In A Day With... Rachel Landon — In A Day Naturopathy

Firstly, are you able to tell us a little about you; where is your hometown, where are you living at the moment and what do you do ?

I was born just outside of Manchester and left to go to live in Dublin in the early 90’s and then onto London where I still live with my family.

I qualified as a herbalist and naturopath in 2004 after my first child and slowly gradually started to build my practice from then having three more children and writing a book Super Herbs and starting Wilder botanics.

What drew you to study herbal medicine ? Were you surrounded by natural/alternative medicine growing up ?

I felt at an early age after visiting our GP that there was more to healing than just conventional medicine, I don’t know why or that I’m special in any way, I just thought there must be more than what I had experienced. My mum was also very much into gardening and foraging, it’s where we most connected as she was otherwise very busy and distracted single mum of 4.

How do you usually start your day ?

I start the day with lemon, probably too much raw honey and a little fresh mint ..followed by black tea with hazelnut milk or our Antioxidant infusion ..organic sencha green tea, hibiscus and lemon. If I’m feeling really inspired I go for a short run but thats not really happened in this lockdown! Breakfast is overnight gluten free oats with grated apple and chia seeds, or live yoghurt with my husband Charlie’s delicious granola.

What does your dream day look like for you ?

Walking!! Going on a very long hike with a flask of tea and a delicious lunch somewhere along the way would be ideal ! With or without the kids.

What is your beauty routine ? Do you have any favourite natural products or skincare rituals ?

I use just cold water to splash my face in the morning and recently I’ve been having a cold shower too after dry body brushing its really helping to shift stagnant energy and helps get my lymphatic system moving. I then use our Wilder Day Face oil with prickly pear, Baobab seed, Artic Blackcurrant seed and Meadow foam oils.

I don’t like my skin feeling dry and uncomfortable and these oils help so much.

At night to cleanse my face I use a fine blend of oats and kaolin clay...I pop a little in my palm and mix with a few drops of water and then massage this into the skin or

I make a mask and leave it to dry whilst I have a soak. In the colder months I use our Wilder Night Face Oil with Rose hip, Avocado, Rose, and Pomegranate seed oils

Do you have a favourite scent ? If so, where does it take you ?

I don’t wear a perfume everyday but I do love Neals Yard’s Frankincense perfume and I love the smell of cedar which makes me feel relaxed and grounded and Patchouli, Sandalwood and Rose Geranium ..all the signature scents in our Herb infused Calendula body oil.

The smell of Sweet peas reminds me of happy Summer days in our garden with my mum.

Do you have any food or health philosophies that guide how you and your family eat ?

I think really being conscious of what foods suits your constitution and what doesn’t is important. I know deep fried foods and fatty foods are hard for me to digest so I avoid them , or mixing certain food groups . Also drinking lots of water whilst eating doesn’t help the digestive enzymes do their job.

I try sitting, eating and enjoying my food , chewing each mouthful really helps digestion but often I see myself rushing and not eating consciously…something I have to work on!

We love cooking and try to buy seasonal, and from our local farmers market. Both Charlie and I love sourcing cookbooks and gleaning recipes from all over the world. Books For Cooks in Notting Hill is one of the best places for these.

Juicing a few carrots in the morning before eating acts as a great liver flush. I also love to fill my tea pot full of herbs in the morning and I keep refilling it throughout the day..I find it hard to drink water but herbal tea I love.

What does a typical day look like for you in terms of food and beverages throughout the day ?

Hot water & lemon / black tea hazelnut milk / fresh juice

Gluten free oats either as porridge / overnight oats / or in granola

Stewed fruits

Salads / homemade soups for lunch .. and I love goats cheese on rice cakes with olive oil and dried oregano is a favourite

Lots of herbal tea ( sometimes with honey in the afternoon ) in between meals .

Supper is anything from our Anna Ford books or a simple roasted seasonal veg and brown rice with Sumac ..and sometimes a lovely glass of organic red wine.

What is your favourite way to move your body ? Does exercise play a part in your everyday routine ?

I recently got into jogging again after years but when I stop over a period of time like now I can so easily talk myself out of going again!

Yoga has been a favourite since my early 20’s I started with Iyenga and moved onto Ashtanga and now I’m more into Hatha I try to take 2 classes a week with Emily Robertti who is wonderful.

I also love to put music on loud and have a dance ..on my own or with the wee ones.

How do you rest and come back to yourself when you are feeling ungrounded or uninspired ?

Breathing ..I really try to sit with myself to see what’s going on internally ..breathing consciously always helps to ground me .

If uninspired then walking is always an energy shifter .

When do you feel your most beautiful ?

When I feel well and happy. , When I’m with people I love who make me laugh and inspire me . My husband makes me feel beautiful too!

Are there any old-school natural remedies that you always have on hand for you and your loved ones ?

Yes, all our infusions are a regular and we have Elderberry syrup in the fridge always. Our tincture Winter Essential with Propolis , Echinacea and Thyme which is always on our shelf we have it with a spray too for any sore throats .

I love making onion cough syrup with the kids, we’ll be making more of this this lockdown.

One thats really good is keeping mustard powder in the cupboard to make a hot foot bath in case of colds and flu .

A few spoonfuls in a bowl big enough to fit two feet and hot water not too hot to touch, sit with feet in there for 20 mins , dry feet put on a pair of pure wool socks and straight into a cosy bed to help clear a cold and ease congestion.

Your business Wilder Botanics seems very conscious of its environmental impact and respecting the Earth appears to be at the core of its values. We definitely need a big shift in how people value the environment in order to address the climate crisis. I think it can be overwhelming for people to look at their lives and to re-shape habits. What small (or large) actions you have weaved into your life that have a positive environmental impact ?

Personally I know how difficult these choices can be especially with a large family which already has a bigger impact environmentally, but we’ve noticed our bathroom products have diminished to just a few items , even the teenager has changed his preferences.

Everything we buy we now ask ourselves where has it come from, who are we supporting, how long will it last for, hows it made, what’s it contained in, questions I never asked growing up

..although I have always been aware that theres been this underlying impact on consumerism .

I think its more about questioning everything now and being conscious.. .The kids recently asked for a helium ballon and I had to explain that they never decompose they just sit in our rubbish heaps.