From sausages and ham to tortilla chips and tomato sauce, the sweet stuff is everywhere. How can we break our bond with sugar and get healthier in the long term?

Sugar isn’t good for you.

OK, let’s develop that a little further. It is well documented that regulating our sugar intake is the key to tackling obesity. But while chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies, for example, come with an obvious warning sign of their indulgent contents, there is less awareness of just how much added sugar there is in our everyday diet.

A year of no sugar

Here we can turn to the inspiring story of Eve Schaub. Back in 2011 Eve and family went sugar free for a year.

Together they battled the ‘secret world of sugar’. That is, the varieties of everyday products that, unbeknown to us, contain added sugar. Like bread, bacon, crackers or chopped tin vegetables. The family recorded better digestion, higher energy levels and better overall wellbeing among the direct health benefits they felt.

We can all take a leaf out of Eve’s book (literally, she’s written a book: Year of No Sugar). Here are just some of the tips I took away:

• Cut out all refined sugars from your diet – including white, brown and cane sugar, fructose, molasses and honey. Palettes change with time, and you’re likely to need a sugar hit less and less.
• Check the label – look for added sugar among the ingredients (nutritional information also includes naturally occurring sugars).
• Somewhat worryingly, sugar can have many different names; don’t just look for the magic word ‘sugar’.
• In restaurants, ask for a breakdown of what goes into menu items before ordering.
• Get creative – make up your own sugar-free bread, cakes, and other recipes.

You don’t have to do it all on your own – there are other inspirational stories of going sugar free, as well as great tips and sugar-free recipes online. Also check out sites and articles like:

• I Quit Sugar
• The Healthy Apple
• The Telegraph’s ‘How to kick the sugar habit’
• Davina McCall’s ‘How to be sugar free’

A sugar-free challenge accepted

Encouraged by the Schaubs, I’ve now been (mostly) sugar free for the past four weeks. After the first couple of weeks, I became aware that my energy levels were holding up throughout the day in a way they hadn’t previously. I didn’t get the munchies – either for savoury or sweet food – between meals. Yes, I lost a bit of weight, too.

And if I can go sugar free, then so can you.

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In the BBC TV programme ‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’, Michael Moseley tested Tai Chi and Zumba as forms of exercise to compare their effectiveness on our health. He asked can the slow movements of Tai Chi be as good for our health as the fast-paced activity of Zumba?

He found the Zumba group were all fitter after 12 weeks as was expected, with improved elasticity of their blood vessels and lowered blood pressure. They were surprised, however, to discover that the results from the Tai Chi group also showed the same benefits. Source: BBC. View this three minute BCC video.

So if you don’t want to break into a sweat, or have limited physical flexibility, then Tai Chi brings you all the same health benefits as vigorous exercise and more as you will discover. But what is Tai Chi? And what can it offer you?

Tai Chi, also known as Tai Chi Chuan*, meaning ‘The Supreme Ultimate Fist’ was developed thousands of years ago in China, as a form of self-defence. It is a slow-moving meditation where your breathing is always connected with the ebb and flow of specific movements in sequences. The aim is to relax into each movement while remaining alert and mindful.

It can look deceptively simple but just try doing slow-motion punches, deflections and kicks and you’ll realise why Tai Chi is often referred to as ‘internal weight-lifting’. The speeded-up movements are actually applicable for self-defence. Tai Chi is also an exercise that promotes harmony between mind and body, thus reducing stress, and at the same time has numerous health benefits, including improving physical balance, posture, flexibility, antioxidant capacity, and increasing energy, stamina and strength.

In traditional Chinese medicine, human beings are considered miniature versions of the universe, made up of the five elements – wood, fire, water, earth and metal. The energy from these five elements, known as ‘qi’ (pronounced ‘chee’), flows throughout the body, and practising Tai Chi helps to improve the flow and to channel this energy in a smooth and balanced manner – also known as ‘balancing your qi’. ­Practicing out of doors, in parks or gardens where you can connect with the energy of nature, enhances the benefits.

Tai Chi sprung from the ancient Chinese discipline of Qigong, meaning ‘energy cultivation’ – based on the Taoist principle of Yin and Yang, ‘ebb and flow’. They were secret practices and only taught to selected students or family members, or were practised by monks and nuns for their spiritual development. Since the 1970s Chinese masters have brought their teachings to the West and the practices have become increasingly popular. There are five traditional schools, known by their family names: Yang, Chen, Wu (Hao), Wu and Sun. Most modern styles of Tai Chi trace their development to at least one of these. Similar to different yoga styles you may choose your preferred style, though ultimately the right teacher for you may be more important than the style.

You may wonder what’s the difference between Qigong and Tai Chi?

While Qigong focuses on the inner development of one’s energy for physical, mental and spiritual health, Tai Chi uses that energy in the ‘outer world’ to defend and deflect for self-defence.

Qigong is more akin to ‘acupuncture in movement’ and offers specific self-help techniques and short exercise sequences for different organs and for different seasons of the year. You can read more on the ‘Four Season Medical Qigong’ site.

Recent studies find that Tai Chi helps reinvigorate stem cells, see the article. See also the NHS Guide to Tai Chi and the NHS’s Health Benefits of Tai Chi Examined – here, as often Tai Chi is talked about as if it is interchangeable with Qigong.

The underlying principle for both remains the same: ‘The least effort is the most effective’.

‘The least effort is the most effective.’

Both practices aim to open the flow of the energy paths or, as per acupuncture, the meridian lines passing through the body. Much like a river, the flow may be initially muddy or even blocked, until your body can allow open relaxation in healthy strong movements and postures, connected on three levels, the human (heart), earth and sky/heaven.

However, the concept goes against our ingrained Western approach of pushing ourselves to our limit and doing 100%, which in itself creates tension. With Tai Chi and Qigong you want to do about 70% of what you may be capable at any given moment so that your body and mind can remain relaxed and open for the free flow of energy. Then you can learn to direct this energy for your own health benefit or to fend off an attacker.

There’s nothing better than seeing the practices in action, so here are three videos.

Qigong video

For a daily 15-minute Qigong routine:

Tai Chi videos

Self-practice for health – ‘Tai Chi 5 Minutes a Day, Module 1 – easy for beginners’:

Self-defence – ‘5 Tai Chi Self Defense Fighting Combat Techniques’:

We trust this gives you a deeper insight and encourages you to explore these ancient practices, whatever your age. If you have any questions or would like to go on a Tai Chi retreat please contact us. Now there are also live-stream Qigong and Tai Chi Easy classes.

*Note:
The old Western spelling is Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung. – In early 1990 Chinese authorities decreed that the spelling in Latin characters should be Tai Ji Quan (or in one word Taijiquan) and Qigong. This more closely matches the Mandarin pronunciation and differentiates the two different ‘chi’ ­ – in Qigong, it means ’energy’, whereas Tai Ji Quan means the ‘Supreme Ultimate Fist’ or often referred to as ‘Fist in a Velvet Glove’ (Here ‘Ji’ does not mean energy). So the modern spellings for short are Taiji and Qigong (but ‘Tai Chi’ is still widely used).

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How about treating yourself and your mum to a wellness retreat this spring? Here are our hand-picked Mother’s Day retreat ideas.

Wondering what to get for your mum for mother’s day this year? Forget about the usual flowers and chocolates. What better way to show your mum how much she means to you than taking her on a special spa break or wellbeing retreat. Treat her to a Mother’s day retreat (pardon the pun).

No need to go far, we have some excellent UK weekend breaks that don’t cost the earth but offer the pampering your mum deserves. You could always join her and spend some quality time together. And if you want to treat your mum to something really special, read on for Neal’s Yard Holidays’ picks of once-in-a-lifetime holidays, and Mother’s day retreat weekends.

This year Mother’s day is on the 22nd of March 2020. So what are you waiting for?

UK short breaks

For complete relaxation, treat your mum (and perhaps yourself) to a few nights in South Wales. Combine Yoga and Ayurveda with walks in the surrounding ancient forests in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), unwind in the hot tub, and you’ll both leave relaxed and rejuvenated.
March to May, from £570 per person for 3 nights full board, 10% discount if sharing room

For a women-only retreat to be Healthily Happy go on this wellbeing retreat offered by Raw Horizons in North Yorkshire. Laze in the hot tub with extensive views of the beautiful countryside, enjoy delicious gourmet raw food, plus of course yoga and mindfulness.
29 March – 03 April, 3-8 May, 7-12 June, 28 June – 3 July and 26-31 Jul 2020, from £1,095 pp for 5 nights, full board.

Here you find more UK retreats.

Europe

Or use this unique opportunity for yoga and a guided cultural visit to the Eternal City. Stay at the historic villa with pool on the outskirts of Rome. Your host and yoga teacher is Marina, a native Roman, art curator, author and editor of La Cultura Italiana – your most knowledgeable guide to Rome.
12-17 March, 18-23 May, 28 May – 2 June, 30 July – 4 August, 24-29 September 2020, from £465 pp for 5 nights in twin shared room, or £685 single room

And while there’s snow, you can escape to the French Alps for a skiing and yoga holiday. Stay at this great chalet with experienced teachers. Delicious food is served for you. Enjoy the stunning views, the sunshine, snow and fresh air. Return invigorated!
22-29 March 2020, From £1,425pp – £1,495 for 7 nights, choice of twin/double or single rooms

And here you find more retreats in Europe.

Ultimate treats

Make the most of up to 50% off full board accommodation from 23 April throughout the summer at the West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka. Come for 7 to 10 or 14 days to enjoy daily full-body massages, herbal steams and freshly prepared Ayurveda remedies that will leave your mum refreshed and energised.
From 23 April – October, From EUR1060, approx £793 pp per week inclusive in the single ensuite room, or share room to receive 20% off.

And for ‘something completely different’, come for a yoga wellness retreat in Costa Rica near Montezuma with Sunflower Retreats. Stay in the peaceful jungle lodge with beautiful flowering gardens in private reserve next to National Park on the pacific coast with its wonderful beaches. Enjoy pool, jacuzzi, and hammocks.
Selected dates between March and December, from £890 per person for 6 nights sharing room, or single room from £1188

We hope you find something you like in our selection of Mother’s Day retreat. For more options in March or April see retreats by date.

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Wellness travel trends for 2020 reflect an increasing awareness about health issues and offer a chance to take time out and rebalance in pretty spectacular locations where it would be hard not to heal. From helping women navigate through the menopause to changing our diet, wellness travel trends focus on improving key aspects of our health and wellbeing and that can only be a good thing.

5 Top Wellness Travel Trends for 2020

1. #Mumcation
‘Mumcation’ can be a slightly annoying word but the concept is taking root and now even has its own hashtag. Common sense says that mums need time to recharge and psychology professor Dr Nava Silton made it official in an interview with Fox5NY (2-minute video). A healthy break without children can be essential to a mother’s wellbeing and therefore good for the children too. Whether just indulging in child-free time to read, walk and sleep or immersion in holistic therapies, Mum’s get to focus on themselves free from the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting and ideally return relaxed and refreshed for family life again.

2. Menopause Relief
At long last, there’s a greater awareness and new openness about discussing this old-as-the-hills process women go through. New retreats specifically aimed at helping women with health issues including the menopause, hormonal imbalance and weight gain are gaining momentum. Remember also that meditation, yoga, tai chi and mindfulness can help alleviate symptoms. Hopefully in the future, retreats offering support for menopausal women will be as common as going to a spa for a massage or facial.

3. Sugar ‘Detox’
The harmful effects of consuming too much sugar have been known for many years but there’s a growing awareness about its effects, like bloating, IBS, headaches, lack of energy and weight gain. You can read more about it in our blog on Easy tips for going sugar-free. The new debate also features in our blog on Sugar or fat, which is worse?
If you would like a bit more help reducing or even eliminating sugar from your diet, there’s a range of healthy and detoxifying holidays designed to make it easier to kick the ‘sugar habit’. Detoxing here doesn’t mean going without food just ridding the body of sugar and the cravings that accompany it. If you’re going to go cold turkey why not do it in amazing surroundings nourished by health experts, healthy organic foods and holistic treatments?

4. Sound Therapy
Sound therapy works through the healing power of sound vibration and frequencies. It follows the understanding that all of us have our own natural frequencies (including heartbeat, and other neurological and chemical body functions). When we are exposed to the external frequencies of singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks etc, the natural healing of both the body and mind can begin. For a deeper discussion including my personal experience of this, read our recent blog on sound therapy.

5. Colour Therapy
Similar to sound, light is a frequency; and the various colours in its spectrum have different frequencies. Colour therapy works through the healing power of light vibration and frequencies. It works on the theory that our energy centres, or chakras, throughout our body are activated and rebalanced by colours.
Colour therapy, also known as chromatherapy, has been practised since ancient times. Now an increasing understanding of the benefits of colour therapy is gaining momentum. Some yoga studios steep their classes in colour, sound and even scent, and a new hotel in St Louis, Missouri even has rooms entirely in one colour to channel specific moods, for example, red for passion, yellow for happiness and so on.

Many of the wellness travel trends for 2020 are achievable and sustainable practices, which you can find in our retreats.

Here’s to a happy and healthy year ahead!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

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Most of us will have heard of food fermentation but what is it and why is it so good for us? Like many ancient practices that are now in vogue – meditation and yoga, to name just two – fermentation has been around for thousands of years, used in food staples such as bread, yoghurt and also in alcoholic drinks like beer and wine. However, here we’re discussing purely the health benefits of fermentation on foods, not alcohol. This ancient way of preserving foods with a short shelf life and adding flavour was before the advent of refrigeration.

Essentially, fermentation is the process of using naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, to convert carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids.

What are the health benefits?

The bacteria that live in our gut are essential for healthy digestion, and fermented foods are brimming with beneficial bacteria that work to reinforce the good bacteria in our digestive systems. As some of the sugars and starches in food get broken down through the process, fermented foods are easier to digest. Fermentation can also increase the availability of vitamins and minerals for our bodies to absorb. Fermented foods contain both probiotics (aiding digestion) and prebiotics (supporting the growth of good gut bacteria) giving them antimicrobial, cardio-protective and antioxidant properties.

Hence the health benefits of fermentation are numerous and varied and are said to help manage and prevent diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and autoimmune disease.

Recent advances in the understanding of gut-brain interactions, and the effect of the microbiome on mental health, indicate that a healthy gut enables clearer thinking and can lift the mood. Most of us may have experienced some kind of brain-fog after a meal. The suggestion is that a condiment of fermented foods can alleviate this and not only improve our gut health but also our health in general. This is probably why fermentation has long been practiced around the globe.

Popular fermented foods

• Sauerkraut – a fermented cabbage that can be used in a range of recipes, popular in Germany and Poland
• Kimchi – traditionally made in the autumn, this Korean side dish of fermented vegetables often features cabbage
• Kefir – a cultured milk drink commonly made with cow’s milk but also made with other types of milk and substitutes including goat’s milk, rice milk, coconut milk or coconut water.
• Lassi – a traditional Indian and Pakistani drink, blending yoghurt, water, salt and spices
• Miso – this traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans and grains consists of millions of beneficial bacteria

7 simple tips

1. Use fresh ingredients – Avoid bruised vegetables as they could cause a ferment to go bad.
2. Hygiene – Clean your vegetables. Wash your tools and hands with hot, soapy water before use.
3. Salt – A. Use the recommended amount of salt as per recipe. Salt is important to create an environment that is inhospitable for harmful bacteria to survive. B. Make sure the salt is evenly distributed. C. Use fine high quality sea salt. Do not use iodized salt or table salt as it contains additives that can make the ferment go bad.
4. Water – Always use either purified water or good spring water. Tap water contains chemicals like chlorine that inhibit good bacteria.
5. Submerge – Ensure all vegetables are well covered with salty water that no air can get to them and weigh the vege down with either a heavy glass or terracotta disc, or a clear, clean plastic bag filled with water.
6. Glass – Make your ferments in glass jars, not metal. Once the ferment has started avoid using metal tools to stir as it interferes with the fermentation process. Use a wooden spoon instead.
7. Stir the surface of the fermenting food daily to prevent mould from forming on the surface. If mould should start to form at the top, you can skim it off. Everything under the brine is still safe to eat. If mould develops under the brine, the batch is bad. Throw it away.

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Autumn means going back to work, school, university and for many of us, long hours back at a desk. Desk yoga poses may help you to keep up the good work after the relaxation achieved during the summer holidays. Here’s a way to press your own ‘refresh button’!

Balance the effects of sitting for seven or eight hours at a stretch with desk yoga poses to relieve stiffness and stress. Naturally, these yoga poses need to be more subtle as depending on your job, your work clothes are unlikely to be workout gear, which may well be restrictive.

You won’t need equipment such as yoga mats or bricks, so let’s look at some easy yet refreshing desk yoga poses:

Breathing

Deep breathing is a simple yet powerful relaxation technique that can be practised almost anywhere and provides a quick way to reduce tensions. It is also the basis for other relaxation methods and so the ideal starting point. Sit on your chair with your back straight and breathe deeply a few times, a sigh helps too. Then inhale through the nostrils for five counts. Hold your breath for 10 counts. Exhale through the mouth for 10 counts. Repeat five to 10 times. This is a good one to do several times a day to help you feel more refreshed.

Neck Stretch

Many of us hold our stress in our neck and shoulders, so a neck stretch is a good move to do early on in the day (again, you can also do it as a standalone exercise throughout the day if needed). Placing your right hand on your left ear, gently let the weight of your arm bring your head toward your right shoulder, while you reach towards the floor with your left hand. Inhale and exhale for three breaths and try to extend your hand towards the floor. Repeat on the left side.

Seated Hip Opener

Hips can be particularly tight from sitting all day. Sit up straight in your chair, bring your right leg across to your left with the ankle above your left knee.  Gently place your left hand on your right ankle and your right hand on your right knee to feel the stretch in and around your hip joint. Try to open your hips a little more each time by pushing your right knee gently toward the floor. After three breaths, release your right leg to meet your left. Repeat on the left leg.

Side Twist

With your hips sat back in your chair and your knees together, inhale and place your left hand on your right knee.  As you exhale, engage the lower abdominals and twist with the upper part of your spine, placing your right hand behind your back. Each time you inhale, imagine yourself growing taller, and each time you exhale, see if you can twist a little bit deeper to the right with gentle ease. Repeat on your left side.

This short six-minute video by Yoga with Adriene is a good introduction to desk yoga poses:

Some people find a diagram easier to follow than reading instructions, so may find this simple illustration on the NHS website for a three-minute work out useful.

You can find more information on yoga styles and retreats on our website.

Remember, you can perform the above seated yoga poses as many times as feels comfortable throughout your day without interrupting your working schedule. Who knows, you might even encourage colleagues to do the same… and feel more refreshed and alert at work!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

Disclaimer
The content within this blog is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the advice of your own doctor – this applies especially for pregnant women and teenagers. Neal’s Yard Holidays is not responsible or liable for any actions taken by the reader based on the content of this site, nor for the contents of any external internet sites. Always consult your own health care professional if you are in any way concerned about your health or physical exercises.

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I recently experienced something I had previously been cynical about – sound therapy. And for those who’ve never heard of it, this healing form of sound bath doesn’t involve being bathed in water but in sound or vibrational waves. As I lay on the mat, the therapist played different notes on a series of crystal bowls that are tuned to resonate when hit with certain instruments.
Twenty-five minutes later as the therapist gently ‘woke’ me I opened my eyes. The effect was like a cross between a nap and meditation. My friend claimed I slept as I was tired, however, I felt different, less foggy than usual and she noted my eyeballs were brighter. I felt that for the first time I’d reached a meditative state.

Sound therapy works on the basis that sound can have a profound effect on our neurological and other bodily functions as they have different pulses or rhythms and energy frequencies, e.g. our heart beats to the rhythms of three. Sound therapists use sound frequencies to interact with these in order to enhance and rebalance the body’s energy whether with gongs, drums, bells, bowls, tuning forks or the human voice. See video on sound bath therapy by CBS New York:

Sound therapy is said to help not only physical illness but also to help balance the emotions and quieten a busy mind. Most people feel calm and relaxed following treatment, and also gently energised, often for several days after. Himalayan or Tibetan singing bowls have been used throughout Asia for thousands of years in prayer and meditation.

Nada Brahma: The World Is Sound is a seminal book by Joachim-Ernst Berendt and a fascinating exploration of the importance of music, sound, and vibration for spiritual development. Nada Brahma essentially means that the universe was created from the energy of sound – it’s only the sound that exists in the beginning. Through the book, jazz maestro Berendt explores the musical traditions of diverse cultures around the world, concluding that hearing is at the heart of a more spiritual experience of consciousness. His discussion involving physics, mathematics, myth, and sexuality is also practical, offering readers a variety of techniques for developing the ear as an organ of spiritual perception.

The holistic practice of repeating a mantra or the rhythmic speaking or singing of a word or sound is believed to calm the mind and clear negativity to help create tranquillity and mental purity. Chanting starts loudly, gradually becoming quieter and ends almost silently. This resonates with the energies of the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of our body, to restore inner peace and awaken our latent healing energies.

In this engaging and informative video below, spiritual guru, yogi and author Sadhguru chants the Nada Brahma chant and explains how this resounded across a beautiful glacial lake he visited at Kanti Sarovar in India and also explains its meaning:

Meanwhile, if you feel intrigued to experience it yourself, then you can come on one of the retreats offering sound healing:

Aluna Healings’ Devon retreat is surrounded by woodland, waterfalls and sacred sites in the Dartmoor countryside and holds regular Anima sound healing concerts for an “immersion into sacred space and sonic healing with beautiful, meditative music, Tibetan and Crystal Bowls and sound healing frequencies.”

Aluna Healings’ Scottish retreat offers the same sound healing concerts but in a magical venue encircled by ancient woodland overlooking Loch Torridon in Wester Ross, the Scottish Highlands.

Mellulah Yoga offers a variety of activities and workshops at a tranquil location in rural Dorset including sound healing meditation. Preparations to receive the healing vibrations of the gong begin with breath, mantra and relaxation exercises.

For a deeper exploration of sound therapy, a good place to start is the British Academy of Sound Therapy.

Wishing you good vibrations!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

The post Sound Therapy: What can it do for you? appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

Let’s help you find where to go on holiday in September – we’ve rounded up some of the best places.

Summer isn’t over yet in September. In fact a holiday in September is best in the Mediterranean for example if you want to avoid the backing heat, yet temperatures are comfortable for the occasional excursions and also sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. The water has gradually been warmed up throughout the summer, and still feels very pleasant even with a gentle breeze.

Besides, with kids back at school, the crowds have disappeared and prices have come down. You are lucky if you can go on holiday in September to benefit from more pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and less crowded places. It’s indeed a good choice to go on holiday in September and enjoy those benefits.

And if you don’t want to fly to the Med there are also home-grown destinations with so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or outdoor hot tub and spa in Yorkshire, there are plenty of retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

If you want to check local temperatures we recommend the BBC weather website for weather reports about two weeks in advance. Once you are away the Met office site provides also useful local details.

Here is our selection to help you find your holiday in September:

In the UK

Ayurveda in Wales: head to South Wales to unwind and relax with a combination of yoga and Ayurveda. Enjoy outdoor hot tub and infra-red sauna, walks in AONB and by the beach. From £570pp for 3 nights, pick your days. (See also photo at top.)

Yoga Cleanse in Cotswold: in early September Rina Golan offers the opportunity to let yourself be nourished, go inwards and pay attention to your needs. Cook together, practice yoga, meditate, walk in nature. From £295pp for 2-night weekend, in early September and October only.

Be Healthily Happy in Yorkshire: Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, refresh and rejuvenate with healthy raw food cuisine, plus enjoy the hot tub and sauna. These are women only retreats offered by Raw Horizons. From £1,095pp for 5 nights, full board.

In Europe

Yoga in southwest Turkey: Huzur Vadisi, one of the country’s best-known yoga retreats is waiting for you, nestled in a peaceful valley amongst olive groves near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. From £525pp per week.

Fun holidays near Toulouse: get inspired with one-week holidays focusing on yoga, music, dance, cookery or art. From £640pp per week.

Luxury Yoga Retreat in Pelion, Greece: at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge. Enjoy vinyasa flow yoga and massages. September only, from £790pp per week.

Further afield

Ayurveda, yoga, beach, and up to 50% discount: If you are craving perfect white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm seas, West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka is located right on tropical beach with a natural lagoon. Treat yourself to a uniquely luxurious holiday with full body massages. Enjoy up to 50% discount on full board accommodation, until 7^th November.

Swim with Wild Dolphins, Bimini, Bahamas: this is a once in a lifetime holiday, the ultimate sacred journey retreat with WildQuest. Plus yoga, healthy food and warm, turquoise ocean. Selected dates in September, from $1,695pp for 6 nights, approximately £1,200.

For more inspiration of holidays in September check our calendar and also all year holidays.

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With the summer holidays fast approaching, many of us will be flying out of UK airports for our annual holiday. As we know, airlines have detailed guidelines on what is allowed onboard and that includes taking lithium batteries on planes.

Lithium batteries are commonly used to power a wide variety of consumer goods ranging from mobile phones to laptops and children’s toys, however, they can pose a safety risk if not treated in accordance with transport regulations. While most lithium batteries are safe, some have overheated and caught fire, which could produce toxic and irritating fumes.

Most smaller batteries used in widely held items such as the aforementioned and other personal electronic devices are allowed as both, check-in and carry-on luggage items, with some limits. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website has details of restrictions on flying with batteries. Dry cell alkaline batteries, typically AA, AAA and so on are allowed in check-in and hand baggage but if you are planning on taking devices or items that contain lithium batteries on planes, read on:

Lithium batteries on planes

Lithium battery refers to a family of batteries comprising many types of cathodes and electrolytes and divides into two main types:

A. Lithium metal batteries – non-rechargeable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode are generally used to power devices such as watches and cameras.

B. Lithium ion batteries – a type of rechargeable battery commonly used in consumer electronics such as mobile telephones, laptop computers, etc.

UK aviation restrictions apply to portable electronic devices containing lithium-ion batteries exceeding a Watt-hour rating of 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh – when carried for personal use. The watt-hour (Wh) rating is a measure by which lithium ion batteries are regulated. You can calculate the number of watt-hours your battery provides if you know the battery’s nominal voltage (V) and capacity in ampere-hours (Ah) using this calculation – Ah x V = Wh. This information is often marked on the battery.

In terms of specific airline advice for lithium batteries on planes, British Airways, have comprehensive guidelines on their website for carrying lithium ion and metal batteries which include the following.

8 simple tips

1. Pack all battery-powered devices to prevent accidental activation.

2. Protect spare batteries from short circuit and damage by keeping them in their original packaging (if possible) or in a protective case

3. Don’t take any damaged batteries or equipment

For batteries of up to 100Wh as used in mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras etc.

In hand baggage

4. Keep them in the device

5. A maximum of four spares per person kept in the original packaging or insulated/protected from contact with metal

6. Lithium metal batteries must not exceed 2g lithium content and lithium ion batteries must not exceed 100Wh

In checked baggage

7. Kept in the device

8. No spares allowed

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines has provided useful guidelines (as PDF) for travelling with lithium batteries on planes and devices containing lithium batteries, and this useful video:

Additionally, those of us with smart luggage should note that on 15 January 2018, baggage equipped with a lithium battery, where the lithium battery is designed to charge other devices and cannot be removed from the luggage, was forbidden for carriage.

If you are not sure of your battery’s watt-hour measurement, or if a specific type of battery is allowed on the flight, do check with your airline or with the manufacturer of your battery.

So happy and safe packing and enjoy your holidays!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

The post Lithium batteries on planes: 8 tips on how to travel safely with batteries appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

Summer is here and our thoughts turn to relaxing and rejuvenating retreats. A week or even a few days of yoga, meditation, massages, delicious vegetarian or vegan fare, all in a serene environment can do wonders for the mind, body and soul!

Neal’s Yard Holidays has a wide selection of summer retreat offers in rural settings such as quintessential English countryside and balmy island idylls – for more on this please see our recent blog on rural retreats. Walk in the woods and meadows, meditate under the stars or sun and just enjoy the summer.

Availability ranges from early July to late September so, go on, take your pick from some of the best summer retreat offers below:

UK

Find Your Passion

Find Your Passion, Raw Horizons’ women-only retreat offers a holistic combination of wellbeing coaching, Kundalini yoga, meditation and detoxifying raw food. Stay at Split Farthing Hall, a restored Georgian mansion near the Yorkshire Dales with infrared sauna and an outside hot tub.

Three nights from £625pp full board twin share (single £745pp) including yoga, retreat activities, hot tub and infrared sauna, transfers to/from the local train station. Available for selected dates throughout the year including 3-6 July and 11-14 September 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a complimentary one-hour massage worth £55.

Shamanic healing, spiritual detox retreat

Stay in a spacious country house in Dartmoor, Devon set within its own idyllic grounds, surrounded by woodland, rivers, waterfalls, and sacred sites.
Aluna Healing Retreats provide a healing environment to detox and transform through organic juices, ancient shamanic wisdom, nature connection, sound healing, breath work, meditation and yoga practice.

Six nights from £820pp twin share or double room, or single room for £980pp. The price includes fresh juices, all classes and also activities.
Available from 6 to 12 July 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays and receive £50 off the retreat.

Yoga retreat: life coaching and love yourself

Chillout Retreats’ base near Arundel, close to the rolling Sussex Downs, combines a luxurious style with barn conversion and Temple Spa products in all bathrooms and an indoor swimming pool with mixed ability hatha yoga classes, core strengthening Pilates, meditation and guided walks. Summer Time Bliss adds life coaching and a Love Yourself workshop. Disabled access.

Two-night weekend retreat from £325pp twin share with shared bathroom. Or £350pp twin room with private bathroom, or single room with private bathroom from £450pp, including full board and activities.
Summer Time Bliss available from 20-22 July 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a free 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30.

FRANCE

Hiking and Yoga

Here the biggest of our summer retreat offers with £100 off. AdventureYogi combines adult-only yoga retreats with adventure activities in the French Alps. Stay in a luxurious chalet in the area of Sainte Foy Tarentaise with blissful mountain views. Yoga twice a day, guided hikes, brunch and dinner, sauna, hot tub and on-site massages.

Seven nights from £989pp sharing deluxe twin/double en-suite (deluxe single from £1294pp) including twice daily yoga classes, daily CHK brunch, vegetarian feast and local wine in the evening, two guided hikes and packed lunches, sauna and hot tub and transfers.
Available from 18 July to 29 August 2018.

OFFER: £100 off one-week retreats starting between 18 July and 15 August 2018.

ITALY

Hatha Yoga and mindfulness

Galanias Retreats near Bari Sardo in Sardinia provide a unique boutique hotel with an outdoor pool with waterfall, fresh Mediterranean cuisine in a tranquil countryside, not far from Torre di Bari Beach. The relaxing week offers hatha yoga, yoga nidra, mindfulness and pranayama.

Seven nights from €2,045 (approx £1,725) based on two people sharing a room (single from €1,360, approx £1,115) half board including five days of hatha yoga, mindfulness and yoga nidra classes. Lunches, alcohol, flights, transfers, optional excursions are extra. Available now until early October.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive 20% discount on massage treatments.

See also our budget and affordable retreats.

Wishing you happy, healthy holidays with one of our summer retreat offers!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

The post Summer Retreat Offers appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.