Benefits Of Dairy-Free For Your Skin & Body

Whats with all the big milk moo-ha?

Now I forgo the cheese and cracker platter out of my own ethical reasons, and I respect everyone’s personal choices when it comes to their diets. It’s simply none of my business. However, there are many great benefits for your skin and body when you ditch the dairy. So lets have a little talk about the white stuff.

1. Clearer Skin

Unfortunately for many people, dairy may be the trigger of your problematic skin conditions and inflammation, including eczema, acne and rosacea. In fact, many dermatologists recommend ditching the dairy as a first course of action in treating such skin conditions. So if you’ve tried every remedy and tablet under the sun, perhaps try eliminating dairy from your diet for a couple weeks and see if your skin improves. 

2. Healthier Digestion

It is estimated that around 70% of the world’s population has a certain degree of lactose intolerance. This intolerance means that the body is unable to easily digest lactose (the natural occurring sugar within dairy), leading to swelling and discomfort, as well as constipation and diarrhoea. So if you suffer from IBS, bloating and other digestive issues, milk may be the culprit. 

3. Weight Loss

Removing dairy from your diet cuts out a lot of excess saturated fats, sugars and salts from your diet which could help you lessen your calorie intake. And in fact, in a study of more than 12,000 children, they found that the more milk they consumed, the more weight they gained. So it's a simple switch that could help you shift a few pounds.  

Dairy-free Alternatives:

Ditching the dairy doesn’t mean you have to miss out on milk, butter and cheese. There is a large market for dairy-free alternatives which taste fantastic. We’ve been known to replace butter in cakes with a dairy-free butter and no one has been any the wiser (but lets keep that between us!).

Oatly Organic Oat Milk 

I’ve found this milk to be the best to froth up and top a cappuccino and doesn’t contain any nasty or unnecessary ingredients.

Rude Health 

Pictured is their Coconut Drink, but all their products taste delicious and are full of natural ingredients, unlike many products on the market that contain lots of stabilisers and sugars.

Flora Freedom

I’ve recently started using this new Flora Free dairy-free butter, especially in baked goods, and am pleased to learn it is made from 100% plant oils and is free from artificial preservatives, colours and flavours. 

Where do you stand on ditching the dairy?

K

July Favourites

As I’ve recently returned from a lovely summer getaway to Majorca, unsurprisingly my July Favourites have taken a bit of a sunny twist. Now I’d be lying if I didn’t say my ultimate favourite this month was the cocktail menu (Banana Margarita’s, Pina Colada’s, Hugo’s, the list goes on…), but here’s another few things that I’ve been loving:

I’m a massive fan of lobster, to eat that is, not look like. Blisters, red raw back and shoulders, skin peeling off my nose and forehead…I’ve been there before, and I assure you, it isn’t my best look. So I’m big on sun protection. I love the light formula of the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ to wear on an everyday basis on my face, underneath or instead of foundation. I teamed it with the Ladival Lotion SPF 30, which helps protect against both UVA and UVB rays as well as harmful IR-A rays, whilst on holiday. Admittedly, I only turned a nicer shade of pale, but I still looked better than my crustacean friend.

Not only do I worry about my skin’s exposure to the sun, I also worry about my hair’s. I treated my locks to an Aussie Moisturise Miracle Mask every evening instead of my usual conditioner for a little extra hydration. 

And whilst during the day I omitted the full face of make-up routine, of an evening I do like to get dressed up. I loved the Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer to give me the most amazing, flawless finish that even a barbie doll might be jealous of.

In-between lounging around in the sun in this gorgeous bikini from the Kendall & Kylie Swim Collection for Topshop bikini, and taking the odd cheeky mid-morning nap, I had plenty of time to read. I finally finished And The Mountains Echoed which was every bit as beautiful as Khaled Hosseini’s other novels, and got my teeth stuck into the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People.

And lastly, and possibly the only thing better than Banana Margaritas this month, are the new Nakd Bar flavours that I arrived home to. So far my favourite is the Carrot Cake flavour, but I can just tell the Peanut Delight won’t be too far behind…

What were your favourites this month?

K

Invaluable Lessons I've Learnt Running

Invaluable Lessons I Learnt Running

As I narrowly avoided face-planting concrete the other morning on my run, a great lesson I wished someone had taught me, was not to attempt running and talking. But perhaps that was just pure clumsiness. 

Here's a few invaluable lessons I have learnt from running: 

• Just because it’s not easy, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Getting to the end of your run can often feel like an impossible quest. But I suppose like childbirth, when push comes to shove, that baby’s got to come out of there somehow, and you’re only way home is getting up and over that hill. Running is almost never easy. It’s hard. It always will be. The only difference is that each time you set out, you realise that although it’s hard, you’re strong and more than capable.

• Fast runners, slow runners, there’s little difference. We’re all made of the same grit and determination that will get us through our runs, regardless of our times and distances.

• You can’t compare your mile to anyone else’s. We all thrive in different aspects of our lives. When my Brother began running again, I was really disheartened to see he could do what I found incredibly difficult, so easily. This type of discouragement is natural and we can all feel as though we aren’t good enough within certain aspects of our lives. You can use these feelings as a positive driving force to improve your own performance, but focus on doing your best not anyone else's. And at the end of the day, sure he can thrash me on a 5K run, but I’ll always make a better bowl of porridge than him.

• The climb is steep, but boy, the view is great. All your efforts are being noted. All the long runs, the hot runs, the hard runs, the fast runs and one day, you’re going to see the fruit of all your labour. 

• It’s easy to get caught up with the PBs. A lot of runners get really concerned with always going out there and running their fastest, which sometimes can take all the fun out of running. Don’t forget to sometimes go out running for the pure enjoyment of the sport - forget about PBs, just run. On Christmas morning, my Dad and I always open a pair of new running shoes and it’s become a sort of tradition that we break them in with a cheeky run before the festivities of the day begins. We don’t worry about how far we run, or how fast we run, we just have a great time. 

And possibly the most important lesson I've learnt running: the Rocky theme tune gets you up hills quicker. Fact.

K

Salt & Balsamic Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas & Other Healthy Travel Snack Ideas

The last time I got on a plane empty-handed, I went a little crazy on those tiny tubes of Pringles from the refreshment trolley. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination, but it’s safe to say I always like to keep some nutritious supplies on my persons. Here’s my picks for some sweet and savoury healthy travel snacks:

Powerful Antioxidant Blueberry & Dark Chocolate Snack Pot. 

Houmous Snack Pot & Veggie Sticks. 

The Perfect Crisp Alternatives: Kallo Sundried Tomato & Herbs Mini Corn & Rice Cakes and EatReal Chilli & Lemon Lentil Chips.

Nakd Banana Crunch Bar.

Munchy Seeds Choccy Ginger.

Salt & Balsamic Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas

If you’re a sucker for the salted peanuts with your G&T when the trolley comes round, lose the overly processed nuts (not the drink) and try this recipe for these crunchy Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas.

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200 Degrees Celsius and line a baking tray.

Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas onto a clean tea towel (or kitchen paper) and pat dry. Transfer the chickpeas onto the baking tray and drizzle with your extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Roast the chickpeas for about 15 minutes, then toss chickpeas with a wooden spoon and continue to roast for another 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Drizzle the chickpeas with your balsamic vinegar and toss. Allow to cool before eating.

Store in an airtight container for 1 - 2 days. 

Remember that a balanced diet is something that needs to be sustainable for yourself. It is about creating healthy habits and not placing restrictions on ourselves - sometimes choosing to eat vegetable sticks over crisps, but still allowing ourselves treats when we really want them. So these are just some of my favourite healthy choices for snacks when travelling, but at the end of the day, I'm going on holiday so I probably still will treat myself to a few Pringles (perhaps I may just not go quite so crazy) alongside my blueberries. 

K

What's In My Holiday Skincare Bag

I dread checking-in my suitcase at the airport. I fear that my case will send those scales flying way over and I'll have to pay for the extra kg allowance, and trust me, I've already got greater plans to spend that money in duty-free. Now seeing as half my suitcase is compromised between important skincare, make-up and snacks, I know that it'll be my underwear thats first to go...But hey, if in the name of good skin I'll have to spend the holiday in my birthday suit, I'm prepared to make that sacrifice.

Here's the products I'm taking - in order of application:

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum

Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

Nivea Rich Moisturising Day Cream (for dry/sensitive skin) with SPF 15

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+

Cloud 9 Clarity Clearing Spot Gel

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

LUSH Oatifix Face Mask

Caudalie Overnight Detox Oil 

There's nothing worse than sacrificing your underwear for a whole load of products you're not actually going to use, so I only fill my skincare bag with things that I use on a day-to-day basis. 

Being red-headed and pale with freckles, I'm very wary about my exposure to the sun. I  always apply an SPF 50 like the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+ all over my face and neck, come rain or shine, and you'll find me on the sun lounger with a large floppy hat and sunglasses (chic). Between the drying air-conditioning on the flights and the long days in the sun, I find that my skin gets very dehydrated and looses it's glow. I make sure to drink plenty of water and use a moisturising face mask like the LUSH Oatifix every other day to keep it in good condition. And I can always guarantee I'll be blessed with a big break-out just as I'm to spend a week almost make-up free, so I'm taking the Cloud 9 Clarity Clearing Spot Gel to use on spots for it's fast and effective relief (it also dries super quick and clear leaving me feeling more confident).

What would you sacrifice your underwear for when you go on holiday?

K

Weekly Dinner Plan #4

I’m a nosy person by nature, and a lover of all things food, so it’s no surprise I’m always intrigued to know what other people eat. For anyone who eagerly questions colleagues every morning “so what did you have for dinner last night?” like it’s some hot gossip, this ones for you. Here’s what this weeks Dinner plan looks like:

Monday Smoked tofu and peanut stir-fry.

Tuesday Salmon parcels with spring vegetables.

Wednesday Prawn and cashew nut salad.

Thursday Almond lemon cod.

Friday Sweet potato wedges with garlic beans and spinach.

Saturday Ten-minute tomato sauce served with brown rice pasta.

Sunday Mushroom & cauliflower vegan shepherds pie.

• The first few meals this week are recipes I’ve been eager to try out from ‘The Louise Parker Method Lean For Life’. I like that Parker’s idea emphasises eating a diet rich in whole foods, and creating a sustainable lifestyle incorporating achievable exercise to get you looking lean, rather than the diet you ditch 4 weeks in. 
• Half Marathon training has officially started, which means between 3 - 4 runs per week, including a long distance run every Sunday morning. It’s important to incorporate plenty of carbs for energy and protein to aid in recovery to my diet. Saturday night is the ten-minute tomato sauce with black beans served with brown rice pasta to fuel me through Sunday morning. 
• Sunday is always a comfort meal type of night. I don’t actually eat meat, so I plan on making a vegan shepherds pie with mushrooms and a cauliflower mash topping instead of the traditional way. 

What does your weekly dinner plan look like?

K

Comforting Cinnamon Butter Bean Stew

Painting my nails and re-watching old episodes of 90210 are extremely tedious jobs that aren’t going to just do it themselves, you know. Some times, I just don’t have the time to slave away making a big fancy dinner when there are far more important things to do. 

This cinnamon butter bean stew is a perfect, comforting, throw-it-all-together mid-week meal that gives you more time to do all those things you keep putting off - a Jo Malone candlelit bubble bath, oh the horror, don’t make me do it.  

Make a big batch to freeze for even quicker, healthy mid-week meals! 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Cups Vegetable Stock

400g Courgettes (Chopped)

2 Red Onions (Chopped)

400g Broccoli & Cauliflower Florets

2 Cans Butter Beans

4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

200g Brown Basmati Rice

Place all ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer whilst you steam the rice.

Serve and enjoy!

More time for all that “important” stuff… 

K