Book Review: Eating for Beauty by David Wolfe

This book is not revolutionary. Yes, I know, ideally I would be eating a raw plant food based diet. But I'm not. I wasn't before reading this book and I'm not after reading it either. However it has encouraged me to eat more raw plant foods than before. But then again, I do have a largely plant based diet anyway with little meat or processed foods. I do think David Wolfe is a little bit mad and obsessed with being 'beautiful' and being surrounded by 'beautiful' people. He uses science to explain why consuming certain plant foods are very good for health with a particular interest of course in creating a 'perfect' appearance. Although I am hesitant to praise this book to any great extent it has encouraged me to use coconut oil instead of other oils and eat more cucumber (specific, I know). There are also a few chapters later in the book that discuss the importance of sleep, yoga/meditation and psychology with regards to beauty and I did find these sections quite interesting, although Wolfe is not as knowledgeable about these subjects compared to diet, and of course is not the main purpose of the book anyway. I think for those interested in nutrition and have/aim for a plant based diet it is a book worth reading, but for everyone else probably not.

Book Review: How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

If I had to sum up this book in one word it would be honest, sometimes a little too honest. My mother gave me this book when I was about 14 and I'm definitely glad I didn't read it straight away and ended up reading it at 19, because Caitlin Moran recalls many experiences she had while growing up in a way that I'm not sure my 14 year old brain would have coped very well with. Sex and periods and everything in between in here in a very blunt and honest way. Nonetheless it's absolutely hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud like an idiot in public places many a time during this book.

The Best Documentaries

I spend a lot of time watching documentaries so I have put together a small list of some of my favourites. They are all currently on UK Netflix with the exception of An Inconvenient Truth.

• If a Tree Falls - Follows the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front.
• An Inconvenient Truth - Al Gore lecture bringing awareness to the issue of global warming and it's effects.
• Making a Murderer - Series following the journey of a Steven Avery imprisoned for a murder he may or may not have committed.
• The True Cost - Discussion of how the fashion industry has negative impacts on the environment and welfare of certain groups.
• Addicted to Food - Series following a group of people with differing eating disorders and their time in a recovery unit.
• Minimalism - Follows two men, known as The Minimalists, who turned to a life of minimalism and raise awareness of the negative effects of mass consumption.
• Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - Joe Cross, an obese man, goes on a juice fast for 60 days in an attempt to save his life.
• Babies Behind Bars - A women's prison that has started a baby programme that allows some women to keep their babies in prison with them after birth.
• Captive for 18 Years: The Jaycee Lee Story - How a young girl was kept captive for 18 years and how she was eventually found alive. 

Abbie Victoria x

If a Tree Falls

2017 Goals

Get rid of things I don't need
People who know me well know that I have A LOT of stuff, and although I'm organised with it and everything has a place, it can sometimes get a bit too much.

Continue to eat healthier
During 2016 I began to eat a lot more vegetables and a lot less meat along with less salt and sugar. I kind of let some of it go when I moved to university but I need to keep that going.

Keep to my weekly budget
Although I'm doing pretty well with money at uni I could probably do with watching what I spend a tad more so that I have more money to spend on special occasions.

Read more
I have acquired lots of books in 2016 that really need reading and it will help me to improve my English skills which aren't necessarily the best.

Smile more
Hopefully this will come naturally with everything else on here, if not then fake it 'till you make it haha.

Give more compliments
I have always found that giving compliments makes me feel happier myself, plus sometimes if you give someone a compliment they might give you one back, which will make you feel even better.

Print more photos
I take a lot of photos during happy times that I want to remember but I very rarely get them printed which makes no sense, so I'm going to get looaaddss printed.

Maintain a healthy weight
Since moving to uni I lost a bit of weight (which when you're my size in the first place isn't great). I have managed to put a fair bit of that back on since being home for Christmas so I want to keep that going.

Happy new year, I hope 2017 treats you all well!

Abbie Victoria x