Prag Store Berlin

Since I've spent my last summer in Berlin for a fashion internship, I love to go shopping here because you have a variety of big and small retailers. Last week I took a stop at the newly opened Prag Store in Berlin Mitte and found myself in a minimalistic and cool environment offering labels such as Lala Berlin, Kaviar Gauche, Rika, Avelon, Ina Beissner Jewelry and more. Prag Agency, which combines Sales, PR and Architecture, opened up this Flagship Store to not only welcome customers and friends to shop, have fun and get inspired by their interior and fashion selection, but also for events for instance during Fashion Week. I very much liked how they styled and combined the different fashion pieces and accessories, so you can go shop your whole spring-summer outfit there right away :)

So, whenever you're in Berlin and want to find something unique, urban and chic, this is your shopping destination! It's also really easy to find, situated on Friedrichstraße 40, it is not too far off from the center, yet in a more calm area of the touristy-Friedrichstraße. 

Prag Store, Friedrichstraße 40, Berlin Mitte

Tue - Fri 11am - 7pm, Sat 12am - 5pm

One Week Off in Berlin

Hey there :) I just came home from my one week off in Berlin and just wanted to say that I am still alive ;-) Right now, there's too much going on, exams are coming up, too and I don't really find that much time to blog and be online. Sometimes, I am also happy to be more outside instead of working with my computer all day long. Still, I took a few pictures last week and would like to share with you here, so stay tuned for some Fashion, Food and Green News from Berlin :)

Hope you had a good start into the new week ♥

Healthy Wednesday: Explore Nature

It's getting warmer outside and I'm spending a lot of time with activities like running, yoga, skating and just being out in nature :) Last weekend, I joined a small hiking tour to explore some herbs and had the urge to hug a tree :) I definitely need to do this more often, why? Spending some time, a few hours in nature has many benefits to your health and overall well-being:

1. You will be able to breathe in and out fresh air again :) 

Far away from exhaust gas from cars and urban areas/cities.
Japanese people practice 'forest bathing' regularly, 
which lowers cortisol, blood pressure and pulse rate. 
Read on here.

2. You will feel more content, grateful,

 grounded and at present. It is fuel for your soul
and you will feel signs of happiness :)
Especially people who live and work in big cities,
should get outside every single day.

3. Mother nature will give you new energy to revitalise again.

4. Movement like walks, hikes and so on 

will stimulate your metabolism. 
Studies found out that being out in nature 
increases your vitality and energy.

5. And there is so much more, you only need to step outside

 and go find your little forest close to your town or city.

I love and cherish these moments outside. After such hikes, I'm always in a good mood and feel positivity all over me :) In nature, there's no bad or good, no doubt, no fear, no failure, only what is there is: Beauty. What about doing something with people you like, doing something outside and exploring your local surroundings, and hey it's for free!!! And the most precious thing you'll need for is: Time. 

Never stop being curious because there might be something beautiful :) Here are also two super interesting posts on how to live healthy up to 100 years of age (also by hiking and being out in nature every single day or week) and an amazing video about Nature, Beauty and Gratitude.   

Embrace the little things in life and 

be grateful for what we have today :)

Food Friday: Eat your Dark Leafy Greens ♥

Why? Because the Greens, Chlorophyll and Bitter Substances are beneficial for our well-being and health. I don't know how it is with you, but whenever I am sick, I don't feel any appetite of heavy meals but rather the need to eat something fresh, fruits and salads raw :) Raw because that's the most natural and best state for your greens to keep its minerals and nutrients. Today, I just wanted to show you some inspiration for your future salads ;-) And did you know you CAN eat Sunflowers and Dandelions? The blossoms, the buds and young leaves are the best part of it because they are full of vitamins, find these out in nature and sprinkle on top of your salad :) And don't forget to send some Thank Yous to Mother Nature when you go collecting Sunflowers!

Well, you don't actually need much for your own salad. The only thing you need is a tiny bit of time and preparation :)

Ingredients:

different types of vegetables, 
lettuce, leaves and fruits,

seeds, nuts, herbs,

maybe cheese? maybe spelt? 
Anything you like and have at hand :)

1. Have a dark, leafy green base like these Indian Lettuce (dt. Postelein) or Lamb's Lettuce (dt. Feldsalat) or Arugula (dt. Rucola) or even Spinach. I always prefer these instead of normal, iceberg lettuce because normal lettuce only contains water and not so much of the bitterness and its own taste, but of course it is better than nothing ;-)

2. Cut up some vegetables like Zucchini, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and fruits, whatever you prefer and have at hand: Strawberries, Apple, Kiwi?

3. Cut up some herbs, put them on top with nuts (I love almonds in my salad!), seeds and maybe Chia Seeds? Add anything you like :) Be it cooked Spelt, feta cheese for a more hearty salad or more fruits for a summery and sweet one :)

4. A fast and easy dressing would be only two tea spoons of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, that's it for me :) If you like, you can season or use a different dressing ;-)

The very first picture of the salad was only out of Indian Lettuce, Seeds, Sunflower Blossoms & Buds, and Nettel, yes you can eat these, too :) Just cut them up in very small pieces! 

The more colorful salad is made out of Indian Lettuce, Zucchini, Red Pepper, Strawberries, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Chia Seeds and a bit of Cilantro. I am also eating more and more plants, less and less animal products and I do feel much better now :) When the temperature is climbing up higher, I am also more up for salads and fresh ingredients. Oh and sorry for the overload of food pictures, I just LOVE taking them with my new camera and want to share them with you :) 

Mix and match your own salad and happy chewing ♥  

Healthy Wednesday: The Power of Yoga

By Helena Schätzle, Geo-Magazine, published June 2013.

'Words cannot describe the worth of Yoga, it has to be

experienced.' by B.K.S. Iyengar

 

The other weekend, my boyfriend's best friend, a physiotherapist, came up to me and gave me this 15-page long article about Yoga. He, himself received this from a patient and is totally new to it. It wasn't the typical article about where Yoga has started and what it actually is, but more about what Yoga can. Me, as an advocate of Yoga, immediately started to read it and did not stop until the last sentence was absorbed. The article is by the scientist Hania Luczak and was published in the GEO-magazine June, 2013. 

It is a report about Yoga's Health Benefits, but especially about recent scientific results. A GEO-team visited many researchers from Germany to the United States and even to India to learn more about its healing power. Here are the major findings:

1. Neck Pain, the Charité Berlin found out that patients had less
 pain after ten weeks of a 90-minute yoga lesson per week
 compared to patients who practiced back exerices by their own.

2. Back Pain, the University of Washington (Seattle),
almost 80% of Yoga practitioners were able to quit their
 painkillers by doing yoga once a week for half a year.

3. Stress Level, it definitely reduces your stress level so that you
 become more calm and mindful. Stress, we know it all, 
is the cause for burnout, depression, anxiety, addiction, obesity, 
chronic inflammations and more. 

4. Aerobics vs. Yoga, University of California, 
Yoga is not only as good as physical exercise,
 but might be even better. The researchers suggest: Cardio for
 endurance, but yoga for your mind and well-being.

5. Sleep, Harvard University in Boston, 
after only eight weeks of yoga, people sleep better :)

6. Stress Reduction & High Blood Pressure, Yale University,
 patients were able to reduce their medications by doing yoga.

7. Relaxation, University of Dresden, 
Yoga calms down your heart :)

8. Changes in the Central Nervous System, Boston University
 School of Medicine, the researchers found out that Yogis and
 people who regularly practice yoga produce more gamma-
aminobutyric acid, short GABA, which eases anxiety. 
They also compared this to sport activities.

9. Mental Health and Improvement in Cognitive Performance, 

University of California, L.A., only 12 

minutes of Yoga per day lead to a reduction of depression, 

a highler level of mental health and cognitive performance

 compared to a group which only listened to relaxation music 

in those 12 minutes. Additionally, they've found out that there's

 also a reduction of cell aging. Incredible, right?

10. Breast Cancer, Department of Psychology, 

University of Calif., people who suffered from breast cancer

 and had to deal with the Fatigue-Syndrome,

 (which occurs after a chemotherapy)

and did Yoga for three months, twice a week,

 felt an improvement in their physical and emotional condition.

I have to add that the researchers were mostly examining the Iyengar-Yoga which is based on these three pillars: Breath Control (Pranayama), Physical Exercise (Asana) and Meditation. Those three can be healing, but together they are invincible.

The key factor in those studies were that participants practiced a type of Yoga that includes the practice of breathing and mindfulness. Modern types like Bikram and Power Yoga will not lead to the mentioned benefits. With Yoga, Hania Luczak writes, one will slip into a Health-Provision-System. Often, you will subconsciously turn to a healthier lifestyle, have better relationships and a better working life.

Morning Meditation Post, Summer 2013.

After this well-written and well-explored article, I just had to start my Yoga practice again. I have thought about it a few months back because I was lacking routine, but this totally convinced me to get back deeper into it. Thank you Oliver for this article, I just needed a bit of motivation to go to the local Yoga Center and sign myself up :) The first 90-minute session this Monday was already worth the time and money :) 

Will you give the Power of Yoga a try? ;-)

Love and Namaste ♥