Yoga DVD Review: Eoin Finn's Blissology Project!

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If the thought of coming home from a day at the office and being whisked away on a Balinese yoga retreat appeals to you… then this is the next best thing! Filmed in the midst of a serene Balinese backdrop, Eoinn Finn's 6 DVD Blissology Project contains a Vinyasa Flow yoga and meditation routine for each weekday and one for the weekend, and at just $30 from Amazon it's a real bargain! Each day focuses on a different area of the body and mind to guide you through the week.

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Eoin is a well-known Canadian yogi and surfer who has studied and taught yoga and meditation for many years. He regularly teaches workshops and holds retreats as well as having a line of DVDs. Eoin was also one of Lululemon’s first ambassadors!

He describes Blissology on his website as “the art of consciously finding the balance between one’s personal desires and our impact on the web of life. It is not just a brand but a way of being. It is a path of interconnectedness and love.”

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Eoin approaches yoga holistically, encouraging us to adopt its philosophy into our everyday lives. There is no reason not to get some yoga practise in every day with this DVD set, with each weekday disc giving you the option of a ‘quickie’ (usually around 30-35 minutes)if you’re strapped for time, or a longer routine of around 45-55 minutes if you are after a more intense session. If you’re new to the world of yoga there are beginner’s options throughout, as well as a reference guide to help you perfect those postures.

If you are looking for more of a challenge, there are alternatives during each session to help you push yourself further. Every routine also finishes with a 10 minute meditation to keep you grounded, present and feeling like you don’t have a worry in the world.

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Practising yoga at home with the assistance of a DVD is a great complement to your usual yoga or fitness routine, and is an excellent option for those of us who don’t always have time for classes before or after work, or who may not be in a position to commit to a full membership or course.

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If you are a true beginner this is an enjoyable introduction to the yoga lifestyle, however I would recommend that you do combine your at-home practise with some guided sessions at your local yoga studio in order to truly understand and master the various postures and sequences, and of course to avoid injuring yourself.

You can even pop the DVD into your laptop, take it outdoors and practise in the park or at the beach… I can’t think of a better way to shut out the world and get some quality me-time in!

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The DVD can be purchased in-store at Lululemon, or online at Amazon. You can also find Eoin’s range of other videos on the Blissology website, which can all be downloaded straight to iTunes.

I'd love to hear if you've tried the Blissology DVD's, or are keen to, and what your favourite yoga DVD's are at the moment – so leave a comment below!

Review by Alice – yoga-lover who would really like to attend a retreat in Bali sometime soon!

Be well,

xoxo

Posted in At Home, Exercise, Products, Reviews, Yoga | Comments Off on Yoga DVD Review: Eoin Finn's Blissology Project!

Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Michelle Sims, Body & Soul Coach @ Wellness With Michelle.

♥ Michelle Sims

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

Hi there! I’m Michelle, I’m a wife, mum and Body & Soul Coach for women. I LOVE travel, we have done alot so far and are still planning more, which is why I have created my online coaching business, so I can fulfill 2 passions at once. I am super passionate about all things natural food and health, personal and spiritual growth and I am so happy I get to combine all of these things into my business, the best part is seeing how it helps others transform! My business Wellness With Michelle is very much my heart centered passion and where I get to share what I am good at! I run my BodyBliss Coaching Programs for women wanting to step up their body, health and wellbeing.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

So, my daily beauty routine is I always wash morning and night, and moisturise too. I am currently using Franc Essential moisturiser and face mist, a lovely lady I know has created this luxurious and all natural product, they really moisturise well.

I generally try to keep all of my skin care natural, as well as hair care too, but there are a couple things that are not, I actually use the Proactiv cleanser scrub as it really gives my skin a great clean and leaves it smooth without drying it. I wish it was natural, but its the only cleanser that has agreed with me and gives a great result, at least I get to wash it off!

I also am trying out the LʼOccitane Eye Roll-On Gel,I have to say, so far I am impressed! Face masks are usually natural clay with some honey thrown in too. I don't do these nearly as much as I would like to.

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An important part of my beauty routine is actually getting my greens and veggies as these really go along way to keeping my skin clear, plenty of water too. In fact, anything that keeps my digestive system happy, means my skin stays clear. I had acne for many years up until the age of 30, but since eating a higher raw and mainly vegan diet (I do eat fish) my skin has been clear. They say diet isn't a huge influence on the skin (other than too much junk) but I really have found that certain foods just dont suit certain people, healthy or not.

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

Mm..i wish I could answer this, but I never actually go to any salons for treatments! Not for lack of wanting to..I just never make the time!

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

Thats an easy one! I am loving my new hairdresser Constance at Velvet Helmet in North Fremantle, she does a mean blonde colour!

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I use the occasional clay mask, but I have to admit, I did buy some of the Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Mask as there were heaps of great reviews and it was cheap. Its not all natural, but you know what, its actually really good!

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

1) My mineral makeup, right now I am using Bella Pierre

2) Lip balm, i cant live with out it! I use a few brands and have many on the go at once

3) Also a moisturiser for sure.

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

Yep, definitely eating a lot of plant based foods with plenty of raw veggies and fruits! This and water really are the cornerstones of health. Also, I do a lot to keep tuned in with myself and to keep my mind healthy. A positive outlook on life and self nurturing/awareness go a long way to staying vibrant too. It always amazes me how mental and emotional issues can manifest as physical issues. Its so vital to consider health from an holistic approach.

♥ 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 away on a spiritual/cleanse retreat. Any retreat that rejuvenates the body & soul together. On a superficial level, i wouldn't mind trying out some eye lash extensions (LOL), the natural looking ones of course 🙂

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I always start with lemon water when i get up, then a coffee with rice milk, then either a liter of juice or green smoothie or some raw granola cereal with rice milk. Then at lunch usually a salad or nori wrap or maybe even just a smoothie, at dinner I have more cooked food such as beans, lentils, potatoes, fish or even a raw meal such as zucchini noodles.

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I eat rather simply these days. I do have not so crash hot days too, for example I have a had a major icecream fetish of late, but I do make my own with almond milk, banana and stevia and enjoy it all day long in a addition to a juice and dinner. I’m not perfect, but I do make sure I get some nutritional value in there. I also do love to freeze and blend fruit in summer, making a yummy sorbet.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I do enjoy weights and walking, I do the occasional yoga too! A good bit of gardening will do the job too. Oh, I also like to get in front of the mirror and dance my ass off sometimes, it puts a smile on my face!

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

I do have an amazing naturopath who I consult on occasion, her name is Kylie Robshaw from Wellness Perth. I am super fussy about who I see with that sort of thing and she is wonderful, there are few I trust with this, Kylie is the exception!

I also like to get the occasional reiki too. I do take some supplements, I am trialling Juice Plus right now, just to top up my nutrient intake, I am a big believer in wholefoods and that applies to supplements too. I do take maca on occasion as it is so good to keep the hormones balanced!

♥ 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 always aim for 7-8 hours. I fall asleep rather quick but I do love reading for sure! I aslo have a yummy homemade room spray I use, it has a blend of lavender, geranium, peppermint and oregano.

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

The beach for sure, the ocean water is so healing to body and soul, also anything that gets me out into nature. I have a new ritual of starting every monday with breakfast at the beach then have a quick dip. I also love to get out for some morning sunshine while I journal, its good for body and soul too. I do love just to hang out with my hubby and son too, Im a bit of a home body 🙂

A million thanks to Michelle for sharing her wonderfully inspiring routine with us today, if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Posted in Interviews, Wellness Tips | 3 Comments »

Beauty & Wellbeing Crushes: Lululemon, Sweet Rose Tea, Tempeh & Tara Stiles!

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♥ Lululemon Clothing

I walked in to buy a gift voucher for a friend's birthday and walked out with that plus a pair of awesome running shorts, the most comfy workout singlet I've ever bought and a pair of the worlds best leggings. Do I regret it?…Not one bit! Served by the lovely and forever helpful Claire at the Cottesloe store, there are now about 50 other things that I'm saving up for to go back and buy. In the meantime I'll be eating/exercising/sleeping in my current purchases (washing in between of course!)

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♥ Organic India Tulsi Sweet Rose Tea

Turkish delight in a tea bag. This stuff is delicious and provides a perfect little sweet treat for any time of day. I discovered the pleasures of drinking it chilled and added to a smoothie (banana + nut milk + chilled rose tea + ice) and drinking it hot- the perfect accompaniment to a slice of red velvet cake 😀

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♥ Tara Stiles Youtube Videos

I've been trying to add 10 mins of yoga into my morning routine to help stretch out my muscles and get the blood flowing. I've also found huge improvements to my mood and subsequent calming effects on the rest of my day. If you're time poor then Tara Stiles yoga Youtube videos are the bomb! They range from about 5 to 10 minutes each with many different levels. There are more intense workouts, like this full body routine (my fav) or more calming and restorative workouts.

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♥ Tempeh

I'm majorly crushing on tempeh at the moment! Adding it to everything from salads to stir-fries.

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My latest creation involves wrapping it up with some quinoa, kale and nori to make delicious hand rolls. It also tastes amazing sliced up, quickly fried on both sides and eaten alone like little tempeh soldiers. YUM!

What are your current crushes? Share them below! 🙂

Crushes by Kavisha, self confessed 'health foodie' who believes a little dessert is good for the soul. She is currently studying for her Master of Wellness at RMIT University and blogs at bebalancedbewell.tumblr.com

Posted in Wellness Tips | 3 Comments »

Farmers Market Review: Perth City Farm, East Perth!

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Perth City Farm is located in East Perth next to Claisebrook train station, and every Saturday morning from 8am-12pm you can find the Farmers Market, brimming with fresh produce from growers that are either organic, in conversion to organic, biodynamic or who farm ethically and sustainably (which includes spray-free produce). All of the fresh market goodies are grown locally, meaning they don’t have to travel as far before reaching your plate, which also means less pollution going into the environment as a result.

Aside from the wonderful fresh fruits, vegetables and home-made produce you can find additional organic or biodynamic items to stock your pantry and fridge with including meats, dairy products, eggs, olive oils, breads, health foods, clothes and even household products which are gentle on the environment, face and body creams, books and seeds.

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Once the live music invites you in, it’s easy to feel as though you are walking through someone’s back yard as the community gardens, or more aptly named urban farm, surrounds you. Here you can see the real core of the Perth City Farm initiative, which is to promote environmental awareness and educate those who visit about sustainable living. Being a not-for-profit organisation, Perth City Farm is run completely by volunteers.

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As you move from stall to stall, the growers greet you with a friendly smile and love to tell you all about their latest offerings while letting you have a taste of whatever it is you are looking to put in your basket.
On my last visit, my haul for the morning included some beautiful sweet and juicy local mangoes and plums, an organic baguette and a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs to make my body and taste buds sing.

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…and one of the best things about the farmers market is that once you have completed your grocery shopping, you can relax with a coffee and breakfast in the solar powered cafe, which produces meals and delicious treats containing local and organic ingredients. What more could you ask for on a Saturday morning?

You can find out more at perthcityfarm.org.au or by visiting the markets on Saturday morning at 1 City Farm Place East Perth.

Have you been to City Farm before? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Written by Alice – yogini, health nut and lover of all things organic, who loves to spend a sunny Saturday morning strolling through her local farmers markets.

Be well,

xoxo

Posted in Inner City, Organic, Reviews | 5 Comments »

Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Lisa and Candice from My Kitchen Rules!

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

We are a Mother and Daughter team representing WA on the television show My Kitchen Rules for 2013. We grew up in the Southwest and have been cooking for our family and friends our whole lives using fresh, homegrown produce.

We enjoy a healthy lifestyle of going to the gym together, cooking our own healthy versions of restaurant meals and shopping, where we source out mix and match outfits for our cooking demonstrations! We love vivid colours such as reds, yellows, sapphire blue and coral and create outfits that compliment us together as a mother daughter duo. (Sometimes we accidently buy the same outfits!)

Mum and I are both High School teachers of Information Technology and mum teaches voice and is a trained singer and I teach dance, piano and am a trained Flamenco Dancer. Mum and I have put on a number of shows in which mum sings, I dance and our family accompany on musical instruments. Our last show was a fundraiser called “Flamenco Love” a cabaret style performance in which audience members watched our live performance while sipping on Sangria! Mum and I have both been crowned “Busselton Festival Queen” as a part of the Festival of Busselton.

We are currently working on a project that involves healthy gourmet cooking demonstrations with a twist “Themed Cooking Demo's with a Difference”! We are developing shows in which we chose a theme. say “Spanish”, then we hold a cooking demonstration on that theme such as Healthy Paella and then mum will sing a little bit of Spanish and I will Flamenco dance! So a cooking demo with a bit of a performance attached!

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Exercise, healthy meals, singing and dancing, laughter and plenty of water is our beauty routine! We also like to use Dove body wash instead of soap and make sure to remove all makeup before going to sleep!

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

Mum and I like to get together and give each other pedicures and manicures while we have a good catchup!

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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why? Regular trips to our favourite hairdressers at “Hair Freedom” in North Perth is a treat! The guys there really know how to deal with curly hair! We send the whole family there!

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Mum bought me a Shellac nail kit for my birthday now we shellac our nails all the time!

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

Both Candice and I cannot live without Max Factor “Miracle Tough” foundation in Natural, Garnier Roll-on “Anti-dark circles” stick, Maybelline “The Falsies” mascara!! I also want to mention that I am a fan of Estee Lauder “Resiliance Lift”.

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

We follow a nutritious and healthy diet which limits carbs, fats and sugars, we are currently working on creating our own cooking demonstrations in which we show people how to cook gourmet meals healthily (such as reducing fats and sugars and using healthy alternatives). We want to teach and create an awareness to people that you can still have tasty gourmet restaurant meals that are healthy. We also exercise regularly and drink lots of water! Spending time with family and friends is really important to us and for our well-being! Our little silky terrier dog “Shibbi” also is our de-stressor!

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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven't yet?

Candice and I would love to spend a day at an organic beauty spa!

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Candice and I follow a healthy protein and veggie style diet which consists of Oatbran porridge or pancakes for breakfast, lunch of quark, cottage cheese, tuna, healthy meats and salad. We both love Beef Carpaccio, fish ceviche and fresh Japanese cuisine! We love Aussie BBQ's with rump steak, marinated chicken, our “prawn and mushroom cassoulet”, fish with herbs and lemon and the occasional lamb cutlet served with fresh salad, vegies from our family gardens finished with yoghurt, fruit or homemade lemon sorbet! Mum and I drink lots of water, herbal teas and skim milk smoothies! And always avoid processed foods!

♥ Our dog Shibbi!

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Mum and I attend the gym as much as we can and are always active whether it be doing water sports, going for walks with our dog or generally being outdoors! Exercise is important for healthy bodies and minds!

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

I believe that a healthy mind and body is the key to a happier lifestyle. Mum sings and I dance often which keeps us happy!

♥ 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?

Mum and I are night owls. We get most of our important work done during the night! Our favorite pastime at night is researching healthy alternatives to recipes! We try and get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

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

We relax doing what we love best healthy cooking, singing, and dancing around with our friends and family!

Thanks to Lisa & Candice for taking time out of their busy schedule to share their routine with us!

Be well,

xoxo

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