by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 22, 2012 | Green Smoothies
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I first heard about green smoothies when I attended a raw food seminar in 2009. Eating greens had always been a challenge for me, because although I loved my salads, fruits and vegetables, it was hard for me to sit down & find time to eat loads of leafy greens such as spinach or kale. At the seminar, I learnt that greens possess more valuable nutrients than any other food group and all these nutrients are stored inside the cells of plants. These cells are made of tough material and to release these valuable nutrients, the cell walls needed to be ruptured. In simple words, we need to chew our greens to a creamy consistency in order to get the benefits and chewing them thoroughly with our teeth does not always satisfy our nutritional needs as much as blending our greens!
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This is how I learnt that blending my greens and drinking them in a smoothie form was actually more beneficial for my body in order to absorb the nutrients. And smoothies on the go were easier to digest than salads on the go!
This recipe below is one of my favourite recipes, as I can always get the ingredients at the grocery store, and it is quick, easy, satisfying, cleansing, nutritious and tasty for my hectic lifestyle.
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Karen’s Quick & Easy Green Smoothie
♥ 1 handful of hydroponic lettuce
♥ 1/2 cucumber
♥ 1 ripe banana
♥ 1 cup of chemical free water
♥ 1/2 a Green apple
♥ 1/2 a Red apple
♥ 1/2 cup frozen berries
Blend for 2 minutes and add 1/2 avocado (optional) if you want a more creamy consistency or are a bit more hungry.
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Enjoy!
Article by Karen Then, yoga instructor & owner of Bikram Yoga Victoria Park!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 21, 2012 | Interviews
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m currently on maternity leave to the most beautiful baby girl in the world. I was a senior writer at Scoop Magazine before travelling the world and trying my hand as an executive assistant at a big mining/engineering company. Despite Mum being my number one title currently, I still freelance as a writer and my favourite topics are health and beauty.
On a personal level I love being fit, reading novels I just can’t put down, Lululemon, talking an afternoon away in a coffee shop and chocolate. In another life I loved travelling, triathlon and pink champagne – once Stella is old enough I hope to rekindle these past romances. I also have an adventure racing rockstar of a husband who I’m super proud of and always trying to keep up with…
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
– Every morning I start off washing my face with Yes to Cucumbers Daily Gentle Cleanser and scrub with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant I tend towards sensitive skin products as I have a past history with dermatitis and if it rears up on your face, it’s not pretty!
– I moisturize with Kiehl’s Sodium PCA Oil-free moisturizer which I’ve used for years and just works with my skin. I got the dreaded “pregnancy mask” when pregnant with Stella (which has thankfully just about disappeared now) and it has made me really conscious of avoiding sun damage, so I now slap on Invisible Zinc’s Tinted Daywear (in medium) with SPF every morning. I was surprised that I don’t need to add any foundation, I love the natural glow this product provides.
– Brightening the eyes is a must as a new mum. I have firmly embraced the “fake it til you make it” slogan when it comes to looking awake. One of my best beauty buys was the Smashbox eyeliner selection from Kit. I use the Espresso to line my upper lashes and the gold (which is a creamy pale gold) on the inner corners to brighten them up.
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– At night time, I cleanse and moisturise again and about three times a week I swap moisturiser for Sodashi Calming Serum to give any wrinkles the heave-ho or at least slow ’em down a little. Although the Sodashi is on the shelf at the moment as I’m trialling Black Chicken Remedies serum with a review on Wellness WA coming soon…!
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– For hair, I’m continually trying new things but my current favourite is Tigi Bedhead Dumb Blonde shampoo and reconstructor. The passionfruit smell is delicious and it works wonders on my mop.
♥ Onyesha Spa
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
I have always been a total sucker for massage and if I told you my favourite place I’d have to kill you… he’s hard enough to get into as it is! But for the ultimate treat, I’d have to say the best of the best is Onyesha Spa which is a bit of a hike in Mariginiup (five minutes from Joondalup). This place is like a hidden oasis in such an odd location, but it’s really heavenly.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Hmmmm… I’m reluctant to supply this info as well as David and Vicki are sooo hard to get into but seeing as I’m super organised and book two months in advance now I can tell you. Just DON’T tell all your friends like I did, I still regret it! Hair Ambitions in Shenton Park is brilliant – David knows all the local goss and makes you feel like a superstar by the time he’s done.
♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Definitely a pedicure and manicure. There’s nothing like fabbing up a look with a bright pastel, fluorescent pink, deep red or pretty nude (this is my rotation!). Having polished nails lifts my mood big time and is the best way to update your look with current colour trends without forking out a packet on fashion.
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
– Kit nail polish – two coats and it looks like a professional job. My favourite colour is Play Down, which always gets comments.
– Mascara – it’s the one thing I’ll do if I have only 30-seconds before walking out the door – give myself some semblance of eyes! My favourite is Becca Ultimate Mascara.
– I have always, always loved lip balm and my number one is Clinique Chubby Stick (despite the dubious name – male creator?) in watermelon, which gives a pretty pink tint to the lips.
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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Hmmm, it’s not really a secret – but exercise is definitely my happy drug. It keeps the body in check, it brings a smile to your face with the endorphins rush and it helps you sleep peacefully. People with a smile always look more beautiful too, don’t they? I’m not a subscriber to the pout phenomenon, that’s for sure!
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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)
I have always wanted to go a wellness retreat, like Golden Door over East or Injidup Spa Retreat down south. The thought of a week doing nothing but eat delicious healthy food, exercise, indulge in spa treatments and rest up sounds pretty much like the chocolate icing of the beauty world.
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
Being a breastfeeding mum, getting in plenty of protein and healthy carbs is a must so I’m always making sure I get enough of the good stuff. I have a bowl or yoghurt with berries and/or banana with a sprinkle of chia seeds and some sort of local muesli (latest is Samudra’s Hazelnut Cacao Muesli) and soon after a cup of green tea. One of my favourite times of the day is my morning latte. Stella loves coffee shops and all the noise often sends her off to sleep, so a skinny latte and a magazine at Milkd or Cimbalinos (my top two Perth coffee shops) is bliss.
Lunch is either a turkey, goat’s cheese and salad sandwich or a quinoa salad with feta and as many veggies as I can find.
Dinner is the most varied but we have salmon once a week, usually with sweet potato and greens. Sean makes his family recipe chicken satay (no jars of sauce for us thank you very much!) regularly, too.
I used to always have healthy snacks when I was working, but now I’m at home I nearly always bake something yummy on the weekend for a sweet treat. Breastfeeding burns up lots of calories and in the afternoon I’m ravenous, tired and in need of an energy boost! The most popular choice in our house is my lactation cookies (the secret ingredient is brewers yeast which you can find in most health food stores) and while they aid milk supply, they’re safe for non-mummies too. But you don’t have to tell your partner that!
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And I always, always fit some chocolate into every day and my number one is Lindt Sea Salt, I always buy some if I can find it at the supermarket.
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
Sigh, this used to be totally impressive! But now the thought of my old triathlon routine boggles my mind. My current routine is loads of fun though.
– Monday morning is mums and bubs yoga, although half the class is entertaining baby so not many vinyasas are achieved! To make up for it, Monday night I sprint out the door, once Stella is asleep, to Sh’bam class which is my “me time” and I love my 45-minutes of being silly while getting a good cardio workout.
– Wednesday I do a workout DVD at home while Stella cheers me on (thankfully she loves watching me work out… although it could have something to do with her getting baby massage straight after).
– Friday morning I go to a Pump/CxWorx class and Saturday lunch I join my mum for a Body Balance class.
All my classes are at Lords, which I can’t speak of highly enough. The instructors are the cream of the crop and the prices are much more reasonable than others in the area.
I also run once a week with a friend which involves more gossiping than puffing thank goodness!
♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I take Bioceuticals InNatal iron-free supplement (I have haemochromatosis, which means iron is something I have plenty of). I’ve found it to be a great prenatal, pregnancy and breastfeeding multi-vitamin.
I also take a high quality fish oil, Bioceuticals OmegaSure Liquid Fish Oil. It has an orange taste due to the orange essential oil which makes it palatable with no fishy after taste.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
My favourite way to relax is going for a walk with my husband and Stella when he gets home from walk. Fresh air, a bit of exercise and talking about our day always makes me feel better if I’ve been housebound or not had much sleep the night before.
The other best way to de-stress is a big chinwag with my mum, who always has a positive perspective and tells me I’m doing a good job. When you have a tiny baby, you can only hope you’re doing a good job– there are no performance reviews, pay rises or human resources departments! However, Stella’s gummy smiles and chuckles are a pretty good currency.
Thanks Lisa! If you have any questions about Lisa’s routine, please leave them in the comments below 🙂
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 20, 2012 | Products, Reviews, Wellness Tips
Gooooood mornin! I hope that your day has gotten off to a wonderful start, and you’re feeling fired up with feelings of positivity, calm and a deep sense of wellness. It’s time for one of my fave segments – beauty and wellbeing crushes! I absolutely love sharing my latest wellness finds and things that are firing me up (in a good way!). There’s a lot this week, so lets get started!!
♥ Oxygen Facial at Cove Spa
“I can’t live without having a weekly Oxygen facial – Intraceuticals facials leave my skin glowing and radiant! When I want to look my best I find a body massage beforehand also works wonders.” – Miranda Kerr.
It was with this pinnacle of testimonials in mind that I headed to Cove Spa in South Perth for a 90 minute oxygen facial, because lets be real, who in their right mind doesn’t want skin like the gorgeous MK? My experience didn’t disappoint. While I can’t afford them every week, after 90 minutes of cleansing, facial massage, serums & having the oxygen applied to my face, my skin was looking a LOT glowier than it was before.
I also have to pay special tribute to my therapist, Melissa, who is one of the top two facialists that I’ve experienced in Perth. It was truly something special! Highly recommended! $195 for 1 hour 45 mins.
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♥ Cute Cloud Chopping Boards & Raw Vegan Cinnamon Chocolate
HOW CUTE IS THIS AMAZING NEW BREAD BOARD I JUST PICKED UP FROM MR SPARROW?!?! I am seriously in love, and if I’m being honest will probably not be using it to chop too many things on because it’s just SO cute! But it will be making appearances on the blog, so watch this space! It’s from Germany, and I had to wait 2+ months for it to be re-shipped, but I am in love.
The second excellent thing in this photo is the little block of raw, handmade, vegan, organic (phew) choccy from Pana Chocolate – who have just changed their name from Conscious Chocolate, thus the old wrapper. I was sent the brand new cinnamon flavour to test out and it’s delightful. If you love chocolate and are looking for a healthy alternative then this is your go to!
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♥ O&M Haircare
How cute are these milk-bottle-esque shampoo and conditioner containers from Original & Mineral (O&M)? Pretty darling if you ask me! They look very cute lined up in my shower. And also on my balcony, as above.
O&M claim to “reduce the chemical load” on your hair, and their products are free of many of the harsh chemicals found in traditional salon haircare. I tried the cutely named Maintain the Mane shamps n condish and really enjoyed them. They don’t leave my hair quite as silky smooth as your usual suspects, but that’s because there’s no silicon in them, which is what gives that shiny sleek look. I’ve found if I rub a couple of drops of jojoba oil in my hands then smooth over my hair and blowdry afterwards then my hair looks pretty darn good.
I’d definitely recommend O&M products for anyone interested in taking some steps towards more natural haircare!
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♥ New Lululemon Pants
I’m in love with my new yoga pants. I feel like a blue tiger cub when I wear them, and they are SO SO comfy. I also picked them up on sale, $69 down from about $99! WIN! 🙂
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♥ Sun Warrior Protein + UDO’s Oil
I’ve recently added these two nifty products to my smoothie routine and they are doing wonders!
UDO’s oil is a product that I’ve wanted to try for a loooooong time. It has the optimum blend of omega 3, 6 & 9 essential fatty acids that your body needs to be healthy, and my brain is always a little more switched on when I’m including a tablespoon of this stuff in my smoothie. It’s a lot more mellow tasting than just plain flaxseed oil on it’s own, too. Plus it has the added benefit of vitamin e + you can use it in a number of ways, including drizzling it on veggies (YUM!). This is my go-to health oil now.
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I bought the Sun Warrior Protein in vanilla flavour, and it’s a great way to add a little sweetness to smoothies with tangy berries (such as raspberry) in them. It’s 100% raw & vegan, which is exciting, and since I’m currently on a bit of a fitness kick I feel like it’s a great way to add a bit of post-workout protein into my diet! It costs $70-75 for a 1kg bag, pricey, but it’s a pure product, so if you’re looking for the healthiest possible protein powder then this may well be it.
What are you crushing on wellness-wise this week?
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 6, 2012 | Products, Reviews
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Not too long ago, opting for natural skincare meant you might have to compromise on quality or results. But the recent explosion of eco-friendly products onto the market, as well as tried and trusted brands amping up their purity credentials, has changed the beauty landscape immeasurably.
Whilst this is something to celebrate for the conscious consumer, it also introduces the conundrum of choice. Time spent poring over lotions and potions deciding which one to spend your precious dollars on can be enjoyable, but it can also be a tad bewildering. So we at Wellness WA are very pleased to help fast-track your decision making process by trialling some of the loveliest newcomer ‘au naturel’ brands available.
One such new kid on the block is RICH Skincare. It ticks all the right boxes for clean skincare, with no sulphates, parabens, artificial colours or fragrances. The range combines science with nature, incorporating the best natural elements from anti-ageing research. More superficially, it has beautiful, chic packaging, which looks very pretty in your bathroom.
I tested three products, replacing the ones I use day-to-day – the Deep Cleansing Milk, Ultra Hydrating Day Cream and Advanced Peptide Night Cream. As their name suggests, the products are very succulent – perfect for my winter skin. They have a delicate, fresh fragrance, in keeping with the natural ethos. But how did they perform?
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♥ The Deep Cleansing Milk ($44.95) was very effective at removing make up, including eye make-up, and without making my eyes sting like some other natural cleansers I’ve used. It glided on smoothly and rinsed off cleanly leaving my skin soft and refreshed.
♥ The Ultra Hydrating Day Cream ($49.95) was very moisturising, but without the heaviness you sometimes get in anti-ageing creams. I also found that a little went a long way, so good value.
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♥ The Advanced Peptide Night Cream ($59.95) was my favourite of the three. It felt like such a soothing and luscious treat for my skin after a long day and the fine lines around my eyes do seem to have softened.
All that and RICH is also made in Australia, so a smaller carbon footprint too. One more thing to make your skin glow!
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If you’d like to trial this range, you’re in luck! Tomorrow we’ll be giving one lucky reader the chance to win a goodie pack consisting of an Ultra Hydrating Day Cream & an Advanced Peptide Night Cream!!! Stay tuned 🙂
Review by Karen Miller.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 1, 2012 | Exercise, Food, North of River, Western Suburbs
Équilibre (the French term for balance) is a collaboration between fitness fanatic and foodie, Pascal and Nicole van Kan.
Our business combines Pascal’s years of expertise and experience as an exercise professional, with Nic’s passion for great food and cooking. Together, we provide a refreshing approach to health and fitness that is realistic, back-to-basics and sustainable.
Staying fit and healthy is a way of life for us, but it doesn’t mean that we miss out on delicious food, a great glass of wine or a well-made coffee! So for us, it’s all about helping our clients to find their own personal equilibrium.
We champion good health over weight loss, promote positive body image, strive to simplify exercise and encourage people to get back to REAL food. There are no gimmicks, quick fixes or empty promises.
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We’ve been delighted to introduce our 8-week Fitness for Foodies program this year. It combines outdoor exercise sessions with practical advice and simple habits that can be easily implemented on a week-by-week basis – including plenty of recipe inspiration, useful templates and exercise routines to do at home.
Sessions are held 3 times per week at central Perth locations (such as King’s Park, Subiaco, City Beach and Lake Monger) and our groups are friendly, approachable and designed to accommodate all levels of fitness. Read what our members are saying about it here.
We pride ourselves on delivering an inspiring and uplifting program that is both supportive and personal. And at only $139 for 8 weeks, it’s also great value for money.
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Fitness for Foodies is all about giving you the tools and knowledge to be able to self- manage your own health and fitness and to change your approach for good.
Our spring program commences on the 20th August and we’d love to have you join in the fun!
www.equilibre.com.au
www.equilibre.com.au/fitnessforfoodies
www.facebook.com/fitnessforfoodies
Photo credit: Jessica Shaver Photography
This is a sponsored post, as always though, we will only bring you posts with content we think you will find relevant & inspiring!
Be well,
xoxo
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