I got chatting with Lucy Wyndham-Read, YouTube Lifestyle Motivator and Fitness Expert about scent and a few other things.......
How have you survived the months of lockdown?
Since lockdown I have been on a mission to provide free home workouts, and I started filming my workouts at home instead of my studio in London. This has kept me busy and more than anything has helped so many people and as they say a great way to make you feel good is to help others.
Are scented candles part of your relaxation routine?
I have always loved candles, to me they give a sense of coziness and they take me back to childhood. I remember being a child and living in the middle of nowhere, we would often have power cuts, my mum would light candles and it would feel so comforting.
What has kept you smiling?
I suppose hope that better days will come. I have like most, so enjoyed walking, and seeing nature and wildlife makes me smile.
What won't you take for granted again post lockdown?
The ability to jump on a plane or even just go out for dinner with friends.
Do you have a morning routine?
Very much - I live by routine and if it gets broken I feel lost, so no matter what I stick to it. First thing no matter the weather I head out for a walk at 7am and this is the time I plan my day, as in creative content for social media. Then it is normally filming something for that day, I then head into my office with a pitstop coffee (I am a flat white addict). Once in the office the first job is emails followed by breakfast, I am then all set for the day.
How do you relax?
Baths are my go to for relaxing, I can easily spend an hour relaxing in the bath - to me it feels like all the stress of a busy day gets washed away.
Is scent important to you?
Yes very much and funnily enough even more so since lockdown, I have found that scent is great for calming and also can feel like a decadent treat!
Which scents are your favourite?
Anything citrus, to me that smells energising and positive.
Do you have a memorable memory connected to scent?
There is a perfume that when I smell it, it takes me back to a magical evening at a beautiful restaurant up in the mountains in the South of France. A 15th century village called Eze, it was like going back in time and it was dinner under the stars by candlelight.
You have made a career from physical fitness and wellbeing. Is there one particular tip or piece of advice that you can give someone who wants to make life changes and become a healthier, happier person?
The best advice is to make it a lifestyle. Find the workouts that you enjoy, as this way you will stick to them, and also educate yourself on healthy eating. I always say knowledge is power, the more we understand the easier it is to make the right choices.
One of the symptoms of Covid is losing our sense of smell and taste, and this got me thinking about all the people that permanently don't have a sense of smell. It's called Anosmia, also known as smell blindness - the loss of ability to detect one or more smells. Being able to smell (good or bad) is something that most of us take for granted. Sometimes during pregnancy our sense of smell is heightened, this happened to me and has stayed with me so I really cannot imagine what it would be like. It's not just the pleasure we take from pleasant scent there are practical things to consider, how do you tell that the milk has turned sour, you are unable to detect dangerous odours like smoke or gas in the home. It's well known that a smell can evoke a memory or feeling, does that mean along with the loss of a sense of smell certain memories are also lost? Scent is also known to boost our mood or help us to feel relaxed. While Anosmia might not be seen as debilitating as losing sight or hearing research has shown that it is related to increasing levels of stress and depression. There are various treatments available with varying degrees of success. For most people with Covid related loss of smell it will fortunately return, I have such empathy for people suffering with Anosmia.
