVP uses hexane to separate the fat from the protein, which is a solvent and a by-product of the gasoline industry.

  Once the fat is removed, the remaining soy flour is mixed with water to form a dough which is cut into the desired shapes – granules, chunks or flakes – and then oven dried. The resulting TVP may be contaminated with hexane which is a registered air pollutant and neurotoxin and when consumed in high amounts or consistently over a long period of time may cause neurological problems.

• Casein – nearly every soy cheese product available contains casein, which is a milk protein. This makes soy cheese a non-vegan product and casein is linked to many health issues.

Quorn

Quorn is a meat substitute, a mycoprotein, made from a fermented fungus called Fusarium Venenatum (‘Venenatum’ is Latin for venom!). This fungus, which has never before been used as a human food, was launched in 1985 by one Britain’s the largest chemical companies. It also has potential health impacts:

• Allergies - The Centre for Science in the Public Interest have researched quorn and found that mycoprotein is more likely to cause adverse reactions than other common allergens like shellfish, milk and peanuts. The CSPI has collected more than 2000 reports of adverse reactions like nausea, cramps, diarrhea, forceful vomiting and anaphylactic reactions.  

Seitan

Seitan is a traditional food from China, Japan and South Asia. It is made from wheat flour, in a process that separates the gluten (the wheat protein) from the starch, making seitan pure gluten. It contains a lot of protein but lacks lysine, an essential amino acid and so is not comparable to meat or soya. There could be several reasons why you should not be eating this much concentrated gluten, despite its high protein values:

• Contamination - wheat is intensively farmed and will likely be contaminated by glyphosate unless you make sure it is organic.

• Digestive issues – the gluten protein has very strong elastic glutinous properties which can cause our digestion problems when eaten in quantities. It is capable of “gluing” itself to other molecules making them harder to digest, meaning our digestive tract is unable to absorb some vital nutrients.

  The undigested gluten protein can then trigger the immune cells in the digestive tract to react. This causes damage to the intestines themselves and over time can erode our ability to absorb nutrients.

• Coeliac disease – this is a genetically predisposed condition of the immune system that means consuming gluten will trigger your immune system to attack the villi in the digestive tract causing permanent damage. This can lead to the development of other autoimmune disorders. If you are a coeliac you must avoid gluten at all costs. Here is a link to more info on coeliac disease.

• Gluten allergy – this is a histamine reaction to gluten causing symptoms such as coughing, nasal congestion, sneezing, tightness of throat, asthma, tingling, itching, tongue and/or throat swelling, a metallic taste in your mouth, abdominal pain, muscle spasms, vomiting and diarrhoea.

• Gluten intolerance – some of us are gluten intolerant which is related primarily to a digestive reaction to gluten. Typical gluten intolerance symptoms include bloating, belly pain, diarrhoea, tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell. Other symptoms often experienced concurrently with digestive issues are joint or muscle pain, anxiety, headache, nausea, confusion and numbness.

• Gluten sensitivity – this is also known as non-genetic gluten sensitivity. Typical symptoms are nausea, skin irritation, bloating, gas, brain fog and fatigue.

As we have seen, you don’t need to eat the processed and potentially damaging vegan meat substitutes in order to get your daily protein needs as a vegan - a healthy diet nearly always means eating plenty of plants and avoiding processed foods.

What a healthy vegan diet can lack is the convenience that both meat and vegan meat products can offer; our lives are so busy and often pressured for time that convenience is an important issue. If you are planning on going vegan or you are a vegan wanting to make sure your diet provides you with all the nutrients you need I recommend you take your time to plan your diet.

With a bit of thought & research you can ensure that your vegan diet is a balanced and healthy one!

Do you have any vegan tips to share or any health questions about going vegan? Please let me know in the comments below.

After the excesses of the busy festive season January is known within the diet, health and fitness industries as the detox season.

Despite this, it may actually be the most unnatural thing to be doing at this time of year. But why?

Why is Winter not the best time of year for a detox?

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere means colder temperatures and less sunlight. All around us we see the effects of this in nature as the trees drop their leaves, bird populations change and the ground hardens beneath our feet.

We retreat inwards, literally, spending many hours indoors and when we go out we wrap up warm. Our food changes too - we instinctively eat less salad and more soup. We even crave fattier and calorie-dense foods to give us the energy we need to keep us warm, which make Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebratory meals very satisfying!

It’s cold!

Our immunity is not as strong in the winter. There is increasing evidence to show that the cold air we inhale weakens the mucosal lining that is responsible for protecting us from airborne microbes. Detox diets typically starve the body of the nutrients that the immune system needs in order to function well, putting us at further risk from the typical winter viruses and infections. 

There are not enough light hours in the day!

We are exposed to very little natural light in the winter which has several biologic effects on our health:

• We stop being able to produce Vitamin D -  According to statistics one in five of us are already deficient in Vitamin D. Detoxing when deficient in vitamin D could be dangerous as vitamin D protects our cells from free radical damage (from the toxins released) and it prevents reabsorption of heavy metals. In winter we need to supplement with vitamin D to make sure we are protected.

• Health and mood are linked to sunlight exposure too – many of us suffer SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the winter as serotonin levels can drop when there is less light, whilst at the same time melatonin levels rise. These hormonal changes can affect our biological clock, our moods and our appetite. It is not the time to put your body through more stress by detoxing.

• We are naturally meant to sleep more in winter - there are more hours of darkness - but instead we spend more hours being bathed in artificial light. Screens and light bulbs emit large amounts of blue light which has a stimulatory effect on our brains. This is fine to help us get up and go, but after dark it can disrupt the natural balance of hormones that regulate sleep. Disrupted sleep leads to disrupted health and this can spiral out of control, especially if the body is under pressure from detoxing too. 

What is a Detox Diet?

A detox typically involves: taking out certain food groups; eating less; eating nothing; only juicing; taking herbs and supplements; and cleaning out the colon. But all of them are calorie restrictive.

What does a detox diet do? - Most detox diets or programs aim to cut out stressful/unhealthy foods and drinks, give the colon and the liver a break from digestion so they can clear out any build-up of toxins, and release stored fat in order to lose weight.

CAUTION! The problem is your body may have used the stored fat as a place to hide dangerous fat soluble toxins like heavy metals, plastics, chemicals, pesticides, pollutants and preservatives, which are all really difficult for the body to eliminate. Once these have been released into the blood stream they can settle elsewhere and they love the fat rich organs and systems of the body such as the central nervous system, and especially the brain.

Are you still not ready to ditch the winter detox?

For those of you thinking that all these festive excesses, which have left you feeling sluggish and heavier, can be purged via some detox plan - STOP!

• Who’s taking the rubbish out? - Those excesses will have clogged up the detoxification pathways of the body, which is why feeling sluggish, heavy and low in energy is common. Until those pathways are a bit clearer, you can’t empty out any more rubbish, the bins are full and the bin-men are on strike!

• Two wrongs don’t make a right - Swinging from gluttony to starvation is stressful and unhealthy for our bodies, minds and moods. It is not a pathway to health and vitality. In order for any extreme diet or detox programme to be successful you need to prepare your body for what is to come, rather than shock it or force it into submission.

It’s tempting to want to shed any extra pounds you gained in weight and dive into a detox.  It’s frustrating when you feel sluggish and fatigued and you think a detox will make you feel better. It’s really hard to shut down the natural craving for fatty and comfort foods so you can purge your body of toxins. But you could be making the situation worse rather than better.

Save the detox for the spring!

Let me reassure you that the best thing you can do for your health in the winter is to make sure you rest & sleep well, hydrate properly and nourish yourself.

The 7 best ways to get healthy & happy after the festive season

1) Cut down on toxins – now there are fewer parties there will be less temptation. But cut it down over time rather than go cold-turkey, pardon the pun!

• Instead of a coffee, have a herbal tea

• Instead of an alcoholic drink have a sparkling mineral water with the juice of a freshly squeezed red grapefruit (my favourite !)

• Make yourself some sugar free, healthy treats – like sweet potato brownies, ‘fat bomb bites’, or dark chocolate – to get you past the cravings.

2) Start the day right - drink hot water with freshly squeezed lemon juice in the morning - an all-round healthy tonic to start the day right. It is rich in vitamin C and citrus flavonoids, and it boosts metabolism.

3) Never underestimate the power of water – making sure you drink enough water to cover your body’s daily needs is the most powerful health habit you could ever have. About 2 litres of water are used up by your body to keep everything running smoothly on a daily basis. However our need for water rises when we exercise and sweat more, if we have a UTI infection, suffer from a tummy bug or have a fever.

The quality of the water you drink is also important. Water bottled in plastic can contain hormone disrupting PCBs, and tap water quality varies from house to house and can contain pharmaceutical drug residues like anti-depressants or contraceptive chemicals as well as chlorine, fluoride and other metals that have leached from lead or copper pipes. Tap water can also contain bacteria.

• Test your water to see what’s in it

• Filter your tap water with a tabletop jug filter OR better yet use a whole house filter fitted to your water pipes

• Buy water in glass bottles rather than plastic if possible

• Take your own personal drinking bottle with a filter with you everywhere!

4) Support the immune system – you can do this in several ways:

• take a good probiotic

• eat fermented foods

• take a good antioxidant supplement

5) Increase the amount of nourishing winter food in your diet - Eat soups, stews and mineral broths – full of vegetables, loaded with minerals and fibre, nourishing and soothing for the digestive tract. For a good bone broth recipe see here and for a vegan alternative have a look here.

6) Try to avoid eating late at night – in the winter your body wants and needs more time to rest, relax and repair. When you eat late at night you make your body work hard in order to process the food, which takes energy and time.

7) Protect your sleep - Wear blue light blocking glasses after dark if looking at screens – start a new fashion and get better sleep by wearing these special glasses. I wear mine after sunset if I’m still working at my laptop, looking at my phone or watching TV.

So for now you can relax, rest and nourish yourself during the winter. But once our beautiful planet has tilted the Northern Hemisphere towards the sun again we will be given new light, new energy and the power to renew.

Our spring detox guide will contain all you need to know to gently, effectively and easily assist your body in letting go of toxins and excess weight. If you would like to make sure you don’t miss it, please subscribe below.

Do you have any favourite winter recipes, tips for staying happy and healthy in winter, or any questions for our nutrition expert? Feel free to comment below . . . . . . . . .

The above article contains referral links which means that you will be supporting Vitalise Your Life if you purchase items using the link as we may receive a commission. We only suggest products and brands we are familiar with and are happy to recommend.

What are they?

Epsom salt baths are a well-known old fashioned nursing technique based on using Epsom salts, a magnesium based mineral salt, magnesium sulphate. 

What do they do?

Typically Epsom salts are dissolved in a bath of hot water and this combination help to draw out toxicity through the skin. The skin pores open as your body reacts to being submerged in hot water and attempts to cool the body down. This creates movement in the blood, the lymph and promotes toxicity release, which will also be stimulated by the magnesium sulphate in the water. Your breathing may also be affected as the body tries to cool and the toxicity is also being released through the lungs.

The magnesium sulphate is also readily absorbed by the skin. Magnesium is the electrolyte that allows the body’s muscles to relax and so an Epsom salt bath is traditionally used to help relax muscles and ease tension. It is especially useful in children with anxiety and to help initiate deep sleep. 

How do I use them?

1. Use 1kg of Epsom salts in a bath of water.

2. Use quite hot water to promote toxicity release, making sure you keep a cold flannel handy to keep the head warm. Soak for 20 minutes.

3. Use comfortably warm water to promote magnesium absorption and soak for 20 minutes, topping up with hot water if the temperature drops to prevent you from feeling a chill.

Do not use any soap or any other substance so as not to disturb the drawing out or absorption process.

You can follow up this technique with the following:

• Add cold water to the bath to bring the temperature down quickly. This encourages your body to produce latent heat, promoting further movement of the blood, improving circulation and can help to raise resting body temperature in cases where one suffers from cold hands and feet or feels the cold in general.

• Similarly you can take a cold shower to do the same as above.

• Going to bed straight after a hot Epsom salt bath, wrapped in a towel, will encourage the body to continue sweating which will keep the lymph moving and the release of toxicity through the skin.

After doing this technique once you will have more of an idea of how it makes you feel and you can then guide yourself as to how often you feel the need for it. As part of a detoxification program and health program you can do this up to three times a week. Do not do this if there is a risk of haemorrhaging, high blood pressure, during pregnancy or menstruation. I also find that it is not useful if you have a headache.

Epsom Salt Foot Soak

This is an alternative way of using the salts. The soles of the feet are an area of elimination for the body and also contain the reflex points and the ends of the meridians of the whole body. It has a lesser effect than the whole body baths but can be used in times when doing the bath is contraindicated, when the detoxification needs to be managed at a slower pace, when there is no bath or it is difficult to get in and out of the bath or is a better use of the salts.

·       Place four tablespoons of Epsom Salts in a footbath (small washing up bowl).

·       Add hot water

·       Place your feet in the bowl and soak for 20 minutes, topping up with hot water if necessary

·       Wrap yourself in a blanket to keep warm and generate a higher body temperature

Where can I get them?

Epsom salts are available from chemists, pharmacists and health food shops. If you wish to buy them in larger quantities and make it more economical you can buy a 25kg bag and get it delivered to your door. Click here for a suggested source.

How should I feel?

It is common to feel tired and a little weak after an Epsom Salt Bath, it can make your blood pressure drop a little. Make sure you leave enough time to recover if you are going to do anything else. Wrapping up warm and going to bed is the ideal follow up to this technique. 

Let me know in the comments below - what is your favourite detox bath regime?

What are they & Why do enemas?

Enemas are an ancient healing technique that involve allowing a steady flow of pure, body temperature water into the colon.

Although they can be a bit ‘awkward’ to consider at first, this is an invaluable naturopathic technique that can assist the body’s healing process in several ways:

1. It creates movement in the colon, encouraging it to eliminate waste and stored faeces.

2. The flow of water stimulates the reflex points within the colon, which correspond to other areas of the body and therefore will release stagnation in those areas too.

3. Enemas stimulate movement and release of mucous from within the lymphatic system.

4. The colon will absorb the water from an enema far quicker than water swallowed and so can improve cellular hydration quicker and more effectively.

When should I do enemas?

• They can be used when your bowel is showing signs of constipation.

• They are used to keep movement and promote the release of toxicity during a detoxification program.

• They can help cleanse the lymphatic system when it is showing signs of stagnation such as sinus blockage, swollen glands, or excess mucous as in colds and flu.

• Enemas can be really useful when wanting to improve body and cellular hydration.

What do I need to do an enema?

• A gravity feed enema bag or bucket

• A two pint jug

• The fluid that you are going to use for the enema, which is basically pure, filtered water always at body temperature, but will vary depending on the effect you want the enema to have.

• A pillow

• Something to protect the surface you are lying on from getting wet (just a precaution).

• Lubrication – you can use aloe vera gel, olive oil or coconut oil.

• A hook or a shelf for the enema bag to hang/bucket to sit on

• A clock for timing

How do I do an enema?

1. Prepare the enema fluid. It is wise to do a water enema before doing any other type of enema so that you can clear the bowel in preparation.

2. Fill the enema bag/bucket, making sure the tap on the valve at the end of the tube is closed.

3. Then open the tap and let the fluid start to run through the tube, allowing the fluid to flow out until you are sure to have released any air bubbles, then close the tap. The bucket/bag needs to be raised to allow gravity to pull the water through.

4. Lubricate your anal area.

5. Prepare the space you are going to lay down on, which can be the floor, the sofa or the bed, wherever is comfortable and make sure it is protected. For the first enema it is probably best to do it in or near the bathroom. Use the pillow to support your head.

6. Insert the nozzle and open the valve. Massage your abdomen gently as the fluid enters.

7. Once the bucket/bag has emptied, close the valve and remove the nozzle.

At this point you either release the enema fluid immediately by getting up and sitting on the toilet or you hold the enema fluid if you are doing a retention enema (see below).

You may want to reduce the quantity of water used if you are finding the enema uncomfortable. It is sometimes easier if you are submerged in a warm bath to relax abdominal muscles before or whilst doing an enema or retaining a retention enema.

When NOT to do an enema?

• Do not use this technique if there is a prolapsed organ in the pelvic area or if hemorrhoids are a problem.

• It is not advised to do an enema when you are hungry, as it can reduce your blood pressure and make you dizzy

• Avoid stimulating enemas (coffee especially) before bed.

Additions of other elements to the enema water can assist in various situations. Here are some examples:

Aloe vera

Why should I use Aloe vera? Aloe vera helps to soothe and calm an inflamed intestinal lining, it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the mucosa of the colon.

How do I use it? Put anywhere from 1 to 10 tablespoons, depending on how strong an effect you want into 2 pints of filtered water at body temperature (it is often best to start with a small amount and build up so you can monitor the results and find what works best for you).

Use this as your enema fluid and hold it for 15 minutes whilst massaging the colon and then expel.

How should I feel? After an aloe vera enema you can feel quite calm, refreshed and often feel quite positive.

Coffee Enema

Why should I use coffee? Coffee, when used in an enema has a different effect on the body than when it is being consumed as a beverage.

In an enema coffee is absorbed into the liver via the hemorrhoid vein. Once in the liver, a pharmacological agent within coffee causes the liver to contract and squeeze out it’s toxic bile, which is then excreted, once the coffee enema is released.

This makes coffee enemas one of the most effective and powerful naturopathic treatments for any detoxification and healing program.

It ensures the release of toxicity and cleanses the liver so that it can continue its role of detoxification with more effectiveness. It is also a great pain reliever and is particularly effective for migraines.

You do need to make sure that you are consuming an alkalising diet, full of green vegetables, so that you are ingesting lots of electrolytes: coffee enemas will increase the excretion of potassium and magnesium, which are necessary alkalising electrolytes.

If you have adrenal issues or kidney stress, be careful not to overuse coffee enemas.

How do I use it? 

1. Place a rounded tablespoon of organic medium/dark roast ground coffee into a saucepan (non-aluminium) with half a pint of filtered water and bring to the boil.

2. Simmer for 15 minutes (lid off) and then sieve off the coffee grounds and keep the liquid for the enema.

3. Add water to the coffee to make it up to about 2 pints of body temperature fluid.

I would recommend that you do a water enema first, to clean out the bowel, and then do the coffee enema making sure to retain the coffee for about 15 to 20 minutes, which is long enough for the body’s entire blood volume to pass through the liver at least 5 times.

How should I feel? The effects can vary from person to person. If you are in pain, you will feel relief from it much like a pain killer; if you are feeling foggy headed you will feel clearer and calm; if you are feeling sluggish and stagnant you will feel refreshed and inspired.

Sometimes you will have a deep sense of peace and may even want to sleep, or you may feel energised and motivated.

Often, in very deep toxic cases, you may need to do another enema the next day to keep the toxicity moving out of the body, but always make sure you are eating and juicing plenty of green vegetables, cutting out stress in your diet.

Flaxseed tea

Why should I do a flaxseed tea enema? These are also good for soothing the membrane of the colon and more effective at rehydration than water alone. These may be useful to you from the start in terms of hydrating your cells and soothing the central nervous system.

How do I do it? 

1. Make the linseed tea and then add water to it until you have 2 pints (1 litre) of body temperature water which is fluid enough to pass through the enema tube - if not add more water.

2. Hold the flaxseed tea enema for 20 minutes and then expel. You can even do it before going to bed and if you are experienced with enemas and know your body well, you can even retain it all through the night.

How should I feel? You should feel relaxed afterwards and feel tension, stress and anxiety lifting from you. 

What is castor oil?

Castor oil has been used for centuries in many ways to treat a wide variety of health conditions. The oil is derived from the seeds of the castor plant. They contain very high concentrations of a special fatty acid called ricinoleic acid which is thought to underlie its healing properties. However castor beans also contain a potent toxin called ricin, which has been used for chemical warfare. There is absolutely no danger of this being present in the castor oil itself though, castor oil is completely safe and is known to help many conditions

• Castor oil is claimed to treat gastrointestinal and genitourinary problems, all types of infections, and pain and inflammation, and is said to stimulate your immune system;science is also exploring the use of ricinas an anti-tumor agent

• Advocates claim castor oil is most effective for strengthening your lymphatic system when it is applied topically in a “castor oil pack,” a treatment popularized by the late psychic healer Edgar Cayce.

What does castor oil do?

The benefits of castor oil packs were popularized by the late psychic healer Edgar Cayce, and then later researched by primary care physician William McGarey of Phoenix, Arizona, a follower of Cayce's work and the author of The Oil That Heals. McGarey reported that, when used properly, castor oil packs improve the function of your thymus gland and other components of your immune system. More specifically, he found in two separate studies that patients using abdominal castor oil packs had significant increases in lymphocyte production compared to placebo packs.

Lymphocytes are your immune system's disease-fighting cells and are produced and stored mainly in your lymphatic tissue (thymus gland, spleen, and lymph nodes). Hundreds of miles of lymphatic tubules allow waste to be collected from your tissues and transported to your blood for elimination, a process referred to as lymphatic drainage. When your lymphatic system is not working properly, waste and toxins can build up and make you sick.

Lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease. Castor oil is absorbed through your skin and (according to Cayce and McGarey) it increases your lymphocyte count. Increased lymphocytes will speed up the removal of toxins from your tissues, which in turn will promote healing.

How I use castor oil

There are several ways to use castor oil topically. You can simply rub castor oil onto an affected area of your skin. Or you can soak some gauze or a plaster in castor oil, if only a very small area needs to be treated. For larger or more systemic applications, it can be used as massage oil, which is reported especially effective when applied along your spinal column, massaged along your lymphatic drainage pathways.

But the best option is the "castor oil pack." Castor oil packs can be an economical and efficient method of infusing the ricinoleic acid and other healing components of castor oil directly into your tissues. 

What you need:

• High quality cold-pressed castor oil

• A hot water bottle

• Plastic wrap, sheet of plastic, or plastic rubbish bag

• Two or three one-foot square pieces of wool or cotton flannel, or one piece large enough to cover the entire treatment area when folded in thirds (A4 size-ish)

• One large old bath towel

How to make a castor oil pack:

1. Fold flannel three layers thick so it is still large enough to fit over your entire upper abdomen or liver, or stack the three squares.

2. Soak flannel with the oil, by pouring it slowly over the flannel, making sure it doesn’t drip off the edges. Stop when it looks like the surface of the flannel is saturated with the oil. The oil should be at room temperature.

3. Lie on your back with your feet elevated (using a pillow under your knees and feet works well), placing flannel pack directly onto your liver (after about 45 mins or more, you can move the pack onto the abdomen or the chest to cover the lungs and thymus and leave there for another half hour or so). Cover the oiled flannel with the sheet of plastic, and place the hot water bottle on top of the plastic.

4. Cover everything with the old towel to insulate the heat. Take caution not to get the oil on whatever you are laying on, as it can stain. If necessary, cover that surface with something to protect it.

5. Leave pack on for 45 to 60 minutes.

6. When finished, remove the oil from your skin by washing with just soap and water, or rub it in or wipe it off with towel. (Be sure to wash the towel by itself, as the castor oil can make other clothes smell and stained with grease if washed together.)

7. You can reuse the pack up to 40 times or replace it after it begins to change colour. Each time you use it add more oil as needed to keep the pack saturated. Store the pack in a large zip-lock bag or other plastic container in a convenient location, such as next to your bed (you can also leave it in the fridge).

For maximum effectiveness, apply at least three consecutive days per week for three weeks, having one week off per month (for women stop using castor oil during menstruation, post-menopausal women should have a week off too). As castor oil packing does increase the release of toxicity from the cells, it means that the toxins will be released into the blood stream and will then be filtered out by the liver, and so it is important that you use other techniques, such as enemas, to make sure the toxicity is released from the body completely so it is not reabsorbed or circulated around the body to settle elsewhere.

Be Cautious when Purchasing Castor Oil - As with everything else, you must be careful about your source of castor oil. Much of the oil currently sold in stores is derived from castor seeds that have been heavily sprayed with pesticides, solvent-extracted (hexane is commonly used), deodorized, or otherwise chemically processed, which damages beneficial phytonutrients and may even contaminate the oil with toxic agents. For a good source click here.

Let me know in the comments below - what is your favourite home health spa treatment?

What is dry skin brushing?

Skin brushing is a naturopathic technique that involves brushing your body’s dry skin from top to toe with a natural bristle brush.

Why should I do it?

• Our skin is the largest organ of elimination. One third of your body’s toxins are excreted through the skin and dry brushing helps to unclog pores and excrete toxins that become trapped in the skin.

• It also stimulates the circulation and increases the blood flow to the skin, which will also stimulate the elimination of metabolic waste. This also has the effect of improving the appearance of your skin. It may become less dry looking, flushed, diminish the appearance of cellulite and have a much healthier, youthful appearance.

• Skin brushing can also be invigorating. It has a similar effect to exercising in that it can oxygenate your tissues and your brain and uplift you. 

• Skin brushing will also stimulate your lymphatic system, helping it release toxins.

Your lymphatic system consists of hundreds of miles of lymphatic tubules that allow waste to be collected from your tissues and transported to your blood for elimination, a process referred to as lymphatic drainage.

If your lymphatic system is not working optimally, waste and toxins can build up and cause lymphatic congestion, which is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease.

How do I do it?

• You need a brush with soft natural bristles, like this one. You will be brushing off a lot of dead skin cells and so it is best to do skin brushing in the bath or shower. Both your skin and your brush should be dry for this technique.

• Start with a soft pressure initially and increase the pressure as your skin gets used to skin brushing. Do not brush over any cuts, wounds or rashes and be careful around bruised areas. Also, avoid your face and other sensitive areas of skin.

• Begin at your feet and moving in long sweeping motions toward your heart, work up your body, brushing several times in each area, overlapping as you go. Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas, like breasts. Your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.

• Apply clockwise brushing movements when you are dry brushing your stomach. You should not use a scrubbing, circular or back and forth motion. When you reach your arms brush from your hands towards the heart.

• Skin brushing can take anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes.

• Remember to clean your brush with soap and water once a week: leave to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush.

When should I do it?

You can skin brush every day or even twice a day, avoiding bedtime as it can be stimulatory. It is best done in the morning, or every time you bathe or shower and can be combined with urine rubbing, hot/cold showering, Epsom salt baths or hot/cold tubbing.

When should I not do it?

Skin brushing stimulates the release of toxicity and will put pressure on the liver and the bowels, as these are the primary organs involved in elimination and will have to be able to cope with the extra toxicity. If you are suffering from any signs of constipation and you are not doing any other naturopathic techniques to address this it is not wise to skin brush.

Further Reading:

Dry Skin Brushing; 7 Amazing Benefits - Dr Mercola

The above article contains referral links which means that you will be supporting Vitalise Your Life if you purchase items using the link as we may receive a commission. We only suggest products and brands we are familiar with and are happy to recommend.

Let me know any tips you use before showering or bathing below…..

What is it?

This is a technique that is designed to create movement in the circulatory system by exposing your skin to opposing temperatures.

What does it do?

When the skin is showered with hot water, blood flow to the skin is increased in an effort to keep it at a constant temperature, which is vital for the inner organs. Similarly, when the skin is showered with cold water the blood is driven into the inner body, to help maintain the temperature of the inner organs.

This technique utilises the body’s natural homeostatic drive for keeping the body temperature at a set value. In some people this set value may have dropped and the inner body temperature is actually below what it should be. This drop in temperature will have a negative effect on health because many of the body’s chemical processes depend on temperature in order to work efficiently. It can cause stagnation in cellular growth, cleansing, regeneration, hormonal production: can obstruct the delivery of nutrients and elimination of wastes, and especially disrupt the oxygenation of the body’s cells and tissues. Using external temperatures to stimulate this movement of the blood you can start to enliven the tissues and cells, encourage the removal of waste and literally turn the core body temperature up.

Anything that drives the circulation also drives the lymphatic system too. Which will assist in the elimination of waste and will tone the immune system.

How do I do it?

• After having showered and washed yourself as normal, turn the thermostat up on your shower to reach a hot temperature (not burning).

• Allow this water to flow over your body, especially on areas that often feel cold to the touch (usually areas where fat tissue accumulates). Do this for a few minutes. 

• Then turn the thermostat down to reach a cold temperature (not freezing) and do the same.

• Repeat this cycle three times, ending on a cold shower.

NB: You can start off with a mild difference in temperature and build up to a strong difference because you will find your tolerance improves the more you do this technique.

How should I feel?

After this technique you are aiming to feel a tingling warmth under your skin, as if you have just been outside in the snow and have entered a warm room with a glowing fire. The idea is that over time, your body will start to generate its own inner latent heat and your core inner temperature will rise to the most efficient body temperature for you (according to most sources it should be around 37 degrees F).

When do I do it?

This technique can be done daily as part of a cleansing and healing program. It can be enlivening and so is often best done in the morning, or anytime you want to feel refreshed.  You are advised to be careful if you have any heart condition or blood pressure problems or pregnant. In which case it is best to only do a gentle shift in temperature, so as not to shock the body and put stress on the heart. 

So - feels good right? Tell me how it went below….

The Sun & Vitamin D

We have been warned so much about the dangers of the sun that we all know not to get burnt. However, have we gone too far? How much sun exposure do we need to get Vitamin D but not burn our skin? Are the high factor sunscreens always necessary and are they good for us? And why is vitamin D so important?

The sun comes out and we feel compelled by every cell in our body to bask in it, with good reason. The sun's UVB rays help our body make Vitamin D, which is vital for our immune systems, it influences virtually every single cell in our body and is one of nature's most potent cancer fighters. We really cannot underestimate how much we need Vitamin D or how little of it we get, especially in northern latitudes. 

• Vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone. It is created by the sun's UVB rays, that are absorbed by our skin, and converted into Vitamin D with the help of cholesterol.

• min D interacts with our DNA and is directly involved with influencing over 200 of our genes.

• At least a dozen studies have noted a strong link between multiple sclerosis (MS) and vitamin D deficiency.

• Researchers in New Zealand recently highlighted the importance of vitamin D in the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, including cancer.

• Having a vitamin D level below 20 ng/mL may raise your risk for depression by as much as 85 percent. 

• It is estimated that there are over 1 billion people worldwide with inadequate Vitamin D levels.

What's wrong with sunscreen?

We are repeatedly told to cover ourselves with sunblock and protect ourselves from the cancer-inducing harmful rays of the sun. We cover our bodies and our children's bodies with easy to apply, high factor, sun tan lotion so that it will protect us from this potential harm.  However sunscreens block 98% of the UVB rays that create Vitamin D and they contain lots of chemicals, some of which are known carcinogens. This can be dangerous because our skin can absorb everything that is placed on it. The pores of our skin open when we get hot so that we can sweat to cool off; as this happens the sunscreen's chemicals enter the top layers of skin and can then penetrate through to the capillaries and eventually into the blood stream.

What are these chemicals?

All the sunscreen ingredients listed below are chemicals known to cause harm and are linked to various diseases, not least of which are many types of cancer. What is more worrying is that sunscreen sprays are especially harmful to children as the micro particles can be inhaled and can damage their lungs and get absorbed into their blood.

• menthyl anthranilate

• octocrylene

• methoxycinnamate

• parabens

• pthalates  

• synthetic musks

• retinal and retinol palmitate (vitamin A derivatives)

• PABA

• octyl salicylate

• oxybenzone

• cinoxate

• dioxybenzone

• phenylbenzimidazole

• homosalate

Here is a link to a great guide on sunscreen chemicals.

SAFE sun exposure is the answer

We need the sun. Sunlight triggers the production and release of hormones, like serotonin - responsible for mood and mental focus; and melatonin - which is responsible for normal, healthy sleep patterns. Moderate sunlight has anti-cancer benefits which are most likely related to vitamin D production. Many skin conditions can be helped by exposure to sunlight: psoriasis, eczema, jaundice and acne. And there is preliminary research showing that sunlight can help several other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. 

• As a general guide, exposing large portions of your skin, like your arms, legs, chest and back, to the sun for 10 to 20 minutes between 10 am and 2 pm will allow your body to reach saturation point for vitamin D. Any more sun exposure is actually bad for us, causing heat stroke, sunburn and dehydration. Here is a link to a more comprehensive guide on safe sun exposure.
  

• If you want to continue sunbathing then apply a natural sunscreen, here is a recipe for making your own. Otherwise, cover up with clothes or stay in the shade.

• You can also build up your exposure to the sun gradually so that your skin adjusts and creates more melanin to protect your skin from within.

• One option is to find a safe tanning bed that uses electronic ballasts to create the light, and only have short bursts of a few minutes exposure at a time. This can be useful in the winter months to keep vitamin D levels up, and can build your melanin levels in the build up to summer.

And...whatever you do, DON'T BURN!

My advice for glowing, summer ready skin:

1. Eat the rainbow - lots of fresh multi-coloured fruit and vegetables, full of antioxidants and phytonutrients to protect you from the free radical damage caused by sun exposure.

2. Natural Moisturisers - after a day in the sun, use natural and pure moisturisers like coconut oil, aloe vera gel (great for cooling and healing the skin after sun burn) or make your own moisturiser from natural products.

3. Skin brushing - this is a wonderful technique. It can help get rid of dead skin cells, improve circulation in the skin, reduce appearance of cellulite, increase the production of fresh, young skin cells and improve uneven skin tone. 

Below are a list of links to useful websites, articles and charts from safe sun exposure to how to check your Vitamin D levels:

Natural Sunscreen Products - http://www.jasonnaturalcare.co.uk/best-sun-cream/

Guide to safe sunscreen exposure - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/29/how-much-sunshine-does-it-take-to-make-enough-vitamin-d-perhaps-more-than-you-think.aspx

Sunscreen chemicals and their negative health effects - http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/

Sunscreen benefits - http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-amazing-health-benefits-sun-exposure.html

Vitamin D dosage chart - http://grassrootshealth.net/media/images/chart-serum-level-intake-5-by-3-ngmla-both-charts-single.pdf

A simple, affordable, vitamin D test - http://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/

Do you use sunscreen? If so, which brand?…………