Heading off on holiday soon? We thought we would put together a list of the holiday essentials you don't want to leave without!

Looking for a sunscreen without the nasties? Look no further than The Green People. Their organic formula provides broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection without the use of sulphates and parabens. Their organic children cream (£18.50) contains a natural water repellent to keep kids safe in the pool. The Edelweiss sun lotion (£21) contains a natural tan accelerator to speed up tanning by 25% and reduce tan-fading by almost 50%. It also contains Aloe Vera, Green Tea, Marshmallow and Avocado to nourish skin and prevent peeling. 

URTEKRAM® Aloe Vera Gel with hyaluronic acid and hexapeptide to help boost collagen and elastin formation is pure organic moisture and nourishment for dry skin, with soothing and healing properties for dehydrated or damaged skin cells. It is a fantastic after sun gel and excellent for sunburn as it helps promote the healing of sores and wounds. Just apply it directly on your skin and rub it gently. You can use it as often as you like and need. £6.35

Heading somewhere exotic? Optibac for travelling abroad (£10.99 for 40) is a must have if you want to prevent tummy upsets while you're away. This supplement contains 4 high quality strains of live cultures, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, all proven to survive to reach the gut alive, and to survive in warmer, more humid climates. Safe to take from 1 year onwards making this an ideal product for all the family including pregnant and nursing mums!

Constipation can also be a big problem for some people while travelling. Go prepared with these travel size lepicol sachets. Lepicol is a multi-fibre source product containing inulin and gentle psyllium husk, which contributes to maintaining normal bowel transit. The third key ingredient of Lepicol is 5 strains of live bacteria that are naturally present in a healthy person’s digestive system.
Other top tips for avoiding constipation while away include:
Staying hydrated - it's all too easy to get dehydrated while away, especially if you are having more alcohol than ususal.
Don't over indulge - as tempting as it is to get your moneys worth at the all you can eat buffet, don't! You will pay for it later.
Leave the chips, have the salad - Vegetables are full of fibre that our gut bugs love. Chips...not so much! Happy bugs, happy tummy, happy you. :)
Avoid bread - in the same way that it soaks up soup in a bowl it absorbs liquid in your gut, drying out your stool and often leading to constipation.
Move a little- much as we like to sit and watch the world go by on holiday or indulge in a  good book, try and have a walk in the cooler parts of the day as this supports good bowel function too. 

We're big fans of herbal teas and this gorgeous herbal collection (£2.79) is just the thing to pop in your suitcase. It contains: Night Time to help you wind down after a day's travelling. Elderberry & Echinacea to give your immune system a boost if your feeling croaky after a flight or constant air-con. Lemon, ginger and manuka honey can help reduce nausea if you suffer from travel sickness. Three Mint is just the thing to sip after indulging at the all you can eat buffet! Detox is a clean sweet tea perfect to pep you up after one too many holiday indulgences.

Harriette recently took this collection on holiday with her and was so glad she did. "It was wonderful to have a few of my favourites with me instead of having to buy boxes of each when I got there. Just enough for my trip away and I didn't end up with 2 or 3 half used boxes in my case coming home."

Fake tan anyone? If you're looking for a fake tan before you head away and frighten everyone with your whiter than white  legs, you might like to try this award winning fake tan from Eco by Sonya. NO streaks with this one and NO chemicals either! Unsurprisingly it won the 2016 International Beauty awards and is a beautiful blend of aloe vera, rose geranium oil, avocado oil and chamomile. Harriette tried it recently to spruce up for a wedding and was delighted with the results. It's not something we'd normally entertain but this one is entirely natural and gets the job done very effectively. You can buy here on our website or pop into the shop to try out our testers. 

Real sunshine- Don't forget to have some full sun exposure without suncream in order to top up on that all important vitamin D. When you wear sun creams vitamin D is blocked so try and find what works for you in terms of minutes of exposure and time of day. Skin type will very much influence this so just have to be realistic about your own sensitivities and avoid burning. Sometimes early or late in the day can be an ideal time to get some vitamin D even if you only manage a few minutes. If you are particularly sensitive make sure to supplement as vitamin D is a much needed nutrient for many benefits including immune, mood and bone health and not something you want to be deficient in. 

​Time for a good book! -If you'd like to get lost in a  good book and fancy inspiring yourself with something super healthy on holiday, take a look at some of our favourites on all things health to get you in the mood for making some changes when you get home and even on holiday!  
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Our final must haves are an eye mask and ear plugs. Sleep is so important and you never know if you will end up with noisy neighbours or thin curtains! If you fancy a holiday treat why not upgrade to a spacemask and let the warmth and light jasmine scent carry you away to another planet!

If you would like more information about any of the products mentioned pop in and see us at 44 St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA. Live further away? We are always happy to post things out just call Harriette on 01224 969637 and we can put together a box of goodies for you.

We have recently collaborated with Westburn and Granite to design our very own tea lights. Read on to find out how the collaboration came about as Ryan introduces himself.

Ryan - As mentioned within one of our very first posts Westburn & Granite – Who we are etc. A big passion and focus within the brand is collaborating with other brands.

Collaborating, ultimately provides us with a unique opportunity and chance to learn about someone else's craft or expertise while providing them with mine, I think!. 

The most recent collaboration comes with our friends from Nourishing Insights in Aberdeen. As a registered Scottish Nutritional Therapist owner Beverley and her family make up the team at Nourishing Insights. Nourishing insights are very much in the mind frame of providing the best education within the various forms of natural medicine and nutritional therapy that they offer. They want to provide a space within their shop which is relaxing and peaceful. They want to let people come along, learn and be inspired as they grow with them in knowledge.

Nourishing Insights shop and Wellness Centre are situated on 44 St Andrew Street, adjacent the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Aberdeen. 
How it all came about?
At the beginning of the year I approached Nourishing Insights with the idea of meeting with Beverley. On meeting up we both shared our passion for all things natural. I also got a feel for the family orientated business they have at Nourishing, for me that was really lovely.

If you haven't noticed the world is changing and people want to stay healthy both in body and in mind. We can also be under an incredible amount of stress at times. Therefore, on the basis of these ideas we came up with our collaborative product -Westburn & Granite x Nourishing Insights - Lavender & Frankincense relaxation tea lights.
Below you can read Beverley's blog post, in which she has given you a brilliant insight into the research of the essential oils. Moreover, why they are perfect for this product. Beverley has also listed  the specific times you can use your tealights in the 'setting the scene section' below. Enjoy...
‘As Rosemary is to the spirit, so lavender is to the soul’.
Anon

Beverley -
“Lavender has long been one of my favourite plants and the essential oils it provides offer us a wealth of health benefits. Lavender is vastly grown within the Provence region within the South of France. A part of France I personally love to visit and when I do the smell of Lavender is always in the air, it’s just divine. I always feel instantly calmed and relaxed when I smell lavender. Therefore, it was an obvious first choice for me when working with Ryan to produce our collaborative relaxing tea light product.
Essential Oils and how they work -
Essential oils have been used for millennia and can be extracted from any part of a plant. I always think, that one of the beautiful things about nature is that these oils protect the plant from harm from insects and environmental extremes. Fortunately, Lavender also protects us humans from those wee beasties, they just don’t like the smell of it!. Essential oils are made up of tiny molecules which can penetrate cells and even cross the blood brain barrier. They have a potent therapeutic effect and professions in aromatherapy ad massage have been taught the science around this. In addition, naturopaths and doctors who follow a functional medicine approach to health, recommend essential oils to support health challenges, this is due to the wealth of evidence available to them.
Lavender-

Similar, to Lavender, Frankincense also has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and calming properties. Those wise men knew what they were doing when they arrived bearing gifts of Frankincense and Myrhh. Frankincense is derived from the Boswellia tree, grown in African and Arab regions. Frankincense is probably one of the most powerful essential oils in the world. Just 2 to 3 drops of Frankincense can be used to aid bronchitis and laryngitis, when added to boiling water. It also has expectorant properties and supports digestion. Interestingly the calming qualities also aid concentration and support deep meditation. In fact, much research supports its benefits for every system in the body, therefore it ticks many boxes for us. I always think we can learn a lot from history and exploring traditional uses of these wonderful oils.

For all these reasons, Ryan and I decided it would be the perfect partner to Lavender in this tea light collaboration with Westburn & Granite. Moreover, both oils work especially well and I could not be more delighted with the finished product that Ryan from Westburn & Granite has produced for us."

Setting the scene – Beverley's suggestions when to use the product.
1 - Line a candle or two up at bath time and for an extra touch of luxury, place a mug full of Epsom salts in your bath for the ultimate in deep relaxation.
2 - Lighting a candle at the dinner table can slow things down and encourage proper chewing and digestion as nature intended. Mealtime needs to be a slow celebration with time for conversation and a sense of being part of a journey to true nourishment.
3 - Reading a book in bed can be an extra calming ritual to unwind mind and body in preparation for sleep. Pair with a lit candle and allow the calming aromas to take you breath by breath to a place of inner calm before the light goes out.
4 - Working from home can often bring tension especially when working on a computer. Light a candle and shrug your shoulders a few times and feel the tension fall away. This works a treat and aids concentration.
5 - Light our tea light’s in the living room to create just the right ambience for a relaxing evening with friends.
6 - When you’ve had a stressful day and everything just seems too much, light a tea light and relax.
‘Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.’ -Buddha
Thank you to Beverley and Nourishing Insights for there input and support within the collaboration with Westburn & Granite.
Ryan
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Getting to the bottom of your skin conditions...

There are many possible triggers and drivers for skin problems from acne to psoriasis to eczema to a whole array of lesser known skin conditions which often have their roots in diet, immune, nervous system and digestive health. Common triggers can be viral, bacterial or fungal, or based on contact allergies. Often we fall prey to these things following a period of extreme stress or long term use of particular medications. If you’ve been struggling with a long term skin condition and are not getting to the bottom of it, give us a call or pop in and find out whether we can help you get to the root of the problem. We offer full consultations and a variety of blood testing including food intolerance and allergy testing. Stool testing can also be relevant in some cases.

It’s always great to get a successful outcome and especially when it’s a skin problem as we understand how upsetting this can be and can really affect confidence and self-esteem. This is a great testimonial from one of our recent clients who came and had a food intolerance test to see if he could uncover some important clues. We couldn’t be more delighted for him at the result. Here is what Adam from Aberdeenshire had to say:

Adam's story... "How I got my skin better after 2 years of struggling."

“Two years ago, after returning from a friend’s wedding, I broke out in a rash all over my torso. Initially I thought it was chicken pox, as one of the guests children had this, however it was diagnosed by my GP as Pityriasis Rosea.

The rash cleared up on its own after 3-4 weeks and I thought nothing more of it.
Then a few months later, I noticed a similar 'herald patch' appear on my torso. Initially it was quite small, around the size of a penny. I thought it was the same rash reappearing, and took no notice, as I thought it would clear up on its own as previously.

Several months passed, and the patch continued to grow. It was now 2 inches in diameter and was inflamed and very itchy. I became embarrassed and self-conscious, and was applying an assortment of creams and oils in an attempt to eradicate this, all unsuccessful. My wife then suggested to see a nutritionist as she thought that the rash could have been worsened by a food intolerance, and booked me an appointment that week to see Beverley.

I had a food intolerance test which takes a few minutes, along with a consultation to explain my circumstances, and then waited 1 week for the test results.
I found out that I was intolerant to cow’s milk & yeast, and immediately started to completely remove these food types from my diet. I also supplemented my diet with curcumin to help alleviate inflammation and caprylic acid for its anti-fungal properties.

I was amazed that around 4 weeks later, the rash had almost disappeared and the skin had completely healed. I'm now at week 6, and the rash has completely disappeared. This has opened my eyes, and I firmly believe that with the correct diagnosis, the body can be fully restored from within, with the simplest of dietary changes.

Thank you so much Beverley (and my wife!) for your help, support, and nutritional insight.”

So you'd like to know more...

For further information on Nutritional Therapy or Food intolerance testing please contact us on [email protected] or 01224969637 or pop in for a chat at our new clinic and shop at 44 St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA.