Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 181 i WellBeing

Move more, live longer The largest study to date of cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy people found that moving more is linked to living longer regardless of age, sex and starting fitness level. The study included more than 316,000 adults aged 18–74 years between 1995 and 2015 in Sweden. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using a submaximal cycle test and expressed as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). This is the maximum amount of oxygen the heart and lungs can provide the muscles during exercise. Swedish national registries were used to obtain data on all-cause mortality and first-time cardiovascular events (fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction, angina pectoris or ischaemic stroke) during 1995–2015. The risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events fell by 2.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively with each millilitre…

Also known as common or English ivy, Hedera helix, is a species of evergreen flowering vine and a very familiar sight in gardens and waste spaces or climbing house walls and tree trunks. Native to Europe and western Asia, it can grow up to 30 metres high, clinging strongly with its aerial rootlets to vertical surfaces. It can also be grown as a groundcover. Ivy prefers darker, non-reflective and rough surfaces with neutral pH for climbing, though it can survive in a wide range of soil pH. It avoids direct sunlight and likes to grow in shade. It flowers in late summer and autumn and the flowers are very rich in nectar, an important food source for bees and other insects. The fruits are purple black and a food source…

What inspired you to join Abercrombie & Kent and when? I joined Abercrombie & Kent in Egypt in 1984 as a travel manager and looked after inbound Australian travellers. At the time, I was living in Cairo, Egypt, and was inspired by the reputation Abercrombie & Kent had established in North Africa. I was also aware of the company’s history in East Africa, where founder Geoffrey Kent had essentially invented experiential and sustainable travel with the first luxury tented photographic safaris. I wanted to play a part in delivering that kind of travel experience and message. What is the philosophy behind Abercrombie & Kent? Kent, who is still our chairman and CEO, founded Abercrombie & Kent with his parents in East Africa in 1962. The same core values the Kent…

Every winter and summer, millions of us flick the switches on our reverse-cycle air conditioners, fans, radiators, central heating systems and so on. Largely powered by fossil fuels, warming and cooling your home weighs heavily on the hip pocket and environment. According to the Environmental Protection Authority, the average Australian household spews over 18 tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere annually. In fact, the total emissions from our built environments represent over a fifth of the country’s total output. Heating and cooling contribute the lion’s share. A 2018 report from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency found maintaining comfy temperatures accounts for 41 per cent of all energy use in the residential sector. Between June 2008 and 2018, electricity costs rose 117 per cent and gas 89 per cent, making…

Your eyesight is precious and possibly the most important of your five senses. It not only affects how well you see but also how you feel. Your eyesight impacts your ability to work, exercise, drive and even recognise a face. Good vision leads to improved learning and comprehension and overall quality of life. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 80 per cent of blindness and serious visual loss around the world is avoidable through prevention or treatment. In Australia, approximately 50 per cent of the population has at least one eye problem, rising to 87 per cent of people over the age of 45. Having your eyes regularly tested for vision problems and general eye health can help identify early warning signs and prevent the loss of eyesight.…

Ultimately, consumerism is responsible for the fast-fashion problem and the best way to tackle it is by meeting it head-on. Alternatives include: • No-buy or low-buy trials where no clothing is purchased for a year and you make do with what is in the wardrobe. These have been run by beauty blogger Hannah Louise Poston and journalist Radhika Sanghani. • Buying secondhand. • Selling on places such as eBay or putting items in a consignment shop. • Looking for giveaways via clothes swaps. • Buying fewer but better-quality clothes designed to last. Eco-fashion campaigner Livia Firth is promoting this through her #30wearschallenge. • Hiring. Australia and New Zealand have several dress-rental companies. A few operate on a peer-to-peer basis including The Volte, Designerex and LendMyTrend in Australia and Designer Wardrobe…

When parents are asked what they want for their children, most would give the same answer: happiness. Of course, we all want our children to be happy—and with good reason. Happy kids are healthy kids. Mental health and wellbeing are fundamental to kids’ physical, educational, social, emotional and cognitive development. But unfortunately, many kids are struggling. According to the Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, one in seven children is diagnosed with some form of mental health condition, including anxiety and depression. Expectations to perform at school and juggle extra-curricular activities have never been higher and family life, often with both parents working, can be hectic. “Today, children are growing up in a very different world than their parents grew up in,” says Chris Dickson, psychologist…

Sarah Wilson is an Australian journalist, international bestselling author, entrepreneur and philanthropist. For those of you who don’t know, Wilson is the founder of the highly lauded IQuitSugar movement, under which banner 15 books have been published. In between riding her bike around Sydney in lieu of a car and escaping to the mountains to hike and connect with nature, she’s written yet another book. Her latest brainchild, Simplicious Flow, is a zero-waste cookbook that came out last year. “It’s how I cook,” she says. “It’s the anti-recipe cookbook because it’s not this idea of recipes that allow you to make one thing. It doesn’t just stop; you keep flowing. Flow and flow and flow. On and on and on.” Wilson’s journalism career began in print publishing and she was…

Prevention of infection is important but there will always be times when this partially fails, so a specific program was devised for patients that has had some success if the infection is caught early. Olive leaf extract (fresh plant tincture) can be taken twice daily over autumn and winter (and spring if necessary, along with a capsule of NAC to reduce susceptibility. Immune status needs constant support with a diet of organic food, adequate protein, plentiful vegetables and fruit, sufficient pure water to maintain good hydration, regular exercise and sunshine, avoiding all sugar and processed foods. Adequate sleep and relaxation (stress management) are crucial. If the person feels a cold/flu coming on, immediately take high doses four-hourly of a combination of Andrographis, Echinacea and olive leaf with zinc (antimicrobial), quercetin…

Guilt is a burdensome emotion. It can weigh you down with self-recrimination, damage your sense of self, erode your relationships, trigger anxiety or resentment and make you self-punish. It is, according to cognitive theorists, a result of thoughts around your actual or perceived poor behaviour, behaviour that you believe has caused harm, malicious or unintended, to someone else and even to yourself. It is generated by self-recriminations around what you might have done—or should have done. It is often triggered by real events but can also be misplaced. Guilty purpose Like many emotions, guilt has its evolutionary role. As an emotion its primary goal is to teach us about the social and cultural norms of our group. It is essentially a warning that you have done something that has breached…

When you think back to your younger years, what were they like? Was there a role you fell into in your family of origin without even realising it? Were you the quiet shy one, the lost child who kept in the background, the trophy child always winning awards, the clown making everyone laugh, the peacemaker resolving conflicts, the responsible one forced to care for your siblings or a parent, or the black sheep always seen as a disappointment? As adults we can unconsciously fall into our childhood roles—not because they were helpful at the time but simply because they are familiar to us. If you always had to care for others growing up, you might find yourself prone to rescuing others as an adult or drawn to a caring career…

There’s a local tradition that Cape-to-Cape hikers stick to, touching the cool stone of the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse before shouldering their packs and setting off south for Cape Leeuwin, 140km away on WA’s wild southwest coast. Through flowering pink Pimeleas I walk that trail too, brushing past peppermint trees and following their heady scent up crumbling Tamala Limestone cliffs to peer into the turbulent Indian Ocean far below. I scoop freshwater from timeless coastal springs, pitch my tent on lonely, windswept ridgelines and end three blissful days of wild walking at Cowaramup by cooling my heels in a cerulean sea. This precious time in southwest Western Australia is my chance to re-wild: to reconnect with nature and myself. To reclaim a sense of solace beneath towering karri forests, on silent,…

JUNE 17–18 Brisbane, AU 22nd World Congress on Nutrition and Food Sciences nutritionalconference.com JUNE 21 Global International Day of Yoga un.org/en/events/yogaday JUNE 21–23 Sydney, AU Good Food & Wine Show goodfoodshow.com.au JUNE 22–23 Adelaide, AU Body Mind Psychic Expo bodymindpsychic.com JUNE 24–25 Sydney, AU The Wellness Show wellnessshow.com.au JUNE 24–25 Sydney, AU Happiness & Its Causes Conference 2019 happinessanditscauses.com.au JUNE 29 Hunter Valley, AU Hunter Valley Wine Festival huntervalleywinefestival.com JULY 1–31 Global Dry July dryjuly.com JULY 7–14 AU NAIDOC Week naidoc.org.au JULY 13 Sydney, AU Barossa. Be Consumed barossa.com JULY 14–20 AU Diabetes Awareness Week diabetesaustralia.com.au JULY 22–25 Melbourne, AU National Suicide Prevention Conference 2019 suicidepreventionaust.org/conferences JULY 22–25 Melbourne, AU National Suicide Prevention Conference 2019 suicidepreventionaust.org/conferences JULY 28 Melbourne, AU Run Melbourne runmelbourne.com.au AUGUST 1–4 Whistler, CA Wanderlust Festival wanderlust.com…

Yoga Australia is the peak body for the yoga industry in Australia. Its purpose is to maintain the integrity and tradition of yoga by upholding high standards so the whole community can benefit. Yoga Australia has gained a reputation for best practice internationally, which means registered teachers and therapists will enjoy international as well as national recognition. It is also recognised as the advocacy organisation for yoga professionals in Australia. Yoga Australia’s vision is to ensure everyone can access, experience and enjoy the diverse benefits of yoga through the body, mind and spirit. Yoga Australia credibility As the peak body, Yoga Australia ensures that the integrity, tradition and longevity of yoga are maintained through developing, implementing and supporting professional standards and practice. Education and ongoing professional development are a must…

There’s something about digging into a big bowl of Indian food that I find so comforting: the warmth of the spices; the way the coconut milk cuts through the heat of the flavours; the extra dose of vegetables. This issue I’d love to share with you a true Indian delicacy: my delectable Chicken Biryani and Turmeric Cauliflower Rice from my new book, Supercharge Your Life. Biryani is a traditional dish that’s extremely popular throughout the Indian subcontinent and playfully combines Indian spices, protein, vegetables and rice. Marinating magic To recreate the dish, we need to delve into the art of marinating. If you’re new to marinating think of it this way: instead of using pre-made flavour mixes and seasonings, impart flavour to your meals by stocking up on the single…

Older cats and dogs with reduced mobility may need help with eating and drinking. Raising bowls so they don’t have to bend their neck can help. Veterinary practice has changed since I graduated in 1987. With medical technology becoming more accessible—radiation therapy for cancer palliation, acupuncture and hydrotherapy now widely available to improve mobility—vets now have a bottomless toolbox for older or debilitated pets. Palliative care is treatment of symptoms of a condition rather than treatment of the underlying condition itself. So, for an older cat with renal disease, we can’t fix the kidneys but we can maintain quality of life by supporting hydration, appetite and reducing nausea. Two important considerations for pets with chronic disease are setting achievable goals for care and the ethics of the decision to continue…

CHRISTINE BROADBENT is a consulting astrologer and teacher with 30 years of experience who offers workshops and personal readings. For details of her July workshop in Sydney, contact Christine@astrologyspot.com.au or phone 0402 664 101. Cancer This eclipse month, it’s not a time to try for “normal”. A total solar eclipse Jul 3 ramps up Cancer New Moon to epic proportions for you; engage with the journey of self-discovery this offers. Consider what emotional baggage you can let go of to make your heart lighter. A release ceremony at Jul 17’s Full Moon and eclipse would be perfect timing, with Lover Venus in Cancer urging you to lighten your load. Lucky links with planet Neptune mean practical people in your life are likely to step up to help you manifest a dream…

Did something resonate with you in this issue of WellBeing? Tell us! Write to WellBeing, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde, NSW 1670, email wbletters@umco.com.au, comment on our Facebook page or Instagram account: @WellBeing _Magazine. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Just feel it After reading Boarding Pass in WellBeing #178, I felt renewed inspiration to learn to surf. I have tried several times in the past but always give up. I also tried stand-up paddle boarding before I had my first child but have struggled to get back into it. A week after I read your article my husband surprised me with a new surfboard. I have spent the last three days on the board, even standing up on the first day! I’m still trying to co-ordinate all…

Oneness breeds satisfaction For this study researchers conducted two surveys on almost 75,000 people. In the first survey, more than 7000 participants responded to a series of statements designed to measure their belief in oneness (eg “I believe that everything in the world is based on a common principle” or “Everything in the world is interdependent and influenced by one another”). The results showed that people with higher oneness scores reported significantly greater life satisfaction. The same survey was administered to the same group of people six weeks later and it was found that oneness beliefs had not changed significantly and therefore might be stable over time. In a second survey involving more than 67,000 people, researchers looked at whether oneness beliefs could explain an individual’s life satisfaction beyond the…

Manuka honey is produced by European bees that forage on the New Zealand and Australian tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium), a plant that grows wild in both New Zealand and southeastern Australia. Historically, indigenous populations of both countries used this honey on wounds and to improve digestive symptoms. It can also be sourced from Leptospermum ericoides (white tea tree) and L. polygalifolium (tantoon). As a species, Leptospermum probably originated in Tasmania where there are 85 known species, collectively known as tea tree or jelly bush. The name tea tree is said to have been coined by Captain Cook, who reportedly brewed tea from the leaves. Jelly bush is named for the jelly-like texture of the honey itself. While New Zealand owns the trademark name Manuka, a similar honey is produced in…

Jessica Thomas E: jessica.thomas.is@hotmail.com W: facebook.com/jessthomasart I am a hobby artist, primarily self-taught and based in Canberra. The drawings and paintings I complete usually reflect my interests in flora and fauna. However, I enjoy experimenting with different styles and techniques and have developed artworks ranging from contemporary abstract acrylic paintings incorporating textures and patterns through to traditional illustrations of people and animals using graphite and colour pencil, charcoal and pastel. Each artwork is approached from a slightly different angle, guided by a particular idea I want to try out or a message I wish to convey. Since childhood, I have found my wellbeing is enhanced by the creative experience. A highlight was when I held my first solo art exhibition in 2016 featuring drawings and paintings of Australian animals, plants…

Popular dairy products like yoghurt are the most recognised sources of probiotics—but what about all the plant-based products like kimchi, miso and tempeh, which often get ignored? Most people know all about probiotics, but what about prebiotics? The names are very similar, but they each play different roles for your gut health. Here’s a guide to what plant-based prebiotics and probiotics to look out for so you can eat healthily and love your gut while you’re at it. Probiotics vs prebiotics Probiotics are live “good” bacteria living in your gut. They help to break down and digest food, minimise gas and bloating, boost your immune system and support gut health. The gut is sometimes called your “second brain” as it can play a key role in your mental health. Recent…

Class A • Mechanically recycled nylon • Mechanically recycled polyester • Organic flax (linen) • Organic hemp • Recycled cotton • Recycled wool Class B • Chemically recycled nylon • Chemically recycled polyester • CRAiLAR flax • In Conversion cotton • Monocel (bamboo Lyocell Product) • Organic cotton • Tencel (Lyocell) Class C • Conventional flax (linen) • Conventional hemp • PLA • Ramie Class D • Modal viscose • Poly-acrylic • Virgin polyester Class E • Bamboo viscose • Conventional cotton • Cuprammonium rayon • Generic viscose • Rayon • Spandex (elastane) • Virgin nylon • Wool…

An influential pioneer in the sustainable fashion area is the American outdoor-wear maker Patagonia. Founded in the 1970s by Yvon Chouinard, it has increasingly led the way in pioneering sustainability. In 1996, it switched to using 100 per cent organic cotton and in 2005 announced its Common Threads program that would involve making all clothing recyclable within five years. This started with polyester and moved on to cotton and Polartec. Patagonia runs North America’s largest garment repair facility in Reno, Nevada, and has a Repair Hub in Sydney where its items are repaired free of charge. It has even worked against its own corporate interests in a 2011 newspaper ad by asking consumers to buy only items that they need. Secondhand Patagonia items are available from its Worn Wear site…

Your heart, a muscular organ on average the size of a fist, has four chambers. It can be found in the chest cavity between your lungs and just to the left of your breastbone. The heart beats, contracts and pumps blood through the arteries, veins and capillaries, all which form the cardiovascular system and circulate the blood around your body. Needless to say, a healthy heart is crucial to your health, responsible for multiple processes in your body. Its primary function of pumping blood carries nutrients and oxygen to all of your organs, together with bringing carbon dioxide to the lungs to initiate exhalation. Your lifestyle, exercise regimen, sleep patterns, body weight, genetics and diet affect the health of your heart. Living in the age of stress and overwhelm can…

There’s this idea that courage is big: a valiant act of risking your life for others or standing up in a public forum to fight for what is right and good. Courage underpins the work of firefighters and whistleblowers and moral giants such as Mahatma Gandhi, Malala Yousafzai and Rachel Carson. History books shout brave deeds loudly, leaving us in dazzled awe. What our culture forgets is that courage also whispers. People perform courageous acts every day, in gentle and unseen ways. Quiet courage is advocating for environmental stewardship and a more caring society, despite a fear of exposure. It’s when going out in public evokes the trauma of being chased but you do it anyway. It’s in revealing yourself to someone you’ve chosen to love in spite of your…

When Rese Rose suddenly became very ill, a friend gave her a gift voucher for an unusual treatment called bibliotherapy. Rose says she was “deeply intrigued at what it may offer, probably because my approach to health has never been completely conventional”. Bibliotherapy involves using literature to aid mental and emotional healing. The term comes from two Greek words: biblion, meaning book, and therapeia or healing. The term was coined in 1914 by American minister and author Samuel Crothers who described bibliotherapy as a “process in which specific literature, both fiction and non-fiction, was prescribed as medicine for a variety of ailments.” While the term is relatively new, the benefits of bibliotherapy have been recognised for millennia. The ancient Egyptians, for example, had an inscription above the portal of the…

About Cabot Health Cabot Health is 100% Australian owned and operated. Our doctors and naturopaths are committed to nutritional medicine and clinical research. Cabot Health’s medical advisors and formulators are headed by Dr Sandra Cabot, a leading Australian medical doctor. We would like to share with you the best ways to stay healthy, and hope you can share this important information with family and friends. About Dr Sandra Cabot Dr Sandra Cabot is the Medical and Executive Director of the Australian Women’s Health Advisory Service. She graduated with Honours in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Adelaide in South Australia in 1975. She has helped millions of people all over the world with her books on health which are published in 11 different languages. As a medical student in…

• Perspective: Strive to improve and become your ideal self but look back and appreciate what you have been through to become who you are today. Know that you are seeking to improve what is already great—you are enough already. • Celebrate: Take time to stop and celebrate your small and big achievements before rushing to the next challenge or goal. Consider having times during the year when you are not working towards a goal and just enjoying life as it unfolds. • Lighten up: Let go of your need to always be productive and ambitious. Give your brain a break by doing things purely for fun. Pick up a novel and let your mind unwind, watch a trashy TV show that makes you laugh, go for a walk without…

Ducking out of the rain into a tiny Chinatown alcove, we follow the heady scent of incense up a staircase and discover, by sheer chance, Hin Ho Bio—Temple of the Queen of the Heaven—high on a rooftop, ablaze in candlelight. Chinese lanterns colour the red-and-gold ceiling and the hopes of early morning worshippers linger in bunches of fresh lotus flowers and joss sticks burning by the altar. We light joss sticks of our own and pray for safe travels then sit afterwards taking in a surprising view, high above Kuching’s irresistibly unhurried riverfront. If there is any place that’s the antithesis of a frenetic southeast Asian city, it’s Kuching: Malaysia’s most beautiful riverside town with a remarkable wilderness right on its doorstep. Wandering around this hassle-free city, tourists crisscross the…

A Basket by the Door SOPHIE HANSEN, MURDOCH BOOKS “Making and sharing good, simple, seasonal food is an act of love and generosity.” To give and share food with those you love is the sentiment behind A Basket by the Door, by Sophie Hansen who, originally from Sydney, now lives on a farm just outside of Orange in New South Wales. She shares many beautiful meals, snacks, drinks and desserts, all created using freshly grown produce from her garden. With seasonal produce the focus, Hansen’s creative recipes are punctuated by beautiful imagery of food, cooking and the surrounds of the farm. Complete with ideas for picnics, packed lunches, care packages and hampers, this book is generous, warm and full of wisdom and inspiration. What we love the most? They way…

Mindfulness Card Deck NATALIE MCNAMARA Positive mental health coach Natalie McNarama has created a set of 22 Mindfulness Cards to help you and your kids practise positive self-talk. Using beautiful and bright watercolours, the cards share an emotion or belief you might have, like fear, courage or love, as well as a positive mantra. How do you use the cards? Each day, simply shuffle the pack and pick a new card. Read the card out loud, trust it was the card you needed to hear and learn something from it. You might also like to choose a card to work on for the week, such as self-doubt, anger or success, and read it aloud every day. McNamara says this technique will help change your thought patterns and teach you to…

Simple pantry and DIY items are making a comeback as people discover how easy it is to make a face cleanser, serum or foaming hand wash at home. It’s amazing how much stuff can accumulate in a bathroom over the years: all those well-meaning hand creams, scented candles around the bath and random samples from events and goodie bags. It all seems to amass because you don’t ever seem to cull things in the bathroom, right? Did someone say copper bronze eye shadow from my year 12 formal? Yes! I kept it in my bathroom until I was in my early 30s, about 10 years ago. I’m sure you have a few of those items in your bathroom, too. If so, it’s time for a detox. Detoxing your bathroom comprises…

Antibiotics continue to be embraced on a global scale by doctors who persistently overuse them without due concern for the consequences, patients who steadfastly demand them for coughs and colds and an agricultural and livestock industry driven by the bottom line. When the world’s premier scientists assembled in Sydney towards the end of 2018 to discuss their findings and set an agenda for the future of microbiome research, this is a conference I would not have missed for all the vitamin C in a Kakadu plum—which, if you can find one, is richly graced with this nutritive substance. The microbiome refers to all the bugs in your gastrointestinal system, most of them doing their daily works in your colon, the large chunk of bowel near the place where you do…

DENTAL DR SCOTT MAKIOL DENTAL p 0738482320 biodentistry.com.au COUNSELLING & PSYCHOLOGY AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY p 1800 061 199 e info.acap@navitas.com acap.edu.au JANSEN NEWMAN INSTITUTE p 1800 777 116 jni.edu.au ENERGY HEALING AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF REFLEXOLOGY p 02 9449 6161 reflexologyaustralia.com THE CRYSTAL ACADEMY OF ADVANCED HEALING ARTS e thecrystalacademy@gmail.com webcrystalacademy.com FENG SHUI CAROLYN MCCALLUM FENG SHUI HARMONY Accredited Feng Shui Master m 0430162537 e carolyn@fengshuiharmony.com.au fengshuiharmony.com.au HEALING & MEDITATION PIPPA NEVE ROOM FOR HEALING Intuitive Healer Meditation Guide m 0424 518 884 pippaneve.com FRA ACUPUNCTURE SAGE BEAUTY 292 Campbell Pde, North Bondi NSW 2026 p 02 9130 7064 e info@sagebeauty.com.au sagebeauty.com.au ROBERT KIRBY INTERNATIONAL p 02 9550 0099 e info@robertkirby.com robertkirby.com HERBALIST SAGE BEAUTY 292 Campbell Pde, North Bondi NSW 2026 p 02 9130 7064 e info@sagebeauty.com.au sagebeauty.com.au…

• Warm ugg boots, hot chocolate and the latest issue of WellBeing by the fire. Bliss! Fiona Hurle • In winter, nothing compares to curling up with my journal and a good cup of tea. No matter how good or bad I feel, a cup of tea (I like green) makes me feel warm inside. Journaling is my other winter nourishment—there’s just something so cathartic about writing! I love it. Karina Abrahams • For me, winter is all about moisturising, so I make sure my skin is nourished. I cook casseroles in the slow cooker which are delicious and so good for me. I also enjoy red wine, coffee and chocolate, too. Casey Chambers • In winter, I create a mini “self-love sanctuary” in my home. I take a long,…

A dose of nature We know that spending time in nature reduces stress but until now it was unclear how much is enough. To establish an effective “dose” of nature, subjects were asked to have a nature experience of 10 minutes or more at least three times a week. Participants were free to choose the time of day, duration and place of their nature experience, so long as it was anywhere outside that made them feel like they had interacted with nature. Subjects were instructed to have the nature experience in daylight with no aerobic exercise and no social media, internet, phone calls, conversations or reading. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, were measured from saliva samples taken once every two weeks before and after a nature experience. Results showed…

Sharing an intimate moment with a complete stranger can be intimidating, no matter the situation. The most intimate encounters we have with strangers are often sought out when we need some extra loving—such as a massage or facial. Allowing someone you don’t know to care for you like a friend, caress your face and massage your body, all the while ensuring you’re comfortable, is a skill only few have mastered. The two therapists you’re about to meet balance the delicate nature of intimacy and care like true professionals. Not only do they leave a lasting impression on your skin’s health; they reconnect you to yourself. Acting as conduits of consciousness, they guide you towards new depths of relaxation, presence and wellness using just the tips of their fingers. A good…

While tea has been enjoyed for centuries, of late there’s been a surge in its popularity in its many and varied incarnations. You can grab a cuppa on the go with an iced tea, drink to good health with fermented kombucha, join devout foodies who drink infused gourmet teas or sip an indulgent tea cocktail. It probably comes as no surprise that tea was first discovered in China. The legend goes that almost 5000 years ago Chinese emperor Shen Nung was relaxing under the leafy branches of a Camellia sinensis tree, heating water in a pot. A few leaves drifted in on the breeze, landing in the pot. He scooped them and some of the water up and let it cool a moment before taking a sip. Shen Nung is…

Cooking with probiotics and prebiotics Here are some of my favourite recipes using plant-based prebiotic and probiotic foods. Banana and Coconut Yoghurt Breakfast Parfaits Serves: 2 100g granola, store-bought or homemade225g coconut yoghurt2 bananas, sliced2 tbsp maple syrup Add layer of granola at bottom of two glasses or jam jars then add layer of coconut yoghurt and bananas. Repeat process and finish with banana slices on top. If desired, drizzle with maple syrup. Green Breakfast Bowls with Miso Dressing Serves: 2 1 cup uncooked brown rice1 tbsp sesame seeds½ cup alfalfa sprouts½ cup fresh basil leaves1 avocado, diced2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled & halved1 cup baby spinach Miso Vinaigrette2 tsp white miso pasteJuice 1 lemon2 tsp tamari½ tsp toasted sesame oilScallions, sliced thinly, to top (optional) Wash brown rice in…

During the 2000s, the apparel industry underwent an important shift. A number of factors, including moves towards cheaper synthetic fibres, resulted in today’s fast-fashion business model embodied in key corporate players such as Zara, Topshop and H&M. Garments became cheaper, leading to a growing perception that they are disposable. In some circles, wearing a dress twice became a social faux pas. Australian figures show the average item of clothing is worn just seven times before being discarded. Australia is second only to North America as a consumer of clothing and other textiles, equivalent to 27kg per person per year. This is roughly twice the global average of 13kg, which has in turn nearly doubled from 7kg between 1992 and 2013. New Zealand’s figure is probably a little lower. Environmental consequences…

While most companies are engaged in simply trying to sell their product, Mud Jeans in the Netherlands has an unconventional multi-faceted business model that offers the option of purchasing or leasing. Strongly wedded to the circular economy, it makes its Fair-Trade-certified product from a mixture of recycled denim, processed by Recover in Spain, and organic cotton. Leasing costs €7.50 (AU$12) per month and allows the lessee to swap or repair the product. The company accepts any pair of jeans for recycling and sells sweaters made from 85 per cent denim. Returned pairs of jeans in good condition are sold as “vintage”. Similar are Nudie Jeans, which are made from 100 per cent organic cotton. The company offers lifetime free repairs, has shopfront repair facilities in Sydney and Melbourne, sells its…

If you’re a typical westerner in the 21st century, you probably feel lonely—occasionally, often or even most of the time. But, in contrast to other afflictions, we’re unlikely to confess our loneliness to others. However, loneliness hurts. Terribly. In the bestseller Lost Connections (2018), hailed as a seminal book for our times, Johann Hari explains that acute loneliness makes our cortisol levels soar and causes as much stress as a punch from a stranger. What is loneliness? As well as being painful, loneliness can be confusing, striking at unlikely times—such as when we’re around friends or family. That’s because feeling lonely and actual social isolation aren’t the same thing, explains Michelle Lim, a clinical psychologist at Swinburne University of Technology and scientific chair of the Australian Coalition to End Loneliness.…

Infections are part of the human condition and have coexisted with us since the dawn of time. The positive side of this equation is their essential role in the development of our immune system; the negative side is that they can make us very ill and at times be life-threatening. How we respond to infection (how ill we become) depends on how virulent the organism is; the strength of our immune systems and the portal of entry of the organism (for example, the skin, the nose or the mouth) and how effective the barrier mechanisms are at these sites; and how effective are the various components of our blood-borne immunity. If the organism is particularly virulent, the immune system can be overwhelmed but, if the immune system is healthy, the…

Yearning to slow down, be more mindful and strengthen your relationships at the same time? Dust off that pen licence and start writing. Taking the time to craft a letter to one person is the opposite of what we do when we post our thoughts to all of our social media connections. The correspondence becomes personalised and deepens the connection between two people rather than broadcasting to the masses. Ironically, social media can take some credit for helping stage the comeback of letter writing. “The #snailmail hashtag has over 1.5 million posts on Instagram,” says Melbourne-based graphic designer and illustrator Michelle Mackintosh, the author of Snail Mail and Care Packages. She’s a self-confessed “stationery nerd” and avid letter writer. “In our grandparents’ era, letter writing was as important as all…

The story of Oscar Wilde did not end happily. Once lauded on the London stage and feted by society, he suffered the fate of languishing in jail after publicly declaring his love for a man—which was, at that time, deemed a crime. His tumble from grace was irrevocable and he ended up impoverished in Paris, dying at only 46. Being himself cost him everything including his life but living a lie had become unbearable. He could not deny his truth. This story is not an unfamiliar one for many people, even in this day and age. The anguish of knowing who you are but pretending to be something else for fear of scorn or rejection can end in tragedy. Whether it is society or on a much smaller scale with…

Desiring to be better, to learn, improve and grow is a wonderful way to approach life and has proved to be good for your health. Having goals, self-awareness and purpose in life keeps your brain focused, allowing you to achieve great things and live a vibrant and full life. When you are a striver you believe you have unfulfilled potential and are willing to work hard to become what you know you are capable of. However, in the quest to be the best version of yourself it’s easy to become fixated on all that is “wrong” and what needs to be “fixed”. Unfortunately, focusing on what needs to be changed is not always supportive of your wellbeing, confidence or health. As a lover of self-development and a striver myself, I…

Retreats or time spent in a spa are waysof acknowledging to yourself that youmatter. It is a recognition you can’tcontinuously give or perform withouttaking time to refill the reservoir from whichthat giving and performance derive. It’s not indulgent to take time for a retreat;it is responsible. In this Spa, Travel & Retreat Planner youhave a broad range of retreat and spaexperiences laid out before you, from theluxurious to the inspirational. Maybe morethan one of them will suit you, but one thingis certain: here you will find places, peopleand experiences to help you reconnect. Inturn, that will help you get more out of life.…

This is an edited extract from The Yogic Kitchen by Jody Vassallo, published by HQ Non Fiction, AU$39.99 The doctrine “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” rings true for Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine from India. Not sure what Ayurveda is? Don’t worry—you’re in good hands with Jody Vassallo’s new book, The Yogic Kitchen. In the book, Vassallo explains how Ayurveda, in Sanskrit, is literally “the science of life”. As an author, yoga teacher and health coach, Vassallo practices Ayurveda daily, so naturally it was the inspiration behind the cookbook. The holistic philosophy, which sits alongside yoga, is based largely upon three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. According to Ayurveda, each person is made up of a unique proportional mix of these doshas, with one…

The skin, your body’s largest organ, is responsible for much of the hard work that goes into eliminating the toxins and wastes you accumulate. Every day, you come into contact with a myriad of chemicals and toxins, from cigarette smoke and urban pollution to cleaning and personal care products—even through the food and water you consume. While juggling its elimination duties, your skin is also your body’s protective barrier and its first line of defence against harmful bacteria and pathogens. It has been shown that healthy microbial balance is linked to a healthier fatty acid profile in the skin and therefore a more robust protective barrier. This, along with many other reasons, is why it’s important to look after your gut health. Put simply, your skin has to cope with…

It is said that it takes seven years for the lungs to fully recover from smoking but he has made an excellent start. This client wanted to stop smoking, had tried “everything” to stop but was still smoking. He had been smoking since 12 years old, was now 45 and his health was compromised by the addiction, so it was critically important to stop permanently. He had tried the various pharmacological remedies with little success so he wanted something he could do indefinitely and that would improve his health—not just reduce the symptoms of addiction. Nicotine While nicotine is highly addictive, when a person finally decides to stop smoking, nicotine (and its main metabolite cotinine) effectively only lasts in the body for three or four days. The half-life of nicotine…

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