Nikki Hill Apothecary

Move over Black Friday, it's a Green Friday Weekend here at Nikki Hill Apothecary! I am offering 20% OFF EVERYTHING in my apothecary range until midnight Monday. I have also put my favourite Wild Nutrition supplements on my website (just scroll down to the bottom of the Apothecary page) and the discount will be applied on all these amazing food-grown supplements as well. Just use the code CYBER20 at checkout. www.nikkihillapothecary.com/apothecary

Was asked a few questions on parenthood for a fab new nursery that has opened up in Altrincham. It looks absolutely gorgeous and would have loved to have sent my boys there! Wish my kids were still this little.... (sometimes!) x

‘Take A Walk On The Wild Side...’
with Nikki Hill, clinical nutritionist, medical herbalist and naturopath specialising in women’s hormonal health. Founder of Nikki Hill Apothecary.

1. What advice do you have for new parents? Every baby is different so trust your instinct and don’t compare.

2. What superpower do you wish you had as a parent? Telepathy – it’d be great to know what is going on in their minds sometimes!

3. What skills have you best learnt about yourself through becoming and being a parent? To be more patient and present

4. If you could have any help in any area as a parent what would it be? To continue to be more patient and present!

5. What are your favourite tips and skills that you might share with others about your parenting? My children are very good eaters and I believe it’s because I introduced them to lots of different flavours, textures and food early on. Don’t let your own food bias determine what they eat. Let them try olives, anchovies, sardines, pickles, seaweed,�avocados – you may be surprised what they like!

6. Are there any books / links / quotes that have really helping you on your parenting journey? I absolutely loved reading ‘Hurray for Gin’ by Kate Kirby. I have never laughed so much as I did reading her book. It’s real, honest and you realise that parenthood is not perfect and everyone is just doing the best they can.

7. What’s your child’s favourite book?The Gruffalo. Or any book written by Julia Donaldson.

8. What are you grateful for? I am grateful for my life and my wonderful family and friends.

Hey FB! My last post was well over a year ago. A few things have happened in that time. I have changed my name from Bella Wellbeing to Nikki Hill Apothecary and updated my website. I'm now selling therapeutic teas and tinctures for all your hormonal needs. Please do check it out and let me know what you think! Also, if you're on Instagram I am a lot more active on there. Please follow me xx

www.nikkihillapothecary.com

Nikki Hill Apothecary - High quality herbal teas, tinctures and body oils Nikki Hill Apothecary provides the highest quality herbal teas, tinctures and body oils designed to help support and balance the delicate and complex female reproductive system. Products to assist with; Heavy bleeding, PMS, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irregular cycles, period pain and menopausal sy...

I am SOOOO excited to be hosting a screening of this fabulous documentary 'Embrace' at The Yard Lifestyle in Alderley Edge on Thursday 29th June at 8pm. I truly believe everyone would benefit from watching this documentary. It explores why so many women (up to 90%) have body image issues and looks at how this can be overcome. This documentary will positively inspire you to change the way you feel about yourself and think about your body. I can't recommend it enough! Tickets are £10.50 and can be purchased through the link below. Go and check out the trailer now. Doors open at 7.30pm for drinks and nibbles. Hope to see you there!

https://tickets.demand.film/event/1801

Embrace When body image activist Taryn Brumfitt posted an unconventional before-and-after photograph in 2013, it was seen by more than 100 million worldwide and sparked an international media frenzy. In her forceful debut, Brumfitt continues her crusade exploring the global issue of body loathing. She trave...

I'm doing a talk at EAT:kaizen this Thursday night with Armand Beasley (skin care and makeup expert). We'll be sharing all our tips on how you can feel and look great on the inside and outside. I have done a talk with Armand before and he is brilliant and really gets you thinking about what you're putting on your skin. Trust me, you'll probably be throwing out your mascara, washing your makeup brushes and rethinking your skincare routine as soon as you get home!!!

Eat Kaizen will also be fuelling your body with delicious food throughout the night so come hungry. It's going to be fun.

If you put NIKKI at checkout you'll get £5 off. x
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-super-fuelled-spring-greening-event-tickets-33858507708

The Super-fuelled Spring-greening event The Super-fuelled Spring-greening event at EAT:kaizen with international make-up artist Armand Beasley and renowned nutritionist Nikki Hill Cleanse yourself on the outside as well as the inside with Armand and Nikki. Armand will share his beauty tips and techniques enjoyed by many of his celebrity c...

I love this SO much!! Human connection is so important for our wellbeing just as much as the food we eat. my new favourite hashtag!
http://www.cisnfm.com/2017/02/13/watch-eattogether-the-commercial-everyone-is-talking-about/

[WATCH] #EatTogether the commercial everyone is talking about Since my girlfriend loves watching award shows, I sat through every minute of the 3 and a half hour Grammy Awa...

Hygge! 'Tis the season to Hygge! Have you heard of this buzz word yet? (If you haven't where have you been?!). It is the Danish word for anything cozy, comforting and pleasurable free of any annoying distractions (mobile phones, work emails, current politics!). Good food enjoyed with good friends is ; hot chocolate in front of the fire is hygge; playing boardgames with your kids is hygge; snuggling up under a giant knitted blanket reading a book is hygge, candlelight is hygge. It is in my opinion the antithesis to the 'clean eating' phenomenon which instead of inspiring wellness I believe causes restriction, isolation, obsession and confusion. Please go and grab yourself a cuppa, sit down and read my latest blog post on why I think we need do less clean eating and more 'hygge' for better health!

http://bellawellbeing.co.uk/blog/why-we-should-do-less-clean-eating-and-more-hygge-for-better-health/

This is a great documentary that's free to watch for the rest of today. In a lot of people with food intolerances it is not the actual food that is the problem but HOW the food is now being grown and prepared and the quantities we eat it in. When it comes to wheat, as this documentary explains, modern agriculture has turned it into a hard to digest grain void of any nutrients. We are also not preparing it in its traditional way like fermenting it with a sourdough culture which helps break down the gluten and makes it much easier to digest. Instead wheat is mass produced and in everything including makeup and medications and causing a lot of health issues in people. This is why when I choose to eat bread, I buy traditional sourdough (and avoid anything that says "gluten-free" as this can be just as bad for you!).
https://whatswithwheat.com

What's With Wheat - What's With Wheat Why have we become so wheat intolerant? What’s With Wheat documentary investigates the growing epidemic of wheat intolerance.

So many women I see in my clinic suffer from PMS and it can really affect their quality of life (and their loved ones) on the lead up to their period. The exact cause is unknown but an imbalance in hormones (especially between oestrogen and progesterone) is definitely a trigger. The correction of hormonal imbalances is multifaceted and requires a thorough approach. Hormonal imbalances can occur due to poor thyroid function and liver health, stress, nutritional deficiencies, inadequate diet (especially not consuming enough saturated fat and protein) and poor digestion. The earlier you know what is contributing to your PMS, the sooner you can effectively treat it.

I was asked for my expert opinion on this article in the Daily Mail out today! PMS is very common in women in their 40s. Unfortunately, traditional treatment is usually aimed at symptoms rather than at the root cause. The benefit of using natural treatment, such as herbs, minerals and vitamins and dietary and lifestyle modifications, is that symptoms are relieved because the body’s equilibrium is re-established. This means that symptom relief is on-going especially as you head towards menopause.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3574162/I-feel-world-against-Meet-women-40s-lives-ruined-late-life-PMS.html

The women in their 40s whose lives are being ruined by late-life PMS Susan Worth, 40, from Hertforshire, suddenly found herself laid up two weeks every month due to PMS. Rebekah Casey, 41, from Ipswich, came off the Pill two years ago and has had severe PMS since.

I have just received a heartfelt testimonial from a client I worked with last year with secondary infertility (a devastating and common condition rarely talked about). It brings me so much joy that I was able to help this wonderful mother have the second child she very much longed for ☺

“My journey with Nikki started after 6 years of desperately trying to conceive a second child. One unsuccessful round of IUI and a further two unsuccessful rounds of IVF, concluded in professionals labeling my inability to conceive as 'unexplained secondary infertility'. The frustration, heartache and emotional pain was at times unbearable and the prospect of not being able to give my daughter a brother or sister to share her future with left me feeling bereft.

Despite the heartache and emotional roller coaster during those 6 years, I continued to search for the cause of my unexplained infertility. Deep down, I sensed that my body and hormones were out of balance in some way and that if I could address this issue, it may have a positive effect of my ability to be able to conceive again.

I decided to undertake a course of reflexology and it was my reflexologist who recommended I make an appointment with Nikki.

My first appointment with Nikki was a hugely positive experience. She listened intently to my story, asking questions and taking the time to really understand my journey so far. Her positive attitude, open and relaxed manner left me with a renewed sense of energy and hope. Following some noninvasive hormone tests, it transpired that my gut feelings were correct and that my hormones were out of balance. Nikki proceeded to address my problem through diet, herbs and supplements, and within 6 weeks of following her advice I found myself pregnant!

Having never experienced a positive pregnancy result in 6 years, I was utterly amazed and elated. Unfortunately the pregnancy was not meant to be and I miscarried at 11 weeks. The heartache and pain that followed was immense and I decided to take some time out to recover physically and emotionally.

Twelve months later, I contacted Nikki again and found her to be equally understanding and nurturing. Following her dietary advice and herbal treatment, I once again found myself pregnant within just 8 weeks. I was overjoyed yet anxious at the same time following the miscarriage, but Nikki continued to support me throughout the pregnancy making it a very positive experience.

9 months later, I am the very proud mummy of a beautiful little boy, which during the dark moments in those long 6 years, I never thought I would ever have.

Thank you Nikki, from the bottom of my heart, for giving us our most precious gift. I will be forever grateful to you for making me feel complete”.

Happy New Year everyone! If one of your new year's resolutions this year is to "Lose weight" "Become healthier" or "Eat more veg" then here is a really simple and sustainable change you can make that I promise long-term will help you reach your goals: sign up to a seasonal, organic veg box delivery in your local area. Why? Because eating seasonally and locally is not only better for the environment (no air miles), it tastes better and fresher (not stored for months in the supermarket) and is better for you (higher in nutrients and no chemicals are used to grow or wash the veg so decreasing unnecessary chemicals in your body that can upset hormone balance and liver function). Plus, the great thing about a veg box delivery is you can see what truly grows when and you may get to try vegetables you've never had before - can you spot the yummy Jerusalem artichokes in this box? This encourages you to try new recipes and gets you out of the rut of always eating the same meals. And there is something so nice to arrive home and find a box of veggies on your doorstep that you know have only been picked that morning and from down the road! I get my box from Groobarbs based in Knutsford x

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Totally agree with My Home Pantry on why raw chocolate is not all it is cracked up to be! You're much better off consuming (in moderation!) chocolate where the beans have been roasted and without any soy lecithin. Have a read and please share x

Chocolate chocolate chocolate!!

Did you know all of our chocolates are free of any emulsifiers like soy lecithin? Plus we only stock chocolates & cocoa that are organically grown and have been roasted? "WHAT not RAW" you say! Raw cacao may be higher in antioxidants but that isn't all. Raw cacao is actually higher in phytates too, which act like anti-nutrients so kind of cancels each other out! Plus there is no regulations as to what classifies something as raw, I'm afraid it is a whole lot of very clever marketing which also attracts an expensive price tag to the end product.

Not to mention the fact that cocoa like grains is very prone to mould. Yep MOULD so roasting/cooking them helps to kill the mould and it's potentially harmful effects on your health.

Plus raw cocoa is actually acidic & bitter tasting (possibly a sign from nature to not eat it in that way) that's why I only sell organic Dutch Cocoa powder which has been alkalised.

I have been asking many "health experts" why they recommend raw cacao and many of them have honestly looked back at me blanky. All of the studies that they have suggested I look up to support their claim are actually studies that have been carried out on roasted cocoa not raw. There seems to be a leap of faith somewhere along the way that just assumes "raw" is better. Which in some cases that may be but when it comes to cocoa, my research suggests otherwise.

By all means consume what you enjoy, and chocolate is a sometimes food anyway, but please don't be fooled by the marketing that means you end up spending more $$$$$ for a product that potentially could actually be worse for you!

http://myhomepantry.com.au/chocolate-cocoa/

Blog post coming I promise!! But for now here are two great articles to read -
http://www.thenutritioncoach.com.au/foods-to-avoid/dont-go-nuts/

http://stirringchange.com/raw-cacao-hype-vs-science/

I hope that helps to explain why you don't find raw cocoa products in my store, even though I get requested for it all the time!! I try my best to source the best products possible using my qualifications as a naturopath & nutritionist and to not be blind sighted by clever marketing and by what is on trend at the moment.

I am doing a talk at The Yard Alderley Edge tomorrow night with celebrity make-up guru Armand Beasley for teenagers about healthy skin care and nutrition. It'll be a great night. If you have any daughters or sons aged between 16-19 years old - please tell them about it. Tickets £5.

Hi everyone, exciting news! There are a couple of places still available at The Yard's yoga retreat in idyllic Deia, Majorca this October! So if you've been thinking you need to get away - then come and join us for 5 days of pure bliss, yoga and meditation! I'll be doing one to one nutritional consults and cooking up delicious wholesome food. For more info contact [email protected]

We are super excited to announce our first retreat to the magical Deia, Mallorca!! The retreat is 6th October- 11th October and is based around yoga, meditation, eating beautiful food and taking some time out. Places are already booking up, so if you would like to join us please get it touch xx

Freshly picked British strawberries at Kenyon Hall Farm 🍓👌Sooo good! Who wants to come with me next week to pick raspberries? 😋

Brunching at the new cafe Unico Lounge in Wilmslow. Get down here - it's brilliant!

I am so happy with the feedback my sleep tonic is getting from the customers at The Yard Alderley Edge!
"This stuff really works"
"The Apothecary sleep remedy is fantastic!! Restful nights sleep all round"
"I am sleeping better and waking more refreshed".

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep check out my latest blog where I share helpful tips you can be doing during the day and before bed to improve your sleep.
http://bellawellbeing.co.uk/blog/top-10-tips-good-nights-sleep/

or with butter!!! A lot of the essential vitamins in veggies are FAT-SOLUBLE meaning they need some fat to be absorbed. Don't feel guilty eating veggies any other way! Add a little protein and you have a balanced meal. Simple.

Great article written by my good friend and colleague Siân Quipp.
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/06/why-its-time-to-put-down-your-mask/

Why it’s Time to Put Down your Mask. Recognising the masks we wear can feel too risky at first, like we're admitting to an extreme form of

Regular bowel movements are so important for hormonal balance. If you're in need of a helping hand my yummy Rhubarb and Strawberry compote should do the trick! http://bellawellbeing.co.uk/blog/rhubarb-and-strawberry-compote/

Oooh I love eating freshly picked, local, seasonal fruit and veg - tastes better and is better for you as well. If you live in Cheshire - check out Groobarbs Wild Farm. Based in Knutsford. They deliver to your door.

This is fantastic news that delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord until it stops pulsating after delivery is finally going to be standard practice in the UK. :)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3045167/Midwife-s-victory-decade-long-campaign-delay-cutting-umbilical-cord-says-provides-babies-precious-extra-blood.html

Midwife's victory in campaign to delay cutting of umbilical cord Amanda Burleigh (pictured) was convinced that clamping the cord within seconds of delivery – shutting off the blood supply from the placenta – was wrong.

I love what I do!!! Oh my gosh this morning I woke to 2 wonderful emails – one from a client who has had her first positive pregnancy test after experiencing unexplained infertility for 3 years and another from a client who had a healthy baby girl last night (she suffered recurrent miscarriages before seeing me). It brings me so much joy to be able to help couples that are struggling to fall pregnant to conceive and have a healthy baby. This has been the 5th pregnancy news I have received in the last month. Herbal medicine and simple dietary and lifestyle changes can make such a profound difference. I am so chuffed for them all!

Please sign this worthy petition Jamie has launched to force governments across the world to promise and commit to teaching every child how to grow and cook fresh nutritious food at school.
https://www.change.org/p/jamie-oliver-needs-your-help-fighting-for-food-education-foodrevolutionday

JAMIE OLIVER NEEDS YOUR HELP FIGHTING FOR FOOD EDUCATION #FoodRevolutionDay Hi guys, Jamie here. I urgently need your help to make a real difference. We’re currently facing a global obesity epidemic, with 42 million children under the age of five either overweight or obese across the world. The bottom line is the next generation will live shorter lives than their parents if…

Looking for a quick and easy hormone balancing lunch? Try this!
http://bellawellbeing.co.uk/blog/asparagus-soldiers-with-soft-boiled-egg-hollandaise-in-5-minutes/

Asparagus soldiers with soft-boiled egg hollandaise in 5 minutes! | Naturopath Wilmslow |... British asparagus is in season right now and has a powerhouse of nutrients (B-complex vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, chromium) plus diuretic properties especially helpful with women suffering premenstrual syndrome (PMS) – fluid retention, menstrual cramps, mood swings, sugar cravings and bloa…

Love opening up my weekly box and seeing all the fresh, seasonal produce! 😍