CHRIS JAMES BRILLIANT BIOTIC & GORGEOUS GREENS SUPPLEMENTS

Hi all and welcome to this post which is all about good gut health. Not the usual type of post from me I admit, but I am very interested in finding ways to improve my digestion and gut health as I have been an IBS sufferer all my life.

I met Chris James who is a well respected and sought after teacher of yoga and meditation as well as nutrition and health enthusiast at THE ANTI-AGEING HEALTH & BEAUTY SHOW back in May. Chris is a fantastically glowing person both in personality and appearance. He just oozes health from his very core so I knew this was someone I wanted to know better as he obviously knows his stuff. Chris informed be about lots of his quality ingredient products as well as the 12 Day Cleanse program. I was given the opportunity to try out 2 of Chris' vegan food supplements from his range which I took continuously for 30 days.

BRILLIANT BIOTIC

With premium ingredients for the bowel to optimise gut health and support digestive function. Enhancing nutrition absorption as well as immune function. Beauty that begins in the gut.

GORGEOUS GREENS

Gorgeous greens is a unique blend of chlorophyll rich green foods which can help strengthen the immune system, restore PH balance and and help with bowel regularity. Gorgeous Greens also helps defuse free radicals and support skin to fight ageing. Maintaining a balance of acidity versus alkalinity for the mind and body to function optimally.

Both supplements are free from wheat, yeast, starch, gluten, lactose, soy, added colourings, sweeteners and preservatives. Suitable for vegetarians.

I took one of each capsule a day after breakfast and one of each after dinner for 30 days. 

So I am going to be honest and say that I ate very healthily for the about the first two weeks and then not as healthy, but not all bad for the two weeks after. I was on holiday leave, had some celebrations to enjoy and got really busy. I know making time to be healthy or healthier is your own responsibility so no excuses here, but it was quite interesting to see how the supplements worked when eating and drinking healthy and nutritious foods versus the naughty and devilish.

On day 2 coincidence I think as I had no other days like this I was awoken at about 5am with a stirring in my tummy. A quick panicked leap from my bed led to lets just say an emptied bowel. Sorry if this is TMI, but this post is about bowel health, regularity and digestive function. I felt pretty unwell for about a day with a couple more rushed loo trips and an awful feeling in my tummy. I hadn't eaten anything unhealthy or different in the days prior so I can't blame my diet, but I don't feel I can blame these products either as in a day I was back to normal with no other days like this within the 30 days.

I would say that these supplements did help with normal regularity of my bowel function. I would go every day which can sometimes be unusual for me. I can go anything from not going for a week to 7 times a day while eating and drinking in the same way. There are certain foods that will bind me up such as bread, pasta and rice so I know when I have had too much. During my naughty eating phase I was perhaps just a little less frequent in bowel movement with extra bloating and trapped wind, but it was still better than I usually am without the supplements.

I think these supplements are a great addition to a healthy style of living. Most of us won't stick to purity (myself included) 24/7 when it comes to food and drink, but I think knowing your own body is a big part of knowing what you need and what your limits are. I know that I can't scoff pizza, bread and other such foods every day like my friends and family, but sometimes I let the little devil on my shoulder convince me. 

I have previously tried an elimination diet where I cut out all yeast, wheat, sugar and dairy. I gradually introduced certain foods back into my diet to see how my body liked them. I would say I felt healthier from this type of diet, but I still suffered with IBS symptoms daily. I am by no means as pure and saintly as this now, but I do my best to eat healthily at lunch and breakfast and cook meals from scratch most of the time.

I am glad that I got the opportunity to try out these products as better bowel function was definitely achieved!

Let me know your tips and tricks for better bowel health and digestive function in the comments below. Especially if you desire a better lifestyle free from IBS woes.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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THE ANTI-AGEING HEALTH & BEAUTY SHOW

Hey lovelies and happy Sunday. I had a great day yesterday experiencing my first time at The Anti-Ageing Health & Beauty Show. There was so much to see and experience so I want to share some of it with you. I truly believe there is something for everyone at the show. It's a perfect day out to discover new products and brands as well as health and beauty experiences you never knew existed.

BEAUTY DRINK

Containing water with vitamins, fruit extracts, minerals and collagen in 8 different flavours: 

Bright (pear, green tea and coconut water)

Ready for the day (raspberry, blueberry and acai)

Strong fortify hair and nails (lychee and white tea)

Young and free (hibiscus, acai and grape)

Renewed (cucumber, lemon and aloe vera)

Focused (tangerine, acerola, guarana and orange)

Happy (nectarine and red tea)

Balanced (mulberry, passion fruit, lemon and lemongrass)

I sampled one of these which I believe to be 'Young and free'. It tasted amazing. Sweet, but refreshing. I'm not kidding when I say that it felt like I had a natural buzz from just a sample. I think the packaging of these looks very appealing. I really like the concept of drinking my beauty in. I love the variety within this range too.

BEAUTY BAR

Organic cereal cubes with added vitamins, collagen and golden linseed in 4 flavours:

Balanced (apple, raisins, cashews and honey)

Young and free (red berries and acai and honey)

Strong fortify hair and nails (banana, apple, cinnamon and honey)

Ready for the day (coconut, almonds and honey)

Being the official sponsor of London Fashion Week I was able to sample the 'Young and free' beauty bar from my London Fashion Weekend goodie bag. It was okay, but it had a glaze which doesn't really appeal to me. I prefer my cereal bars crunchy and dry if you know what I mean.

BEAUTY TEA

Traditional teas with added collagen and vitamins in 4 flavours:

Bright (white tea and pear)

Balanced (red tea, apple and honey)

Young and free (yellow tea and peach)

Renewed (green tea and green grape)

I love trying out new teas. I usually prefer herbal rather than fruit teas as fruit teas are never sweet like I want them to be.

BEAUTY CANDY

Delicious candies with added collagen and vitamins in 4 flavours:

Ready for the day (lemon)

Strong fortify hair and nails (raspberry)

Young and free (vitamin E, folic acid, pantothenic acid and collagen)

Bright (orange)

These are easy to carry around with you or leave in your car and who doesn't like sweets :)

BeautyIn products are made with no added sugar, preservatives or trans fats. In a self-assessment survey 100% of volunteers confirmed their skin became firmer and less wrinkled from consuming the beauty drinks and candies.

I am very intrigued by the BeautyIn brand. I feel like I need another shot of Beauty Drink ;)

I did try other beauty drinks at the show from brands such as BioCorrex who have a very interesting beauty range.

I was recommended this Forever Aloe Vera Gel to aid me with my IBS and digestion troubles. You actually drink it. It seems weird to call it a gel, but I am advised that it just tastes like orange juice.

Check out the Forever range in this link!

This is the first ever BB Cream I tried and you can read my full review here. This is a beautiful product that I would call a beauty/make-up essential. For good coverage and a healthy glow I would certainly recommend.

I have been very kindly gifted with samples of the Exfoliating Marvel Gel so I will be reviewing that for you.

To view the full Ginvera range see this link!

We can cleanse our faces and our bodies from within, but what about our teeth? Well now there is a new product to refresh your mouth in flavours such as Sicilian Lemon, Garden Mint, English Peppermint and Brazilian Lime. So if you are keen to try something new for your teeth and move on from your usual toothpaste then this Dawood & Tanner range could be right up your street. Find out more in this link!

This type of product I have seen spoken about a little, but not too much. This 540 needles version has non-sharp needles. I was informed that it does not feel painful and you won't end up with blood running from your pores. Apparently it's good for stretch marks and to open up the skin so that any skincare products you apply will be absorbed deeply. Find out more about the vast Skin Pep range in this link!

Arbonne cover lots of healthy and beauty needs. With a range including skincare, haircare, sun protection, bath & body, make-up, fragrance and nutrition. I know I will be looking through their website to find out more.

Tropic Skincare were there too. I loved their Face Smooth Brightening Polish which you can see my review of here. I swatched some make-up from their collection and fell in love with the high pigmentation of their mineral eye shadows, especially Blue Steel.

Green People have a massive range of products including some great make-up which looked amazing on the girl I spoke with. The city grey anti-age pencil eyeliner was swatched for me. It looked so smooth on application. Perfect for lining, shading and as a shadow base. The powders and shadows looked great too. I really like how particular products are suggested for certain skin tones and eye colours.

Studio 10 Beauty had make-up artist Chrissie Huntley demonstrate the contour, blush and highlight palette on me. The visible lift definer kit has a cream blush and the one used on me was a powder so I guess it may have been updated. The contour really sculpted my cheeks. The blush gave me that healthy, youthful glow and the highlight accentuated where needed.

I was so lucky to meet with Studio 10 founder Grace Fodor who told me exactly what Studio 10 make-up was there to accomplish. Grace explained that the make-up is produced to sculpt and define the face. Contouring, highlighting and emphasising areas for a healthy, more youthful looking appearance. The age reverse perfecting liner was one of the products we spoke about which was meant to be in my goodie bag, but sadly was not :(

Airbase Make-Up have the airbrush kits within their collection which can be used at home for real make-up enthusiasts. I thought the concealer palette looked appealing with it's smooth formula. The eye shadow palettes also excited me a lot with one of satin and one of pearl shades. Both with bright and more smokey tones.

I spoke with Lynne Sanders about the a la carte london make-up collection. There were so many products to see that made my eyes light up.

Su-Man is the leading celebrity facialist turned skincare pioneer. With fans such as Kylie and Sienna who wouldn't want to know more about Su-Man's expertise and product range. With a mixture Asian and Western influence along with that Su-Man touch for a facial experience in your own home. The natural and scientific blend of Su-Man formulations sounds amazing to send you on a skincare journey to look and feel re-born.

I tried the Teapigs match tea served cold with apple juice. It was lovely and refreshing and my first experience of this brand.

The Chris James Cleanse was also being promoted at the show along with some stand alone products. I had a great chat with Chris who teaches yoga and meditation as well as assisting others in better health and well being for a better body and mind.

So what is the 12 day cleanse? More than just your average detox this programme consists of dietary guidance, mouth-watering recipes and high quality cleansers to leave you noticeably more toned, radiantly alive and glowing with confidence. There are also new products such as 'Hello Aloe' for dry and damaged skin as well as 'Super Absorb' for removing waste matter from your digestive system to return your body to a balanced state. The cleanse comes with a 12 day menu guide that is gluten free.

I love discovering new beauty and health products, but I think there is definitely something in the fact that when you truly look after your body and mind they will thank you for it and it shows. Like when someone loses excess weight or returns from a relaxed holiday. You can see their skin glowing and eyes sparkling and they seem to be smiling more.

I have always had problems with bloating and a sluggish digestive system since I was born so a cleanse is something I have been thinking about doing for a while. There are so many shake diets, juice detoxes and goodness knows what else on the market these days that it's hard to know which ones are the best value and right for your needs. Chris James' 12 day cleanse seems to me to be one that aims to show you a way of living and maintaining well being not just a quick fix or a DIET (urgh hate that word).

This cleanse really has me thinking that it could be right up my street as like with most of us a little guidance is all that is needed to put us on the right track. The cleanse is £120, but as it's for 12 days that's just £10 a day that I know I could easily spend on other rubbish.

There were lots of great people that I got to speak with yesterday, but I fear this post may never end so instead I will link the exhibitors list here for you :)

If you attended The Anti-Ageing Health & Beauty Show this weekend how was it for you? Did you discover any great products, treatments or brands? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx