Creating a Home Sanctuary Space

Not many people have the luxury of a dedicated room for this, so here are a few tips on creating a sanctuary space in a busy household. It can be as small as a corner of a room, a yoga mat, a chair in the greenhouse...there are so many options. Here's what's important:

Make sure that it's yours.
Make sure that you can access it readily, rain or shine, day or night.
Try to pick a space that allows you a view, even onto a tree or bush, garden, water, big patch of sky...
Set up the space with some of your favourite things. Stones you have collected, flowers you have picked, a few favourite trinkets, things that have meaning when you look at them. A simple shelf, or hanging shelf (very cheap to buy or make) can allow for these things to be visible to you.
Make it comfortable. You may prefer a mat to lay on, or a comfy chair, cushions, a rug...
Ensure the lighting is warm. Soft dimmed bulbs, a candle, natural light
Prepare yourself to enter this space when it's time for your relaxation. Think about going there, breathe more deeply.
Set an intention for your relaxation. You may arrive with a very busy brain, and the intention may be simply to sit still for five minutes. If you have a developed meditation practice, it may be to do this more regularly or for a little longer.
Try to put all other things aside for the time of your stay here. If you catch yourself thinking about what you'll do next, or tomorrow, or next week, just smile at the thought, and release it.
The hardest thing of all in being in such a space is allowing yourself permission to be there. If you're an active relaxer, you might want to spend your time in this space stretching. If you like to release things via writing, it might be a space for journalling. If you like to just be, and see what comes up, you may wish to simply close your eyes and breathe.
No matter what others think of this time, and this place you have created, remember it's yours, and only good things can come of it. If you have children, it may teach them that it's OK to find quiet too.

I have written a lot more on this, and it will be part of our education series later in the year.

Skin Health

The skin is healthy when the body is in balance. Our digestive system and hormones play a key role in the health of our skin, and our skin can be a great indicator that we need to attend to an aspect of our health.

The skin is the largest organ we have, and our protective barrier to the outside world. It does an amazing job of this.

Our specialised six week skin programme is something we are very proud of, as it is not only a delicious clean eating experience for our clients, but it nourishes and supports the systems that encourage skin health.

While there are many nutrients that the skin needs every day to stay healthy, here is a summary of some of the more important ones:

Omega-6: the building blocks of cell membranes. Having enough omega-6 in your diet can help prevent skin dryness, and lubricate the skin beautifully.

Omega-3: these fatty acids are well known to prevent inflammation throughout your body, (inflammtion normally presents as redness, or increased infection), but they may also add a softness to your skin.

Zinc: This important mineral (often very low in NZ'ers due to the low content in our soils) helps to keep cell walls stable, and protect the skin from sun damage. It is an important anti-oxidant.

Beta-carotene: A precursor to Vitamin A - again protective against radiation from the sun, and important for the immune system as a defence against skin infections.

Vitamin C: Involved in the formation of collagen, protecting against oxidation, and said to be "anti-aging" (I'm always dubious about this claim in any product), but vitamin C as a nutrient can support skin integrity and has powerful skin healing properties.

Of course, our food sources are the most important places to get these nutrients, and our Skin programme is full of them. If you're interested in this programme, do get in touch with us, and we can talk with you further about the benefits of the included foods for all manner of skin conditions and protection.