A fabulous new lifestyle blog to follow

I'm so excited about my new lifestyle blog, which I launched recently. Although I'll still be talking about my books, I'll also be talking about yoga, writing, health, life in Portugal and general lifestyle issues that affect women of all ages. Although I've had the domain name for some time, and have used it in varying degrees on blogger and weekly, it's now a fully self-hosted site over on Wordpress so I'm serious about taking it to the next step!
What is difficult, however, is gaining followers so if you'd like to pop on over and check it out, please do follow me - either via Bloglovin or by following posts, both of which can be done on the right-hand side of the front page.
I look forward to welcoming new readers! Oh and please share with your friends. Thanks guys and gals :D

Y is for Yoga #AtoZChallenge

This year my A to Z Challenge is all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I want to lean more! Today it's all about yoga :D

I'm sure you're not surprised that my Y choice is Yoga, something I'm becoming more and more passionate about because it is changing my life for the better. Since I began practising, my body has become so much firmer, my back ache has almost disappeared, I have more energy and I like who I am much more than ever before.

Image courtesy of samuiblue at Free Digital Photos

Did you know?
June 21st this year will be the first ever International Yoga Day!
Yoga is much more than just a series of exercise poses.
You don't have to be flexible to start yoga - the flexibility will come.
Yoga helps control diseases
Helps eliminate stress and depression
Helps control hypertension
Helps stomach problems
Yoga is particularly good in helping osteoarthritis
Yoga is great for weight loss
It's great for detoxification
People who practice yoga are believed to live longer!
It will improve your sex life ;)

Namaste

U is for Uttanasana #AtoZChallenge

This year my A to Z Challenge is all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I want to lean more! Today it's all about Uttanasana :D

If you're not into yoga, you're probably wondering what the heck does Uttanasana mean? Well, it's simply a yoga pose also known as the standing forward bend.
It's one of my favourite poses because it instantly soothes my lower back whenever I have aches and pains. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't have to be done with ultra straight legs - in fact if you suffer with low back pains, it's more beneficial to keep your legs bent to get a better stretch in that area. I can often be found in Uttanasana - much to my friends and husband's amusement!

Image courtesy of Ambro at Free Digital Photos

Uttanasana has numerous health benefits including:
It calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression

Stretches the hamstrings as well as the calves and hips

Encourages digestion
Stimulates the liver as well as the kidneys
Is a great thigh and knee strengthener
Helps relieve menopause symptoms
Helps reduces fatigue and anxiety
Relieves headache

Helps you sleep

For more information on this amazing yoga pose, check out Yoga Journal.

F is for Flexibility #AtoZChallenge

This year my A to Z Challenge is all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I'm passionate about it! Today it's all about Flexibility :D

I'm not flexible. I was never one of those girls who could do cartwheels or backflips or whatever else it is they do these days. I could just about manage a forward roll and even then I wasn't very graceful. As I grew older, it just got worse. Perhaps working in an office hunched over a computer all day didn't really help but gradually my muscles just about gave in. Touching my toes was almost impossible.

photo credit: Flexibility via photopin (license)

And then, last year, I found yoga. My first few classes were a little embarrassing because I couldn't seem to reach anywhere I was supposed to but my teacher encouraged me to go with the flow and breathe through the stretches. It actually didn't take long until I could touch my toes and soon enough I found my flexibility increasing dramatically.
It's amazing how different my body feels now compared to a few years ago. Although I do still have aches and pains, especially in my lower back and hips (my hips are the worst!), I know that I just have to get up and do some of those wonderful flexibility techniques to ease them up. It doesn't help that most of my days are still spent crouched over a computer but I'm an author - I don't have a choice!
How about you? Are you - or were you ever - flexible?

B is for Back problems #AtoZChallenge

My A to Z Challenge this year all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I'm passionate about it! Today it's all about Back problems URGH :D

Forward Bend - photo credit: via photopin (license)

Along with millions of others, I've suffered with back pain pretty much all my adult life, which is a total bummer. When it first started, I visited a doctor who told me I was stressed and prescribed me some natural pills. I took the pills for a few days and then decided I wasn't stressed (I'm not a stressy-person by any means) so I visited another doctor who sent me off for an x-ray. He told me I had sciatica. I think (it was years ago) he prescribed me some pain-killers and sent me home. Neither of them solved the problem.
I suffered for years afterwards, just putting up with those horrible aches and pains that run from the lower back all the way down the backs of the legs. And mornings...urgh, were the worst. I could barely lean forward to put my socks on!
When I was finally ready to accept that the pain could be helped naturally, I started seeing a chiropractor who manipulated my spine, which certainly helped the sciatica but not the underlying problem.
When he left for adventures in the Far East, I decided to try yoga instead. The yoga has since worked wonders. Yes I do still suffer with lower back ache but whenever it flares up, I know what asanas (yoga poses) to do to ease the pain - it's amazing!
It's the forward bends - both standing and sitting - that work the best for me. If you suffer with back pain, I highly recommend you try them out, but be gentle.

A is for Adriene #AtoZChallenge

YAY today is Day One of the A to Z Challenge and I'm so excited! I did the challenge last year and talked about pretty much anything I could think of but things have changed a lot in a year and so this time around it's all about wellbeing - something I'm particularly passionate about. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or even the wellbeing of my business, I'm passionate about it! Today it's all about the wonderful Adriene :D

Today is all about the 'A' and so it seemed appropriate I should tell you about Adriene. I've never actually met Adriene but she has been helping me change my life. Curious?
Adriene is a yoga teacher with her own awesome Youtube channel. I found her purely by chance whilst searching for yoga online and boy am I glad I did. She has a wide variety of videos on her channel but what first appealed to me was her 30 day challenge, which I completed a few weeks ago. It was incredible - doing a class every single day changed me in several ways, including:
1. Made me become more aware of my body
2. Helped me become more flexible
3. Eased my back pain (which I've been suffering with for years)
4. Helped me sleep better
5. Helped me become more confident
6. Made me happier... that's something my amazing husband mentioned when I asked him if he noticed any changes in me. He said I was happier. Cool huh?
Isn't that amazing?
But not only that, Adriene makes the classes so much fun. With her occasional dorkiness, she really made me laugh, something that certainly helped during the more difficult moments when I struggled to get my legs to do what I wanted them to do!
If you're thinking of starting yoga at home, I highly recommend you seek out Adriene. You won't be disappointed. You can find her online here too.

#AtoZChallenge: C is for Cycling

The A to Z Challenge features bloggers from all walks of life posting about everything and anything every day (except Sundays) during the month of April. As I'm a complete newbie to this challenge (and I'm in the middle of edits for book six), I haven't given myself a theme to adhere to! So, on with the challenge. Today...

C is Cycling

photo credit: Eleaf via photopin cc

Finally, after months of almost constant rain, yesterday afternoon I finally got out on my bike for a lovely cycle out with my husband. It was incredibly relaxing, not to mention soothing on my back after sitting down at the computer all day (week/month/year) long. Granted, my muscles are a bit sore this morning though!

I've never been a particularly active person. I hated P.E at school and was pretty useless at most sports. Even as an adult, I failed miserably at keeping fit. I tried everything: aerobics (I couldn't keep up with the instructor), swimming (I couldn't stop picturing Jaws and piranhas in the pool), pilates (breathe in and zip up... huh?!), yoga (Forward Doggie what?) but nothing ever stuck. I'd do it for a few weeks and then just get back in to my usual routine of, well, nothing. 
Anyway, about a year and a half ago my husband was introduced to cycling. He bought all the kit and went out once or twice a week. While he was out enjoying himself, I was feeling sorry for myself. So we went out and bought a fabulous bicycle for me too and I haven't looked back since!
When the weather was good enough to cycle, I felt better than I had done in years. My problematic back was much improved, my wobbly bits were far more toned and even the those pesky little thread veins on my legs had disappeared! Hurray!
 Don't forget to download Raven for FREE right here, and Daisy Madigan's Paradise (part of the Morgan Sisters series), also FREE right here.