Mahayana I. Dugast was born in Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France. She qualified with the Association of Natural Medicine in the UK in 1993, and moved to Ireland in 1994 where she co-founded ‘The Crystal Connection’ healing centre. She travelled extensively throughout India over a period of 16 years, and was initiated by Teachers from a wide spectrum of spiritual traditions. Over the years, Mahayana felt increasingly inspired to share this wisdom with a much wider audience to offer people the opportunity to manifest a fuller potential. She created her own style of workshops and developed Holistic Coaching, a unique approach serving as a catalyst to help people to centre themselves in good health and well being, and live their lives in a more fulfilling and abundant way.

Mahayana is the author of Anti-Ageing Secrets, The Complete Self-Rejuvenation Manual for Conscious Men & Women, available nationwide from Easons. For online purchase and details on workshops and consultations, visit www.antiageingsecretsbook.com 

Less is more

Simple regime is best when it comes to having beautiful, healthy skin.

·        Cleanse and tone with a natural product such as rose water. If you have dilated pores, mix in around a third of Witch Hazel with your rose water. Both products are inexpensive and can be found in any chemists.

·        Moisturise regularly with a good, simple and natural cream. No need to break the bank, many good products cost between €10 and €30, so gorgeous, glowing complexion is accessible to all!

·        Protect your skin all year round using an SPF daily and avoid hard, middle of the day sunshine.

However, do choose to absorb a few minutes of gentle sunrays around sunrise or sunset time. Some amount of sun is vital as it plays a crucial part in the production of Vitamin D in your body.

Beauty from within

The skin is the largest excretory system in the body and not the bowels, as commonly thought; so clear looking skin is closely linked with the ability to eliminate regularly. To avoid constipation, eat plenty of natural fibre in the form of wholegrain (millet, brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, couscous, etc), some fresh fruits and vegetables (eat at least three of those raw every day) and enough water (6-8 glasses). An easy way to consume raw fruits and vegetables are in freshly made juices. If you don’t have a juicer, there are plenty of juices bars around nowadays, which is a great choice over a second or third cup of coffee!

Moderation is the mother of good health

There is nothing wrong with wine, a glass or two with you dinner can actually help in the break down of heavy proteins and be beneficial to digestion. The average recommendation is 14 units per week and per person, so spread those over 7 days. The full bottle (or more) drank on its own, however, acts as a thief for your well-being, both physical and emotional and your beauty capital.

Chocolate is a women’s best friend. This can be true, especially the dark, sensual, minimum 70% cocoa kind which contains high amounts of antioxidants. Once you have re-educated your taste buds, you will realise that you are free from your addiction to the sugar and fat laden poor variety. A few squares of real chocolate do wonders for your health and beauty; and you can indulge every day.

Know your A, B & Cs!

Vitamin A, B, C, D and E are particularly important or vibrant health and beauty. They all have precious antioxidants, and promote healthy cell growth and division. Although these vitamins should be present in the food you eat, the reality is that a little extra of each is required to give the body all it needs to cope with being at your service

Natural and powerful rejuvenation

Edible sprouted seeds are a miracle-food: a perfect combination of vitamins, enzymes and minerals, which makes it a sought after super-food. Some supermarkets sell ready-made sprouts (I am not talking about Brussels sprouts here), but it is so easy to prepare at home that it simply isn’t worth buying. Health food stores sell organic seed-mixes for sprouting (alfalfa, red clover) and all you need to do is this:

·        Put a soupspoon of seeds into a little bowl of water for 12 hours.

·        Drain and rinse, let it sit on the windowsill covered with a piece of muslin

·        Rinse twice a day until the seeds have grown about 3-4 inches tall, which could take 3-5 days, depending on the temperature and the amount of sunlight.

This is fun to prepare with children. Vitamins found in a handful of sprouted seeds are worth a whole plate of vegetables, so include some in your sandwiches to take to work and at home in your salads.

Being you, being magnificent

Start to feel grateful for what blessings you have. Observe your thought process to recognise when you go into self-criticism mode, and make the switch to self-appreciation. Write a list of all the qualities you possess (there are many!) and of the things for which you feel true gratitude. Keep this close at hand and add to it anytime.

Learn to forgive yourself and others, and tell your loved one how much they matter to you and what is so special about them. You will feel renewed energy flowing into your life and begin to enjoy each day as it comes.

A stress-free life

A common mistake is associating being busy with being stressed. You may be extremely busy and feel deeply energised. Being stressed is born out of the inner refusal of what is happening. So take a look within to see if you are resisting a particular situation. Accept that whatever is going on for you right now is as it should be, otherwise it wouldn’t be happening! When you are present and able to observe what is taking place for you, a new solution manifests itself effortlessly. Your situation shifts and evolves as your perception widens.

Live passionately

However old you are, find something to be passionate about. When you tap into your creative ability, enthusiasm flows through you, well-being is with you and you begin to align with your potential. There is no end to what you can do or be!

Written By Mahayana Isabelle Dugast