Posts belonging to Category 'Products'

Health Supplement Review: Plant-based Protein Powders + A Recipe!

Firstly, let me just say that in no way am I suggesting that a plant-based diet needs to be supplemented with protein powder – it is now common knowledge in the health and wellness industry that we can get adequate protein from a wholesome and varied plant-based diet.

I personally choose to include protein powder in my diet because I’ve amped up my exercise load, I’m trying to increase my muscle mass and because I like to include it in smoothies to create more substantial and filling snacks and meals.

Whilst it is easy to get lost in the endless shelves of chemical laden protein powders and meal replacement shakes full of false promises, more and more natural alternatives are popping up in Australia. I definitely do not consider myself a protein powder connoisseur but in my search for a healthy AND palatable post workout drink (let’s face it, natural does not ALWAYS taste best – especially where protein powders are concerned) I’ve tried a few plant-based brands and would love to share my experiences with you. All of the below protein supplements are dairy, gluten, soy and refined sugar free.

First up is vanilla flavoured Sunwarrior Rice Protein: Bio-Fermented, Raw, Sprouted Whole Grain Brown Rice Protein sweetened with stevia, 16.8 g of protein per serve.

This was my introduction to the brown rice protein brigade and I have to admit, I nearly spat the first sip back out. I then pondered on how I was going to get rid of it and considered pushing it on to a friend. A month later I gave it another shot and actually slowly began to enjoy it. I think the trick with protein powders that are sweetened with stevia is to not mix them with sweet fruits, unless you’re after a total sweet taste bud assault. I enjoyed Sunwarrior blended with almond/soy/rice milk and loads of ice or with frozen raspberries. Once I learned to enjoy the taste the only downside I found was the slightly chalky texture. Which lead me on to my next tub…

Growing Naturals Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice Protein Isolate in Vanilla Blast, sweetened with brown rice syrup and stevia, 24 g of protein per serve.

I like the fact that this one is sweetened with brown rice syrup as I enjoy the taste more than stevia. This would also suit someone looking to include more carbohydrates in their diet as brown rice syrup contains both fast carbohydrates suitable for muscle recovery and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. It has the same texture as other brown rice protein powders but I enjoyed the taste more. I also used it in a banana muffin recipe which turned out well.

Ezy Protein: Organic, Sprouted, Bio-Fermented, Raw, Wholegrain Brown Rice Protein sweetened with stevia, 25.8 g protein of per serve.

This has the same texture as Sunwarrior but is a little sweeter and tastier. I quite like the tub that it comes in as your hand doesn’t get coated in protein powder as you try and scoop out the last few serves.

Vega Sport Performance Protein in Chocolate and Vanilla: A complete multi-source, alkaline-forming, plant-based protein blend sweetened with stevia, 26 g of protein per serve.

This is a little different to the above proteins as it contains a mixture of yellow pea protein, SaviSeed protein, sprouted wholegrain brown rice protein, hemp protein and alfalfa protein as well as a branched chain amino acid complex, glutamine and a digestive enzyme blend.

I like the fact that this contains a variety of protein sources and includes other ingredients which assist recovery and improve digestion. I found the texture to be a lot smoother than plain brown rice protein powders and it blends far more easily. Chocolate is my flavour of choice, I’m not a big fan of Vega’s vanilla.

In the end none of these protein powders are delicious, but they do contain high quality healthy ingredients which can compliment your diet and exercise program, and possibly boost your results.

Overall Vega has been my favourite protein powder based on taste, texture and ingredients, but there are still other brands out there that I’m keen to try such as Garden of Life RAW Protein, Juice Plus Complete and David Wolfe’s Raw Sprouted Brown Rice Protein.

Have you tried any of these or ones I haven’t listed? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Bonus: My Choc Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

♥ 1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate plant-based protein powder
♥ milk of choice (almond, rice etc) I used around 100 mL in the one above but I like mine super thick
♥ 1 cup of frozen raspberries
♥ 1 tbsp of raw cacao powder (less if using chocolate flavoured protein)

Blend, serve and enjoy 🙂

Article by Emma Smyth, nutrition student & health coach who blogs over at This Sparkly Life!

Be well,

xoxo

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Celebrity Makeup Tips & Tricks for Award Season!

Tis the season. Yes. Awards Season. It’s all a-happening in the world of outside beauty, and while the team at Wellness WA are 100% advocates of the more important inside beauty it is nice to have a bit of a play with the many, many fun looks we will be seeing in droves on the inter-nettles over the coming months. I watched the Golden Globes last Monday night so I say let’s give them a go! Let’s make them our own! Today let’s focus on the eyes and let’s pretend for a bit that… ok sure why not…We CAN look like Sienna Miller (‘s cousin?).

Now, full disclosure I am NOT a make-up artist I’m just giving it a go with what some may describe as a devil-may-care attitude (others may call it severe lack of skill) so if you are a make-up artist and you’re reading this, why gosh darn it, I would love to hear any feedback/comments. You’d make me day! OK let’s go have some fun…

1. Sienna Miller

How good was this anti make-up look on the red carpet? She cops a mention in my pre-article spiel as well as topping the list because this is beautiful, brave and b-b-bold. Makes me wanna go listen to the Spice Girls for some reason probably associated with Girl Power and being kick-ass confident.

To get this look I’ve gone ahead and conditioned my lashes to the max with Jane Iredale Pure Lash Conditioner before adding Sax mascara. And holy moly grrl, I got some length. You don’t really need anything else when you’re rolling this way…

Let’s promise to always condition

Before applying a great mascara as good as this…

2. Tina Fey

I love the Fey. She’s smart, she’s funny and this look was so beautiful on her. Browns, eyeliner for eye accentuation…a touch 1940’s dare I say it…

I’ve harnessed the assistance of Ere Perez Without Clothes Eye Shadow Duo (I love their lip stain, why wouldn’t I love this) I’ve applied the darker colour to the socket line/outer edge of the eye and the lighter colour to the inner part of the eye. And just as good as the aforementioned mascara, I’ve also used the Sax eyeliner to complete this look. To make it ‘pop’ as they say in the biz…

Ta da…

Will I become as funny as her now?

3. Nicole Richie & Kerry Washington

Holler at your colour!!! These two get a mention in my book for trying something different! (Look close I peep some purple on KW!)

Let’s go ahead and copy this using either a dark blue or a purple Shimmer Shine Pencil from BYS (Glides on so easy and so fun!) with wonderful help of the Stila eyeshadow duo in Tatiana.

To get this

Again I focused on the outer corners of the eyes blending in with the purple tones and ended up with the pink half of the Stila duo in the inner corners of my eye. Ah- a bold colour. Such a ball of a time.
Plus have any of you seen Django Unchained yet? (Starring Kerry Washington) SO GOOD!

Happy Awards season everyone. Have a blast with your makeup and beauty routine you beautiful people.

Article by Adriane Daff, makeup lover, actress & Siena Miller's cousin.

Be well,

xoxo

Product Review: Native Box, Organic & Natural Sample Subscription Box!

One of the loveliest presents I received this Christmas was a Native Box. It's such a great concept-every month a juicy array of natural, Eco-friendly, ethical and organic products are selected for inclusion in the box. I love the idea of getting a regular surprise like this – kind of like Christmas or your birthday every month.

The box I tested contained a diverse mix of products, from body care items like paw paw ointment and Aussie bush soap, healthy edibles including organic popcorn and delicious chocolate covered macadamias, along with various other body, soul and planet friendly fare.

All of the products have proved great, but just to highlight a few of my favourites from the fab fourteen:

Byron Bay Detox Foot patches: I've wondered about detox foot patches for ages but have always been a bit skeptical. I'm converted! I used these on Christmas Eve and woke up at 5.30 feeling extremely refreshed, before bouncing out of bed to do an early morning Bikram yoga class. Let me please note that this is not normal behaviour for me!

Phytocare Daily C: these are handy sachets of vitamin C powder sweetened with stevia and xylitol, perfect for people avoiding sugar. Very effective as a post-indulgence energy boost as I found over Christmas!

Bee Natural Lemon Myrtle Lip Balm: the summer heat is leaving my whole body parched, lips included. This is a lovely light balm with a fresh, subtle scent. It contains super-nourishing beeswax and macadamia oil.

Natralus Paw Paw Aloe Gel: I spent some gorgeous mornings at the beach over the holidays, Mettams Pool being my current favourite spot. Despite being slathered in factor 30 and sporting a very unsexy rashie top, the strong Aussie sun still managed to bake through and this gel proved a great skin soother.

From $12.75/mth plus shipping.

For more information on Native Box go to www.nativebox.com.au

What wellness treats did you find in your Christmas stocking this year?

Article by Karen, wannabe beach babe battling a serious case of shark fear!

Be well,

xoxo

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Beauty & Wellbeing Crushes: Healthy Frozen Treats, Blue Spirulina, Raw Skincare, Bali Delights & More!

Healthy frozen treats by Detoxinista

As the weather heats up I’ve been craving cooling foods and drinks, but on a sugar-and-dairy free diet reaching for the ice cream isn’t possible. So I’ve been on the lookout for some healthy alternatives and stumbled across a fantastic website with tons of inspiration – www.detoxinista.com

The website is packed with healthy, but indulgent and very yummy recipes. So far I’ve tried the frozen almond butter fudge, replacing the honey with liquid stevia (about 15-20 drops) and chocolate coconut milk ice cream, again with the liquid stevia replacement. Both are divine and don’t last long! They’re also really easy to make. I’ve varied the fudge with a tahini version (so yum) and also a macadamia nut butter option (see pic below). I also reinvented the ice cream into a citrus version, adding the juice and zest of half a lemon to the mix instead of the cacao.

Lifestream Spirulina Blue

I’ve reached the end of year with flagging energy levels so have been in need of a boost. Superfoods like spirulina are a great way to get some extra vitamins and minerals into your body in whole food, rather than synthetic, form. I’ve tried various spirulina powders, but they can be pretty unpalatable and I find that adding a scoop to a smoothie tends to overpower the other flavours. So these spirulina tablets are a great idea. Not only are they easy to consume, but the ‘blue’ version means they contain 50% more phytococyanin than other spirulinas, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Bali Love

I’ve recently returned from my second trip to Bali since moving to Perth, which again proved balm for the mind, body and soul. This time I stayed in East Bali at the gorgeous Alila Manggis. It was beautiful and peaceful, just what I needed, and I did very little other than relax by the pool and enjoy some blissful Balinese massages.

However I did take a day trip to my beloved Ubud for a bit of hustle-bustle, shopping and some raw food treats. I lunched at the Clear Café which has a fantastic and very varied menu with a mix of raw and cooked foods, including some fish options. I had the hummus trio with raw crackers which was delicious and very healthy.

Raw Essentials Skincare

I like to keep my skincare as natural as possible and this range is spot on. It’s also local, which I love, created just down the road in Fremantle. After the Bali holiday my skin was feeling quite dry and, well, a bit scaly!

The citrus body scrub, made with raw sugar and poppy seeds, has been really effective in smoothing things out again. I’ve also been using the light face cream which is packed with essential oils (like all products in the range) so it smells amazing and it’s a perfect lightweight but nourishing moisturiser for the summer. Since I’ve been using the face cream my skin feels really soft again.

Green Juice+Smoothie Combos

Trying to decide between a morning juice or smoothie, I’ve been experimenting with juice+smoothie combos. A ‘joothie’ maybe? Or a ‘Smuice’?? My current favourite is zucchini, broccoli and lemon juice with half an avocado blended into it. I’ve also created a thirst quencher with lemon juice and blended cucumber and avocado. The only downside is that you have to clean both the juicer and blender….

What are you crushing on at the moment? Leave a comment below to share the love!

Article by Karen, currently feeling very excited about the New Year and all the exciting wellness possibilities ahead!

Be well,

xoxo

Top 6 Vegan Beauty Products You’ll Love!

It can be tough to find delicious, natural body products that are kind to animals and the earth. Vegans may be stereotyped as unwashed hippies but this girly-girl likes to look and smell cute while she’s helping to save the world! It’s taken a lot of experimentation to find my favourites but here are my top six:

Lush – I love Juicy Shampoo, from $10.95

Remember when Lush were just about glittery bath bombs? Those sparkly balls of fun are still there, but now Lush also stock an incredible range of fresh, hand-made skin and body care clearly labelled ‘Vegan’. Thank you, Lush! This fun, fruity shampoo smells amazing and is packed with organic papaya, kiwi and citrus oils for beautiful shine.

Lush – Veganese Conditioner, from $13.95

This creamy conditioner kicks lanolin to the curb and uses agar seaweed gel to soften, and lavender and lemons to add shine. It’s perfect for fine hair like mine – adding moisture without weighing it down or becoming too greasy.

Lush – Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, $29.95

Chock full of creamy capuacu, brazil nut, shea and cocoa butters, this is the ultimate in deep, hydrating luxury. The fact that it makes your skin smell like roses in the sunshine is just a very happy bonus.

Kosmea Rosehip Oil, from $24.95

Incredibly rich and velvety, Australian owned, ethically sourced and 100% certified organic, this is bliss in a bottle. Best of all I started receiving compliments about my ‘glow’ from the end of the first week! Apply immediately after showering and allow it to absorb for a couple of minutes before applying eye cream, moisturiser and make-up. It’s perfect for night time application before bed too, but just be careful to protect your pillowslips because the rich colour can stain. Read about a rosehip ritual here for more rosehip goodness!

Joi Pure Recovery Eye Serum, $35.00

Enriched with natural anti-ageing ingredients like Argan Oil, Green Tea and Ginseng, I apply it twice a day and pop it into the fridge first if I feel like an extra treat. The cool creaminess is oh so soothing on your delicate eye area.

Lush – Ultrabalm, $7.90

As a former-Lucas’ Papaw Ointment addict, this all-purpose balm is my all-time, so-crazy-good, can’t-live-without-it favourite! First recommended to me by one of my blog readers when I mentioned my previous battles with eczema, I was hooked from the minute I first tried it and now never go anywhere without it. Great for dry hands, cracked heels, sunburnt lips and even under your make-up if your face is feeling particularly dry. Free from all of the nasty petrochemicals found in Lucas’ Papaw Ointment, it contains just three heavenly ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Candelilla Wax and Rose Wax.

Article by Rebecca, a self-confessed glitterbug and fruit addict. She is currently studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and writes about love, life, laughter and sparkly vegan adventures on her blog Vegan Sparkles!