by Annette @ Wellness WA | Apr 8, 2013 | Other
We are super, duper excited to bring to you this FANTASTIC competition, with $500 worth of prizes all up – one of our biggest yet! At Wellness WA we looooove the yummy goodness of almonds, and almond milk is one of our favourite dairy-alternatives, it can be a little time consuming to make from scratch though, so the clever people at Almond Breeze have taken the hard work out of all this & provide cartons of delicious all-natural, delicious almond milk to the people of Australia. Nice one guys, and the best part is that the Original & Unsweetened varieties retail between $2.80 – $3.29 in supermarkets, PLUS there's a new chocolate version coming soon, they're all vegan, nutritious, easy to digest, and the unsweetened version is suitable for diabetics. Winners!
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Almond Breeze and their gorgeous spokesperson, renowned Aussie nutritionist and all round cutie, Lola Berry, is a huge fan of almond milk & her fantastic book “The 20/20 Diet” is also part of the prize!
Okay, so here’s what’s up for grabs:
♥ A copy of Lola Berry’s (awesome) book “The 20/20 Diet” – I’ve personally read this and LOVED her down to earth style & yummy recipes!
♥ 1 carton of Original Almond Breeze
♥ 1 carton of Unsweetened Almond Breeze
♥ Almond Breeze mug
♥ Salt & vinegar almonds to snack on!
♥ An Almond Breeze beach towel
♥ A digital recipe book
For your chance to win, make sure you ‘like’ the Almond Breeze Facebook page, and leave a comment below letting us know your best idea for using almond milk! You can even link to a recipe if you want… be creative!
Winner will be drawn on 22nd April 2013, entry into the competition also opts you in to our e-newsletter! Full terms & conditions are available here.
Good luck!
Be well,
Annette
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Apr 5, 2013 | Events, Exercise
Welcome to another jam packed edition of Beauty & Wellbeing Crushes! This is seriously such a fun segment for me to put together, and I would love to hear from you if you have any crushes that you think we might like to check out!
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♥ Xtend Barre @ Sense of Space in Subiaco
Ok, where to start with this one! A friend and I are currently on a mission to become fitness babes by ramping up our exercise routine, and this was the first cab off the rank. After seeing videos of Xtend Barre online, we approached our post-Easter class with nervousness and excitement.
2 minutes into the warmup, huffing and puffing, we both looked at each other with a fearful smile, we wanted to ramp it up, and this is what we got. 60 minutes of leg toning, butt shaping, ab firming, bicep workin' goodness, all mixed with fun tunes, loads of variation and the promise that you'll feel it for the next few days (this is a good thing!). I can also tell you that not everyone is coordinated, not everyone is perfect at all the moves, and – no one is worried! You just do your best.
The instructor (Kavan) was really lovely and we'll be going back weekly to see if we can improve on our first attempt 😉 Check out Sense of Space online, they have loads of times available!
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♥ Hillary's Wellness Expo
Wellness lovers rejoice! The Hillarys Wellness Expo is back! It's a free event held this weekend at Hillarys Boat Harbour on Fri 5th, Sat 6th and Sun 7th April, and features a tribe of health and spiritual practitioners as well as stalls specialising in recycled, sustainable, natural and organic products. There's also a Mongolian yurt on site and many free children’s activities.
Exhibitors include psychics, intuitive midwives, psychosomatic therapists, crystal readings, meditation sessions, plus loads and loads of health stalls. If you're free this weekend make sure you check it out!
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♥ Organic Peppermint Tea
Ah peppermint tea, how I love you! Throw organic into the equation and we're verging on soulmates. A really interesting thing has happened… ever since I've started drinking peppermint tea and rosehip tea (not at the same time!) each day, my skin has become exceptionally clear. They're both touted as super skin loving drinks, so I'm going to keep up with this experiment of sorts and hopefully keep enjoying clearer skin.
Have you ever tried Xtend Barre? Have you found peppermint tea or rosehip tea to be great for your skin? I'd love to talk about this with you, so leave me a comment below!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
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by Annette @ Wellness WA | Apr 3, 2013 | Food, Recipes, Wellness Tips
I’m trying to improve my health through diet and exercise, it's easy enough to find recipes for healthy eating, my biggest problem so far has been snacks and sweet treats…
As part of my journey to healthier living, I recently purchased Janella Purcell’s Eating for the Seasons: Cooking for Health and Happiness
with the intention of introducing more wholefood options into my diet.
Janella Purcell is a Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist and Iridologist, she is “passionate about good food and feeling great.”
Bliss Balls are the first recipe from this book that I have made and they have quickly become a family favourite. They satisfy the sweet craving, providing a healthier option. Although I have to admit that they are very more-ish, it’s hard to stop at just one bliss ball.
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Bliss Balls – adapted from Eating for the Seasons: Cooking for Health and Happiness – Makes 24 balls
♥ 1 cup puffed rice
♥ 1/3 cup sesame seeds
♥ 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
♥ ½ cup desiccated coconut
♥ 1 cup mixed nuts; unsalted, chopped (I used almonds, pistachios and cashews)
♥ 1 cup dried fruit
♥ ½ cup tahini
♥ ¾ cup honey
♥ Sesame seeds or coconut to coat
How to
Put the seeds and nuts in the food processor blitz until chunky. Next blitz dried fruit.
Add seeds, nuts, fruit, rice and coconut in a bowl and mix together. Put ingredients in food processor and gradually add tahini and honey. Taste the mix and adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Using wet hands roll a tablespoon of the mixture into a ball. Coat balls in sesame seeds or coconut. Store in an airtight container.
I’m so happy with the results of this recipe, I’m going to try some variations and I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes from the book!
What are your favourite healthy sweet treats or snacks? Have you heard of Janella Purcell before? Leave a comment below! 🙂
Review by Megan – creating a new me with diet & exercise!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Apr 1, 2013 | Interviews
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
A yogi who had another life as a corporate tax manager for 15 years before deciding to pursue her dream of teaching yoga full time and then opening up a yoga studio – Bikram Yoga Victoria Park – to share her passion with more people in one space (with the support of her loving, ever-patient husband)!
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
As I have dry sensitive skin, morning routine is just cleansing with lukewarm water and Vanessa Megan Rosewater Spray. After a Bikram yoga session (either practicing or teaching), I would cleanse my skin with the Vanessa Megan Clementine Organic Foaming Cleanser. If the skin is feeling dehydrated, I will use the Vanessa Megan Jasmine Face Cream. I keep it simple as I am a busy person and don’t have much time for a long complicated routine.
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
I cannot do without a 6 weekly “Hydradermie” facial with Monika from Oxford Beauty Clinic, Leederville.
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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
A 6 monthly trim with Davina from Head Office, Perth CBD.
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Bio Oil when the skin is feeling extremely dehydrated after cleansing and instead of using my Vanessa Megan Face Cream, I use Bio Oil and leave it overnight. It does wonders for my skin tone and hydration.
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Doterra Peppermint and Wild Orange Lip Balm, blusher (Clinique) and Vanessa Megan Rose Spray.
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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Lots of fluids for hydration and Juice Plus (branded line of dietary supplements containing concentrated fruit and vegetable juice extracts fortified with added vitamins and nutrients.)
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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
Crossfit! For strength and endurance!
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
I have a muesli bar (or bircher muesli) for breakfast, Green or protein smoothies in between meals, a long black (coffee) every 2 – 3 days because I love the smell and taste of a good brewed coffee, nourishing lunch with (soupy) noodles + protein with vegetables and dinner is usually light – either a salad with loads of avocado, nuts and Danish feta cheese or with rice/quinoa. If i am extremely hungry (low in energy) – my meal will include more protein with steamed vegetables together with my avocado salad.
Other treats which I may have throughout a typical day could include savoury muffin or soup. I do also treat myself to the hot chips and sea salt with vinegar if my body craves it or eggs, spinach & bacon for weekend breakfast!
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
I am usually active every day with yoga as everyday will usually involve a yoga class to practice my yoga unless I am already teaching for the day.
I also try to do a personal home practice for 20 minutes + 20 minutes meditation 1x per week which is especially nurturing and centering for me during a busy week.
My new years resolution this year is to try Cross Fit so that I can balance out my yoga practice with new physical activities for additional strength building!
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
Acupuncture and as mentioned above Juice Plus. I find acupuncture very relaxing and balancing for me as I am a high energy individual and having an acupuncture treatment every fortnight helps me to slow down, relax and take a bit of down time for myself.
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
Movies with my husband or girlfriends (depending on the movie).
I do find the best way to de-stress is to have 1 hour to myself at the beach or get a Thai massage session in at Thai Thai Day Spa in Langford.
What do you think of Karen’s routine? If you have any questions or comments please leave them below! 🙂
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Mar 28, 2013 | Wellness Tips
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1. Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation
Have you noticed Michelle Bridges is everywhere at the moment? There’s good reason for it. This woman is making a big difference to waistlines around the country, including mine! I signed up for the 12 week body transformation program for $199 and I was not disappointed. A weekly meal plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner is on there with a snack suggestion list accessible on the site) with calorie details, exercise plan and shopping list is emailed to you on a Thursday to begin the next Monday. It took some discipline and hard work on my behalf too of course (as Michelle says, she can’t do the training for you), but over the Christmas period I still managed to finish with 2.5kg lost and 20cm gone from around my body. Meals like butter chicken (minus the butter, but just as tasty), nachos, pancakes and plenty of interesting salads were some of my favourites. It was thorough, inspiring, very well-thought out and I would recommend it to anyone who needs some direction and inspiration for their health and fitness.
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3. Zevia
The ingredient list of diet drinks is frightening and the sugar content of soft drinks is too high – but for those of you who can’t give the fizzy drop up, I have the answer. Zevia is a naturally sweetened (with stevia, a plant from the sunflower family) drink with zero calories. It comes in loads of yummy flavours (I like pink grapefruit and grape the best) and I found mine at the Subiaco Farmer Jacks (they stopped stocking it recently, but I’ve put in a request for it to return which they promised it would!) or PAWS in Northbridge. Try it!
4. Youngblood Lip Glosses
Ok, I love having bright matte lips like any gal around town at the moment but nothing screams summer like slightly pink, shiny lips – amirite? I love Youngblood’s lip gloss in “Devotion” which is a peachy pink with a hint of shimmer. Pucker up!
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5. Tulsi Sweet Rose Tea
I need something sweet after dinner. I know I shouldn’t and all the anti-sugarists will be shaking their heads and sighing at this, but I do and I like it! However, this new-to-me tea hits the spot without diving head first into a block of chocolate. Perfectly sweet, with a gorgeous rose flavour I just feel like a lady drinking it! Poured into my pink yummy mummy cup, there ain’t a better way to finish a lovely day. Available from most health food shops!
What are you crushing on this week? Share your current loves in the comments below! 🙂
Article by Lisa O’Neill, freelance writer, mama & sugar-free soft drink advocate!
Be well,
xoxo
