Simply Better Living

 Choose organic = Simply Better Living Organic food is not about being perfect. It is about making small, sensible choices that support your health and our miraculous planet. Here are three simple reasons to choose organic when you can . Fewer unwanted chemicals on your plate Organic farming limits the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides. That means less chemical residue on the food you eat every day. No diet is completely pure, of course. But choosing organic is one practical way to reduce your overall exposure without overthinking every meal. Healthy outside starts from the inside. Better for soil, wildlife, and the bigger picture Organic farms work with natural systems rather than against them. They tend to support healthier soils, more biodiversity and more responsible use of the land. You may not see that difference on your plate. But over time, these small choices add up to a quieter, steadier kind of environmental care. Think of it as voting with your shoppi...

 Detox Juice The ancient notion from Ayurveda that there is a vital connection between the stomach and the brain nowadays turns out to be a biological fact. To a large extent, we really are what we eat. If our digestion is in good order, our brain and our bodies will be in better shape. That's why I'd like to recommend my favourite detox juice, which will not only clean your body from the inside out, but also tastes remarkable. You might just need to tweak the recipe according to your preference for fresh ginger and fresh lemon. In order top make this detox juice, you will ideally need to purchase a juicer. I can highly recommend the  AMZCHEF juicer . I've had one for six years now. It is easy to clean and still works as new. Ingredients 1 x cucumber 3 x medium carrots 2 x cubes of frozen spinach (or fresh equivalent of course) 1 x stick celery 1 x small beetroot (raw, if possible) 1 x medium-sized apple 1 x piece fresh ginger (about 4 cm or 2 inches) 1 x piece of lemon ...

 Starting your day well Either you run the day, or the day runs you. When you wake up in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. The more grateful we are, the more beauty we see. Here is my favourite selection of tips for starting your day well, no matter what your current life situation. 1. Wake up with gratitude in your heart. The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.  2. Rinse your face with water and gently dab around your eyes with rose water. 3. Drink a glass of warm water with fresh lemon juice. 4. Pull oil, scrape your tongue and clean your teeth.  5. Use the bathroom, if you're ready. 6. Prayer / yoga / meditation. 7. Shower. 8. Eat a healthy breakfast. Only then — this tip is for power users only! — check your phone or computer. If you want to watch my really embarrassing video about your morning routine, please click here . It's well-known fact that starting the day well almost always lead...

 Life’s Too Short for Bad Pans Please try to take this seriously. Remember: Simply Better Living . The difference between cooking and struggling is often just the pan. The quiet confidence of a good pan changes the whole rhythm of cooking.  I want to encourage you to invest in a really good set of pans, and not only because they make cooking easier and more delightful, but also because of long-term investment . I recommend the Fissler Original Profi collection or the Phi  collection of pans. For frying pans, I'd go with the Ceretal Collection — though all coated frying pans do need to be replaced every few years. Buying cheaper pans is liking buying furntiure from IKEA. It feels right to begin with, ages badly and you throw it away when you move house. Rather than waste your money and the earth's resources, creating more waste on our overfilled landfill sites, save up and buy one great pan once in your lifetime rather than three bad ones. Or put a good one on your birth...

Springtime = Detox + Reset I'm not into resolutions. Get your hopes up usually heightens disappointment, especially with yourself. However, giving your body a detox in the spring and autumn is not a goal, it's a simple choice that will radically improve your quality of life. A great help with detox is detox tea. Made in 5 minutes and lasts all day. Especially if you have a thermos can. I recommend this one from Emsa , available in different colours. If you prefer a thermal glass like the one in the image above, I recommend the Relaxdays Tea Glass . This tea is commonly known as CCF tea (Coriander, Cumin, Fennel) . With my recommended additions. Ingredients 1 x small teaspoon coriander seeds 1 x small teaspoon cumin seeds 1 x small teaspoon fennel seeds 0.5 x small teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional) 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely sliced (recommended) Method Boil 1 litre of water in a pan , add these ingredients and boil gently for 5–10 minutes. Sieve into your thermos ca...

Nasty accident leads to a better life In August 2020, I fell off my bike after hitting a high curb on a bridge in East Berlin and injured myself badly. A young Indian student who happened to be passing by went to great lengths to help me. When I insisted on carrying on with my journey to visit my daughter, he gave me his phone number and asked me to contact him in the next few days to let him know I was alright. When I wrote to him later, he invited me to visit his research centre, where he was working on his doctorate in  DNA sequencing . The location was impressive, right in the city centre — even the main staircase of the building was designed in the shape of a double helix. Discovering Ayurveda Our conversation in the rooftop café that evening turned to health in general, and it was there that I first heard about  Ayurveda . Curious, I began reading, and was struck by the overlap with  plant-based nutrition and veganism . If you’d like an introduction, I can recommend...