by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 11, 2013 | Dining, Food, Yoga
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One of my favourite things to do is to get a whole stack of health & fitness magazines and spend the evening poring through them, making notes on ideas for Wellness WA articles. Wellness nerd! š
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A super kind card from my friend Haley from Peachy Clean Organic Beauty Boutique when I was feeling stressed! You get one of these cuties every time you make an order and I’m slowly adding to my collection, hopefully one day I’ll have them all! š
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After hearing many raves about the Artisana products from American health bloggers, I was thrilled to see this at the Subiaco Farmers Market a few weeks ago. It’s very sweet and a lot different to pure coconut oil, it has the coconut flesh mixed in too. Very yummy and decadent – a sometimes treat!
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Another farmers market find! A 6 day old baby lamb (it looks so much like a goat!). This poor babe had been abandoned by it’s mama and adopted by human parents. What a sweet heart!
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A really easy and yummy salad I threw together, chopped spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, quinoa & sesame seeds. I probably put a drizzle of olive on too. YUM! + fresh orange for dessert.
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Hooray for Amazon
orders! I picked up (L-R):
♥ Tamal Dodge’s Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners (2 classes, 1 easier, 1 stronger): I really like this class and instructor, he has a very soothing voice. I finish the classes feeling great and stretched out. Slightly challenging but not too hard!
♥ Crunch Candelight Yoga with Sara Ivanhoe – this is my favourite of the three! It’s suitable for all beginners and is a very gentle and restorative practice with variations for different skill levels. There’s also a bonus 15 minute energising routine included Highly recommended, and it’s only $6.36 on Amazon!
♥ Yoga for Stress Relief – this DVD has over 20 sequences to choose from. It is very heavily focused on calming breathing and slow movements. If you have injuries, are very stressed out or are not looking for any kind of workout from your yoga, then this will be a good one for you.
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Here’s a healthy crumble I whipped up in a jiffy. A large tin of pears (preferably in juice, not syrup), half a cup of frozen mixed berries, some steel cut oats, crushed walnuts, cinnamon, wheatgerm & flaxseed meal. Baked for about 20 minutes at 180 (or til the top starts to look golden). Serve with greek yoghurt & some extra cinnamon if desired. So quick, easy, tasty & healthy š
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My final crush for this week is this outstanding vegetarian gnocchi with semi sun dried tomatoes, rocket & parmesan from The Trustee on St Georges Terrace. Absolutely divine. At about $32 for the above size, it’s not your everyday lunch meal, but for a treat I can highly recommend it. I’m dreaming of going back now!
Let me know what your week of wellness consisted of in the comments below! š Looking forward to hearing from you!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 9, 2013 | Products, Reviews
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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 sheās helping to save the world! Itās 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 āVeganā. Thank you, Lush! This fun, fruity shampoo smells amazing and is packed with organic papaya, kiwi and citrus oils for beautiful shine.
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♥ 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. Itās perfect for fine hair like mine ā adding moisture without weighing it down or becoming too greasy.
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♥ Lush – Roās 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.
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♥ 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 āglowā 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. Itās 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!
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♥ 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.
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♥ Lush – Ultrabalm, $7.90
As a former-Lucasā Papaw Ointment addict, this all-purpose balm is my all-time, so-crazy-good, canāt-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 Lucasā 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!
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 7, 2013 | Food, Products, Reviews
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♥ Hemp Seeds
Oh, my loves! Where have you honestly been all my life?
For some reason chia seeds donāt really agree with me, Iāve tried many times with little success ā they seem to make me feel really spaced out. So Iāve been wondering for a long time how to boost my omega 3 intake in salads and smoothies, and hemp seeds have turned out to be the answer!
These creamy little new friends of mine are actually not approved for consumption within Australia ā even though they are everywhere else in the world. Over here theyāre sold for alternative uses, such as skincare, but they are food quality and perfectly safe and delicious to eat (they contain none of the chemicals that get you “high”, and are actually a different strain of hemp plant to marijuana).
Iāve been having mine in smoothies, on salads, on frozen blueberries with cinnamon and even just eating them off the spoon. They are delicious and supposed to be very good for you. Iām a convert!
Purchased from Health Kick in the CBD, $17.95 for 250gm, or you can purchase online here, at the Hemp Foods online store.
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♥ Rice Milk
Another a-ha moment I recently had was that soy milk makes me feel sick. As a vegetarian for 10 years I was pretty shocked that it took me this long to zone in on the fact that every time I made a soy smoothie or drank a cup of soy milk, I got a stomach ache, a headache and generally felt exceptionally average.
Only once I started experimenting with rice milk in my smoothies instead over the past few weeks, did I notice that āWow, I donāt feel horrible after I drink this! Maybe soy doesnāt love me?ā A pretty slow revelation indeed, but Iām really happy to have finally figured it out and switched to something that will fuel me and make me feel great. Yay!
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♥ Vanessa Megan Essential Blend Spray
This stuff is amazing! My lovely friend Haley from Peachy Clean Organic Beauty sent me a bottle when I was feeling down and I havenāt stopped using it since. The scent is SO calming and delicious at the same time, itās got a kind of gingerbread mixed with musk scent and I love it. I spray it all around the house, on my yoga mat before I practice, when Iām feeling uptight, on my clothes before I go out if I want a light and lovely perfume, on my bed before I read thereā¦ the list goes on!
Available for $30 from Peachy Clean.
Iād absolutely love to hear what youāre crushing on right now, so please share your crushes below! š
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 4, 2013 | Alternative Therapy, Food, Products, Reviews
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♥ Cinnamon
If someone held my spice rack hostage and said I could only choose to save one spice, itād definitely be cinnamon! Lately Iāve been using outrageous quantities of it in at least one meal a day.
Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels and is a killer source of manganese, which is an important mineral for maintaining healthy bones.
Five ways Iāve been adding cinnamon to my diet:
♥ In greek yoghurt mixed with blueberries
♥ In coffee with a little bit of stevia
♥ In my daily green smoothie (along with cayenne pepper and ginger for a real kick up the bum in the morning!)
♥ Sprinkled on cubed pumpkin or sweet potato along with Himalayan rock salt, roasted
♥ In my banancakes (see below!)
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♥ Banancakes
I love pancakes on lazy Sunday mornings, but unfortunately theyāre a āsometimes foodā. I canāt even describe how thrilled I was to stumble across a āpancakeā recipe with two ingredients ā banana and eggs – and then to discover it tasted like banana breadā¦!!!!
After my first shot at making these banana-y pancakey gems, I christened them āBanancakesā. If youāre sceptical, I urge you to try these out because they are the best thing since sliced [banana] bread.
Gemmaās Banancakes
Ingredients:
♥ One medium banana
♥ Two whole, organic, free-range eggs
♥ Cinnamon!!
Method:
In a blender, whiz up the eggs until theyāre frothy. Slice up the banana and add it in with a hefty pinch of cinnamon until you end up with a smooth ābatterā.
Grease a frying pan with some coconut oil and pour the mixture on ā smaller pikelets are easier to flip! Keep the heat on low-medium (the sugar in the banana caramelises and therefore these babies burn easily). Just like pancakes, flip the banancakes when you see little bubbles on the surface. Cook on the reverse side until they donāt feel squishy to touch ā itās about five minutes on each side.
Theyāre fairly moist so they donāt need any accompaniments, but they are delicious with a drizzle of organic maple syrup.
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♥ T2 Tummy Tea
This tea has helped me curb my coffee and hot chocolate addiction and up my water intake. With peppermint leaves, liquorice root, fennel seeds and calendula petals, Tummy Tea starts off refreshingly minty and ends delightfully sweet (thanks to the liquorice root). It makes for a perfect brew after a meal or snack, aiding with digestion and the sweetness tends to trick my mind into thinking Iām having dessert! Tummy Tea is sugar and caffeine-free and has been taking pride of place next to my kettle since the start of the year.
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♥ MooGoo 3 Vitamins Eye Serum
The three vitamins in the MooGoo 3 Vitamins Eye Serum are vitamins E and C (antioxidants to prevent aging) and B5 (to soothe the skin). The base is a blend of jojoba and olive oils so the product is very moisturising and you only need a little bit to go a long way.
Iāve been using this serum morning and night and have found my under-eye concealer goes on smoother now, and my dryness is improving! Iāve experienced no irritation and so far Iām impressed with how well it absorbs ā even though itās an oil, it doesnāt sit on the skinās surface for ages, meaning you can apply it for daywear without waiting for the stuff to sink in! RRP $24.90
By Gemma Clark, who would be devastated if someone actually took her spice rack hostage.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 2, 2013 | Interviews
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
Iām a Perth girl at heart now living in Sydney. Growing up in City Beach and going to St Maryās, I had and still have a natural love of being outdoors, and keeping fit & healthy.
Just over a year ago, I launched an online store called Relauncher, which is all things health, beauty, lifestyle & wellbeing; with an organic & eco-friendly focus. The business is about helping people be their best, ārelaunching themselvesā ā via items from the store, as well as being inspired & motivated via the blog and social media outlets.
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
I start each day with a warm water drink including, chopped ginger, Coconut Magic coconut oil & freshly squeezed lemon juice. I think of this as part of my beauty routine because itās a great all-over detox which my skin definitely benefits from.
I also dry body brush everyday with a Bodecare brush ā this gets my circulation pumping, along with removing dead skin cells. Itās the same brand that Miranda Kerr uses and talks about on her blog.
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
Iāve just been to Bali and have been luxing out on the massages.
Iām going to make a point of having them more often now Iām back in Sydney. My favourite place for massages is The Beauty Bar in Erskineville, NSW. They are tucked away, and unless someone has referred you to them you probably wouldnāt know about them. Itās one of those places I refer to as a āhidden gemā.
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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
I live in Sydney, so I havenāt had my hair cut / coloured in Perth for years.
In saying that, I was recently in Perth for my school reunion & had my hair done at The Blowdry Bar in Murray St, Perth.
The Blowdry Bar only recently opened in August, and I can highly recommend them if youāre wanting your hair done before going out, (they also give you a glass of bubbly). For $40, itās money well spent.
♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Coconut Magic coconut oil, I canāt get enough of it. Itās such a versatile product ā everyone should have 2 jars. 1 for the kitchen and 1 for the bathroom.
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Dry Body Brush ā my skin has never felt so good after daily body brushing. Ideal for improving circulation, exfoliating and evening out fatty deposits & cellulite (especially on your thighs & bum!)
Clear Bag Liner ā itās a stylish way to stay organised. I keep all my important bits & pieces in this and transfer the liner between bags. It was also great for travelling while I was recently in Bali!
Yoga Mat Bag ā I recently imported these yoga bags from New York. They carry like a yoga bag, store like a gym bag with all the amazing pockets and can also hang like a garment bag. I love slinging it over my shoulders then riding to yoga ā so easy and versatile.
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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Exercise & Nutrition ā I know so many people say this, but itās the truth. Increasing blood circulation, stretching muscles and clean eating is the way to go.
Sleep ā I try to get 7hrs a night. Without it, hmmm ā not coping so wellā¦
Family & Friendships ā although I like a little alone time, Iām far more a people person. Itās all about the chatting, nattering & giggles.
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)
Itās got to be the trapeze. Iām completely scared of heights ā it makes me feel sick, dizzy and unbalanced.
Thereās a trapeze school not far from where I live and Iām daring myself to give it a go. Now Iāve just put it in writing, Iāve just committed myself. Iāll have to find someone to come along with me nowā¦.
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
I start each day with a warm water drink (including chopped ginger, Coconut Magic coconut oil & lemon juice).
Breakfast ā either an omelette or sugar-free muesli.
Lunch ā usually a few Vita-Weats with either tuna / salmon and a HUGE amount of salad ā including mint, spinach, coriander, basil, avocado, beetroot, with lemon juice squeezed over the top & activated nuts.
I then always have either some home-made cacao balls / chocolate nut cake / raw pecan pie (something sweet that has been made with cacao powder & coconut oil). Most of the recipes can be found here!
Dinner ā includes protein & greens.
Overall, I donāt add sugar to my diet and stick with eating less than 7g/100g of sugar when looking at the nutritional panel. I also exclude gluten where possible, eat a large amount of greens, superfoods & steer clear of processed foods.
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
I rotate my fitness routine every 3 months to keep it interesting.
At the moment itās yoga, pilates, zumba and lots of walking.
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I love alternative therapies. Recently I tried Shirodhara ā an Ayurvedic treatment where 1L of warmed pure sesame oil is poured on your 3rd eye (centre of your forehead). It promotes better sleep, reduced stress & removal of toxins. Bliss āŗ (Ed: If you’re looking for my top tip for an Ayurvedic doctor in Sydney, make sure you check out Yatan Holistic Ayurvedic Centre).
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
I find yoga and pilates relaxing. When Iām stressed and busy, these forms of exercise allows my to centre on the present. A great form of Sadhana (self-enrichment).
Thanks so much to Alison for taking the time to fill out this routine, hopefully you’ve found it inspiring! If you have any questions, please leave a comment below š
Find Alison in various internet places below!
Website – www.relauncher.com.au
Twitter – www.twitter.com/Relauncher
Facebook – www.facebook.com/relauncher
Be well,
xoxo
