This might not seem like a very Princess-ly topic, but I think it’s really important. Being healthy gives you more energy, a clearer mind, better skin, brighter eyes and shiny hair. No beauty products will give you the same glow 
as being naturally healthy. Starting a healthy lifestyle when you are young is also the best health insurance for when you grow older, long live the Princess!
Now, I love sweets. 
They are my weakness, and I know you’d probably rather see some cute cake recipes here aswell. However I do try and moderate my diet. I studied Nutrition for two and a half years and I have a pretty good idea of what to eat, but coming from a family that didn’t really cook, I’m not always sure how to eat it! Salads for example, are great, provided they contain a good variety of nutrient rich vegetables and not just a mass of iceberg lettuce, but they don’t usually taste that nice and aren’t very filling. While I was searching for a recipe for greek salad dressing today I came across this website MediterrAsian.com. Its about asian and mediterranean cooking and has some fantastic recipes and ideas, as well as a great daily food plan. Take a look, there’s more good information there than in a lot of the popular diet books.
Despite all the lovely cake and champagne in Sophia Coppola’s recent movie, Marie Antoinette actually ate very well especially considering the time she lived in and the rich foods she had access to it. 
According to Campan’s Memoirs the Queen “breakfasted on coffee or chocolate; at dinner ate nothing but white meat, drank water only, and supped on broth, a wing of a fowl, and small biscuits, which she soaked in a glass of water.” Which I think is a pretty fine example for any Princess to follow.
I think that Healthy Living should be simple, it shouldn’t be about counting calories, denying yourself the occaisional treat or being starving all afternoon because you only had carrot sticks for lunch. I also believe that eating well alone is not enough. These are the three main points I try and keep in mind for being a healthy Princess.
Eat Well. I suggest educating yourself first, read about nutrition, learn about different cultural cuisines and find healthy recipes that include foods you love. If you really have no idea where to start, see a Naturopath or Clinical Nutrition who can help you set up a simple diet plan that works for you. There are also heaps of great sites online like the one I mentioned above it even has recipe makeovers for healthy burgers and fish and chips! You don’t have to give up the foods you like, just learn to moderate them. Allow yourself little treats but only when you know you’re doing well with your regular diet. For a simple thing to start with, try increasing your intake of fresh fruit and raw vegetables for this week. It won’t take long before you notice a difference! Always drink lots of water too.
Exercise. I admit, I hate getting sweaty. I am useless at sports and I’ve never set foot inside a Gym in my life. My idea of exercise has always been walking. I love taking long walks by the river, walking to the library, carrying my shopping home from the markets etc. However lately I’ve noticed I’m not very flexible, so a couple of friends and I are going to enroll in Ballet classes to improve our fitness. Some other elegant and old fashioned exercise options are: badmington, croquet, tennis (very popular with the victorian gentry), fencing, ballroom dancing and horse riding.
Relax Ever wondered how people can have a perfect diet, go to the gym four nights a week and yet still always seem tired and run down, easily catching colds and flu? Stress causes more health problems than you would believe. Our bodies need time to recover and repair themselves, and this means stopping once in a while and finding some time to relax. Meditation is excellent, but it doesn’t work for everyone, there are lots of alternatives. Take a slow walk on the beach, or through a park. Being connected to nature has amazing effects on our health and peace of mind. Read a book of poetry, take a hot bath, lay on your bed and listen to relaxing music. Do whatever it takes to help you wind down. Having at least 30 mins a day of ‘time out’ will go along way to dropping your stress levels. Also make sure you get a good nights sleep, that means at least 8 hours. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a Princess healthy, beautiful and wise!
It’s no secret that I’m a big Marie Antoinette fangirl. I have been completely fascinated with her life, story and image since I first watched Rose of Versailles, many years ago. I’m not the only one it seems, because there are some beautiful and interesting websites out there devoted to the last Queen of France. I hope you will enjoy these links!
