Rosie Weston Nutrition

Isolation birthdays.
Appreciating the small things today.
Video calls with best friends ... A safe and healthy family The shining sun My fluffy cats My husband Fresh air Good books A roof over my head
I made myself a vanilla and chocolate swirl cashew nut cheesecake style birthday cake.
Hand me the fork!
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So what does a nutritional therapist do? And how might working with one change your life? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Nutritional therapy is a recognised complementary medicine and this means that it’s safe to use alongside healthcare from your GP or specialist. Did you know that you can claim back nutritional therapy costs with some insurance companies if your nutritional therapist is registered with the CNHC? Always make sure, whatever modality, that your practitioner is a) qualified b) regi...stered with a governing body and c) insured. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Most people come to see me because they have health problems, things like irregular and painful periods, acne, problems conceiving, recurrent miscarriages and more often than not gut problems like IBS or IBD. Diet, lifestyle and environment all play huge roles in our health. If we don’t feed our bodies the right nutrients how can we expect them to perform properly? If we don’t have a good work life balance and work long hours how can we expect our bodies to feel rested? All of the systems in our body are interconnected so when one falls out of whack the others take the slack this could present as unexplained infertility but the real problem is in the digestive system with undiagnosed celiac disease. Remove wheat, repair the digestive tract and chances are you’ll fall pregnant. This happens all over the body all the time. Another great example is the weight that you just can’t shift and it’s not from lack of exercise or dieting, in fact you could have an underactive thyroid which is a gland located in your neck, deal with this and the weight falls off. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Nutritional therapists are trained to prescribe supplements, arrange and review diagnostic test results and give lifestyle advice. As well as all this I do health talks, run workshops, write articles and design recipes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Want to work with me? I currently have limited availability in May, DM me to arrange a free discovery call.
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This week is nutrition and hydration week, it seems we have a day, month or week in the year for everything now but it’s great to help draw attention to areas of our health we might be struggling with.
So I’m going to talk today about water!! Seems pretty simple and we all know we need to drink water but how many of us actually get in our 2L a day?
Some of the symptoms of thirst/ dehydration include
... Feeling tired and constantly yawning Headaches Feeling dizzy Dry skin Feeling thirsty or hungry Dry membranes ‚Äď mouth lips or eyes Constipation or difficulty passing a stool
Water has some important jobs to play within the body, it helps to flush out toxins, is part of the make-up of our cervical fluid, saliva and blood. It’s used in all cells and organs to help regulate temperature. It protects and cushions our vital organs. Helps us to pass bowel movements. Supports the conversion of food into energy and helps us absorb nutrients. Now you know why it’s so important to drink water.
I’ve heard it loads of times from my clients that they don’t like the taste of water or they find it really difficult to remember to drink enough. What I will say is filtered water tastes a lot different to tap and its worth investing in a good quality water filter like Berkey as unfortunately water contains a whole array of toxins these days. Try adding different herbs or slices or orange or lemon into your water to jazz it up a bit. Or try herbal teas. Coffee and tea don’t count towards your water intake as they actually dehydrate you!
There are apps you can download to help you remember to drink water but what works for me is a glass jug or bottle on my desk next to where I’m working as a constant reminder.
When increasing your water intake start slow, add in one extra glass a day for a week, then up your intake again. Slow changes are sustainable and it won't be such a shock to your body if it’s not used to having much.
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This is Mousey, she has no problem sleeping. Do you?
So many people suffer with disturbed sleep these days that its become normal to complain to our work colleagues of how tired we are. So how do we get a better night‚Äôs sleep? ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Our sleep is affected by more than the food we eat, everything we do in the couple of hours before bed can negatively or positively affect our quality of sleep. ... Some of the negative factors are alcohol, caffeine, temperature, electronics, pollution and noise. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Although alcohol is often used by people to help them get to sleep it negatively affects the amount of time we spend in REM stage of sleep which is the more restful stage. So it's really worth limiting your alcohol intake. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä You‚Äôd be surprised at how much temperature affects our sleep. Did you know the ideal sleeping temperature is between 15-19¬įC? Our bedrooms should be like a cave, cool, dark and quiet. We really haven‚Äôt changed that much since our cavemen days. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Electronic devices emit blue light which affects melatonin production (our sleep-regulating hormone). Try not to use these the few hours before bed or wear blue light-blocking glasses. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä But how can food affect our sleep? One of the most common reasons for waking in the night is due to an imbalance in our blood sugar levels. We need to be eating balanced meals throughout the day to make sure our BS levels are stable. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Magnesium is required in melatonin production; increase magnesium-rich foods like organic almonds, leafy green veg and white beans. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Tryptophan-rich foods like bananas, turkey, nuts, seeds and dairy also support serotonin production a hormone very much involved in the sleep-wake cycle so aim to eat these in your evening meals. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä If you continue to have broken or disturbed sleep it's worth seeking the advice of a Nutritional Therapist who can put a personalised plan together for you.
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What the F is seed cycling? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Seed cycling is an approach which has been used for many years to support hormone balance during the menstrual cycle. The idea is really simple, certain seeds contain certain lignans which are plant compounds which can bind to excess hormones and help excrete them from the body. The seeds also contain essential fatty acids which are the building blocks for hormones. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Oestrogen and Progesterone and two of the hormones which contro...l and regulate the menstrual cycle. Day 1 of your cycle is the day you start your period. In a normal cycle oestrogen levels rise during this first half of your cycle (follicular phase). The levels peak just before day 14 and hopefully you ovulate an egg that is ready to be fertilised. During the second half of your cycle day 15-28 (the luteal phase) progesterone steadily rises and oestrogen slowly tapers off. It is an imbalance between these two hormones which cause us to have PMS symptoms. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Head over to my website and sign up to my newsletter to get sent my full seed cycling protocol including yummy recipes! Link in my bio.
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This delicious crumble uses seasonal apples and pears and frozen blackberries. The natural sugars in the fruit give sweetness to this pudding without the use of refined sugar. A thick layer of crumble made from ground oats and almonds tops it off and makes this a warming winter dessert. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚ÄĘ 4 organic apples, cored and sliced lengthwise into 8ths ‚ÄĘ 4 organic pears, cored and sliced lengthwise into 8ths ‚ÄĘ 2 cups frozen organic blackberries... ‚ÄĘ ¬ľ cup organic apple juice ‚ÄĘ 4 cups organic oats, ground into a rough flour in a blender or Nutribullet ‚ÄĘ 1 cup organic ground almonds ‚ÄĘ 1.5 cups solid organic coconut oil ‚ÄĘ 1 tbsp date syrup ‚ÄĘ 1 tsp organic vanilla paste ‚ÄĘ 1 handful of organic oats ‚ÄĘ 1 handful of mixed nuts, chopped ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä 1. Start by chopping all the fruit. Spread all the pieces out in a 26 cm circular oven proof dish. 2. Cook on top of the stove on a medium heat for around 10 minutes. Add a splash of apple juice every now and then and stir the fruit around. 3. Add the frozen blackberries and put a lid on this dish 4. Continue to cook whilst you make the crumble topping. 5. In a large bowl add the ground oats and almonds and using a wooden spoon stir to combine. 6. Chop the solid coconut oil up into small chunks and add to the bowl. 7. Using clean dry hands start to rub the coconut oil into flour. Keep rubbing it through your fingers until you get a crumb. 8. Add the date syrup to the bowl and using the wooden spoon stir to combine. 9. Remove the lid from the fruit, add in the rest of the apple juice, vanilla paste and stir. 10. Make sure the fruit is spread out evenly in the dish then add the crumble topping on top. Gently sprinkle a handful of oats on top and the chopped nuts 11. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
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Do you have a heavy flo? ūüö® Well first of all lets determine what having a heavy flo means? The NHS determine a heavy menstrual cycle as losing 80ml (16 teaspoons) or more in each period or having a period which lasts 7 days or more or both. ūüö®... Heavy bleeding can be a symptom for uterine fibroids as well as endometriosis so if you are having any other symptoms like painful periods, back or pelvic pain, bloating and nausea then best to go see your GP. ūüö® As a Nutritional Therapist I look for the root cause of your symptoms and work out why you are having a heavy flo. ūüö® The body doesn‚Äôt just do stuff for the fun of it, there‚Äôs always a reason and that‚Äôs where I get to play detective and help you figure it out. ūüö® Diet is key as a healthy menstrual cycle needs lots of different vitamins, minerals as well as sufficient protein, heathy fats and complex carbohydrates. Without these key ingredients your menstrual cycle can get all out of whack. ūüö® Heavy bleeding can also be a symptom for low iron and low iron can be caused by heavy bleeding so it is always best to get your iron levels tested with your GP and if low to take a supplement as well as increasing your food sources of iron (think red meat, spinach, beans and lentils). Low iron levels can make you feel super tired, dizzy and out of breath easily. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ūüö®ūüö®ūüö® ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä
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What’s amazing about beetroot apart from their vibrant pink colour? It has to be their unique source of phytonutrients called betalains which have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. This means beetroots can help offset the by-products of inflammation (free radicals) and support our liver at detoxifying pesticides and other chemicals as well as hormones. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Beetroot is a source of iron which may be depleted in those with end...ometriosis or heavy periods. Beeturia is the discolouration of urine after eating beetroot which has been observed to increase in frequency among adults with iron deficiency. So if you suffer from heavy periods and have pink pee after eating beetroot its worth getting your iron levels checked. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Beetroot Latte recipe 1 tsp beetroot powder of 1 shot of fresh beetroot juice 1/8tsp ginger powder or a small grating of fresh ginger 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder 1 mug nut milk ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In a sauce pan heat up the nut milk until just before boiling. Pour the beetroot shot or powder into a mug along with the other spices and a small amount of milk. Using a small electric whisk combine the milk and powders together. Once combined pour in the rest of the milk and froth.
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So you‚Äôve been given the diagnosis of endometriosis, what the heck do you do now? Your GP has recommended you take anti-inflammatory pain killers or hormone treatments that are designed to shrink endometrial cells or maybe you‚Äôre booked in for surgery to remove the clumps of cells? ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä You can also support your endometriosis in a natural way through diet and lifestyle. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä My top tips for supporting endometriosis... ‚ÄĘ Eat your 5 a day ‚Äď studies show a significantly reduced risk of endometriosis in women who have a higher intake of green veggies and fruit ‚ÄĘ Reduce intake of red meat and swap for chicken and wild oily fish (red meat can be inflammatory and endometriosis is an inflammatory condition on the other hand oily fish is anti inflammatory) ‚ÄĘ Support the gut ‚Äď make sure you are having a bowel movement every day to remove old hormones and toxins (hormones left in the bowel can be recirculated causing a hormone imbalance) ‚ÄĘ Regular exercise - this has been associated with a 40-80% reduction in the risk of endometriosis in case control studies (you don‚Äôt have to run a marathon, go for a walk, do some yoga, move) ‚ÄĘ Reduce your exposure to toxins ‚Äď these chemicals are hormone disruptors that wreak havoc on our bodies (check back on my grid for help with this) ‚ÄĘ Supplements ‚Äď there are so many great ones out there but it‚Äôs very individual ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä For more personalised advice on how to support your endo through diet send me a DM or arrange your free discovery call today.
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This week is endometriosis awareness week. So I wanted to talk a little bit about what endometriosis is. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Endometriosis or endo is a condition that affects the cells and tissue of the uterus. The endometrial tissue (meaning top layer of cells) abnormally implants itself in locations outside of the uterus as you can see in the picture. You might ask why this is bad, well as we know the cells of the uterus have a special job in that each month when we menstruate they s...lough off and are removed from the body through our vagina as period blood. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä When these cells locate themselves in other parts of the body, they still follow this cyclic sloughing off, but they have no way to escape. Sometimes they locate themselves in the fallopian tubes (this can affect our fertility), peritoneal cavity (the space that surrounds the organs), colon and have even be found in the nose before ‚Äď although this is definitely rare! They cause a lot of inflammation and pain when found in the wrong place. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä So what are some of the symptoms of endometriosis? ūüíóPainful periods ūüíóHeavy or irregular bleeding ūüíóPain in the back, lower abdomen or pelvic area ūüíóPain with bowel movement ūüíóCycles of constipation and diarrhoea ūüíóBloating, nausea or vomiting ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Endo affects 10-15% of menstruating women between 24-40 years old and if you have a family member who has it, you are more likely to have it too. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Many women don‚Äôt get the correct diagnosis for up to 10 years as period pain is considered ‚Äėnormal‚Äô but I promise you it‚Äôs not. If you have any of the above symptoms or if your period is stopping you from going to work or school or affecting your life in other ways, if it hurts so much you can‚Äôt move or makes you throw up or you go through 3 pads in an hour then demand your GP listen to you. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Diagnosis is made via ultrasounds and a laparoscopy. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Watch out for my next post where I will discuss some nutrition tips to support endometriosis.
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Menstrual cups are a great alternative to using tampons or pads during your period. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Not only are they non-toxic because they don’t contain plastic like pads and tampons do but they are reusable which means they are better for the environment and your wallet.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But how do we use them?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀... Menstrual cups are similar to tampons because they are inserted into the vagina. They are made of flexible medical grade silicone. Instead of absorbing the blood it’s collected in the cup which is then emptied down the toilet. Because the silicone is flexible they are easy to insert and have a small stem to help with removal. They are very easy to use. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It is really important that you ensure your menstrual cup is clean. The guidelines out there on how to clean menstrual cups are a bit vague and new research shows that if not cleaned properly they can harbour the bacteria which causes toxic shock syndrome. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It is a good idea to have two cups, one for day use and one for night. Hands should be washed thoroughly before insertion and removal. Keep a natural foaming wash in your bag to wash your cup with after emptying before you reinsert. Once your change over to you night or day cup thoroughly clean the used cup and then boil it for 7 minutes to kill off any bacteria. It’s very easy to do once you get into the routine of it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Menstrual cups can last for a couple of years and cost around the £20 mark.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Let me know if you have any questions on menstrual cups?
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The expression Shrove Tuesday comes from the word Shrive which means absolve. Many religions use this day to look at self-examination, considering what wrongs they need to resolve and areas of spiritual growth that they need help with. ūüôŹūüŹĽ Whether you believe in God or not pancake day is about much more than pancakes. When you are stuffing your face later on with my caramel, cashew, chocolate pancakes think about how you can grow as a person this year, what areas of your life... you need extra help with and how you can work through any issues in your life that are causing you regret or other negative emotions. ūüôŹūüŹĽ How can you let go of the negativity that is holding you back? ūüôŹūüŹĽ If you need help on your journey then get in touch, you don‚Äôt have to do this alone.
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Can we just take a second to think about the phrases ‚Äėsanitary towel‚Äô and ‚Äėmenstrual hygiene‚Äô? These names imply that there is something dirty about our periods, but the truth is the only dirty thing about menstruating is A) the shocking lack of knowledge around how our bodies work and b) the toxic products we are sold to keep ourselves ‚Äėclean‚Äô.‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Our periods are quite normal and women have been menstruating for 10,000s of years, so why do we still not unders...tand how the F our bodies work? Why aren‚Äôt we taught from a young age about the wonder of our cycle, how it can be a marker for our internal health and that periods are nothing to be ashamed about? Why are so many women not educated on the impact our period products are having on our health and the environment.
A menstrual pad (I refuse to call them sanitary towels anymore) contains the same amount of plastic as 4 plastic bags (WTF?)! Plastic can take up to 1000 years to biodegrade but whose going to be around long enough to make sure it does? If we can use up to 15, 000 pads in a lifetime that‚Äôs 60,000 plastic bags worth!‚†Ä ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Not only that but plastic contains a whole host of hormone disrupting chemicals, do you really want to put that in close context to your vagina and reproductive system? You might think the chemical levels are low, but think about the quantitive effect of 60,000 plastic bags. PMS symptoms are so common now, but did we ever stop to think why? If we spend a week each month essentially sitting on plastic what effect is this having on our hormones? ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Food for thought for you on a Monday ūüíó‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä If you want help switching to a more natural menstrual routine and don‚Äôt know where to start send me a DM.
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I had so much fun yesterday creating and then demolishing this giant stack of pancakes!! I wanted to post my pancake day recipe ahead of pancake day so if you want to make them you‚Äôve got time to get the ingredients. ūü§§ The pancakes are gluten and dairy free by using coconut cream and coconut flour and the caramel is made from dates and the cream from cashew nuts. They are sooo indulgent and best shared otherwise there‚Äôs a high possibility of eating the whole stack! ūü§§ I‚Äôve up...loaded the recipe onto my blog. Click the top link in my bio to go straight to it @rosieweston_nutrition ūü§§ Feel free to change up the toppings. I‚Äôve covered mine in @livias salted caramel nugglets which are delicious and go so well with the salted caramel and cashew nut cream layers. ūü§§ And don‚Äôt forget to tag me if you make them!
https://www.rosiewestonnutrition.co.uk/‚Ä ¶/heartbreak-caramel‚Ķ
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Facemasks seem to be all the rage at the moment but what‚Äôs hiding in your shop bought mask? ‚Ěď I checked the ingredients in a facemask from a ‚Äėtop‚Äô brand marketed as natural and it contained the following chemicals: Propylene Glycol ‚Äď which is used to help ingredients penetrate the skin also used as antifreeze as we learnt in my last post‚Ķ. Fragrances which we now know mean hidden chemicals, PEGs which have been found to contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic - also linked... to cancer, 3-Hydroxyacetophenone which is the fluid from the castor sacs of a beaver‚Ķ. This fluid combines with the beavers urine during scent marking. Not a chemical as such but not something I‚Äôm comfortable putting on my face, are you? ‚Ěď The list goes on! ‚ĚóÔłŹ I wanted to share with you my homemade detox facemask recipe. It‚Äôs only 4 ingredients and super easy to whip up at home. ‚úÖ Bentonite clay is great to support detox. This clay basically sticks to and absorbs toxins from the body and removes them. As it dries on the face you will feel a pulling and tightening sensation, its great for tightening pores too. ‚úÖ Matcha is full of antioxidants and it‚Äôs great for keeping your complexion healthy. It can help to reduce inflammation and rejuvenate skin cells. ‚úÖ Apple cider vinegar can help to prevent spots and is also a great skin toner. ‚úÖ Raw honey is full of wonderful ingredients to support skin health, its antimicrobial, full of antioxidants and is moisturising. ‚úÖ Makes enough for 2 masks 1 tsp bentonite clay 1 tsp matcha powder 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar ¬Ĺ tsp raw honey
Mix all of the ingredients together and apply to the face. Leave to dry for 15- 20 minutes then wash off using a flannel and clean water. Do not use metal utensils when working with bentonite clay. ‚úÖ
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My advice to all my clients is to start replacing all your cosmetics with natural versions. Every time something runs out, replace it and this goes for all household products too. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä The market has been flooded with cleaner products but watch out as some may not be as clean as they claim to be with many claiming to be made from natural ingredients when they aren‚Äôt, or using packaging which makes you think they are ‚Äėnatural‚Äô. Just because it has leaves on the packaging... or contains activated charcoal doesn‚Äôt mean it‚Äôs not full of toxic chemicals, so look at the ingredients list. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Fragrances are a big no-no for fertility so look for products which use essential oils, these will be listed as their essential oil name e.g. Lavandula angustifolia for lavender. Read anything with ‚Äėfragrances‚Äô in as meaning hidden chemicals. There are loopholes in the law which allow chemicals not to be disclosed if they are in the fragranceūüėĪ. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä So what are some natural alternatives? ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä You‚Äôll be surprised how good coconut oil is for removing your make up, it‚Äôs a myth that using oil on your face will make you break out. The skin naturally produces oil to keep it hydrated, when you use products that contain alcohol and other chemicals these dry out your skin, telling your skin to produce more oil which can result in excess production. Coconut oil contains caprylic acid which is a natural antibacterial and antifungal as well as an anti-inflammatory, these properties help to support your skin health! Coconut oil is also fab as an all over body moisturiser for after the shower, shea butter works well here too. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Replace your shower gels and body washes with all natural soaps. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä Essential oils work great as a replacement for perfumes and you can even have a go at making your own. ūü••‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä As lovely as bath bombs are they contain a whole host of chemicals including dyes and fake fragrances, propylene glycol which is used in the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries as an antifreeze. Not an ingredient I want in my bath! ūü•• Watch out for my next post where I will be posting a face mask recipe!
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We learnt yesterday that there are lots of chemicals hiding in our cosmetics and today I am going to explain how they affect our fertility in both men and women. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚ö†ÔłŹParabens: used as preservatives to prevent and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria. Hormone disrupting chemicals ‚Äď this means they can disrupt and imbalance the levels of our natural hormones. They can mimic oestrogen and bind to oestrogen receptor sites. Teenage girls who wear makeup every day had 20... x the amount of parabens in their urine compared to those who didn‚Äôt wear makeup. ‚ĚéSources: make up, moisturisers, hair products, shaving products. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚ö†ÔłŹPhthalates: used to make plastic more flexible also used as a binding agent. Associated with sperm damage including lower sperm count, impaired movement and abnormal shape. Another hormone disruptor ‚Äď higher levels are associated with menstruation disruption, ovarian disruption, longer time to conception as well as poor egg and sperm quality. ‚ĚéSources: nail polish, hair spray, period pads, vinyl flooring, food packaging. Anything that says ‚Äėfragrance‚Äô as they are used to make fragrances last longer. ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä ‚ö†ÔłŹTriclosan: used to prevent bacterial contamination Can disrupt the testosterone pathway leading to decreased levels of testosterone. Affects sperm morphology (shape). Also associated with lower antral follicle count ‚Äď diminished ovarian reserve In Canada the use of triclosan is restricted and consumers are advised to minimise their exposure but no such advice exists in the UK. ‚ĚéSources: antibacterial soaps, body washes, toothpastes ‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä‚†Ä These are just a few of the types of chemicals that are hiding in our beauty products. Watch out for my next post in this series for some natural alternatives.
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