Hello Dolls! I hope you’re all doing well. I can’t quite believe that we’re mid-way through November (is it too early to think about getting the Christmas decorations out?). After the year we’ve had, I think not! Pass me the baubles! With it being River’s first Christmas, we’re actually going to choose a tree this weekend. I can’t wait to see his little face!

Ahead of the weekend, I’m going to be doing a little photo shoot of my NourishMe Wellness boxes – a gorgeous parcel of self-care sunshine delivered straight to yours or a loved ones door! I’ve also made the cutest little cards to go inside. I’m really looking forward to showing you all. Here’s a sneak peek of my sold out Autumn ‘Let’s Get Cosy’ Box

If you didn’t catch my last blog post ‘Top 10 Foods To Support Brain Function’, take a read and grab a cuppa! Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing the best foods to include in your diet for specific parts of the body. I am really excited to be researching this as it’s also giving me a refreshed impetus to really make sure that I’m getting enough nutrients.

I am still breastfeeding, which I am so grateful for but with River being a very active and hungry baby, I feel like I need 150% of what I would usually consume! I do actually take probiotics and a Pregnancy & Lactation Formula by BioCare twice daily which are amazing for gut health and to ensure that I am passing enough on to River through my milk.

Of course, we can sprinkle ourselves on glitter this festive season (I know that I certainly will be), and there are lots of thing we can eat too to make our skin glow! My skin journey is one that used to make me feel sad. I struggled throughout my teens with acne and later on, sebhoric dermatitis for which I was prescribed some quite heavy duty topical steroids. I used these on my face for many years and I went through a debilitating withdrawal about 9 years ago. I wrote a blog about it which has received over 30,000 hits and I am proud to be able to help others in the same situation.

It’s taken a long time for me to really love the skin I’m but it feels wonderful to say that. I want to say, if you are going through your own struggles currently with your skin, it will get better and everything is temporary. Remember to be gentle and kind to yourself, you know, how you are with other people; redirect that same compassion back to yourself.

So, pop the kettle on, put your feet up and have a scroll through my Top 10 Foods to make your beautiful skin GLOW!

• Almonds, Spinach, Peppers, Pomegranate, Berries, Lentils, Avocados, Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, Dark Chocolate.

These are all bursting with micronutrients, vitamins & minerals and they will feed your skin from the inside and make it all kindsa sparkly! I am really passionate about gut health and the importance of eating lots of foods that are high in fibre. Keeping the gut flora balanced and happy makes our skin balanced and happy! I am very happy too that dark chocolate made the Top 10! I’ve recently been dunking my favourite fruits in chocolate and sprinkling with desiccated coconut & chopped almonds; the perfect healthy snack that is really simple to make. Top Tip: pop some dark chocolate in your bean chilli to add depth and a hint of bitterness.

My Roasted Red Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup is a bit of a winner this time of year. Wholesome, nourishing and a whole lot of yum! It’s like a hug in a bowl! I make a huge batch and freeze in ziplock bags for a rainy day! Just a side of sourdough and a dollop of vegan yogurt, it’s the best accompaniment to movie afternoon!

VERY BERRYLICIOUS SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 x cup of berries, frozen & fresh, 1 x banana, 3 x tbsp of coconut nectar/coconut milk/ground almonds, 400ml of coconut water. Blend until lusciously creamy and slurp! Eat, Sleep, Smoothie, Repeat.

Top Tip: Add ground almonds to your morning smoothie to increase the protein content (ace for keeping you feeling fuller for longer); the perfect post-workout nourishment to re-fuel sore muscles! I also add coconut milk and as many berries as I can fit in my blender! Smoothies are a great way to drink your nutrients so if you’re pressed for time, make a large batch & enjoy your creation for breakfast and snack time!

VEGAN BEAN & LENTIL CHILLI CUPS

If you love a bit of spice and all the extra bits on the side; guac, wraps, tequila – then this is the bean chilli for you! Again, I make a huge batch and freeze it into 2 person portions ready for when I’m pressed for time during the week (which is most of the time now to be fair!). Knowing that I have a wholesome meal ready to go, takes the stress out of meal times and makes the whole dinner process much quicker!

Lentils and beans are high in fibre and jam-packed full of iron and potassium. Chickpeas are also great and really versatile; mix with tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice & salt & pepper and you’ve got yourself and wholesome hummus for dunking!

Making sure that we drink enough water is also high on the making your skin glow priority list. We are 70% water and with the need for central heating, the skin can dry-out really quickly. I always find that I need an extra big glass of water before bed – this helps the liver and supports the organs as we rest and recharge. I sometimes think about how amazing our bodies are and what happens within our cells every second of every day without us even being conscious of it. Since growing a baby and giving birth, I have an extra appreciation for my body and the feat it carried out! I grew a human! Mind blown. And here is that beautiful human, our little River Orlando xxx

I hope you like my whistle-stop list of the best things to eat for skin health! I try to incorporate these most days and when I get my 5-a-day, I know it because I feel good. Things flow better, my mind is clear and my skin glows.

Stay up-to-date with all the goss and new recipes here and I’ll be launching my new NourishMe Wellness boxes soon! I’m so excited!

Love & Smoothies,

Holly xxx