More than skin deep ...
Actually, it's been another good well-being week. I’ve been really drilling down on food, refining natural supplements, cooking more, choosing to buy organic products when I can, and further reducing the use of plastic in the house. Good digestion and gut health have a direct link to my happy skin, and with focus, it is gradually improving. I soothe my working environment by diffusing essential oils...and I have some rescue and renew bath crystals for a relaxing soak in a candlelit bathroom. Thanks, Sophie, for that tip....
To explain, Wellbeing - always accepted as important of course - has become more than a supportive focus for me, because of an ongoing issue I have with my skin. I could just attribute stress to the cause of the problem. Whilst I readily acknowledge that I tend to be a bit of a sensitive soul, with allergies of various types showing up through my adult life, this latest chapter has at times made me so miserable. I am very visible as a teacher and singer and need to feel confident. Rather than fall victim, I chose to educate myself and look at things through a different lens, take action - choose a different path.
At the beginning of February, I partnered up with an excellent brand, and began incorporating safe, pure and beneficial nutrition products into my life AND my Little Soprano & The Voice School business. My particular focus, of course, taking care of my skin from the inside out, supporting a great gut microbiome and efficient collagen production - think of it as the glue that sticks us together - pretty vital as we age. And for us singers, that ‘wellness’ extends to the vital elasticity of our precious vocal folds.
The past few weeks have been so full of making necessary changes because of COVID-19. I mean, weeks are always busy doing business online - no change there. Mixed in with family and 1:1 teaching responsibilities, Virtually Vocalise mentoring and event reconstruction/reconfiguring for postponed workshop weekends at Dartington Hall and The Ashcroft Arts, I make sure to include well-being at the core of all I do. Making milk and water kefir, bread, cooking up nutritious alkaline soups and easy-on-the-digestive-system meals, plus taking in nature and my lovely garden, whenever I can.
In conversation with a singer student and long-time friend who needs plenty of support and encouragement in his own self-care department, I recently shared a brief account of my well-being day with him, and part of it went something like this:
I began with Digestion Plus. It's something you take first thing in the morning in any cold liquid to begin the day by supporting optimal digestive health. Full of good things.
Now making my morning shake... With which I take with my multi-vitamin and zinc supplements. It's a start to the day. It doesn't sustain me much more than midmorning though. Sometimes I have a piece of toast to follow ...and, I have butter, because it is a medium-chain fatty acid, which we need for healthy joints and our bodies metabolise it well. Coconut oil is the same.
Sometimes thirst will make us feel as though we are hungry. I choose coconut water because of its nutrients and electrolyte properties. And also, I have prepared my skin elixir drink to sip later, which will support my skin recovery plus enhanced collagen production protects connective tissue....like vocal folds! All good.
Just about to go and make lunch...
And so the day went. As does every day since, with more and more focus and appreciation to take the time to invest in my total well-being, from the inside out, especially now we are faced with the mental challenge of lockdown and overall uncertainty.
Now for some Tai Chi ... It’s new to me. But - learning a new discipline is a good thing.
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