The Wellbeing Edit + My Granola Recipe

The things I do to feel good + the best ever granola recipe | Volume 5

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LIFE UPDATE

Happy Friday! I’m blaming being on island time for the tardiness of this weeks newsletter mixed with a healthy dose of last-minute tax admin and my total inability to be an efficient packer. I’m writing this from St Lucia and it’s not lost on me that my job affords me these sorts of travel opportunities, in fact it feels totally surreal. Gratitude-o-meter through the roof.

I’m going to keep the life update brief this week as there’s a bulky body of wellbeing bits below and I can fill you in on St Lucia another time. Before I left, my slower pace picked up with events, errands, meetings and meet-ups. I ditched Dry Jan (see my new favourite drink The Weekly Edit) and most eventfully we bought a new (used) car, which we’d been pondering for months if not a year. We (read: my mother) finally found one that ticked all our boxes and after a very hairy drive in our little, over-packed car through a storm on New Years Day, it felt like high-time for a safer upgrade.

THE WELLBEING EDIT

In the spirit of January, I thought I’d focus this newsletter towards wellbeing and the things I’ve found to nourish my mind, body and soul. Wellbeing practices are one of my great interests and joys in life. They make me my best self, ground me and create the foundation from which everything else in my life builds on. I, as much as anyone, am guilty of procrastinating from the things I know will make me feel good, but the difference when I don’t do these things is evident, which is why I continue to return to them.

I’ll caveat this by saying that I definitely don’t want you to feel like you have to go out and buy or do a hundred new things after reading this. Hopefully this just acts as a dose of inspo and you take away one or two things that can help make you feel your best self. Small, consistent changes compounded over time can have a huge impact.

After much deliberation on categorisation, I’ve split everything out by frequency, which I guess correlates to their importance in my life. I have a handful of daily non-negotiables (more than I thought actually!), but others are part of a wider wellbeing toolbox I dip into as and when I need.

Most things on the list take a few minutes, none are over half an hour and lots are free or low-cost to do.

DAILY (roughly in the order I do them)

• Streaks - In order to track my six most important daily habits, I use this app. Most importantly, it has an iPhone wallpaper widget(!!), making it easy to remember what I have and haven’t done at a glance (plus, the gamification element makes me not want to break my long-standing streaks). I’ve been infinitely better at staying consistent since downloading it.

• Tongue Scraping - Once you start doing this first thing you literally won’t turn back. Everyone that tries it becomes obsessed. I also adore the Suri electric toothbrush (not just for it’s light weight, good looks and battery life but it has some great sustainability creds too)

• Meditation - This is probably my most life changing habit and I don’t say that lightly. I did a Vedic meditation course four years ago at the London Meditation Centre and it’s made me so much more positive, resilient and empathetic. I do it for at least 20 minutes a day. I’d love to write more about this meditation sometime, but for now you can hear me talk about it more on this podcast if you’re interested. Since I did it my husband and five other families have learnt too! To try something similar I’d recommend Deepak Chopra’s 21 Days of Abundance, which includes some mantra-based meditations as part of the program.

• Five Minute Journal - I’ve been using this for three months now and it’s such a lovely practice to start and end your day on a positive note. Makes a great pressie too!

• Water - Obviously staying hydrated is essential and I’d hardly drink any water if it wasn’t for my Camelbak bottle that I fill all day with water from my Aarke filter (it uses salts rather than cartridges and you can buy enriched ones too). This is so gross, but if I don’t use filtered water then my water bottle ‘teet’ gets mouldy within days, but with filtered water it doesn’t..!

• Oura Ring - I’ve had an Oura Ring (a fitness tracker in a ring) for a couple of years now and I love to track my sleep, steps, stress and more. It also gives me a major reality check about what time I *actually* go to sleep (*11.30PM), vs. when I tell myself I do (*10PM). You can use it for temperature tracking for Natural Cycles too

• Matcha - I’m a matcha girlie through and through and although most matchas out and about are more like drinking a babyccino, I’ve nailed my at-home ones. I love Matchaelogists Meiko, Cloudcha or Casa Cura matcha. Ideally you want to use water at ~80 degrees to avoid the matcha becoming bitter, and I love my Aarke kettle for its different temperature options. A matcha whisk is an essential for lump-free matcha and I adore this rechargeable milk frother. I actually made a matcha-making video here. When I do crave a matcha out and about I usually ask for ‘extra shot, extra hot’, which has helped a lot!

• Home Workouts - I’ve been a home-workout person long before the pandemic, I just love that you can pick your instructor, set the lighting and music, have the right equipment and not have to travel anywhere. I’ve been using online platforms since 2018 and I love Bryony Deery, Melissa Wood Health, FluidForm and Zoe Maia for Pilates, and for Yoga I adore Ruben De Monte. Equipment-wise, I use Bala. If I do go to a class I head to see Nat at Basic Space, whose classes (alongside a ton of yoga classes) are available on the Basic Space at Home platform too.

• Supplements - Before using the Streaks app, I wasn’t so good at being consistent with my supplements, which is really essential for their efficacy. I’ve just started taking Lumity Morning + Night, which I’m really excited about as I’ve heard such amazing things [we’re doing a paid partnership FYI]. Otherwise I usually take WellBel, various JS Health supplements and Milkthistle.

• Mouth tape - Sounds bizarre, looks bizarre and you might have seen this new craze around. I love to try a new wellbeing trend, I can’t lie. This essentially involves putting a plaster over your mouth to sleep. Creepy, I know. However, I have really noticed myself breathing through my nose so clearly when I use it. There are myriad apparent benefits you can learn about here including deeper sleep and a more defined jaw line.

• Sleep - Unsurprisingly I have a multitude of sleep aids, although I don’t typically use them all at once. QuietOn Sleep Earbuds - if you’re a light sleeper or live somewhere noisy these are life changing. I also love the Drowsy Sleep Co and Slip Contour Sleep masks, Slip Silk Pillowcase and a Donut Cushion for when I’m using earbuds or my ear piercings are uncomfortable (iykyk).

A FEW TIMES A WEEK

• Podcast walks - I guess you could call this habit stacking, but I really enjoy a walk with a podcast. Not groundbreaking, but still worth mentioning!

• Affirmations / Mantras - Who doesn’t love a little positive injection into their sub-conscience eh? Sometimes I listen to affirmations I find on Spotify, or pick one of Roxie Nafousi’s mantra cards to ‘raise my vibe’. Try popping some on whilst you do something mundane, like brushing your teeth, putting on makeup or travelling

• Herbal Teas - Such a great way to inject goodness into your diet - Pukka’s Fennel Tea is amazing for aiding digestion (I often take them on trips abroad)

• Ginger, Lemon + Honey - I often crave this combo and for ease, I use Moju’s ginger juice dosing bottles. Also great for Asian sauces or a ginger shot ofc

• Non-Alc Drinks - I’m not a huge drinker, but often feel like a ‘drink’ ie. something more exciting than water. Over the years I’ve tried and tested many non-alc drinks and the two I always go back to are Mother Root + Botivo. Both of them have an apple cider and honey base and you drink them mixed with soda. Mother Root is fiery with ginger and Botivo is more aromatic with citrus and herbs. They are so good and I’m so happy to see them more widely available now

• Dry Brushing - This is such an exhilarating ritual, that I do before I shower. Something I wish I did daily, but often forget to! I work my way up my limbs and down my stomach, brushing and flushing.

• The Skinny Confidential Ice Roller - If I am feeling puffy in my face then I always turn to this tool. I keep it in the fridge and pop it in a bowl with some ice when I go to use it. It feels like heaven! Be sure not to use it from the freezer as it can give you an ice burn

• LED - Again a great one to habit stack - I use my LED whilst I meditate. I have a face mask and also a body patch from The Light Salon, which I use on an injury I have. I actually have a discount code for 25% off - theindiaedit25

A FEW TIMES A MONTH

• Contrast Therapy - There’s a lot of hype around the apparent benefits of hot and cold therapy, also know as contrast therapy. I actually really enjoy a sauna followed by a cold plunge or cryotherapy so I try to do it weekly.

If you have any questions then please leave a comment below, however if you think I am a total nutter for doing all the above then please don’t. Read on for my favourite granola recipe, which is too good to limit to just breakfast.

THE WEEKLY EDIT

A quick fire of what’s in my eyes, ears, mouth, mind etc.

LISTENING | Radio 1’s Chillest Show - Our go-to on Sunday evenings for the perfect chilled backdrop to unavoidable life sorting (it’s on 7-9PM). When I’m in a musical rut I play back previous shows through the BBC Sounds App. | A podcast on how to build better habits. Some very helpful takeaways!

READING | Young Jane Young - another book by the author of Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow (which was in fact her 10th book), Gabrielle Zevin. It follows the interconnected lives of five women, one of whom has an affair with a congressman. Each part is from each woman’s perspective and it’s very enjoyable, easy reading.

EATING | Casa Do Frongo - whenever I’ve mentioned this spot to people they refer to it as ‘posh Nando’s’. It was so good and I’m still dreaming of the perfectly charred sweet potato, slaw and almond cake | Italo - I’m lucky to have this little Italian deli within walking distance. They do the best sandwiches!

DRINKING | Spicy ‘daquirita’ - perhaps my new favourite drink. A spicy marg, but with rum instead of tequila

BUYING | Lunch for two at Darlings It’s Pasta - a new restaurant from chef Egle opening this summer. To fund the build you can buy a meal or pasta making class to be redeemed later this year. Such a wonderful idea and thoughtful gift. Egle catered the launch lunch for my Bias Editions vase collaboration and her food is phenomenal!

DOING | Clearing out my childhood bedroom. Found all sorts of cringe-worthy diaries, school books and textile projects (catch me sporting some of it at Glastonbury)

USING | Lots of lovely lip products - I’m now obsessed with CHANEL Beauty’s Chilling Pink Rouge Coco Baume for a cool girl frosty sheen, Hourglass’ Peony lipstick for the perfect peachy lip (if you love Glossier’s Cake like me, you’ll love this!) and I have a longtime love affair with Hourglass’ ‘Phantom Gloss’ in many of the shades!

WEARING | You can see from my week of daily outfit inspo on Instagram (see the ‘Reels’ tab) and TikTok

THE BEST EVER GLUTEN-FREE GRANOLA

If you need a breakfast to get you excited to get up in the morning, then look no further! This has been a much-loved recipe in my family for about a decade now, and one we’ve passed on to my in-laws who make it religiously now too. It’s an adaptation of a Modern Baker recipe. I bake a batch every couple of weeks and pair it with yogurt and a homemade plum + cardamom compote each morning (and throughout the day to be honest..!).

INGREDIENTS

• 300g of nuts of your choice (I love a mix of pecans, pistachios + cashews) - these can be whole or crushed, depending on preference (all raw + unsalted)

• 250g of seeds of your choice (I use pumpkin, linseed + sunflower)

• 150g raw coconut chips

• 20g ground flaxseed

• 60g coconut oil

• 60g maple syrup

• Tbsp cinnamon (or I love these drops)

METHOD

• Pre-heat the oven to 160°C Fan

• Line two baking trays with baking parchment

• Combine the nuts, seeds, coconut chips and flaxseed in a large bowl

• In a small pan, melt the coconut oil with the maple syrup and cinnamon over a low-medium heat until combined

• Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir combine thoroughly

• Turn onto the trays and spread out evenly across the trays

• Bake for 15 mins, remove from the oven and mix

• Return to the oven for 7 minutes until golden, then remove and stir

• Allow to cool in the trays

• Store in airtight container once cooled for 2-4 weeks in a cool, dry place

WELLBEING QUICKFIRE

Each Sunday I pop up a Q+A box on Instagram for this part of the newsletter

1. Have you tried lymphatic drainage and where to go?

I have a few times, but I’ve never found it to make a wild difference, but perhaps my expectations are too high! I think in order to maintain the results you have to eat very ‘clean’ following it, or keep it up as a regular thing, which is obviously quite expensive. I’ve been to Flavia Moratello, who was fab and IMD in LA. Right now I am trying to focus on regularly dry brushing as a cheaper alternative!

2. What do you recommend for gut health? So many products out there

I’m definitely not totally qualified to answer this, but personally I’d opt for a varied diet with plenty of plants, a probiotic (like Symprove or Udo’s Choice Super8 if you prefer pills) and if you need an extra helping hand a prestigious dietician always recommended a shot of Pukka aloe vera juice to start the day or before a meal

3. Top 3 things you do to stay healthy

Meditation, movement and a varied, nourishing and balanced diet

4. Weekly fitness routine

I typically do about 2-2.5 hours of Pilates a week, spread over 5-7 days

5. What’s your go-to oat milk?

Jörd’s oat + hemp milk as it only has four ingredients (water, oats, hemp, salt), is organic and froths well

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If you’ve made it as far as this, then congrats and thank you! I appreciate your time so much. Do let me know if you found this useful and please do subscribe and share. It means a lot!

Love India @theindiaedit