Veganuary tips for beginners

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It would seem that plant-based diets are the way to go when it comes to not only our health, but keeping the environment safe as well. Many people will be taking part in ‘Veganuary’, and while this might feel like a gimmick, for many of us it could become a way of life.

We have had a look at some of the ways you can try out veganism so that you don’t fall at the first hurdle and head for the nearest burger bar.

Be prepared
As with all things new, do a little research and prepare yourself. It’s a good idea to look at the kind of foods that will nourish you and do a little bit of a restock of your cupboards if you need to. Read books, visit websites, call on bloggers, go to your local health food shop and supermarkets to get a feel for the land. Also decide if you are going all out – are you doing without leather shoes, wool clothes and everyday products that have animal products in them, there’s a lot to think about, so work out what is best for you.

Keep it simple
When people try a vegan diet, many overcomplicate things. Yes, there are fancy, expensive vegan meat, cheese, and milk alternatives are all out there for the taking, but you don’t have to go out and spend a fortune on all of them. Don’t fall into the trap of cooking tricky, time-consuming vegan foods, instead, keep your meals simple and focus on plenty of vegetables, grains, protein, fruits, nuts, and seeds. A spicy chickpea curry, delicious stir fry, mushroom risotto and wholesome stew full of woody veg are all easy to cook and will give you a blast of natural goodness.

Think about snacks
Let’s face it, plant foods are often lower in calories than animal products, so you need to make sure you’re fuelling your body – the idea isn’t to starve yourself, but to look after yourself! Healthy snacks like fresh and dried fruits as well as nuts and seeds are great so keep them handy. You can also have cereal with nut milk, smoothies packed with fruit and veg, rice cakes with almond butter and chopped banana and get in the kitchen and make pecan and raison cookies or homemade flapjacks.

Read the labels
You might think that a product is vegan friendly, but always read labels just to check animal facts or derivatives aren’t hiding in there. Many companies adding “suitable for vegans” and the Vegan trademark is the international standard for vegan product labelling, so keep an eye out for that.

Watch the vitamins
When you start to eat different foods and give up others, you need to make sure that your body has a full range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, or you could come unstuck. It should be that you are increasing the natural goodness in your body, but if you are worried that you aren’t getting the levels of nutrition you need, add a good quality supplement and again, this is where your local health food shop will come into play.

Good luck and remember to enjoy it, it’s a new way of eating and something to embrace and benefit from.

Team Pure Beauty

How to eat for wellness in 2020

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Too many sausage rolls eaten?

Too many cocktails drunk?

Too many chocolates picked from the box?

Christmas is a time for fun and we all like to indulge, but all that rich food and sugary drinks can play havoc with our waistlines as well as our skin, teeth and mood.
Eating a healthy, well balanced, varied diet is key for good health and well-being and it can also help keep things like heart disease, strokes and certain cancers away.
We aren’t going to tell you to try a faddy diet or starve yourself because that won’t do anything for anyone, but we do have some ideas of how you can change what you eat and drink, and feel better for it.

Eat breakfast
We know this isn’t for everyone, but eating breakfast is the best way to start your day. Don’t load up on cereals packed with sugar or knock back an energy drink when you wake up, because you will crash and burn. Wholemeal toast with peanut butter, a fruit and veg smoothie, porridge with banana and blueberries or avocado smash are all perfect morning starters and they will see you through the morning.

A starter for five
Old news maybe, but eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day is the goal. It doesn’t matter if it’s fresh, frozen, tinned, juiced or dried, but get in the habit of having five servings and if you can go further, you are winning.

Drink more water
It’s clear… drink more water if you want to feel good. The advice is to drink between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day and this will impact you mind, body and skin. You might also want to cut the caffeine and fizzy drinks and switch to herbal teas which will help hydrate and calm you.

Keep snacks in your bag
Dried fruit, nuts, rice cakes, bananas and home-made date bars can be kept in your bag, car or desk drawer and not only will they fill you up, they are so much better for you than a bar of chocolate or slice of cake. Yes, have treats, but now and again and not every day.

Make switches
White bread and pasta aren’t going to really do much for you, so why not switch to wholegrain alternatives? Sweet potatoes are a brilliant source of vitamin C, so leave the mash for another day, and a bowl of berries will beat a bag of sweets any day.

Go plant based
This isn’t for everyone but cutting animal products out of your diet isn’t a bad idea. If a full vegan diet isn’t right, maybe think about being veggie or if this is still too much, go meat and dairy free a couple of days and week and let natural plant goodness fill your plate and your tummy.

Exercise more
We aren’t saying that you need to train for a marathon or become an Iron Man candidate but moving your body goes hand in hand with improving your diet. The weather might still be cold, but a run around the park will warm you up, a swim is a low impact exercise many of us can do and if you want to spice up your life, how about a salsa class with a friend? Don’t sign up for an expensive gym membership in January that you won’t use, but do look for something you will enjoy, because then you will want to do it, and you’ll be glad you did. Do remember, that going for a job doesn’t mean you can then eat a massive take-away, but you can make curries and soups from scratch that will nourish your body for longer.

Got a tip for us, let us know as we are all for a happier, healthier 2020.

Team Pure Beauty