Stephanie Waxberg Shares Her Top Health & Wellness Rules
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@StephanieWaxberg
The truth is I don’t have an everyday health and wellness routine. I really admire people that do, but lots of us are just trying to do our best, and I think that’s a great place to start, because there’s always more that you can add in. I take Symprove probiotics almost every morning, and for breakfast I make a bowl with organic coconut yoghurt, nuts, seeds, goji berries and local honey which is meant to be great for relieving seasonal allergies. Then I always get some movement in, whether that’s some mat Pilates or a long walk and running around the park with my daughter. About once a month I’ll try a new breathwork or sound healing session. I love to see what else is out there.
Wellness practices and routines are so much more mainstream these days. It has made it much more accessible for everyone to bring elements into their lifestyle. There’s so much more information, as well as products and classes available, so now it’s about filtering the information and finding what works best for you. I also think there’s been a change in mindset about health and wellness practices – for example, exercise is a privilege that makes you feel energised and more positive, rather than being seen as a chore. It makes me excited to try out new wellness practices and to feel the benefits. For example, I love breathwork and I find it so interesting that different methods can make you feel completely different – either so alert, or completely relaxed and promote sleep.
I try to strike the right balance between traditional medicine and alternative therapies. I have a full body skin and mole consultation every year which I recommend to everyone, but I also use massage, reflexology and sound healing to find balance and calm.
A little movement and a positive mindset can be a gamechanger in setting you up for the day. It comes back to the law attraction – positive energy brings positive outcomes. I also like to have a cup of Cosmoss Dawn Tea after breakfast. It’s a blend of hibiscus flower, nettle and rosemary to reduce fatigue, protect from environmental stress and improve energy.
I dry body brush before my shower each morning. It’s great for boosting circulation and promoting super soft skin. My quartz gua sha is a great addition to my beauty routine. It helps to reduce inflammation and it feels like a little ritual in the evening before bed. I'm a huge advocate for the benefits of pure cacao, which is rich in antioxidants, a great source of iron, magnesium and flavonoids, and it tastes delicious too. I warm homemade cashew milk and blend in raw cacao for a frothy hot chocolate
I swear by sound healing. It helps to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and bring the mind and body back into harmony. It’s a great leveller, helps to quiet the mind, provides relaxation, stress reduction and aids sleep. There’s so much science behind the practice – for example, the sound frequencies from the bowls can send your brain into theta brainwaves, which is the state of deep meditation and it’s highly restorative – but there’s also beauty and magic in the practice and it’s this contrasting mix that I find so special. My own sound healing method is focused on grounding and finding much needed balance. I use Crystal Tones alchemy bowls that are made with pure quartz and each bowl is handmade and infused with precious metals and crystals.
Reflexology is another part of my routine. I first went with my sister years ago and I returned to it during my pregnancy and on many occasions since. I find it incredible – it’s not always the most comfortable but somehow, it’s still so deeply relaxing and I find that it sends me into the same trance-like state that sound healing does. I go to Reflexions in Chelsea. It’s very low-key but the practitioners are fantastic, and they have these amazing rocking chairs that make you feel weightless during the session. I always recommend booking their private room for a more in-depth experience as I love to hear what the practitioner has to say at the end of the session – there are always some interesting insights, particularly when I was pregnant – and I always feel like I’m floating when I leave.
I love to walk, and make sure I get my steps in every day. In London, I take my daughter to Ranelagh Gardens at the back of Royal Hospital Chelsea – it’s such a hidden gem. It’s great for a run around and often, we’re the only people there, along with a couple of Chelsea pensioners who always stop for a chat.
We also spend a lot of time in Ibiza, and I love to book in a hike with Ibiza Hike Station. There are some challenging routes, but the views are so spectacular, so it hardly feels like a workout. I’ve been doing mat Pilates for years as well, and these days I like Pilates By Bryony because it’s a great way to switch up different movements. Bryony is great at setting different challenges, but I also like to filter the workouts by type and save my favourites. I’m currently loving a full body power class with no equipment – it’s great for doing at home or on your travels.
It’s sometimes a good idea to get back to nature and practice “earthing”. When I go to the park with my daughter, we often find a nice patch of grass, take our shoes off and reconnect. This is a really nice thing to do when you travel too; allow your feet to connect to the earth, and take some deep nourishing breaths, filling yourself with good energy.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve really tried to focus on eating real food. This coincided with having my daughter because I wanted to make sure that she was eating the best quality produce. It sounds obvious but so much food is processed these days so I’m always aiming for fresh, nutritious ingredients that are also delicious. I buy most of our meat and fish from Daylesford and we go to the local farmer’s market in Orange Square on a Saturday to pick up fruit and vegetables. We like to grill some sea bream fillets with spices and my husband makes this fennel, mint and lemon salad which is so delicious. I also love to make crushed crispy, roasted baby potatoes with salt and olive oil. I actually find it easier to eat this way on holiday as there’s always fresh fish and vegetables on the menu and it’s always more delicious on the beach. I still definitely love a sweet treat and a glass of wine though… it’s all about balance.
Two supplements I take every morning include vitamin D and a vitamin B complex. Vitamin D has so many benefits, from reducing inflammation to helping immune function and cognitive health and the vitamin B complex is great for energy levels, skin health, stress reduction and maintaining a healthy nervous system. In the evening, I sometimes take ashwagandha, which is an Ayurvedic herb. Research shows that it normalises cortisol levels so it can help with relaxation, as well as reducing inflammation and joint pain. I also recently started taking magnesium glycinate before bed. I feel like it has such a calming effect, and it helps me to fall asleep faster and to improve my sleep quality. I really like Pure Encapsulations.
These days we have absolute information and sensory overload – every day. I always try to get back to reality as much as possible and note the simple things that are important in life. I’m lucky to have a great group of girls around me and we’re honest about what’s going on in our lives, which I think is such a release. Sometimes you just need to talk through things to find clarity. I also think catching up on sleep is so important – everything seems a little more overwhelming when you’re tired. I also love this practice called “an oxytocin cuddle” where you hug someone for at least 20 seconds. A comforting hug releases the hormone oxytocin which creates a feeling of calmness and relaxation, can lower your heart rate, and reduce feelings of stress.
As humans, we are actually able to manage a huge amount of physical and mental stress – but only if we have sufficient stress recovery. I had such an interesting conversation with the clinical director of Pillar Wellbeing recently, whose career has been focused on the research and management of stress. This might be in the form of good quality sleep, or meditation, however so many people struggle to sleep well, and they may not know how to meditate or find it hard to make the time for individual practice. Sound healing is great because it allows you to let go and fall into that state subconsciously, so you receive the benefits without any distractions.
Sleep is so important for physical and mental stress recovery. But I’m real night owl so I feel like I get an extra boost of energy to work and think in the evenings. This means that I often stay up far later than I probably should do but I think it’s all about learning what works for you. I start to wind down with a cup of Cosmoss Dusk Tea. It contains chamomile flower and hops cone for relaxation, as well as cinnamon and fennel fruits to boost digestive health. Then I’ll do my skincare routine. I’m loving Skinceuticals at the moment and I use its gentle cleanser, P-Tiox serum and Triple Lipid Restore Cream. I’m also trying to consistently use my CurrentBody LED face mask before bed. It’s meant to be great for brightening your skin. I also recently started taking magnesium glycinate at night and I’ve found that the quality of my sleep has improved hugely, but if I need a little assistance, I’ll do some simple breathwork exercises.
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