Month: November 2022

I won’t lie, holotropic breathwork can be a physically and emotionally intense practice. However, when you come out of the other side, I promise you will feel like a new person. Holotropic breathwork takes you through controlled breathing patterns to produce an altered state of consciousness. Once in that state, you’ll find you can move beyond your body and ego, helping you to reach your true self. It’s here that you’ll be able to better connect to yourself, others and the natural world. It’s a great autumn wellness practice since it requires deep introspection to match the energy for this time of year. 

During a session, you will be guided through the fast breathing technique for a few minutes or hours. Due to the intensity of the therapeutic exercise, I would advise seeking a trained facilitator to guide you. A quick search on Google will bring up several local sessions where you can sign up for either one-day or week-long workshops to ensure you are in safe hands.

While there are plenty of types of massage to choose from, including Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone and more, in general, they have similar benefits. In the autumn, we are likely to spend more time indoors being less active than in the summer months, and our bodies can stiffen up. Manually working the muscles aids relaxation as it helps reduce any built-up tension or anxiety in the body. It’s also great for staving off seasonal illnesses like the common cold since massage can remove toxins by improving your blood flow and immune system. 

Massage is also wonderful to incorporate into your autumn wellness practices to promote a better night’s sleep. We require more sleep in the autumn as our bodies slow down to conserve energy during the darker months. Ask your massage therapist to use oils with calming scents like lavender, ylang ylang or chamomile, and you’ll drift off in no time!

Using sound for healing is an old practice dating back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians – who believed vibrations and sounds could positively impact the human body. Now, sound bath sessions are used to aid anxiety, tension, low mood and, in some cases, reduce pain. As a qualified Level 1 and Level 2 Sound Healer from Peter Hess Institut, I am very passionate about adding the healing powers of sound baths to my autumn wellness practices. This time of year is about settling into yourself and relaxing! 

I highly recommend finding a weekly sound bath session to attend. During a session, trainers will create soothing sounds using crystal bowls, Tibetan singing bowls, bells, gongs or a combination of all four instruments. The best thing about attending a session is all you need to do is turn up! While a sound bath can induce a deep meditative state, you don’t have to go that far if you’re still new to meditation. Instead, you can just breathe deeply and let the vibrations do the work for you.

Don’t get me wrong. I love binge-watching a Netflix series as much as everyone else. However, as things slow down in the autumn, I prefer to swap my screen time with getting my nose into a good book. Excessive screen time is linked to increased cortisol levels. Similarly, action-packed TV shows can leave you feeling more exhausted despite your body being inactive. On the other hand, reading can help settle your nervous system thanks to the calming nature of taking things at a slower pace – even if it is an action-packed novel! 

Reading is the ideal cosy autumn wellness practice as it forces you to slow down. This is precisely what mother nature is asking us to do at this time of year. It also requires you to be more present as you are actively reading. You’ll find your thoughts are creative and inspired the more you read. If you need some recommendations, check out my previous blog on books on my personal reading wish list! 

Going vegan has changed me for the better – and not just physically, but mentally, too. Here are the three ways my mind and body have changed since switching to a plant-based diet:

Change 1: Better skin

Having suffered from horrible acne most of my life, but particularly in my later teenage years, my skin significantly improved since I cut animal products from my diet. Now, my skin is noticeably clearer, more even in tone and texture and less painful than it was in previous years. As someone passionate about leading a completely plant-based lifestyle, I also made the switch to using only vegan and cruelty-free beauty products. Thanks to more natural and vegan formulas I’ve experienced fewer breakouts and allergic reactions as I am no longer putting harsh chemicals on my skin. 

Change 2: Better eating habits 

In terms of my mental health, I have found veganism has given me a much healthier relationship with food. Before I went vegan, I used to be a “gym girl” who would track my calories and macros every time I ate. I would force an excessive amount of protein into my diet and watch my weight daily, constantly striving to reach a “goal” number on the scales. Since going vegan, I haven’t followed a strict diet or counted my calories. Instead, I am more intuitive as I listen to my body and eat what I feel like (within reason!). Now, while my weight fluctuates a little (as it should), I can maintain it without even trying. Exercise is no longer a chore as I enjoy it without feeling the pressure to fuel myself with unnecessary amounts of protein beforehand. 

Change 3: Better compassion 

Overall, I have had a far more compassionate outlook on life since becoming vegan. Not only do I feel more of an emotional attachment towards animals and the natural world, but also the environment as a whole and myself. I know I am living and eating in a way that is better for the world around me and the creatures I share it with. I feel much better about myself as a result of that knowledge. If I make a mistake, I’m more empathetic with myself, because I know I’m doing my best.

Everyone, whether vegan or not, has an opinion about it. As such, the conversation around veganism is heavily littered with myths about how it impacts the body. From rumours that a vegan diet lowers your energy levels to theories that plant-based eating will make you anaemic and vitamin-deficient, I have heard them all. And – spoiler alert – not all of them are true! Here are the three biggest concerns I had about going vegan before actually making the switch.

Myth 1: Carbs are fattening  

Since a vegan diet can often be very rich in carbohydrates, I was terrified that I would gain a lot of weight if I went vegan. In my late teens and early 20s, I had a huge misconception about carbs and would fear eating them because I was convinced they would make me gain unhealthy body fat. Now that I am actually vegan I realised there is nothing to fear from eating carbs, if anything they are a crucial part of a balanced and healthy diet. As mentioned earlier, I don’t track my calories at all now that I am vegan, and I’m pleased to say my weight has never been more consistent!

Myth 2: Vegan desserts taste bad 

I am not ashamed to admit that I love my desserts. One of my worries going into a plant-based diet was that I wouldn’t be able to continue eating delicious pastries, chocolate or desserts if I went vegan. Luckily, I was wrong! Vegan desserts are just as tasty as anything I ate before transitioning my eating habits. The best part is most of them are made from natural sugars, making them healthier whilst still being equally as tempting. As a self-confessed sweet tooth, I knew that healthy, plant-based desserts were one of the first things I wanted to put on the  Plant Essence menu – my Dubai-based cloud kitchen! 

Myth 3: Veganism is hard 

One of my biggest concerns was that adopting a vegan diet would be hard. The truth is, I found the transition incredibly smooth and I rarely find myself tempted by non-vegan options when choosing what to eat. Admittedly going vegan was a little easier for me than most as I had been vegetarian for over 12 years prior. Nevertheless, I still expected giving up sweet treats to be a tough challenge. Honestly, with all the amazing vegan options on the market right now, I feel spoilt for choice!