Awake Organics: 3 Tips for Growing your Hair Longer, Thicker, Fuller + Shinier

Practicing these simple 3 things; and my hair is longer, thicker + fuller (even at the ends!). There are even more baby hairs around my hairline - many now even long enough to be pulled back with my pony tail!! These are the hair + head moves you can do to see the results on your own luscious locks…

CLICK THE IMAGE TO TRY THIS CLASS

3 TOP TIPS FOR YOUR LONGER, THICKER, FULLER + SHINIER MANE

1) Scalp + follicle stimulation: Head Massage using the pads of your fingers, nails, hair scrub and/or a hair comb tool.

FREE IG LIVE HAIR GROWTH CLASS: click here

Blood vessels in your scalp feed the roots of your hair. They transport nutrients (as well as hormones), which create more cells and make your hair grow. Massaging your scalp is one of the best ways to improve blood circulation: this will improve follicle health leading to stronger, healthier hair.

LEARN SOME HEAD MASSAGE MOVES ON INSTAGRAM HERE

I’ve also been using AWAKE ORGANICS root-stimulating scalp scrub to stimulate my roots, and to exfoliate and prep the scalp for better hair growth. Peppermint oil stimulates hair growth, keeps the scalp healthy (no dandruff!) and studies show that it increases the depth, size, and number of hair follicles when applied topically. You can try other oils too, such as rosemary.

AWAKE ORGANICS FULL HAIRCARE RANGE WORKS WONDERS + IS KIND TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR LOCKS

2) Castor seed oil, rosemary, caffeine + peppermint are your new hair heroes: nourish your way to healthier looking hair with shampoos + conditioners that contain the best natural ingredients

CASTOR SEED OIL has potent moisturising + gloss-giving properties, also it boosts hair growth. You can use castor oil on your eyebrows too, but remember to cleanse thoroughly as it’s incredibly thick and can clog up the pores on your skin. It’s sap-like quality penetrates and protects hair strands, leaving them shiny as well as protected. Castor oil is high in ricinoleic acid, which helps to balance the pH of your scalp and restore damage caused by harsh ingredients like sulphates.

CAFFEINE, ROSEMARY and COCONUT OIL are natural dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers: DHT is a common cause for follicles to shrink, eventually halting new hair growth. DHT is converted from testosterone, which is one of the reasons men tend to suffer more commonly with hair loss. If you’re sensitive to DHT, by blocking it you sadly cannot regrow hair but it will help to slow down further thinning and loss of hair.

Organic brand @awakeorganics use natural ingredients that support hair growth, nourish even fragile hair, and have even passed the curly hair test. In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, they use coconut oil, sesame seed oil + lavender flower oil, products totally free from silicones, phenoxyethanol, parabens and synthetic perfume/colour (fragranced with natural essential oils only). Their shampoo is amazing, and I’ve never packed a lighter travel bag - the packaging is as light as the product is on my hair too! I was won over after the first hair wash.

The inversion method + scalp massage

3) The Inversion Method

I am so excited to share this with you (thank you Julie!!). Studies have shown you can see up to 4 inches of hair growth in just 4 weeks. Here’s the how and why…

Repeat daily for one week per month

• Stimulate your hair follicles with a 4-5 minute scalp massage, ideally using an essential oil with your choice of carrier oil (I used Awake Organics Hibiscus Scalp Scrub)

• Next, lie yourself upside down so that your head hangs below heart-level (some people even do downward dog or handstands, but hanging your head off the end of the sofa/bed would be fine too!). Flip your hair so it’s hanging downwards, and rest in this position for up to 5 minutes. If this causes you any discomfort or dizziness, slowly come back up, don’t stay there.

• Lift your head slowly to avoid dizziness.

• Wash your hair to remove any oil, if necessary (try not to wash hair every day to allow your natural oils to replenish the root, shaft + tips of your hair).

• Repeat daily for one week per month

RECAP: THE FAST WAY TO YOUR BEST, SHINIEST + THICKEST HAIR

• Practice regular scalp massage: click for hair growth class here

• For a good hair day every day, try Awake Organics Natural Hair Growth Shampoo + Conditioner to boost hair growth, protect hair + balance the pH of both your scalp and hair.

• The inversion method 7 days in a row per month: boost the effects with Hibiscus-Mint Scalp Scrub.

AWAKE ORGANICS are the winner of 2 of the 3 best natural haircare product awards from The Green Parent Magazine. You can find Awake Organics here or follow them on instagram here.

Enrichd Every Day: Taking Mushrooms with Integrity + Intensity

ENRICHD SUPERFOODS

I have been experimenting with mushrooms. Not the magic kind ;) though I would be doing this Enrichd Superfoods a disservice to describe them as anything other than beyond magic. I took a 30 day journey with Reishi Spores and Lion’s Mane, and am still learning lessons from the changes I have seen take place since taking Enrichd Superfoods Mushroom Elixirs.

FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOMS

Enrichd Superfood Mushroom Elixirs offer functional support using mushroom powders (and now protein and THE most delicious chocolate) to help you in your wellness goal, whether it’s gaining greater clarity, immune support, feeling more vibrant or, in my case, addressing my hormonal health and grounding a girl who has been on the go (and a bit knackered 99% of the time to be honest) for the last 16 years. Enrichd will actually educate you on foods, teas and herbs, and even the potency of maintaining balance in your lifestyle and thoughts.

Click to browse the Enrichd Superfoods Store here

With its foundations based upon Eastern medicine, specifically Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, Enrichd’s mushroom powders have been developed to support finding a balance to allow the body to heal itself. Adaptogens help bring balance back to your body: they promote homeostasis (physiological balance in your body, from temperature control to how you body regulates blood sugar and insulin) and aid our bodies when we are reacting - and recovering - from stress. Helpful for all of us then!

ADAPTOGENIC MUSHROOMS FOR PMS

For the last couple of years, I’ve tried everything to minimise premenstrual migraines and nausea. Before I turned 28, I didn’t even know what a headache even felt like! Lifestyle and diet has helped a lot - I’ve learnt that alcohol, chocolate, any inflammatory foods (including stress, once of the biggest reasons behind inflammation in the body) will make it worse. But curing it completely? I’m still figuring that part out. I’ve tried cutting out the bad foods and eating a high Omega 3 diet (chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin seeds), and regular exercise. Stress (yes, I know I’m supposed to be a yoga teacher) and lack of sleep tend to be the main culprits that I’m yet to entirely shift. Rich from Enrichd recommended I try Reishi Spores and Lion’s Mane. For tonic herbs and mushrooms (and the BEST raw chocolate for that matter) Rich is your man. Here’s what he says about mushrooms for health:

Chaga — a powerful antioxidant, studies show it inhibits the growth of cancer cells, anti-viral, anti-malarial, anti-fungal, anti-allergic and anti-oxidant properties, reducing DNA damage, supporting the immune system. Chaga has an extremely high ORAC value.

Reishi — may improve sleep, improve gut health, immune system and lower stress levels (which are all connected). It is an adaptogen, and a nerve and immune tonic.

Reishi spores — hormone balancer + immune support, these spores are like the seeds of the Reishi mushroom.

Lion’s Mane — helps protect the nervous system, improve memory and cognitive ability. Other studies also explore its potential for supporting gut health by nourishing the gastric juices.

Cordyceps — increases oxygen uptake and speed up recovery (e.g. from workouts).

TAKING MUSHROOMS

I began with ½ tsp and worked my way up to 1 tsp Lion’s Mane and Reishi Spores every day for 30 days. My favourite way to take it was warm poured on top of hemp seed granola. The easiest fuss-free way was blended with oat milk and maca in the morning. See below for more recipes I used.

After Day 1, I coincidentally experienced one of my worst premenstrual headaches. I spent the whole day in bed, binge-watching TOWIE foetal-curled around a hot water bottle. I couldn’t keep much down that day, who knows how much of the Reishi Spores and Lion’s Mane my body was able to absorb and reap the benefits of. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you how excruciating - and annoying - it is when there is nothing that can help other than waiting it out until you feel better. The only thing that’s offered me relief in the past are these guys from Foria but, sadly, I’m not a millionaire yet. And rather than spending $50 for 8 tiny little CBD suppositories (though they are amazing), how much better would it be to be able to address what your body is experiencing and bring it into balance so that our own body is able to heal and put a stop to these symptoms on the long-term? It is possible. I believe that my Day 1 adaptogenic reaction was one that started to bring me back into balance with a BANG. Of course, if you try anything and it’s an adverse reaction then do not continue to take it. Back when I was a commodities broker, there was a specific pattern to my PMS:

• BROKING: 2 weeks at work entertaining clients, eating rich foods, drinking alcohol, sleeping 2 - 7 hours per night, stressing before, during, and in the office… once a month I’d be in a 24 hour lockdown in bed with a head feeling like it’s being crushed by a vice and/or my head down the toilet throwing up on empty because I am too afraid to eat anything when I feel like this.

• YOGA LIFE: 2 weeks working on retreat doing the things I loved, drinking juice + plant-based foods, even the odd treat, but at least 8+ hours sleep… this would be the month I skipped those excruciating symptoms of PMS.

It doesn’t take a scientist to figure it out!

Ideally, we eliminate anything that causes too much stress. But we cannot always put a stop to the stress that affects us in daily life. It’s not really possible to quit your stressful job or leave the kids at school for 3 weeks whilst you go on a Juice Retreat in Thailand. The body is able to handle stress: that is how we evolved. Whether it’s acute or chronic, eventually when our bodies are not taken care of, they cannot cope with the stress life throws at it. So if you struggle to minimise the stress in your life, what you must do is maximise the activities, relationships and foods that help alleviate that stress:

• Activities: yoga, meditation, walking, perhaps running, reading books that nourish you, sleeping enough, massage, reflexology, tea ceremonies, any other activity that makes you feel rejuvenated.

• Relationships: especially if you spend a lot of time on the phone or at work supporting others, do you spend enough time with the people who give that support back to you?

• Foods: whole foods as a first point of call rather than pills or supplements such as fruits and vegetables, followed by adaptogens which will support your adrenal glands and endocrine system (hormones) on the whole. Reishi, Cordyceps, Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Maca, the list goes on… please do your research to ascertain what is most suitable for you! Start with real foods first - there is no point in spending lots of money on supplements when your whole food diet is not on point.

In the 30 days I took Reishi Spores and Lion’s Mane daily, this is what I noticed:

• Improved performance and attitude towards work: I felt inspired and motivated and took on some of my best freelance contracts within days of taking Enrichd Superfoods. These roles were the type of work I align with - the stuff dreams are made of basically :)

• Enhanced memory

• Better sleep

• Slightly improved skin - less breakouts. These would have 100% improved if only I would stop picking them!!

• No PMS / fatigue / headaches / nausea for 55 days since taking Reishi Spores and Lion’s Mane. After 20 days without Reishi, I experienced one more bout of sickness and have since resumed drinking mushrooms in my morning shake.

Enrichd believe in the importance of a balanced life. Eastern Medicine is becoming more popular as many of us are now looking to alternative methods of healing and fuelling our bodies. Natural remedies and whole foods have become so popular now that for some people Western medicine is something that they would prefer to avoid. But there is a balance. Even hospitals in China, for example, acknowledge that there is a place for medicine such as antibiotics, and that no holistic tincture is going to stitch a severed leg back on!! TCM does not deal with acute and/or urgent illnesses in the same way, and rather than honouring one practice and denying the other method, taking the best from both is a wise approach to use both Western medicine and things like TCM to recover and strengthen our system to prevent infection or illness in the future.

It’s not just about treating the cause vs the symptom, or voting for one against the other. It’s easy to overuse and abuse both methodalities, especially in a world where many of us are busy and have forgotten how to listen to our own bodies, and what we feel they might need. There is a lot to be thankful for when it comes to all types of medicine, Western medicine, or otherwise. And a lot more to be thankful for when we are in tune with our own intuition, our own voice, and able to make the most appropriate choice.

Since trying Enrichd Superfoods I’ve felt great, my energy levels have been higher, and the following month there were no headaches, sickness bouts or cramps. I also noticed I was falling asleep more quickly.

Click here to browse Enrichd’s Elixirs if you would like to improve your health and educate yourself on Mushroom Superfoods. Or simply to buy their delicious raw chocolate … !

Reishi Spore Soul Shake

CALMING REISHI SPORE SOUL SHAKE (best enjoyed warm in the evening)

½ -1 tsp Enrichd Reishi spores

½ banana

200 mls plant-based milk or water

½ tsp maca

1 tbsp cacao powder or cacao nibs (optional)

pinch sea salt

3 walnuts

1. Whizz all ingredients in a blender and enjoy cold, or heat in a saucepan until warm.

2. Top with extra crushed walnuts and cacao if you wish.

BRAIN BOOSTING LION’S MANE MYLK

½ - 1 tsp Enrichd Lion’s Mane

1 tbsp cacao powder

200 mls cashew nut milk (or alternative plant-based milk)

pinch sea salt

1. Add ingredients to a sauce pan and warm gently whilst using a whisk to bring together.

2. Pour on top of hemp seed granola, or enjoy as it is.

Hemp Seed Granola with Fresh Figs + Adaptogenic Milk

Enjoy this hot or cold, on its own or as a breakfast mylk with fresh figs and my hemp seed granola recipe.

Website: www.enrichdsuperfoods.com

Instagram: @enrichdsuperfoods

Heirloom Lion’s Mane, Reishi and Chaga Raw Chocolate Bars

Reishi in nature

Lessons from Russia: Karelian Shungite

Louis Pasteur said “We drink 85% of our diseases”. According to World Health Organisation statistics, more than 80% of all illnesses are either directly or indirectly connected with the consumption of polluted drinking-water. We might be taking more care of our health nowadays, but are our waters getting any cleaner?

Elite Shungite - perfect to filter your water

The Ancient Healing Stone

Shungite is a mostly carbon mineral found exclusively in The Republic of Karelia (it’s in Russia, unless you knew that already). Shungite’s unique high-carbon composition enables it to cleanse water and even saturate it with elements that are beneficial to our health, such as anti-oxidative and antibacterial properties. The carbon nature of the stone and its porous structure gives it a filtering capacity, enabling shungite to hold up to 95% of pollutive elements including organic compounds, heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, pesticides, radon and harmful microorganisms. When water is treated with shungite, the antioxidants it contains eliminate free radicals and other impurities in water, and the fullerenes it contains give it medicinal properties.

Springs and lakes near the sources of shungite are known to have had very pure water for centuries, and are considered sites of healing.

I don’t think it’s clear any more what is and isn’t safe to drink, and shungite is a brilliant way of purifying water in your own home.

More about Shungite

Shungite is a 2-billion year old stone which is predominantly found in the Russian region of Karelia in a village called Shunga. Shungite has anti-inflammatory properties, and can help reduce pain and stress. Shungite is a rich source of fullerenes and offers these health benefits:

• energises, mineralises + enriches water with vitamins and antioxidants, making it perfect for daily washing

• aids detoxification in the body

• improves cell function

• reduces inflammation

• induces recovery and speeds up healing

• improves overall immune system

• conducts electricity

• grounding stone, aids meditation + eases anxiety

• induces positive energy

• helps with focus

• boosts mental health

• assists spiritual growth

• helps focus + meditate, aids in attaining a higher state of consciousness

• helps negate radiation from electronic devices (EMF)

• glowing skin and strong hair (cellular repair)

• grounding + energising for those with stress and chronic fatigue

Some even apply shugite topically to skin to treat acne, spots, cuts and other skin-related problems. Drinking acidic shungite water helps to treat chronic respiratory issues, headaches, aches in joints and muscles as well as problems with the digestive system.

Shungite contains natural fullerenes. Firstly, they are considered to be the most powerful antioxidants or free-radicals catchers. To put it simply, they protect us from premature ageing, improve our skin and protect from other negative influence of radicals. Secondly, fullerenes tend to normalise cellular metabolism and increase cells’ resistance to external influence. They accelerate detoxification and slow down the growth of cancer cells. They work much like antioxidants found in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The difference? These natural fullerenes have a stronger and longer-lasting effect in fighting against free radicals in the body, and shungite is the only natural source.

https://karelianheritage.com/

For 15% off your first order use code VICTORIA15

How to Make Shungite Water

1. Wash shungite stones to remove any dirt or post-production dust. 

2. Infuse 150 - 200g regular shungite stones or 50 - 70g elite shungite stones per 1L of water for two - three days. Shungite starts filtrating water within the first few hours, but the longer shungite has in the water, the more benefits you will receive by drinking it.

3. Clean and charge your stones regularly.

If you plan on buying Shungite to filter water, choose unpolished elite shungite nuggets over and above any Type II or III or polished stones because they contain more organic carbon. 

Take a Shungite Bath

Bathing in shungite water benefits your health, well-being, growth and recovery.

Infuse 400 - 500g shungite stones in warm bath water for 15-20 minutes. Then hop in!

Nina Kolesnikova, head of a sanatorium near Moscow, used shungite baths as a way to treat patients suffering with joint problems, hypertension and psoriasis. She found that the ailments of patients bathing for 10 - 15 minutes each day became more stable. Patients suffering from psoriasis and joint pain were treated with shungite paste to the affected areas and this saw a reduction in lesions and pain.

The Top 5 Ways to Wear Shungite

Here are my favourite ways to get the healing benefits from shungite’s healing and protective properties:

1) Pendants

Shungite offers benefits not only to the physical body, but also to the subtle body (energy, the chakras). This grounding stone relates to the root chakra and offers us stability when we need it most. Shungite neutralises excess charge from the body, including negativity, and drains it into the ground. The healing power of shungite stone offers benefits to the cardiovascular system; it improves blood circulation, functioning of the immune and some other internal systems of your body. Our neck, ears and wrists are highly sensitive parts of our body with different bioactive spots. Wearing shungite as a piece of jewellery enhances the curative effect of the stone. Wear your stone as a pendant close to the throat and chest to offer your heart and thyroid gland much-needed support. Shungite jewellery is your must-have if you suffer from headaches, insomnia or anxiety.

2) Bracelets

Some research has proven that shungite can be used to control hyperactivity in children by having them wear shungite as a bracelet (google Regina Martino to learn about shungite water in small doses). The wrist is a sensitive area which will respond well to the benefits offered by shungite since this area is so sensitive on a subtle level. Shungite’s effect on the body is amplified here, because the wrist is a major receptive area as it is traversed by many meridian lines. Similarly, shungite bracelets or belts could be worn by the elderly who experience pain due to arthritis or ageing. It’s also great for balancing energy when travelling on long journeys and boosting fatigue.

3) Rings

Shungite as a ring stimulates the huge number of bioactive spots located in our hands and fingers. Shungite also has remarkable electricity-conducting abilities which makes it a great grounder. This can be used to help you focus when attempting to put all of your mental energy towards a specific goal. Whether it be for magic or meditation, shungite can be used to help drive you towards your desired goal or outcome.

It Keeps Negativity at Bay

Due to its deep black color, many believe that it has the ability to protect one from bad luck. It is said that the stone has the ability to shroud a person in darkness so that bad luck cannot find them. Moreover, it can help hold anything negative at bay, and counteract the shadow-self, the unconscious part of our ego that many identify as the dark side of our personality.

anyway, speaking of rings…

4) Mobile phone plate attach this to your phone for protection against electromagnetic radiation.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a component of the World Health Organization (WHO), have not ruled out the negative effects of EMF and concede that EMFs are “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Shungite is believed to have the ability to absorb and completely neutralise dangerous frequencies from EMF radiation thanks to the fullerenes it contains. It works to negate the potential harm from devices such as microwaves, televisions, computers and cell phones. It’s scientifically proven that EMF and geopathic stress make the human body vibrate at higher frequencies than normal which can damage our immune systems, making us more sensitive to viruses, bacteria, parasites, environmental pollution, degenerative disease, the list goes on. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity compromises our energy levels and how we are able to function: we might face such problems as chronic fatigue, regular stress, decreased attention span, memory loss, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Moreover EMF and geopathic stress can cause more serious health problems such as increased blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, and arthritis.

5) Mobile Phone Stand

Sleep with your phone near the bed because you use it as an alarm? That’s around 8 hours (if you’re getting enough sleep that is) of exposure to potentially harmful cellphone radiation. This phone stand looks gorgeous and will absorb the EMF for you, so that your body doesn’t have to! Not quite ‘wearable’, but certainly indispensable.

There are three types of Shungite:


Type I Shungite, or silver shungite: if you are considering taking Shungite seriously and to the next level, then do some research on Type 1 Shungite. This is Shungite in its purest form, considered a perfect natural healer and energy stabiliser. It contains 90 - 98% organic carbon which is what gives it its high energetic potential and will look black, shiny and a little silvery. It’s not cheap! It’s so fragile that it’s hard to shape into the pendants and rings you see pictured, and can be bought as small rocks or stones in their natural shape. Type I is the rarest form of shungite since it only makes up about 1% of all shungite that is found. Make sure you buy from a reputable supplier - Karelian Heritage is one of them.



Type II Shungite, or black shungite: contains 50 - 70% organic carbon. This is the most commonly found as it can be shaped into objects/pendants/rings most easily.

Type III Shungite: contains 30 - 50% organic carbon.

Is Shungite expensive?

The highest quality Shungite is only in the Zazhoginsky mine located in Republic of Karelia Russia. Shungite from other mines is cheaper, especially Shungite slate.

Where can I buy Karelian Shungite?

The best are from Karelian Heritage - their pendants are gorgeous and I trust their product. Straight from the source!

https://karelianheritage.com/

For 15% off your first order use code VICTORIA15

A Face Angel: how to get rid of makeup

I am slowly, but surely, making up with makeup. For one, it takes time to apply. I am no good at applying it, and even worse at getting it off. The fact that most of my work is on retreat (full face of makeup, hello, who are you?) if wearing makeup demands travelling with remover wipes and extra oil-based cleansers, you can forget it.

Environmentally-far-from-friendly, time-consuming and doesn’t  do the job properly anyway. I wake up in the morning still to a pair of panda eyes and lipstick on my top teeth. Then there’s the pile of wipes on the bedside table that look like Pete Burns went to town on.

Besides, if I need a pick me up then I do Facial Yoga Workout. That works wonders. For those too busy to do a full Facial Workout, watch the video below for 3 of my top Facial Exercises to combat wrinkles and start turning back the clock. If you’re a busy bee, then this is 3 minutes of your time that you should make. After a Facial Yoga Workout many people find that they do not need to apply as much makeup as they would normally.

For those occasions when I do want a face full, I’ve tried something new. Face Halo. They’re reusable, compact and chemical-free. Life is good again.

www.facehalo.com

Face Halo - The Modern Makeup Remover - works with either cold or warm water to loosen your makeup. Its HaloTech fibre strands reach deep into your pores to remove and trap makeup, giving your skin a healthy and invigorating clean in half the time. You don’t need to rub or scrub, and the pads are machine washable. And there’s one for the body too. You’ve thought of everything guys. You are angels.

Now that’s one way to get rid of makeup. Want a better foundation for your makeup? Work it out! Here is a 3-minute video below to work out the wrinkles in between your eyebrows, lips and bring elasticity back into the neck and jowls.

Facial Yoga, Facial Fitness - whatever the name, it's all Facial Exercise. And it is VERY beneficial for you and your skin.

Watch below for the Full Facial Yoga Workout - if you haven’t got time to watch it now, you can Save it For Later on YouTube :)

A raw dessert recipe without nuts - allergen free!

The raw food movement is taking the world by storm, yet it’s leaving some of us out: what about those with nut allergies? Almost all raw desserts contain copious amounts of nuts and dried fruit to replace traditional baking ingredients such as eggs and sugar. Nuts are a fantastic source of good fats (e.g. Omega-3 fatty acids) and dried fruit provides phytonutrients and energy, but it does leave those less tolerant or even allergic in need of an alternative. Not only this, incidents reported in the media are raising the question in the food industry “what can we use instead of nuts and seeds to keep our customers safe?” Admittedly this only effects a minority, but when it comes to life or death it is simply not worth the risk of a single nut.

Creative Nature Superfoods launched “free-from” snacking in the raw food market. In a world where health food seems to be the new processed food, Creative Nature focuses on healthy eating authentically.

Read on for how I’m using them in my raw desserts!

RASPBERRY COCONUT CHEESECAKE

BASE INGREDIENTS:

5 Goji Bars from Creative Nature Superfoods

1 tsp beetroot powder

2 Medjool dates, soaked 15 mins in water and drained

1 tbsp desiccated coconut

CHEESECAKE FILLING:

100ml coconut oil

1 tin coconut milk

200g raspberries, fresh or frozen

25g xylitol

TOPPING: fresh raspberries

1. Pulse all BASE INGREDIENTS in food processor until a dough forms.

2. Press dough into a silicon mould, or cake tin double-lined with cling film.

3. Blend CHEESECAKE FILLING ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

4. Pour cheesecake filling over base and leave to set in fridge or freezer.

5. Decorate with fresh raspberries.

Is Body Image All About Mind Image?

Eight weeks ago I was asked to be a part of a project. This project offered me the opportunity to dress up in a vintage 1950s swimsuit, have my makeup done, and pose in an iconic luxury estate something akin to a Miami beach house in Oxfordshire. The catch? Well there was none really - I was working with a professional photographer and peers I consider friends yet I had no idea how uncomfortable I would feel until the moment I sat down by the pool in that gorgeous red vintage 1950s swimsuit at the time to pose. Yet not pose. And look cool, as well as perfect. This was the narrative in my mind.

Vikram Kushwah, incredibly talented fashion + art photographer, opens up the conversation about body image and does it with colour and integrity. His series ‘Women in Bathing Suits’ explores the subject of body image and diversity in the female form. In this series of portraits, the sitters - from various ethnic backgrounds and professions - shed light on how they perceive their bodies, as well as how the complexities of their form and/or societal ideas of beauty affect their psyches.

The photo was incredibly difficult to sit for - I felt self-conscious, awkward, self-conscious about my awkwardness!! It felt difficult to share this without berating the parts of myself I do not like.... which is ridiculous! Sharing my experience - as well as the series of photos Vikram took from the shoot - with my friends and peers gave me overwhelming insight and reassurance, that it’s not just me. I have read messages from both men and women who experience the same feelings of insecurity and self-beratement, equally without reason nor rationale. Here were my very honest thoughts about body image, and my reflections based on the responses that followed:

'A lot changes in the journey from how I see myself in the mirror to how I picture myself in my mind. Body image in my life has been something all-consuming. Sometimes I like what I see, but mostly I have berated my shape rather than celebrate it, the scars, the curves, lumps, blemishes, bumps. I don’t believe the problem is body image at all, it’s more “mind image”- the “not good enough” attitude that I think many of us women and men have adopted without respite.

Yet I do love my body. I am deeply grateful to be in this body. And I look after my body as best I can. I do criticise my body, most parts of it, regularly. Still, I know and love the body that is mine, and remind myself that this battle going on inside of me is happening in the minds of most of my peers, the strangers I pass on the street, even the models who walk into my yoga class. Yoga, dance and pranayama have helped me to be in my body, to let my mind go, and for a short moment that ridiculous concept “not good enough” is far, far away.'

~ Victoria Adams

As an aside, when Vikram asked me my swimsuit size, what I really wanted to say was

“could you order me 3 sizes in case it doesn’t fit me?”

I can’t remember what I actually said. I should also say that of the photos taken I was at my most natural and “beautiful” as far as I’m concerned in one of the outtakes, laughing and having fun with my friend Julie. I remember the moment it was taken. In that moment there was no photographer (in my mind) and no self-judgement, only an opportunity to laugh and be myself with my dear friend. I am so grateful to have this photo: in it I do not see two beautiful girls in swimsuits, I see friendship.

I don’t know where in my lifetime it came from, but there is so much pressure to look “perfect”. I’m not sure I really know what perfect means, or even how I’d know if I got there. I have scrutinised my photograph. I have picked it - me - apart and then blurred it all back together again to see its beauty. I am sure that many of you will relate to this screening and scrutinising, whether we’re talking about professional pics or Facebook tags. We all pick at ourselves, man or woman. Critical over body, over decisions we have made in our past, over decisions we haven’t even made yet in our future.

Would you speak to the person sat next to you on the train in the same way that you speak to yourself? As my grandmother said, they’d give you a slap what for! Yet we deem it acceptable to self-flagellate ourselves as if we were our worst enemy? I have sat with circles of men and women, and seen them brought to tears at being told how beautiful they are in their entireties, not just their physicality. In their eyes I see them release years, often decades, of grief that has been buried, churned and recycled to the point that it has effectively become a trauma. This trauma that we have lived with, and continue to live with, as if it needn’t be dealt with or even spoken of. Why? Is it because we know it is a misplaced cause to put so much pressure on ourselves? Do we know on a gut level that, really, we are enough “just as we are”? I don’t know how to answer this.

All I know is that we are losing the opportunity to connect with others on an authentic level because we are so all-consumed by worry and fear that we are “not good enough” in the eyes of others. When actually some of us have failed to connect because the ones deeming us not good enough ares our own Selves.

Lose your story. Trust that you are enough, and that the love you convey to and for yourself can spread and inspire the same in others. Do not stress, or self-flagellate: for every 5 minutes you’re upset, it takes 8 hours to get out of your body’s stress response. And that’s not good for the wrinkles ;)

Every time you use your voice, it sends out a message to every cell in your body, as well as to the people around you. Be grateful for your body - it has gotten you this far. When you are having “one of those days” remind yourself that this fight going on inside of you is probably going on inside the man or woman you just passed on the street, or inside of your “perfect” best friend, who was too embarrassed to talk about it, or too busy to stop to notice and practice self-care and self-love. If the concept of body image is about how our mind perceives our body, can we change the narrative that has taken us out of our bodies? How do we get out of our heads? How do we stop being so hard on ourselves?

Maybe it’s as simple as reminding others and, in the moment we point out to another, we come to the realisation in ourselves: we are all good enough.

Vikram and @julieelagrace thank you for the beauty in your work and in your friendship. Check out www.vikramkushwah.com for more portraits of the beautiful and inspiring women who took part in the shoot.

Please share this post if you wish, I would love to know your thoughts on body image, mind image, and the constant chatter that goes on inside our heads. You can reach me @victoriaadams on Instagram.

The shots I can’t get enough of

Back when I used to spend 10 hours a day at my desk, I wish I had known about these. Making my own healthy drink in the office took too much time, the local “health food” bars and cafes were either not all that healthy at all, overpriced, or tasted awful. At least we got together eventually - Bumblezest have brought something to the market that tastes good, is small enough to travel with on flights, boosts my energy and gets my skin glowing even when I’m tired and overdoing it.

When the body is in a state of inflammation, everything is harder (to say the least). So, how do you reduce inflammation? You can do it with sleep, boosting your immune system, with DIET and watching your stress + activity levels (not enough can be too little, but too much can also be too much). I can’t always control the amount of stress I have to deal with (said the yoga teacher!) but I do manage this using diet. Anti-inflammatory foods (most often plant-based foods) are how I do it.

By the way, when your body is in a lesser state of inflammation, this means it can respond more positively to flexibility and/or strength training - you are able to recover more quickly after training. You know what that means? Less DOMS, you can train a little more, and the more you train the better you become at your chosen practice.

GREAT FOR WHEN YOU’RE BUZZING ABOUT

The last year has been constant travel, moving between countries and then moving between houses, organising "At Home" Cleanses for clients. Getting a pot or pan, let alone my juicer out to make myself a nutritious meal has been tough. It helps working in the wellness industry, but train journeys and flights in between have meant I’ve had to keep life minimalistic. Most of my cooking equipment has been in storage and I don’t remember the last time I went food shopping or was “home” long enough to actually use all of the produce before it walked its own way out of the fridge!

ABOUT BUMBLEZEST

Bumblezest’s founder, Battersea-based Daniel was, like me, living and working in the city juggling numerous things and trying to find his way as he navigated between a stressful job and finding balance with his health- a stress in itself! The drink comes in little 90ml glass bottle (a nod to reducing carbon footprint) which makes it quick to drink (though I do try to make it last as it tastes so good!) and fine to travel with - it would be a very sad day if I had to leave a bottle behind at airport security.

HOW I HAVE MINE

I drink these in the morning (as it feels good knowing that the first thing to hit my digestive system is a food that nourishes). You can have it as a health shot on the go, or dilute with filtered water or even nut/seed milks, if that’s your thing. Sometimes I mix it with something fancier *vodka ahem* to share with friends and trick them into drinking something that’s a little “better" for them; it’s a way to find balance. Besides, there’s no point in being super healthy unless it make you super happy.

WHAT’S IN IT

Gluten, nut, dairy and lactose free, colouring, additives and preservative free. I love the shots that contain Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen (from wild caught fish). Collagen supports healthy skin, bone, hair, joints, muscles, organs and other connective tissue. Did you know that collagen is a protein our bodies already know how to make? Good sources to help boost our body’s production of collagen are: dark green veg, red/orange veg (Vitamin A helps restore collagen that has been damaged), citrus (Vitamin C is required in the process to make collagen, as well as zinc and copper) fish, meat (broths in particular), and eggs.

SWEET STUFF

The ingredients, elixirs such as maca, ginger, turmeric, spirulina, pair up with lemon juice as the main fruit base. Fructose, which is fruit sugar, has been getting a lot of bad press recently (save that for another journal post). Lemon has a very low fructose level so if that is something you’re worried about, you don’t need to. For flavour, the shots are sweetened with natural ingredients- a drop of honey, maple or stevia. Honey, by the way, is full of natural vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients. It has its own microorganisms which make it a powerful natural antibiotic. This is becoming all the more important what with the disappearance of bees on our planet and the increase in antibiotic-resistance. Bumblezest work with British bee keepers and use only ethically sourced honey, ensuring that all their honey comes from hives where honey is left for the bees all year round so that the bees are able to survive the winter.

‘If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left’ - Albert Einstein

There are lots of flavours you can try, these are the ones I am buzzing about:

REVIVE + RESTORE ginger, turmeric, collagen (hydrolysed Marine Collagen from wild fish)

To lift you if you are ill or feel a cold coming on

NOURISH + NURTURE cacao, maca, collagen (from wild fish)

Your alternative to coffee, sweet treat, and has a sprinkling of cayenne to give your workout or metabolism a kick when you need it

CALM + COMFORT camomile, lavender, spirulina

To calm and comfort you, florals and superfoods to relax and restore if you’re feeling stressed, anxious or having trouble unwinding

If you’re really into juicing, get yourself booked onto a week at Juicy Oasis or Juicy Mountain. Don’t hang around because I’ve spent most of 2018 telling my mates I can’t bump them up the loooooooooooong waiting list- if it’s fully booked, it means fully booked.

www.bumblezest.co.uk

Instagram @bumblezest

Instagram @victoriaadams