A smoothie might seem a strange choice for this cold season. But bear with me! December is a very busy month for most people and smoothies can be prepared in minutes. And in the lead up to Christmas when there are a lot of rich foods around, your body will thank you for replacing a sandwich and mince pie with something lighter to digest.
Mangos are packed with antioxidant vitamins –providing more than a day’s dose of vitamin C and two thirds of your recommended daily vitamin A intake. Ginger is a common remedy for colds and an anti-inflammatory food, which is definitely worth introducing if you have any arthritic symptoms.
Mango, Kiwi and Ginger Smoothie
½ mango
1cm piece of fresh ginger
1 kiwi
1/mug frozen berries
3/4mug cold coconut water or almond or oat milk (225ml)
Juice of ½ lime
Peel the mango using a vegetable peeler and cut it’s flesh off the stone. Peel the ginger and scoop the kiwi flesh out of its skin.
Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
Taken from Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward
Nicky Seabrook BSc.Dip.IONmBANT CNHC
To find out more about Nicky and nutrition at the Centre visit her page here.
The Yoga posture of the month is pretty topical for Christmas as it’s the Garland. My Yoga practice suggestion for Christmas is to spend a few minutes working on the Tree (last month’s posture and also topical for Christmas) plus the Garland. Quieten your mind, deepen and lengthen your breathing while you practice and this will help you to relax, focus and enjoy the festive season.
Best wishes
Izzy
December Posture of the Month The Garland – Malasana
Benefits
- Stretches the inner thighs and groin area
- Improves balance and stability
- Lengthens the lower spine
- Strengthens the ankles and legs
How to do it
- Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and bring your feet and legs together.
- Bend your legs and keep them parallel
- Once your knees are completely bent, part your knees
- Move your chest forward between your thighs and stretch your arms and hands forward
- Move your upper body forward then down, bringing your elbows closer to the floor
- Widen your arms and reach round behind you for your heels
- If you find it really difficult to keep the heels on the floor, then you can begin with the heels off the floor, balancing on your toes
- Don’t worry if you can’t reach all the way round to your heels – go as far as you can
Things to watch
- Work gently as there is a strong stretch to the inside of the thighs
- Remain focussed so that you maintain your balance
- Ensure the weight us distributed across both feet
Link for more info: http://www.yogajournal.com/article/poses/7-steps-master-garland-pose-malasana/
Izzy Ixer
British Wheel of Yoga Dip Yoga Tutor and Coach
You can find out more about Izzy here and about yoga at the Centre here
Twitter @IzzyIxer or @IzzyYoga
It’s nearly Christmas and this month I’ve chosen two aromas of the month, Frankincense and Myrrh. Both are wonderful oils, especially for this time of year. Merry Christmas xx
Frankincense – Comforter of Sorrow, Spiritual Healing & Support.
Frankincense is excellent for grief, loss, and letting go. It is best known for its enduring emotional and spiritual support. A fortifying essence to the mind and emotions, Frankincense oil slows and deepens cellular respiration and has the characteristic effect of comforting and centering you during times of distress. Frankincense is also helpful for overcoming and dispelling fear and taking action, and is beneficial for releasing negative mental and emotional states such as low self-esteem, lack of confidence, insecurity and anxiety. The quintessential oil for letting go and allowing whatever happens to be okay, use Frankincense essential oil to promote your spiritual awakening and to enhance your meditation practice.
Myrrh – Soothing & Restorative Tonic
Traditionally Myrrh oil has been used for enhancing spiritual and emotional well being. It is an excellent aid to healthy functioning of the limbic (emotional center) of your brain. Myrrh oil wakes up cell tissues and enhances the physical energetic centers of the body. Its vibrant and resonant effect on cell tissues makes Myrrh oil a wonderful tonic for your body, mind and emotions.
Victoria Lily Reflexology
If you’d like to know more about Aromatherapy at the Centre visit our page here or call 01394 388234.
To find out more about Victoria Lily visit her page here.