When I think about wellbeing, one of my first considerations is to assess the consumption of sugar in our diet. Reducing or eliminating refined sugar as well as artificial sweeteners and high fructose syrups which are often added to processed foods, is one of the fundamental first steps to establish an overall health regime. Besides other adverse health consequences, sugar is one of the main agents causing inflammation in the body and brain and we know that chronic inflammation is linked to a list of serious diseases. More recent research is also indicating a high intake of sugar is associated with depression and anxiety. The good news is that one of the best ways to protect yourself is through the food you eat. I am pleased to share some of my practical tips for anti-inflammatory and low glycaemic index (GI) foods with you below.

The basic technique for eating the low GI way is simply a ‘this for that’ approach – swap high GI carbohydrates for low GI carbohydrates:
• Decrease or eliminate the consumption of sugary foods - cookies, cakes, candy and soft-drinks.
• Decrease or eliminate the consumption of starchy high GI foods - potatoes, white rice and white bread.

• Enjoy all types of fruit and vegetables from low to medium GI; limit high GI portions.
• Eat plenty of salad and vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing.
• Increase the consumption of nuts, non-starchy vegetables, (portion controlled fruits), whole grains and legumes. 

• Consume reduced portions of breads with wholegrains, stone-ground flour, sour dough or germinated grains.
• Consume breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran or germinated grains.
• Consume germinated and pressure cooked beans and legumes.
• Enjoy pasta, noodles and quinoa in limited portions.

Specific nutrients and foods have anti-inflammatory properties:
• Ginger, onion, rosemary and turmeric.
• Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties.
• Vitamin E, zinc, quercetin and omega-3 fish oil.
• Probiotics have been proven to be as effective in treating symptoms of irritable bowel as medications.
• Choose good oils over trans-fats, such as fish and flaxseed oils which are high in omega 3s and are especially beneficial for reducing inflammation.
• Increase your vegetable intake – choose a vast array of colours (reduce intake or avoid potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, chilli and eggplant).
• Reduce saturated fats from animal sources, small portions of milk and cheese and lean cut meats.

• Wheat, corn, soy, dairy, eggs.
• Processed and refined foods (including white flour products).

Kamalaya’s signature detox cuisine is a vegan, low inflammatory, alkaline, low allergenic and low glycaemic nutrition concept, based on research in Naturopathy, Functional Medicine and TCM. One of the classics on our detox menu is this delicious and nutritious vegetable soup, containing a potent blend of vegetables, herbs and spices, loaded with essential nutrients for restoring health and vitality. Rich in chlorophyll, it is an effective blood cleanser and antioxidant source. To maximise the nutritional value, cut your vegetables finely to reduce cooking time. For full recipe and video please click here

“Detox programs have become popular as people are becoming more aware of their exposure to pollutants and other factors in the environment that slow down our bodies’ ability to detoxify. It is important to take a break and reset our lifestyle habits, to sharpen the focus. Although the body detoxifies naturally, it is beneficial to clear out pollutants and assist the metabolism to function more optimally”, says Karina Stewart.

In this video, Karina shares some practical advice for researched based detoxification programs and the significant health benefits achieved.

We are delighted to announce that Karina Stewart, our Life Enhancement Mentors and Yin & Yang Yoga specialist Simon Low will be hosting more specialized group retreats in 2018. While Kamalaya’s focus continues to be on personalised individual wellness programs, our Life Enhancement Retreats provide a setting to explore specific areas of interest in greater depth and benefit from the support network of like-minded individuals, with a maximum of 12 participants per retreat. We are pleased to share new dates for 2018 below, alongside one more opportunity to join later this year.

The essence of the retreat personally facilitated by our co-founder Karina Stewart is beautifully captured in this short video:

“Awakening Your Essential Self” with Kamalaya Co-founder Karina Stewart
2018 : 24 February - 4 March and 22 - 30 September

“Yin & Yang Yoga Immersion” with Simon Low
2017 : 7 - 11 December
2018 : 29 March - 2 April / 31 May - 4 June / 18 - 22 October / 6 - 10 December

“Finding Emotional Balance & Freedom” with Kamalaya’s Life Enhancement Mentors
2018 : 9 - 15 May / 30 August - 5 September / 22 - 28 November

For further details, please visit: www.kamalaya.com/retreats-thailand

In our previous newsletter we proudly welcomed global business leader and sustainability expert Philippe Joubert as our guest speaker, to host our first Kamalaya Conversation. Philippe talked about the fact that nature is no longer unlimited and free and why business plays a key role in tackling climate change. It was truly inspiring!

For anyone who wasn’t able to be part of the conversation here at Kamalaya last month, we have recorded a dialogue between our co-founder John Stewart and Philippe Joubert which beautifully captures the heart of what was discussed during the public conversation: click here

We are pleased to share some exciting news with you – readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the leading travel magazines in the United States, have recently voted Kamalaya amongst their TOP 10 Destination Spas worldwide. This prestigious recognition is a reflection of the magazine’s annual reader survey (“The World’s Best”). Please click here to view the online feature. We are truly grateful and happy about such recognition for our team and we thank all of those who voted for us.