Sparcel - Vitality Box

As the January blues are now coming to an end and our New Year’s resolutions are well underway, some of us at The Amazing Blog  are continually on the quest for a healthier lifestyle. Bearing this in mind we have searched out something rather special. We have discovered the Vitality Box, an organic detoxifying spa treatment by Sparcel. It is a blend of Pink Himalayan Salt, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit and Juniper which help get your lymph system flowing in order to enhance your body’s natural detox process. The Himalayan salts alone are loaded with Calcium, Potassium and Iron which are necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle.

 The Vitality Box is only one of five other detox boxes; Vitality, Relax, Smile, Ache and Cold+ Flu. Sparcel also offers customers the opportunity to request detox boxes tailored to their personal needs.

 These Natural Organic Spa Detox Treatments are delivered on a weekly or monthly basis to the luxury of your home. ‘Prepared by hand with love’ Sparcel products are created with 100% Pink Himalayan Salt, Olive and Sunflower Seed oils. 

 The Sparcel box includes a full body scrub and body or foot soak, an organic cotton muslin t-bag, natural loofa and organic wash cloth. Also included are tips and instructions for a clean lifestyle from The Book, which was written by Linde, the creator of Sparcel. The Book explains the foundation and philosophy for all Sparcel products.  The box sets are great gifts for both men and women since they are unisex. Sparcel products can be found here with the Vitality Box at £12.50 weekly or £14.00 for a monthly subscription. What a great way to kick start the New Year with a cleaner, revitalised you!

The Beauty Detox Solution

Here at The Amazing Blog we firmly disagree with faddy celeb style diets. We know that eating one type of food for two weeks while standing on one leg is never going to give us a healthy body. If anything, it has been proven that these crash diets lead to you gaining more weight in the long run despite losing a few pounds initially.

We know that a healthy lifestyle, including eating the right foods and regular exercise, is the only way to beat your body blues. So we were very pleased when we came across Kimberly Snyder’s book The Beauty Detox Solution, a diet that is not a fad, but a way of rewriting your lifestyle habits and getting you eating food that is good for you.

We really liked that the first part of this book explained how our bodies really work, and why silly diets do not do any favours for our health. Did you know that just like primates we are designed to live off a diet consisting of mainly plant based foods? Kimberly then explains that we should be eating lots of Alkaline Rich Foods, in order to maintain optimum health.

The next section is our favourite part. It explains what types of things we should eat to keep us looking beautiful. There is a great list of all the types of food that have wonderful beauty boosting properties, and I have to say we have stocked up our cupboards!

The final section is dedicated to the healthy living plan consisting of three distinct phases Blossoming Beauty, Radiant Beauty, and Pure Beauty, the first of which is designed to cleanse your body of the bad things you have eaten, and to introduce healthier alternatives that have health and beauty boosting ingredients.

The book contains a whole host of delicious recipes specifically designed for each phase of the programme so Kimberly really makes these diet changes easy for you. These changes are not a calorie restricted diet, but instead are based on the principle that if you eat the right foods, at the right times, in the right order you help out your body’s digestion and in turn you can lose weight. This is the perfect solution for anyone looking to get healthier and look after their bodies, and this plan is even being followed by celebrities such as Drew Barrymore!

If you are interested in revamping your diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, then this book should really be on your bookshelf. Kimbery Snyder’s book, The Beauty Detox Solution is available on Amazon for £7.00, and you can find out more information and articles about her beauty detox on her website.

Aqualibria

Both in the lead up to and in the midst of the Olympics, London has been enthralled by fitness fever hitting the capital. It's fair to say my gym has never been so packed, and there are certainly more runners on Clapham Common than ever before. Even we at The Amazing Blog, whose afternoon snacks usually consist of Haribo and Diet Coke, have been opting for healthier alternatives that give optimum energy until home-time. And with all the sinewy limbs, wash-board stomachs and athletic prowess dominating every platform available, there's never been a more inspiring time to look after ourselves.

With fitness boot-camps and juice cleanses-a-plenty, there are answers to all our fitness dilemmas everywhere we look. But sometimes, fad diets and early morning military training can leave us more tired and lethargic than a sleepless weekend, and this is where the experts at Aqualibria can help. With a new and totally fresh approach to the ancient practise of colon hydrotherapy, they offer a natural, cleansing detox using the most advanced technology.

As the office guinea pig, I volunteered to go along to Aqualibria's HQ on London's Harley Street and, not knowing entirely what to expect, was pleased to find a very holistic, serene practise. I was greeted by founder and clinical director of Aqualibria, Velile Ndebele who immediately put me at ease as she lead me into her office for my initial consultation. Having already completed a questionnaire prior to my visit, we went through my diet and lifestyle as Velile gently pointed out various changes I could make in order to benefit my digestion and consequentially my health and fitness.

Following the consultation I was shown to the treatment room where the colonic hydrotherapy is carried out. Aqualibria is the first centre in the UK to use the Libbe Colon Hydrotherapy Open System which differs from the traditional system in that it offers a greater degree of comfort and dignity, often with more effective results. Natural mood enhancing scents, an electronic massager and theraputic music make the treatment, while not quite as pleasurable as my post-race massage, certainly a lot more relaxing that I had initially anticipated.

I left with a print out of guidelines to follow and nutritional advice that would aid me in my quest for a greater level of well-being and certainly felt a lot 'cleaner' on the inside. Colonic Hydrotherapy is a brilliant alternative therapy that is perfect for anyone suffering from IBS or constipation, but it is equally great for those who want a thorough detox and a kick start on their way to a healthier way of life. And with an ambient interior and a reassuring and experienced team of staff, Aqualibria certainly get my vote!

Atone

Working in a small office in close proximity to my colleagues I have become increasingly aware that when one of us gets run-down more often than not we will all be affected. In a bid to ward off any pesky bugs circulating The Amazing Blog office (not to mention the day to day grime of London transport) and avoid afflicting my fellow colleagues, I have been doing everything I can to give my immune system a boost. We all know that getting lots of sleep, exercising and eating sensibly are the best ways to stay healthy however sometimes an extra helping hand is needed and after doing some research I was happy to stumble across Atone.

Atone is a range of natural enzyme supplements designed to boost and support our bodies. The range consists of six different supplements: Detox / Anti-Fatigue, Digestion with Probio, Immunity, Joint Care, Longevity and Repair. Here at The Amazing Blog we’ve been taking the Immunity supplements 2 to 3 times a day for a month now and (knock on wood) have not had so much as a sniffle between us. Immunity combines a blend of herbs including Fibrinase (an important enzyme for healthy circulation) and Ascorbyl Palmitate (a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C). The blend has been designed to promote healthy circulation and normal blood pressure, boost immune function, scavenge free radicals and help the body to both heal and produce energy through the metabolism of fat. The formula also contains derivatives of mushrooms and plants whose use in traditional medicine has recently been backed up by research on their antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The combination of these potent ingredients helps to boost the immune system and help ward off a variety of infections, perfect for those of us burning the candle at both ends!

Atone supplements are available to buy online here or  from all Whole Foods stores.

Let the detox begin...

If you are still nursing the remains of your New Years Eve hangover and the thought of beginning your 2012 gym regime is the last thing on your mind, why not ease yourself into your January detox with something needing a little less, well… effort.

Matcha green tea from Teapigs, dubbed the “superhero” amongst teas, is a super-concentrated, 100% natural, organic green tea powder packed full of antioxidants and nutrients. Unlike traditional green tea where the leaves are discarded once used, Matcha is drunk as a fine powder diffused in liquid so you are drinking the whole leaf and consume every last bit of goodness. Matcha tea has been drunk in Japan as part of the tea ceremony for almost 900 years and is even used by Buddhist monks to keep them alert, awake and focused during long days of meditation. One serving contains 70 times the antioxidants of orange juice and 9 times the beta-carotene of Spinach. It can also help increase metabolism by 30-40% and will provide a sustained release of energy for 3-6 hours. So, pour yourself a cup of Matcha tea and let the detox begin!

Matcha green tea can be purchased from the website here and to give you an added incentive the lovely people at Teapigs are offering a 20% off discount when you enter the promotional code MATCHAMAN (make sure you use capitals).