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Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on April 4, 2017
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One of my latest skincare obsessions has been the Qsilica Naturally Clear Skin Cleanser, which I’ve been using for about 2 months now. Why do I love it so much? WELL…
♥ It feels really, really good on the skin
♥ It’s non-drying
♥ Leaves skin dewy, hydrated & clear
♥ Smells good
♥ Contains silica, vitamin e & jojoba oil. All skin-loving natural ingredients.
So that you can have the chance to be as in love with this cleanser as me, Wellness WA + Qsilica are giving you the chance to win one of two Naturally Clear Skincare Kits, valued at $59.95 each!!!
These packs contain the Naturally Clear Skin Cleanser, Naturally Clear Skin Support Tablets (vegan!) and the Naturally Clear Spot Gel. Your next breakout wont know what hit it, if you even get one. This is a powerful trio and you’ll be well on your way to your Best. Skin. Ever.
To be in the running all you have to do is leave a comment below with your email address, letting me know why you NEED to try these Qsilica products (and trust me, you do!).
Winners will be announced on Monday the 17th of April. Good luck!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
Posted in Other | 
33 Comments »
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on March 27, 2017
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I wasn’t always someone who was passionate about green smoothies, Leafy greens and looking at nutrition labels. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia. I found that while some medicines could alleviate symptoms, they couldn’t bring me health and happiness. This is when I turned my life around, looking at food and cooking as more of a healing instrument and included it more jn my lifestyle.I love creating healthy, delicious and simple food and want to inspire other people to do the same! I’m an author, blogger, a yoga teacher, wife and a mum! I advocate listening to your body and your gut – your body is an amazing machine and will be the first one on board of your health journey if you let it!
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine! What are your non-negotiables for looking and feeling your best?.
I love to keep my skincare routine as simple as possible! The first thing I do is drink a scoop of my Heal Your Gut Powder. I truly believe that natural beauty comes from within, so this is a non-negotiable part of my day. I then wash my face with Natural Instinct Cleansing Oil, followed by their beautiful Rosehip Oil. I always make sure to apply Natural Instinct Tinted Natural Sunscreen SPF30 before heading out for the day.
Before I go to bed I love to apply my Supercharged Food Earth Mask & Scrub as either an exfoliating scrub or mask. I apply it and then rinse it off in a nice warm shower. I then make sure to dab Rosehip oil at night and sleep with it on – there’s nothing better than the feel of Rosehip on my skin!
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
I love having massages. After long days working at the office, I just need a release! I couldn’t think of anything better than the tension to literally just drop off my shoulders by the hands of a professional.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair, and why?
I don’t have a particular place I go to and am really lazy when it comes to hair care I normally only wash it once a week and then add a bit of coconut oil as a moisturiser, I learnt that trick whilst studying in India 🙂
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
My favourite at home treatment is applying my Supercharged Food Earth, Mask & Scrub as a mask, lighting a candle, putting on soft music and having a ten-minute meditation!
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
I love Natural Instincts Rosehip Oil, my Heal Your Gut Powder and Southern Nature’s Colostrum!
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
I would love to go to a Salt Therapy room but just haven’t had the chance! I love the idea of negative ions and would love to test out the salt room for myself! (ED: Check out Salts of the Earth in Vic Park & Wangara!)
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you – brekky, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks – the works!
I love having eggs for breakfast! I usually make my Café-style smoked salmon, eggs and asparagus from my new Fast Your Way to Wellness book.
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For lunch, I usually enjoy a delicious salad with leftover protein from dinner, lots of greens and some of my favourite filling foods: avocado!
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I usually snack on carrots or celery but I’m also a sucker for berries in summer! If I have any left in the freezer, I love snacking on my Turmeric Fudge and have a special surprise coming up about that soon – be sure to check my blog in the next coming weeks!
My hot drink of choice is always homemade chai! Maybe it’s because of my Indian roots but nothing warms me up quite like it.
I love sharing meals with my family. There’s something so special to be about sitting around the table and sharing food with the people you love. Right now for a quick lunch I’m loving these veggie nori wraps as they are delicious, nutritious and easy to make from my new Fast Your Way to Wellness book!
♥ How do you like to get your body moving? Describe your weekly fitness routine.
I start most mornings with a walk along the coastline! I know it sounds very simple but there’s something just so magical to me about a solo walk, appreciating the view and clearing my head. I teach yoga a few times a week and make sure to get my practice in too!
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, we’d love to hear about it!
I’m lucky enough to be an ambassador for the wonderful brand Southernature! Anybody who knows me is probably sick of hearing about my passion about the brand. I take Omega 3 to reduce inflammation, Colostrum for keeping my gut in check and the Good Night Sleep to calm me down and help ease me into a restful night’s sleep.
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♥ You’ve got a big event in 7 days time that you need to look incredible for. What’s your plan of attack to look & feel your absolute best?
I practice intermittent fasting 2 days a week. I go into detail about intermittent fasting in my latest book Fast Your Way to Wellness, but I’ll give you the down-low! On my ‘fasting days’, I consume 500 calories and for men I recommend 600 calories. The calories I do consume are made up of organic, non-processed and nutritious food. Fasting helps to increase fat burning, control your appetite, reduce inflammation, give the digestive system a rest and help you look and feel the best you can! I usually fast the day before an event so that I go into that day feeling light, not bloated, and excited! If you want to read more about intermittent fasting, or if you would like to purchase my new book, you can check it out on my blog.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
When I have too many things going on, I know that it’s my time to switch off completely. I turn all my electronic devices off, put a candle on and sit in a bath filled with Epsom salts and a good magazine or book. I find sometimes I get too caught up in work and forget to breathe! I know for me personally, it’s so important to take time out and just remember to put everything into perspective – whether it’s work, university or school work, things always work out for the best and it’s important to stay positive and smiling!
♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great nights sleep?
My younger self would be shocked at the sleep routine I have now! I like to go to bed early and aim for 8 hours of sleep a night. Before I go to bed, I make sure to stay away from all electrical devices for at least an hour, take a Southernature Good Night Sleep supplement and spray my pillow with lavender essential oils to calm my mind.
♥ And lastly… do you have any top secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Look after your gut! Not only is the gut at the core of your health, it is closely connected to your immune system and your brain, and I’d say those are two important parts of the body! Some easy tips for looking after the gut is to avoid gluten, stay hydrated and manage stress. If you want to know more about healing the gut, you can check out my 4 week Heal Your Gut Program or, my 2-day Heal Your Gut Maintenance Program.
If you have any questions for Lee, please leave them in the comments! I hope you’ve learnt something from her interview – let me know who you’d like interviewed next!
Be well,
Annette
xo
Posted in Interviews | 1 Comment »
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on February 28, 2017
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I am a Pilates Instructor that wholeheartedly believes in the magic of mindful movement and the connection between mind and body in feeling well and good!
I founded Perth Pilates Collective to create a fun and supportive space for individuals to pursue their wellness goals and enjoy a mindful pilates practice in a unique environment that would not only have physical benefits, but also improve the mind.
I am a big believer that changing your physical environment and getting out amongst nature takes us off auto pilot and allows us to pause, experience the current moment and give gratitude for what is. My continuing education in psychology and keen interest in yoga further drives my curiosity and passion for helping others restore a mindful balance in physical and mental well being.
♥ Nars Laguna/Orgasm Duo
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine! What are your non-negotiables for looking and feeling your best?.
My daily beauty routine is pretty simple and that’s the way I like it! A quality moisturiser with an exceptionally high SPF rating is a must given I am outside a lot (I like the Nivea range for affordability!), a dab of mascara (Rimmel is a goodie) and a touch of Nars Bronzer in Laguna sets me up for the day!
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Coconut oil is my number one natural go to after a long week, working as a face mask and all over body moisturiser. I also enjoy the Facial Glow Mask by Elemental Herbology to get my natural glow on and wake up tired skin (I have a lot of early morning starts!).
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Batiste dry shampoo in light to medium brunette is a lifesaver to keep the sweaty hair at bay when running between studios, a nourishing facial moisturiser with 30+ SPF to protect my noggin (I like Nivea’s Light Feel Daily Face Veil) and Rimmel Scandal Eyes mascara in Extreme Black for a touch of pretty.
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
I would actually love to try a facial one day! The closest I’ve ever gotten is an at home mixture of oats and honey or coconut oil. Perhaps I’ll give it a go one day in an exotic location like Hawaii or the Greek islands, that’s usually where my spare time and money goes; travel!
♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you – brekky, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks – the works!
I am a big breakfast kind of gal and often wake up with a rumbling tummy! Oats and banana are my staples in the morning, sprinkled with almonds, berries and a dash of peanut butter for energy and concentration throughout the day.
Given I am often on the go I snack on fruit and nuts, as they are easy to carry around and are a good sized snack in between classes that won’t make me feel sick when upside down or bouncing around at the studio! Plus the slow burning energy from nuts aids my concentration and keep me full until dinner.
Lunch almost always involves avo on a hearty slice of rye bread, topped with sauerkraut for healthy skin and nails and digestive health (plus they are both super delicious!) Dinner is a variation of vego staples; vegetables, tofu and tempeh are all favourites.
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♥ How do you like to get your body moving? Describe your weekly fitness routine.
Pilates is my go to exercise of choice at home, mixing it up between matwork and reformer classes at the studio when I have a spare moment! Pilates is a meditative practice for me. It allows me to reconnect with my body and focus my mind on the present moment. My mind is often racing and quite frankly rarely stops! Pilates slows everything down and gives me something to focus all of my pent up energy in to, whilst doing good for my body and mind; I love it!
I also dabble in yoga to stretch out a sore body after a full teaching schedule and love hiking the beautiful hills of Perth and strolling our beautiful beaches in my spare time.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
My absolute favourite way to distress is a combination of pilates and yoga. I am known to integrate a touch of yoga into my pilates classes, combining the strength and core stability of pilates with the zen and tranquility of a yoga practice to calm the mind. I have also recently been introduced to essential oils which have really improved my quality of sleep.
♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great nights sleep?
I struggle at times with anxiety and have found slowing down and switching off before bed time is super important to getting a good nights sleep and recharging for the day ahead, which often starts bright and early! Hours of sleep can range anywhere from 6-9 hours. For a happy medium I aim for 8 hours on average.
My top tips for a good nights’ sleep are disconnecting from technology a good 30 minutes before bed, dimming the lights in your room and doing something relaxing like reading a book, writing in a journal or meditating if you are feeling super wired! All of the above practices allow me to slow the mind and give myself permission to rest my body (and mind!) which is often a tad sore from teaching and racing around during the day.
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♥ And lastly… do you have any top secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Exercise often and be in nature as much as possible. Fresh air and the feeling of fresh grass on the feet will give you perspective and moments of gratitude in even the most challenging of times. I love to get out of the city and in to the country. I am a country girl at a heart and always find my peace by getting back to nature.
Check out Lauren + Perth Pilates Collective on Facebook & Instagram!
What do you think of Lauren’s routine? Leave a comment below if you’d like to know more! 🙂
Be well,
xo
Posted in Interviews | Comments Off on Beauty and Wellness Routine: Lauren Mason – Pilates Instructor and Founder of Perth Pilates Collective.
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on February 13, 2017
♥ Reece Carter, the Herb Nerd!
Today I’m really excited to share with you the wellbeing routine of Reece Carter, well-known Aussie Naturopath & “Herb Nerd” who loves all things to do with plants and their healing powers. Read on for some fantastic tips that will get your skin glowing & energy levels soaring. Thanks Reece!
♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I guess you could say I’ve been a ‘Herb Nerd’ all my life! Growing up in The Wheatbelt, my Pop had the most phenomenal veggie garden which we worked on together, and I felt a real connection to life on the land.
I’ve always been fascinated with the combination of traditional remedies with current research, and turning to the garden or pantry for wellness. While living in London, I had a lightbulb moment and decided to formalise my education in the area I loved with a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) with Endeavour College of Natural Health.
In my very first year of study, I did a subject called ‘Herbal Manufacturing’ which gave me hands-on experience of how herbal preparations are made. I loved the subject and spent more than 600 hours in the Wellnation Clinics at Endeavour to better understand people’s daily health concerns. That’s when I decided to dive into the world of herbal medicine.
♥ DOSE Vitality Tonic
Now, I’m a practising naturopath based in Sydney, creating a life I love! I have my own clinical practice, have recently released my own liquid vitality tonic called DOSE, and produce my video channel ‘The Garden Apothecary’ in Los Angeles dedicated to making the ancient art of herbal medicine new again.
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine! What are your non-negotiables for looking and feeling your best?.
Cleansing and a light moisturise after the gym every morning. Night time is where I do my more heavy duty skin healing, loading up with heavier oils like rosehip, and blends that I make myself. I love using sweet almond oil for Vitamin E and calendula which is very healing for the skin.
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
An aloe vera plant is my at-home hack, because it’s so easy to grow and so versatile. It’s one of those things that has so many different uses in beauty and grooming. You can combine it with a bit of cucumber juice or witch hazel, and all of a sudden you’ve got an aftershave gel to reduce irritation. Or you can freeze the gel and replace the store bought version from your own garden if you’ve had too much sun.
One of my go-tos would have to be my aloe vera eye gel, which uses hydrating aloe, soothing cucumber, anti-inflammatory chamomile and tightening witch hazel to soothe tired, puffy eyes. You can find the recipe here, or watch me show you how to make it here!
♥ Midas Cup Tumeric Latte
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
1. DOSE Vitality Tonic – this is built around something I was making for myself and having at the start of everyday for wellness and improved energy and mood throughout the day, so I created an over-the-counter version of that. My aim with the tonic is to reduce the effect our every increasing hectic lifestyles have on wellness, and restore vitality using our bodies’ natural energy pathways. Find it online here or also at OneFHL in Subiaco.
2. Midas Cup Turmeric Latte Superfood Blend – my absolute go to! Turmeric is another food I have every day because it has this enormous range of health benefits. It’s the king of anti-inflammatories – especially for the gut – and as we know as naturopath’s, the gut is linked very closely to mental health and wellbeing. So having a natural gut anti-inflammatory everyday is a must for me, and this blend is absolutely delicious.
3. Organic Rosehip Oil – it’s a beauty! I use it on its own at night for my skin. It’s rich in Vitamin C which not only acts as an antioxidant, but also improves collagen synthesis to strengthen elasticity and keep your skin looking fresh and supple.
♥ Reece + pals @ OneFHL in Subi
♥ How do you like to get your body moving? Describe your weekly fitness routine.
The thing I do most is high intensity interval training (HIIT), usually a 45-minute sweat session first thing in the morning. I always look for a place I can do that kind of class – when I’m home in Perth, it’s at OneFHL in Subiaco.
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
As much as I’ve tried, I’m not really big on meditation. I see enormous benefit in it, but my mind is always racing and so if I need to do something meditative, it’s a slow-paced repetitive cardio activity. I find swimming to be very relaxing, so if ever there’s a time where I feel a bit overwhelmed, that’s the kind of exercise I do. For me, it serves the same purpose – quietening the mind and focusing on a single activity, that’s where it’s therapeutic for me.
♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great night’s sleep?
A lot! I’m an early to bed, early to rise guy, and a very deep sleeper! It’s not unusual to find me in bed by 8:30pm, and I’m up at 5am. So I get at least eight hours a night, and always have my magnesium and herbal tea before bed. I usually have a passionflower, lemon balm and lavender blend that I make myself to calm a racing mind – this was a lifesaver during my studies!
To keep up to date with Reece on his Herb Nerd-y journey, check out his website or follow him on Facebook / Instagram!
If you have any questions or comments about Reece’s routine, please leave them below! <3 xo
Posted in Interviews, Other | Comments Off on Health & Wellness Routine: Reece Carter – Leading Australian Naturopath & Herb Nerd.
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on February 7, 2017
♥ local lunar babe @chi.borrello
Hey 2016! You were actually an awesome year for me, thanks for existing and allowing me to exist through you. I love to reflect, so the following are some of my health & wellness highlights:
– Self-care became the top priority. After a few years of insane stress + anxiety, working 24/7 & zero holidays, all of that changed when I finalised the sale of my old business. Actually – it took a little longer if I’m being honest. At first I felt relieved, but also out of sorts. I’d been working so much that it felt wrong to have downtime, so I started freelancing & picked up a few ongoing marketing clients who were all AMAZING, and the extra money was terrific, however I was back to working 7 days a week and exhausted. Any days off I had from my regular job I was face deep in other work & I was burning out. Something had to shift, but I wasn’t sure what it was quite yet. All of this lead to…
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– Another life changing Bali trip (full review to come soon!). In June I spent 10 days in Ubud with my boyfriend & bestie, and it changed everything. We decided to create a DIY yoga retreat, this meant 2-4 yoga classes per day, meditation, incredible vegan food, loads of coconuts, cold-pressed juice & kefir, Ayurvedic treatments, pool time, a little exploring & lots of rest too.
It was here that I realised what I had been doing. I was focusing so much on work that I had absolutely no time to take care of myself. Being constantly tired, daily 2-3 hour afternoon naps, fluctuating moods & regular junk food cravings had become my new normal. I knew what I had to do.
As soon as I returned home I contacted my clients, thanked them for being wonderful & bowed out. I now enjoy 2-4 days off a week for the first time in around 5 years and have never felt healthier.
♥ Sunshine + cats!
– Moving House + Sunshine!. Prior to my Bali trip, probably the biggest event of the year occurred. I moved house! From my teeny tiny falling apart-ment of 6 years, containing zero sunshine opportunities & zero landlord fucks (the place was practically in disrepair, but I did love it), to a giant, beautiful old house with a cat, huge backyard, plentiful slices of sunshine, AIR CONDITIONING (a big deal!!!), fireplace, amazing kitchen and a million other great things. Let it be known that having space to dance around, a couch outside to enjoy the morning breeze & birds, loads of flowers & trees, and a little bit of heating/air conditioning does wonders for your overall wellbeing – who knew 😉
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– Seeing a Naturopath. I wrote a big article outlining the reasons why I saw a Naturopath when I was feeling healthier than ever. And I can now attest that it’s absolutely one of the very best things that happened last year.
I’d seen Marnie a few years ago and loved her down-to-earth approach. I was already feeling great, but knew I had a few lingering deficiencies that could be improved upon. Actually they were pretty important ones! My iron was incredibly low (just below the lowest acceptable minimum) and my vitamin D levels weren’t great either, more than likely due to living in the no-sunshine-home mentioned above.
Both of these have a huge impact on mood and energy. Having struggled with intense chronic anxiety and low energy in my life, I knew it was time to get on top of these once and for all. I’m now spending a little bit of time in the sun every day, taking Vitamin D supplements to help & taking Iron supplements too. Interestingly, low iron is a pretty slow fix. It may take up to 2 years to get the levels to their peak, but I’m feeling better every day and excited to continue on this journey to full health. If you need a Naturopath I can, and always do, highly recommend Marnie Downer in Mount Lawley / Inglewood.
♥ Running around Lake Monger
Running. I’ve always found it difficult due to the aforementioned anxiety and low iron, however in June of last year I decided to recruit a friend and finally give it a real go. We decided on Couch to 5K, which is an 8 week program available as a phone app or you can just time your runs (the app is much easier!). This program does as it says and gets you from the couch, to being able to jog without stopping for 5K.
I have a confession to make, however! Due to my yoga teacher training, other fitness classes that need to be taken as part of my job, sicknesses, weather and general life – my pal and I are actually only up to ‘Week 5’ of Couch to 5K!!! But we’re both okay with it. At the beginning neither of us could jog for even 60 seconds and we are now able to cruise through 5-8 minute runs without collapsing. We’ll get to the full 5K this year 🙂 The mental and physical benefits have been fantastic – increased confidence, calmness, flatter stomach, better sleep, increased overall fitness – the list goes on.
If you are able to stick at it 3 x per week as the program suggests then you will get there much quicker than us, as we’ve only been able to squeeze around 1 per week in.
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Hot Yoga Revelations. Listen closely, I’m about to share something that might change your life, as it is starting to do so for mine. So, as you may have gathered I do a bit of yoga and take a few fitness classes, partly because it makes me feel fantastic & partly because my job at lululemon requires it (cool job!).
What I’ve only JUST realised after all this time, is how incredible I feel the day after a hot & sweaty yoga class, but the kicker is that it HAS to be in a heated room. Why? I have absolutely no idea yet! All I know is that the day after sweating it out in warm to hot yoga, I feel INCREDIBLE. The only way I can describe it is a childlike feeling of joy and contentment that permeates through the whole next day and often lingers into the next.
You best believe I’ll be experimenting more with this in 2017!
So that’s my wellness year laid bare for you, I’d absolutely love to read your personal wellness discoveries of the year – and if you have any exciting plans for 2016, so share with me in the comments below! 🙂
Be well,
Annette xo
Posted in Other | Comments Off on My Personal 2016 Wellness Wrap Up!
