Radiance Cleanse | Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox

by Olivia Cartwright, Sun 20th March 2022

Spring equinox is here, signifying the start of the new season. We made it through the dark, colder days and winter is finally a distant memory. There is always something so lovely and hopeful about spring. Symbolically a time of rebirth and new life, with all the budding trees and lambs in the fields, it’s difficult not to bask in the glory of the season.

That being said it’s hard to feel hopeful at the moment. We find ourselves yet again in unprecedented times, with tragic events occurring daily. It’s like trying to walk in quicksand and being unable to help in a practical way. It’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed with the world and ignore our basic human needs. Now more than ever we must try to take the time to appreciate the small pleasures we receive each day. Even little things, like feeling the warmth of the sun, or fresh sun dried laundry can lift our sprits. In moments such as these, it’s important to support yourself both physically and emotionally. We can’t pour from an empty cup.

The change of the seasons is a period of transition and we always recommend a seasonal cleanse to support yourself through that shift. If we look to the cycles of nature, it makes perfect sense. Hibernate in the winter, rest, preserve our energy and emerge in the spring, refreshed and recharged. Ayurveda suggests we all do a seasonal cleanse every spring. It is such a lovely, natural opportunity for a fresh start. Our bodies are primed to lighten things up and a desire to cleanse away any accumulated imbalances, dust off those cobwebs and emerge rejuvenated.

Tolstoy once said “spring is the time of plans and projects." This spring put your energy into yourself. Make yourself your own personal project. The link between our nutrition and mental and physical health is undeniable. When you fuel your body, you reap the rewards. There is always a shift in energy in the springtime and there is nothing more valuable than putting that energy back into yourself and your own transformation. A cleanse is the perfect way to mark this change of the seasons, and both literally and figuratively wash winter away. We all know the saying ‘where you water, grows’. We can’t wait to enter spring and summer with a clean slate and watch you all bloom.

Beetroot Brownies

by Olivia Cartwright, Mon 14th March 2022, link

These beetroot brownies are a great gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free treat for all the family to enjoy, guilt free! If you've given up chocolate for lent, then why not swap out the raw cacao for carob?

Ingredients

2 beetroot
2 eggs room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips for the top

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Wash and remove stems of the beetroot. Place them on tin foil, wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 220 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, unwrap the tin foil and cool for 20 minutes. Carefully peel the skin from the beetroot and slice into quarters. (this can be done in advance)

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Prepare a 8x8 square baking dish with a small amount of coconut oil.

Place beetroot with all ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a food processor or blender. Blend on high until beetroot is broken down and all ingredients are fully blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted clean into the center.
Remove from the oven, add chocolate chips to the top of the brownies and cool 30 minutes in the pan before slicing into 16 bars.

Find Your Fitness

by Olivia Cartwright, Sun 20th February 2022, link

Getting outside and exercising can be really hard this time of year. Gone is the momentum of New Year's Resolutions and it’s still dark and cold out. The best advice we can give to maintain consistently with your exercise regimen is to find things that don't feel like exercise to you.

In life we need to understand that there is no one size fits all. Just as there is no one optimal diet for all, there is also no one superior workout. Life is personal and since following my own likes and dislikes I have transformed my approach to exercise.

I have had an ongoing struggle with exercise since I left school, I was a very active child with very dedicated (and organised) parents forever running me from ballet, to gymnastics to swimming. Fast forward to university where I was first introduced to the gym. I have had countless expensive gym memberships in the 10 years since and never managed a routine that resembled any kind of consistency. In fact, said membership, would frequently remain dormant for months at a time. The gym has, and probably always will, feel like the ultimate chore to me.

This past year has been the first time in my adult life that I can say that has changed and I actually look forward to exercise.

Two things have shifted:

1. I stopped looking at exercise as punishment and deeming it as necessary in order to change my body. Instead I started using it as a tool for my mental and physical health and started relishing in how good movement actually feels!

2. Finding something that I love to do was a big game changer. I needed to find an activity that was a bit out of the box and perhaps a little unusual that I found fun. This took some trial and error and can feel uncomfortable but it is worth it. My favourite activity of the week is now my contemporary ballet class.

In finding something that doesn’t feel like a chore and that I actually look forward to, I have managed to exercise 3x a week for 6 months without any struggle or stress. For me that looks like swimming on a Saturday, a dance class on a Tuesday and 90s yoga on a Friday. There are so many quirky and fun classes available to us now, that you are bound to find something that lights you up!

Do some research and see what you find. Where do your likes and dislikes take you? You don’t have to be doing regular HIIT training or running marathons to have a good relationship with fitness. Some of the classes we love are @silverlinings @moveyourframe @psycle and @barrecore. Share with us your favourites and your new finds. We'd love to hear how you get on.