Three Ways to Wellness
Wellness has weighed heavy on my mind over the past few weeks. The irony is that while I spent most of January practising wellness, the last remaining days of February sick in bed - and the beginning of March roaming the streets of Paris filming a video... making this post seriously overdue. From a new disruptor to the men's activewear arena, Dry January and a promise to take better care of the skin I'm in - there was wellness all around this January.
OHMME apparel
I started out on my path to wellness, with some pieces from the latest collection by OHMME apparel. The line is an eco-friendly men’s activewear disruptor brand. A mouthful I know, but I was intrigued. It's no secret that I'm not the most athletic guy, and I generally steer clear of anything fitness related. This case was different as the brand fully backs men of all sizes and abilities to get active through yoga and meditation. They are also working to change the attitudes of current societal stereotypes around masculinity.
OHMME has recently launched #StillnessInMotion workshops, in collaboration with CALM, which provide a safe space for guys to explore movement with yoga, stillness with meditation and expression through group work. The #StillnessInMotion movement targets men's suicide on a grand scale and seeks to minimise the use of phrases like 'man up'.
Wearing the Eco-warrior shorts (amongst the most environmentally friendly shorts on the market), I set out for a mind cleanse in my new gear, taking in the sights and sounds around me.
The shorts use anti-bacterial Green Defence technology to keep the fabrics fresh, whilst retaining a light and stylish feel. They also come with a double-layer in a 4-way stretch from crotch to leg which guarantees your shorts will stay in place, and you won't have any awkward moments in yoga class or on the track. I picked up pairs in black and ocean, and am looking forward to wearing these the next time I go swimming or for an exercise class.
Heineken 0.0
Late Jan - I had the pleasure of being invited to an intimate dinner at Benares in Mayfair. The team at Heineken partnered with twice Michelin starred chef, Atul Kochhar, to create a four-course Indian-style meal with perfect alcohol-free beer pairings. Bespoke dishes ranged from Heineken 0.0 Cured Salmon to a Chocolate Curry Venison. In keeping with the unexpected theme, each dish was inspired by something which those looking to lead a 'healthy' lifestyle would generally avoid. Indian street-food, chocolate, Goan delight all came with a modern twist. I generally shy away from Indian food due to allergens, but I thought I'd step outside my comfort zone (in the safe hands of a few Michelin stars) But the big surprise came from enjoying alcohol-free beer. Proving that it is possible to lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle, whilst 'eventing' in London. As I'm normally found with a glass of champagne in hand on Thursday nights it was strange to find myself sat next to some serious Fitness-influencers and journalists sans alcohol.
Perhaps it was the placebo effect of our glasses full of beer which allowed the conversation to flow throughout the night. Or perhaps a testament to the premium taste of 0.0 which mimicked beer in every sense without the foggy uber-ride home and hangover the next day.
Besides a delicious meal and great conversation, my big surprise came when I opted to take the tube home (a rarity for anyone leaving a media event). I covered this event in full (including a recipe!) over on Candid Magazine... you can check out more pics and read the article here .
QMS Medi Cosmetics
Closing out my month of 'Wellness' came another product launch in the form of skincare.
I was invited to the Heritage Suite at Liberty London for an exclusive evening with Dr. Erich Schulte, a leading surgeon in the fields of trauma and cosmetics surgery, and founder of QMS Medicosmetics skincare. His system and treatment collection is regarded as one of the most effective and transformative to be found and inspired by the science of epigenetics. The product on hand was his EpiGen Daily-Detox Serum, which is proven to prevent damage to pollution making it perfect for a city-dweller like me. His concept is that through preventative measures we can avoid seeing him later in life in his fulltime profession as a cosmetic surgeon. On hand for the evening were elderflower cocktails and healthy snacks from the always hospitable Liberty London.
I've just started my daily routine of using the Daily-detox serum, so I'll keep y'all posted on my progress.
