Motherly Advice....Looking after yourself....Life Changing Bread and Korean Baths...

 

  I made Sarah Brittons Life Changing Bread recently. This photo is my version. Sarah's photo and fab recipe are here....   http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/   I love it. It's gluten free, super healthy and I adore it with Macadamia Paste, which is like Peanut Butter only a zillion times better.   Strangely, this bread has changed my life.   I love it and it's earthy flavours and texture so much, that I have felt motivated to extend the healthy living to many other areas of my life.   It's heading towards Summer here, so some lifestyle changes are necessary after several months of hiding beneath Winter woollies. Skin needs de-flaking, facial products need a review, and mind, body and soul are in need of restoration after a busy year of Dance with my Ballerina daughter.   Time for me, now!   So here was my morning:   Get up when the alarm goes off at 6am. Do not grumble..much. Struggle into bike pants and one of The Musician Husbands old shirts. Do not look in mirror. Try to touch toes with fingers or knee with nose for ten-ish minutes. That's the closest I'm getting to 'stretching' at this point.  Nearly give up the whole idea because I hate exercising before breakfast. Resolve to keep going now that I'm up. Drink a large glass of water...forget iced...I detest iced water. Eye off the teapot lasciviously. Get out gluten free Bircher muesli astutely prepared last night. Curse that I didn't use the million percent full fat but very yummy Coconut Yoghurt instead of the skim milk runny stuff. Eat it anyway. Squint at the sun as I exit the front door. Walk up the hill. Jog around the corner to the second house. Stop because I'm winded...crikey...who knew this would be so hard. Decide to walk briskly, swinging my arms instead. Stop that after ten minutes because it makes my dodgy shoulder hurt. Walk briskly, jogging for ten steps every 100. Feel proud until I stumble on a rock and hurt my ankle. Limp home. Promise self to do better tomorrow.   Sigh. Well, nobody said this was going to be easy!   Now the bit I liked. My DIY Korean bathing experience.   Put the plug in the bathtub but don't turn the shower on, or get wet just yet. Stand in tub and scrub all over, with DIY glycerine and raw sugar scrub scented with Sandalwood. Glycerine and sugar make the best ever spa style body scrub. You can find it in little bottles in the Medicinal aisle of your supermarket and it's under $5. I scent mine with different essential oils depending on how I feel. West Indian Lime and Sandalwood are favourites as is Jasmine Absolute or Frangipani Absolute. The 'abolutes' are a little more expensive, but totally worth it and still less expensive than a trip to a Day Spa! Turn on the shower now, and allow the tub to start filling (assuming you have one, if not, ignore this bit). Shave legs and underarms. Wash hair with moisturising shampoo. Condition hair with moisturising conditioner. Next shopping trip, I'm trying that Clairol Herbal Essences Coconut one just because I love the scent of it. Sit in the tub with the conditioner in hair. The tub should have a couple of inches worth of water in it by now, so soak feet and toes, and use the last of the body scrub to give self a mini pedicure. Rub the very last crumbs of the scrub into hands and nails, pushing cuticles back as I go. Cuticles are really soft and easy to groom due to all the lovely oil and warm water. Cleanse face with home made Goats Milk soap for more sublime moisturising. At this point, on alternate days I'm going to slather my face in a masque, whether it be a bought one or a pantry one of Oatmeal and yoghurt or White Clay and Vanilla Soy Milk, and just soak for a little while. After the masque has worked it's magic, rinse off and rinse the conditioner from nicely scented hair. Get out of shower/tub, towel off and get dressed in a pretty summery top and some light summer jeans. Smooth hair with smoothing balm, and allow it to dry naturally. I have curly hair (contrary to my profile pic...lol!) and the smoothing balm tames the frizzies. When hair is dry, pull to side in a ponytail and affix a large silk rose on a hair pin to glam self up. Do not apply makeup, just Queen of Hungary Water Toner, and DIY facial serum scented with Neroli and Jasmine Absolute, (I'll share those recipes tomorrow), followed by Aloe Vera Gel. Brush teeth to the count of 120 with Colgate Optic White toothpaste. This is one of the few commercial products I've bought that really lives up to it's reputation. Awesome stuff. Yes, I could add Hydrogen Peroxide to Baking Soda and brush with that, but come on. The penny pinching has to stop somewhere. For me, it's Colgate.   Look in mirror. Not all bad for an old duck,  if a bit flushed and shiny looking. Will do it all again tomorrow. With pleasure.   I wonder when I'll look different. I feel different already!   ...Mimi...