always my princess

It was Sunday afternoon, I was stood with my mother in the carpark of Pak’nSave Johnsonville when I heard the news. I have no recollection of how I heard; might have been on the radio, or a fellow shopper but the words registered: Princess Diana was dead. All I remember after that is silence. The two of us loading the car with our groceries in silence, the wordless drive home, every now and then our eyes meeting in silent acknowledgement that it was true. The tears would come but for the next hour or so it was just silence. Shock in silence.

That was 20 years ago this week.
20 years! Looking back on my own life next month I hit my own 20 milestone, as it will be 20 years since I left New Zealand. I have lived a whole lifetime in that time, the world’s landscape has changed drastically and there is now an entire generation who know nothing about that Diana magic.

And she had that magic, there can be no doubt about that, she had IT whatever it is. She was my consummate princess from the moment I met her in February 1981 when she became engaged to her prince and for the next 16 years I was my mother’s willing accomplice in all things Diana. There are so many Diana moments throughout my life; from pouring over magazine articles, to collecting merchandise, watching the wedding (I was eight and it the first time I was ever allowed to stay up past midnight) to going to an exhibition in Sydney of her dresses, seeing Diana at Government House on the Royal tour of 1983 to paying my respects at the British High Commission in Wellington the day after she died and at Kensington Palace when I would later visit London.

She was worthy of it too – my love – our love. She was beautiful and she rocked a tiara, she was a people person and she cared deeply for humans especially the downtrodden, she loved her two boys and she brought them up to be compassionate AND she was as flawed as the rest of us and she never presented anything but, she was real and as such her death felt personal to millions of us, the global outpouring of grief we witnessed in the aftermath of her death is testament to that. And 20 years on her legacy continues on through her lovely dynamite boys William and Harry and the service they do particularly in their focus on difficult issues like AIDS and mental health.

That day at the British High Commission in the condolence book I wrote “I am heartbroken at this reality, gone way too soon beautiful Diana, you will be missed so very much, rest now angel” and as I am sat here writing these words thinking about her I am also reminded of the times we live in, and this thought crossed my mind – it isn’t so much that she is missed though she is, it is more that the world could do with more of her kind of caring right now.

Diana – the Queen of People’s Hearts, always my princess 1961-1997

Sat Nam

And… I am loving Twin Peaks, in my very bias opinion it is the BEST television to have graced our screens since… well since Twin Peaks screened 25 years ago but before this series started I was wary about how David Bowie’s character would be used if at all. I wanted Agent Phillip Jeffries to be included but casting another actor would have been a disservice to our beloved Starman, so bravo Mr Lynch for the dedication (S3 E14) and the inclusion of Phillip Jeffries  – superbly done in Twin Peaks style. Cannot believe its ending already, only two episodes left, oh my days!#andWhoistheDreamer ♥ Okay so P!nk has always rocked but how awesome was that speech on Sunday.  If you haven’t heard it, please click here, we need to be hearing and speaking this kind of speak more and more for this is how love wins #WearetheChangeMakers ♥ And lastly sending prayers of blessing and protection for those in Mumbai and Texas. May all be guided to safety and may the rains be calmed by the hand of God #OneLove

this kiwi girl muses about… being the other woman

I was having lunch with some girlfriends over the weekend talking about my current favourite topic the US presidential campaign and how stranger than fiction it has become. You know what I am saying right? Who would have thought, four months out from selecting a presidential nominee, that that xenophobic arse trump would be the leading candidate for the GOP. It is better than any television show out there today, don’t you think?

Anyway there I was having yummy duck pancakes and glass of vino when the conversation moved onto Hillary/Bill and Monica and that milieu. While I stayed silent, for the next ten minutes or so the others proceeded to deride Monica, praise Hillary and ignore the guy that was involved. Then they turned to me, I suppose surprised that someone as opinionated as me had not had my two pence worth. I decided to not say what I really thought, I didn’t think that these smug marrieds would appreciate it.

BUT it has given me pause to think for… I once was the other woman. I am neither proud or ashamed of this. I say this now because it happened and it is a part of my story like Bill is a part of Monica Lewinsky’s. I have absolutely no regret that it happened, it changed my life forever and for that I will be eternally grateful.

My situation was similar to Monica’s in that I was in my 20s,  he was considerably older, essentially my boss (indirectly), and it started as a meeting of minds. It was through our conversations I fell for him (its all true, intelligence and power are complete turn ons). You don’t choose who you fall in love with, maybe initially but the actual act of falling in love has the ability to render one completely useless to logic and judgement. Certainly for me, I remember some perfunctory guilt in the beginning especially as there were partners (on both sides) and children (on his). I would keep repeating to myself (and to him) ‘there are kids’ ‘what the hell are we doing’ ‘is this wrong’ but once lust and wanting took over there was no turning back.

For what it was, during what it was I was happy and it never felt wrong but it wasn’t all rosy, when you get caught up in an affair there is a lot of subterfuge involved; the continuous lying not just with partners even with friends, plans being cancelled at the last minute, meeting up in hotel rooms is saucy for the first few times then its just not, and it also never felt long term. I knew it was an affair and I knew it would end. When it did end, it hurt by god did it hurt, I had fallen really hard and it took me a long long time to get over him but I am so happy I went there in the first place.

I believe in life if we are lucky we will meet people who will change our lives forever in a good way and this man – my lover (I love saying that) – was one such person. Our time together served its purpose in that it felt like I grew from being girl to a woman; it left me sexually empowered, confidant of my body and helped me to get clear on what kind of man I wanted to end up with. And I did care for him deeply. We are no longer in touch but I still wonder every now and then how he is. So definitely no regrets just fond memories.

Monica doesn’t get the luxury of this. She said once ‘I fell in love with my boss’ I wonder if she can still recall that love when she thinks back to that time. When TED published her talk ‘The Price of Shame’ last year the comments they received were the most negative they had ever got; Monica was called a slut, a whore, her character attacked as well as her appearance, her choices, her right to live even, people made crude jokes about sucking dick and wrote that she deserved the shaming. This to me is very telling of what the last nearly twenty years of Monica’s life has been like. She has been a bum note every time someone mentions Bill Clinton. He has gone on to live his exemplary life, she has struggled and I think it sad and wrong. I don’t appreciate my girlfriends judging her nor Hillary completely writing her off by calling her ‘a narcissistic loony.’ I would have more respect for Hillary if she were to show some kindness towards Monica and apologise for those comments – women knocking other women is just ugly. Coincidentally as this goes to be published it has occurred to me that it is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievement of women; we have enough to fight for don’t we? We need to be lifting each other up – supporting the sisterhood not turning on each other.

I am not excusing what Monica and Bill did. I recognise cheating, having an affair is wrong in principle but having been in that situation all I absolutely know for certain is nothing is black and white and you cannot judge someone until you walk in their shoes. To my smug married girlfriends who read this, this is just my two pence worth that’s all.

Sat Nam

Also in the news: I want to riff on the US elections a little bit more to say even though I am a socialist at heart and commend the Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyns of this world for raising very important issues, in this very confusing time I am also a realist, that is why Hillary is my girl. Jane Fonda said of Hillary ‘She has always cared. She has always tried to make her life better.’ I like this sentiment. The world needs this sentiment. Not the dysfunction the Republicans bring. The rise of trump was funny at first, then – because I am a liberal – it was strategic now it’s just fucking scary. This guy doesn’t care about the white blue collar worker who votes for him, he doesn’t care about the people in Flint, Michigan having access to clean water, he doesn’t care about planned parenthood initiatives and he certainly doesn’t care about faraway wars. He doesn’t care, his ego is through the roof right now, all he wants to be able to say is he won, he is the President of the United States but then what? We would all be fucked that’s what. Well luckily we have Hillary to prove her version of LOVE can and will beat trump’s version of hate #LoveAlwaysWins #Hillary16 #ImWithHer ♥ Nine long years I have longed to be able to say this – I am going back to Stars Hollow, thank you thank you thank you dear Netflix gods. My favourite show ever ever ever Gilmore Girls is coming back for four more episodes this year. First it was Twin Peaks, now this I’m about fit to bursting and to return the same year Hillary is running for President is just precious. I won’t be surprised if Rory has some hard core White House credentials by now and it makes sense she would want to be involved in Hillary’s campaign. Any which way they come I am so ready to consume the quick snappy banter of my favourite mother and daughter duo all over again #GilmoreGirls #NetflixAndChill ♥ In my volunteer work as a mentor I meet refugees, under my remit I don’t always get to know their stories but occasionally where appropriate some have opened up about their ordeal. Their opinions seem to matter so little as the bureaucrats of this world tug the problem out, but they have an incite which should be considered. I have long been concerned about the children caught up in this, especially the unaccompanied – they need clothing, education, guidance and love and they need it now before they become prey to traffickers and before the psychological damage they have already suffered gets worse  and what angers me is that there is a solution as told to me by one of my mentorees – many of these children have families they can go live with. For example in the migrant camp in Calais approximately 150 children in the camp have a legal right to reunite with their families in the UK. Why aren’t governments approving their passage and making this possible! With the crisis being as enormous as it is – surely it makes sense to fix the fixable immediately #RefugeeCrisis #WeAreAllRefugees ♥ There have been such loving tributes to David since he passed: Iggy Pop at Carnegie Hall, Gary Oldman and Ewan McGregor at The Roxy in LA, Madonna in Houston, Bruce Springsteen in Pittsburgh, Sinéad O’Connor in Chicago and the BRITs. All reverent in their own way, all a poignant reminder of how extraordinary he was; two months and he is everywhere still, the universal lovefest is nirvana for my soul. I hope you know you are so absolutely loved #DavidFuckingBowie I think you know.

drink – carrot lime juice

Today I’m going gaga for carrots. Did you know carrots come in purple, red, white, and yellow? In fact, purple, red and yellow carrots were the only colour varieties of carrots to be cultivated before the 15th/16th century. Makes me wonder why that had to change, I reckon any of those colours are a damn sight improvement than the odious colour we associate them with now (I really really do not like orange and I’m in good company either do Nicole Kidman or Sarah Jessica Parker). That said I read recently that eating more deeply coloured orange vegetables like carrots decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in adult women so ignoring my dislike of that awful colour I embarked on a mini mission to find the perfect carrot based drink. After much experimentation, this simple one – carrot lime juice –  came up trumps so here is my current yum, a bit of zing and a bit of tang.

carrot lime juice
ingredients
(makes 1 glass)
3-4 carrots
1 cm fresh ginger (zing)
1/2 lime (tang)
stevia (optional)

preparation
1.Peel the carrots and the ginger.
2.Place the carrot and ginger in the juicer/blender (medium speed).
3.Serve immediately with lime juice (and stevia) to taste.

Carrots are good for you, I know talk about stating the obvious. Of course they are, they are a vegetable and therefore part of our ‘5 A Day’ BUT do you know why they are beneficial for you? Let me enlighten you. Carrots are good for you because they are loaded with something called beta-Carotene which is a source of vitamin A which we need to aid with the following:

• Maintaining Oral Health
• Rich source of antioxidants
• Helps protect against all kinds of ailments: Stroke, Cancer and as mentioned above Heart Disease.
• Useful for the management of cognitive dysfunctions
• You all know this one – Vision health (especially night vision)

Nothing else left to say except… if you haven’t already – embrace them carrots!

Also this week: Jen married! Ohlalala What will the gossip mags do now #JustiferForever • England win the Ashes whop whop #ImafauxBrit • And how about that arse Donald Trump, all I really have to say is keep it up DT, the more vulgar and inappropriate you get, the easier my girl Hillary’s ride to the White House #Hillary16 • Google to restructure into new holding company called Alphabet #AlphabetIt hmm its not the same • Robin Williams one year today, still hurts ‘You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.’ #myfavquote #DepressionisReal

Sat Nam

this princess needs her sleep

I’m not the greatest television watcher – no patience for the ads you see – so I tend to dip in and out of shows. Last week was one of those weeks in which I dipped right in, like many Eastenders fans I was sat watching each episode with bated breath during live week and I’m still reeling from the shock that Kathy is alive (only in soap land can a character not be truly dead, note to the Coro producers, bring back Haley – Roy’s not same without her, he’s beating up people). Anyway I digress Eastenders live week came with so much hype… the whodunit element, the live segments and the 30th anniversary of the show.. that every night I was left wonting, impatient for the next episode. It’s the kind of tele that renders one unable to sleep. Being unable to sleep is something I know all too well. That’s why I had to do something about it.

Now I know people who love to sleep, they say they function better on a good night’s sleep and I always mistook this for weakness, for I was the better person because I could exist on minimal sleep. A completely asinine thought I know that now, but only after a severe bout of insomnia. Sometimes it takes being deprived of something to understand the importance of it in your life, to then take action to get it back.

So take action I did, unable to help myself, I sought out a hypnotherapist who help me to see how I had been suffering serious sleep debt for most of my adult life. Through hypnosis I learnt to sleep again, to sleep longer and deeper but unless I wanted to listen to a recording every night I knew I had to figure out how to sleep better naturally. I did my research, spoke to a load of folk; my therapist, nutritionist, friends, even my manager at work, listened to subliminal messaging recordings and I read articles (I bypassed books, only now when I think about it, reading a book on ‘how to sleep better’ might have been just the ticket to put me to sleep), dipped into a little ASMR and I even emailed a professor of sleep but received no reply. Don’t you think it bizarre how we know we need sleep but we rarely spare a thought on why we do other than because we are tired.

“I have one piece of advice for you: sleep your way to the top.” ~ Arianna Huffington

Turns out I had always been pretty rubbish when it came to sleep. It wasn’t just that I was sleeping less, whatever sleep I was getting would be interrupted by a slight sound, the need to pee, checking my phone for texts/calls/emails/Facebook or angst of the previous day; and once I was up I found it difficult to get back to sleep. So on average I would sleep for four hours. Actually let me rephrase that for full impact – on average I was functioning on four hours sleep a night (except when I was on the sauce, of course then I would sleep like a baby).

Bona fide ways I improved my sleep
Change Mindset: This was a game changer for me as I held the belief that sleep was a waste of time and the idea of sleeping more actually made me feel more anxious which obviously defeated the purpose. In one conversation I had with my therapist he said ‘sleep is not a guilty pleasure.’ Now I have a mother who is always on the go and who survives on very little sleep and I guess I fancied myself to be just like her so remained delusional in equating sleep with reduced productivity so guilt hung like a noose around my neck. This was why I researched sleep in the first place I needed to understand the impact the sleep in order to think and act differently. I learnt to not feel guilty about having a lie-in, or going to bed early. Even extra hour of sleep a day can make all the difference, as your body switches off and calms down so the brain can reprocess the day in turn helping you get over a particularly stressful day. Some scientists believe a good night’s sleep can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease as it allows the brain to sift and store memories. There is an abundance of benefits.

Eat/Drink: Maintain a balanced diet as fluctuating blood sugar levels can trigger early waking. Don’t eat too late in the evening(leave at least two hours between eating and sleeping). Don’t drink caffeine or alcohol after 3pm as the sugar and caffeine will keep you awake and you’ll miss out on those precious extra hours. Also limit the amount of tea and coffee you consume to 2-3 max a day.

Exercise: Exercise in the late afternoon as you’ll tire yourself out, leading to a deeper sleep BUT avoid exercise within a couple of hours before bedtime as exercise will give you energy and you are less likely to get a good night’s rest.

Take those devices out of the bedroom: How did we survive before smart phones, tablets, laptops even tele? I still marvel at the way these gadgets have taken over our lives.  In any case not only do they disturb pillow talk, the blue light in them halts the production of the sleep hormone melatonin so get rid of them from the bedroom.

Meditate: Mindfulness is proven to reduce the time taken to fall to sleep and improve sleep quality, the way to do this is instead of dwelling on stressful thoughts, notice and let go of them by focusing on how cosy your duvet and pillow are, watch how the light reflects around the room, having an awareness on your body and the room around you. I’ve been meditating for a good few years now but even so I didn’t connect the idea of meditation to a good night’s sleep, introducing a nightly meditation into my life made an vast improvement to my state of mind thus making sleep easier

Stay in bed: Bringing in these improvements didn’t change my sleep pattern overnight, I still woke up in the night. I had to resist the urge to get out of bed in the middle of the night as getting up trains the body to wake up more frequently.

Regular routine: Much like the aforementioned ‘no alcohol after 3 pm,’ keeping to a regular routine is not an easy feat but heading to bed at roughly the same time each night strengthens the link between the night-time and sleep consequently keeping your body clock on an even keel.

AND here are some other ways that are said to assist with better sleep: Ensure the bedroom is conducive to a good sleep (ideally it should be quiet, cool, dark, comfortable and about 17°), Invest in a good bed, and don’t hit the snooze button when you wake up (you are most refreshed after unbroken sleep), recharge with a power nap (no more than 30 minutes).

“A problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” ~ John Steinbeck

We’re all guilty of aiming to have an early night but being distracted by our phones or binge-watching a television show or in my case a movie I’ve already seen like a million times already… only to realise its past one and you have to be up early the next day. That sleep is vital to your good health and well being is like saying you need to brush your teeth twice daily for dental hygiene – a no-brainer right? But like brushing your teeth it is worth taking a few seconds to consider if your sleep routine is ensuring you reap the many benefits sleep provides.

As for my own sleep journey I am happy to report that I am much better friends with sleep, we meet on average for at least six uninterrupted hours most nights; and the difference in my cognitive function is evident every time I do The Guardian crossword, which I can now finish in under fifteen minutes something I couldn’t never do before (she says with smug grin).

Sat Nam

its all about the detox

So January is all about the detox according to the many headlines I’m seeing gracing the covers of magazines and in the lifestyle section of newspapers: Whether you buy into it or not, it is true that all that indulgent eating and drinking over the festive period can leave you feeling bloated, tired or just plain old unhealthy, so it’s important to take a moment to take stock and put some goodness back into the body. I actually started my new simple health kick a while back when one of my favourite Real Housewives Yolanda Foster tweeted about the merits of it. She made it sound so healthy, and best of all so easy – I had to try it and now because I love it and it being that time of year I feel the need to share it with you.

Every morning before I have breakfast, I now drink a glass of lemon water.

Not that big of a deal right? And that’s exactly the point. Read on.

So much goodness. The more I dig the more benefits I find:
1) I’m pretty confident that like me, you have known since you were a youngin’ that vitamin C is a good thing however what you may not know is that the level of vitamin C in your system is one of the first things to plummet when you’re stressed; this is why we are told to take extra vitamin C during stressful days or when we are starving off a cold – what better way to get a jump on this than by drinking lemon water regularly.
2) It helps flush out the toxins in your body by enhancing enzyme function and acts as a liver cleanser by assisting in detoxification. It purifies and stimulates the liver by encouraging the production of bile, an acid required for digestion. Lemon water can also help control excess bile flow, decrease the amount of phlegm produced by the body and assist in dissolving gallstones
3) Speaking of digestion, the digestive qualities of lemon juice help to relieve symptoms of indigestion like belching, bloating and heartburn AND If you’re having trouble pooping, drinking lemon water will help to get things going.
4) Your body needs to be slightly alkaline to be at its healthiest as disease states can only occur when the body pH is acidic. Drinking lemon water regularly can help to remove overall acidity in the body thus balance your pH level(acidic level). Yes lemons are acidic on their own but once they are inside our bodies like magic, they’re alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized).
5) The vitamin C and other antioxidants in a lemon mean that drinking lemon water can help to keep skin blemish free and rejuvenated from within the body.
6) Lemons are an excellent source of potassium, which is good for heart health, as well as brain and nerve function meaning drinking lemon water provides your body with energy when it enters your digestive tract, and helps reduce anxiety and depression. I have even heard that the scent of lemons can have a calming effect on your nervous system.
7) Drinking lemon water combats the bacteria in your mouth thus lessens the potential for bad breath.
8) As well as vitamin C and potassium, it is also a great source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, all of which we need in our bodies to function normally.

How to drink:
If you weigh less than 70kgs to a 350ml glass of water* add the juice of half a lemon. If you weigh more than 70kgs, the same as above x 2 (to drink at different times of the day).
The quantity of water (350mls/approx 12oz) is important because our bodies can only metabolize this quantity of water at a time.
Optimal time to drink it is first thing in the morning that way you get the benefits of it throughout your day.
*Filtered water that is warm or room temperature will provide the most health benefits as it  allows for the full enzymatic and energetic properties of the lemon to do it’s magic. If you like a hot drink in the morning, warm lemon water is the best choice. The argument against drinking boiling hot lemon water is that whilst it is soothing when you are sick or in cold weather – the heat will destroy some of the enzymatic properties of the fresh lemon juice and on the opposite side of the spectrum the reason to avoid drinking ice cold lemon water is because it may hinder the digestive benefits of the lemon. In addition, even though your body will heat up the ice cold lemon water, it requires more energy and more work for the body.

Eyes Wide Open:
It feels quite ironic that one must be cautious when drinking lemon water BUT there are a few disclaimers to regular drinking you should know about before you start. As good as it is, citric acid from the lemon can eat away at the enamel on your teeth but as long as you are not using it like mouthwash your teeth will be fine. An alternative is to drink through a straw and/or use a baking powder toothpaste (I use Arm & Hammer Advance White) or rinse your mouth with plain water after drinking the lemon water. Secondly, and  this is more for me because I’m tend to be lazy and forgo the use of a strainer/juicer, you shouldn’t ingest the seeds of the lemon. They taste disgusting for one but more importantly they contain small amounts of salicylic acid which is the main ingredient in aspirin. Lastly (and obviously) if you are allergic to lemons this is not for you.

Results so far:
I initially started this as a fifteen day detox (as with any habit to notice a difference you need to keep it up for at least two weeks) but now in my fourth week I have decided to continue with it as it is just so easy to do and I do feel generally healthier, as in everything seems to be working as it should.

This one simple yet substantial action can make make such a difference to your entire well being, if you aren’t doing it get to it I say. Its a win win situation.

Hope your New Year has started happy. Sending much love.

Sat Nam

forever is forever is forever

“Forever is forever and when we make those choices for our body we have to live with them forever.” Cameron Diaz.

Cameron said this in relation to a female hair issue but I’m borrowing it today to make my point. A tad controversial, I write this knowing I risk the ire of some of my closest friends but as they are more and more in my face I need to get it out. I detest tattoos. There I said it (she says breathing a big sigh of relief).

When I was in Biarritz last summer we had this ritual of going down to the beach to catch some rays straight after breakfast before it got too hot. My first day after about five minutes of settling into my chair, opening my book – I got distracted by this gorgeous (in my opinion) European (in my opinion) Adonis (again in my opinion) who took up occupancy of a chair located near me. From the safety of my sunglasses I continued to look okay perve and it was going really well – until he took off his top to reveal an entirely inked back. Then all thoughts of eye candy totally left me and all I could do was look the other way and think ‘why.’

Fast forward a few weeks later when I was back in London, catching up with a friend for drinks. Seated at the bar we became friendly with the young girl serving us. So friendly that when she placed both her heavily tattooed arms on the counter, a very merry me had to ask ‘why?’ She gave an answer I find most inked people give ‘because I wanted to’ ‘because I love them.’ Fine, I understand that, for what is life about if not for doing what you want and love to do. BUT fads come and go and as Cameron points out forever is forever. What you feel now will not be how you feel in ten, twenty, fifty years from now. So I put it to this girl ‘what happens when you are older and have saggy skin?’ I got what is now the perfunctory answer I get when I ask this question, ‘who cares!’

I care because I see beauty in the human form. My favourite type of art are nudes – paintings, sculpture, photographs – any mode does me. Can you imagine Michaelangelo’s David inked? Who would care to see that? You could argue that clothing is the same type of self expression as tattoos and I agree to a certain extent but I also live in a civilised society that dictates we be clothed. Piercings – yes again agree and I have to admit excessive piercings do tend to evoke in me the same revolting gut reaction that tattoos do.

I believe in self expression but when the act itself is a form of self harm I’m not so sure. In the same vein I do not understand why celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Cheryl Cole & David Beckham want to ruin their natural beauty unless they don’t like what they see in the mirror. There is plenty of psycho babble around that attests to this you just have to google tattoos self harm to see the results. Its not for me to say – all I know is that we as humans are always evolving… moods change, feelings change, beliefs change. How often have you looked at a photo of yourself and cringed at a hair style or something you were wearing way back when. Hair styles can be changed, clothing can be changed, even piercings will eventually close up but a tattoo!!  I can’t help thinking do in haste repent at leisure.

Love

drink – watermelon coconut smoothie

When I was a little girl we would celebrate a Hindu festival called Navratri which went on for nine days. Whilst I had no clue about the religious reasoning behind it, for me it meant I got to dress in Indian clothes and go to the Indian hall to dance. After some time there would be a break whereby there would be prayers and prasad (edible religious offering). I loved to dance but my favourite time of the night would be when it came time to receive the prasad, all sorts were offered but I always opted for shredded coconut. Yum! Other than that I only experienced the delight of coconut when I was overseas namely India. So it goes without saying that I am beyond happy that coconut water is now readily available at my local Tescos.

Pure coconut water is a natural beverage with no artificial additives or sweeteners. Now that it is widely available for all to enjoy, this has to be a more healthier option than the sports drinks of the world surely. In some cultures the palm tree, from which coconuts grow, is called the Tree of Life and I can see why, the benefits of the coconut go on and on. For it –
♦Lowers cholesterol
♦Reduces the chances of heart disease
♦Aids the development of strong, healthy bones and teeth
♦Prevents osteoporosis
♦Helps prevent obesity by speeding up metabolism
♦High in dietary fiber
♦Has a low glycemic index
♦Reduces sweet cravings
♦Improves digestion
♦Supports overall immune system functions
♦It has no trans-fats
♦Is gluten-free, non toxic and hypoallergenic
♦Contains antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal and anti-parasitic healing properties
♦Is a quick energy boost
♦Ayurvedic tradition considers the coconut as a natural stress-buster.

That’s already quite a lengthy list no doubt you will agree but I’m sure there are other benefits I have missed, as the coconut really is a miracle of nature.
Whilst nothing beats coconut water au naturel, I tried this variation and it was delish, would definitely recommend giving it a try.

watermelon coconut smoothie

Serves One

2 cup watermelon
½ lime (juiced)
1 cup coconut-water
2 to 3 mint leaves
1 cup ice

Blend everything until smooth

Enjoy

amen to that

Last week Kate Moss turned 40 and the papers in the UK went gaga over this. I don’t understand why she garnered so much attention; she has to be the worst kind of role model that exists – arrogant,  privileged and selfish. As such I ignored every article that was focused on her except for one that caught my eye. It was about her aging knees. Now I have been blessed with amazing genes that don’t render me looking anywhere near the 40 that I am, so at the time of reading this article I remember thinking ‘ah well she smokes, does drugs and sun bakes so something has to give surely.’

Imagine to my horror then, when today whilst doing downward facing dog at yoga I noticed my very own aging knees. Not quite as noticeable as Kate’s but knobbly just the same. With paranoia set in I came home to do an all body search to check for signs of aging and then I realised how stupid I was being because I don’t really care. I’m 40 and this is the body I have got. Amen.

Love

drink – avocado milkshake

Did you know that because it has all the nutrients you need, you could survive on just avocado alone. Not sure I’m willing to try this but I do like a little avocado in my day. This is my all time favourite drink. Healthy-ish, yummy and easy peasy to make – just the ticket to kick start your New Year detox.

avocado milkshake

Serves One

1 medium to large sized avocado
1 cup milk (how much milk exactly will vary on how thick you want it)
1 scoop ice cream – optional if you want to add sweetness

Slice and pit the avocado.
Scoop the flesh and add to blender
Add milk and ice cream
Blend everything (should retain dense consistency)

Best drunk fresh, as if left you will find your beautiful green drink has turned into a murky brown hue (not very appetising).

Very easy to make and your taste buds will thank you and yet bizarrely it is not common at all. I’m not quite sure of its origins only that I remembering drinking it in South Africa when I was young and still to this day when I visit my parents in Australia, my mother makes it for me. So for me it is a reminder of home. I know variations of it are common in Vietnam and the Philippines.
Although I have it as a milkshake, my brother eats it like pudding with flake sprinkled over the top. Whichever way you try it, drink or pudding, its divine I promise.

Enjoy

drink – almond and kale smoothie

I am not known for healthy food habits, but as I have got older I am paying more attention to what I eat and drink. Unfortunately that all goes out the window for me at this time of year, what with my birthday and Christmas all within a month. So as we are in the party season I thought I would share my current pick me up.

almond and kale smoothie

Serves One

1 cup chopped kale
1 cup almond milk
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup almonds  (whole preferably but ground are fine also)
throw in a few apricots or dates (or any other dried fruit)
1 tbsp coconut oil

Blend everything in a blender until completely smooth.

Drink and Enjoy.