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b l a c k l i v e s m a t t e r . A L W A Y S +

b l a c k l i v e s m a t t e r .
A L W A Y S + F O R E V E R 🖤
#blackouttuesday

A taste of summer 🍅🌱

A taste of summer 🍅🌱

c o l l a g e n Collagen is needed to give our sk

c o l l a g e n

Collagen is needed to give our skin structure and support and as we age, our ability to synthesise it decreases. In addition to the impairment of collagen production, the enzymes responsible for collagen degradation increase over time 🕰.
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These enzymes are known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and they have the ability to cleave collagen from its triple helix structure and break it down, leaving behind a network of fragile collagen fibres. When the structure degrades and weakens, the skin becomes less plump and wrinkles start to form.
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As well as the natural increase in MMPs seen in chronological ageing, they can easily be induced by environmental factors such as psychological stress, pollution and UV exposure.
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Fear not, for it’s not all doom and gloom as MMPs can be inhibited by various phytonutrients found in the foods we consume 🍅🍒🍓🥝🥦.
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The infographic above lists a variety of plant based foods containing nutrients that promote collagen production, either acting as a co-factor for collagen synthesis (eg vitamin c), by inhibiting MMPs or providing protein to help build and repair collagen in the body.
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There are so many collagen products on the market today aimed at promoting healthy skin and whilst I believe they certainly have their place, unfortunately our skin is last in the queue for collagen. The collagen we ingest will make it’s way to the tissues that require it the most and the skin is not deemed the most important here I’m afraid.
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So instead (or as well as), we can focus on having a diet rich in all the wonderful phytonutrients that inhibit or slowdown collagen break down 🚫🙅🏼‍♀️. Sending love

Erica x

r o a s t e d b e e t s o u p . Putting my @pale

r o a s t e d b e e t s o u p
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Putting my @palegreendot beets and turnips to good use!
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Roasted beet and turnip soup with fresh horseradish and dill. Finished with a swirl of yogurt - the sour tang compliments the earthy beets!
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Other than tasting delicious (hot or chilled) I just love the vibrant red/purple hues of beets (do not love it when they splatter on my kitchen walls though!).
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Beetroot is a rich source of dietary nitrate, helping to promote cardiovascular health. It is also one of the few vegetables that contain a group of highly bioactive pigments called BETALAINS.
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A number of studies have shown betalains to have very high antioxidant and anti inflammatory capabilities💪🏻.
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The dear humble turnip belongs to the cruciferous family and works to optimise liver detoxification pathways thereby helping it to eliminate excess toxins in the body.
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Remember, if the liver is sluggish and not supported by the correct nutrients, your SKIN will pick up the slack and breakouts can occur. Liver health is crucial in keeping our skin healthy and glowing ✨

Enjoy the weekend and this glorious weather!

Erica x

E A R T H D A Y . I’ve been isolating solo for

E A R T H D A Y
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I’ve been isolating solo for over a month now and although I’m a complete home body and love my alone time, I think I may have been bordering on ‘loosing it’ a little🤪.
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Loosing my creative flow and heading towards stagnation. The antidote? Well simply put, that would be N A T U R E.
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Today, I took a 3 hour walk in the woods, sat with the spring sun on my face and headed back home feeling:
R E S E T
R E F R E S H E D
R E J U V E N A T E D.
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Nature wins, hands down. every. single. time.
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Mother Nature - you are a gift that keeps on giving and I flippin 💚 you!!
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Happy international Earth Day everyone!

Erica xx

STRESS + SKIN How’s everyone’s skin doing rig

STRESS + SKIN

How’s everyone’s skin doing right now? I’m breaking out a little, one of my biggest triggers being STRESS. We have been propelled into challenging times of uncertainty and whilst we can try to embrace it and go with the flow, it’s naturally going to be accompanied by a level of worry and anxiety - two things that also heighten the stress response and increase cortisol output from the adrenal glands.
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So how does our SKIN fare in all this? Are we giving it extra TLC right now? One of my best beauty tips (aside from good nutrition and sleep) is to really practice minimising stress where you can across all aspects of your life and to carve out some time in your days to engage in a mindful activity. This will look different for everyone. My personal faves are cooking, dancing, gardening and organising drawers, cupboards - anything!!
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Not only does stress affect our mental health, it also has an insidious effect on the condition of our skin. It impedes on many functions and cellular processes required for skin homeostasis, it accelerates skin ageing and creates a cascade of systemic and localised inflammation.
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Why not try adding this to your skin care regime: simply take 10-15 minutes a day to calm the mind, stay completely present and focus on your breath. (This doesn’t have to be sitting in lotus position with eyes closed!) If I could bottle this little practice up and sell it as the next skin elixir, I would 😉.
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Stay well & safe lovely people

Erica ♥️

NEW RECIPE!! . Sticky Peanut Tofu with Ginger + G

NEW RECIPE!!
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Sticky Peanut Tofu with Ginger + Garlic Bok Choy.

This has to be one of my fave recipes to date! It tastes like a naughty take away but it’s full of the good stuff like protein packed tofu, liver loving bok choy and anti inflammatory ginger and garlic.
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Why does peanut butter taste so insanely good on EVERYTHING?!
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Head over to the link in bio for the full recipe along with science backed health benefits of the dish 🙌🏻. I think you’ll agree that this one is a winner! If you make it, don’t forget to tag me as I LOVE seeing your creations!
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Sending much love 🖤. Erica x

JUST FOR FUN 😃 . Swipe across ➡️ can you SP

JUST FOR FUN 😃
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Swipe across ➡️ can you SPOT THE DIFFERENCE in these two photos???
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First person to write the correct answer in the comments wins!! 🏆(Not sure what exactly but it’s a small victory worth celebrating)😆
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Thought I’d turn my mini fruit n veg haul into a little game. Shall I do more of these? 🍎🥑🥦
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Erica x

SLEEP + IMMUNITY . I hope you’re all well and ad

SLEEP + IMMUNITY
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I hope you’re all well and adjusting to a slightly different way of living. We are all in this together and I feel there is a real sense of collective support, which is a wonderful positive to take from this 🖤.
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Over the next few days I’d like to share with you some nutrition and lifestyle tips with a focus on supporting/balancing the immune system.
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I’m kicking off this 3-part series with the subject of SLEEP and I hope these little nuggets of info inspire or help in some way.
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Getting an adequate amount of good quality sleep is absolutely fundamental to maintaining optimal health. Poor sleep and a disrupted sleep cycle can have a huge impact on our immunity and leave us susceptible to infectious agents.
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Natural Killer (NK) cells (type of immune cell) work to control viral infections and studies have shown that just one night of sleep deprivation can reduce NK numbers in the body and impair their activity.
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Also, during periods of sleep deprivation and stress, levels of cytokines (inflammatory chemicals) are elevated causing systemic inflammation.
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➡️Swipe across for some top tips on how we can improve our sleep habits to ensure our immune system works efficiently in order to maintain a healthy life.
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I hope you find these tips helpful. Any questions or additional tips you’d like to share? Please leave in comments below. I’d love to hear from you.

Sending all my love

Erica x

POTATOES!! 🥔 . A simple little crowd pleaser. I

POTATOES!! 🥔
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A simple little crowd pleaser. I love to pimp up the humble spud and let it take centre stage ✨This recipe is simple but the seasoning/dressing options are endless. Hope you like this one!
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INGREDIENTS
1.5kg Maris piper potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Himalayan salt
Black pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven 180°
2. Slice the potatoes to 3mm thickness using a mandoline if you have one! Place the potatoes slices in a large bowl of cold water to remove excess starch. Drain the water and place the slices onto a clean tea towel. Pat down to remove excess water.
3. Add the slices to a large bowl with half the olive oil. Add salt and pepper and combine until all the slices are coated.
4. Place the slices in a baking dish or cast iron skillet pan then brush on the rest of the olive oil on top and add more seasoning.
5. Bake in the oven for 50-60 mins until they’re soft in the middle and the edges have crisped up nicely. You can enjoy these delicious pots on their own or as a side to any meal.
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Erica xx

• m i n i p a n t r y • . Simple pleasures co

• m i n i p a n t r y •
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Simple pleasures come in the form of handmade ceramics and jars of food. I’m a simple creature really and this shelf makes me smile every.single.day 😊.
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From left to right:
Rolled oats
Lentils
Camargue (red) rice
Red split lentils
Quinoa
Freekeh
Buckwheat
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That’s a little bit of happiness stacked on a shelve right there! Dreaming of a full on walk in pantry one day 🙌🏻.

• QUINOA & SPINACH DAHL • Protein packed, ant

• QUINOA & SPINACH DAHL •

Protein packed, anti inflammatory and dammnnnn tasty this one! I’ll be posting the recipe soon 😊
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Next up I’m thinking of making a sweet potato or squash dahl for an extra hit of beta carotene- my fave skin loving antioxidant 🧡. What variations of dahl have you tried?

Erica x

• FEED YOUR SKIN FROM WITHIN • Calling all po

• FEED YOUR SKIN FROM WITHIN •

Calling all podcast lovers!! I’m so excited to share with you the latest episode of the Get Your Glow Back podcast hosted by the wonderful @madeleine_shaw_ .
I’ve been a huge fan of her inspiring show since it first landed and was thrilled to be invited on as a guest to discuss all things nutrition, lifestyle and skin health😊. We chatted about my journey with my own skin struggles with acne in my 20’s, how I went from the conventional route to a fully holistic one to heal my skin and how it led me to train as a nutritional therapist and specialise in skin health.

We covered the reasons why nutrition and lifestyle choices play a major role in the condition of your skin, with a special focus on: ➡️ the skin-gut axis. Healthy gut = healthy skin. ➡️ sleep, the circadian rhythm and why it’s so important for healthy skin. ➡️ how we can protect our skin from pollution and oxidative stress. ➡️ how hormonal imbalances can manifest as skin complaints. ➡️ how stress can impact on our skin health. ➡️ top nutrients for healthy glowing skin. ➡️ skincare tips and skin rejuvenating treatments.

I absolutely LOVED chatting away with Madeleine about this topic I’m so passionate about ☺️.
Thank you so much for having me on your show!🧡🧡🧡. If ya fancy a listen to this..podcast link in bio!
Also..if you haven’t subscribed to the show yet, I highly recommend it so you don’t miss an episode! ✨

S U N D A Y. It always has been my favourite day o

S U N D A Y. It always has been my favourite day of the week and I love it just that little bit more when the weather is pretty wet & wild.
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So it made me want to cook a quick veg broth and here it is! It took no time at all and is full of the good stuff, including teeny tiny star shaped pasta⭐️.
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I just made this recipe up with bits I had in the cupboard/fridge but having some good quality vegetable stock paste to hand makes all the difference! I made a big batch of the paste and will be posting the recipe soon but in the meantime... here is the recipe for this delicious soup!
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INGREDIENTS
1 carrot ~ sliced
1 small sweet potato ~ diced
1/2 fennel ~ fine sliced
1 cup broccoli ~ chopped into small pieces (I used purple sprouted broccoli)
2 tsp veg stock paste or 1 stock cube
4 cloves of garlic ~ sliced
1 litre of water
1/2 cup of tiny pasta shape (eg. Orzo)
1 Tbsp olive oil (and some extra for drizzle)
Few sprigs of fresh dill for garnish
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper to season

METHOD
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Then add the sweet potato and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the water along with the veg stock and the carrots. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil then let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to season.

3. Add the broccoli, fennel and pasta and cook for a further 5-8 minutes until the pasta cooks (check packet times too). 4. Ladle into large soup bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh chopped dill. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy this big fat hug in a bowl!

Wishing you a snuggly Sunday eve!

Erica x

• NEW RECIPE • Peanut Butter & Coconut Oat Co

• NEW RECIPE •

Peanut Butter & Coconut Oat Cookies! ✔️dairy free
✔️gluten free
✔️vegan

I munched my way through these babies for a whole week! Recipe yield: 30-35! 🍪. Peanut butter is like crack for me and spooning it out the jar in my opinion is totally acceptable! Anyone else feel this way?

Team it up with coconut and you have a marriage made in heaven🥜🥥🙌🏻. They make the perfect ‘grab and go’ snack and if you’re feeling extra indulgent, I highly recommend spreading some extra peanut on top. Delish!

INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
90g / 1 cup rolled oats
45g / ½ cup oat flour
50g / ½ cup ground almond
50g / ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
100g / 1 cup desiccated coconut
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients
250 / 1 cup unsalted peanut butter (you can use crunchy or smooth. I used crunchy!)
50g / ¼ cup melted coconut oil
85g / ¼ cup maple syrup
2 flax or eggs (ground flax or ground chia and water – see method)
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°/160° fan/gas 4. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

2. Start by making the flax or chia eggs. Using a whisk, mix together 2 tablespoons of ground flax/chia with 6 tablespoons of water. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients making sure they’re all combined.

4. In another bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients and then add this to the dry mix. Combine together with a spatula until it’s well incorporated.

5. Spoon roughly 2 tablespoons of the mixture and between your palms roll into a rough ball. Place on the lined baking tray and press down gently with a fork until it forms a cookie shape. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the mixture. It should make around 30 cookies!

6. Place in the oven for around 10-12 minutes until they start to turn a light golden brown around the edges.

7. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. They’re delicious warm or cold. These cookies will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Erica x

• S K I N A-Z • e p i g a l l o c a t e c h

• S K I N A-Z •

e p i g a l l o c a t e c h i n g a l l a t e
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Have you ever wondered why Buddhist monks remain so youthful? It might be down to the copious amounts of green tea they consume! Read on.
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Green tea (Camellia sinensis) contains naturally occurring compounds called polyphenols, acting as potent antioxidants. It is produced from fresh leaves in a way that preserves the antioxidant potential unlike black tea where a high degree of oxidation (Destroying antioxidants) occurs.
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Catechins make up some of the polyphenols present in green tea and the most abundant one being EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which has been extensively researched in relation to skin health and provides many benefits when consumed as a drink or topically applied.
Here are some of the benefits of EGCG:
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Reduces sebum production and inhibits growth of p-acnes (the bacteria responsible for acne).
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Can inhibit the enzymes collagenase and elastase, which are responsible for the break down of collagen and elastin (needed for skin structure and volume).
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The anti cancer properties of EGCG have been widely studied. It has the ability to inhibit skin tumour growth.
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A human clinical study shows that topical application of 1 and 5% EGCG significantly improves acne in 8 weeks.
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Green tea also has an anti-androgen effect. EGCG inhibits the enzyme that coverts testosterone into DHT, a potent androgen and key player in acne severity.
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So next time you make a brew of the green stuff, just remind yourself of what magic it’s doing for your skin 😊🍵. Enjoy!

References in comments 👇🏻

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