The C&TH A-Z Guide To Wellbeing
By Guest Writer
4 years ago
And breathe...
How to feel your best in body, mind and soul.
The C&TH A-Z Guide To Wellbeing
Zoom Personal Training
A whole new industry was borne out of lockdown but here’s an incredible training regime you can do from the comfort of home that is actually really effective. If you want something challenging that will work all those tiny muscle groups and raise your heart rate, Aimee Victoria Long’s Body Beautiful Method is just the ticket, mixing Pilates, barre and body weight conditioning. You won’t believe how hard you can work and how much you sweat, but the genius is you can jump straight into
you own shower afterwards and admire the resculpting of your body that starts to show after just a few sessions.
Ed Curtis Yoga Gear
Lululemon’s workout gear is beloved by everyone from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to the Duchess of Cambridge. This month they’re bringing out a super-cool, explosively colourful collection in collaboration with British artist Ed Curtis, who debuted his own fashion line in August last year. From £35, lululemon.co.uk
Winter Cleanse
To help break bad habits (anyone been diving into the fridge once too often while working at home?), a change in regime can help. Purearth’s new Winter Warmer Juice Cleanse is a mixed pack with ingredients that warm the body from within (broths and spiced chai nut milk – like a much-needed hug), cold-pressed juices packed with antioxidants, shots that boost your immunity and water kefirs full of those all-important live cultures for better gut health. All organic. All delicious. All vegan. In just three days you’ll feel the results, with better skin, more energy and improved sleep. From £80, purearth.co.uk
Vitamin C
Want to know the secret of good skin? It’s not as complicated as it’s made out to be. ‘A lot of people have no idea how important vitamin C is, or think it’s old news,’ says Margaret Karlinski, a scientific aromatherapist. ‘But vitamin C, together with zinc and other minerals and amino acids (lysine and proline), are all necessary nutrients involved in collagen synthesis,’ she says. Karlinksi advises taking products with vitamin C as well as hyaluronic acid, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles through its hydration superpowers. ‘These two active ingredients are the main players to prevent skin ageing,’ she affirms. For a super skin treat in the morning we love applying Dr Sebagh’s Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream with its super-high concentration, together with two or three drops of Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster.
Upside Down
A rush of blood to the head has long been known to increase blood flow to the brain and the digestive system. But a headstand can also strengthen your core, upper body strength and stamina. Learn how to achieve it at The Yoga Class, a new online-only members’ studio with a comprehensive library of yoga and meditation classes to dip into wherever you are. From £23.98 per month, theyogaclass.co
TRX
Spotted some yellow and black straps hanging ominously in the corner of your gym? That’s called a TRX, which stands for Total Resistance Exercise. An increased interest in home workputs has brought this handy and effective piece of kit into the spotlight, prompting the launch of TRX Live: digital suspension training classes you can tune into from home.
Shaking Meditation
Taylor Swift was right when she wrote her chart-busting song Shake it Off. Body shaking can help release the impact of profound stress and trauma on our minds and bodies. Trauma expert Steve Haines developed TRE (trauma-releasing exercises) to help trigger our natural tremor reflex and release deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma in a safe environment. Afterwards expect to feel present, connected and calm. £80 per hour, bodycollege.net
Rapid Tapping
We’ve just about got the gist of tapping, or EFT (it’s like acupuncture without the needles and is used to eliminate negative emotions, emotional pain and stuck energy), but now Rapid Tapping has come to the UK courtesy of ‘the mind alchemist’ Poppy Delbridge, who counts Oprah and Madonna among her fans. In just one minute this technique ‘shifts your emotional state for the better and allows us to go into patterns stored in the brain and rewire them in one single session,’ says Poppy. One to one sessions, £250. poppydelbridge.com
Qigong
Qigong – aka Chinese yoga-is an ancient ‘energy practice’ that can have profound benefits on physical and mental health. As we experience emotions, from birth, they manifest in our physical bodies, and with repeated emotional patterns that energy can get stuck in our organs – hence phrases like ‘sick to the stomach’ and ‘heartache’. Through breathing techniques and a series of movements that correspond to our vital organs, Qigong aims to shift those blockages to restore balance. One place to start learning about this powerful technique is to do a course with Hayo’u, whose teachers are so passionate about its healing effects that you feel you’re at the beginning of a fascinating journey of discovery. Online classes from £10, hayoufit.com
Power Powder
We defy you to find a more delicious, healthy start to your day than Dr Jack’s SkinShake. The cacao flavour tastes so caramely you can’t believe it’s just pea and white hemp protein along with matcha, chlorella, chia seeds, wheatgrass, and green kale powder, plus vitamins and omega 3s. Mix with water or a nut milk and it will keep you going till lunch, we promise. 15 helpings, £65, drdavidjack.com
Online Courses
Since the enforced digital switch, there are literally millions of courses to do online now, but one of the most enjoyable for those wishing to eat and shop smarter and better is Amelia Freer’s The Joy of Healthy Eating. Thirty inspiring ten-minute videos invite you into Amelia’s home, kitchen and mind. You’ll go shopping with her and learn to plan meals, as well as some invaluable life and food hacks. There are exclusive recipes and downloadable handouts too.
Nootropics
Want to clear the brain fog and get focussed? Don’t we all. There are other ways to get that caffeine buzz, though. Nootropics or ‘smart drugs’ are brain-boosting substances loved by Silicon Valley types, which supply natural psychostimulants, such as lion’s mane mushroom and bacopa monnieri leaf extract, to the body and brain to improve mental clarity, cognitive function and sharpen senses. Nootro-Focus, £65 for 60 pills, uk.thenueco.com
Menopause
Once taboo, menopause is now rightfully getting the airtime it deserves, led by celebrities such as Emma Thompson and Oprah, who have opened up the conversation. If you’re in one of the three transitional stages of menopause, you might want to give MPowder a try, developed by Rebekah Brown, who was finding it impossible to get proper help and advice. Approved by registered naturopaths, nutritionists and herbalists, the plant-based supplement contains all the relevant vitamins and minerals needed to help support women through a change that can last up to ten years. £69 for a 30-day supply.
Lunchtime Facial
If the ravages of last year got you down and you couldn’t regularly see your facialist, book in for a few nifty sessions of Laser Genesis with Sana Khan when you can. Known as the lunchtime facial (it’s done in under an hour, with barely any downtime afterwards), the non-invasive laser treatment targets areas of sun damage, fine lines, acne and rosacea to give your skin a massive boost of dewy glow and softness. Three to six sessions are recommended for optimal results. From £109, avicennawellbeing.com
Kit
Wearable tech has allowed us insight into our health, fitness and wellbeing in the last few years. But it’s not just for tracking your step counts anymore. New developments include the V-LAP, the world’s first microcomputer implanted in the heart, which captures and analyses data ready for review by the patient and their doctor; trackers like ZOE, which stores your gut, blood fat and blood sugar responses so you can take control of your health; and apps like Flo and Clue, which track ovulation patterns , so users understand their bodies better.
Journaling
If you struggle with meditation, journaling is another avenue to improving your relationship with your mind. Getting your thoughts, emotions and intentions down on J paper means focusing on, and giving space to, your feelings, which can have a positive overall impact on your mental health. Many believe that journaling can improve symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and even promote better sleep. We like Noble Macmillan’s selection, from £30, noblemacmillan.com
Insomnia Innovations
We all know phones should be out of the bedroom but what if you need it for that meditation app? Now you’ve no excuse, as Morphée has landed (£79.95, morphee.co). This new, non-digital sleeping aid offers 200 sessions of guided meditation and sophrology (relaxation, breathing and mental exercises to calm your mind). It’s also time to ditch the fizzy coke and usher in PepsiCo’s answer to the sleeplessness pandemic: a sleep drink in a can. Driftwell is a ‘functional water’ drink containing magnesium and 200 mg of L-theanine (found naturally in green and black tea), which is known for its stress and anxiety-busting qualities.
Hemp Oil
The exponential rise in CBD (medical marijuana) products in everything from toothpaste to shampoo is an index of the habitually high state of anxiety at which many of us function. Rue Verte is the only CBD H collection currently authorised for professional spa use, so there’s no doubting its quality. The oral tincture, taken under the tongue and held for 60 seconds, is a highly effective way of delivering its calming properties to the body, setting us up for a less stressed day and a better night’s kip. Available in up to 2500mg CBD per 10ml. From £64.95, lrvskincare.co.uk
Germs
It was inevitable after 2020: we’re now obsessed with germs. And hand sanitiser is simply not enough: there’s an emerging new genre of bacteria and virus-beating technology that makes it even easier to eliminate unhealthy bugs – without the harsh chemicals to boot. Enter the CleanPod UVC Steriliser, which uses a high energy beam of ultraviolet C light to sanitise surfaces (£67, monos.com). The Tersano iClean Mini, meanwhile, is a portable device that zaps tap water with an electric current to turn it into an effective cleaner that’s stronger than bleach, but still gentle on skin (£238, icleanmyhome.com).
Friluftsliv
We’re used to looking to Nordic practices when it comes to upping our wellbeing game and since outdoor socialising has become the new norm friluftsliv teaches us the value of reconnecting with nature by spending as much time as possible outside. The aim is to pause in our busy lives, go outdoors, breathe in fresh air and remember there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Epsom Salts
Osteopath Sam Kankanamge from Sen Wellness recommends not just a measly teaspoon of salts in your bath but a whopping 2kg if you really want to feel the benefits. Use once or twice a week to relieve sore muscles or just to increase relaxation for a better night’s sleep. For added luxury, add a capful of Slow Ageing’s Bath Essence with hazelnut seed, juniper and cypress oils for mood-enhancing, gorgeous-smelling joy. £51, slowageing.co.uk
Detox
Loved by Kate Moss, Joshi’s 21-day detox kit comes with a simple-to- follow, packed- full-of-good advice book about really understanding how to detox safely and properly. But it’s the carefully curated box of brilliantly packaged supplements, Deep Clean, Flush, Lighter Liver and Sweet Revenge (the one that sends you sprinting to the loo in the morning) that really help support you and get you going and flowing. £250, joshiclinic.com
Collagen
Suzie Sawyer, nutritionist to Ancient and Brave, tells us that, ‘Intermittent fasting is not only effective for weight loss but also for correcting metabolic imbalances putting people more at risk from type 2 diabetes and other conditions.’ On your fasting days, Ancient + Brave’s Inspired Collagyn powder can really help as it’s high in protein and MCT oil, which keeps blood sugar levels in good balance. £37, ancientandbrave.earth
Barefoot
Gwyneth Paltrow raised some eyebrows raving about the wellbeing benefits of walking around barefoot, but her claims are backed by science. Known as ‘earthing’, the practice involves placing bare feet or hands on the earth to soak up Mother Nature’s healing energy, with devotees swearing by 30 minutes a day for better sleep and reduced inflammation.
Ayahuasca
You’ve seen the movies and watched the documentaries. A shaman administers hallucinogenic ‘tea’ to a group of people and watches over them while they enter a higher mental state to find clarity, purpose and vision (and the odd vomit). If you’ve ever been tempted to take a trip, but don’t know where to start, Behold Retreats, which launched last year, offers fully bespoke and supported plant medicine retreats, where you can safely – and legally – find your own inner meaning on ayahuasca, psilocybin or the San Pedro cactus.
Featured Image: Unsplash
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