I recently shared my fixation of finding the perfect bike satchel so that I can ride light and free. To be honest, I think you guys provided some infinitesimally good suggestions. Here they are, if you’re still in the market.

And  many cheered triumphantly about a Crumpler bag being the perfect solution…

Some other ideas for stylish satchels or bags:

Gala Darling says: I loooove C.S.C. but zatchels have some great options also!

Alison: Another satchel I was tempted with was from the Canadian company Roots – they have some really classic designs

I’m going to put it out there. What technique or course or mantra or philosophy or book or practice or sport or “thing” are you engaging in that’s taking you closer to you, making life richer and deeper, facilitating a deeper connection to what matters?

Photo via Urban Outfitters

For, to my mind, that’s what making life better is about: bringing us closer to…us, each other, the source.

And that’s what life is about. We have this human experience so that we can grow through betterment. Life is the playing field.

Let’s get a list, a compendium, going! I’d love to see what we all come up with.

It’s almost spring. Which, for all kinds of reasons, is a good time to get fresh with our foods and clean things up a bit.  Our bodies respond so well at this time of year to a “cleanse” – it shakes us from the winter heaviness and gets us digesting light and breezily ready for the heat. Oh yes, heat!

From an ayurvedic POV, it’s all about enlivening kaphic energy (spring needs an alert kaphic energy to withstand the dampness). (I’ve written rundowns on ayurvedic doshas, and the vata effect previously)

Personally, I’m not a massive fan of full-on, restrictive eating detoxes. And, indeed, it’s the principle behind the new show I host Eat Yourself Sexy, which launches THIS THURSDAY!!! Our bodies naturally detox far better when fed good food, aided with a few tricks. Honestly, eating our way through a clean out is soooo much more fun.

If you feel like cleaning things out ready for the warmer weather, a few tricks and recipes (and please add your own ideas at the bottom…these are just the things I’m going to be doing):

1. Get plenty of sleep – our bodies detox throughout the night. We need to get to bed by 10pm to align with the detox/cell regeneration processes throughout the night.

2. Eat ginger. And other digestive herbs and spices as much as you can: cumin, fennel, cayenne pepper, turmeric.

3. Drink digestive teas. Licorice, fennel, mint, dandelion…

4. Eat green. As much as you can. Green cleans. Silverbeet, spinach, kale, broccoli…and be sure to start to move into the cooler green things as the weather warms: avocado and cucumber, mint and parsley. I love this recipe for rawvocado soup from wholeliving (pic above). It pretty much combines the top cleansing ingredients in the one little package….

Chilled ‘Rawvocado’ Soup with Coconut Water

This recipe makes two servings.  If you want more soup, double the amounts accordingly.

• 2 large, ripe avocados
• 1 cup coconut water (you could also use nut milk or filtered water)
• juice of 1 lime (about 4 tablespoons)
• ½ cup coriander leaves
• ¼ cup chives
• 1 shallot, minced
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Cut open and pit avocados. Scoop out flesh, reserving a small portion of one half for garnish.

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more coconut water until the desired consistency is reached (it should coat the back of a spoon, but not be solid).

Pour into a large jar with a tight-fitting lid and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Serve when cold. Garnish with avocado cubes and chives or coriander.

5. Chlorella is great. The benefits are