We love Ibiza for going clubbing, summer sun, its crazy beach vibes, outdoor sports and…yoga, of course! Claudia Peifer chats to Liz Warrington about her Scaravelli-inspired yoga practice during a super exclusive retreat at a private location on the island, near the artist’s village of Santa Gertrudis. The location with its ’Tower of Tranquility’ is utterly beautiful, a very special spot indeed to go on a journey within.

Scaravelli-inspired yoga is all about awakening the spine, going with the body and energise by exploration. Poses come more from within, by listening to our bodies, rather than a planned regime of poses. Vanda Scaravelli’s teachings are based on 3 precepts: The Earth and the support it provides, The Breath in its most natural form and The Spine with its potential to elongate and support the body. Her method is often described as counter-cultural, in the sense that it is a lot freer, because it’s not so pose-orientated and more about the undoing of things, finding your own rhythm and rest within the exercise by deepening awareness.

This in return affords change of unwanted habits, allowing for space to be created in the body, coming into the present moment in time and finding yourself in a place of choice. Since this is a more exploratory practice, the outcome of it, trailing healing in its wake, is often surprising for the person practicing it! All you need to do is open up and let the journey begin…

Liz Warrington Retreats – lizwarrington.com

Liz Warrington

In her quest, to find out what it is to be human and to truly be alive, Liz Warrington went on an intriguing journey: she herself has been taught by Scaravelli’s long time student Diane Long, began teaching in 1995 and has since continued her body explorations by training in biodynamic cranial therapy at the Karuna Institute in Devon. Liz is curious to get to the root of what she is ’seeing’ in the bodies’ of her students: the vibe she gets, the energy that transcends, as the human body is a wondrous thing, with its incredible capacity for healing, re-alignment and being able to find a renewed balance with yoga practice.

Scravelli-style yoga appealed to Liz instantly, as the approach Scaravelli developed appeals to the feminine in all women, based on ‘deep listening, going with and waiting to be moved by the life-force from within’. She felt, that for her, this gentle focus of lowering one’s armour offered a new flexibility, open-ness and strength. Her students feel they can relate and come to her for her guidance and inspiration on this altogether gentler path, promoting awareness and awakening the spine.

So, power-yoga or Ashtanga fans might not be in the right place here, but Liz has definitely been able to create a loyal following over the years, as her teachings really appeals to women. And not just students, as yoga teachers themselves attend her retreats to gain inspiration. Liz is a committed teacher, who considers it more than just a blessing to be part of other people’s lives on their journey to greater self-acceptance and self empowerment during her workshops, weekends and yoga holidays and retreats.

These retreats take place in carefully selected, stunningly beautiful locations: with a daily practice schedule (including downtime), and a vegan kitchen, providing healthy and nutritious meals. All this blends together perfectly well to maximise the outcome of a Liz Warrington yoga experience: to return home physically refreshed, mentally elevated and be even more in tune with mind, body and soul.

Vanda Scaravelli

Originating from Florence, the Italian Vanda Scaravelli (1908 – 1999), has contributed greatly to the understanding and teaching of yoga in the West. She herself was taught originally by BKS Iyengar, who taught her all about ‘asanas’, and TKV Desikachar, who taught Vanda about ‘pranayama’, about the awareness of breath. Iyengar and Desikachar were students themselves of one of the most influential yoga teachers and Ayurvedic healer, Tirumalai Krishnamacharaya, whom many refer to as the ‘father of modern yoga’, as he was key to promoting yoga in the 20th century.

Vanda trained to be a violinist first, but it was the philosopher Krishnamurti and the world-famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin (who were both family friends), who invited Krishnamacharaya to visit Switzerland to teach them yoga. Krishnamacharaya sent 2 of his great students instead, and so the story of Vanda’s change of fate began.

It all happened in Gstaad, where the first lessons took place in Vanda’s family home. When Iyengar and Desikachar left Europe, she no longer had any teachers, and so Vanda set out to develop her own practice. By working on her own style, she focused on breath, gravity and, what she calls the ‘awakening of the spine’ to restore health, vitality and overall energy levels.

What is utterly amazing, is the fact that Vanda Scaravelli was already in her 50s, when she discovered and took up the practice of yoga. This should serve as an inspiration to all those, who think, one has to be young to practice yoga in order to achieve vitality through a supple body, able to move with strength and deliberation. Her story proves, that it is never too late for picking up yoga practice in one’s lifetime. Scaravelli-style yoga was created by Scaravelli herself through her own work, but was much inspired by her student of 23 years, Diane Long. Diane Long is greatly responsible for this yoga style to be taught into the 21st century, as indeed, she was also able to directly teach Liz Warrington.

Santa Gertrudis – Ibiza

Santa Gertrudis is the most charming little village you can imagine! Situated smack bang in the centre of the Ibiza, it is the geographical heart of this sunny island, that’s mainly known for its all-night-long club scene. But for those in the know, Santa Gertrudis is more than just a bit special: not just steeped in tradition, this Spanish village, comprising of a pretty, white washed church square, pueblo houses and fincas, is placed in the centre of rich agricultural and typically mediterranean land, home to sheep, goats and the island’s only dairy cows! Hence, it’s restaurants offer everything from gourmet cuisine and luxe vegan joints, to rustic, local bars and stone-baked pizza places, which all have created a thriving foodie community, attracting visitors from far and wide. So, it is no surprise then, that foreign residents from all over Europe have made this beautiful stretch of countryside their home (or second home), which is why you’ll find quite a bohemian lifestyle going on there, supported by a huge list of artists, sculptors and musicians.

Often referred to as Ibiza’s Notting Hill, this place is not just for Londoners! Top notch eateries to visit are the restaurants Gitano, Wild Beets and La Paloma, for which we recommend to book in advance during the summer season to avoid disappointment. Talking fashion, designer label Sluiza is famous for its easy going, brilliantly styled stuff to throw on when you want to look cool on the beach or hip for dinner in classic Ibiza style. We also love Nino D’Agata’s jewellery shop, situated on the main square. The Sicilian designer, together with his German wife Barbara Hartmann, creates stunning pieces, synonymous with the worldly ambience of this part of the island.

Stylish boutique hotels, like the Ca Na Xica with its inviting spa, are a real treat, so needless to say, Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera is not called the chicest town on the island of Ibiza for nothing #mustvisit

Your dosha says everything about you! If your skin looks tired and needs boosting, then let the founder of Samaya Ayurveda, who is an almanac on legs when it comes to Ayurvedic medicine, guide you through the characteristics of the three doshas, which are the energies or constitutions that govern individuals and their particular body type. So, by using an all natural product, that is ultimately kind to your skin (including the exfoliant!) and is completely free of chemicals, you’re winning in achieving beautiful skin from the outside in. Their supplement range is also quite incredible: treating problems skin and hormonal imbalance from the inside out makes perfect sense. Energising your body and boosting your immune system too, this product range is not just for women, but men and teenagers too. They’ve won countless awards since the brand was formed, also because they go through great lengths to guarantee top quality by using only the best natural ingredients, with products coming in frosted glass for preservation and their packaging is completely recyclable too. Their online sales deliver straight to your door, so what is there not to love…

Here’s how you can boost your immune system naturally, from the ‘kitchen pharmacy’, offering yourself the best our planet can give to strengthen your body’s defences! Don’t forget: most of what the body needs is provided by Mother Earth, hence eating seasonally is being given so much importance. However, during a pandemic, your body will need certain things to stand up to viral or bacterial threats, so, hard times health-wise require double the measures to stay strong. You will most probably know all of these foods anyway, but do you know what nutrients they contain and what they do to your body? Probably not…that’s why we made this programme, so that you can help yourself during the days of the dreaded Coronavirus, which we will beat! Feed yourself strong, cook the right things for your children to stand the best chance (not just during this pandemic, but also to grow up strong enough to withstand seasonal health threats), and if you’re looking after older relatives, then you’ll be able to prop them up too, just by sorting them out with the right meals. Knowledge is power, so have a look at the video, feel inspired and get cooking…

 

TA-DAH.TV’s SELF-HELP Special: 15 Foods to Strengthen Your Body’s Defence Against Coronavirus

These challenging times have got all of us struggling in our own ways – many of you may know somebody who has unfortunately contracted COVID-19, whilst many people’s mental health may be deteriorating due to fear of contracting it themselves. This is why TA-DAH.TV have listed 15 foods that you can include in your diet to boost your body’s immune system! Acting as the third instalment of their new SELF-HELP series, we hope these foods are of a massive help towards staying safe!

Shellfish

When you think of foods that could boost your immune system, we highly doubt that you’d think of shellfish. However, many types of shellfish are actually stacked with zinc. Although zinc doesn’t get as much focus as other minerals, it is vital to boosting your immune system and our bodies don’t produce zinc themselves! Some types of shellfish which contain high quantities of zinc are; clams, lobster, crab, and mussels. Try to not overdo it with zinc though, as males shouldn’t exceed 11mg a day whilst a female’s daily limit is 8mg. 

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are one of the main ingredients you should be filling your body with when looking to avoid coronavirus – they are full of a plethora of nutrients including magnesium, phosphorous and vitamin B-6. Not only that, but they have high quantities of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant which is pivotal in sustaining a functioning immune system.

Sweet potato

Sweet potato has become quite a fashionable food in recent years – why it wasn’t as great a part in our diet as it is today, we don’t know. Still, we’re grateful for the ‘wonky’ sweet potato, also called yam, as it is a brilliant source of beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium, but also contains pro-vitamin A, B6, B5 and vitamin E! A proper superfood then! 

Oily Fish

Apart from being an excellent source of lean protein, oily fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are secret superstars of shielding you from illness. Rich in omega3-fatty acids, they contain important minerals like iron, zinc, selenium and iodine, whilst also containing vitamins A & D. Vitamin D  is a fat-soluble nutrient, which the Eskimos swear by to protect them from falling ill during the winter season, as it’s essential to the health and the function of the body’s immune system.

Berries

Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are like soldiers, fighting your corner. They help fight inflammation, contain a huge amount of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K1, copper, potassium and iron, whilst packed to the rafters with antioxidants. They also help lower cholesterol too, which is a great side effect, so they are a perfect fruit to have on a daily basis. For such a small fruit, they’re real powerhouses in promoting a healthy body.

Green Tea

As well as green tea, black tea is also full of antioxidants called flavonoids. However, green tea in particular can be of great use to you as it possesses high levels of EGCG – which improves immune function. Because green tea is steamed rather than fermented, the EGCG remains.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a bitter spice that has been used as an anti-inflammatory in treating arthritis and osteoarthritis. As well as this, curcumin can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise, and turmeric contains lots of curcumin!

Almonds

Vitamin E is essential in boosting your immune system, and almonds boast high quantities of vitamin E! Also containing extremely healthy fats, a half-cup serving of almonds will give you virtually all of your recommended daily intake of vitamin E!

Spinach/Courgette or Zucchini

Not only does spinach contain lots of vitamin C, it is stacked with several antioxidants and beta carotene, which allows our immune systems to fight infections. They also contain vitamin K, iron and calcium. The best way to eat spinach in this case is to cook it as little as possible – this way the spinach will retain its nutrients and proceed to be a great food for your immune system. However, courgettes are great for baking and casseroles, soups and even fritter, so a very versatile ‘green’ to have indeed.

Fresh Ginger

Ginger is another great food to include in your diet if you want to reduce inflammation, nausea and boost your immune system. Yes, ginger is used in countless sweet desserts, but ginger also packs heat in the form of gingerol, which is a relative of capsaicin. Not only that, but ginger possesses properties that lower cholesterol too! 

Garlic

Used in most cuisines all across the world, garlic is essential for your health whilst adding a bit of zing to your meals at the same time. Garlic can be pivotal in fighting off infections, whilst it can also reduce blood pressure by slowing down arteries hardening. Garlic contains large quantities of sulphur and allicin, which is why it is so good at boosting immune systems!

Broccoli

Supercharged with minerals and vitamins, broccoli is one of the best foods to include in your diet during the pandemic. Broccoli is an extremely healthy vegetable as it contains loads of vitamin A, C, and E – and that’s not even including the fibre and antioxidants. Try to cook broccoli as little as possible so that it keeps its power intact.

Red Bell Peppers

A strong source of beta carotene, citrus fruits boast extremely large quantities of vitamin C – more than the majority of all the fruit and vegetables out there! Not only will red bell peppers boost your immune system because of this, but they will also assist you in having healthy skin and eyes.

Dark Chocolate

A daily ration of dark chocolate supports the nervous system, but also has other health benefits: rich in B vitamins, potassium, zinc and iron (hence good for your nerves) are all being put to work to keep your string and healthy. Zinc is needed by the body for immune cell development, whilst it’s an anti-inflammatory as well! As mentioned further up in this article (shellfish), male and female requirements of zinc vary, and it’s important to not overdo it, so balance your meal accordingly.

Citrus Fruits

Last, but most definitely not least, are citrus fruits. Many people use citrus fruits when they are well and it is for good reason – citrus fruits are extremely high in vitamin C and are effective in making your immune system stronger. They also boost the quantity of white blood cells in your body which is pivotal in fighting off COVID-19.

 

Mental, and for that matter, emotional health is affecting many of us! Since Prince William and Prince Harry have kick-started their campaign to get people to talk and affected individuals to open up and actively seek help, there is much greater awareness about the subject of mental health among us. Still, it didn’t prevent the much loved TV presenter Caroline Flack taking her own life, which is just heart breaking.

When heavy-weight boxer Tyson Fury spoke out about his own mental health issues after his huge win in Las Vegas, it really drives it home, that even if you’re a strong and physically healthy guy, you can still suffer mental health problems. This is why at TA-DAH.TV, we’ve decided to produce a self-help series about a variety of related issues, so that we can actively help ourselves before it gets to a stage, when it might be too late. Claudia Peifer spoke to international wellbeing coach Beran Parry to chat about symptoms, remedies and how to build your own safety-net to fall back on when the going gets tough. By watching this video, we hope, that you might feel more empowered to tackle this subject, and if it doesn’t affect you directly, you might still be able to help an individual who needs support.

TA-DAH.TV Discusses Mental Health with their SELF-HELP Special

Although mental health has become a topic that more and more people are openly talking about, as a subject it is still taboo to many people and many countries. The world and life itself can be more daunting to some than it is to others, so it is important to recognise when either yourself or somebody else is struggling. We often care about mental health issues before it is too late.

There are still 16 suicides a day in the United Kingdom and it is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45. These statistics are harrowing and are part of the reason why TA-DAH.TV are running their new SELF-HELP special.

Causes

Many people believe that here is no correlation between mental illness and biological factors. However, if someone is struggling with mental illness, biological factors could well be the cause. Many mental illnesses are linked to the abnormally functioning nerve cell pathways which connect certain brain regions. Within these pathways are nerve cells that use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate. Unfortunately, these communications can often falter, thus causing mental illness. However, we can help these
pathways be more efficient by tweaking these chemicals – this can be done though physiotherapy, medicines or other holistic procedures. Mental illness can also be caused by several other biological factors, including:

• Genetics – In many cases, a parent’s mental illness can be passed on to their
  offspring. Susceptibility to mental illness is passed on in families via genes.
• Infections – Several infections are linked to brain damage and mental illness
  developing or its symptoms getting worse.
• Injury – If certain areas of the brain become injured, this can often lead to the
  person gaining mental illness.
• Substance Abuse – Long term substance abuse, (be it legal or illegal drugs) is closely linked to paranoia, depression, and anxiety. Of course, biological factors are not the only causes of mental illness. A lot of sufferers’
  mental health journeys originally occur much earlier in life through psychological factors – but they are often not aware they are suffering till some time later.

Some of the psycological factors that could be a catalyst in mental health occurring are:

• Suffering extreme psychological trauma as a child, including physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Neglect
•  Losing someone important at a young age, such as a parent or guardian
• The inability to relate to other people’s lives
• Changing schools or jobs
• Moving to another country/culture with a foreign language
• Not conforming to what society’s expectations deem to be ideal
• A dysfunctional family life
• House-building or divorce

Symptoms

You cannot always tell if a friend, or even yourself, is suffering from mental health. A lot of symptoms aren’t visible, or you may not have the understanding that what you’re experiencing means you are suffering from mental health issues. Always think to check up on your friends or talk to people, whether you experience the following symptoms or not:

• Being confused or having a lowered ability to concentrate
• Being down or sad
• Having extremely guilty or excessive fears/worries
• Frequent, drastic mood changes
• Secluding yourself from socialising
• Constantly being tired and struggling to sleep
• Experiencing hallucinations or paranoia
• Struggling to deal with everyday issues
• The inability to relate to other human beings
• Frequently taking alcohol or drugs
• Changes in your sex drive
• Drastic changes in your diet
• Easily becoming hostile and violent
• Having suicidal thoughts

Seeking Help

If you know that you are struggling with mental illness, or think you might be, it is essential to seek help as soon as possible. A problem shared is always a problem halved – and the sooner the better. In the United Kingdom, there are talking groups such as Anxiety UK and Andy’s Man Club that you can openly go to and comfortably talk to countless people who may be suffering in similar ways to yourself. Carrying the weight on your shoulders alone could make your illness worse as the days tick by, so try your best to act as soon as possible.

Outside of the UK, you can attend the Fasching Carnival, (in Germany and Austria) to share love amongst everyone on the streets and voice your problems/issues in a fun way or contact www.deutschedepressionshilfe.de if you feel things are more serious. There is also Psycom in France, who work tirelessly to remove the stigma around mental health. If Spanish is your native language, you can also search for your local ‘Centro de Salud Mental‘ on the internet. All these organisations are there to help you, but why not open up to your friends or family and see what they can do to help you. It is important to not feel like a burden. You should also go to your personal primary care provider or a mental health professional. You could be given certain medicines or sessions with a psychiatrist and this can, in turn, improve your situation drastically. We understand this can seem intimidating, but you will thank yourself at a later date.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a fast and effective way of learning how to use your brain to affect your physical reactions and to learn how physical reactions (like the onset of a panic attack) don’t have to be lived out because of effectively applied brain control.

If you are suffering from suicidal thoughts, or have considered hurting yourself, it is more important than ever to seek help. Nobody in the world wants you to be hurt – everybody wants you to be okay. You can get help in the following ways:

• Call 999 or your local emergency number in the country you are in
• Call a mental health specialist
• Seek help from your primary core provider
• Open up to a friend or family member
• Call a suicide hotline number.

How You Can Help Yourself in Day to Day Life

If you are struggling with mental health, seeking help from others is important but it is not the only thing to do. It is vital that you realise your own responsibility and take the appropriate steps in your day to day life to look after yourself. Having help from other people is great, but prepare yourself for the times when somebody else isn’t there. Some of the best things you can do to feel positive are:

• Keep Active – Exercising frequently can heighten your self-esteem and help you to sleep better. Also, exercise releases endorphins which reduce your perception of pain, thus having a healthier mind.
• Eat Well – In order to function properly, your brain requires a mixture of nutrients. A diet that has a positive impact on your body will, in turn, have a positive impact on your mental health.
• Drink Sensibly – Many people drink alcohol to feel better. However, once the
  alcohol wears off, you will feel worse as your serotonin levels will be lowered.
• Take A Break – A monotonous lifestyle is only detrimental to anybody’s mental
  health. Taking a break from your current cycle and discovering new scenery can help in de-stressing your mind.
• Create space in your diary or daily life – if you feel that lists or diaries are running your life, you can create distance to stressful events by building in recovery time pockets either between or directly after these events to help you recover your poise and balance.
• Accept Yourself – Possibly the most important way of helping yourself but also the most difficult. It is important to remember that everybody in the world is different – it would be boring if we were all the exact same!
• Care for Others – Being kind to other people will boost your relationships and
  friends will be even happier to help you. Just think, someone else could be enduring the same problems as you but you just can’t see it. Treat others how you would like to be treated.