I love this season and always think of it as the month that we ‘spring’ into the rest of the year. Breaking routines and habits are especially helpful at this time – walking a new way to work, cycling instead of hopping on the tube, changing your nail polish, or running around the park in the opposite direction. Making your mind think differently is, as they say, as good as a rest. Here are some top tips to put a spring back in your step and give yourself a mini overhaul.
Alkalise
Research has shown that the more alkaline your body is, the better your health, as acid allows disease to thrive. Stress and sugar are the main culprits, so drinking lemon juice is an amazing way to banish acid and detoxify. Although we think lemons are acidic, it’s very alkaline once it’s in your system. Start your day with hot water and lemon, squeeze it into your sparkling water or mix the juice with olive oil and pour over your salads. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
Be patient
This is the key to success with your weight loss goals and can help you to achieve a lot. What you eat right now won’t show up on your hips today, but in a week or so’s time, beware! In just the same way, the training you do today won’t appear on your body immediately. The biggest reason why women give up on the fitness routines and diets is that they are impatient. Remember that it takes six weeks to start seeing results!
Ditch the aluminium
A lot of reports recently have warned against the use of aluminium-based antiperspirants because the salts block and alter sweat ducts, which interferes with our body’s natural response. It’s been proven that skin can absorb this metal, but not enough research has been done to establish a definite link between exposure and the risk of developing breast cancer. For me, the very fact that there are questions surrounding its safety means that I’m now looking for alternatives. Aurelia Probiotic Skincare’s BioOrganic Botanical Cream Deodorant (£18, aureliaskincare.com) is a natural cream that sits invisibly on your skin, ready to absorb your perspiration throughout the day. It’s also distilled with lavender and bergamot, so you’ll smell delicious!
Use a face mask
QMS has created a genius little travel companion for when your complexion needs a pick-me-up! The Activator Mask (£66, qmscosmetics.com) improves the appearance of stressed out and tired skin after only 10 minutes. The secret to its immediate effect lies in its application – pour the activator liquid into the mask provided and watch it swell in seconds to create a sheet mask with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid and marine collagen. This makes it perfect for tired skin in need of a moisture hit.
Spring clean your home
While you’re overhauling your body, don’t forget your home too. 30 years ago, wellness brand NIKKEN pioneered a range of wellbeing products based on the natural world. My favourite is the piMag filter (£225), which refines water by passing it through activated carbon, then a bed of mineral stones and finally a magnetic field which mineralises and alkalises the liquid before it touches your lips. I also love the KenkoLight (£130), as it stimulates the light spectrum of the sun without harmful UV rays and the KenkoAir purifier (£350), which has ‘clean ion’ technology to reduce triggers for asthma and allergies. nikkenwellbeing.co.uk
