♥ No beaches like this in London!

When a chance meeting on holiday in Perth led to a surprise job offer, I found myself packing my bags and taking the plunge into a brand new life. And, I hoped, a much healthier one. Years spent in the hustle-bustle of London, with a stressful job and too many after-work drinks had taken their toll. Turns out that the City of Lights was just what I needed to revive my weary body and soul. So I wanted to share a little of my journey to wellness since arriving in Perth…

♥ Jacobs Ladder

♥ Kings Park

My first home in Perth was nestled at the foot of Kings Park and I was soon blown away by its beauty. I eagerly ventured out for a run, feeling a touch smug that I was out exercising at 7am…..this soon evaporated when I realised how many people had already run the gauntlet of Jacob’s Ladder by that time!

Since that first visit, magical Kings Park has been a consistent source of joy. One of my all time favourite things is a swim in the rooftop pool in the park, gazing out onto the trees…bliss.

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♥ Subi Farmers Market

A stroll round Subi Farmers Market for a fresh juice and organic veggies is my treasured Saturday morning ritual. It never fails to restore me after the working week, awakening my senses with all the yummy tastes on offer, from the healthy to decadent – with my favourite raw chocolate stall combining both elements beautifully.

The buzz of people easing into their weekend is wonderful and I love connecting with local producers with a real passion for what they do. Gorgeous!

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♥ Innate Wisdom Wellness Centre

One thing that struck me as a Perth newbie was how many people here see a chiropractor. Intrigued, and spurred on by my tense ‘desk jockey’ shoulders, I ventured into Innate Wisdom. They use a very gentle technique called Network Spinal Analysis – no cracking!

It’s been truly amazing. The long held tensions in my body are melting away, but it’s the emotional release that’s been totally mind blowing. I can’t thank the team enough for their skill and care.

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♥ ‘Down South’

Oh my! When I had my first taste of the Margaret River region I thought I’d stumbled on paradise. Since then I’ve been ‘down south’ at every opportunity and it always uplifts me.
The relaxed vibe is so appealing, as well as the many opportunities for pampering – manna for a spa addict like me! Favourites are Empire with its Sodashi spa and Merribrook which has beautiful grounds and a lovely swimming pool.

Of course there’s the obvious pull towards gluttony, with edible and quaffable temptations at every turn, but a little of what you fancy is good for you, non? Especially if it’s from the fabulous Cullens biodynamic winery…

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♥ Kitty Campion at the Perth Natural Medical Clinic

As with chiro, naturopathy seems more prevalent over here, so after seeing Kitty Campion give a talk on the mind-body connection I decided to give it a go. Kitty is an experienced medical herbalist and practices many other therapies including iridology, sound and light healing, bioresonance, and Reiki. Put simply, she’s an all round natural health superstar.
It’s fair to say that when I first saw Kitty I was more than a little ‘toxic’. But no more! My eyes sparkle, my skin glows and I have a definite spring in my step. We are very lucky to have Kitty in Perth!

What would your top 5 wellness tips for Perth newbies be? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Article by Karen Miller, Perth newbie & loving it!

Be well,

xoxo

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When I heard about the latest decadent offering from Cove Spa, the Gem Inspiration Massage, I knew we were going to become well acquainted. Before I delve into the review though, I need to issue you an important warning:

Ideally you’re going to want someone to chauffeur you home afterwards, so you can continue enjoying the deep state of relaxation that will inevitably envelop you throughout this spa journey. If you have to drive yourself home, as I did- breaking my own above rule, you’ll be amazed at your new-found tolerance for bad traffic, terrible drivers and long waits at traffic lights!

Beautiful flowers in a garden next to Cove Spa 🙂

Locker with gown, shoes and choccie, to store your items in.

The Gem Inspiration Massage has its roots firmly grounded in all things healing and spiritual. As the name suggests, if you’re after some inspiration, this is the perfect place to start.

♥ Chakras – the purpose of this massage is to bring your chakras (7 energy wheels of the body) into balance, as an imbalance is said to cause mental and physical disease, as well as impaired wellbeing, eek!

♥ Choose your own adventure – I’m a giant big fan of customisable treatments, the ‘just for you’ vibe is pretty special, knowing you’re not getting the same treatment as every other person who comes in is a good feeling! I was asked to choose which round JOYA gemstone I most connected with (I chose amethyst for stress relief) and was also given the choice between scented or unscented oil (scented please!) and THEN given the chance to smell three different oil blends (I picked the meditation scent, mmm). Three customisable elements = three big ticks.

Choices, choices!

♥ The massage starts with deep inhalations of the meditation oil, which instantly calms me and sets the mood for whats to come. Throughout the massage, more gems are placed in my hands and between my toes, which is hopefully providing even more body balancing action!

♥ One thing to note about this massage is that it includes chest and stomach massage since the heart chakra is located there. Yup, you will be baring all for the therapist. If the idea of this makes you uncomfortable, just let your therapist know and she will focus on another area instead, but if you’re just a little nervous about it then why not throw your fears to the wayside and embrace doing something a little different?

♥ While I enjoyed the whole experience, the best part was the totally unique experience of the round silky gems being rolled and massaged across my body. If you can marry a massage, with the creamy smoothness of a Lindt lindor ball dissolving in your mouth, then that comes close to describing the amazing feeling.

Even more choices, a beautiful touch 🙂

♥ The last little treat was to be found in the form of some Louise L Hay “power cards”. I was asked to choose a card at random, which would then have an affirmation on it which would hopefully relate to my life! It did 😉

♥ The 90 minutes slipped by far too quickly and I was left wishing that the massage table was, in fact, a portal to another world (my own cozy bed). If a box of Lindt balls was to magically appear next to my bed too, well that would have been just perfect.

My massage was performed by Kate, one of the head massage therapists at Cove Spa, and I highly recommend her.

Cup o tea?

Waiting room @ Cove Spa.

Info

Gem Inspiration Massage is $175 for 90 minutes

Address: 47 Tate Street, South Perth, Western Australia 6151
Ph: 08 9367 1877
Web: Cove Spa

What do you think? Could you do with some chocolatey-esque crystals being massaged across your body?

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Have you ever paid big bucks for a facial? I have. I have also laid there during said facial and thought to myself, “hmm cleanse, tone, moisturise, mask… pretty sure I do this myself each week for a fraction of the cost” immediately after having that thought, the beautician is turning up the lights and asking you to meet her in the foyer for payment. Facial over.

Yup, it’s a common occurrence, and the main reason I stopped getting facials on a regular basis. With all the amazing products out there, why would I pay someone else to do it for me? Enter Guinot. A luxury skincare range hailing from France, Guinot facials are certified vegan and only practiced by trained therapists. Guinot is a professional range and can only be sold within salons, which definitely means I wouldn’t be able to do it myself at home!

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Recently I had the opportunity to receive Guinot’s Signature Hydradermie Facial, at the beautiful Light Aesthetics Skin and Body Clinic in Southern River. Owner/manager Erin administered my Guinot facial and talked me through the process as we went along. Erin explained to me that the Hydradermie facial was a favourite among clients as it really penetrates deep into the skin, creating long lasting results that you can really see.

Here’s Bay Area (Cali!) esthetician Sarah Jane of Advanced Beauty Care using the rollers during the galvanic part of the Guinot facial

While Erin was talking she had placed plant based gels onto my skin which would assist with calming the sensitivity and dehydration that I struggle with. To really assist the gels absorption, Erin uses a galvanic current which passes into the skin through rollers that are moved all over the face and neck. Yes, rollers were used. For me this was the highlight of the Guinot Hydradermie facial, as the rollers omit a subtle current which makes the body tingle just a tad and really cements the feeling that you are receiving a thorough facial.

After a round with the rollers Erin uses a glass probe on my skin which omits high frequency, oxygenating my skin and zapping any unwanted blemishes.

By now I have been in the salon for close to an hour. I really have swallowed my facial pride and I decided that I can definitely justify the $110 a month for this facial. Just when I think it can’t get any better, the Hydradermie facial finishes with a customised mask and a relaxing massage. Sigh.

Swanning out to the foyer I wanted to hug Erin for giving me comfortable and amazingly hydrated skin, something I never get to feel. I was also lucky enough to be sent home with a little care pack of follow up Guinot products which I am still using as I write this.

My facial snobbery now something of the past, I feel I can highly recommend the Guinot range of facials which can be customised to your every need. If you live South of the river, pop out to see Erin and her team for a truly relaxing treat.

What about you readers, do you like to give your self at home facials? Does the Guinot range sound like it could help your skin care needs?

Review by Jacqui, blogger, makeup artist and Guinot facial convert!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Being on my version of the Earth Diet Challenge: 365 days sugar free, preservative free, MSG free, artificial anything free, I’ve been looking at different ways of preparing food.

About two years ago I was at my diet was 100% raw and I felt absolutely amazing. I had recently been diagnosed with Graves Disease and the medication wasn’t working fast enough and so my specialist recommended removing my thyroid. Things go a little out of control without a thyroid as I soon discovered. I was tired, foggy and if that wasn’t enough I gained 10 kilos in 8 weeks! I ‘discovered’ the raw food diet on a google search and I seriously never felt better.

However as with most things, as I started feeling better the motivation to stay 100% raw diminished, as did my feeling great. Funny that.

I eat fairly well these days, and as I said earlier I committed to the Earth Diet Challenge 56 days ago now and was looking for new ways to prepare my food when along came a 2 for 1 offer to attend a raw food class so how could I say no to that?

I arrived to Michelle’s class and joined the other 10 ladies that were there, her classes are held at the back of her home in a gorgeous room with plenty of natural light.

Michelle started off by telling us about her story, her past health problems and where she gets her passion for raw foods. The best thing was she was totally upfront with all of us and admitted that she wasn’t perfect, not only was she not perfect but she had eaten a Krispy Kreme doughnut recently! Talk about making people feel at ease.

The other great thing about Michelle is there was no “all or nothing” approach. I’ve found that a lot of people who say they’re interested in your health have a belief that their way is the only way and they can be quite painful to deal with.

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She went through a dazzling array of equipment that she uses, but was quick to point out that we could start with just the basics of a blender and food processor, knife and cutting board.

♥ Michelle making a green smoothie, check out that glowing skin!

We then progressed to the food, and oh my goodness what a great way to convert people while educating them.

We started off with two different green smoothies, followed by Buckwheat Crispies, Cacao Crispies, Almond Museli, cinnamon gRAWnola and Walnut and Goji Crumble. And just in case there was a chance that we might be able to walk out the door rather than be rolled she then gave us Almond and Chia Porridge followed by my favourite, The Big Brekky! Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Guacamole on Sprouted Toast.

♥ Ingredients for the Buckwheat Crispies

♥ Some various raw food products

♥ The yummy looking tomatoes and mushrooms!

All this was made in front of us showing us just how easy it is to add more raw into your diet and how simple it can actually be to put it all together with no experience at all.

The price ($135) included all the above plus handouts with information on where you can get your nutrients on a high raw diet as well as equipment, methods, kitchen cupboard staples as well as resources to find all the above.

Best of all she gave us the recipes to all the food we sampled as well as a few more smoothie ideas.

Where: Hamilton Hill
What: Raw Food Classes
How much: Generally around $135 for 3 hours learning to prepare (and be filled up on!) fabulous raw foods
Website: www.foodinthenude.com.au
Email: michelle@foodinthenude.com.au

Reviewed by Chizelle S Salter, writer, extreme self-love expert and hostess of Chizelle TV.

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There are moments in our life when we feel truly inspired; following a challenging yoga session, after finishing reality TV shows like the X-Factor or The Renovators (as we start shifting our furniture whilst belting out Adele songs), when we receive genuine, full-face-smile inducing compliments or for some, simply after we finish a very strong coffee resulting in creativity and inspiration literally buzzing through our veins. Eating at Samudra; an organic, sustainable and vegetarian café nestled in the heart of Dunsborough, is now listed as one of my inspiring moments.

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The moment my Tony Bianco boots crunched the gravel path and I breathed in the fresh sea-breeze all thoughts of university essays and the Samantha Wills necklace I’d just lusted after in a shop window peacefully retreated from my brain. I was ready to convert to a Birkinstock wearing, yoga practicing, hippie vegetarian. Accompanied by my lamb-loving fiancé, we weaved through the mass of large, natural wood tables and settled at a table perched on the grass, soaking up some indecisive September sun.

The inspiration began to emerge as my eyes flittered across the pages of the menu in excitement, lamb-lover not quite as enticed, pointing to the safest option Superhero Avo Sandwich- Yallingup Woodfired Sourdough topped w/ cashew cheese, tomato, avocado & alfalfa sprouts. I added to the order the Kombi Breakdown, gluten free – A flavour explosion of cumin, coriander, cardamon, clove and one of our favourite superfoods – tumeric, served w/ quinoa and the Feel-good falafels- raw- gluten free- Delicious Egyptian-style falafel balls made with carrots, sunflower seeds & aromatic spices, cumin & caraway seed, served w/ handcrafted sunflower seed aioli and couldn’t resist the Super Green Smoothie- Pear, apple, lemon, orange & kale.

Inside Samudra ♥

Gazing around the Samudra landscape, from the organic eco garden where the chefs source the majority of their produce to the timber decked café area, I realized I could keep my boots on as you did not need to have dreadlocks or favor hemp t-shirts to eat here (my apologies for the stereotyping, although a woman who obviously forgot to wear shoes or brush her hair resulting in long dreadlocks was purchasing an organic chocolate macaroon when I was paying at the end…. just saying!). There was a unique display of customers; from the tourists flaunting jeans with sport shoes (true tourist attire) looking slightly anxious reading the menu, to the couple sitting behind us loudly debating spirituality and money. Whether they came to The Kombi café for it’s genuine passion to inspire and nurture their guests by providing sustainable, organic, biodynamic meals or if they were there just because the line at the local Dome was hideously long, the air thick with relaxation and serenity was beginning to work it’s magic on their minds and stomachs!

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As our order was placed on the table my inspiration levels heightened yet again. The smell, the colours and the delicate plating was enough to demand any carnivores attention (bringing their thoughts back from daydreams about sausage rolls and meat pies from the local bakery). The simple but favourite combination of tomato, avocado and ‘cheese’ (a cashew cheese alternative) was not a let down and the toasted sourdough provided the perfect foundation for these tasty flavors.

The falafel are one of the best I’ve tried, the dense balls just oozing good-for-you-ness, full of spices and nuts and resting on top of a sunflower seed aioli. The dhal with vegetables was served with quinoa was creamy with a noticeable heat hit and very very moreish. I would be a happy woman if I could eat a bowl of their Dhal each week night whilst catching up on Kids Masterchef, perhaps with a sneaky red wine which I’m not sure would be Samudra approved. My smoothie was a vibrant green colour and it was difficult to refrain from drinking as my fiancé tried to capture the perfect picture of it, however in the end I gave in and gulped down the thick and delicious concotion. Just like the rest of Samudra’s delights it tasted like wellness and health, delectable.

Empty plates!

If you are ever in Dunsborough and have worked up an appetite perusing the streets (in the process realizing you desperately needed several new scented candles, new bathers and of course you needed another decorative elephant statue) I would definitely recommend relaxing and filling your stomach at Samudra. You know they have your health and wellbeing at heart, their recipes are constructed with passion and knowledge with ingredients sourced from the garden, available also for your exploring pleasure. As my boots crunched the gravel during my (reluctant) exit from Samudra, my body and mind healthy and light, I felt inspired to recreate my meals with similar ingredients and love. When we know how beneficial the ingredients that go into your meals are for our mind, body and spirit it’s easy to devour everything on your plate (and still purchase a goji berry bliss ball for the road). So how would I describe my experience at Samudra overall? Well it was absolutely dhal-icious 🙂

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Address:

226 Naturaliste Terrace
Dunsborough WA 6281

Web: http://www.samudra.com.au

Article by Jade Jurewicz, inspiration by Samudra. You can find Jade’s blog over @ http://jadescinnamon.tumblr.com

Be well,

xoxo