Why you should keep a food diary

There are many reasons why you should keep a food diary, the most convincing being you will know exactly what you eat, when you eat and how you felt afterwards. You wouldn't rely soley on your memory to do your banking or tax return and neither should you take such an approach if you have specific health goals in mind .

1. Increases food awareness

A food diary is a valuable tool to get you on track in the initial stages of changing your diet and lifestyle habits. You can avoid telling the truth to your therapist but you can't lie to your diary. Even if you hate writing down the things you're not proud of eating, you will gain more insight into your problem areas.

2. Encourage healthier choices

You are more likely to make better food choices if you know you need to write them down and review them. The diary will highlight where you need to work harder. It also encourages you to keep improving, changing things up and trying new things when you do eat really well.

3. Positive life style change

Not only can you reflect on your food choices but you can add how you feel and how much exercise you do. "Like attracts like" as the saying goes, so focus on all the positive activity in your life and you will create more reasons to keep improving.

4. Track your wellbeing

This is especially useful if you are unwell, possible food allergies or have symptoms you can't trace. It is essential for health conditions that need monitoring such as diabetes, heart conditions and people undergoing serious medical treatment. By recording what you eat, when you do and how your symptoms afterward it gives you an actual record of how you are feeling on a day to day basis and how specific foods make you feel.

5. Achieve your goals

Whether that be weight loss, get fitter or tweak your health a food journal can help you keep track and stay motivated. The food diary will help you plan out your meals and snacks.

What will you need?

Either a basic note pad, Word document on your computer or an app like "Edibles". Make it visually appealling by sticking pictures or your favourite quotes and adding colour to your diary.


Why shouldn't you have a food diary? If you have a habit to control everything in your life, especially if you are very rigid with your food choices or have been in the past. In this case it is "healthier" for you to relax and enjoy what your eat, rather than analyse everything you put in your mouth.

Love
Ulyana...

Sugar Junkie

The title was just to get your attention... this is a touchy topic. Sugar is everywhere, in almost every food product and has been for a while now. No one really wants to hear why this sweet, white substance can be compared to an addictive drug and I don't blame you. It's passed around the workplace, hidden in goodies, bars and lollies and if you don't accept the offer, the pressure begins.

It gets you through the day and we all look forward to the hit. Similar to why a smoker doesn't really want to hear about how damaging smoking can be for your health... Sugar is the legal, addictive, widely abused, affordable and most easily accessed "sweet poison" of our time.

White sugar is made from the tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum, native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia or the sugar beet plant of the genus Beta vulgaris. Like salt it has history dating back to around the 8th Century, with raw sugar trade from Asia to the Middle East but this is disputable.

Glucose is the form of energy the human body was designed to run on. Every cell in your body from skin, liver to brain, in fact, every living thing on this Earth uses glucose for energy.
Simple carbohydrates are also called simple sugars and are chemically made of one or two sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides). How long the chain determines if it's a fruit sugar (fructose) or table sugar (glucose) rice malt and honey (maltose) etc. These are digested very quickly by the body providing a quick energy boost.

Complex carbohydrates (starches) are made of three or more linked sugars. Grains, breads, pasta, rice, legumes and some vegetables contain complex carbohydrates. These take longer to digest, resulting with a slower energy release.

Insulin is how your body controls blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar is too low, your body signals hunger. As a result of the hunger signal, you eat and the food is converted to glucose, through the digestive process, which boosts the blood glucose levels and gives you energy.
Refined sugar is detrimental to health because it causes your body to release a large surge of insulin. This seems fine but it places a consistent burden on the pancreas, encourages the body to store fat (especially around the mid section) and causes cells to become insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is when the hormone insulin, becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars. Consistently high insulin levels, results in crashing blood sugar levels. This causes more sugar cravings to get your blood sugar back up and you more energy, only to be let dow again if you continue eating unnatural sugar. Basically, the more refined sugar you eat, the more reliant you are upon it to keep you going and the more damage it does to your body. Risk factors being type 2 diabetes, weight gain, headaches, cavities, mood swings, osteoporosis (poor mineral absorption), addiction, candida, allergies, insulin resistance and poor immunity. Sugar consumption has been linked with cancer...

Whose crazy idea was it to put sugar in everything!?

Let's put it into perspective...
Anything processed or highly refined  is less healthy or simply unhealthy, depending on what and how it's made. Refined white and "brown" sugar, high fructose corn syrup , agave, and artificial sugars (chemical sweeteners) are all highly processed ingredients. I hate to be unpopular but these are best avoided...

Ok, so what are your alternatives...

Artificial Sweeteners??

Sucralose (Splenda), Saccharin, Aspartame, Maltitol and Sorbitol are the most commonly used in food products "diet" drinks, "lite" yogurts and ice creams, "low-carb" and "low-sugar" products, even toothpaste and mouth wash.

These sugar substitutes have been linked to the following, although some not yet conclusive.

*Potential cancer risks
*Negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs and toxicity

*Stimulating cravings

*Gastrointestinal problems

It's a wonder this stuff is in food... really.

I feel we're in a lose-lose situation. On one hand we have white sugar and co. (at least a food product) bombarding our health yet the artificial sugar arena has us risking as much, if not more!

Natural Sugar Goodness :))))

Finally, something fun to write about.

I don't think all sugar is bad for your health, that would be a silly idea, considering it's the body's preferred fuel source but I think you need to be picky with what and how much sweetness you need. Keep in mind people that exercise more, naturally need more fuel to burn off.

Stevia- This is the best no calorie sweetener but you need to get used to it because it's around 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is a herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years.

Fruit- Suprise! you couldn't possibly ask for a better alternative than the real deal. You can use fruit as a snack, smoothie, juice or in your cooking. Think medjool dates, figs, sultanas and other dried fruit for your baked goodies and any ripe berry, melon or tree fruit to munch on. Fruit is made for the body, I have no questions about it.

Honey- Local, raw honey has amazing health benefits and it's sweet and easy to use but don't over do a good thing. A tablespoon a day on your muesli is enough.

Maple syrup- A highly mineralised and unique flavour, easy to use. Great in cooking and making chocolate. Again, this isn't to be used and abused...

Coconut sugar- instead of the "brown" stuff sold in the shops. Much nicer flavour too.

These natural sweeteners will still affect insulin levels (except the stevia extract), the idea is to wean off the white sugar and replace it sparingly with these. However, fruit contains fibre, water and minerals and is a complete food, natural, untouched and ready to eat. Keep in mind that increasing your exercise will allow you to burn sugar/ energy more effectively and in a perfect world you'd like to get most of your sugar intake from fruit only- it has been done.

Other complex carbohydrates such as basmati or brown rice, whole oats, buckwheat, barley, spelt, root vegetables, whole grain, rye and sourdough breads are also fine. I swear by them...

Love
Ulyana...

Yogini Glamour

Winter

Everything just seems harder in winter. It's harder to get out of bed in the mornings, it's harder to eat healthier, it's harder to exercise, harder to blog... and harder to stay chirpy. The sun is further away from the earth and we can feel the cold...



 As if! Our winter is more like....

but a bit more drizzly...

Firstly, it's quite natural to have a daily, monthly, yearly lull. I can't imagine it being normal to feel super perky ALL the time. Life fluctuates and we tend to follow its lead. Your mood can be directly related to your energy levels. If you have energy, chances are you'll feel happier and more positive, unless you have a current trying personal experience. When you come home from work, your energy has been used up in the day and yes the thought of achieving that goal of yours seems too hard. Being a female, the monthly cycle demands you take a break, reflect and start a new cycle.

If you look at nature's cycles, you can see the trees have dropped their leaves. There are very few flowers, the animals seem to hibernate and sleep more. Naturally your energy turns inward to conserve and build reserves just like like the rest of the world. You can still feel healthy and energetic in winter but it is still normal to feel more introverted in the cooler months.

Ways to improve your mood

Sun...
The sun goes away for a while and the world looks a little glum, is it no wonder why Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or mood changes occur when the sun shines less. Some of my most blissful moments are in the warmth of the sun, especially mid morning with a cup of tea and or enjoying the beach weather. If you get very little or no sun exposure, not only is your vitamin D production at risk  but you just don't feel or look right. If you were to starve a plant of sunlight, you can imagine what would happen to the poor thing. If the world were to suddenly become sunless, we would die too.

I don't suggest roasting yourself or being careless with sun exposure, especially if you live in Australia or have a family history of skin cancer but I suggest you allow some natural exposure, especially if you spend a lot of time indoors. Try 10 to 15 minutes a day. The darker your skin is naturally, the more sun exposure you need.

Follow this link to read up on the health benefits of sunlight http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunlight.html

Food...

I feel like a broken record but I guess diet is fundamental to all that I do. It's harder to eat "healthy" when the weather is gloomy, it just doesn't have that comfort factor we all crave. No doubt, we need nutrition to keep us energetic, operating smoothly and thinking clearly. The easiest way to eat better when the winter temptations come out is to plan ahead. Carby cravings need to be satisfied with whole grains, good fats and healthy desserts. Your vegetable dishes may need a heartier spin on them choosing seasonally. Nice choices are pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, turnips, parsnip, brussel sprouts, broccoli and beetroot. Things like cabbage, kale, fennel and avocado can be sliced finely with added herbs and a nice vinagrette or glaze and you have a fresh winter side dish. Try and immitate "comfort" food and replace any questionable ingredients with healthy produce. For example, a standard greasy lasagne can be filled with almost any winter root vegetable, mushrooms and a creamy cashew or ricotta sauce instead of a yellow cheesy sauce.

Chocolate...

It has to be raw, vegan and organic. Not raw as in straight off the plant but as in how much heat is applied during its processing. Keeping the chocolate bean (cacao bean) under a certain temperature keeps its nutrients in tact. It also has amazing mood enhancing properites. Ever have a mid afternoon slump? Eat a small amount of raw chocolate, it will not only boost your mood but it will speed up your metabolism and give you more energy. This doesn't work for everyone, some people are very sensitive to the sharp energy boost cacao can give you and make you grumpy instead. Either make sure you only have a small amount or make sure it's not on an empty stomach.

Loving Earth Chocolate

Exercise...
The thought of facing the wind, rain and cold can keep me in doors at the best of times but I find this is easier to tackle if you do the following things.
* Make a set time
* Select and ideal routine (with a plan B if you need one)
* Make sure you put on the suitable clothes to make it happen (if it's an outdoor one, wear protective and warming clothing)
* Start small (20mins) then increase as necessary
* Keep it simple, if all you can do is a longer walk to the car or just around the block then great. The fresh air and circulation boost will put you in a better mood than you thought.
* Choose an indoor activity that gets you moving, even a yoga, pilates, dance classes are all things you can do inside.
* Dust of the yoga DVD's and make the decision to do only half. By the time you're into it you'll want to finish it and even if you don't, you've done what you agreed to do! Enroll in a class, there are some amazing ones out there...

If you struggle to be your own motivator, which we all do at times then hire some help. Ask around and find a good personal trainer that can take you through an 8 week program. You'll always show up (unless you'e unwell then you come see me!) and THEY do all the thinking/ planning for you. They will push you when you need it and you'll walk (or limp hehe) away feeling good about yourself. Then as the weather warms up, take a break and get yourself ready for some outdoor activity.

Affirmations...
Oh you've all tried that I hear, well not enough! Either repeat your affirmations until you, your body and your emotions relfect what you're saying or find another method such as hypnosis or neuro linguistic programing NLP to help you do it.
Use your imagination and create a short affirmation, using positive language and a present tense. Something like "I feel better everyday on every level, I love being healthy" or "I only choose the best foods for my body" or "I have an infinite source of energy". These are just examples and you can tailor them to suit your own needs but write them down, say them, think them and look at them when you need a pick me up. They work but only if you apply yourself. I've written these on my body, my mirrors at home, I have post-it stickers everywhere encouraging me to think better- even if slightly embarrasing at times.

Louise L. Hay














Shakti Gawain














Music
The power of a good tune. Have you ever been driving along and an old favourite comes on? Suddenly you're in a great mood and all is well in the world and vice versa have you ever been driving along and a song comes on that made you feel sad? If you've been feeling down lately make a habit of putting on your favourite music. In the clinic I always have calming, tinkly, music both in the waiting and the treatment room- amongst the other mood setters like incense, essential oils, lighting...  People love to listen to the rain, thunder and ocean and it calms them down almost immediately.

Sleep
Sometimes we just need a break from everything and especially in the winter. What looks or feels like a down mood might just be a bodily request for a nap, or a night in or some time spent for yourself. Sometimes that request can seem to go on forever but really, once fullfilled your good mood returns. What goes up must come down and what goes down must come up again.
Respect the fact that you will have emotional fluctuations because that's the human experience. We feel things and when life isn't relfecting what we truly desire then we feel the consequences of that. The other point is, if you've been through trying experiences then you will have to deal with the emotions that come along with them ie a break up, death, betrayal, unsatisfying job...
I find I learn the most when I'm working through a "down time" whereas if everything was "rosie" it's a stand still, enjoying the moment type experience. I embrace the changes because they are transformative.

Nature

Nature is an antidote to stress. She seems to calm down and simplify everything. From a theoretical perspective, places with moving water and/ or plenty of trees emit negative ions which promote a calm disposition and are good for us. Positive ions are emitted from computers, T.V's phones etc and because we are surrounded by so much, it is very "ungrounding." Everyone feels better after a walk on the beach or in the park.

Me Time
Self explanatory really. I get a bit anxious if I don't have enough time to think. Some people need more time for themselves, while some need to get out and see more people. Work out where you sit on that scale...

Love
Ulyana...

Vegetarian Russian Borscht

Sometimes I don't have anything to say. Nothing exciting but that's no reason not to get busy doing something, anything... it's cold and mid-winter and I like it. I have this theory, that life is really a string of moments, little moments mostly.

When I get asked "what have you been up to? I normally answer "Oh you know, not much". . .

Truth is I keep busy but it's a lot of seemingly insignificant stuff that makes my day, my week, my month that no one else would take interest in. It's these little things, these small wins that make me the happiest. Cooking gives me time to think and appreciate the little things. It's relaxing, keeps my hands busy and my mind empty. By the end of the dish, I've hopefully sorted out some of life's problems and created something that's good for me...

Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

My Baba used make this pastry called Koubate, a sweet pumpkin, filo dessert. I thought because pumpkin was a vegetable it was not to be used in a sweet dish. It confused my palate. These days I've really opened up to the idea of combining different foods and appreciating the diversity. Having said that, if your digestion isn't strong or you're not feeling super healthy it's better to eat fruit separately and on an empty stomach.

I decided to make breakfast cookies using sweet potato, something easy to grab and go in the morning. This recipe is vegan and wheat free but you can replace the oat flour with a wheat, spelt or buckwheat based one. The spices nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger add warmth and combine perfectly. A cookie, a banana and a green tea and I'm out the door and happy!

Ingredients...
1 cup steamed and mashed sweet potato or pumpkin
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup firmly packed coconut sugar
2 tsp. baking powder (choose aluminium free)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder
Grated nutmeg to taste (optional)
1/2 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan salt
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sultanas

Method...
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper (or grease with coconut oil).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger powder and salt.
3. Mix in the vinegar. Fold in the sultanas. Spoon into cookie sized portions and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. I left mine all rough and messy (perfect!) but you can roll and squish them nicely with a fork...

**Cookies turn out a beautiful texture, the picture makes them look crunchy but they're actually quite soft.

Vegan Plov

The Italians make risotto, the Spanish paella, and Russians have this classic rice dish called plov. Plov is a savoury rice dish made with dried fruits, vegetables and herbs, that is said to have Middle Eastern roots and is traditionally made with cuts of fatty meat. Sweet really can go with savoury, and this dish proves it using bay leaf, pepper, turmeric, paprika and my twist by adding the goji berries and using a combination of brown and wild rice.

Ingredients...
1/2 cup wild rice
1/4 cup brown rice
1 tbs coconut oil
1 purple onion diced or sliced
1 carrot diced
1 stick celery diced
10 dried apricots
10 prunes
1/4 cup goji berries
salt, pepper
4 bay leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbs tomato paste
Vegetable stock (optional)

Method...
1. Boil the wild rice for 20 minutes then add the brown rice and boil for another 25 to 30 minutes in vegetable stock. This is so you don't have to boil the different rice variety's in different pots. Feel free to just use one type or even basmati if you prefer... rinse when finished and set aside to drain.
2. In a saucepan, saute with coconut oil the onion, celery, carrot add the salt, pepper, spices, tomato paste and bay leaf lightly add the dried fruit and then the rice. Turn down the heat...
3. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock, cover and let simmer until the flavours combine. Best the next day but who wants to wait!

This photo makes it look like a rustic disaster but I promise this is a unique and tasty dish. After a quick google search, I believe this photo looks good. I guess it's hard to make plov look... beautiful.

Vegetarian Russian Borscht

The all so famous Russian/ Ukrainian soup borscht gets a mention today. I can just imagine one of my friends saying "it's not a vegetarian dish!"... I beg to differ. This soup is based on beetroot, one of the most-loved vegetables of East Europe (potato is hands down the first, for many reasons!).

You can add any other vegetable left in your fridge and it'll work perfectly- no rules as every family has their own special recipe.

Russian cuisine has many soup recipes. It's easy and economical, tasty and nutritious. Again it's normally made with meat based stock, in my opinion the hearty flavour comes from the beetroot and it can be served with sour cream and dark rye bread.

Ingredients...
1 medium beetroot, sliced thinly
1 medium potato cut into cubes
1 carrot diced
1 celery diced
1/2 cup purple cabbage sliced
1 onion diced finely
2 cloves of garlic diced finely
2 tomatoes roughly chopped
1 sprig of spring onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
salt, pepper
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
pinch of curry powder
fresh dill, can use dry
fresh parsley
water
vegetable stock (optional)

Method...
1. Saute the onions, garlic, celery, spices, salt, and carrot using coconut oil in a saucepan.
2. Add potato and beetroot, mix it through and add water or vegetable stock, keeping a moderate heat going.
3. Now add the cabbage and tomato and let simmer gently and if it needs extra salt or pepper, season accordingly.
4. Chop dill, spring onion and parsley and add just before serving.

Radish and cucumber salad...
This salad is self explanatory. When you have organic ingredients, food doesn't need to be covered in sauces. Radish is another Russian favourite, along with dill. Add cucumber, spring onion, seasoning and a nice dressing. Sour cream and mayonnaise is commonly used on everything but I like it clear dressing with just a little oil and apple cider vinegar.

Small wins :)

Love
Ulyana...

Salt of the Earth

Sugar is to live for and salt ..apparently to fight over.

Salt crystal formations,  Dead Sea

For centuries mankind fought battles, traded and valued salt and it infiltrated every civilisation across the globe. Ancient Egypt, Rome, China, France and Greece all have history in the control and distribution of it and virtually every culture has customs relating to salt. Salt has been mentioned in folktales and myth, used in many ritualistic traditions and in the arts. 

"Such was the importance of salt that the words, 'war' and 'peace' originate from the word for salt & bread in Ancient Hebrew and Arabic" according to salt org 

Yet the stuff we call table salt is also known as sodium chloride and manufacturers use a chemical extracting method to refine it this way. Salt is simply not found in nature in this isolated form. In nature it is found with an abundance of naturally occurring trace minerals and elements such as Sulphur, Calcium, Magnesium, Boron, Zinc, Silicon, and Iron.

How does this affect our body??

Our bodies are essentially made up of millions of living cells. Cells are composed of molecules such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus, water molecules, proteins, DNA, polysaccharides (sugars), lipids (fats), and MINERALS.
We need minerals in our diet to stay healthy and build tissue, the building blocks so to speak. But we can only absorb these minerals when they are in their organic whole form as nature intended, like in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Plants absorb the nutrition from the soil, creating a biologically available form of minerals and our bodies assimilate it to perfection. However, this all depends on the quality of the soil. Modern farming methods such as chemical fertilisers and mono-crops have made the soils deplete of these minerals. But nature does her best, she uses what she has because that's her style.

I heard a wise person say once, Women are as fertile as the Earth is. In other words, as nutrient rich the soil is as healthy and fertile the woman. Minerals! This is where the quality of salt comes in. Consuming sodium chloride has negative health effects as our body strives to balance it's isolated form. . .

"For every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of cell water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt causes excess fluid in your body tissue" Mercola.com

Which doesn't seem like a big deal until we mention cellulite, kidney issue, fluid retention, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, arthritis and high blood pressure.
Minerals are found with other minerals on purpose. It's natures way of providing us with a "supplement" and still buffer its concentrated effects on the body. A pinch of salt is all you need. When you don't have enough salt, issues like low blood pressure and dehydration occur, however, this is not the norm. Considering most processed foods some healthy, some not so healthy all contain excessive salt as a taste enhancer... amongst other things.

Traditional Chinese Medicine regards the kidneys as one of the most important organs. The kidneys are associated with the water element, and most susceptible to the cold and are stimulated by the taste salt. Energetically, the kidneys store the body's vital Essence- inherited from our parents. Essence is what forms the basis for growth cycles, development, reproduction and determines our constitution. How resilient or weak we are health wise and how long our life "battery" will last for.

Himalayan Salt
Beautiful pink salt from the Himalayan region. I question the ethicality of how this salt is mined because it is sourced from deep within the Earth, which seems like a great idea except in theory. However, it conjures up images of big destructive mines. It is however an Earth salt, hard and dry but contains around 84 trace minerals.

Celtic Sea Salt
Is my favourite salt, harvested by hand and evaporated by the sun and wind. It is a pleasure to pay good money for an artisan product like this. Salt is something we season food lightly, paying decent money for something that will last a long time in your kitchen cupboard.

Macrobiotic Sea Salt
Produced in a similar manner to the Celtic salt as it's a sea salt. This salt is the preferred salt for the macrobiotic diet, a Japanese dietary system based on the principle of balance.

Make your own season-all salt using your choice of high quality salt, dried herbs, and favourite spices. I love to mix a curry powder with dried parsley and mustard. I consider it the secret ingredient in my veggie dishes...

Salt lamps are pretty cool. I keep one in my bedroom, it casts a beautiful glow. Salt crystal is an ideal source of negative ions due to its chemical composition. Ideal to place anywhere in the home where you want to improve air quality and create a nice environment. 

Love

Ulyana...

Shiny hair obsession...

It's no secret that women and men adore beautiful hair. I seem to be borderline obsessed with my own and for a good reason. I never ever had problems, not with condition, length or thickness. My hair used to be blonde and technically should have snapped off but my "hair genetics" and healthy lifestyle seemed to have saved it time and time again. That was until one year, and I say year because once you mess with your hair, it literally takes a year or more to rectify the damage. I won't point the finger at anyone, well heehee not much!

Mermaids have been known to break hearts...
 I was in a very stressful time of my life, at least I considered it to be back then. On reflection I was just being a drama queen. I had changed my colour to a nice chocolate brown hue, everything was going along nicely. My hairdresser would thin my hair, saying I had plenty of it and it'll make my life easier. It was long and pretty. Everything besides my personal life was peachy... That was until she left the salon! *shock* Where did she go??!! I should have known better but the salon owner suggested I try a different hairdresser. "Sure!" The younger, more gullible version of me replied.
Dissatisfied with the close to midnight colour I walked away with, a "friend" hairdresser suggested he do my hair instead...

I wanted my hair back to normal, long, pretty, thick and brown. He said he could make magic happen and I believed him. *Hint* NEVER believe a man that says he can do magic. I would say half of my hair snapped of from the attempt at highlighting. With all the breakage, he needed to blend it in somehow, so a ridiculous amount of layers were put through. This is where my hair resembled something from the 80's. THEN as I ran my hand through my hair, it was as crispy as a corn chip! No amount of product, blow drying, conditioning, or wishful thinking could make magic happen this time...

So I swore off all hairdressers. They were evil creatures, you get a good one and they desert you. You get a truly evil one and they destroy your hair and charge you while you pretend to like it, so not to hurt their feelings. *Vent over.* I know I don't mean that. I have actually found a really precious hairdresser, who only snips a centimetre off at a time. The next time I visit her, I'll let her take two. She also uses low chemical colours and products and can style hair like a dream.

The point to my long-winded story is that I've destroyed my hair but it came back. Admittedly, it took me a good two years full recovery. Hair is really slow moving, it takes months and months and months to see the results and you have to be consistent in treating it with caution. Minimal heat, no chemical based products and no colour fun. An effective distraction technique is to smile more, who needs fabulous hair when you smile like a princess???!

SOS products I have used...
Feminine Mysteries Tahitian Coconut and Vanilla Shampoo & Conditioner is heaven
Morroco Method The actual shampoos and conditioners are not so heavenly to use but the Diamond Crystal Mist is divine
David Babaii 4 Wildaid Beautiful products all round and love, love, love the Bohemian Beach Spray
Seven Wonders Hair Care Detangling Moisture Spray, is my pick. They also have an Argan (Moroccan Oil) range... 

Apple Cider Vinegar & Herbal Hair Rinse
To improve condition, shine, body and boost hair growth...

This is a recipe my babushka taught me. I've always noticed how long many Russian women wear their hair. My babushka was no exception. While the other grandmas had purple perms mine was rocking silky tresses right down to her waist. She traveled across oceans from Russia to Australia and was certainly an exotic creature back in the day.
She wore her hair all braided and slicked back. I can see now why she was a heart breaker in her time (mermaids have been known to do that). She gave me this hair rinse recipe. The basic mixture is just vinegar and chamomile but I've added the rosemary extract with time. The vinegar softens the water, adjusts the pH and gives you a super glossy finish (no it doesn't smell). The chamomile adds highlights with time and somehow strengthens the hair (my babushka says), the rosemary is my little touch and stimulates the blood flow to the scalp, resulting in happier hair with more bounce.

Ingredients...
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (only ACV, no other vinegar will do)
1 cup chamomile tea
1/4 cup rosemary extract
1.5 litres filtered or spring water

Method...
1. Sprig of fresh rosemary to 2 cups water, bring to boil and reduce and leave for 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Add ACV, chamomile tea, rosemary infusion to the water.
3. Shampoo and condition your hair with the best quality natural based products you can afford.
4. Rinse your hair well with water and put the herbal water through and let t sit for around 5 minutes for a perfect result.
5. Then if weather permits, rinse your hair with COLD water as a final then style.
6. Your hair will look gorgeous, tread carefully with the hearts you're about to break.

Do this once or twice a week for the best results.

Not only do you have to use the correct product but you have to eat the right foods and supplements speed up the process.

Chia seed- high in omega 3 fatty acids, high in protein, easy to use. Just add to muesli, desserts and smoothies.

Seaweed- high in minerals, nori, kelp, wakame, kombu, spirulina all fall under this Umbrella. A green superfood powder should do the trick ideally with sprouted baby grasses. The easiest and tastiest way to get your greens in.

Wholegrains- People are at odds with the wholegrain category but I swear by them. Brown rice, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat are my favourites. High in silica, fibre and minerals.

Almonds, Brazil, Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds- for the essential fatty acids, proteins and magnesium. Magnesium will help soothe the nervous system after you breakup with the evil hairdresser...

Greens- all the baby greens, sprouts, kale, broccoli and herbs. Highly mineralised and alkalising to the system.

Green, white, rosehip, nettle tea- high in antioxidants, good for detoxifying.

Celtic Sea Salt- Just a pinch, for the minerals. Table salt is a junk food.

Exercise and sunlight- essentials for life, oxygen and blood circulation. The body is built to move...

Avoid- excess alcohol, coffee, dairy, processed, denatured "fake" foods, chemicals and unnecessary pharmaceuticals (please confirm with your doctor) and peroxide...

Supplements that may help...

B Complex- for hair growth and condition
Zinc- growth
Green powder (with seaweed and sprouted greens)- detoxification, alkalising
Spirulina- condition, hair growth, quality
Silica- condition
MSM powder (organic suphur)- hair growth, quality

Brushes
Brush your hair everyday and using a soft bristle brush. Never brush your hair when it's wet.

Love
Ulyana xx