Shiny, happy microbiota.
Staying at the Sandymount Hotel, Dublin
There’s always something special about staying at a hotel in the city you live in. It feels like a real treat, a brief blast of indulgent escapism from your normal life of doing the dishes, grudgingly sorting out the laundry and throwing together dinner from last night’s leftovers before settling down to your ‘Sex And The City’ boxset.
This weekend I got to indulge in 24 hours of escapism when I stayed at a Dublin hotel I’d shamefully never heard of before – The Sandymount Hotel, a family-run home-from-home that’s been in business since 1955 and that’s right beside the Aviva Stadium. (FYI if you’re attending a match or event at the Aviva, this is THE place to stay, as I soon found out on Saturday morning as I bravely battled through the deluge of enthusiastic rugby fans heading in the opposite direction.) Continue reading “Staying at the Sandymount Hotel, Dublin”
5 ingredient no bake date and pecan bites
Hands up if you ate a little too much chocolate over Easter! While I didn’t eat a single chocolate egg this year (yes, that sound you hear is the sound of my inner Chunk from The Goonies sobbing) I definitely overindulged on the food front and will be blaming Easter feasting for my next crotch blow-out. No regrets though.
As I mentioned before, I’ve really been trying to cut down on sugar in my diet so I’m always looking for sugar-free snacks to satisfy my sweet tooth and stop the nagging sugar cravings, especially after dinner when I would steal sweets straight from a baby. Continue reading “5 ingredient no bake date and pecan bites”
5 morning rituals to start your day positively
I won’t lie – I’m really not a morning person. In fact, I’d quite happily be a night owl for the rest of my days if I could get away with it, but for some reason though, other people aren’t really keen on doing meetings at 3am or responding to my 1.30am voicemails. Crazy, right? So, like I mentioned in my September Self-Care post, I’ve really been trying to become a morning person. Or at least less of a morning monster.
I’ve found that the best way to stop dreading getting up in the morning is to embrace morning rituals that make me feel positive and give me something to look forward to, other than a freshly brewed cup of coffee, that is. Instead of snoozing your 5 alarms for 45 minutes, here are a few morning rituals that will put you in a more positive frame of mind and set you up for a successful day. Continue reading “5 morning rituals to start your day positively”
Seriously addictive no bake date, Brazil nut and dark chocolate squares
I made these no bake date, brazil nut and dark chocolate squares last weekend and they are to die for, if I say so myself. So you can guess what recipe I’ll be rustling up again this weekend to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
If you’re looking for a vegan snack recipe that will only take about 30 minutes to make, look no further than this no bake recipe. Not only are these squares a delicious way to get more nuts and oats into your diet but I can guarantee you will want to eat them all yourself. Continue reading “Seriously addictive no bake date, Brazil nut and dark chocolate squares”
What to do when your new job isn’t what you expected
Nothing beats the excitement of landing a new job, right? Well, maybe the burst bubble feeling of finding out your new job isn’t what it was cracked up to be. Now that feeling is hard to beat. For all the wrong reasons.
As I mentioned in my 5 Lessons I Learnt in 2017 post, I had a really bad experience last year when I excitedly signed up for a role that turned out to be nothing like what the employer had described to me. Since that happened, I’ve encountered other Career Catfish stories, like a guy who left a lucrative tech job for what seemed a bigger role, only to discover he was in fact back in a more junior sales role. Or the woman who took a ‘Marketing Manager’ job only to find out she was a glorified receptionist with minimal marketing responsibilities. So what do you do when your new job is a disappointment? Continue reading “What to do when your new job isn’t what you expected”
Health and wellness podcasts for body and mind
Health and wellness podcasts are an easy way to pick up insider well-being tips and get a motivational pep talk for free. And who doesn’t need an extra serving of motivation every once in a while?
These days I love nothing more than spending an hour in the kitchen baking (or should I say no-baking) and listening to a podcast. As weird as it sounds, I go into a meditative state and get really narky if anyone interrupts me (you’ve been warned!). Lately I’ve swapped my usual pop culture or career podcasts for podcasts about health and wellness. As I write this, Goop has just launched its first podcast – with Oprah as the first guest, no less – but I haven’t had a chance to listen.
Anyway, if you’re big into all things health and well-being related, here’s a few wellness podcast recommendations that might just lighten your day or give you the inside scoop on the latest health and fitness trends:
Continue reading “Health and wellness podcasts for body and mind”
We Need To Talk About Endometriosis
Did you know March is Endometriosis Awareness month? More importantly, do you know what endometriosis actually is? Maybe you read Lena Dunham’s heart-breaking essay in Vogue about her decision to have a hysterectomy after years of endometriosis hell. Maybe you’ve recently been diagnosed. Or maybe you’ve never heard of endometriosis until now.
Hopefully you’ll hear a lot about endometriosis over the next month but nonetheless, I wanted to do my bit to shine a light on this largely overlooked condition and the diet and lifestyle choices which can ease the symptoms of endometriosis, a condition that has very much disrupted my life. Continue reading “We Need To Talk About Endometriosis”
Cozy up with this comforting sweet potato soup recipe
Today I realised that I’ve eaten soup every single day since last summer. Yes, that includes Christmas, birthdays and everything in between. Do I qualify for My Strange Addiction yet?! I know it’s really basic but there is nothing better than fresh soup when you’re starving, don’t have time to eat (note to self: make time!) or feel under the weather. It feels like a lazy choice but soup is an excellent way to get your 5-a-day or if you’re trying to adopt a plant based diet but you’re not sure what to eat, soup is the place to start.
For this Wellness Wednesday, I wanted to share the recipe for my favourite soup which I’ve been pretty much living on this winter. Of course, it contains sweet potato (told you I have a problem) and the sweet potato makes this the perfect soup to cozy up with if you’ve got the winter blues. Trust me, it’s so comforting. If you’re looking for an easy vegan lunch recipe, the leek and celery give this soup a reviving quality I just love, especially at lunch time when my face feels ready to fall off and I need a pick-me-up. Continue reading “Cozy up with this comforting sweet potato soup recipe”
Wanderlust inspiring wellness holidays
Is it just me or was that the longest January ever? Even though it’s now February and some would argue that it’s officially spring (FWIW – it’s not), it’s hard to shake the winter gloom and all that comes with it. One guaranteed way to beat the winter blues is to book yourself a holiday so you’ve got something to look forward to. An even better way to beat the blues is to make it a wellness holiday where health, relaxation and your overall wellbeing take centre stage. Continue reading “Wanderlust inspiring wellness holidays”
Energising beetroot smoothie recipe for when you feel completely zapped
If I hear myself complain about being tired one more time… But we’re all in a collective state of tiredness, right? Welcome to adulthood.
In winter, I seem to feel particularly sluggish and there’s something about the cold weather that makes me reach for junk food quicker than the healthy snacks I usually take smug pride in gobbling. I’m also trying to quit caffeine which is all kinds of fun. I’ve been using the excuse that it’s too cold for smoothies but today I decided to get back into my daily beetroot juice routine, in the hopes it’ll give me a much needed burst of energy. Continue reading “Energising beetroot smoothie recipe for when you feel completely zapped”
