Before you say ” I’m extra” and “too much”, ask yourself… are you even “enough “? The importance of ”being you” .

Have you ever felt “guilty” or like others judge you behind your back for being too much of everything ? If you happen to have an exuberant personality and deviate behaviour , such as me , you ‘d probably understand what I mean . But since when should we keep our madness and uniqueness secret? Should we all be mysterious , secretive , sedate and live a quiet and private life ?

What I can recall from my childhood and also from the reports of my family ,is that I used to be an hyperactive (yeah never not dancing ) child , above the average social , curious about everything , reading books since 4 years old , organizing home made theatrical plays with my brother and pretending to be a journalist while interviewing my grandparents . Growing up and keeping that curiosity alive , external factors such as my experiences , travelling , art , music , the interaction with other interesting people , added more intriguing pieces to the puzzle of my personality . Nevertheless , I am not here to explain or apologize for who I am , but to discuss with you the fact of first accepting yourself , celebrate it and never have to hide it form others .

The world right now feels like been divided by two counterbalancing and diametrical opposite forces , on the one hand we have over-exposure and information overload and on the other hidden secrets and secrecy .Which is your role on this society ,are you the loud or the quiet ones ? The balance is the key word and after all never have to follow the masses but live by your own beat . If it feels ok to dance and talk too much and share your beautiful thoughts , your art , your special talent then do it , but do it because it arises from the inside , not fake it ,we should distinguish this . Otherwise if your private or professional life , your personality , ideas and talents are a personal matter it’s your choice to keep it silent .

Nonetheless , I belong to the crazy ones , the exuberant and liberated human beings . Imagine a society without this kind of people , if everything was meant to be kept secret how many great artworks , actors and films , emblematic books or notable people the world would be missing ? Planet earth is not a graveyard but our personal theatrical scene to play the role one has been given .

The roles I’ve been playing during the photoshootings or my daily life are inextricably entwined with my life and experiences . They are part of my vision of the world , a world of fantasies . If i am about to give you an advice it would be this: keep the young child alive , whenever you are connected with your intuition act , never doubt about yourself and life choices when your heart beats and your mind is clear . Intelligence is not only the maths and physics , offer your unique perspective , be inventive , and provide your ground-breaking ideas even when they seem so weird or so ahead of your time .

In the end when you leave the physical world what would you like it to be your legacy and your contribution to humanity , other than your true self , the kindness you’ve shown so far , the “gift” of being one of its kind ? Never be afraid or be reluctant on sharing love , emotions , ideas , perspectives , opinions . Celebrate and embrace yourself not in egopathy and egocentric way but in a way that others respect and eventually accept .

“All I can do is be me ,whoever that is “

Bob Dylan
Have you ever thought of writing a book ? People like me don't write books . We're written about .

I will be back with more thoughts related to matters such as the one that you have just read .It would be great if you share with me your opinion about the importance of being you and how you respond and adjust your personality in the modern society .

Eleni Kadigkou Xx

Photos on the article : Panagiotis Kadigkos

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Chia pudding , the healthiest overnight vegan breakfast

Image Panagiotis Kadigkos

Can you imagine that , waking up and have ready on your fridge your breakfast high in protein , fiber and healthy fats made with only two ingredients ? So today I’ll share with you the quick and super easy way to make it on your own .The only thing you need to do is to prepare the chia pudding from the previous night in order for the seeds to have enough time to absorb the milk and release their kind of jelly quality and their nutrients .

Before proceeding to the recipe , let’s share some of their benefits and facts .

  • They are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, rich in antioxidants, and they provide fiber, iron and calcium .
  • A 28-gram, or 1-ounce, serving of chia seeds also contains 5.6 grams of protein.
  • Mixed with water, they can replace egg in vegan cooking.
  • Chia seeds can be eaten cooked or raw, but they should be added to another food or soaked before eating.

Also foods that are high in fiber help people to feel full for longer, and they are usually lower in calories. Increased fiber intake and a high fiber diet have been shown to help with weight loss.

Chia seeds contain nearly 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon , and their high levels of omega-3-fatty acids and alpha-linoleic acid may be useful for weight loss. The seed can also be consumed as a gel when mixed with water. This causes it to digest more slowly in the body, potentially preventing hunger for a longer period .

Recipe

  • A cup of no sugar almond milk (you can use any type of milk vegan or not )
  • 4 tablespoon of chia seeds

(The ratio is everything . What I found that works best is 2 tablespoons of chia seeds for every half cup of milk ) You will need a mason jar and then you add the milk and the chia seeds , mixture them well and put it on the fridge overnight . I didn’t add any sweetener because of my personal taste but you can add honey or for vegans agave or maple syrup .The good thing with the chia pudding is that it’s easy to grab it in the morning and take it with you at the office or at the college . Also you can keep it on the fridge for up to 7 days so you can have jars for the whole week . Once the seeds have absorbed the milk in the morning you can add the toppings of your choice , like fresh fruits , shredded coconut , chocolate , peanut butter , cinnamon and different kind of seeds .

In my case I added some fresh blueberries and blackberries , and some frozen gooseberries , red currants and crushed hazelnuts .

Well this is a simple and facile way to have your breakfast ready in the morning and at the same time take advantage of it’s high beneficial quality . I highly recommend you to try at least for once ! Waiting for your feedback .

Eleni Kadigkou XX

Photographer : Panagiotis Kadigkos

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Tips for beautiful and hydrated hands during the winter time


Images Panagiotis Kadigkos

During the winter time the cold weather , the windy days and especially the temperature fluctuations , (using warm water and then be exposed to the cold ) are the usual suspects for dry and rough hands . Also we are amid a pandemic and COVID-19 changed some of our habits ,lately we have been using hand sanitizer exceedingly which of course it’s life saving but its antiseptic effect exacerbates the dryness . Today I will share with you some of my remedies and tips in order to keep our hands beautiful and hydrated when the weather turns bad .

Exfoliation is the key word . When your hands are suffering using a balsam or a cream is not enough to heal them . There are plenty of scrubs for the whole body and also specialized for the hands but you can have your diy with simple materials from your kitchen . You will need brown sugar and coconut oil (Bio if it’s possible ) .

Images Panagiotis Kadigkos

DIY Scrub

  • 3 tablespoon Bio coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine the two ingredients in one bowl mix them good , spread it on the surface of your hands and rub gently .Wash your hands and then treat them with your favourite hand cream . Also you can use a brush like the one in the photos to do dry brushing and remove all the dead skin cells but I don’t recommend it if your hands are in a bad condition .Another great tip that I kept it from my grandmother is to use lemon , take one ,cut it on the half and right away rub down the problematic areas . For SOS occasions you can try an overnight treatment , you can choose between the ones that you can find on the markets ,package with gloves and balm, or you can make your own , simply combine olive oil and lemon spread it on your hands and then wear cotton gloves over night .

  • Apivita Hand cream
  • Korres Wild rose Face Oil
Images Panagiotis Kadigkos

Currently I am using this hand cream from Apivita and I am quite satisfied . Last two tips , I also use this wild rose face oil occasionally from Korres in order to keep the surface of the hands young , and I never leave home without my gloves .

Hope you will find useful my suggestions and tips for the hands . Another article for how to keep them young and spotless will follow , plus when we return to normality we will have also nail related themes . Waiting for your advices and don’t hesitate to contact me . Till next time !

Eleni Kadigkou Xx

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celery juice , have you tried this nutriotinal trend yet ?

First of all , let me say this just because I added on my morning ritual doesn’t mean I follow blindly this trend or that I claim that the juice is a miraculous one and has the ability to heal chronic diseases .Fruits and vegetables have been added on my diet for many years now but it was around 2 or 3 years ago that I tried celery on my smoothies beside the common use , soups ,salads and etc . But this is a different one , we are talking about plain , fresh 100% celery juice (to be honest I add a few drops of lemon sometimes ) .

Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

But how did it turned to be a huge nutritional trend ? Celery juice gain popularity through Anthony’s William book Celery Juice :The most powerful medicine of our time healing ,who’s not a doctor or a nutritionist , but many celebrities , thousands of people in the US and around the globe and as well Gwyneth Paltrow ( featuring Anthony on her website Goop )swear by it . I am not here to mislead and especially when concerning to medical issues neither I am the kind of the person who follows the herd . I only wish to share my own experience and the to do steps in case you are willing to give it a try too .

I won’t insist on nutritional information and composition of the vegetable but I have to mention some of the benefits that provide . Have you ever noticed that celery looks alike human bones ?

Actually beside the appearance, they have another thing in common – they contain 23% sodium, just like our bones . Celery is a great source of silicon which helps with the structure of our bones to keep them strong and healthy. Furthermore celery has an alkalizing effect ,with minerals like magnesium, iron, and sodium, celery can have a neutralizing effect on acidic foods and helps to balance our PH . Also its anti-inflammatory effect is ideal to use celery juice for detoxifying our liver and heal our gut .

Lastly celery contains a particular compound called coumarins which promotes the activity of white blood cells and assists the vascular system. This helps the blood flow, reduces blood pressure and purifies the bloodstream .The sodium in celery also maintains the fluidity of the blood and lymph fluids, preventing them from becoming too thick. For more information you can check thoroughly on medical and nutritional website , books and researches .

Before we continue to the making process allow me to share my personal experience and the reason I added on my morning ritual . Have been suffering from abdominal bloating effect , my stomach ,even if I follow a healthy diet, isn’t working right plus I have some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome . That means that the past few years in the morning time the first think I do is to drink something like warm water with lemon and turmeric or do a juice cleanse program in order to aid digestion and for 30 minutes after that I don’t eat or drink something else . Alongside I do studies to be a sommelier and also I ‘ve got a certification in spirits , part of the training is the tasting although you don’t have to drink all of them (!!!) but I like wine so sometimes I feel the need to detoxifying my liver cause generally my diet is quite balanced .

What I’ve noticed so far are the following :

  • My digestion works better not all but most of the days that I drink the juice
  • My skin looks a lot better and clean , especially the eye area (puffiness and dark circles )
  • My energy levels are getting higher and the effect of fatigue is lower than ever ( to mention also the interval of 30 minutes that I have to wait before breakfast I reclaim it and go for running )
Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

 Recipe

1 head of celery, stalks separated

  • Rinse the celery ,chop the stalks and run it through a juicer.
  • Drink immediately.
  • Alternatively, you can chop the celery and blend it in a high-speed blender until smooth. Strain and drink immediately.
  • Then wait from 15 to 30 minutes until you have breakfast or coffee .
Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos
Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

That was all for this time . I don’t recommend Celery juice as a remedy for chronic diseases but after all its hydrating and vegetables are rich on nutritional value . If you have already tried it feel free to share your story otherwise if you are willing to share your feedback anytime .

Eleni Kadigkou Xx

Photographer : Panagiotis Kadigkos

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in which era do you prefer to have lived ?

“A woman’s guess is much more accurate than a man’s certainty ” ,

Rudyard Kipling

Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

My response to the question of the title is the era we are going through ; but I am fortunate to have the opportunity to transform ,through the photo shootings we provide with my collaborator , cousin and photographer , into characters of all times .

We are on the firsts days of the general Lockdown , happened on the November , in our country Greece and we have just reunite with my collaborator . Starting discussing about what we should shoot next and he proposed to depict a classical painting . Then the idea pop-uped in my brain , did a quick research and a Lavinia’s Fontana painting caught my attention .

Portrait of a Lady of the Court with a Dog ,1590 Lavinia Fontana ,Private Collection

Her pale face and her red hair resembling to mine were the crucial element in order to end up with this choice , but her posture and sight were flaunted dominance and certainty of a woman living around the 16th century , so I wanted to empower women of all the eras .

The idea immediately adjusted to our project and soon we were addressing the clothes , the hair and the whole scenery .

Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

The painting responds to the art movement of mannerism ,also known as a Late Renaissance ,a style which emerged in the later years of High Renaissance , around the 1520 till the end of the 16th century in Italy .Notable names to be mentioned ,except Lavinia Fontana ,are El Greco and Giuseppe Arcimboldo .The colour pallet of the artwork is much brighter than our final result , firstly because of the light and the scenery that was available that time and secondly our version is according to our aesthetics .

Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

Nevertheless , the painting was the trigger point for accomplishing this shooting and pay homage to women of the past ,of the present and the future .Something similar did the Museo del Prado the past October , in the context of the celebration of its Bicentenary , presented an exhibition called “A Tale of Two Women Painters: Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana” honouring the female artists of the second half of 16th century .Lavinia is considered to be the first professional female artist while Sofonisba was born to an aristocratic family and she never received fee for her services .

Photo credits Panagiotis Kadigkos

To sum it , up we gave a twist on a late renaissance painting ,but what I would like you to keep is that women were never the fairer sex . Women are strong by their nature , they have opinion ,they are political , sentimental ,creative ,innovators ; you can distinguish it by their imposing presence and their sight , by the way they think and act .

Eleni Kadigkou Xx

Photographer : Panagiotis Kadigkos

Model : Eleni Kadigkou

Featuring Shirt : Rococo

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