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A little while ago I did a callout on Facebook to rustle up the names of some of your favourite yoga dvds, as I’ve long been yearning for a home practice for those days that I don’t feel like venturing back out of the house after work.

One recommendation really caught my eye and since receiving the DVD’s I’ve been unashamedly having a bit of a love affair with them. Meet the first two members of my yoga video library (which I hope will grow with time!) – Yoga Easy and Yoga 2 Easy by the lovely Yolanda Pettinato.

Yolanda is truly inspirational, having overcome obstacles in her life that would defeat most people, she is the glowing example of everything that yoga represents – tranquility, wisdom, inner peace and honouring your body.

What you will need:

♥ Yoga Mat – I use my Mukha mat (which I wrote about here)
♥ The desire to stretch and strengthen your body, calm your mind and feel fantastic! (And who doesn’t want that?!)

That is ALL you need, and the DVD of course. If you want to ramp the relaxing factor up a notch you can also throw in:

♥ Oil burner with bergamot oil, my favourite
♥ A dark room

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Yolanda has a gentle, soothing voice and she comes across as a real sweetheart. For a woman in her late 50’s, she has a body that most women would in their 20’s would envy. I can feel her encouraging kindness traveling through the screen and into my living room when she softly says “good, that’s good” after many of the sequences, and I find it a comforting and reassuring addition to the practice.

The practice on both of the DVD’s is quite short – 30 minutes – but is enough to wind me down after a stressful or tiring day, it can also be used in the mornings to set you up for the day ahead and is a great way to ground yourself. In fact the length of the session is one of the best things about it, if you’re anything like me it can be hard to find an hour / hour and a half to head out to a yoga class, and that doesn’t include driving there and back! 30 minutes is just enough to be easily manageable, but also gain real results.

While this is by no means a cardio workout, there are some sections focusing on strength that are challenging, and the great thing about yoga is that because you’re working with your own strength and flexibility, there is always room for improvement as you begin to get stronger.

As Yolanda says “just do your best, and your best will get better” – I love that phrase!

Doing either of these yoga DVD’s leaves my whole body feeling stretched and relaxed, with a sense of peace and stillness of mind that I really look forward to. The class flies by and before you know it you’re lying in Savasana thinking how lucky you are to have this wonderful experience in your life.

She also has some meditation CD’s which are no doubt great (she has the perfect voice for it) and even her dogs have been convinced by her to try meditating 😉

Cost: $24.95 each, free shipping if you purchase more than one item
Suitable for: Beginners – experienced who are looking for a relaxation based yoga class with strength elements
Where to buy: http://www.yolandapettinato.com

If you have any questions about the DVD’s please let me know, I would be only too happy to answer them as I think I’m Yolanda’s new biggest fan!!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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

I love being creative and discovering new things. I’m a stylist and writer (style editor) at Scoop Publishing where I work across everything from men’s and women’s fashion, health and beauty and homes/architecture. Every day is different and exciting. One day I’ll be running around picking up clothing for a fashion shoot, and the next I’ll be writing about an amazing new furniture brand in WA or international home. My job keeps me on my toes and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve also started a website (www.clareryan.com) to showcase some of my favourite work and I blog there about fashion shoots I do in a behind-the-scenes style. Between work, my beautiful friends and family and exercising – well trying to – it can be hard to find some time to myself…but the beach solves that problem. I feel at home when I’m at the beach and the best time is in the early hours of the morning.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I don’t do much to my skin in the morning. I have a shower and wash my face with Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser – I’ve been using it since I was 15 and it has always worked for me so I haven’t changed. I know people say you need to change products as your skin gets older and has different needs, but I figure I’ll change when it stops working. In summer I use Invisible Zinc sunscreen and in winter i just use my NARS primer that has 15 plus protection. I’m at my desk for most of the day during winter so I can get away with only 15 plus.

At night I cleanse my face again and then depending on how dry or oily my skin is (it always changes) I either use Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, or Olay Total Effects. I have quite a few other beauty products that i use – it comes with the job – so I trial different products all the time. This sometimes results in my skin freaking out so I always return to my basics.

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

What did women do before waxing? It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is I always have my set appointments at Strip Womens Waxing in Subiaco, Siobhan is amazing!

Lucky second is a light natural spray tan from Aussie Bombshell, Penni is the best! And knows how to make my pasty skin glow.

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

Zoe Harris from Be Ba Beau in Highgate. She is a pro when it comes to my hair. I’ve been seeing Zoe for years and she’s amazing and I always get compliments and asked who does my hair. Not only is she incredibly talented (she’s won a list of awards) but she knows how my hair needs to sit/be cut so it’s easy for me to easily style every day. There’s been a few times I’ve walked into an appointment and mentioned certain styles, and I can tell by the look on her face that it is a bad idea! I think that’s what makes her a fantastic hairdresser.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

An eyelash tint always goes down a treat. It saves me time in the morning and its fantastic in summer because I can wake up, go for a swim and not look like a panda…there’s nothing worse than seeing a girl with black mascara running down her face at the beach. I go to Jana Beauty in Subiaco, the girls there are so sweet….I think I’ve fallen asleep once or twice while laying there.

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

Eeek that is really hard. Lucas Papaw Ointment is always in my handbag. Um, I’m addicted to Batiste Dry Shampoo, it’s a lifesaver! I don’t have time to do my hair every day so as soon as it gets oily I just use a little dry shampoo and its good as new and smells yummy. I can’t live without De Lorenzo Elements Ocean Mist, it makes my hair look like I’ve just been at the beach. My hair has a natural wave in it already so it defines the wave and gives it a fresh and tousled effect.

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

It’s not a beauty secret, but I honestly try not to drink alcohol during the week (which is very hard), drink lots of water and get enough sleep. I can tell when I haven’t had enough sleep because my skin struggles to keep up and looks dull and dry. For my wellbeing I head to the beach and sit on the sand and just relax for awhile – there’s something soothing about the ocean and I think the fresh air is good for you.

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

I would love to go on one of those crazy detox retreats overseas. But I don’t have the time or money and I’m not sure I could live without chocolate for two weeks.

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I love food and find myself munching on something all day! I start with eggs or whole meal grain toast, then I have some fruit or rice crackers and lunch is either sushi or a tuna salad – I work opposite Grill’d, so burgers have been popping up here and there. I’m often on the road so I try and grab something healthy like a salad sandwich. Dinner really varies for me from pasta to chicken and veggies or a catch up dinner with the girls.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I go to the gym twice a week and either do cycle or pump and I go for walks along the beach whenever I can in winter and most nights in summer.

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

I’ve been seeing a naturopath (Val Allen) since I was little…at the moment I’m on iron tablets which is no surprise because I’m always burning the candle at both ends. I also have regular sessions of kinesiology by Coleen McClymans from Empowering Dynamics, I’ve been seeing Coleen for a few years now and I’ve really noticed a difference, she helps in all areas from injuries to day to day stress.

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

When I have the money, an amazing exfoliation/treatment from Bodhi J always relaxes me, otherwise it’s a long walk along the coast where I grab a coffee and sit on the beach and do nothing!

Thanks Clare!

If you have any questions for this lovely Style Editor, please leave a comment below!

Be well,

xoxo

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Do you know that eating far more fresh fruits and vegetables daily than the government recommendation of two fruit and five veg can completely change your health, your body and your life experience for the better?
In fact, eating a mostly vegetable based diet can propel your health to heights you can’t even imagine. They alkalise your blood, help to balance your body (and your moods!), allow better digestion and detoxification to occur and improve your chances of healing everything from acne to cancer.

Take my experience for example. I was reliant on daily steroid use to manage debilitating top to toe eczema for almost 25 years of my life. I was very frequently sick with the flu, colds and infections, plus I always battled with my weight. For ten years I tried every medical and natural route to heal my body of the symptoms and pain I lived with to no avail. That is, until I started downing green vegetable juice every day, eating a plant based diet of mostly vegetables, particularly leafy greens, adding in therapeutic natural foods and getting my colon cleansed. Yes, you read that last bit right.

This powerful combination transformed my health, body, energy, happiness and even my career and whole life experience in a way I never thought possible. This is the power of a clean, alkalising, plant based diet to start a revolution inside your own body. Of course, don’t forget your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing too! Below is a look into a typical day for me, which keeps me feeling consistently wonderful. Please use this to inspire, not mimick. You and I are different and have different needs. That is why I coach clients to find their own perfect balance, but everyone can benefit from seriously upping their veggie intake.

7 AM: I wake up and immediately get my meditation on. I listen to a guided mediation, my much loved Blissitations or practice mindfulness meditation.

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7.20 AM: I drink lots of spring water and then shake my booty for anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes. I am currently running a free Strong Is Sexy Fitness Challenge on my website which is great fun!
8.15 AM: Shower time! I brush my body in long strokes towards the heart with my natural bristly dry body brush to stimulate my lymphatic system. I shower and moisturise with organic, pure products and oils.
8.30 to 11.30 AM: I grab a litre of pure water with lemon juice and stevia and some Tulsi tea and head to my office to get started on my work day.
11.30 AM: I venture on to my back patio to catch some sunlight and breathe deeply.
11.45AML More clients, writing articles, blog posts, and other work. I feel so blessed to do the work I do.

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1 PM: I make a full litre of green vegetable juice. Some combination of cucumber, celery, zucchini, silverbeet, chard, parsley, mint, kale, cos lettuce with lemon and ginger. I drink more herbal tea and pure water throughout the day.

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3 PM: A snack of a smoothie made from spinach, avocado, blueberries, vanilla stevia, carob powder, cinnamon, water and ice fills me up while leaving me feeling light and energetic (similar to this recipe).
6PM: After finishing up my main projects and tasks for the day, I create an incredible salad of baby lettuces, carrot, beetroot, chopped garlic and ginger and cubed avocado topped with this winning Raw Japanese Caesar Dressing. I follow my salad with steamed cauliflower sprinkled with nutritional yeast, sea salt and dill. While making dinner, I listen to inspiring audios and dance to great music.

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8 PM: After some final work, scheduling, emails, chores and often a class, client or teleclass, I relax for the night with a hot carob “milk” made with fresh almond milk. I spend quality time with my man, read, watch a film, do some stretches, go for a walk or just lay quietly until I go to bed. Every night I go to sleep listening to more Blissitations and smiling into my pillow, grateful that I’m alive.

Casey Thomas, certified Detox, Health and Life Coach, shows you how to get radiant health and energy, lose weight and heal naturally so that you can live the life you want in a body you love. Casey is based in Perth Australia and conducts phone consultations internationally. If you’re ready to ditch the frumpy feeling and start looking and feeling fantastic in 7 steps, get your FREE report, tips and guidance now at http://www.CaseyLorraine.com

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

Hello! My name is Lavida Rose. I facilitate private workshops in stress transformation, emotional resilience and lifestyle enhancement. I love food. I love animals. And I never get the two confused. Philosophically, I love any form of elevation and expansion. I love creation. I love reverence.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

My daily beauty routine starts with compassion, followed by a preferred 5am start (exceptions happen!). To me, beauty begins with how we relate to things, people, animals and the environment around us. I like to get the most out of the day which motivates me to get an early start. Beauty begins with how I feel and think, then, I add on a few basic extras like home grown lemons, fair trade coconut oil and nourishing food.

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

I can’t live without the beauty treatments created and shared by mother nature; sunshine, fresh air, waterfalls, natural phenomena, the ocean, mountains and hills. The choices are too competitive to have favourites!

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

Me! I always have a pair of scissors handy and most anything else which is used at a hair-dresser; would be a no go for me, I prefer to be chemical and pollutant free.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Ooh that’s a close call between organic coconut oil and raw organic lemon. I cleanse with fresh lemon juice (gradual dilutions are best on sensitive skin) and I do most everything else with coconut oil; moisturize, condition my hair, brush my teeth and eat!

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

– My own unlimited supply of Niulife Fair-trade Organic Coconut Oil

– Home grown organic lemons
– Organic Rosehip Oil

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

Heart consciousness and an open mind, these two things make a big difference, as does, connecting with natural elements, like sunshine and fresh air!

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

This would definitely include travel to experience something exotic in another country, like natural hot springs or a mud bath or a waterfall massage.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

A typical day of eating for me; is all about conscious consumption. Being aware of both energy lines in which food is prepared and produced and enjoying taste, texture and composition. My Eat-style is all about wholefoods (food that comes from the earth and stays that way until you buy it). My eat-style is also all about simplicity. It is about having a clean and clear palette and consciously enjoying everything that I swallow. I don’t eat anything which endured any suffering and I don’t eat foods that have been altered. A typical day of eating for me is … nonstop pleasure!

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

It starts with moving, sedentary lifestyles are best left to meditating gurus. If there’s music I will dance (sometimes even if there isn’t music I still dance), I love stretching (so, yoga is a practice that meets me at 5am), Inner strength is an essential part of my fitness routine, so my abdominals always get daily attention. I also walk, hike, swim and run (but not all at the same time). Our bodies thrive on oxygenation and circulation, how about sending all that heart energy around your own physical universe?

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

No, we have access to everything we need, everything else is just entertainment.

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

Quality connections with people, nature, art and creation.

Thanks to Lavida for sharing her inspiring routine. If you have any questions please leave them below 🙂

Be well,

xoxo

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Cynic: A person who questions whether something will happen or is worthwhile.

When it comes to herbal supplements that definition suits me 100% from the top of my head down to my very toes. Now, I consider myself a generally enthusiastic and open minded person, albeit a little neurotic, so it doesn’t really make sense why I should feel so harshly towards something that never really did anyone any harm (that I am aware of). So what gives? Have I had too many encounters with people who insist that drinking honey and lemon and hot water and taking echinacea will cure their category 6 flu symptoms and then upon giving the flu to ME claim they feel so much better? Probably. Perhaps that’s the neurosis in me talking, so in an effort to kick that part of my personality to the curb I agreed to try EL8 Rhodiola Rosea for energy and wellbeing.

Rhodiola Rosea in it’s natural form!

Feel free to do your own research (and I encourage you to do so if you are interested) but in a nutshell I can tell you that Rhodiola Rosea hails from the mountainous regions of eastern Siberia and the North Asian territories and is supposed to help you deal with stress, give you more energy and even help battle nervous tension and anxiety. Tension and anxiety you say? Well let’s just see what you’ve got RR because on a bad day my tension and anxiety levels could put Woody Allen to shame.

Two weeks later…

I have been taking EL8 Rhodiola Rosea everyday for the past 14 days and while the cynic in me hates to admit this…it’s working. It really is. Don’t worry, I still think drinking hot water and lemon to cure tonsillitis is idiotic BUT when it comes to energy levels and feeling less tense about stupid little things I really think the Rhodiola Rosea has been doing its job. My rose-tinted glasses have gotten a little rosea-er (had to use that pun, sorry, HAD TO) and instead of falling into an afternoon slump I have found that I have been feeling really switched on all day regardless of the time. I don’t feel sloth-like in the morning and I’ve been falling straight to sleep at night (maybe due to stress reduction?) It might all just be mind over matter, and I am certainly willing to accept that theory but just in case, I’m going to keep taking Rhodiola Rosea. I just have a really good feeling about it. A feeling that it just might be responsible for.

Available for $29.95 at http://www.rhodiolarosea.com.au.

Rambles on Rhodiola Rosea by Adriane Daff.

Be well,

xoxo