The word for today...

Don't give up...
Don't let go...
The light at the end of the tunnel is a rainbow...

A Sainsbury's cosmetic Haul!!

Because of M.E i tend to rely on internet deliveries for shopping. But in one of my rare trip to the local supermarket, i was suprised to find some really nice SLS, SLES and Paraben free products from a brand called Mandara SPA. I was looking for slimming and toning products, and managed to buy a skin buffing brush for cellulite for £2 ,a luxury body cloth and a firming lotion for £2.66.

Also i managed to get 2 sculpting gels from a brand sold exclusively at Sainsbury called Dirty works. Both £2 each. The cellulite gels reminded me straight away of Soap and glory the firminator which i also have. They both have similar ingredients and shiny silver packaging.
Soap and glory gel is £12 however, £10 more than the Dirty works version! After trying them both i can say i found the Dirty works gel much more efficient, it made my skin smoother and smells really good, It is light on the skin and i saw results after the 5th application. The Firminator didn't work for me at all and i found the minty feeling unpleasant, the gel is greenish blue and smells of toothpaste. Also i found it gloopy. Expected more from Soap and glory because i love their products and brand. But if i see the Dirty works gel again i would repurchase and i definitely recommend for toning those stubborn bumps. Incredibly it works!!

The Bali Santi body lotion smells amazing, it feels very luxurious, and absorbs fast. It smells of coconut and vanilla, and the packaging is great. It is Paraben free, like most of the range. It contains good ingredients for the skin like Cocoa butter, almond and coconut oil, and alguae extract to firm the skin. It lasts ages and has the feel of a high end product, the fragrance lingers and doesn't smell sickly or sweet. What a find!! Love it... All products available @ Sainsbury's.

A look at some healthy gluten free ideas for breakfast!!

Breakfast is meant to be the most important meal of the day, for me i like it light, especially in the summer months. A plate of fresh fruit salad is always appealing, like mangoes or pineapple...
I like to cut some juicy strawberries ( try using a ceramic knife or plastic knife for safety), add some Alpro soya yogurt, or COYO dairy free coconut yogurt, and sprinkle some gluten free granola. The one i love is UDI's cranberry granola £2.99@Tesco or Ocado. Super easy, nutritious and delicious!!

 

Another great idea is a super packed antioxidant feast with bluebberies,black grapes and red grapes.   I added a glass of red grape juice for an extra boost...

 
A salad of blueberries and strawberries.. Yummy and simple to make...

Strawberries, blackberries and gluten free granola with maple syrup and Apro vanilla yogurt.

Always try to drink lots of water or have some Redbush tea with almond milk, juice or smoothie in the morning. The body can get very dehydraded at night especially now that the weather is getting warmer. Enjoy!

e.l.f mineral make-up Haul!

For some of you who are not familiar with e.l.f, it is a company that offers professional quality make-up at affordable prices. It is officially an American company, but we are lucky to have it here in the UK. E.l.f stands for eyes, lips and face. They ship within three to four days, and they have a good range of mineral make-up.
All of their range aim to compete with Mac, Nars or more expensive brands. Their product have simple designs and classy packaging. They always have deals on, so it is worth subscribing to their newsletter for current offers.
I got free shipping and 50% off , which is amazing!
All their mineral range has no synthetic dyes, Parabens or preservatives...
I chose colours for spring/summer 2014 . The trends are fresh faced with peachy or rosy cheeks, neutral eyes with shimmering bronze, pinks, mauve and dark grey. For lips, think pearly pinks, coral and neutral tones. This year it's all about flawless translucent skin, peachy nudes and shimmer. It works on all skin types, and tones. Dust a little bit of powder on the T-zone and highlight on the cheekbones, brows and cupid bow.

This is my haul:
Mineral booster in sheer
Mineral booster in shimmer
Mineral blush in Peachy
Mineral infused mascara in Black
Pressed mineral eye shadows in Out all night, Heartbreaker and Wine tour
Two mineral lip gloss in Sorority girl and Fierce

I thought i would use the Booster powder in Sheer as an all over powder, and the shimmer as a highlight. They reminded me of the Hourglass lighting powders, without the chemicals of course. These actually contain Vit A, E and B, which is good for your skin, but do pretty much the same job.
They absorb oil and minimise the size of pores, wrinkles and fine lines, and give you this beautiful photo finish look.

I chose a peachy blush. Because it is a powder, it adds a natural flush to the cheek, you get this lovely and fresh faced look which is bang on trend for spring/summer.

I kept it natural with browns, with small specks of gold , a dark grey and a dusky pink. These are so lovely, and they won't crease if you use a primer. I use the elf mineral primer as well.

Plastic wand on the mineral mascara to be tested..

I chose two gloss instead of lipsticks, i love lip gloss in the Spring they are not as heavy. Great to add dimension to the lips without overdoing it. So natural and pretty. I went for pinks with shimmer and dark rose tones. Thank you e.l.f!! all available@.www.eyeslipsface.co.uk

Intro, Self esteem!

It can be difficult to spend money on clothes and make-up, when we struggle to put food on the table, eat healthy, or take care of our health.
Good food and supplements can be expensive, so things like clothes, shoes and make-up become more of a luxury than a necessity. Spending so many days at home or bedridden, why would you need to anyway? We may feel depressed and helpless...
When illness struck the first thing that goes out the window is your apperance. Yet we live in a world driven by image. It can be so difficult to keep up with trends and fashion, and conform to what society expects of us. It can feel so alien and superficial. We can feel left out, as if life is passing us by! I think who we are is not manifested by what we look like, but how we feel about ourselves...

I love fashion, i am a woman and i have been a model in my teens, so image has always played an important part of my personnality. When suddenly you struggle with putting a foot in front of the other, having a shower or remembering your name, everything changes. Everything is put into a new perspective. Suddenly you stop living, and you start trying to survive the best you can.When i go to hospital they always tell me to "manage" my illness. That's the toughest and most devastating words i have ever heard. I know they mean well, but healing, that's the miracle word!
Yet, for most of us it is not yet a reality, but hold on...
When it comes to appearance, i find that there's very little information about how it makes you feel. How it cripples you emotionnaly to be chronically ill.
When you don't look your best, you don't feel you best. And it's bound to affect your self esteem, and your moods.
As human being, what we look like is such a huge part of our persona and who we are. But we have to tell ourselves that we have the right to live and be happy and not just survive. We deserve to have beauty in our lives, and rebuild our self esteem. All can seem superflous and unimportant. But we need to keep ouselves motivated and strong. What you see in the mirror everyday is a reflection of your health, and not a reflection of you. All there is left is the illness, and it's like you've disappeared...
I don't want that for myself. And i want to show you how you can manage money to have a little of something beautiful for yourself. Wearing something new is good for the heart and soul! It keeps us motivated! We must nurture our souls to avoid falling into depression and despair, and lift our spirits.
Try to eat something sweet, see something that makes you smile, or read something that lifts you up. Buy clothes that makes you feel fabulous... Anything that makes you feel good!

But don't give up, that's the one thing you must never do.. Wherever life leads you, keep yourself on the path to recovery and health will follow...I am on this journey with you!

Review of Twisted Sista by Urban therapy...

Twisted Sista is a UK brand that is targeted at frizzy, curly and dry hair. What is great about their products is that they are completely free from Sulfates, Phthalates, Parabens and mineral oil.
Incorporating chemical free products in your hair routine is essential if you want beautiful healthy hair, but i have to admit, it can be costly. This range is so affordable at £2.00 per item, amazing value for money.
I have tried a few of their products and this is my honest opinion.
The 4 products i am reviewing are:
De- frizz shampoo
De- frizz Conditioner
30 seconds curl spray
Relaxing straightening creme

First the shampoo, that won the hair awards 2012. It is suppose to cleanse thirsty hair, and smoothe away frizz. I was very excited about trying a new sulfate-free shampoo and this one smells of melon.
It lathers well, but i found immediately that it lacked the moisturising power for my hair type. I have loose curls, and this did nothing for my dry hair. On the plus side, i found it very cleansing and left the hair soft. Good if you have product build up.
It wasn't terrible but didn't waouh me. I would use it once a month as a clarifying shampoo.

The conditioner has the same gorgeous melon scent, but once again after leaving it in my hair for 5 minutes, it didn't seem to lock in the moisture i needed, and i found it a bit drying, so didn't work for me. I would recommend if you have normal to oily hair.

The clear winner was the 30 second spray. I used it as a detangler. It comes out as a liquid rather than a mist, which i liked. It really worked well at managing the curls and added shine and definition . It contains Argan oil and Green tea so it's super nourishing long term as well.
I absolutely love this product and that's a definite repurchase for me.

The other product i loved, was the straightening creme. It comes out as a balm and i used it on wet hair before blow drying. I am really impressed with this product as well. I found that it smoothes, defrizzes and  leaves the hair amazingly silky. It gives you a really lovely shine without stickiness, and the hair feels light. The melon scent of the whole range is not too strong or sickly sweet, which i adore. Fantastic products!! 9/10
All available @ Superdrug, Boots, Sainsbury's. For more info visit www.twistedsista.com

Food diary update!

I haven't posted at all this week, my food diary was pretty much the same everyday. Cornflakes and almond milk in the morning with bananas or Goji berries, or a cup of tea with a Nakd bar.
I also really love the Trek bars. They are wheat, dairy and gluten free. My favourite is morning berry.
Available £1.39 @ Holland and barett and Sainsbury's. They also have chocolate and coconut flavour.

For lunch, i didn't stray from my usual Rye bread with red pepper hummus and cherry tomatoes, with a sprinkle of cayenne and sea salt. On certain days, i added a slice of Quorn bacon to add interest. It has a lovely smokey flavor, and it's perfect for sandwiches.

For dinner, I either had red rice with vegetables, chopped tomatoes, red onions, baby sweetcorn, red peppers and Quorn and a salad of red cabbage, with hummus.

Or Spanish potatoes with Paprika, and Quorn, and a large salad of red leaves, tomatoes, red peppers, red cabbage with chili mayonnaise. I also added baby beetroots and fresh chili peppers.

For afternoon snacks and treats, i had my usual red grapes and black olives combo.

 I had some radishes with sea salt and cayenne .

I also discovered Mrs Crimble's gluten free range. Two from the range stood out, the bakewell slices and the large chocolate macaroon.
The bakewell slices comes in a pack of four and tastes of real almond, they are fairly sweet, but lovely with a sponge on top and a biscuit base .They are gluten free and vegetarian but not suitable for vegans as they contain eggs. I would say to eat them in moderation, because they are quite high in sugar, but OK for a treat, once in a while. Available £1.15 @www.ocado.com  and Sainsbury's.

The macaroons taste even sweeter, they contain coconut and chocolate. I found that half would have been enough for me, and i really needed a cup of unsweetened tea to go with it.
They are gluten and wheat free, suitable for vegetarians.  I would recommend them only as an occasional treat, but they taste delicious! £0.69 @ Sainsbury's and Holland and Barett.

I also drank 4 to 5 cups of my usual winter tea. Redbush, coconut milk and mixed spices.

M&S make a nice Detox tea, and i am trying it out! It contains Nettle, Dandelion, peppermint, Burdock root, Aniseed, and milk thistle that detox the liver and hepls to flush out toxins. £1.29.

Food diary day 7!

It is Sunday today and i am having a quiet day. For breakfast i only had a cup of tea with spices.
So for lunch i had a nakd bar with Soya crunchies and a banana. Which is high in Potassium and a good source of carbohydrates.

For dinner i had a baked potatoes with stir fry vegetables, red peppers, baby corn, Quorn, olives, red onions and chopped tomatoes. I also added a red cabbage salad with hummus.

I also drank several herbal teas, and lots of water.  One of my favorite brand is Twinings, because they only use good quality ingredients. I also love Clipper organics, and Teapigs.
I often don't need as much food around the house at the end of the week, because i want to make sure i am drinking a lot more liquids. I also drink tomato juice with a little cayenne.

I usually shop on Sunday on the website and get delivered once a week, on Thursday. If you have M.E using the Internet or home delivery is a good option. Asda.com and Ocado are great companies, but there's also TESCO, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose, and a few others...
The delivery charges is around £3. www.asda.com or www.ocado.com

Food diary, day 6!

For breakfast i had my usual cornflakes with almond milk and coconut sugar. It gives a slight caramel taste, and it livens up an unexciting dish. You can add slices bananas and strawberries, as well.

For lunch, i wasn't feeling hungry so i had a small bowl of grapes with olives. This is full of antioxidants, a little protein from the olives, and fibre, vitamins and minerals form the grapes.
Grapes are excellent for your skin, and your digestive system. I prefer mine seeded. Always choose red grapes or black grapes for the best nutrition. Try to avoid white grapes, as they tend to be sweeter. They can really upset your insulin and spike your blood sugar levels sky high, especially non seeded varieties.

For dinner, i had a small salad of chicory, cherry tomatoes, and red cabbage, with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
I baked a McCain ready potatoes for 30 minutes, and added cayenne and salt. With all this i had two slices of Quorn bacon stripes, that adds a nice barbecued flavour to the dish.
( Get help with you can't use the oven) I use a JML Haloware oven that super convenient if you find hard to bend down, or use the conventional oven. It bakes, roast, and cook twice faster than a normal oven. It has changed my life!! Available @www,jml.com or www.argos.com £59.99

In the evening i had a soothing cup of tea, with frothy almond milk, helps me to relax. I wish i had some hot chocolate left, i use the Green and Black cocoa powder, that definitely needs to be added to my shopping list for next week!

Food diary, Day 5!

I started the day having a cup of my usual tea* and a chocolate Nakd bar, they come in a pack of 4 for £2.29 Available@www.ocado.com

I had a slice of rye bread for lunch with pepper hummus, cherry tomatoes, and cayenne powder.
Rye bread is a dark grain that is much healthier than wheat, it does contain Gluten, but it is considered an Ancient grain, like Spelt, Kamut or Quinoa. It is a good source of fibre and minerals, Potassium, Iron.and Magnesium .Healthy grains can help with your digestive process if you suffer from IBS, and are a good source of carbohydrates. You can also try wheat free breads, but i find they contain too many processed ingredients so beware. But they are always an option!

For dinner, i made something easy. I had some meat free chilli, with chopped tomatoes, and Quorn mince, you can add red kidney beans, as long as they are not from a can. Available at Tesco 65p from their organic range, in brick.

I added some natural Corn tacos, and i made a salad with chicory leaves, and salsa.
For the salsa, chop tomatoes red onions, red peppers, add olive oil and cayenne and mix together.
(Ask help if you find difficult to use knives, or buy a ceramic or plastic knife, they work well for vegetables.) Spoon the mixture onto the chicory leaves. You can also add slices of avocado if you like.

I ended the evening with my usual cup of herbal brew... Day 5 Complete!

Love heals...

I am having a really hard few days, but i am trying to keep my spirit up. It can be really frustrating when your body is not cooperating with what your mind wants to do. I am comitted to post everyday but i am concerned that i may not be able to do that at some point, no matter how much i want to. So you will have to forgive me if that happens. It has become such an important part of my recovery to do this blog, and it means a lot to me. If you ask every person who has an illness what they want for this new year, it is to be healthy, or to be on the path to recovery. No we musn't feel sorry for ourselves! We need to keep going until the end of the tunnel is in view, that's the goal...
My advice for anyone out there who is suffering whatever pain you may feel, physically or emotionnaly is to look towards the future and never the past. And say to yourself,  i will have health, i will be OK, i deserve it! For myself, i need to manage setbacks better and keep with my diet. I tend to stop feeling hungry when i feel fatigued, and i eat very little, my body just wants to save energy and sleep. That in turns deprives me of vital nutrients and energy, so i have to push myself a bit. I had to use painkillers again, and i made myself a promise i would not do that. But that's life, don't beat yourself about it!
I had a very bad pain in my left arm over two days, and that always freaks me out, that's Fibromyalgia for you...
I feel like i have fallen down the steps, or been runned down by a bus. Every part of my body aches. People wonder what is it like living with M.E? Physically, chronic pain and fatigue. Emotionally It's like an up and down corridor and you cannot see the end. All the hopes that you had at some point they just vanish. It is in those moments that we realise how strong we can be, and discover our ability to forgive, love and laugh. Maybe we ask too little for ourselves...
Are we punishing ourselves, instead of loving ourselves? Did we choose suffering over love? Maybe illness is a story about neglect and not loving ourselves enough, and loving others too much, giving too much.
I understand that before you can heal others, you must love your body and yourself. Maybe there is a reason for everything, and maybe all is just a test, and a lesson. I think we are here to learn, all is a learning process When i visualize myself, i don't just imagine i am well but that i have optimum health. I think we all deserve this. I feel like i understand the mechanism of what makes me ill, is it the body fighting the spirit. The mind versus the heart.
The human self is a symbiosis of those two elements, we are fusing together the soul and the self.

Perhaps the greatest tool i have on my side for this journey, is my heart, and i know it will tell me what to do. The human heart is the most fantastic weapon against darkness, and so is love. Love heals, that's a fantastic thought to hold on to...
When i am in those moments of doubts, this will keep me fighting!

An important film for M.E sufferers, their family or carers...

This film is a very important documentary made by Kim Snyder, an American film maker. She has M.E herself. It shows what life is like for chronic fatigue sufferer and what it is all about... Please feel free to share. Thank you.

ME association for confidential help and support call: 0844 576 5326 for the UK
It is open everyday, 10 am-12/2 pm-4/7-9 pm see the website for more information www.meassociation.org.uk

Food Diary day 4!

For breakfast, i had my usual organic cornflakes, with almond milk and Goji berries.
I also drank a small glass of pomegranate juice. Drinking pomegranate juice is one of the way to introduce pomegranate into your diet. You can also get prepared seeds, that you can sprinkle on salads, or in soya, or coconut yogurts.
Pomegranates contains the highest antioxidants known to man, even before Acai, green tea and blueberries. Is is a super food that contains Folic acid, vit C, vit E and A. It is also a good source of minerals. Iron, potassium, phosphorous, thiamine. It is extremely beneficial for the heart and the skin. The Egyptians were known to consider pomegranate the highest of all food, and i can see why. So much nutrition in those tiny little seeds. Always buy your juice unsweetened, i like the brand Pomegreat.
Available £1.50@www.ocado.com and most supermarkets.

For lunch, i had a slice of organic rye bread, with pepper hummus, and fresh cherry tomatoes; black olives, and red pepper, sprinkle with cayenne powder.
I also had a few radishes, slightly salted. Plus a large glass of tomato juice.
The benefit of tomatoes and tomato juice is well known and documented. This is why people in the Mediterranean live so long. Tomatoes are probably the healthiest food in the world. They contain Lycopene that protect your heart against deterioration, and it keeps your blood healthy by balancing Iron in the blood which is essential for red cells production. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. Tomato are anti ageing and protect your skin from free radicals, and wrinkles. they can prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol, and prevent most type of cancers. I eat them everyday, and they taste fantastic!! There are so many varieties to choose from cherry, plum, rainbow.. My number 1 food!!

For dinner, i had some red rice, a stir fry made of baby corn, red onions, Quorn chicken, and small red peppers. Throw everything in the pan, fry with olive oil or coconut oil, and you're pretty much done, it's really simple. Takes about 10 minutes!
I also had a small salad with chicory leaves, red cabbage, and some hummus on top.
I drank my usual teas, 4 to 5 cups, and herbal teas as usual.

My food diary, day three...

Breakfast:
- Cup of tea*
- Organic cornflakes from Whole Earth with goji berries, almond milk and Linwoods flaxseeds with bio cultures, and vitamin D.
Almond milk is very soothing to the gut, it contains unsaturated fats, and fibre. It also has benefits of several bones building nutrients like Calcium. protein and B vitamins, Vit E for the skin and Iron. Always choose the unsweetened version, you can always add your own sweetener afterwards.

I really love Linwoods milled flaxseeds, i will do a review in the near future, on the whole range.
Available@ www.hollandandbarrett.com
Whole earth cornflakes £1.49 a box available @www.ocado.com and ASDA


Lunch:
- Black olives mixed with red seeded grapes.
- Red skin peanuts

I absolutely love the combination of the salted olives and the refreshing grapes, that's one of my favourite lunch or snack anytime during the day.
Red grapes and olives are a fantastic source of antioxidants. Black olives are also a protein and contain important minerals like zinc, potassium, and iron.
Red skin peanuts are high in fibre and vitamin E, also you can substitute for almonds, Pecan or Walnuts. If you have a nut allergy try sunflower, flaxeeds or pumpkins seeds.
Eating nuts and seeds in the winter is essentials to your well being, they can lower cholesterol and keep the heart healthy Vitamin E and omega 3, are anti ageing, and keep your joint supple and flexible, therefore reducing inflammation. Plus, they taste really great.

Snack; My favourite Earl grey tea and a nakd bar, Berry delight!
I always get really sleepy during mid afternoon so i find drinking Earl grey does really lift up my spirit.
I recommend drinking Earl Grey if you have ME, and Redbush tea, or Roiboos, that contains no caffeine, fantastic with almond or coconut milk...
Nakd bars are a healthy substitute if you need a sugar fix like me. It is made with dates, cashews. raisins, and raspberries, pressed together raw and voila. No nasties!!

Dinner:
- Spelt spaghetti with chopped tomatoes, Quorn, chickpeas, red peppers. I added nutritional yeast with B12, as a Fake Parmesan, and olive oil.
- Red cabbage, red salad leaves, with red onions, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. That's my third day complete!!