I wonder how many back injuries have been caused by Lulu Lemon clothing? Do you think Argus has a special diagnosis code? Kinda easy on, not-so easy off, I became trapped last night with the loose shirt over my head, but the inbuilt bra firmly clamped to my body. A fine layer of sweat had cemented it there and no amount of contortionism was setting me free. If you’ve ever watched YouTube videos of cats trying to reverse out of paper grocery bags, then you’re close to imaging the spectacle.

I did eventually free myself, but only with the help of Chloe and Belle. Afterwards, as we lay in a twisted but triumphant heap on the floor, they looked at me like I had lost the plot. The same bemused hilarity had crossed their faces when I’d tried to explain the purpose of thong underwear: “But mummy, why would you deliberately give yourself a wedgy?” Hmmmm, why indeed?

Role modelling for girls has never been easy. We all have things we wish we could change and our feelings in response range from quiet nagging doubt, to roaring, overbearing negativity that permeates every single aspect of our day.

We know we should practise body confidence and self-acceptance.

We know we should ditch the negative self-talk. But it’s hard, isn’t it?

No matter how much we talk about accepting the way we look — and no matter how much we believe it — there’s a level of contradiction in our day to day existence as women.

Dying hair, shaving legs, waxing armpits (and the rest!), painting toes, manis done, make-up on, perfume, fashion … … some of us dip our toes into the “self-improvement” pool, and some of us dive all the way in. Looks matter. You know it, I know it and our kids know it too. I just wish we all spent more time focusing on the inside, out.

There’s a great quote from Roald Dahl: “If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”

Likewise, I think if you eat good food, that will make you look lovely too. There’s nothing like healthy eating for a healthy glow.

There’s nothing in a cosmetic bottle that will detox your skin better than loads of water and fresh fruit and veg. I’m trying to teach my kids that now, but with wrinkles still decades away, they’re not all that interested!

In our crazy, busy world we keep looking for short cuts. Some of them, like super-processed protein bars made from isolated soy, are hardly nourishing. Others show more promise. Our lovely Sarah Wight has just launched the Natural Kitchen Golden Paste on the shelves at Devil’s Isle.

Everyone knows turmeric is good for them but not everyone knows it should be combined with black pepper and oil, and then gently cooked to ensure optimum absorption.

The piperine in the black pepper vastly improves the bioavailability of the active ingredient in turmeric (which is normally very hard for your body to absorb). So we’ve done the hard work for you by combining it all together and it’s easy to add to smoothies, yoghurt or curries.

A few notes though — you should always start with a small dose (say half a teaspoon). It’s also not necessarily compatible with some medications or medical treatments as it can enhance efficacy and interfere with accurate dosing. It doesn’t mean that you can’t have it, but you do need to check with your doctor first!

If you’re hesitant about putting something so spicy in your smoothie, try the Turmeric Booster at Devil’s Isle so you can see how palatable it can be.

•The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda