well being

Ready. Set. Breathe.

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

6af47f64987bd17b2c38e82388ee00c6Morning. We’ve been battling colds and coughs here for the last week which has inspired today’s post as it feels like we’re not the only ones! The colder weather as of late has been throwing up all sorts of persistent little bugs which we wanted to find some nice natural ways of dealing with and ditching ‘over the counter’ syrups and sweets. Thus allowing us to BREATHE again!

Hope you find this useful and we’d love to hear any of your natural tips too.

 

Drink This | Cough Buster Thyme Tea

We love this tea. For some it might be a little hard to stomach but works wonders at breaking up a dry, tickly and persistent cough.

  • Steep 2 tbsps of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp of dries thyme) in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. The add….
  • 1tbsp of Honey
  • 1 tsp of turmeric
  • 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp of grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and drink 3 to 4 times a day

Open your chest and upper back | At this time of year we find ourselves more hunched in colder weather and tensing up to stay warm, practising some exercises that extend your spine and open up your chest will help to keep things moving and free. Yoga and Pilates are the perfect way to do it, so head for your local class (or come and see us!) and we’ll sort you out.

 

Sweat it out | If you’re not feeling like a hot yoga class or jumping around to get sweaty then take yourself off to the local sauna or steam room to relax. Most pools and gyms have them but we love to indulge a little at SpaLondon in Bethnal Green and the City. Pay £25 for 3 hours and full use of the spa, sauna, steam room and resting area. http://www.spa-london.org/york-hall/thermal-spa-york-hall/

Home steam | If you can’t make it to the spa then try some home steam inhalation. The hot steam moistens the nasal passages, thus clearing your blocked nose and opens up congested sinuses allowing you to breathe more easily. Pour some boiling water into a bowl and add some tea tree and eucalyptus essential oil drops (which can easily be bought on-line) Cover head with towel over the bowl. Stay there for as long as you can and inhale the vapours.

Get to bed early | The importance of sleep goes way beyond boosting your mood. Getting a good nights sleep will boost your immunity and allow your body to function properly. If you struggle getting to sleep and staying asleep, have a read at our guide ‘How to Tune Out last thing at night’

 

We hope this helps. We’d love any more tips too!

Breathe easy x

 

Excited about herbs…

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

FullSizeRender-4

We’re getting a little excited.

Now if you erase the recent gale force winds from your mind, there is definitely a little hint of Spring in the air, don’t you think? A little bit of blossom on the trees, a few daffs popping up here and there and if the above pics are anything to go by then we’d say we’re on the home straight..yay! Our surroundings are starting to gently change colour at this time of year and spring into life with brilliant fresh green everywhere. And it got us thinking a little green fingered and especially about the wonderful world of herbs.

Herbs and essential oils have been used for centuries for health benefits, and we thought we’d share some of our favourite uses for them but really we’re just scratching the surface. Enjoy exploring!

ALTHOUGH HERBS AND OILS ARE ALL NATURAL YOU SHOULD USE WITH CAUTION ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR ON OTHER MEDICATION. CONSULT YOUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USING.

On our retreats essential oils are used in abundance to create the right mood and vibe for classes, relaxation and massage. We burn them in oil burners, sprinkle them on our guests pillows and add to our home made products in our goodie bags. There are so many different ways to use herbs and oils, here’s a few of our favs….

For getting a better nights kip. Lavender is known for its super calming and relaxing properties. Its can help to relieve stress and anxiety. We like to add some drops of the essential oil to our bath and pillow but you could also fill an eye bag with some dried lavender and pop it on for a nice deep sleep.

For cleaning and sanitizing your home. Tea tree oil is not only great for your skin it offers antibacterial, antiseptic and anti fungal properties which makes it great for cleaning! Add a few drops with some water for a home made spray disinfectant.

For easing anxiety and when you’re feeling blue. Recent clinical and laboratory research has determined that chamomile is not only relaxing, but it can significantly decrease anxiety and even fight depression. We like to drink this in a tea and you could even try growing it from seed in your garden or balcony.  http://www.herbexpert.co.uk/growingchamomile.html

For an all round super health boost. Pick young nettle leaves (yes the ones that can be found on your garden!) before they flower, add to a cafetière and pour over boiling water. Allow to infuse and drink. Nettles are known for so many amazing health benefits but to lists a few – rid the body of toxins, ease digestion, ease arthritis and muscles aches, helps ezema, asthma and hay fever! Some more things to do with your nettles.

 

 

 

 

Super power beetroot juice..

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

Beetroot juiceOk so the title might be a slight exaggeration BUT this juice DOES pack a punch and will make you feel super duper. Try ditching your morning or afternoon coffee and have this instead? We make big batches of this to drink through the week. Feel free to play around with the quantities to suit your taste. We do enjoy a juice or a smoothie here at Tune Out and we like to treat all our retreaters to some of our concoctions!! Hope you like this one…

  • Raw beetroot, carrot and apple (we used around 5 of each)
  • Ginger (a thumbs worth)
  • Red grapes (a handful)
  • Lemon juice (we used 1)
  • Apple cider vinegar (a splash)

Put all the ingredients, except the lemon juice and cider vinegar, through the juicer, then add the rest. Stir and enjoy!

 

Urban Day Retreats in London

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

This morning we wanted to share an exciting new side of TUNEOUT that we launched earlier this year. Every couple of months, when we’re not retreating somewhere in the countryside with you guys, we’re going to be running day and half day urban retreats based around London. We realise, for everyone its not always possible to give up the time and money to attend a full weekend retreat but its still super important to our health and well being to take that much needed ‘you time’ even more so when you live in this crazy old city called London! This is really cool for us as it allows us to indulge in all our passions (one of those being helping you to feel better!) The idea is you join us for either a few hours or the full day, we move, we make and we definitely relax. We add in loads of little tuneout treats throughout the day to make you feel extra special and you leave feeling pretty damn fine! No experience is required in either Pilates or craft, and EVERYONE is welcome, you just turn up, as with our retreats and let us guide you through the day. So first of all make sure you subscribe to hear about it first as spaces are limited, then you book yourself in and turn up. Easy peasy. You can find the details of our next one (in November) below, and really we hope to see you there for some good quality tuneout time….

Laura and Katherine x

move,make.mend

M O V E. M A K E. M E N D.

SUNDAY 8th NOVEMBER 2-5PM

Hosted by Laura Hogg & Katherine Pentecost

Venue : East of Eden Walthamstow. London E17

We’re heading back to the lovely East of Eden studio for a breezy autumn afternoon of Pilates, crafting and relaxation. You’ll get all the best bits of one of our weekend retreats squeezed into an afternoon.

Starting the afternoon with an energising and cleansing juice/smoothie, followed by a class designed to get you to MOVE around lots and allow the creative juices to flow. The class is suitable for all levels. Then after a little break it will be time to MAKE. We’ll be getting our craft on and this time making a super cool macrame plant holder. (Similar to the one below) with of course tea and cake (of the healthy variety) Then to finish, time to MEND. A deep relaxation, stretch and mini massages.

Nice yes? We hope to see you there…

To book contact tuneoutpilatesretreats@gmail.com or call 07817604846
Cost £35 per person including all teas/juice and craft material

macrame

How To Tune Out…..last thing at night

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

sleep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning all…feeling ‘fresh as a daisy’ this morning? No? Did you sleep well last night? Did you get your 7-8 hours of uninterrupted, deep, nourishing kip? If the answer is no then don’t worry, you’re not alone.

We’re always reading and being told that getting enough sleep is really important for good health and general well being. We know we always feel better after a good nights rest, but for a lot of us, getting to sleep and staying asleep can be a frustrating and exhausting process.

Being a new(ish) mum I’m pretty obsessed with sleeping. Not only for my daughter but also for myself! I used to be a great sleeper, but then half way through my pregnancy it all started to go down hill, and I’ve never quite regained that lovely perfect nights sleep. And although I realise perfect sleeping might be a thing of the past  for me, there’s a ton of external factors that have a huge impact on how many zzzz’s we’re clocking up at night.  So if you’re in the same boat then this could help you too. Below are some tips. You don’t have to do them all (that would take ages), but perhaps making a few subtle changes might help you out. Good luck.

So lets talk about diet and exercise first. They both play a huge part in how well we sleep. We already know that what we put into our bodies directly affects how we feel. Sugar makes us hyper, alcohol makes us tipsy, bread can make us bloated etc etc and if you think of it that way then of course what you eat in your day is going to influence your night’s sleep. So here are a few things to remember.

  • Eat well. Whatever your diet/nutritional choices are. Eat natural, wholesome food. Eat slowly, chew your food properly, and be mindful whilst you eat
  • Don’t eat late at night. Your body needs time to digest and break down what you’ve eaten and therefore will be trying to do it whilst you sleep!
  • Be mindful of your caffeine intake
  • Be sensible with alcohol, sure it might help to get us to sleep, but the sleep you get won’t be great and you’re more than likely to wake up during the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep

Then onto exercise. Its a very simple one. I see it all the time with my 2 year old. We go out playing all morning, running around the park, climbing, jumping and she then sleeps like a log afterwards. Its the same for us, but you have to find what type of exercise YOUR body needs and also what you enjoy doing.

The other things you can try at night are…

  • Meditation. You could try meditating when you go to bed, but if you’re new to it you’re more than likely going to fall asleep and not reap the benefits. If you’ve followed us for a while then you’ll know we love the Headspace app. Bonus – they also have a whole section on SLEEP. Meditating for just 10 minutes a day would make a massive difference
  • Have a ritual. Similar to sleep training a baby, us adults also thrive on routine, and we form habits. So select what works for you from this list and then try to repeat your ritual every night in the same order. That way by the time you get to the last one your body knows the next thing to happen will be zzzzzz
  • Keep a set bedtime and wake up time
  • Take a bath or a shower. Throw some Epsom salts in there, a couple of drops of lavender oil and/or your favourite bubble bath
  • Stretch. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy or long. A simple side reach, a roll down or a neck roll.
  • Take a few deep breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth
  • Get some good PJs. Hey we’re throwing this one in, not entirely that important but everyone loves a set of silk pajamas!
  • Open a window and let the air flow, even in the winter, if you’re cold pop an extra cover on
  • Keep your reading light low and invest in some decent curtains/blinds that block out the light. Or just wear an eye mask
  • Look after your mattress, maybe its time to buy a new one or just turn it over and round to balance out the springs and support your body better
  • Add a few drops of lavender to your pillow. They’ll help to relax you
  • TURN OFF YOUR TECHNOLOGY!! One of the most important points on this list! Laptops, tablets, smartphones – whatever it is you use. Its stimulating and therefore NOT relaxing and if you’re on it in bed and you can’t sleep. Voila!
  • Get a great book…I tend to go for something pretty chilled and read until I can’t quite keep my eyes open…..

neverland

Sleep well tonight xxx

A beautiful match.

/ laurahogg82 / Leave a comment

We woke up to this sky this morning. Whoop whoop! Summer’s back in London. Phew. Really thought that might have been our lot this year!

This week we’re getting a little geeky and talking about the beautiful connection between swimming and Pilates, and why? Well in this kind of weather,  nothing beats a spot of outdoor swimming. And who would of thought that we’re actually pretty spoiled for choice right here in London. You’ve got the lovely (and at times busy!) London Fields Lido, mostly lane swimming, but heated all year round, which of course wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Broadway market for a little post swim coffee/smoothie/juice.  Then there’s the Hampstead Ponds for a true – all natural swimming experience.  Can be pretty bracing but a beautiful place to take a dip. There’s a pop up beach in the Olympic Park for the summer – Beach East is very much kiddy friendly and has a decent sized splash pool and man made beach for all your sand castle needs! Plus if you’re up for travelling a little further afield just over an hours drive from East London you could go for the real deal with some swimming in the sea at the delightful town of Whitstable. Very much a chilly experience and definitely one for the more experienced swimmers.

swimyourheartout

So not only is it super fun to be outdoors and splashing around in the pool, swimming is obviously a great way to exercise and keep fit and healthy,  but just like Pilates its supported and safe so anyone can do it. Take the breast stroke, for example, its allows your spine to be in an extended position,  something that lots of us are loosing through poor posture from being desk bound all day or over connection to our smart phones or laptops.  The breast stroke helps us to open up the chest, extend the upper spine and strengthen the back, arms and legs, and therefore creating B A L A N C E in the body. Its a win win!! Plus for those of us who find extension difficult to achieve (think cobra or swan positions)  its a very safe and sensible way to move your spine in this direction.

And it seems Joseph was inspired too. In the classical Pilates matwork you’ll find an exercise called ‘swimming’ its a great exercise which allows for many variations at different levels, and again just like the swimming breaststroke its strengthens your whole body, whilst working your core. Plus in the classical Reformer there’s also ‘breaststroke’ and ‘backstroke’ exercises and then also ‘butterfly’ on the Cadillac. Sounds fun, no?!

swimming

Why not head down to one of our local classes and give it a go…or to your local pool for a dip.  Happy swimming…

Enjoy!