HOW TO BALANCE LIFE AND WORK WHEN MOVING

In collaboration with Yushoi Snacks

I’ve been a bit off grid recently, only glancing over social a few times a day when I can because excitingly, I’m moving house in a few days! It’s been a bit of a swift decision, so it’s meant the last week or so has been taken up with building boxes and filling them with all my possessions, whilst also trying to clear out at least 40% of things I own because your girl loves to declutter.

It’s not been without challenge though - viewing houses around work meant rushing from place to place, and then trying to pack around jobs too means having to plan days better so I can balance editing with removals and also general sleeping and eating.

Anything on a large scale takes it out of me, I feel my energy drop and need to get out of a funk asap to keep my productivity up, but this time I’ve tried to make an effort with balancing and planning my day, and worked out over time how you can 100% manage a move when balancing it with life and work commitments:

• Split up the day: I have a bit of a bad habit of trying to wake up early and do work in bed for a bit before 8am, but always end up typing and writing until 10am by at which point I feel gross, am ravenous, and probably not going to productive again until later in the day. When you have big life changes happening, it’s best to just get up and go as soon as you can - wake up, wash, eat breakfast, get dressed, and address what you need to do first. Maybe you have a work deadline for midday which the means you can pack some belongings after lunch, and then do emails in the evening? Or out of office hours, you can write, have a sort out of clothes and books, and start building boxes to pack the following day. Having a structured routine makes all the difference.

• Make time to eat well: As I said, I have a bad habit of working through hunger and then eating poorly because I’m way past the point of sanity. Eating three meals a day keeps me going and I aim to balance these as much as I can, but as with any large amount of mental and physical work you need to stay replenished; daily I try to drink 1.5 litres of water and when I need food I opt for a small bag of Yushoi Snacks, which contains a high amount of protein from peas that’s key to helping me stay focused and energised, plus being a low calorie alternative that’s packed with flavour such as Lightly Salted or Balsamic Vinegar, it keeps me balanced and reaching for more healthy options during the day!

• Find an activity to decompress with: My head gets easily overloaded, and during the day when packing or after a lot of computer work, I need to do something that eases my mind and basically resets me to zero. Sometimes it’s watching vlogs (mainly vlogmas at the moment, and I know, it’s early) and more recently it’s been cooking - just stepping away from a screen or endless packing motions, to the calming process of making a meal and focusing on something easy for a while, it brings a sense of calm and also a yummy meal to my place ;)

• Say yes to only what’s necessary: I’m all about hustle and getting paid for what you do best, but there’s also honouring the right commitments rather than spreading yourself too thin. If I already have client work booked it, then it goes ahead, but anything new or that isn’t a job has to be sidelined. It’s tough when you want to be shooting clients or having meetings, but you have to make sure big things like moving go ahead with help and ease, and hey, they’ll always be there afterwards to meet once you’re settled!

• Don’t rush and listen to your head: There’s no reason to do a poor job quickly when you can take your time and do it well. Whether it’s packing efficiently over cramming it all in one box and hoping for the best, or editing without really looking at the details so you can tick a job off your list, do the best you can in the time you’ve got, and if you’re head is full or just can’t continue with the task any longer, take note and change. Change your scenery, change task, go decompress and reset, and if it’s 11pm then go to bed because we all need sleep to function (and for general cosiness). Keep your head in check, remember to eat well, and do the best you can - also, ask for help if you need it! 6 hands is better than 2!

So if you see me off grid for a little longer, just know I’m knee-deep in the un-packing for a bit now, but I’ll be back soon, and in the meantime, send me all your speedy packing vibes!

x

Post in collaboration with Yushoi, however all opinions and unpacking power is my own!

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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PROBIOTICS FOR CLEAR SKIN?

If you Googled 'supplements to clear up acne' then you'd be pretty damn overwhelmed at how much information and advice there is out there; from both repeated and conflicting tips on what to take, to run downs of what every supplement, mineral and probiotic can do to balance and work with your bodily functions.

I've tried a bit of everything, but in the last few months I've found a combination of natural supplements that have helped my skin become clearer, smoother, softer and basically an easy breezy dream. I'm so close to the CC Cream dream!

The feeling of damp and gut issues has lingered since my first bout of acne outbreaks, and it clicked only after months that we had some acidophilus in the fridge - a natural good bacteria supplement that helps rebalance flora and kill off the bad stuff which allows acne-producing bacteria to keep resurfacing. Now I've taken two types of probiotics over the past two months and have seen a big difference in how they've performed, so do they work and what have they done for my skin?

Firstly I started on said acidophilus - Solgar Acidophilus Advanced Plus to be precise - once a day and in two days I noticed my skin had started to dry out from the bottom of my cheeks to my neck and also on my upper back, the main places I had acne breakouts. The rest? Normal, I literally had a north/south divide on my skin! A week later it was fully flaking off and very dry, but not unmanageable - I was having to leave intensive hydrating masks on which for once was nice! In that time about 2/3 spots that were stuck under hardened and thick skin had come to the surface and were easy to extract without damage to the skin, and my cheeks were overall softer and smoother. After that I upped to 2 tablets a day to really kick the last few out. Cue even more drying out for a longer period of time, but also the clearing up of another 3/4 under-skin bumps, plus less oil overall in hormonal prone areas. Once thing I did notice is that every morning I woke up with heads on spots that were usually tough and hard, which to me showed that the probiotics were helping to push everything out - I can only suggest it's similar to how accutane works minus the side effects?

Unfortunately for me the supplements ran out before I had time to repurchase so went into a health shop for more advice; here they suggested an alternative brand - Bio Care BioAcidophilus - which had 10 times the amount of strains as Solgar (also reflected in price!) that should help balance my gut and skin. I've been taking these for over 2 weeks now so think I can give a fair enough review - despite being higher dosage, they haven't been as effective. My skin is a bit dry, but not to the extent of before where it would dry and flake off an amount to reflect the dose taken before settling, but more at a maintenance level, plus something that apparently occurs with taking probiotics is excess bloating from air, and yeah, I definitely experienced that. Great when mixed with pre-cycle hormones *sobs* Obviously, I'm going to continue taking these and have upped to the higher recommended two-a-day dose, but I do feel that after seeing the effects of the previous probiotics, I'd rather pay less and clear my skin up quicker and more effectively. Plus, more oils!

Before I round up, I should do a few extra shout outs - after reading Caroline's post on acne, I doubled my fish oil intake (I've been taking four Wiley's Finest 630 mg capsules a day) and also started taking a higher dosage Zinc tablet as it is great for taking down inflammation and fighting bacteria. I take the fish oils every morning and zinc in the evening as it absorbs better, and both these have helped my skin stay soft and reduce the lingering redness and painful lumps - winner!

So do probiotics work for skin? Yes, if you find the right brand and blend of bacteria that helps you. Realistically, if you take any antibiotic, you should take probiotics to replace good bacteria killed off or if you - it's even noted on the NHS website that different types of probiotics have different effects on the body and not to assume one brand/type of strain will do the same as another, so whilst my current ones aren't as focused on acne bacteria, they are balancing my gut overall (she hopes) and I know to go back to my previous brand in the future. Get the bottle on pre-order renewal ASAP!


Would you consider probiotics for your skin? Have you taken acidophilus for your gut/acne before? Do you know of the benefits of good bacteria?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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HOW HOMEOPATHY CAN WORK FOR YOU

I've visited homeopathic clinics and practitioners since I was little, it's always felt quite normal to me and whilst doctors are all well and good sometimes, it's nice to to discuss your issues and health concerns from a different angle.

There are always various ways of looking at concerns, and when the traditional has left you feeling a bit helpless it's worth reaching out to other fields, which is why I took the opportunity a few weeks ago to visit The Italian Medical Centre to discuss how homeopathy could clear up my acne.

Homeopathy is split into two types of treatment which follow a similar approach of diagnosis: 5 levels of treatment that can target first aid surface injuries (ie bruises), acute health issues such as colds, deep injuries, organs, and the spiritual which are then either treated with one tablet to cover all areas across the board or several tablet and powders to target specific areas which are taken over a period of time. It might seem odd to prescribe homeopathic medicine (or medicine at all) for the spiritual, but it is believed that sometimes our beliefs and thoughts can affect deep down and cause these prominent reactions and expulsions.

I started off with a a 90 minute session (which can cover a lot of ground) and mine with Dr Frederica basically turned into an hour of therapy - we discussed common themes and emotions in my background and lifestyle, how acne made me feel and times it has flared up and my relationships and practises. Basically, I have a lot of emotions.

It was somewhat eye opening, because I'd had inklings of the feelings and connections before, but talking about it out loud seemed, well, embarrassing, like explaining the commonality and thoughts themselves was 'oh crap it's really obvious I shouldn't be doing that why is she writing that down? What am I doing wrong? Is it mad that I feel that way?!' 

It was good to clear up and understand more about how health issues can be triggered by non-medical factors and that balance in life is key, and I do feel that after coming out of the session afterwards I felt a lot more understood and had been shown a variety of options and triggers for my health, before leaving with a prescription tailored to what my body or 5 levels need; Dr Frederica practises the method where several tablets or powders are prescribed to cure individual ailments and feelings, whilst others as I said previously try to find one tablet that can cover across the board which can sometimes be a lower dose or effect as you're trying to fix several issues with one magic tablet. By taking each factor into account, you need less medication but it works stronger and more direct, and a lot of my prescription was focused on the emotional - OF COURSE, because I am one heck of an emotional person!

Medication can be ordered online and comes with specific instructions that are easy to follow, but I can wholeheartedly say that is you have health issues you don't feel are being addressed or acknowledged by your doctor, visit a homeopathic clinic and see what they can diagnose and guide you along with. I have to thank The Italian Medical Centre for both the chance to discuss homeopathy and my health concerns in much much more detail and see that health is just about throwing loads of medication at a problem, it's also about sharing and a willingness to try of all for a better you.

If you have any health and body issues, or have injuries or queries that still need resolving, make sure to check out The Italian Medical Centre (full services here) or research homeopathy in detail yourself to see if it can work for you - there is always a solution!

Have you tried homeopathy before? What are your views on this practise?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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#EATSMARTWITHMADELEINE

Prepare yourself for a very photo-heavy and deliciously yummy post, because as far as I'm concerned food this good deserves a bit of extra loving; you will have already seen in my vlog that I headed into London for a cooking event with Madeleine Shaw, and it was possibly the best combination of events for me - cooking food, photographing food, meeting amazing people, and eating the food. Honestly, the perfect combo.

I'm a big believer in seasonal eating, so with spring coming into full swing the berries are out in force and getting towards that riper and more juicy sweetness we love in the warmer months, and they are absolutely perfect to use in both savoury and sweet dishes. Madeleine (the absolute babe behind Get The Glow and so lovely IRL) helped host a 3 hour cooking class to show us the various possibilities of berry based recipes, all healthy and high in nutrition, and guaranteed to make you feel fuller and satisfied.

Firstly we got to making batches of Yogurt Dipped Strawberries, with us dairy-free lot opting for Co-Yo mixed with honey (which honestly, was the most delicious thing ever and I'm replicating it for my birthday) - the easiest way to get a sweet fix, just mix together the yogurt, dip your strawbs and freeze until set before devouring the lot. Which we did.

For our main dish we opted for something more savoury and stomach filling; the perfect mix of carbs, protein, fruit and flavour - Roasted Celeriac with Quinoa and Raspberries. Madeleine showed us how a blend of fresh herbs and spices could transform the celeriac - part of the same vegetable family as Celery - from being a simple food to a delicious component. With the mix of fresh thyme, honey and rosemary in a base of Avocado Oil (which has as high a smoking point as Coconut Oil, and a lovely substantial flavour), we roasted small cubes of celeriac for 40 minutes whilst we worked on cooking our quinoa, tasting the fresh berries dotted around and then finally sampling the frozen strawberries - all devoured, so delicious.

Once everything was cooked, we mixed in the raspberries to the quinoa which transferred the colour across, making it a very visual dish (and perfect for a special occasion - aka, any meal time). Seasoning to preference and combining all the components together on a plate, our dishes were garnished with fresh berries and thyme before being absolutely beaten by the size of the dish, yet enjoying the fresh flavours and textures that kept me full until 5pm.

Having made a berry/savoury dish before, I can hands down say it's one of the most flavourful and interesting meals to eat, especially as the weather warms up, and Madeleine also shared some fab tips on how food can be essential in helping skin ailments such as spots and acne - hint hint, lots of zinc and Vitamin C + E.

There are so many ways to incorporate berries into your diet, and after giving a read of our gifted recipe booklet and Madeleine's Get The Glow book, I'm definitely going to freshen up my meals with some berry goodness (and all the zinc!). But I'd love to hear your thoughts - are you a fab of berries? Have you read Madeleine's book? What is your favourite flavour combination for summer?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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FITNESS + HEALTH UPDATE

Following a plant based diet mean you've got work a bit harder at getting daily vitamins and nutrients, and I'm all for extra spinach and quinoa on my plate but sometimes you need help so for the last few months I've been adding supplements into my diet that make my body feel a bit more whoop rather than uhhhh...

If you looked at my daily supplement bowl, you may think it's excessive - 2 Milk Thistle tablets and 2 Red Clover Tablets (both for liver detoxification and to help with my acne), 3 Sea Kelp Tablets (to keep calcium in my body and also to help hair growth and stronger nails), 2 Green Tablets (packed with Spirulina, Chlorella etc) and then my ABC Plus Tablets* from Holland + Barrett; it's a lot but it's what helps my body work in function with my diet and honestly I've never felt better.
Since the addition of ABC Plus and Sea Kelp, I've noticed my energy levels don't flag and my nails (which always split by the way, nightmare) are the strongest ever - hello Adele talons - plus I don't feel I'm craving additional nutrients thanks to the high percentage of Iron, Zinc, Vitamin D and Folic Acid.

It's great to see what 4 weeks can make when adding in a multivitamin, and it's also amazing to see how in 4 weeks my strength and stamina has grown since working with a personal trainer; I finally feel I'm getting serious with exercise as the moves are tailored to me, I understand posture and reps, plus if a move doesn't work then my trainer can switch it to something that does work and boy do I feel it for two days after! To keep my focus on working out for fun, I picked up some amazing gear from Fabletics (even the name brings promise) which is run by Kate Hudson and the range of products is incredible - I went for these Pink and Green Geo Pastel Salar Leggings* and White Cashel Top* which are so much more hygienic and lightweight for workouts, plus the variety of patterns and prints makes me want all the leggings (so comfy, even if just for lounging).
Fabletics are also running an amazing campaign right now called Live Your Passion where you share your health and fitness goals on social media using the hashtag #LiveYourPassion to spread motivation - I'll be sharing a progress snap soon, don't you worry...


Sometimes 4 weeks seems like forever, but in fact 4 weeks has changed so much in my body - my skin is almost clear (hallelujah), two of my most fitted skirts are no longer fitted (now I need more clothes), I'm enjoying exercise and have claws to rival Lana Del Rey, so I'm pretty impressed with how I've progressed so far; I'd highly recommend the range of Multivitamins by Holland + Barrett including the speciality Vegan ones which really give you an added boost to daily vitamin intake.

But now I want to hear what you want to achieve in the next 4 weeks - are you taking any supplements? Are you currently getting fit? How do you hope to change in 4 weeks? I'm hoping for some stronger arms and legs like Beyonce - here's hoping...

Lots of Love,
Lauren x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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QUICK + DELICIOUS STAR STELLINE PASTA

My mouth is watering, and that can only be a good thing because today's recipe is just so sumptuously easy and delicious you'd be mad not to go to the kitchen and whip it up immediately. However I do suggest you source out the star (aaayyy) of the show - this adorable star pasta called Stelline, which at first glance may look like risotto but nope, it is 100% pasta (this specific make being gluten free, thank you!) and it will take you back to your childhood in seconds.

But we're jazzing this up a little, it's not your usual tomato star pasta from a tin that was so popular in the 90's, this is grown up sinking down into your belly food, and it's calling your name...

Ingredients (Serves 2)

100-150g of Pasta | 1/2 Jar of Passata | 1 Tsp Lazy or regular Garlic | 1/2 Vegetable Stock Cube (Gluten free preferred) | Red Wine Vinegar | Olive Oil | 6 Mushrooms | 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast | Salt and Pepper | 1 Tsp Demerara Sugar

1. Prepare your pasta in a non-stick pan. In a separate pan, add olive oil and garlic to simmer on a medium-high heat.

2. Slice the mushrooms and add to pan to brown slightly, infusing with the garlic. Whilst they soften, add the stock cube to 100ml of hot water, stirring to break it up and then add it to the pan along with the red wine vinegar. Turn the heat to a gentle simmer, and allow to infuse for 10 minutes.

3. As the mushrooms cook, boil water and cover the pasta, adding in salt if preferred. Bring to a boil and simmer for 7-10 minutes until just cooked, making sure to stir every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick together.

4. Add the passata, pepper, nutritional yeast and sugar to the mushrooms, stirring to coat and allow to cook through for 5 minutes.

5. When the sauce is hot, turn the heat off the pasta, drain and then combine with the sauce to finish cooking on a low heat to infuse and combine all the flavours. Do this for 3-5 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked through and the sauce is still hot. Flavour to taste as you go, and then SERVE!

I'm so hungry right now, so so hungry, but this pasta is super easy to make and tastes beautiful (if I do say so myself). Sometimes we need something a little bit saucy and comforting to eat, and this is seriously comforting that if you don't snuggle up with a bowl of this in-front of the tree, Harry Potter and some candles you'd be missing out. I've also just talked myself into doing so, there's that, and it's blissful.

You can't beat a bit of quick and delicious comfort food, and you can't beat it when it's made of STARS, so what are you waiting for? Bon appetite!


What is your favourite comfort food? Will you be trying Star Stelline pasta? Share your fave childhood meal!

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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ENJOYING BREAKFAST WITH BIRCHER MUESLI

Breakfast really is my favourite time of the day, but for most of us the morning rush prevents us from getting something really substantial (and delicious) into our bellies before starting a full-on day. Even if your full-on day consists of tree decorating, you need something filling and slow-energy releasing to keep you going.

Bircher muesli has been one of those meals that I've heard a lot about, not really understood, and not really tried before, but then Dorset Cereals got in touch and asked if I'd like to try out their new 30 Minute Bircher Muesli Mix - where you can enjoy a bowl of soaked yummy oats in under half an hour or overnight if you're super organised!

If you caught my Blogger Haul video, you'll have seen I've been trying out the Almonds and Honey version as well as the Raspberry and Blackcurrant mix, and for a quicker lighter alternative to porridge it's pretty darn good. The basic premise behind this breakfast bundle is that you can enjoy a delicious substantial breakfast in 30 minutes whilst you prepare yourself for the day, throwing together the muesli, milk and juice into a bowl and letting it soak as you soak yourself in moisturiser, shower gel or makeup in the morning.

Personally, I like the Almond and Honey mix for a less sweet fruity taste however the oats are still quite sweet for me so I like to mix in some plain oats to tone it down, before adding in a splash of Apple and Ginger juice and Hemp Milk for creaminess. A shake of cinnamon for that festive flavour, and some extra Pumpkin Seeds and Almonds for toppings, and then I'm done! By then, I've made a cup of tea, tidied the kitchen, opened all the curtains and got my skincare on, to which I return to a lovely bowl of soaked oats and delicious flavours to enjoy in the morning. Ahhhh breakfast you're my fave.

So with all the festive frantic vibes, give yourself an extra 30 minutes to enjoy a delicious breakfast with Dorset Cereals and make time for something substantial and satisfying.


Are you a fan of muesli? What is your go to substantial breakfast? How would you spend an extra 30 minutes?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

Website | Flickr | Tumblr | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest

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