Elixir Wellness: Happy New Year!

naturalelixir
Jan 6, 2016
5 min read

Happy new year Elixir's! What a fantastic festive season we had, spending it with all our friends and family. Thank you so much to all our lovely customers who gave us Christmas cards, we really appreciate your kindness, support and happiness with what we do.

A lot of us may still be thinking about how much we induldged into the festive treats a couple of weeks ago, but we can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. We are excited to start 2016 with your health and happiness in mind, so we have incredible things coming your way.

We would like to introduce to you WELLNESS WEDNESDAY'S and Foodie Friday's, where we will update you weekly with health and wellbeing tips and our tastiest recipes here on our little space on the internet. So who is ready to get their glow on for 2016 and years to come?

Our first word of wellness this month is OPTIMISM! :). People often feel a bit gloomy in January, everything feels very dull once all the parties and celebrations are over. All the twinkly decorations are taken down and everywhere just looks so bare.

You may feel that strain of forcing yourself to hit the gym every morning or perhaps you are feeling apprehensive about going back to work. This is often the time of year when people give themselves the longest list of new years resolutions to stick by. Are you putting too much pressure on yourself?

5 SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP GET BACK ON TRACK & BEAT THE JANUARY BLUES!

1. Keep things simple and organised. Set yourself things to do in your day, it's a great feeling putting your feet up in evening knowing that you have had a productive day. Make small to-do lists that are realistic, instead of huge ones that might end up stressing you out because you can't squeeze it all in. Even if it consists of small tasks like doing the food shopping, cleaning the kitchen or making a batch of meals for the week, you are achieving reasonable tasks and not climbing Mount Everest. By making smaller lists of things to complete in your day, you are able to keep on top of your life and feel better for it!

2. Drink up! Always keep yourself hydrated, it aids digestion, promotes clearer skin and helps brain function.

WATER. HERBAL TEA. LEAFY GREEN JUICES. WARM LEMON WATER.INFUSIONS.

By keeping yourself well hydrated you are replenishing the body with essential vitamins and minerals for maintaining glowy skin and bright eyes. It is quite common for people to mistake thirst for hunger, so instead of a sugary snack reach for a Peppermint tea or a cold pressed juice. This way you are satisfying the body with the nutrients it needs and keeping unwanted cravings at bay!

Benefits of starting your day with hot water and lemon.

Cleanses digestive system and helps remove toxins.
Alkalises the body.
Promotes radiant skin.
Burst of Vitamin C.
Balances blood sugar levels.
Helps remove toxins - your liver will say thanks!
Curbs cravings.
A good coffee substitute.

3. Probiotics! At Elixir, one of the main subjects we always always talk about with our clients is gut health. Would you believe that our gut is 70% of our immune system? Many triggers and lifestyle factors can cause it to not work properly. For example: stress, poor diet, dehydration, malnutrition and inflammation.

You can support your system to cope with any of these factors, by taking a Probiotic supplement. Probiotics are live cultures or what you could call GOOD bacteria. They are billions and billions microorganisms which live in the gut and produce the enzymes needed for sufficient digestion and absorption of food. This means they help break down your food properly. This friendly bunch of bacteria creates a lining in the gut, which supports the immune system by stimulating the body's natural defences. How clever are they?

We have a large range of probiotics in store, one of which is Optibac which the Elixir team have tried and tested. You can read more about Optibac and Probiotics here. Come in and see us and we can advise and point you in the right direction. These little things can make a HUGE difference.

4. Move! Getting the motivation to get up and be active can be a struggle for a lot of people. It is very easy to think, 'I'll start again tomorrow' or 'let's skip today's workout'. Again, this could be a result of putting too much pressure on yourself. Even a brisk 10 minute walk or a few Sun Salutations is enough to get your heart pumping and your muscles working. It may sound strange but do take a break from sitting at your work desk! Get up and move around, do some stretches, walk to the shops and get out on your lunch break. The fresh air will wake you up and revitalise you.

Now let us remember that every body is different, the amount of exercise and the intensity of exercise depends on the individual. You may be a 5 day a week gym bunny or just enjoy the occasional bike ride and stroll. We enjoy Yoga, Pilates and other fitness classes where you are working out in a group. This way you also have a qualified instructor guiding you throughout the session. They are fun and social, leaving you feeling energised and proud of yourself.

Either way it is important to move your body each day, this will keep everything functioning properly. When you exercise your body also releases chemicals called Endorphins, or what we call happy hormones! So wiggle off the couch and dance around to your favourite song!

5. And... unwind. Now on the opposite end of the scale, it can be hard to switch off sometimes. Without enough rest and good sleep, your body cannot function adequately. This is why we mentioned in tip number 1 to keep things easy. Burning the candle at both ends could lead to a number of health concerns including: adrenal fatigue, gut problems, irritability and hormonal imbalances.

We recommend Pukka Night Time Herbal Tea, which has Valerian root and Camomile, which will help you relax, calm the mind and drift off to sleep in no time.

Try to avoid caffiene later in the afternoon so you're not still buzzing like a bee before bed.
Try sleep promoting Yoga poses before you hop into bed! Childs pose is a grounding, resting pose as it helps slow your heart rate down.
Switch off technology and lights so you can wind down properly without distraction.
Read a book or maybe write in a journal, this will relax you and could get things off your chest that are playing on your mind.
Pamper yourself once in a while with a natural face mask or bubble bath!
We also love Neom Perfect Nights Sleep Pillow Mist! Just a few spritzes of this delightful infusion of essential oils on your pillow just will help you dream away!