Cutting down on caffeine

I've decided to take my self nurturing routine one step further and reduce my caffeine intake. I've always been a tea lover but the effects the caffeine might be having on my body has bothered me for a while now so i've decided to cut down, partly for health reasons but partly just out of curiosity to see if I feel the benefit. Tea has always been a family ritual with fond memories attached to it, whether it be sitting around a roaring coal fire at my grandparents, chilling after a busy day at work, or  idle chats in cafes, tea has always conjured up feelings of warmth and security. I think it's the nostalgia of tea, rather than the taste, that i'll find so hard to give up so I need a plan to keep me on track.

What i'm hoping to do is gradually reduce my normal tea and replace it with herbal and rooibos teas. I usually only drink about 5 cups of tea a day so i'm hoping to gradually replace these with 'kinder' teas, hopefully by taking it slowly i'll avoid too many withdrawal symptoms. I've stocked up on some tempting sounding Pukka and Yogi Teas ('morning time' and the rather lush sounding 'choco' tea) and have a big box rooibos too so i'm ready to take my first steps into a life without caffeine...well apart from the occasional chocolate treat.

I'll also be making sure I keep up my green smoothie routine in the mornings to give myself an extra energy boost!

 Cheers!

Taking time

I've been reading Kris Carr's 'Crazy Sexy Diet' for a while now and it's really hit home and made me consider what I eat. I've not rushed in, all guns blazing, and turned avid raw foodist overnight but it's message has slowly seeped into my brain, colouring the way I view my body and the food choices I make. After reading the book, I wanted to try adding daily smoothies to my diet and so decided to invest in a Vitamix. Five months on and I'm convinced it's one of the best investments I ever made. I now have a smoothie every day before work, nothing fancy, just banana, pineapple, grapes and spinach, and not only does it help to keep hunger pangs away until lunch time, but it has also kept those horrible cold and flu infections (that come as part of the territory when you're a teacher) at bay. 

I've recently been experimenting with making soups too, especially after discovering that the blades rotate fast enough too heat the soup, so no extra cooking is required. I made tomato and basil soup using all home-grown ingredients and I have to say it was one of the best I have ever tasted!

Taking the time each day to look after myself and give my body some much needed tlc has certainly opened my eyes and made me realise just how hard we can push ourselves and the need for us to take time out, even if it's just 5 minutes a day, to nurture ourselves.