Health: Friendly Bacteria and ProVen Probiotic Review

Having a doctor as a husband and being interested in science and health myself new research is always a welcome topic in my household!

After years of tummy pains (all my friends will confirm how much fun I can be to travel with) I was tested for allergies and intolerances and subsequently have tried to reduce certain foods in my diet that I have been deemed intolerant to (mainly dairy and gluten/grains). I have written before about my success with the Paleo lifestyle, but honestly it’s not something that I can keep up 100% of the time. If I was able to work from home and prepare all my own meals I think it would be much easier, but alas with work, travel and inevitably socialising it becomes very difficult to be restrictive. Most of the time I just hate being a pain or sounding rude so will eat things I know I really shouldn’t as I don’t want to offend… though other times it is just because I’m in a bad mood and want ice cream!

Recently I have seen a lot of articles popping up about gut health and ‘friendly bacteria’ in the mainstream press. There’s a lot of differing evidence (which my husband would be very happy for me to cite, but I know most people would skip over), but ultimately imbalances in gut flora have been linked to all manner of complications from serious illness following prolonged antibiotic use to acne (see this month’s issue of Women’s Health), weight gain and even shyness!

Being a stickler for rigorous trials my husband is more sceptical about probiotics. However, I personally believe as I have been reducing some foods in my diet due to limiting my dairy intake (eg. yoghurt) it is worth trying to restore balance and aid my poor tummy in any way I can. Along with increasing my consumption of fermented foods such as kefir (I have been trying a coconut milk based one sold in Whole Foods) and Kombucha (fermented tea) I have also started taking ProVen Probiotics.

ProVen Adult Acidophilus and Bifidus 25 Billion* contains Lab4, the most comprehensively studied group of friendly bacteria of any product in the U.K. These studies conducted in Cambridge, Sheffield, Swansea, Southampton and Cardiff suggest that ProVen Adult Acidophilus and Bifidus 25 Billion provides real benefits in supporting digestive and immune health. As well as 12.5 billion viable cells per capsule they also contain Vitamin D3, C, Calcium, Zinc and Selenium.

So far they have been really easy to take (some vitamins make me feel a bit queasy). I have been taking one or two capsules after my breakfast each morning and even if it is just a placebo effect feel like my tummy is happier already! Either way I am very happy to undertake this experiment on myself and see if I feel a difference!

Have you ever tried taking Probiotics? What are your thoughts on them?

Supplicity: Supplements Made Simple

With an increasing number of us being more conscientious when it comes to our health nutrition has definitely been on the front pages recently. However, the advice is confusing at best and all too often completely conflicting. We are constantly being told what to eat, and even more so what not to eat! Coupled with the heightened prevalence of allergies and intolerances this can lead to a somewhat restricted diet, even when disregarding the research that tells us our food is actually getting less nutritious by the decade (you can read more about it here) due to soil depletion, pesticide use and (dare I say it) GM! I personally have tried to decrease processed foods in my diet and eat organic produce, but my intolerances to dairy, gluten and eggs can make some meals repetitive and I always worry that I may be missing vital nutrients by cutting down on certain food groups (such as grains).

In an ideal world I know the optimal way to get nutrients is through a balanced and varied diet, but who lives in an ideal world? I certainly am guilty of burning the candle at both ends – working too much, not getting enough sleep, having too many glasses of wine… therefore I am very grateful to get a little help along the way!

Good quality supplements can be a great help as they ensure you get a top up of vital nutrients that your body needs. I always think that even if I am eating well it never hurts to make sure! However, the supplement market is so big that, just like nutrition, it can be very confusing to pick out what you need. I have bought many bottles of vitamins over the years that either stay at home, or on my desk at work, but as I am always on the go I find it hard to keep a routine and make sure I am being consistent.

Therefore, I was really excited when Supplicity contacted me to try out some of their supplements. The range is created by London-based brothers-in-law - a doctor and a health and fitness professional. They have designed Supplicity to make supplements super easy to use and fit into a busy lifestyle with little commitment required by splitting your bespoke supplements into labelled daily strips, which you can easily travel with!

I chose the Mojo* daily essential energy box, which contains B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Zinc, Omega-3 and Korean Ginseng (used for thousands of years to enhance cognition and stamina). The carefully selected vitamins and micronutrients have been blended to create a daily supplement that aims to leave you feeling energized, stronger and recharged. I felt that in these cold months my energy was definitely lacking and rather than rely on caffeine I wanted a more healthy alternative.

The Mojo box arrived through my letter box and has been the easiest thing to add to my daily routine. As the 3 supplements for each day are labelled in individual strips I can easily pop them in my bag in the morning or take a couple of strips with me when I go away without having to lug multiple bottles from work to home or fuss about with plastic containers. It also helps me to keep on track if I miss a day! I take mine after breakfast as recommended and have definitely felt the difference.


Each Supplicity box contains a 28 day plan with plans starting from £18 a month and your first month is free! Let me know what you think of this plan and if you are interested in trying them out for yourself!

Review: Cowshed Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum and Skin Perfecting Facial

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of popping down to Cowshed’s Carnaby spa to sample their new Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum in a mini facial. After an early start and a long day in an air conditioned office my skin was looking far from its best and I was definitely in need of a few quiet moments to let the day melt away. The new Cowshed Skin Perfecting Facial (£85 for 75 mins) is a gem. While it keeps true to the usual routine of a facial (cleanse, steam, exfoliation) the yoga style massage that is performed using the new Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum is absolutely fantastic. While being extremely relaxing it works hard to bring out your facial contours, get rid of any puffiness with lymph drainage and stimulate blood flow while firming and tightening the skin. Divine! I would love to book in for the full treatment soon.

Cowshed’s Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum itself is the ultimate all in one skincare treatment. I have recently tried to simplify my skin care routine (to save time and in the hope that if it’s simple I will be more diligent in doing it every day). I have always struggled with my night-time routine as by the time I’m finished with my day I am so ready to crawl into bed (probably having already fallen asleep somewhere beforehand… on the sofa, on the tube, but hopefully not at my office desk). However, as I wear makeup regularly I know how important it is to have a thorough cleanse and make sure my skin can recover overnight and stay hydrated. Therefore, I have been sticking with a micellar water for makeup removal, a cream cleanser and then an eye cream and an oil left on overnight. The Cowshed serum- oil hybrid is absolutely perfect for this and fits into my routine really easily. It has a beautiful, calming scent, is lovely to apply as it feels smooth, but not too ‘oily’ and is packed full of botanical actives and essential oils.

The Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum is designed to address multiple ageing concerns such as loss of radiance, fine lines, pigmentation and dry skin. It is infused with brightening, tightening ingredients such as the Actiscent complex, which not only gives the serum its dreamy scent (combining natural extracts of Sandalwood, Green Tea and South American Copahu), but also works to stimulate cell renewal and turnover. VC IP is an extract derived from Vitamin C, which is added tp help strengthen skin’s antioxidant abilities. Matrixyl 300 Lipo Peptide stimulates skin’s repair process to improve skin tone and elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Juvenity is a complex anti-ageing lipid, that works inside skin cells to protect, restructure and thicken the dermis and epidermis, encouraging the production of healthier skin cells. It also features natural compounds such as of Rosehip oil, Evening Primrose oil, Jojoba oil, zinc and vitamins B and E.

I have been trialling this oil serum for the last 2 weeks and have to say that I am really impressed. I am sometimes wary of oils as some I have tried in the past have had a slightly unpleasant scent and have been a little heavy, taking a long time to absorb into the skin making it feel greasy. This serum is very light and smells beautiful. It sinks into the skin leaving a light layer of oil on the surface so that you feel your skin is protected through the night, but not suffocated. It definitely plumps and smoothes while keeping skin nourished and hydrated, which is particularly important in the harsh, cold months of winter. I adore it.


Cowshed Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum (£48.00) is available from all Cowshed UK Spas, shops and www.cowshed.com