Sugar Free ... I'm trying....

I was updating my Pinterest board Tea and Food when I found loads of Tina Yelle's gorgeous looking food pins which lead me to her healthy blog about sugar-free foods. I have been obsessed with sugar-free for a while now but articles around sugar and it's dangers have been circulating for a while.

Easy Chocolate Avocado Pudding from Tina Yelle A Healthy Baking Blog

Years ago Elle magazine featured an article in the Beauty pages entitled "Kick that sugar habit, sweetie". The main thrust of the piece was that sugar is bad for your complexion: increasing lines, dehydrating your pores and making you age. Me and my sweet tooth though "pah!" and off I went to buy some more Haribo. But when I started running and training for mega miles I started to take a bit more care of my diet which eventually lead me to give up dairy and wheat and now sugar (it is SO HARD though - I have launched myself off the wagon many a time...)

Tina gave up sugar when she was having gall bladder attacks due to an Auto Immune Disorder. Both excessive consumption of sugar and gluten are linked to gall bladder disease so taking her health into her own hands she began to give up sugar. Now Tina is a Mom to 3 boys and they found it hard to adjust to the family's new healthy lifestyle but Tina persevered.

Coconut-Butter Cup from Tina Yelle a Healthy Baking Blog

Tina and I had a Skype chat and this is what I discovered, amongst other things:

• She has always been a good baker.
• She did a lot of research before baking for the blog - working with previously unknown substances such as coconut and almond flour.
• She is now writing a sugar-free cupcake book

Her blog is lovingly designed and easy to navigate and so not preachy preachy in a way that some dietary blogs can be. It is Tina's hard work and passion for a healthier life which permeates through all her recipes. And her journey really isn't about the weight loss - an awesome side effect of giving up sugar nonetheless - it really is about living a healthier life. 

Sugar Free Mango Ice Pops from Tina Yelle A Healthy Baking Blog

Her recipes are easy, simple ways to create foods you already eat without consuming sugar.

Check out her Healthy Baking blog here. Follow her on Twitter here.

The Wardrobe Angel - Ingredient Transparency

Last week marked the start of me trying to give up sugar. It was during a particularly awesome wardrobe clearing session with a client in Wales when we stopped for lunch and ate nowt but health on a plate when my client casually informed me that sugar is more addictive than cocaine AND that it is contained within most packaged food. I was sceptical so when I headed home I decided to check some food packets in the kitchen. Have you seen the amount of stuff it is in?? I don't mind all the cakes and biscuits - that's elementary, Watson - it is supposed to be in those tasty and naughty treats but it is even in BRAN FLAKES! And a packet of stuffing for crying out loud! 
Fervent packet checking done, I started to do some research online about sugar and ingredient transparency and found this cracking article from GlobeScan:

“Many consumers globally believe they have the right to know what products are made of and they want companies to ensure their products are safe and effective,” said Eric Whan, Sustainability Director at GlobeScan.

It got me thinking ( and invoking the writing spirit of Carrie Bradshaw it appears!) about The Wardrobe Angel: what makes me and my business tick -what are my ingredients and am I transparent about them? This post is dedicated to my Mission and my Values. 

My Mission:

"To get people in the UK to make the most out of what they have hanging in their wardrobes whether that's about the clothes they own, the budget they have or discovering their own sense of innate style. I want to make the everyday task of getting dressed one which fills you with confidence rather than dread."

What does "make the most of" mean though? All a bit 'make-do-and-mend' isn't it? Here's how I work - I believe in re-styling, re-imagining and re-selling. Re-styling clothes in new and exciting ways, pairing items with things you hadn't considered, re-imagining existing clothes by getting them altered and given a new lease of life and finally re-selling items which are no longer suitable for you but may be suitable for somebody else. Throw in the cleaning of your wardrobe, general de-cluttering and re-organising and that's The Wardrobe Angel experience. I want clients to get clothing miles by looking after their purchases and re-visiting them like they are a welcomed old-friend, to have wardrobes that work for their lifestyle as well as their personality and to enjoy considered consumption.

I also firmly believe in actively encourage sustainability, upcycling and recycling whilst flying the flag for home-grown talent by supporting British Brands. This blog has been a platform on which I have brought some new and under the radar brands to light and I love it!