…and how to break it
When I stopped drinking I thought it would be the end of a way of life and in many ways it was. But I had no idea that it was the start of something so much better! Whether you’re doing Stoptober, Dry January or you’re knocking the demon drink on the head forever, here’s my…
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A bold claim! And I’m not even selling a book or an online course! I just feel really strongly about how powerful a good morning routine is and I know so many people who could do with a little help in keeping their heads above water. So ….. here’s my 20 minute morning routine to make…
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The only good thing about a hangover is that it forces you to do sweet FA for most of the day. Since I quit drinking I have been super productive. I get so much done these days that I wonder how I achieved anything when I was still drinking alcohol. But occasionally I hit a…
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I celebrated my 1 year ‘soberversary’ this weekend and it felt amazing! It has been scary, awesome, impossible, enlightening, limitless, emboldening, celebratory and nuts! So, here are 12 things I have learnt in 12 months without alcohol. I could have done 50 things but I don’t wanna rinse it! 🙂 1. My relationships have been…
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Victoria Adams is a food therapist, yoga instructor and good friend of Voice Of Calm. You can read her granola recipes here and her amazing piece on India here. But this week she gave me some food therapy: how to cut the crap out of my diet by using a technique called ‘Crowding In.’ She explains how it…
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Victoria Adams is a yoga teacher and nutritionist who fell in love with India. She tells Voice of Calm why being in the alcohol free environment of Rishikesh heightened her senses to the peace and joy of this chaotic place. Alcohol Free India: Peace Amid Chaos If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about India it’s…
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At the heart of mindfulness is the belief that we are not our thoughts. Our minds are distinct and separate from our ‘inner self’ or our ‘voice of calm’. We can see the mind as a puppy, which needs to be trained in a non judgmental, loving but firm way. Can you make yours walk…
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The weather is complete shite today – rain, rain and more rain. On a grey day like today I really need a boost – I need my happy list: a short menu of easy, mindful activities I love. Sounds simple doesn’t it. But wait! The art of happiness is in part maintaining our contentment levels day…
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Are you bee people or dog people? One group is busy saving the planet, the other is lying by the fire hoping someone else will do it. Me? Dog People! Let me explain… My mum called me on her way home from London last week, amid a traffic jam caused by environmental protestors. Mum: Nightmare!…
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Rochelle White is a PR who started her own agency, Rochelle White PR in 2016. Her clients range from health and beauty brands to lifestyle and alcohol. But it nearly went very wrong. Rochelle tells Voice of Calm how she rescued herself from severe stress to create her thriving PR business and how she keeps…
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Kath Austin, founder of BeeBee Wraps, is the smart, self-possessed, environmentally savvy, mum-boss you need to know. We’re all worried about our plastic usage but how many of us created a new product to replace clingfilm? Well? Me neither. Kath Austin not only cracked down on her own single use plastic habit, she started a…
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If like me, you are feeling increasingly guilty over your plastic use then here’s something very simple you can do about it, right now. BeeBee Wraps are wax squares, which keep your food fresh, are reusable and make you feel all eco-friendly! They come in a range of patterns, colours and sizes, which can be…
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I love making this super easy lemon drizzle cake because it works every time. The only thing you might want to change is the amount you make because this lot won’t last long! Time: 30 mins Lemon Drizzle Ingredients: 200g caster sugar 90g butter 2 eggs 125ml milk 150g plain flour zest of 1 lemon…
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We are massive fans of flavoured tonic here at VOC so we were delighted to meet Dr. Vic Sedman (above left) and Dr. Jen Loxton (above right) who have put together some serious PHD know how and created Edible Hedgerow. Using foraged ingredients from Scotland they have created a range of beautiful, botanical tonics. I…
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Saturday Recipe by Victoria Adams Treat yourself to this delicious vegan cheesecake with a twist. Sweet figs and rich cherries give it a distinctly summery taste and we could all do with a bit of that! For the base 150g dried figs soaked 15 mins in warm water50g Macadamias50g Brazil nuts3 tbsp desiccated coconutpinch of…
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Do you dream of starting your own business doing something you feel passionate about? Are you doing a job you just about tolerate but you don’t know what you should be doing instead? Maybe you are ready to return to work after years of parenting. Well, don’t get too focused on following your passion because…
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Victoria Adams is a nutritional expert, food therapist, facial and body fitness coach and yoga teacher. She is author of “Recipes for Life,” and has worked with her clients, which include Olympic athletes, to address adrenal fatigue and emotional and physical burnout. Here she tells VOC about one of her favourite treats – rose. From…
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It’s sunny, there are snowdrops in my garden and I feel all spring like! So I thought we’d do a bit of colour therapy together. It’s February and although spring feels close, we need colour and we need it now. So, here are 5 colourful ways to bring joy into your day. Buy Cut Flowers…
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It’s award season: the Grammys and BAFTAs happened yesterday and the Oscars and the Brits are just around the corner. Celebs ahoy!! Yes, celebrities but also something slightly disturbing: digital supermodels who have clearly never heard of feminism. Scrolling Twitter last night, enjoying red carpet looks and catching up on some mindless gossip, my thumb…
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Words and pictures by Lara Platman From living in the bustling London community of Shoreditch to finding happiness on a plot of Cotswold land. I look back on the journey to discover how I got here. Another birthday! Every now and then you take stock of your life and reflect on what you have achieved…
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I have been on a mission to find VOC’s 10 best alcohol free drinks and because I have some equally adventurous mates I invited them to an evening of mocktail tasting. They declined. … SO I rebranded it “Cocks, Mocks and Frocks!!” and they soon came knocking. They are so childish! (For the avoidance of…
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On Saturday night I hosted dinner for 15 of my lovely family and friends. So that’s 1 large stew, 3 gratin dauphinois, plenty of cake and many, many cans and bottles of drink. The difference? The drink was almost all non-alcoholic. Alcohol free party: hangover free Sunday! When I did my German supermarket shopping last…
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Software tester James Long (30) from Manchester is an avid clubber and sometimes DJ. He spoke to Voice of Calm about why he has drastically cut down his drinking and how he manages to go clubbing without alcohol! Yes, I said, clubbing…WITHOUT ALCOHOL! Tell us about your drinking habits In the past couple of years,…
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Last night I journeyed to a new reality. One where I forage for wild hedgerow fruits, brew homemade kombucha and knit my own toilet paper. Well I made up the last bit but the rest of it is all true. This new reality was in Suffolk at FOLK cafe in Fornham St Martin, near Bury St…
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My body is a separate entity to me. This may seem like a strange thing to say but that is how I see it and it has enabled me to make friends with my body. My mental / spiritual self is me, Liz, and my body is the physical vessel I fill. Like a car…
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Jen Johnson is a stay at home mum from Buckinghamshire who loves a good party, even though she is a very mindful drinker! She explains why and how. How much alcohol do you drink? I usually partake in a couple of real ales with my husband Al if we are home at the weekend. It…
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You may consider a cocktail without alcohol to be about as useful as a chocolate teapot and not worth the hassle to make. Wrong. As long as you have these mocktail essentials you’ll soon be sipping your way through a healthy, happy, guilt free night with zero chance of a hangover. If I’m really honest…
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I love crafting! I have many skills – Christmas wreath making however, is not one of them, as you will see. But let’s get our priorities straight. What are we drinking?! Two Mocktails A Virgin Bellini. M&S do this lovely sparkling Apple, Mango and Passion fruit juice, which is lovely but very sweet. Simply add fizzy…
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If you have given up alcohol or you are just taking a break then socialising will be your biggest challenge. Here’s how to socialise without alcohol. I knew you’d need illustrative photos for this so I teamed up with my best bitch Esther to show you how it’s done. First Off: How Not To Socialise…
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Don’t get your knickers in a twist! I am not saying that people who drink alcohol are bad parents. However, without alcohol I personally feel that I am a better mum. Yes I had always been aware that doing the kids homework with a glass of wine in my hand, cooking dinner with a G+T…
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You want the dream wardrobe: full of fabulous clothes that are bang in style, feel great but didn’t require a mortgage. It almost sounds too easy! 😉 If, like me, you are an impulsive buyer then you are more likely to have a wardrobe full of crap, 70% of which you haven’t worn for years.…
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Before I found Kundalini Yoga this was how I did yoga… Can you name this pose? Let’s see if I can describe it… Wobbling on one leg, the other stuck out behind at an odd angle, arms reaching forward in a sort of waving for help gesture, neck pulsating, belly saggy and quivering, jaw clenched,…
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Food: 7/10 Drinks: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 9/10 I met up with my lovely friend Nadine for an alcohol free, wheat free, dairy free, vegan treat (yes, treat) at Notting Hill’s Redemption. My friend Nadine is a super cool gal I first met in Shoreditch 12 years ago. Our love…
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First off, my husband and I have always had a pretty great relationship but it got even better in sobriety. Mike never drank that much but when I was drinking he drank more because I can be very persuasive and alcohol generally likes company. My sobriety now has both of us opting for a healthy mocktail…
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Today is November 1st which means 2 things: my massive teenage sons both punch me in the arm while shouting ‘pinch, punch, first of the month’, leaving me with a dead arm. Aaaaand, it’s the start of the party season. You may want to cut down your alcohol intake over the Christmas season because you…
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I love, love, love makeup. In a previous life I was probably a make up artist. Or a clown maybe? … So what are my 3 beauty must haves? 1. Neil’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm. Now, just to be clear, this is an oil, not a cream. It looks like set honey but smells of…
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Anyone who knows me well will know that I am a bit of a bird lady. You’re picturing the old hag on Mary Poppins aren’t you. Okay, not that kind of bird lady. I mean, I keep birds as pets. 8 ducks, 2 geese and a macaw. They are just so amazing. Birds lift your…
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