by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jul 23, 2012 | Alternative Therapy, Interviews, Wellness Tips
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Claire Bevilacqua I’m 29, and along with my partner Kylie we created Raw Ky foods. We have a line of foods that started from just the basic snacks & treats we make for ourselves being all vegan, gluten free and raw. From sharing with family and friends, the brand has grown and is feeding all those who taste it with the most highly nutritious hand made foods we can create.
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
I am a professional surfer and I focus more on my inner health and fitness then outer beauty. I eat a mostly raw vegan diet, I am very active and I balance the intense action with light stretching. I use natural organic sunscreen on my face and for all other body needs I only use natural/unprocessed ingredients. From tooth paste to hair care its always 100% natural for me.
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without and your favourite place to have it done?
I love a strong massage and I love it done in Bali because its affordable and the Balinese people enjoy doing it.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth?
Nobody, I have had a fear of cutting my hair since I was a child so I let my partner trim the ends once a year. I never dye my hair as I don’t like anything fake and I think natural suits me best. The Aussie sun seems to do a great job at giving me highlights.
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Lathering pure coconut oil all over my body, smells good, tastes good and is healthy for you.
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Coconut butter, Olive oil, Corrynnes natural soap.
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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Every morning I wake up and drink a litre of water with a spoonful of spirulina & chlorella powder. It has replaced caffeine, and alkalizes my body in the morning.
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
I have just started to have some pigment change in my face skin and I would love to find out how to naturally remove the unwanted spots that seem to have appeared overnight.
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
I wake up drink a litre of water with the green powder, then i will have a plant fusion vegan protein smoothy or some Raw Ky granola. I will eat some salad with tempeh or raw pizza for dinner. Snack on dried fruits and nuts or some Raw Ky muesli bars & macaroons for a sweet treat. Some in season local fruit here and there. Then soup, zucchini pasta or a stir fry for dinner.
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
I do what feels right in the moment. I surf almost every day for training from 1-5 hours depending on how good it is. I will run or bike if there are no waves. Stretch and use my foam roller in the afternoon, and chill out on the couch at night.
♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I believe in many forms of alternative medicine. I love acupuncture, massage, Osteopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, and so on. My favorite is healing with pure essential oils, the highest grade so you can ingest them daily.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
I just love watching the ocean or sitting on the couch watching a movie with my lover. I zone out on the computer with Facebook and Instagram. My favorite way to detox and unwind is in a man made native American sweat lodge, on the dirt, it is incredible.
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jul 22, 2012 | Alternative Therapy, Green Smoothies, Wellness Tips
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I absolutely love a visit to any boutique-y health store, and Organic on Charles is a great find. Heaps of fresh organic fruit & veggies, drinks, skincare, chocolate and snacks, groceries and there is even a smoothie bar too! I picked up some organic red grape juice (packed with antioxidants), Quinitos – quinoa and rice based sweet ‘n crunchy snack, green tea, apples, coconut mylk luvju, strawberries & a free book. Love!
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An epic farmer’s market fresh fruit and veg haul for two. We decided that some juicing was on the cards this weekend, and are now stocked up on all the juicy essentials (apples, carrots, cucumbers, ginger, silverbeet, celery), plus lots more produce to keep my housemate and I happy and healthy for the week!
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I’ve come to the realisation that these two products make my skin feel better than almost anything else. Sodashi Rejuvenating Concentrate & Sodashi Marine Brightening Mask = total skincare heroes! The concentrate brings my face back to life when it’s looking dull & tired, and the mask amplifies that brightness by about 5 times. I’ve just comleted this little mini ritual and then massaged rosehip oil into my face, so I’m hoping for a glowing complexion in the morning!
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And what better to treat myself with than some healthy chocolatey goji berry balls whilst wearing above face mask!! These treats are the second type I’ve tried from the Modern Day Hippie organic snack range, and I’m a fan. Perfect to satisfy a craving for sweets at 3pm or 8pm at night! 🙂 Or anytime really – have them for breakfast if you like, they are packed full of healthy ingredients for guilt free gobbling.
In case you missed out on any of our articles from the past week and a bit, here is a recap:
♥ Exercise Review: Power Plate at the Perth Pilates Studio, North Perth – if you need a little something different to jazz up your exercise routine – Power Plate could be it!
♥ Beauty Product Review: Benefit High Beam Illuminator and High Brow Glow Pencil! – glowing face, found.
♥ Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Amy Zempilas, Perth Lifestyle Blogger. – Basil Zempilas’ stunning wife, Amy, shares her beauty routine!
♥ Green Smoothie Inspiration: Glowing Green Smoothie – we road test one of the most famous green smoothies!
♥ Healthy Snack Review: Modern Day Hippie Organic Snack Mixes. – one word, YUM.
♥ Beauty & Wellbeing Crushes: Vegan Chocolate, Organic Muesli, Iridology & Steam Rooms!
♥ Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Candice Aiken, Holistic Health & Lifestyle Coach and Local Blogger @ Co-Inside! – A super inspiring interview from wellness blogger Candice – not to be missed.
♥ Fitness Review: Hypoxi at The Urbane Body, Subiaco. – We road-tested Hypoxi to see if it lived up to the hype.
♥ Green Smoothie Recipe: Kiwi Sublime! – another Green July recipe!
♥ Alternative Therapy Review: Kinesis Myofascial Integration with Adrian Boyd. – another bodywork therapy trialled!
Thanks for coming along for the ride this week 🙂
I’d love to hear what wonderful wellness treats you’ve been upto, or if there’s anything new you think we should try out, leave a comment below!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jul 18, 2012 | Food, Green Smoothies, Wellness Tips
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Is there a better way to start your day than with a heavenly green smoothie? These magical ‘sunshine in a glass’ creations are guaranteed to give your body, mind and spirit a delicious energy boost and get your skin glowing and your eyes sparkling.
In summer I love experimenting with all of the gorgeous stone fruits available (mango, I miss you!), but in winter the choices are more limited. During these months my go-to smoothie recipe is the ‘Kiwi Sublime’ because all of the ingredients are easy to find (and inexpensive), which means less time trawling the markets in the rain and more time curled up in your favourite armchair with a great book. ☺
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The coconut water provides an extra hydration boost to counteract all that time spent huddling in front of the heater, and the tangy combination of kiwi, lemon and ginger provide an extra zing to keep you smiling through the gloomy winter days.
Kiwi Sublime – makes 2 smoothies:
♥ 350ml coconut water (for extra hydration)
♥ 1 frozen banana (peeled and broken into pieces before freezing)
♥ 5 kiwi fruit, peeled and halved
♥ Juice of half a lemon or 1 lime
♥ 1 tsp grated ginger
♥ 3 large handfuls of English spinach
♥ Ice (optional)
For an extra boost of sparkles and nutrition, try adding Spirulina or another green Superfood. You’ll find Spirulina (and coconut water) at your local, friendly health food store, along with all sorts of other yummy, healthy treats.
Blend all ingredients on high until smooth, pour into glasses and enjoy. Cheers!
Recipe by Bex from Vegan Sparkles!
For more green smoothie goodness, check out the Green July post & the Wellness WA Green Smoothie Database!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jul 17, 2012 | Alternative Therapy, Exercise
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The Urbane Body clinic is housed in a beautiful converted cottage on Hay St. I met Nirav, who looked after me for my first visit and gave me some forms to fill in (medical history, disclaimers). He asked what I knew of HYPOXI (embarrassingly little) and explained it in simple terms: HYPOXI works by directing vacuum pressure at certain areas of the body, stimulating better circulation and shifting weight from that area.
To do that, HYPOXI consists of a collection of machines, each one designed to “shut off” a portion of the body and create a vacuum around it as you exercise. In my case, because my problem area is my thighs, I was using a machine that encased my body below the waist. And that first session was a little unnerving – the vacuum works in cycles, and thus will ”deflate” and then begin to build again. My later sessions were more comfortable since I knew what to expect.
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Very little was required of me during the session – there is a cycle setup inside the machine, and I was asked to pedal for 30 minutes. I was very dubious about my ability to do so in the first session, but the screen is clearly visible whilst doing your treatment and the idea is not to go all-out into cardio mode (in this case defined as a BPM above 125) but to stay in the 120-125 mode, which while not being lazy, isn’t a gym-workout speed either. I was surprised at how easily you can control your own heart rate – when I was too high I found a single long exhalation of breath was enough to slow it down drastically (I’m rather comforted by this). Also since I was lying down I didn’t find it anywhere near as challenging as I find cycling in general and the pressure vacuum inside the chamber really helps – your legs feel heavy when the pressure empties out.
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I was advised to eat a full meal an hour beforehand, because you cannot eat for 4 hours afterwards. Nirav also recommended eliminating caffeine, since the HYPOXI treats it as a toxin. You should also continue your normal exercise routine alongside the treatments, and considering you must do three HYPOXI sessions a week for the effects to work, I did have trouble fitting this upsurge of exercise in.
You are measured once a week and my results initially were modest. As the month rolled on though they improved, and I ended up losing 22cm (in diameter) combined from my thighs, bum and hips – from twelve sessions, a months worth.
I went to my gym for a fresh assessment afterwards (unrelated – I just needed to get a new one done) and when I was measured there the results were the same. Which is not to cast doubt over The Urbane Body, but to stress that I was also measured by a neutral party. I didn’t really lose any weight over the period – but I’d also had to skip gym sessions to fit all the HYPOXI in. Which is the only issue for me – it’s speedy and effective, but to get the most out of it you need to be additionally exercising regularly, and for anyone working full-time (or even part time) it’s a challenge.
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Ultimately it was an effective process and a pleasant exercise supplement – in beautiful surrounds and attentive staff. I would advise some serious time management if you decided to undertake it, however. I would also consider it an expensive process – but having seen how advanced the machines are, how much space they take up and how much staff monitoring is required – it made sense.
You can look a little closer at the process at The Urbane Body, or the HYPOXI website itself.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the comments section! Any questions?
Review by Suzanne @ Don’t They Know Who I Am?
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jul 16, 2012 | Alternative Therapy, Organic, Wellness Tips
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hiya Wellness WA-ians. My name is Candice and I am a writer, speaker, holistic health & lifestyle coach, co-owner of an organic food co-op and spirit junkie.
Having spent many years of my life battling with weight gain, in and out of doctors with every illness under the sun, I was always searching for the ‘meaning’ of my life. It was when my husband and soul mate of 9 years was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 that I was really given the slap across the face I needed to change my life for the better. We took our health into our own hands and used natural treatments (such as meditation, yoga, journaling, juices, smoothies & learning to love ourselves) and I was able to rid myself of the mental and physical weight I’d been carrying around for so long.
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With the burning desire to share our learning’s with the world, we created a website, Co-Inside Wellbeing, which is updated regularly with oh-so amazing health tips, as well as words of inspiration and kick-ass ‘mostly raw’ food recipes to inspire people to choose health and love life, just as I have done. FINALLY I have found my passion and the meaning of my life… to help as many people that I possibly can to feel amazing through my website, e-books, health coaching and lectures.
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
Since embracing organic and natural products, my beauty routine has become quite simple.
• I start the day with a huge glass of water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. I say an affirmation to myself into the mirror which is usually… ‘I love and approve of myself’ (very powerful words!).
• I am slightly obsessed with Aromabals’ white clay wash rocks in banana/coconut right now so that’s my face wash/body wash and perfume as the scent lasts all day.
• I wash my hair every couple of days with Vanessa Megan. I have tried a ton of ‘natural’ shampoos and conditions and have found this is the only one that leaves my hair feeling silky and smooth (and without the added nasties).
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• I like to mix it up with my cosmetics and I am always trying new and exciting mineral make up, so I alternate brands often. At the moment I use bare minerals mascara, Inika blush and Nude foundation powder.
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• Once a week I indulge in a face mask. If I don’t make one myself then I slather on my favourite Halka B Cacao and Argan Mask – it’s divine!
• Every night before I go to bed I wash my face with water and wipe off excess make-up with Wot-Not Facial Wipes.
• 8 hours sleep is a MUST – this is the most important part of my beauty routine.
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♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
Colonic hydrotherapy! I believe the colon is the absolute cornerstone of health and wellbeing. A clean colon means proper elimination of toxins (which means amazing skin) as well as the ability to absorb important nutrients, and of course weight loss. I see Sue Munro at the Rejuvenation Centre in West Leederville once or twice a year and have done so for 7 years. The woman is a miracle worker.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Kelly Scafidi, without a doubt. This hair goddess of mine works out of her home in Highgate and brings my hair back to life every time I see her. I met Kelly around 3 years ago when she was at Lee Preston, after saving me from a tear-inducing ‘hair style’ from another salon. Though I no longer dye my hair, I will still travel all the way to see Kelly for one of her perfect cuts and a refreshing chat about life.
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
I make a lot of my own skincare products at home such as masks, face oils and toners. Nature has provided many ‘products’ for us to use straight out of the ground that need little or no intervention – thankfully I grow some of these in my garden.
One of my favourite budget treatments came about when I was making a raw dessert and suddenly had the urge to smother raw honey all over my face. I listened to my intuition and 10 minutes later had skin softer than a baby’s bottom!
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
1. Coconut Oil – makes a fabulous moisturizer, hair treatment and an amazing addition to raw desserts and green smoothies. I even use it on my pups when they cut or graze themselves. You can use it for absolutely everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!
2. Apple Cider Vinegar – Again, it’s a product with a gazillion purposes. Fabulous for weight loss, indigestion and great in a homemade face toner. And it’s super cheap too!
3. Wotnot facial wipes – these are the only 100% natural facewipes with certified organic ingredients I’ve found and they’re amazing. Perth recently had a shortage so I was forced to use another brand for a few months. As soon as the supplier had them back in stock I bought 10! haha
♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
I have five super simple rules that I live by:
1. KISS – Keep it simple sister! I apply this motto to my life in general (less stuff + less commitments = less stress). And when it comes to beauty, I’ve never felt more amazing than when I am just wearing a smile and nothing else.
2. Drink up – Water is incredible for eliminating toxins, is seriously energizing and can prevent fatigue, also when consumed first thing in the morning… gets the ol’ bowels moving. Seriously amazing stuff!
3. Laugh at everything, including yourself – ‘They’ say laughter is the best medicine and I would have to agree on this one. If I am feeling a bit off at any point, I find that laughing at myself or the situation always brings me right out of the dumps and into a much nicer place.
4. Eat organic or grow your own – I’ve been organic for quite a few years now and I feel great knowing that I am avoiding ingesting toxic pesticides and doing my bit for the planet. I also have my own vegie patch where I grow organic herbs & vegies. I find it very healing and ultra-satisfying being able to pick my produce straight out of the ground.
5. Do what you love and love what you do – find your passion and you will never work a day in your life, plus you will be the happiest version of yourself and this in itself is anti-ageing!
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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
I have SOOO many wellbeing activities and events on my vision board, here are the top five coming up I’ve unleashed my manifesting monster on…
1. Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within in Sydney
2. Marie Forleo’s Rich, Happy and Hot Live in New York
3. In The Wake of Our Spiritual Ancestors – Cruising the Mediterranean with Dr Wayne Dyer
4. David Wolfe’s New Year’s Celebration Retreat in Hawaii
5. Leonie Dawson’s Business Goddess Rainforest Retreat in far north QLD
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
Oh yay, my favourite subject… food! 🙂 I actually eat A LOT. I’ve never really been a 3 square meals kind of gal and so I eat small meals frequently. Here’s what my day usually looks like:
First thing – A huge glass of filtered water with Apple Cider Vinegar (then a ton of water throughout the day)
Breakfast – A gigantic green smoothie filled with kale, celery, banana, vital greens, spirulina or chlorella & water, or if I am feeling adventurous then I will have a homemade buckwheat cereal with almond milk (here’s the recipe)
Lunch – Usually a gigantic green salad with avocado and a dressing of olive oil, wakame leaf, cayenne pepper, Celtic sea salt & nutritional yeast. Every now and then I will have millet, amaranth or quinoa pilaf.
Dinner – Either one of the following: tempeh burgers, kelp noodles (yummo!), raw pizza, organic sourdough toast with avo/tomato/coriander/hemp seeds & Halka B’s edible argan oil (my new fav) or a big salad similar to lunch. I have also been known to have raw dessert for dinner on various occasions (such as choc chia pudding or raw lemon cheesecake)… mostly when I remember I am an adult and I can eat what I want. Haha.
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Snacks – seasonal fruit, smoothies, my homemade raw power balls, activated nuts, carrot sticks or crackers with homemade hummus or ‘coconut mylk’ luvju chocolate by Loving Earth.
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
• Yoga, meditation and journaling are all part of my daily fitness routine. I believe the mind, body AND soul need to be ‘exercised’.
• My two dogs play a huge part in my life and when they are not throwing themselves in front of cars, my hubby and I take them out for a run, which is a great excuse to get some fresh air.
• You will also find me bouncing away on my rebounder (thanks to advice from Louise Hay) – it’s fabulous for many things including a good laugh, especially when the dogs try and bounce with me, but in particular it’s amAAAzing for stimulating the lymphatic system
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
My life is considered an alternative therapy. Haha. I drink green smoothies daily, I juice, I have spirulina, chlorella and E3live on a daily basis, I use essential oils, I get massages, I meditate, I do coffee enemas (seriously!) and every few months I take part in a cleanse or a 3 day juice fast.
I follow a 100% organic, high raw, plant- based diet but I have tests to make sure I’m tracking well and alter my diet accordingly. In that respect, I do take a few supplements that I feel I need at the time. Right now I am taking krill oil, zeolite, mega hydrate & vitamin D3 drops (just until the sun comes back out for me to bask in).
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
One of my favourite ways to relax is with my puppalups. I find that just being in their presence de-stresses me like no other activity ever could. They are so problem-free, care-free, and full of a bucketload of unconditional love that you have no other option than to be the same around them. When they have had enough of my smothering, I also turn to anything I’m passionate about to relax such as yoga, reading books, listening to Brian Johnson’s philosopher’s notes (which I’m lovin’ right now!), writing or just being with Curtis and talking about our future and big dreams. ♥
Thanks Candice! Check out Co-Inside Wellbeing if you’re interested in finding out more, and leave a comment below if you have any questions!
What do you think of Candice’s routine?
Be well,
xoxo
