Ordinarily I turn my nose up at seasonal challenges, believing that wellness needs to be incorporated into a regular routine. But the challenge of eating vegan food, practicing yoga and meditating daily, for the month of January, felt like the ultimate soul nourishment I needed.
I decided to try eating vegan in collaboration with a local vegan kitchen and the global charity, Veganuary. Miller Green is based in Bristol and produces delicious home cooked vegan dishes, which were delivered to me, on a daily basis (including this amazing brownie which I devoured).
Veganuary campaigns to make people aware of the suffering of animals in the meat and dairy industry, and the impact of the farming methods involved, on the planet. I was a vegetarian for 6 years in my 30’s and had a short spell where I eliminated dairy, but I’ve never combined the two. Fortunately, Miller Green were cooking for me so eating vegan at home was easy. Eating out on the other hand, was difficult and frustrating.
Health wise, I know I’ve benefitted from eating vegan for one month; my skin is clearer, I’ve lost a few pounds (not intentional) and I’ve experienced an overall sense of clarity. I’ve not wanted to drink alcohol as much either (with the exception of a few nights out) which has left me with more energy and motivation to keep going. I’m also really happy that I’ve been part of a huge campaign which overall will benefit animals and the planet – so, it’s a thumbs up to veganism! Read more about my experience of eating vegan here.
My other projects were: 31 days of yoga with the beautiful Yoga with Adriene and meditating daily using the Insight Timer app. Verdict: daily yoga = mega challenging, daily meditation = easy.
Even though I’ve been a yoga fan for over 20 years, I found incorporating even a 20 minute practice into my day difficult. I juggle many balls in my life and am quite determined once I’ve made a commitment, so unfortunately (for me) this meant that sometimes I was practicing yoga at 11pm just so I could tick the yoga box for the day. Overall however, I really enjoyed the daily sequences and felt close to tears during the last video on day 31. Check Adriene out – her channel is great.
Daily meditation practice was easy. Along with the training from my friend Jacqui Bagetelas, I’ve been using the Insight Timer app to help me meditate daily for the past 3 months. Because this app is so user friendly and FREE I was able to slot at least 5 minutes of practice into my day. This had made a HUGE difference to my wellbeing and has helped me manage some exciting work projects that I’ve begun this month. So thumbs up to daily meditation too!
Overall, I’ve emerged from January almost a fully fledged vegan, meditating yoga lover! I’ve decided to continue to eat vegan at least 80% of the time and I almost definitely won’t be eating meat or dairy products for the foreseeable future. My daily meditation practice will continue, but my yoga practice on the mat will be something I do (along with running) at least 3 times a week. If I’m going to encourage my patients, clients and students to prioritise their wellbeing, it’s only right that I live in accordance with my teaching and ultimately my values.
Love to you all.
Gemma
[…] animal products. If you haven’t, you can find them here: http://huntleyhedworth.blogspot.co.uk http://quietheart.co.uk/2017/02/08/january-wellness-experience/ (see also below for more of her […]