FASHION & COSMETICS Find

Holland Cooper quilted classic gilét in navy £145.

Schöffel Ladies Lambswool Aerobloc gilét cedar green £170.

Dubarry Ballycoe gilét in ice £89.

Clonwell gilét in amber from Dubarry £79.

Top/Left: Faux fur gilét in mocha by Jayley £175. Top/Right: Dubarry Clonmel Quilt Gilet in navy £130. Bottom/Left: Ralph Lauren Spring Red gilét, £179. Bottom/Right: Chocolate gilét by Fairfax & Favor £475. For Local Stockists See: Barbour, www.barbour.com; Dubarry, www.dubarry.com; Fairfax & Favor, www.fairfaxandfavor.com; Holland Cooper, www.hollandcooper.com; Jayley www.jayley.com; Schöffel, www.cavells.co.uk; Ralph Lauren www.ralphlauren.co.uk.

Light & Beautiful

FRESH BRIGHT COSMETICS TO TAKE YOU INTO THE AUTUMN MONTHS

1. Flawless skin from Elemis with a new mask...

Spa-favourite Elemis presents its new Dynamic Resurfacing Peel & Reset. It’s a two-part home treatment, consisting of a Phytic, Ellagic and Mandelic acid peel to resurface and rejuvenate skin, plus a phase two treatment which is designed to smooth and rejuvenate skin with deep hydration. Clinically proven in independent trials, £70/ 2 x 15ml.

5. An ecological scent for Autumn from Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake triumphs again with this Eau de Parfum, created using green chemistry. Musky and hypnotic, the perfume opens with notes of damask rose, and lilac as well as orange blossom. Ingenious perfumer techniques avoid real lilacs needing to be harvested, allowing the fragrance to be as eco-friendly as possible, £84, 90ml.

2. Luxury from Hermès

Hermès, body lotion. “I dreamed of this garden; I created a perfume woven from its memories, the cycle of trees and flowers, nature still enduring within it,” says Christine Nagel, Hermès’ perfumer. Moisturises skin leaving it soft and supple, £42/200ml.

Neom presents this hand balm with shea butter and cocoa butter to sooth your hands, and with lavender, chamomile and patchouli plus 11 other essential oils, it’ll help to ensure you enjoy a good nights sleep too, £20/100ml.

3. Sooth tired eyes...

Equilibrium, from Hourglass, provides soothing hydrating comfort for tired eyes thanks to its clinically proven formula designed to reduce the look of puffiness around the eyes and reduce fine lines. Reduces inflammation and boosts collagen for refreshed-looking eyes, £92/16.3g.

4. Sleep well... 6. New Aromatherapy Associates diffuser...

Aromatherapy Associates’ exquisite ceramic diffuser is fully portable with optimised run times and a soft halo of light, allowing you to truly relax into the ultimate in luxurious wellbeing. Inspired by spa atomising technology, it disperses a micro-fine mist of 100% natural, pure essential oil blends, RRP £120.

n All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, please note that prices stated are RRP and may vary.

A putting green that puts residents first...!

An artificial putting green is one of the newest facilities for residents at Oakham Grange to enjoy, so if you’ve any vintage golf gear, you could help residents enjoy fresh air and some healthy competition!

Oakham Grange in Barleythorpe Oakham has created an artificial putting green for their residents to enjoy all year round. Although they have purchased brand new putters for residents to use, they are appealing for older putters that may be feeling unloved somewhere at the back of a garage or shed, to be donated, so residents can have a wider choice of clubs to use. Robert Myers part of the team at Oakham Grange said: “Sadly, you can’t easily walk into to a shop and find a range of old putters from 1950s or 1960s... even looking online it’s hard to find the right thing.” “We are not looking for new, or expensive putters to be donated, it’s more about giving a good home to anything not being used and will probably never use again.” A strong part of Oakham Granges care ethos is around maintaining resident’s skills and interests. By having their own putting green, residents have another reason to go outside for a breath of fresh air, make new friends and gain additional exercise. It’s also great that family and friends visiting residents at the home here can join in the fun, too! “Getting older doesn’t mean you lose you competitive side, and the our putting green will enable friendly competitions across multiple generations.” “For those living with dementia, the recognition of a putter design from their past playing career, may inspire them to play again, rekindling lots of positive memories. Who knows, your once ‘lucky putter’ can be lucky once again.” If you do have something to donate, please contact us, or drop it off at the front door of Oakham Grange, for us to sanitise and make Covid safe. n Oakham Grange is an Ardale home, purpose built and designed by the family that owns it; it’s been created to be a home, not a hotel. You will find it’s a bright and airy place to live. the company is family run business and has owned and managed care homes for 25 years. Call 01572 332211 for a tour or see www.oakhamgrange.co.uk

A Cacao Ceremony

The idea of medicinal chocolate might seem to good to be true but there are health and wellbeing benefits as well as a couple of caveats, as Ali Hutchinson explains more in her monthly health and wellbeing digest...

Words: Ali Hutchinson. Image: Dorte Kjaerulff Photography.

IF YOU WERE TOLD that drinking a warm, concentrated hot chocolate could help you nutritionally, boosting your iron and magnesium levels and give you a shot of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, would you decline? Probably not. Most of us would be willing to give it a go for the taste alone and that’s what I want to share today.

I touched on it last month mentioning Ceremonial Cacao and how I was using it as part of a daily ‘dieta’ and I’ve had a few raised eyebrows and questions as a result.

If you assumed Cacao was chocolate or cocoa’s older, darker sister, you’re in for a bitter awakening. As it turns out, there’s a lot more that distinguishes Cacao from cocoa than the spelling!

They may have a similar-sounding name and place of origin, but they are not the same thing. Most people who try Cacao for the first time find themselves shocked with the spicy bitterness of the chocolate coloured liquid that looks and smells like regular hot chocolate, but tastes nothing like the bars so many of us reach for when dealing with emotional situations.

What is cacao? Cacao is the natural and unprocessed seed of the Theobroma Cacao tree. The ancients called it food of the Gods from the translation Thea meaning God and Broma meaning food. Cocoa is actually the powder left behind after the outer husk of the cacao beans has been removed, the bean processed, and the butter removed. Cacao is the more highly concentrated, or natural, version of chocolate with many nutrients and much of the fat still in place. Most mass-produced chocolate, even the good varieties, contain only 20 to 30 per cent cacao! The rest is milk, sugar and solids with things like animal fats and palm oil being thrown in to create the sweet addictive taste we have come to associate with emotional release.

The West is new to the art of using Cacao for healing so you may never have heard of ‘Mama Cacao’ but she has been used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes for thousands of years. Cacao was considered sacred, and the ritual of drinking it as an elixir for good health has its roots in the ancient Olmec, Mayan and Aztec traditions in Central and South America.

The Cacao I am using, and suggesting you try, is used in spiritual ceremonies and is almost pure ground Cacao bean mixed with Cacao butter, water and maybe a few spices.

Health benefits of Cacao Healers in many cultures have traditionally used Cacao to alleviate a host of mental and physical afflictions, such as depression, insomnia, nervousness and excitability, as well as regulating blood pressure and sugar levels, and preventing cardiometabolic diseases –the number one cause of death in the world according to the WHO.

It stands to reason then, as multiple clinical trials have shown, that consuming cacao can help with anaemia (especially among vegetarians and vegans); lower the risk of cardiometabolic diseases by improving the markers for triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and fasting insulin; improve brain function and our ability to focus; and improve our mood including supporting our serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. Now you seriously want to give it a try... don’t you?!?

Locally you can try it at one of my Cacao ceremonies in person or online; message me for future dates, as days and times over the summer may change. Or if you want to consume it at home I’ve found a fabulous source in Pablo at Forever Cacao (forevercacao.co.uk).

I always check people’s health before offering cacao but the great thing about it is it will automatically tell your body if you’re overdoing it. Too much will give you migraines and stomach aches indicating that you should lower your dose or stop. If you’re contemplating switching from coffee to cacao for the increased health benefits and want some advice on how to get started please message, I’m here to help and support you.

What happens at a Cacao Ceremony My cacao ceremonies are always a restorative and deeply channelled event with a meditation and often a combination of healing practices such as reiki, sound, dance, yoga and meditation.

A typical ceremony involves a group of people sitting in circle together, setting intentions (what you hope to achieve or to rid yourself of during the exercise), drinking Cacao, sharing intimate confidences without judgment, and allowing Cacao to guide you to an elevated meditative state.

They typically last between an hour or two but I’m looking at collaborating with other local healers to put on a day long retreat in the Autumn and looking for local people to collaborate with so please also get in touch. n

Find Out More: If you’re struggling with perimenopause or menopause, experiencing gut issues, or need support with energy levels, weight loss or weight management I’m here to help. Book a free call via my blog www.ali-hutchinson.co.uk or email hello@ali-hutchinson.co.uk or call to find out how I could help you on the path to a brighter future: 07973 843020.