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Check out the upcoming Hillarys Wellness Expo weekend hosted at Hillarys Boat Harbour over the 27th, 28th and 29th of April, which is perfectly timed for post-Easter indulgence recovery!

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Hillarys Wellness Expo is a free biannual event divided into three branches including Spiritual and Emotional Wellbeing, Holistic Health and Wellness and Conscious Sustainable Living, inhabits a multitude of exhibitors, educators, health practitioners and performers.

There will be free activities, live music, yurts (!), meditation classes, exercise classes and so much more.

Get down to Hillary’s and amp up your wellness this weekend

Be well,

xoxo

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If you’re anything like me, the idea of heading to a spa retreat to completely renew and refresh yourself is high on the wish list. Personally, I’ve never been able to afford the blissful few days of complete relaxation and healthy, gourmet food & technology switch off (I don’t know if I could handle the last part!), but it is a dream of mine to one day be able to go to a health retreat a few times a year to reboot myself.

Which is why I’m so excited that Gwinganna, the holy grail of health retreats in Australia, have decided to come say hi to us WA folk for the first time and present a special wellness event in May – ‘Food, Stress and You‘!

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This inspiring wellness seminar will help you understand more about real food, the way we eat, stress and the factors that really affect your ability to maintain or to lose body fat. Featuring Gwinganna’s nutritionist Caroline Scott, you will leave with invaluable information, tips and the latest research on healthy eating.

♥ When: Thursday 24 May, 6.00-7.45pm
♥ Where: Hyatt Regency Perth
♥ How much: $40 per person and includes: a Gwinganna organic snack plus a selection of herbal and black teas. Book online www.gwinganna.com

The lifestyle seminars are a key component of the retreat’s innovative programs. “Guests constantly tell us the information provided in the seminars is invaluable. Part of our mission is to provide relevant take-home content that helps balance out a busy lifestyle” said General Manager, Sharon Kolkka.

This will be a really special event and tickets are selling fast! I’ve heard rumours of a goodie bag too, which can only be a positive thing

If you need some help coping with stress, and want to take a look at how food can help you get there, then this event is unmissable.

Let me know if you’re thinking of coming in the comments below!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

This is a sponsored post, but my passion for Gwinganna is 100% non-sponsored! .

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

In a nutshell? I am extremely passionate about holistic health and living well. I am also a huge foodie and have a passion for healthy cooking and baking. I am currently studying for my Master of Wellness at RMIT University.

♥ Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser!

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

When it comes to skincare I try to use natural and organic whenever possible. I cleanse & tone daily with Paula’s Choice one step face cleanser and healthy skin refreshing toner (colour & fragrance free). I use Lush’s Angels On Bare Skin as my daily exfoliant.

♥ Korres

I’m also a huge fan of Korres (natural & certified organic Greek skincare brand) and am currently using the moisturiser, serum and mask from their Wild Rose skincare range. Korres available from StrawberryNET and Kit Cosmetics.

I’ve just started using Sukin Organic products on my body and hair. They use cold-pressed, solvent free oils, essential oils and 100% natural botanical extracts and their products smell great!

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I always have to have painted nails, so I give myself weekly manicures!

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

Jo at Raven Hair Design in Bicton. She’s an amazing hairdresser and is so passionate about her work.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Coconut oil as a hair mask and also eating healthy fats for glowing skin. Healthy fats are the natural fats found in avocado, chia seeds and wild caught salmon, high in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids.

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

Coconut oil (I use the NiuLife brand), Korres wild rose 24-H moisturizing brightening cream, Lush Angels On Bare Skin.

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Food is the bodies’ best medicine! Looking good starts from the inside out.

Eat SLOW! Seasonal, Locally produced with lots of colour and variety, Organic, Whole, fresh and with minimal processing.

Stay away from the white stuff (white pasta, white rice, white bread, sugar) and limit alcohol consumption.

Always remove makeup before bed & don’t wear foundation!

♥ Sodashi

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

Sodashi skincare, a hot stone massage, reformer Pilates, a juice detox, a raw food ‘cooking’ class, so many!!!

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Breakfast: Organic full fat yoghurt (Barambah is my fav) with banana or blueberries, bee pollen & home made muesli (rolled oats, quinoa flakes, chia seeds, almonds, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, shredded coconut) or Eggs (scrambled or poached) with veggies and greens.

Lunch: A massive green salad full of protein and good fats or nori wraps! At the moment i’m loving kale/spinach, a hard boiled egg, edamame beans, roma tomatoes, avocado, herbs from my garden, goats feta, pumpkin seeds & basil pesto.

Dinner: If I’m home it’s usually salmon with steamed/baked veggies or cumin baked sweet potato fries.

Snacks: Fruit, organic nut butter, almonds, green smoothies.

Drinks: Water, green tea, herbal teas.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I exercise 5-6 x a week. I like to mix it up between cardio (RPM, boxing, Jacobs ladder), weight training and flexibility (yoga, body balance).

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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I start each day with a green drink to help detox and alkalinize the body. At the moment I’m trialing Extreme Superfoods Green Smoothie Booster. I also take fish oil, vitamin c, and magnesium supplements daily.

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Meditation, getting a massage, catching up with friends, baking, watching a funny movie!

Kavisha will be sharing her in-depth knowledge of all things wellness with us a couple of times a month! We love her, and you will too. If you have any questions about her routine, please comment below

Be well,

xoxo

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I’ve read a lot of self-help books. They’re a not-so-secret pleasure of mine and I think they’re entirely under rated. I know a lot of people will march past the self-development section of the bookstore and laugh with scorn at the thought of guided self-improvement, but I’m pretty sure that when no one else is looking they tip-toe back and take a peek. And that’s okay.

It takes guts to admit that areas of your life need improving. So when you’re ready to take the leap, I’ll be waiting with a gold star for you. If you’re not quite there yet, then hear me out. Some self-help books are fluffy, self-indulgent tripe, but some are helpful at helping you pinpoint your erroneous zones with a powerful yet accessible message to get you back on that horse to Awesomeville. When Happiness Is Not Enough is one of the latter.

♥ Pleasure… or satisfaction? Definitely satisfaction!

One of the most important ideas author and psychologist Chris Skellett addresses first, is that we often think of pleasure and satisfaction as interchangeable. Do we take pleasure in our work? I’m sure many people do, but generally, we feel satisfied after a hard day’s work. I feel satisfied after I’ve spent an hour at the gym. But do I feel pleasure whilst I’m pounding the treadmill? Hell no!

Pleasure is short term, satisfaction is long term. And we need an equal balance of both. Even when I was reading the book, I had a goal in mind. Usually when I sit down to read a book, I try to get through 30 pages in one sitting rather than just enjoying the simple act of reading. Crazy, right? It’s much the same with other leisure activities, and I don’t believe I’m alone here. Overachievers will work hard, and play even harder. I really began to wonder if I actually enjoyed my hobbies.

When Happiness Is Not Enough shows you how the Pleasure/Achievement principle can be applied to all areas of your life, from work, to relationships, to family, to how to get the most out of leisure time. With equal emphasis on over-achievers and under-achievers, I found this book best read with small reflective breaks in between chapters to complete activities. If you feel like it’s high time you took your foot off the accelerator (or time to put your foot back on it), give this book a chance.

When Happiness Is Not Enough by Chris Skellett. Available from Amazon.com

Review by Camilla Peffer, Curator of Cunning Copy.

Be well,

xoxo