Natural You

"Natural beauty" goes far beyond the no-makeup look. True natural beauty comes from within, and that's what Natural You is all about. From the makers of Woman & Home, we show you how to cultivate a more positive mindset so your radiant personality can shine through. Discover how to use holistic treatments to improve your mental and physical wellbeing. Soothe the body and mind with activities like walking, wild swimming or massage. Learn how to forage for your dinner or transform your garden produce into delicious, healthy meals. Find out how to create a stress-free haven at home with the power of plants and feng shui. Cleanse from within by going alcohol-free and from the outside by making eco-friendly changes to your wardrobe. You'll be glowing in no time!…

The word 'holistic' comes from the Greek word 'holos', meaning whole. The concept behind holistic health and wellbeing is that instead of looking at parts of the body and treating individual symptoms, we should consider the person as a whole: the body, mind and spirit. Holistic health is more a lifestyle. It’s choosing to look beyond just the physical body and consider how your emotional, mental, spiritual and social needs are connected. So, for example, if you are suffering from a headache, instead of immediately opting for Western medicine to treat the problem by alleviating the symptoms, it asks you to think about the whole picture. What external factors could be causing your headache? Are you stressed, have you been eating well and getting enough sleep, what is your emotional…

Greek physician Hippocrates (c.460–c.370 BCE) might be most associated with creating the Hippocratic Oath, but he is also known for claiming that “walking is man’s best medicine.” And who are we to disagree with the father of Western medicine? Hippocrates wrote that “eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet work together to produce health.” Thracian physician and former teacher of Hippocrates, Herodicus, practised dietetic medicine in the 5th century and became recognised for his emphasis on the therapeutic effects of exercise, but Hippocrates believed that the exercises he prescribed were too strenuous for his patients. Although Hippocrates was not the first physician to prescribe exercise for patients, he was the first recorded physician to provide…

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO Although it has religious roots as one of the most important Christian pilgrimages in the world, the month-long hike through northern Spain is often a transformative and spiritual event for even non-religious walkers. Created in the Middle Ages, the network of hiking routes takes you to the burial site of the apostle Saint James in the town of Santiago de Compostela. EVEREST BASE CAMP The two-week out-and-back trek to the base of Earth’s most magnificent mountain will see you traverse aromatic forests, glacial moraines and swaying rope bridges, against a backdrop of sun-faded prayer flags, wooded valleys and impressive peaks. Deep in Buddhist Sherpa country, it’s the best way to experience the Himalayas in all their glory. ABEL TASMAN COASTAL TRACK New Zealand’s South Island offers visitors…

“WILD SWIMMING IS SIMPLY THE TERM FOR ENJOYING A SWIM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN A LOCAL SWIMMING POOL” If you hear the phrase ‘wild swimming’, you probably picture Bear Grylls somewhere breathtakingly remote or cliff divers hurling themselves into azure waters somewhere wonderfully exotic. You probably don’t picture wetsuit-clad groups doing breaststroke in a lake or a bunch of octogenarians taking a dip in a river while wearing an orange bathing cap, but that is exactly what wild swimming can be. Don’t be put off by the name, as wild swimming is simply the term for enjoying a swim somewhere other than a local swimming pool. Rivers, lakes and the sea are all possible destinations for those wanting to get in their lengths somewhere a little more interesting and a whole…

THE LAKE DISTRICT The Lake District in the UK has the country’s largest collection of bodies of water, with 16 lakes and meres in the National Park. Windermere is the biggest of these, but most provide breathtaking views and clear water, so no matter where you choose to take a dip, you can almost guarantee peace and quiet CANADA Canada has almost 13 per cent of the world’s freshwater lakes, so is an ideal location for a spot of wild swimming. The Grotto is a gorgeous little bay in Ontario that lies on the shores of Lake Huron – one of the Great Lakes. It can get a little busy in the height of summer, so avoid those times. MEXICO One of the many highlights of visiting Mexico is the…