Health & Lifestyle: A Healthy Haul from LoveLula.com

Many of you will be familiar with shopping online at LoveLula for natural and organic beauty, but did you know that they also stock a range of healthy food supplements too? Here's my latest health haul from them featuring KIKI Health, PureChimp, Neocell and Terra Nova.

KIKI Health Organic Carob Powder* (185g, £7.95, link)

If you're a healthy chocolate fan, you probably already have a jar of Carob Powder in your cupboard. Similar to Cacao, Carob Powder has a sweet, but milder chocolate-like flavour. It's derived from the Carob Tree where raw, unroasted beans are left to dry and ferment naturally in the tropical sun, before being ground down into a fine powder. This one from KIKI Health is 100% organic, high in dietary fibre and can be used in virtually the same way as Cacao. I like stirring a spoonful into porridge, sprinkling a little over Kefir or Skyr yoghurts, making hot chocolate, and it's brilliant in baking too as a substitute for cocoa powder if you want a chocolate flavour without the sugar!

PureChimp Matcha Green Tea* (50g, £9.95, link)

Matcha is something of an acquired taste, but if your tastebuds like it, a Matcha Latte is a great way to start your day. This now trendy healthy drink has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries and its benefits range from boosting the metabolism and improving your concentration, to clearing up minor skin problems and helping to keep blood sugar levels stable. Rich in antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Zinc, Magnesium and Selenium, it's easy to see why Matcha is so popular. I've tried various different brands and have found that no two Matchas taste the same so it's often a case of trying a few and seeing which one you prefer. PureChimp is an excellent, high-quality ceremonial tea grade Matcha from Japan and they donate 5% of their profits to charity. It has a clean, very strong Green Tea flavour and can be easily whipped up into a Matcha Latte - check out my 'How To' here. You can bake with it as well!

Terra Nova Zinc 15mg Complex* (100 capsules, £12, link)

When shopping for food supplements such as vitamins and minerals, I always recommend buying from brands that don't use any 'rubbish' in their capsules, as a lot of the cheaper ones are full of unnecessary additives, fillers and bulking ingredients such as chalk. Terra Nova are a good one to look out for and I've purchased their products for years. They have a huge range available and something that I take as a supplement every day is their Zinc 15mg Complex. This vegan-friendly formula uses a Magnifood Complex for enhanced bioavailability and contains Rice Bran, Spirulina, Pumpkin Seed and Acai Berry. One a day is all you need so it's an affordable, high-quality supplement to pick up if you have a zinc deficiency. 

Neocell Beauty Bursts 2000mg Collagen* (60 chews, £19.99, link)

Looking for a beauty collagen supplement with a difference? Try these Neocell Beauty Bursts which taste like fruity Chewits! They help to provide bioactive collagen peptides to the body, which, along with Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid, support the body's natural collagen production which declines as you get older. These are great if you're concerned about the visible first signs of ageing (such as fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity in the skin), and they're free from GMOs, Gluten and Soy. 

Do you buy supplements for health and beauty?

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Green Beauty: 5 Everyday Essentials From LoveLula.com

One of my favourite places to shop online is at LoveLula which is a haven for some incredible green beauty brands! Not only is it a great place to treat yourself to something special, but it's quickly become my go-to for everyday essentials as well. Here are my top five daily products that I like to pick up from LoveLula.

Supplements

Regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of taking natural supplements to help keep your health in tip-top shape and LoveLula stock an excellent range from Terra Nova and Kiki Health. Both of these brands don't use any cheap fillers, bulking agents or additives in their products so you're getting a much higher quality supplement. The Terra Nova Magnesium Calcium Complex* (100 capsules, £13.25, link) is something that I take on a regular basis, as well as their B-Complex (100 capsules, £16.75, link).  

Toothpaste

If you're looking for a more natural alternative to mainstream toothpaste, LoveLula has some good options from Weleda, Green People and Lavera that you can try out. Each one features different ingredients, but they're all free from the main 'nasties' such as SLS and parabens, and there are fluoride-free formulas available too. My top pick is the Lavera Basis Sensitive Toothpaste in Organic Mint* (75ml, £3.95, link) which has a lovely refreshing flavour.

Deodorant

Finding a natural deodorant that works for you often requires a bit of trial and error - I know I've tried out a lot of different brands over the years! Thankfully, LoveLula has a wide range available from the likes of Madara, Lavera, Elsa's Organic Skinfoods, Weleda, Dr Hauschka, Sukin, Neal's Yard Remedies, Ben & Anna, Green People, Pacifica, Ohm and Benecos. I particularly love the Native Unearthed Deodorants and Elsa's Organic Skinfoods Deodorant in Ocean* (45g, £10, link) as it keeps me smelling fresh all day long. 

Cotton Essentials

For your everyday cotton based essentials, you can't beat Organyc whose products are all made from 100% certified organic cotton and have a hypoallergenic composition with no perfumes, no colourants, no synthetic materials or SAP (Super Absorbent Powders). They have sanitary/femcare products, wipes and post-pregnancy items, as well as two staples that I always buy; Cotton Pads* (70 pads, £2.79, link) and plastic-free Cotton Buds* (200 buds, £2.99, link).

Soap

Finally, if you love a good solid bar of soap as much as I do for baths, showers, washing your hands etc, you'll find lots to choose from at LoveLula. In addition to well-known green beauty brands such as John Masters Organics, Weleda, JOIK, Madara, Pacifica and Odylique, you'll also discover some smaller, more niche companies like Ruth Romano, GK Natural Creations and The Handmade Soap Company, so there's something for everyone. I tend to chop and change between different brands, but two firm faves of mine are the Organii Cream Soap in Almond* (100g, £2.95, link) and PHB Ethical Beauty Natural Soap in Lavender* (100g, £3.95, link).

Do you like to buy any essentials from LoveLula.com?

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Foodie Friday: 3 Organic Food Supplements To Kickstart Your Day

Looking to boost your breakfast? Need some extra energy in the morning to help you get the best start to your day? These three organic food supplements are super easy to incorporate into your everyday diet. 

 Kiki Health Organic Baobab Powder* (100g, £9.95, link) 

Baobab is one of my favourite superfoods. Why? Because it tastes a bit like lemon sherbert! Sustainably harvested and derived from the fruit of the African Baobab tree, this raw wholefood is finely milled into a powder that's easy to consume. Baobab is high in Vitamin C and Iron which helps to keep your immune system and metabolism healthy, as well as reducing tiredness and fatigue, plus it's a source of dietary fibre. This one from Kiki Health is also certified organic and doesn't contain any additives, fillers, artificial colours or preservatives, or any other ingredients.  

How To Use It: Stir a teaspoon into your favourite yoghurt or porridge, sprinkle onto cereal, or add to smoothies and juices. You can also add it to plain water as it tastes pretty good!

 Kiki Health Organic Goji Berry Powder* (70g, £10.95, link)

I'm sure many of you reading this will be aware of the benefits of consuming Goji Berries, as those little red superfruits have been incredibly popular over the past couple of years. As the name suggests, this Goji Berry Powder is a nutritionally dense and concentrated form of Goji Berries which have been freeze-dried at low temperatures to retain their delicate enzymes and nutrients. This powder contains high levels of Vitamin C, Iron and Zinc, which are all essential to keeping your energy levels up, maintaining healthy bones, supporting brain health and keeping your immune system functioning properly. 

How To Use It: Add a teaspoon to smoothies, juices or yoghurt. Goji Berry Powder isn't as tart as actual Goji Berries, and it's something of an acquired taste with a slight bitterness to it. I'd recommend trying it in a smoothie first!

Terra Nova Organic Omega 3-6-7-9 Oil* (250ml, £18.75, link)

One of the problems with the typical Western diet that most of us consume, is that it's excessively high in Omega 6, but seriously lacking in Omega 3. Too much Omega 6 can lead to higher blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, so it's important to get the balance right and make sure that you're consuming a better ratio of essential Omega fatty acids.

One easy way to do this is to cut out a lot of processed foods that contain sunflower and vegetable oils (and don't use these for cooking with either), and you can boost your health further with a daily supplement in the form of a blended oil like this one from Terra Nova. This Organic Omega 3-6-7-9 Oil contains an expert mix of Flaxseed Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Borage Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil and Sea Buckthorn Kernel Oil, so you get all of the benefits of your Omegas which are essential for heart health (and pretty much everything else!), without the imbalance issues.

How To Use It: Take 1-3 teaspoons daily. You can drizzle it onto salads, add it to smoothies, or consume it straight off the spoon, but you can't heat it or use it in frying/cooking as this destroys some of the nutrients.

What are your favourite morning supplements?

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