WE WENT: Wake Up To Wellness With California Walnuts

This morning, Healthy Living London was invited to ‘Wake Up To Wellness With California Walnuts‘. Together with Women’s Fitness Magazine, California Walnuts hosted a yoga class followed by breakfast with an incredible view… at the top of the Shard! What a wicked way to start the day!

The idea of getting up at 5.30am, other than to watch the sunrise on a beautiful beach or for a flight (to said beach) would normally have me frowning and in a bad mood. However, waking up and beginning my day with yoga at the top of the Shard, with the whole of London as my view, had me excited and motivated. I had never been to the Shard before, other than to gawk up at it from the sidewalk and despite my slight fear of heights, I was looking forward to yoga and breakfast with a view!

We were welcomed into the lift and sped up to the 68th floor where a sea of orange yoga mats greeted us. Despite being a little grey outside, the view was incredible. Before the yoga class began, I had time to wander around the room and take in the views, trying to find my house, then where I used to live…etc. I’ve seen the view of the Shard many times, but the view from the Shard was awesome.

The yoga class began with an inspiring talk from Julie Montagu, aka the Flexi Foodie. She believes in self-care and wellbeing.

“Do one thing each day for yourself that takes care of you, that makes you say I’m so happy I did that.” Julie Montagu

Our Vinyasa yoga class was led by Mandy from Yogasphere. She led us through a flow of movements that gently stretched our bodies and allowed us to focus on breathing, whilst taking in the views! Her authoritative voice was a good wake-up call for a Wednesday morning. A few of her instructions were a little unclear, however she was demonstrating the movements so the class were able to follow her. The class was suitable for a variety of abilities as Mandy gave both beginner and more advanced options.

After yoga, we were treated to a walnut inspired breakfast with a view. Yogurt with crushed walnuts, walnut muffins, walnut flapjacks, muesli with walnuts and fruit skewers! It was delicious. My favourite was the walnut muffin; sweet and nutty. I tried the Californian walnuts on their own and I have to say they were delicious. Sometimes, walnuts can be bitter, but these ones were not. Instead, they were creamy and smooth.

So why eat walnuts?

Packed with vitamins and minerals, walnuts have B1, B2, B6, pantothenic acid, biotin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper and manganese. These vitamins and minerals…

• Help to reduce tiredness and fatigue.
• Supports the brain’s functions, such as memory, attention, reasoning and language.
• Helps to maintain normal skin and hair pigment.
• Contributes to normal functioning of the immune system.
• Helps improve blood flow. High in unsaturated fat and Omega3, these nuts can help maintain heart health.
• Helps to maintain healthy teeth and bones.

Final Thoughts:

I am going to have to stock up on Californian walnuts. I have always had walnuts at Christmas, but I will now be incorporating them more regularly into my diet. Not just for breakfast, but for soups, salads, snacks and so much more. Californian Walnuts have shared a few recipe suggestions on their website.

I loved the awesome goodie bag, especially the yoga mat and the walnut recipe booklet, however, I was sad that I did not get any walnuts to take home. 🙁 (They had run out by the time I left.)

Upon arrival, Mandy asked me why I was wearing my shoes and hadn’t taken them off, in a rather abrupt manner, which made me feel rather uncomfortable, especially as I had been carefully making my way around the mats. The girls at the door had forgotten to tell us this, so I wasn’t to know. This wasn’t the best start to the yoga, but I enjoyed the class and I would go back.

Whilst the view was incredible and the yoga class could be fun for a hen-do or other special occasions, I believe that regular yoga classes here would be a lavish expense.

Starting the day with yoga was refreshing and revitalizing. The fact that the class began early meant that when we left the Shard, we still had the whole day ahead of us.

Find Out More:

California Walnuts UK Website – www.californiawalnuts.uk
California Walnuts Twitter – @Walnuts_UK
California Walnuts Instagram – @Walnuts_UK
The Shard Viewing Gallery Website – https://www.the-shard.com/viewing-gallery/
The Shard Yoga – https://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/en/whats-on/events/yoga/sky-high-yoga-class/

*Health Advice: It is advisable to consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.