Paint the town

Nail Candy to brighten your day and prompt a night out on the town!  Happy Friday!

Image courtesty of tumblr.com via pinterest

A Hot Spot

What could be better than indulging ones hands and feet on a day like today.  So much for our English 'summer'! 
I absolutely LOVE this work station with the only contrast being the amazing array of Essie colours to choose from...
Let it rain!



Image via The Dorchester

Rainy Day

Such a wet and dreary day...
Hope this might inspire you to dash. Darn those wellies and make a splash!


Image courtesy of makingitlovely.com via pinterest.

Ayurveda please...

Tonight it was my turn to lie down to an Ayurvedic Massage from
Suraj Varma.
This has got to be the best massage in London in my opinion.  Its certainly the best massage I have ever had anywhere and I say it every time I am treated by these remarkably healing hands.

This evening it was most welcome after the Bikram workout I endured yesterday!  I woke up with my husband having to air lift me out of bed! The muscle pain  catapulted me into the reality that I have got to get into a regular fitness regime.  It's back to Bikram!

The Ayurvedic approach involves a serious dousing of oils which are expertly blended by Suraj and applied with strong sweeping effleurage movements from head to toe.  Suraj's treatment is rhythmic and firm with attention to client care and comfort exceeding all my previous experiences in some top salons and spas.

Totally ready to fall into bed for a wonderfully relaxing week end ahead!

Suraj Varma is an Ayurvedic Massage Practitioner
www.surajvarma.com
























image via pinterest

Back to Bikram

Today I decided it was time to return to Bikram Yoga and give my mind body and spirit a serious workout!
Dropped the kids at holiday school and over the road I dashed to the conveniently located Chiswick studio.
I managed the class a lot better than I expected which proved the muscle memory theory is spot on!

I am red-faced and sedate!  I drove home in slow motion as though I were taking the car for a leisurely stroll.
Absolutely starving... I have just popped some multivits and omega's and am about to indulge this trembling, wrung out, endorphin pumped body in a high protein brunch of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

Bikram yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhury, a gold medal Olympic champion weight lifter in 1963. This is the only form of yoga that utilizes heat to ensure optimal results for those who have the endurance to stick with it. The heat comes into play by way of room temperature. To simulate the temperature of India, the birthplace of yoga, the poses are done in a room with a sustained temperature of 95 to 105 degrees.

Bikram Yoga Basics
This form of yoga involves 26 different asanas, or poses. These are done in sequence and then repeated again. The asanas are held for 10 to 60 seconds. It is a very challenging 90 minute routine given the level of difficulty and the heat.

Benefits
There are countless physical and mental benefits to doing this type of yoga. Some of the poses apply pressure to certain points in the body. This works as a form of acupressure to release tension and pain. Because of the intensity of bikram yoga, it has many physical benefits such as strengthening muscles and toning muscles. This helps to reshape the body and make for a sleeker and leaner look and feel to your body.
With the intensity, weight loss is bound to occur if it is done frequently due to the sheer amount of calories burned during a session. It is known as a great source of cardio. The movements of this style of yoga also balance metabolism and decrease cravings, which further supports the practice of bikram yoga as a beneficial weight loss workout.

Images: courtesy of google images and bikramyoga.com. via pinterest

Sunday Morning Mask...

Happy Sunday!

Relaxing Week- End...

After a very long week it's time to turn in and log off!






image:  citifiedblogspot.com via pinterest

The Power of the Coconut...

A few weeks ago I did a post about Coconut water.  Super thirst quenching and hydrating after physical activity and rich in electrolytes.  Recently after having a food intolerance test done I discovered an intolerance to cows, sheeps, goats and soya milk! Yip, all of those!  I was substituting soya for dairy and even that was aggravating my eczema.  I have found the perfect alternative.  Kara coconut milk.

If you are concerned about the saturated fat content in coconut milk, know that this saturated fat has been shown in many independent studies to be a good saturated fat, easily metabolized to give your body quick energy. Contrary to popular myth, it does not transform into bad cholesterol to clog up arteries. In fact, cultures around the world that depend on coconut as their main source of fat have been found to be free of heart disease. The principle fatty acid in coconut milk is lauric acid, which is the same fat found in abundance in mother's milk and is known to promote normal brain development and contribute to healthy bones. It also has important anti-carcinogenic and anti-pathogenic properties and is less likely to cause weight gain than polyunsaturated oils.
The potent anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial effects of coconut oil have implicated it in the treatment of both AIDS and candida.  So this is also a suggested healthy alternative for cooking. 


 Images via google images.