I had the pleasure of sitting next to the beautiful Lauren Glucina almost a year ago at the Bupa Health Influencer Blog Awards and I knew who she was right away. I had drooled over Lauren's gorgeous, unique and intricate recipes on her site Ascension Kitchen for some time. I'd fallen in love with Lauren's keen eye for aesthetics, beauty and design as well as her passion for a gentle and kind road to food, wellness, health and healing.

It's no secret that I adore anybody who can seamlessly merge their multi-passions into their work with a desire to embody their true selves in everything they do. Lauren has nailed this as a holistic health and wellness coach, certified raw chef and herbalist-in-the-making, while also being responsible for some of the most interesting and beautiful food photography I've ever seen, not to mention the exceptionally creative design of her blog, eBook, newly released app and social media channels. Lauren offers her readers such beautiful insights into her world through her words and recipes and everything she touches seems to radiate love and light. 

So excited to have this beautiful woman, her words and her magical food on the blog for you today.

+ Let’s dive straight in. Tell us, what makes up your lifeblood?

My passion, is discovering, learning, and sharing, all of the healing wonders of nature. How we got lost and forgot our way, I just don’t know, but the good part is, it’s all there for re-discovery. There is magic – everywhere – we just need to slow down enough to appreciate it. The foods, the herbs, the waters, and the energies of earth, these are all things that excite me.

I’m also hugely passionate about the sacred feminine. Women, everywhere, stepping into their own power. And again, a big part of that, is learning how to turn to nature for spiritual guidance and the most gentlest of healing.

+ Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’, and I wholeheartedly agree. What’s your beautiful dream? 

My dream for me personally is to experience a life lived in every single day. One day, one lifetime. To wake up with a bare and open mind, experience wonder, joy, love, peace and gratitude in the waking hours, connect with the earth, admire the stars, and then fall into the deep belly of sleep with my loved one next to me. During these days of lifetimes, I also hope to help people move toward healing using pure thought, pure food and gentle herbs.

My dream for the world, is to stop tearing down all our natural resources, and to live in peace with all other beings; there is simply no excuse not to.

+ What benefits has prioritising a healthy lifestyle had on your life?

 Prioritising a healthy lifestyle brings you clarity, which in turn enables you to really see your dreams, and then absolutely go for them!

+ Exploring, breaking the routine, bending the rules… How do you ensure you maintain an element of playfulness and adventure in your everyday happenings?

Playfulness…this is something I am yet to master – in one sense, my life feels like a bit of an adventure, leaping without a net into the unknown, chasing dreams, and going back to study. But on the other, I feel bound by new commitments – study! I am constantly telling myself, stop and play, stop and play, but I don’t honour that as much as I should. This Saturday however, is my day off, and I will be sitting under a tree by the water with scrummy treats and a good book, and staying there!

+ What’s the best advice you’ve been given - and who gave it to you?

Nana: Put only the best food in your body, and the best clothes on your body. She is 86. She out-danced me at my little brother’s 21st, and she has better shoes than me.

What’s your favourite…

+ Travel destination: Take me to Peru

+ Blog: shonaghhome.com (read her newsletter archives – divine)

 + Breakfast: This tonic: coconut water + aloe vera juice + lemon juice + manuka honey

 + Quote: What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create. Buddha.

+ What role does creativity play in your life and how do you honour it?

Huge – I am at my core a very creative person – I spent my childhood with pens, crayons and clay in my hands, my early working years working as a creative in an ad agency, and now channel it in different ways through my recipe creating, styling and shooting, and potion-making. I’ve also danced a lot in the past – something I really should honour again – it is moving meditation, pure joy – there you go – there’s the playfulness coming in – I need more of that!

+ How has having a blog changed things for you? 

It has allowed a quiet, creative introvert such as myself to speak my truth and connect with the most amazing people from all over the world.

+ What message does your one-year-from-now-self have for you?

Be kind to yourself, soften your approach, play more. Hang in there, things are just about to blossom.

+ Can you share with us your secret indulgence? 

My Ginseng, Prune, Cacao,  Star Anise and Vanilla Slice. I love this slice – the flavours are a fantastic match and the addition of the tonic herb Siberian ginseng makes it great for study – it helps you concentrate and improve mental alertness, as well helping your body better adapt to stress. Click here for the recipe.

Lauren Glucina is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, Certified Raw Chef and Herbalist-in-the-making. She is creator of the newly released app, Green Smoothies by Ascension Kitchen, and popular recipe ebook Raw and Sexy Sweets. Her site, Ascensionkitchen.com, provides divinely tasty, healthy raw and plant-based recipes, wellness tips and general bursts of inspiration. You can connect with Lauren on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.