Pure Mama UK

Today, let's uplift one another, shower ourselves with self-love, and spread contagious joy wherever we go. 🥰💖 Let's remember that we hold the power to make every day extraordinary, whether it's through a simple act of kindness, pursuing our passions, or indulging in some well-deserved self-care

Together, let's celebrate the wisdom, strength, and grace that come with experience. 🌟 Embrace your unique journey, uplift one another.

Feeling stressed and on edge? Is it affecting your sleep, energy, motivation and mood?.. Yes there are many stressors in life, and we all seem to accept that being stressed is "normal". But, is it?!

We shouldn't chronically feel stressed and anxious. Our body uses a lot of energy and nutrients to deal with stress - heard of adrenal fatigue? That's when your adrenal glands (situated on top of your kidneys) are exhausted and can no longer produce the hormones that help you cope with stress.

I'm a big fan of supplements and natural remedies because they replenish the necessary nutrients for your adrenals and other organs to cope. Some herbal remedies can also provide relaxing or sedative effects. So supplements are fantastic alongside some lifestyle changes (watch caffeine intake, practice mindfulness, CBT, journalling...)

Here's this pure mama's tried and tested top remedies to cope and beat stress:
💚SUPPLEMENTS
🍃B-complex - your adrenal glands need B vitamins and are often depleted.
🍃Adaptogens - These are herbs that literally help the body to adapt, adjust and recalibrate itself. I highly recommend Rhodiola and Ashwagandha.
🍃L-theanine - this amino acid can cross the brain-blood barrier to help with relaxation without a sedative effect. Found naturally in green tea.
🍃Magnesium - works within the central nervous system and in the muscles (relaxing).
🍃Aromatherapy (candles/ essential oils) - When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.

What remedies have you tried?

There is nothing like a good friend.

Friendship and social support have been linked to better physical health as well as mental health. We know friends are important, but studies officially back this theory.
Physical health benefits include lower rates of heart disease, including lower blood pressure.
The Mental health benefits are many:
-Increased sense of belonging and purpose.
-Reduced stress.
-Improved self-confidence and self-worth.
Friends also are invaluable in helping us cope with difficult life events such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one.

So no vitamin recommendations today... well just vitamin "F" for friendship ❤️

However, while good friends help you through tough times and bring out the best in you, toxic friendships also exist. These leave you feeling drained, unsatisfied and affect your self esteem negatively. A toxic friend, far from helping relieve stress, can add to it. They might say or do things that upset you when you spend time together, for example.
Life is short, spend it time with true friends who give as well as take, and who make you feel truly loved ❤️

Missing the sun 😭?

Exposure to sunlight and longer days help boost serotonin, the happy hormone. Serotonin is also responsible for:
-promoting good sleep
-helping regulate appetite
-promoting learning and memory
-helping promote positive feelings and prosocial behavior

Other ways to increase serotonin inlcude mindfulness/ meditation, spending time outdoors in nature, and taking supplements such as 5-HTP.
I like Serotone 5-HTP, a great natural formula that provides the building blocks and nutrients necessary to make serotonin in the brain.
5-HTP is found naturally in the Griffonia simplicifolia seed, a shrub native to West and Central Africa. The formula also contains B vitamins and zinc which are needed to help 5-HTP to be used effectively in the body.

Discover more on www.puremama.co.uk

My salvation! This innovative sunscreen cleverly combines natural ingredients to protect from sun and insect bites/ stings all at once!
This is a broad spectrum UVB+UVA suncream with SPF30 rating protection
Soil Asociation Cosmos Natural certified
It contains botanical insect repellent and aloe to nourish the upper dermal layers of the skin.

✔Moisturising, ✔hydrating, ✔non-greasy with a light citrus fragrance. Oh and the packaging is made from renewable source sugar cane🙌

🌙 ✨

What's Confidence?
Often people think confidence is something you are born with (or without!).
Confidence is not a fixed attribute; it’s the outcome of the thoughts we think and the actions we take. It is not based on your actual ability to succeed at a task but your belief in your ability to succeed.

To help you get there:
-💙be kind and talk to your self positively.
Practice positive affirmations to rewire your brain and set a positive tone to your day.
-💙 Stop comparing yourselves with others. I know I know... I understand the irony of saying this via social media, but I have learnt to step back, dissociate and not compare myself with others.
-💙surround yourself with people who make you feel good and positive. Tune into how you feel after spending time with people- chose your company wisely.
-💙take care of yourself, your body and your mind by making time for self-care... it can be grooming, face masks, exercise or meditation and relaxation 😌

I leave you with one of my fave quotes: "a flower does not think of competing with the flower next it, it just blooms"


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Did you know it's normal to loose up to 100 hairs every single day?
Our hair goes through a continuous hair cycle of growth, rest and death.
Extreme hair loss (a lot more than the usual 100 hairs, making your hair noticeable thinner) occurs when this growth cycle is disrupted leading to more hair being in the rest and death phases - full info on the blog: www.puremama.co.uk🌿

The growth cycle can be disrupted by sudden shocks to the system such as childbirth or sudden severe illness. it can also be disrupted by long term nutritional deficiencies - the most common being Iron.🌿

Supplements can help hair loss around and improve hair quality. Nutrients to look out for include Silica, Zinc, collagen and omega oils🌿 discover more at https://www.puremama.co.uk/collections/hair-skin-nails

Nails, like hair are made of the protein keratin. Therefore eating enough quality protein (meat, fish, eggs, quinoa amongst others) in your diet is important. But here are other key nutrients - make sure you get these via your diet and via a quality supplement:
💚Iron is needed to deliver adequate oxygen to your nail bed. Very Low iron can lead to "spoon" shaped nails.
💚Biotin promotes cell growth and is essential for keratin production.
💚Zinc is needed for cell growth and division. Nails are made of cells that grow and divide rapidly, therefore a steady supply of zinc is key. Low zinc slows growth but also may result in white spots on nails.
💚Omega-3 can help lubricate and retain moisture in your nails. So this is particularly important for dry and brittle nails. Oily fish, seeds and nuts are good sources.
💚Silica is a naturally occurring trace mineral that plays a key role in the formation, structure and strength of connective tissue (skin, hair, nails, bones, ligaments and teeth). Low silica may lead to weak nails that break easily. Herbs like Horsetail are a rich source.

Find these nutrients and nail supplements on www.puremama.co.uk

We've all heard the term "happy hormone".
In reality there are a few of them, in particular brain chemicals that together control mood.
SEROTONIN is the key mood stabiliser, enhancing feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and nerve cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion.

You can boost serotonin through:
-sun exposure☀️
-mindfulness/ meditation🌈
-being with nature🍃
-5-HTP and B vitamin supplements.

I like Higher Nature Serotone 5-HTP, a great formula that provides the building blocks and nutrients necessary to make serotonin in the brain.
5-HTP is found naturally in the Griffonia simplicifolia seed, a shrub native to West and Central Africa. The formula also contains B vitamins and zinc which are needed to help 5-HTP to be used effectively in the body - find it on puremama.co.uk

Ever had a sudden flashback brought on by a certain smell?

The smell of Jasmine transports me back to my family's neighborhood in Damascus where jasmine plants grow abundantly.

When inhaled, aroma molecules travel to the brain and into our lungs. Essential oils in aromatherapy are indeed often useed in this way (in candles, oil burners, and diffusers)
Inhaling aromas stimulates your limbic system which is the part of the brain which helps to control your emotions, and long-term memory.
Which is why they say certain aromas can trigger memories. Which scent evokes memories for you?