My relationship with wellness is complicated. It could be described as a love-hate relationship, in that I hate that I love everything dubbed #wellness on Instagram and Pinterest. My big issue with the wellness industry is how it promotes wellness hacks that are supposedly \u2018essential\u2019 in a (mostly) totally inaccessible, aspirational way. The wellness influencers and bloggers I admittedly follow are almost always white, wealthy and privileged.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t a blog post about what I love to hate about the wellness industry.<\/p>\n
As much as I loathe myself for it, when it comes to so-called wellness hacks, I\u2019m the biggest sucker around. Whether it\u2019s organic cacao powder or charcoal facemasks, I am the personification of that<\/em> Futurama meme.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, over the last few years, I\u2019ve acquired something of a weakness for wellness. If you\u2019re looking for some hollow, pseudo-science based hacks that will probably (not) revolutionise your daily routine, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n \n As depressing as it is to admit, I\u2019ve been adding grated courgette into my porridge every single day (well, almost) for the last for years, because vitamins !!!!!!<\/p>\n Ok, so this wellness hack isn\u2019t the most harmful, even if it is a little bit messy. I\u2019ve been enjoying a hot bowl of zoats (i.e. zucchini + oats, because \u201ccorridge\u201d just doesn\u2019t have the same ring to it) every morning to start my day right. And by right, I mean with a hefty dose of Vitamin C in a low-fat, high-volume hug in a bowl.<\/p>\n Disclaimer: if you\u2019re anticipating that figurative hug from just courgette mixed with Ready Brek, then you\u2019re doing it wrong. It\u2019s all about pimping that porridge. Whilst the um, mild \u2013 a polite way of saying flavourless \u2013 taste of the courgette leaves the wholesome, oaty flavour of your porridge unchanged, that means there\u2019s endless options when it comes to topping your bowl. My toppings of choice? Summer berries (frozen of course), soya yoghurt and peanut butter. Health is wealth.<\/p>\n Whilst I don\u2019t advocate this if you live on the ground floor (come on, we\u2019ve all seen You on Netflix), if your bedroom is conveniently located on the top floor like mine, then this wellness hack is one to try.<\/p>\n We all recoil in horror at the sound of the Devil\u2019s personal ringtone \u2013 that is, the alarm tone \u2013 first thing in the morning, so why not switch up the way you wake up in the morning? This summer, I\u2019ve made a habit of not closing my bedroom blinds before I hit the hay at night, so that I\u2019m woken by the soft caress of the morning sun, rather than the audible equivalent of a slap across the face courtesy of Radar by Apple.<\/p>\n Admittedly, in the record-breaking heatwaves we\u2019ve been enduring this summer in the UK, on more than one occasion my rise and shine has been more of a wake and shake (off the sweat from the sunlight pouring through my window). It\u2019s one to get used to, but I\u2019m definitely not missing my alarm tone.<\/p>\n Though, in terms of reliability, this wellness hack might be one reserved for the summer months. Who\u2019s looking forward to waking up in pitch darkness in a few months?! Not me!!<\/p>\n \n Speaking of sleep, if you want to take your bedtime routine to a whole new level of wellness, consider making your bed a do not disturb zone every night by leaving your phone at the door.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve recently started charging my phone downstairs, rather than at my bedside, to guarantee my last hour before bed and my first upon waking are phone- and social media-free. Tying this in with relying on the sunlight to act as a natural alarm, I haven\u2019t got the need to keep my phone within reach 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n Though, that said, I must admit the true incentive to get up and out of bed is to go downstairs and scroll through my notifications might not be the intended ones, I\u2019m all about focusing on the positives. It\u2019s stopped me hitting the snooze button at least?<\/p>\n Not to toot my own horn too loud or anything, but I\u2019ve always fancied myself a bit of a chef. Playing with ingredients and trying out new recipes is a big hobby of mine, and I genuinely find batch-cooking a big chilli or stew one of my favourite ways to relax after a long day at work or uni.<\/p>\n With my fascination with all things food, I\u2019ve always had a pretty well-stocked herb and spice collection. But ever since the wellness movement really got going, if there\u2019s one condiment I go through unlike anything else in my cupboard, it\u2019s turmeric.<\/p>\n Whilst I don\u2019t like, and have never liked, coffee (something I deeply regret, especially around deadline season) I certainly make-up for my daily turmeric latte deficiency by adding it to just about everything I cook. It\u2019s not even just curries and roasted chickpeas that get the full turmeric treatment \u2013 I add it to my homemade facemasks too for it\u2019s supposed colour-correcting properties. Just be warned: a little goes a long way (trust me on that one \u2013 it comes from experience).<\/p>\n How very Goop of me.<\/p>\n Whilst I joked about it earlier, I can actually stand by the claim that charcoal does wonders for your skin. However, that said, for arguments\u2019 sake, it could easily be the tea tree oil in my charcoal facial soap bar that is keeping my skin smooth and clear.<\/p>\n1. Vegetables in porridge<\/h2>\n
2. Sleeping with the curtains open<\/h2>\n
3. Daily digital detox<\/h2>\n
4. Turmeric. In EVERYTHING.<\/h2>\n
5. Charcoal facials<\/h2>\n