Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 183 + Course Guide i WellBeing

Reducing chilli burn When you ingest a curry that’s a little too hot for comfort, what do you do? Researchers have found the answer. For the research, subjects drank a spicy Bloody Mary mix, containing capsaicin. Immediately after swallowing, they rated the initial burn. Then, they drank either purified water, cola, a cherry-flavoured cordial, soda water, non-alcoholic beer, skim milk and whole milk. Participants continued to rate perceived burn every 10 seconds for two minutes. The initial burn of the spicy Bloody Mary mix was, on average, rated below “strong” but above “moderate” by subjects. All beverages reduced the burn of the mix, but the largest reductions in burn were observed for whole milk and skim milk. The fact that skim milk was as good as the full cream milk…

The avocado pear (alligator pear) is a fruit native to Central Mexico. From the most ancient evidence of an avocado pit 10,000 years ago, the avocado today is the fourth most important tropical fruit in the world, cultivated widely in tropical and Mediterranean climates. The fruit is fleshy with a single large seed and can be pear shaped, spherical or egg shaped. The fruit matures on the tree but ripens about a week after harvesting (similar to bananas to which it is related botanically). Avocado is a member of the Lauraceae family, and related to cinnamon, bay and sassafras. Avocado is rich in B vitamins (high in B5, B6 and folic acid), vitamins E and K, has more than twice the potassium of bananas, high soluble and insoluble dietary fibre…

T: +61 412 900 205 E: cathywytch@optusnet.com.au W: redbubble.com/people/reddeercreation For as long as I can remember, creating has been a part of my life. I grew up in a family that sewed and, later in life, I learned to embroider, knit and make bobbin lace. My love of painting and drawing though really took off after the birth of my first child when I attended a couple of short workshops at a local community centre, and it has continued on from there. My work became influenced by my study of reiki, crystal healing and other energetic healing practices, which led to a series of spirit guide drawings in pastel. These days, however, the natural world and its beauty are further inspiration. As I embark upon a new piece of work,…

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, infections and illness. It plays a vital role in healing the body and protecting you from viruses and bacteria. Without an inflammatory response, wounds and damaged tissues wouldn’t heal. The root of chronic disease Inflammation should only be a temporary response that dissipates after the healing process is over. Sometimes, however, inflammation persists and becomes chronic. This is when it can do more harm than good. When inflammation becomes chronic it increases the risk of chronic disease. Scientists have also found a strong correlation between inflammation levels and a person’s lifespan. Inflammation is said to be the root of almost all diseases, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, asthma, obesity, inflammatory bowel conditions, autoimmune diseases and leaky gut. According to…

Many of us seem to have a view that being drained, stressed and overextended is what simply comes part and parcel with working life. Certainly work can be demanding and deadlines have to be met, but where do we draw the line when our mental health is on the line? Applying a yogic approach to create a more harmonious working environment that focuses on cultivating wellness can make all the difference in improving workplace mental health and avoiding burnout before it takes hold. What is burnout? Job burnout is defined as a specific type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion due to stressful workplace conditions. We often hear of burnout due to a heavy workload being the main culprit. However, workplace wellbeing can be impacted…

“The robots are coming for your jobs.” Not exactly the sentence you want to hear. Nor one that fills you with optimism for the future. But, as The Ethical CEO and co-founder of Conscious Step — a company that makes a donation directly to a charity for every pair of socks sold — Adam Long tells me, it’s a reality: right now, your boss is probably being pitched a software that will significantly reduce your workload, and eventually your job. So how is this a positive thing? It takes a very special “glass half full” kind of person to turn our dire future predictions of wealth distribution, environmental sustainability and job availability into something hopeful — but Long is that kind of person. He doesn’t sugar-coat any of this; yes,…

“You need boundaries … Even in our material creations, boundaries mark the most beautiful of places, between the ocean and the shore, between the mountains and the plains, where the canyon meets the river.” — Wm Paul Young Setting appropriate boundaries in all key areas of your life is essential not only to your health and wellbeing, but to your self-esteem, too. Boundaries signify a limit or an endpoint for what you will tolerate or accept. They provide an emotional blueprint for how you let other people treat you. If we do not respect ourselves, we often struggle with boundaries and this may result in feeling as though we have been “used” or taken advantage of. Boundaries in a relationship signify where one person starts and the other person ends.…

The beloved 26th president of the United States, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, prophetically pronounced: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” He uttered these words more than a hundred years ago, and yet this sentiment applies more than ever to life in the 21st century. This age-old problem has been our torment since we could walk upright. However, the advent of globalisation and connectivity through social media platforms, as well as the absence or obsolescence of God in our lives, has intensified the obsession with “me”. The cost of constant comparing is despair as we lose sight of ourselves. Good, better, best From the moment you’re born, you’re in the race of your life. While parents think their baby is the most beautiful and clearly the brightest cherub ever, inadvertently they are…

In Japan, there’s a beautiful concept called yutori, which roughly translates to “spaciousness” or “living with spaciousness”. I learned of yutori when I arrived in Kyoto, the first stop on my three-week Japan adventure. I fell in love with the concept immediately, yet it left me puzzled. How could Japanese people feel spaciousness when they have a population of 126.8 million people? Australia, in comparison, has a population of 24.6 million people — 100 million less people than Japan on a landmass that is 20 times the size. Despite the odds seemingly being stacked against them, Japanese people live with yutori and I wanted to find out how. I wanted to see where they found spaciousness among all the noise and people. So, I spoke my very broken Japanese to…

Mary Valle’s new cookbook, Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking, discloses a very important message: Mediterranean food (and all food, for that matter) should be shared with the people you love. Throughout the cookbook, Valle encourages you to place her dishes in the centre of a dining table and enjoy them slowly, accompanied by non-stop conversation and belly laughs. Abundant in vegetables, wholegrains, lean meats and seafood, Mediterranean cuisine has been touted as one of the healthiest and most sustainable ways to eat. In Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking, you’ll enjoy hearty and delicious dishes inspired by Greece, Italy and beyond and experience the many health benefits of eating in this way. Salmon with Lentil Salad Serves: 4–6 210g green lentils8 mushrooms, sliced thinly1 carrot, grated1 red onion, finely sliced2 tomatoes, cut into chunks90mL olive…

Do you know what the best birthday parties, high-end spas and waiting rooms have in common? Flavour-infused water jars. If your spring resolution is to drink more water but you can’t stand the taste of the bland stuff, I’m here to help. It’s time to leave vitamin waters, fruit juices and sports drinks on the supermarket shelves and get back to good old-fashioned wholesome water with a twist. Infused water jars are super easy, inexpensive and will keep you, your friends and your family refreshed and mellow, rather than dehydrated and on a sugar high. You’ll be sipping on water all summer long in no time! Why not take advantage of your favourite warm weather fruits and herbs to enliven your daily water intake and keep you feeling refreshed and…

is a holistic veterinarian at All Natural Vet Care, Russell Lea, Sydney. T: 02 9712 5844 W: naturalvet.com.au A diet change can help reduce inflammation, even in dogs without specific diet sensitivities. In spring we see an increase in seasonal allergies. Although some pets will require conventional treatment during an acute exacerbation, there are long-term strategies to reduce the frequency and severity of these flare-ups. Symptoms of allergies in dogs include itching, tendency to secondary infections (yeast and bacteria), ear inflammation, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis and gut symptoms (vomiting and diarrhoea). To help manage allergies, we tend to classify them as parasitic (fleas/mites), contact, airborne or food allergies, but there can be some crossover. Dogs and cats can become reactive to foods (proteins, carbohydrates and even vegetables), house dust mites,…

A lovely middle-aged lady came into the clinic complaining of a very common problem — recurrent urinary tract infections. She has been suffering from these repeatedly for about five years, although she had bouts of them when she was younger, but these had seemed to resolve more easily than they were doing today. This lady had visited the doctor many times and had multiple doses of antibiotics for this, including a full six months of antibiotics about a year ago. On her last few visits to the doctor her urine tests showed no infection but she was still given further courses of antibiotics — just in case. On questioning she had experienced recurrent sinus problems for many years and regular occipital headaches. She was always very tired (even on waking)…

DENTAL DR SCOTT MAKIOL DENTAL p 07 3848 2320 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 EDUCATION ZOURKAS GROUP INSPIRE, EDUCATE, EMPOWER e theodora@zourkasgroup.com.au kate@zourkasgroup.com.au zourkasgroup.com.au speaking events, workshops and consulting 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 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 HOMOEOPATHY…

Create positive change in your life and the lives of others As adults, we can often rely on our intellectual and rational sides to solve issues, but art therapy is saying “no, that’s not always the best way”. We actually want to tap into our imagination, our intuition and our bodily experience for healing. Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses artistic mediums to improve or restore mental, emotional and physical health. Art therapists use techniques that access different areas of the mind to traditional talk therapies. The brain processes sensory and creative processes differently than it does verbal input. This gives art therapists a unique tool with which to help clients explore both the physical and emotional aspects of their conditions. In Australia, art therapists are…

Believe in yourself and your dreams Imagine experiencing a major disappointment as Ash Barty did after losing at Wimbledon and saying, “Today wasn’t my day; it isn’t the end of the world”. Imagine looking for a better way to view life’s events, just as Byron Katie did; she ended her cycle of depression and found inexplicable joy. Imagine choosing to believe that everyone loves you. In doing so, you will feel happier and life will flow easier. The ultimate freedom we all share, regardless of our circumstances, is the way we view the world. It is one freedom nobody can take away from us. It doesn’t matter if you live in one of the poorest parts of the world, how smart you are or if you have no-one to support…

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. After weeks of wandering around in a daze, I found myself in front of a rack of magazines in my local supermarket. I stood there, desperately wanting something to make me forget that the future I had previously envisioned was no more. I saw the image of a woman floating in the water and the title “WellBeing — inspired living”, recognising immediately that it was exactly what I needed. I read the issue from cover to cover and discovered from your article, “The Drama Triangle”, that I follow the…

Solar panels on farms For this study researchers studied the effect of weather conditions on solar panel efficiency. They found that when it’s cool outside the efficiency gets better. If it is hot the efficiency gets worse. When it is “dead calm” the efficiency is worse, but some wind makes it better. As the conditions became more humid, the panels did worse. Solar panels it seems are just like people, they are happier when it’s cool, breezy and dry. Using global maps made from satellite images, researchers applied those criteria worldwide, spanning 17 classes of land cover, including classes such as croplands, mixed forests, urban and savannah. The analysis showed that croplands are where a solar panel would be most productive. Previous research has also shown that solar panels would…

June 20, 2019 started like any ordinary day. I woke up early, dressed for work and sat in my usual spot in the sunshine to sip on my morning coffee. After brushing my teeth and quickly running the blow dryer through my hair, I grabbed my keys and flew out the door. This seemingly banal and ordinary morning was, at the risk of sounding dramatic, one of the most poignant days of my life. On this particular morning, I had left the house with minimal makeup on my face — just a swipe of mascara on my lashes, some sunscreen and a huge smile across my lips. This might seem trivial but, for me, it was a huge moment in my working life. I had never gone to work without…

We don’t often think about it, but a key function of the roof over our head is to support social relationships and nurture intimacy. Designing with social function in mind is as old as architecture itself — the Victorian parlour and the triclinium (a room within the ancient Roman domus for elaborate dinner parties) — are just two examples. Studies performed by Roger Ulrich within hospital healthcare settings demonstrate that interior design can significantly impact on the way we interact. For instance, comfy, flexible, movable seating and inviting spaces with attractive gardens encourage family members to socialise, while harsh lighting, uncomfortable chairs and draughty, cold rooms discourage it. Regardless of whether you share with a horde or live alone and invite others into your inner sanctum, interior design can be…

As we all know, sugar can be highly addictive and people often consume a lot more sugar than they think. Unfortunately, overconsumption of refined sugar has been associated with many serious diseases, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. For those of you with a sweet tooth, it’s best to swap refined sugars with natural sugar alternatives. But just because they are natural, does it mean they are as healthy as they claim to be? We take a look at the best alternative sugar sources on the market if you need to add a bit of sweetness into your life. Raw honey One of the oldest sweeteners in the world and one of nature’s most popular superfoods, honey also doubles as a healing agent due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial…

Your circulatory system consists of arteries, capillaries, veins and lymphatics, which all work together to nourish and detoxify the body. Here we will concentrate on your peripheral vascular tree, as opposed to your heart, although the same principles of treatment apply to the entire system, also known as your circulatory system. Blood moves through the circulatory system by being pumped out by the left side of heart. Blood leaves the heart filled with oxygen and starts its journey through the arteries. The arteries keep branching off into smaller and smaller tubes, like the branches of a tree, which progressively become thinner and thinner as you move away from the central trunk. These bring oxygen and other nutrients to the cells of the body’s tissues and organs. The smallest tubes are…

The collective bottoms of a nation of 600,000 or so Aussie bubs aged less than two are clad in around 4,800,000 nappies every day. That’s a lot of nappies. Changing nappies is arguably one of the least favourite parenting jobs — and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a “poonami”, you’ll know why. It’s an explosion of poo of mammoth proportions, leaving parents shaking their heads wondering how so much of something so stinky can come out of something so tiny and cute. Thankfully we have nappies, which are there to collect all matter of posterior body waste until your baby is toilet trained. Nappies come in many different materials and styles and they can be reusable or single use (disposable). Single-use nappies are usually made with…

Altruism and rationality aren’t the most commonly accepted of bedfellows. Recent neurological studies show our brains are hardwired to want to help others without expecting anything in return. Scientists aren’t sure how this came to be, but selflessness is most often associated with emotion, not logic. Biological theories to explain altruism include that such actions are limited to helping our family, social groups or those we need — or may need — to survive. Neurological and psychological research into generosity, meanwhile, has found it delivers a great sense of purpose, social rewards and a dopamine hit. When we’re choosing how to give, MRI technology shows the frontal lobes of the brain — the region that helps with social reasoning and decisions about what course of action to take — are…

We live in a time where there are more elderly people living longer than ever before. In fact, by 2050 the number of people aged 60 years and older is expected to double, predict ed to reach two billion. Yet, remarkably, our attitude towards ageing and the aged has never been more dismissive and destructive than it is in the modern day. For instance, a study conducted at the University of California found “robust evidence of age discrimination in hiring against older women.” Research conducted in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom suggests that up to 9 per cent of elderly folk suffer from abject loneliness and social isolation, with more than one-third suffering from occasional loneliness or perceived “invisibility”. As many as 60 per cent of respondents in…

With more wellness travel options available, the educational component of a stay at Queensland’s Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat is even more valuable. Using evidence-based advice from practitioners and presenters with years of practical experience, guests can rest and recharge at the dedicated wellness retreat while learning more about their health and wellbeing. Having access to seminars to understand more about current health issues and explore the very latest research can deliver benefits long after the retreat experience has ended. Taking information home to put into practice and share with friends and family helps develop positive lifestyle changes. Thousands of guests have visited over the years with many sharing stories about how much health improvement has been achieved, often with only small changes. Wellness education has become a core component of Gwinganna’s…

Alexx Stuart is a passionate educator in the space she calls “living a low-tox life”. Through her speaking, workshops, e-courses and online community, she helps people make the best new choices for themselves, their family and the planet. W: lowtoxlife.com Avoid topping and tailing veg. Things like cucumber and zucchini really don’t need it. Leading a conscious life is as much about food mindfulness as it is reducing toxins, plastics and unethical, fast fashion. We hear a lot of debate about what food to eat to save the planet but according to research by the team at Project Drawdown, it’s far more important and critically urgent to STOP THROWING OUT SO MUCH FOOD — in fact, it’s 10 times more important and significant than what is on our plates. This…

The Romans had a phrase for everything, including finance: pecunia non olet (“money doesn’t stink”). But you now know that your consumer dollars, from food to clothes to travel, reflect your values. This extends up to your financial decisions, too — the way you invest your money shapes people, your environment and your world. It is increasingly possible — and even mainstream — to align your money with your values. Broadly speaking, investing money to avoid companies with poor performance in environmental, social or corporate governance (ESG) areas, and/or investing in companies that perform well in ESG areas is known as responsible investment. Ethical investment takes that one step further, into making choices in line with particular values or ethical views. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), an industry body…

Scorpio November is your month in many ways. Firstly, let’s celebrate the Sun’s return and the fact that October 28’s new moon in Scorpio provides a head start for rapid progress. Then there is the potency of a Mars-Jupiter harmony, while Taurus’ full moon illuminates the heart on November 12/13. Add in the fact that from November 19 Warrior Mars transits Scorpio and it’s natural home. This empowers you, forming numerous water and earth harmonies between December 2 and 23. Your inner warrior is best sustained by peaceful surrounds in which to work and dream, and close loving bonds. In this way, you come home to yourself. Capricorn With your guru planet Saturn in Capricorn, the pressures of life continue. Yet November 24 to 28 renews your spirit of exploration.…

October/November our #inspo…

A story of herbal medicine research Chinese medicine made a huge contribution in 2015 when professor Tu Youyou, an 85-year-old researcher of The Academy of Chinese Medicine in China, received the Nobel Prize in medicine. During the Vietnam War, the Chinese government set up a research program to find a new drug for treating malaria. Many scientists conducted studies, but their trials failed. One day, Ms. Tu found a record of malaria treatment with a Chinese herb, Qing Hao Artemisia, in an ancient book dated back to the Jin dynasty (about 300AD). Rather than use the traditional boiling extraction, the Jin doctor used the raw herbal juice. With this low temperature extraction, the malarial parasite had a 100 per cent killing rate. Soon after Tu’s discovery, many trials too place…

Promoting positive lifestyles Stressfree Management is an innovative clinic in the western suburbs of Sydney run by Jenetta Haim. The clinic caters for a multitude of modalities to assist your healing on all levels: energetically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Jenetta is a qualified naturopath, nutritionist, clinical hypnotherapist, reiki master/practitioner/teacher, meditation and mindfulness expert, NLP practitioner and Theta healer with over 40 years of experience. Her abilities also extend to aromatherapy, specialised counselling, life coaching, crystals and colour healing, spiritual counselling, past life regression and feng shui. Available courses Jenetta runs certificate courses in Stress Management, Personal Development, Meditation and Mindfulness, Diet and Nutrition, Reiki (all levels), Expanding your Intuition, Feng Shui, Psychic Development, Crystals, Colour and Energy Healing. These courses are for both personal and corporate clients. Her corporate…

Hearty plant-based food For this study researchers reviewed a database of food intake information from more than 10,000 middle-aged adults who were monitored from 1987 to 2016 and did not have cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. They then classified the subjects’ eating patterns by the proportion of plant-based foods they ate versus animal-based foods. Overall the people who ate the most plant-based foods had a 16 per cent lower risk of having a cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, stroke, heart failure), a 32 per cent lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease and a 25 per cent lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who ate the least amount of plant-based foods. It’s clear that to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease you should…

Since antiquity, gymnema was not only used to treat diabetes but traditionally was also used as an effective natural remedy for arthritis, for anaemia, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, cardiac disease, asthma, constipation, microbial infections, indigestion and as an anti-inflammatory and as a diuretic. Gymnema leaves contain triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids, with the most biologically active components being gymnemic acids. The leaves also contain alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides and phytosterols. Gymnemic acids have an unusual property: they have the effect of suppressing the taste of sweetness on the tongue from a range of natural sweeteners—including sugar (sucrose), stevia, xylitol and artificial sweeteners such as NutraSweet or aspartame. This effect lasts from as little as 15 minutes to about an hour and can sometimes even last for several hours. It does not suppress…

What inspired you to start The Organic Skin Co.? I think that my inspiration for The Organic Skin Co. comes from my past: the many hours I spent out the back of my grandmother’s health food shop as a child, my experiences in London as a fashion designer, my work as a naturopath (where I was shocked by the amount of women with skin problems, most of them caused by environmental stressors and toxins) and by my experiences as a mother. In particular, as I watched my daughter and niece grow, I became concerned that they had almost nothing to choose from when it came to natural makeup. Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything on the market that did its job as well as care for their skin…

If you could rewind your past, what would you change? Would you become a slimmer, svelte version of yourself? Make bucketloads of cash? Live off the grid, just you and Mother Earth? Visit more far-flung exotic places? Run off with your first great love? While we can’t go back and press reset, we can move forward in a positive, proactive and life-affirming way. It begins by taking time out to pause and ponder, to reflect and take stock of old habits — discarding those that no longer serve you well, in all areas of your life, which includes your beauty routines and habits. A holistic approach to natural beauty takes into account mind, body and spirit; eating clean and green to rid the body of toxins, nourishing your mind and…

Today much of humanity lives in a sea of electromagnetic energies, or EM fields. Radio and TV signals are now joined by mobile phone towers and communications masts. Closer to home are mobile phones, Wi-Fi and smart meters. According to Swedish expert and researcher Olle Johansson, this level of radiation is one quintillion (1 followed by 18 zeros) times higher than the background level encountered before modern technology arrived on the scene. Biological effects were first noticed early, in the 1930s, when a syndrome often referred to as “radiowave sickness” was encountered among military personnel exposed to radar. During the following decades, this condition was also encountered by amateur radio buffs who were using non-shielded equipment. Decades later, with multiplying sources of EMF radiation in the environment, this issue has…

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the concept of Blood (with a capital B) includes both the physical and energetic properties of blood that nourish and vitalise the whole body and mind. When Blood is abundant you can see it. You look vital and radiant, your eyes sparkle, there is a rosy colour to the cheeks and lips, and skin is clear, dewy and glowing. Your hair is lustrous and grows well, your nails are strong and there is an overall impression of being bountiful, attractive and vibrant. Signs of strong Blood are what we all aspire to, but don’t despair if this isn’t you. Blood Deficiency is one of the most common TCM diagnoses for women. This is because Blood dominates a woman’s life. Throughout the fertile years women lose…

Want to lose weight? Join the mob. According to a Roy Morgan survey, 72 per cent of Australian women and 58 per cent of men wanted to lose weight in 2014. In the ABS’ Australian Health Survey 2012 (the latest date for which such data is available), more than 2.3 million Australians aged above 15 years reported being on a weight loss diet. Yet, despite the thousands of books, websites, products, diets and businesses dedicated to the cause, our collective girth as a nation continues to climb. A whopping 67 per cent (12.5 million of us) were overweight or obese, according to the 2017–18 National Health Survey. In the 1980s that figure was around 10 per cent. What’s the go? While we tend to view our weight issues as a…

A focused imagination can help you achieve goals and promote your wellbeing, but what about just a simple daydream? Did you know that even just allowing your mind to wander could be productive? “Mummy, I can see the dream stars swirling above me,” said my five-year old son as he lay back in bed with sleepy eyes. “What are dream stars, sweetheart?” I asked. “They’re magic stars that appear above your head when you go to sleep at night. They’re sent by wizards who get together in the day and decide what dreams you are going to have at night.” My son’s imagination takes me by surprise sometimes. But it shouldn’t. Even he tells me children are much more creative than adults. “They let their minds run free more,” he…

“Here, there’s nothing between us and Antarctica,” says Pieter van der Woude perched at the helm of his tinnie. “When it’s rough, the waves crash over those cliffs.” Peering up at the massive walls of quartzite rising 12 metres above us, it’s easy to believe. History is etched into the zig-zagged lines and craggy overhangs, where for centuries the force of the Southern Ocean has pulsated and sculpted the aptly named Breaksea Islands, a delicate chain of rocky land masses jutting from the ocean on the south-western tip of Tasmania. “Are you up for exploring,” Pieter calls excitedly above the noise of the outboard. “I’ve never seen it this calm.” Five heads nod in unison and we descend into a series of secret caves filled with nature’s treasures. Dappled light…

A Family Guide to Waste-Free Living LAUREN AND OBERON CARTER, PAN MACMILLAN A Family Guide to Waste-Free Living shares the story of the Carter family and their conscious choice to go waste-free. Lauren and Oberon are the husband and wife duo behind Zero Waste Tasmania, a website and e-course that offers an honest and reliable manual to help the average family eliminate waste in their home, work, school and in the community. The pair’s challenge to you is to take a deep dive into your weekly waste to uncover what it reveals about your habits and where there might be room for improvement. It includes a foreword by Australia’s garden guru, Costa Georgiadis, as well as plenty of healthy, budget-friendly recipes, tips and tricks and projects for the whole family…

is the CEO of The Beauty Chef, a natural beauty expert and the author of Feeding Your Skin and The Beauty Chef Cookbook. W: thebeautychef.com Cleansing your skin as soon as you arrive home sets the scene for a cosy night in and ensures you won’t be tempted to skip it later on. A quick cleanse is often all many of us can manage at the end of a long day. But it’s worth investing a little more time in your evening beauty routine to help your skin repair and regenerate itself overnight. Winding down with a few self-care rituals soothes your central nervous system (CNS) and signals it’s time for deep, restorative beauty sleep. Start as soon as you arrive home It’s tempting to decide you are simply too…

In World War II citizens were urged to “Dig for Victory”. Today, as Greenland melts and smoke from Russian fires turns the snow black in Canada and the northern USA, we face an enemy that could be more dangerous than any in World War II: ourselves. While we continue to pretend we are not already in the catastrophe of global warming, it will worsen. We can no longer assume that any food supply is secure. Australia usually has about 28 days of fuel storage. Anything that halts its import, from war to a solar flare taking out satellite navigation, cyclones, epidemics or fires affecting our ports, means that we not only won’t be able to drive to the supermarket — they will be empty. Yet that’s relatively recent. When I…

is a Sydney-based anti-ageing physician and writer. He is the author of three books, including his latest, The Wellness Guide to Preventing the Diseases of Ageing. He has also designed the app The diet guide to ageing prevention. While you would benefit from having more NAD+ so would cancer cells. As you age your biochemistry and physiology slow down, your body becomes less supple and your thoughts less limber. If this seems cruel, nature does have a positive reason for eroding your faculties in such a remorseless fashion. By turning down the rheostat on your daily activities nature is also making it more difficult for harmful cancer cells to activate and thrive. At the same time that you become less energised, it is also harder for any malignant threat to…

I remember sitting in the waiting room at the doctors. The doctor was running late by two hours, but I was content sitting and reading without being interrupted, just having some “me” time and enjoying this rare uninterrupted luxury. However, when I walked out of the doctor’s appointment, I couldn’t even remember a single phone number. Before that fateful appointment, I had been in the typical merry-go-round of life; a single mother with three young children, working flat out, always on the go and squeezing in some time for my health and wellbeing as best I could. I had always been a walker, getting up most mornings to enjoy a sunrise walk along the beach and clear my mind for the day. I lived what I considered to be a…