What have you got planned for the long weekend? It is the last bank holiday before Christmas so the perfect excuse to celebrate with family and friends.
Personally we have had a few weeks of holiday eating and drinking, out for tea and cake and the ‘wine time’ or ‘Gin o’clock’ has crept up to late afternoon on a few weekdays! So I am thinking back to school, and ‘cutting back’, I know its boring but true… starting after the Bank Holiday.
I am a big believer in what we eat affects how we feel and how certain foods can lift your mood. I was reading about the Happy Chef in Sweden, Henrik Ennart who is publishing a new book ‘Happy Food’ available next week. Its all about variety (as we know) how we react to foods and eating lots of different things. After the few sessions I have attended recently on eating for you, your immunity and gut health – I agreed with Henrik saying “its important to tell people that we have to feed our personal ecosystems.”
“I often hear that what you put in our mouth is going to have an effect on your skin, but the human body just doesn’t work that way,” says Dr. Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and author of the skincare bible. “Food has to pass through the gut and some of it gets to our skin and some of it doesn’t. Diet is just a small part of the puzzle, along with sleep, alcohol, smoking, skincare and prescription treatments.” Delicious Magazine, August 2018.
A big celebratory birthday last week was Madonna, turning 60 and again another reason to look at how she looks so good at this stage in life! She is in the best shape she has ever been, she definitely takes care of herself and as for her age, ‘ its the rest of society that cares. I don’t think about my age until someone says something about it,’ she’s reported as saying. ‘I feel that I have wisdom, experience, knowledge and a point of view that is important.’ Madonna steers clear of caffeine and red meat, eating little and often, and uses essential oils like bergamot, lemon and juniper to relax and rejuvenate.
“Luckily, Madonna’s favourite Japanese foods are perfect for her macrobiotic diet. According to macrobiotics, meat, dairy products and sweeteners like sugar should be avoided, along with black tea and carbonated drinks. Good foods are grains, brown rice and pasta, seasonal vegetables, beans, soy products, white fish, fruits, nuts and seeds cooked in as many different ways as possible.
With a personal nutritionist to create her meals according to these macrobiotic, low-fat, vegetarian principles, it’s probably a bit easier for Maddy to stick to the diet than the rest of us. Which is why it’s so gratifying to hear that, just like any normal woman, her real favourites are dairy products like cheese, butter, fudge and chocolate. Never one to go…” Daily Mail, August 2018.