I S S U E 9 | F E B R U A RY 2 022
WELLBEING VIDEOS & INFO FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Once a princess, how family tragedy shaped Jacqueline Pascarl’s earth angel humanitarian mission Koalas forever. The race to save an Australian icon from extinction Walk this way to wellbeing – it’s worked for Prince William! Get to the guts (literally) of your health issues Red flags to spot a narcissist - and how to dodge their dark web When willpower isn’t enough to break bad habits Flatten the Covid weight curve with these healthy eating hacks and recipes
ISSUE 9
Welcome Welcome to Issue 9 of Thrive – A new year and a certainly new focus!!! If you felt the end of 2021 finished at a ridiculous pace, busier than ever, you weren’t alone! It felt as if there was so much time to be made up as we exited a period that we would all rather forget, yet with a new year looming, a long-earned rest was very much anticipated! From the team at Thrive, we sincerely hope that our editions through 2021 helped you with the self-care needed to end the year strongly and develop the sense that 2022 will be a transformational year; a new beginnings of sorts. One that with our ongoing assistance, your plans and goals will be sought and achieved! Issue 9 brings to you a set of topics that we have curated at this time as a means of assisting in taking those first confident steps forward again. From ensuring your gut health is optimal, why willpower may not be enough to conquer your demons, how to spot and navigate negative influences, to moving into a healthy eating regime to manage your energy and focus! Our cover story also demonstrates the power of turning negatives into selflessness positivity with an article on Jacqueline Pascarl and her unrelenting humanitarian missions. We are very much looking forward to continuing our vision of bring you Australia’s premier health and wellbeing content. 2022 is and will be a fantastic year! Thank you for your continued readership, stay strong and THRIVE ON! Anthony & Lachlan Please turn to Page 46, where we ask for your feedback about Thrive. By way of thanks, five readers will receive a
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PUBLISHED BY Thrive Magazine | www.thrivemagazine.com.au CONTACT US 105 Carpenter Street, Brighton, Victoria 3186 Phone: 03 9592 8986 PUBLISHERS Lachlan McPherson & Anthony McCabe EDITOR Jenni Gilbert PRODUCTION Mick Carney Blue Banana Graphics & Design - Kelsie Spies CONTRIBUTORS Lee-Anne Carter, Lee Holmes, Brendan Moloney, Anita Tomecki
ISSUE 9
Inside CELEBRITY SPEAK
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ONCE A PRINCESS, HOW FAMILY TRAGEDY SHAPED JACQUELINE PASCARL’S EARTH ANGEL HUMANITARIAN MISSION
SPECIAL FEATURE
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KOALAS FOREVER. THE RACE TO SAVE AN AUSTRALIAN ICON FROM EXTINCTION
WELLNESS
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TELEHEALTH - A VIRTUAL LIFELINE FOR 2022
FITNESS
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WALK THIS WAY TO WELLBEING – PRINCE WILLIAM SWEARS BY IT!
WELL MIND
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TIME TO ADJUST; ACCEPTING THAT THE FUTURE POST-COVID WON’T BE LIKE THE PAST
WELL MIND
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GET TO THE GUTS OF YOUR HEALTH ISSUES
WELLMIND
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WHEN WILLPOWER IS NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME DESTRUCTIVE HABITS
WELLMIND
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RISE OF THE NARCISSIST AND THE TOLL ON THEIR TARGETS. RED FLAGS TO BE ALERT TO
WELLBEING VIDEOS
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WELLBEING RESOURCE VIDEO CENTRE
SUSTAINABILITY
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VIVA VINTAGE. WHY EVERYTHING OLD IS THE NEW BIG THING AGAIN
NUTRITION
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40 FLATTEN THE COVID WEIGHT CURVE: HEALTHIER EATING HACKS AND DELICIOUS RECIPES
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ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON SOMEONE'S LIFE INCLUDING YOUR OWN. ORLY WHBA, FOUNDER AND CEO OF GLOBAL NON-PROFIT LIFE VEST INSIDE AND DIRECTOR OF KINDNESS BOOMERANG, TALKS ABOUT THE POWER OF KINDNESS AND HOW IT CAN BOOMERANG BACK TO YOU. DR ERIKA EBBEL ANGLE, ENTREPRENEUR AND BIOCHEMIST, DISCUSSES WHY SHE BELIEVES THE GUT MICRIOBIOME IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT "ORGAN" AND OUR "SECOND BRAIN". SHE BELIEVES POOR LIFESTYLE CHOICES CAN CAUSE GUT IMBALANES, WHICH CAN LEAD TO NEURODEGENERATIVE AND AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
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From PRINCESS to EARTH ANGEL JACQUELINE PASCARL MADE HEADLINES IN THE EARLY 1990S WHEN HER TWO CHILDREN WERE ABDUCTED FROM AUSTRALIA BY HER FORMER HUSBAND, A MALAYSIAN PRINCE. SHE DIDN’T SEE THEM AGAIN FOR 14 YEARS. WHILE RELENTLESSLY FIGHTING TO GET THEM BACK, JACQUELINE WAS STEELED BY THE FAMILY TRAGEDY TO BECOME A HUMANITARIAN, INCLUDING SETTING UP HER OWN NOT FOR PROFIT RELIEF ORGANISATION, OPERATION ANGEL
There’s a famous saying: “Don’t get bitter, just get better.” It could encapsulate Jacqueline Pascarl’s life. Jacqueline was a 17-year-old ballerina in 1980 when she met a prince, HRH Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, grandson of the former king of Malaysia (then in Melbourne studying architecture), who whisked her off her pointe shoes to a marble palace in the Islamic state of Terengganu, Malaysia.
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Over the next few years, the fairytale went horribly wrong, descending into a cycle of abuse, deception and virtual imprisonment, according to Jacqueline. With her two children, toddler son Iddin and baby daughter Shahirah (Shah), she was sent home to visit Australia shortly after the prince took a second wife.
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Jacqueline decided the violence and other conditions back in the palace were untenable and chose to remain in Melbourne with the children. On July 9, 1992, the prince arranged to have Iddin and Shah kidnapped. “My two children [then aged 9 and 7 respectively] were abducted from my legal custody and subsequently taken to Malaysia,” Jacqueline recalled in 2018. “The kidnapping took place under horrific and dangerous circumstances with my children drugged, abused and terrified. “I did not see, speak, or hold them again for 14 long years, by which time, all that should pass between mother and children in the normal and humane course of childhood had been lost to us.” At a news conference in Kuala Lumpur in 1992, Raja Bahrin Shah indicated that he would not be returning the children to their mother and had taken them because of “Allah’s will”. “It was not my decision but almighty Allah’s,” he said. “When Allah wants something to happen, it happens. Allah in this case wants my children to grown up as Muslims. “They were born Muslims, but I was surprised that they were baptised one-and-a-half years ago. I fail as a father and a Muslim if I don’t do something.
"I have spent my life since then dedicated to helping others, in humanitarian aid work, refugee assistance, and in war and disaster zones, attempting to make the world a better place for all children"
“I am perfectly amazed myself to see they are adapting very well to life in Malaysia, and I have no intention of returning them to Melbourne.” When asked how he had travelled back to Malaysia without his passport, which he left at a Melbourne hotel, he said it was “Allah’s will”. The story made international headlines as Jacqueline (known at the time by her then-married name, Gillespie) battled relentlessly – but ultimately futilely – to have her children returned. It was only in 2006 she received an email which became the first step in the highly anticipated and emotional reunion, first with Shah and then Iddin. TURNING NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES Even as she battled for years to have her children returned, Jacqueline, now 58, channelled her grief and loss into a positive force. “I have spent my life since then dedicated to helping others, in humanitarian aid work, refugee assistance, and in war and disaster zones attempting to make the world a better place for all children,” Jacqueline says. “I learned to rebuild myself amid devastation. Although nothing will EVER heal our family or restore the 14 years of hell and emotional torture we were forced to endure, I have found happiness
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and fulfillment in my professional and personal life. But it has taken hard work.” In those intervening years, not one to sit still and wait, Jacqueline retrained and studied humanitarian law and advocacy, emergency response and infection control. She deployed as a humanitarian aid worker and emergency medic with CARE International and represented the agency as Special Ambassador and later Global Patron, as well as in advocacy in the sphere of international law and human rights, advising Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the US State Department and the European Union, travelling and working everywhere from East Timor, Africa to Bosnia and other disaster zones.
“Instead of compartmentalising my emotions and my thoughts, or stymieing my intellect, I can be wholly me. “He is my greatest cheer squad and indefatigable volunteer when needed, even with the long hours he works himself in his practice. “It also helps that we have so much in common – he is the epitome of an Aussie gem, and he is an amazing father, clinician and human.” A POWERFUL PORTFOLIO Since the 1990s, Jacqueline has worked in radio and TV, and as a filmmaker; her portfolio including the award-winning documentary Empty Arms – Broken Hearts. She also received the United Nations Media Award for her writing as an author and filmmaker. In 1995, she moved into the area of child literacy and established Operation Book Power in Kenya and South Africa. In 1998, she was appointed Special Ambassador for CARE International and worked as an emergency aid worker in the war zones of Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor. Jacqueline has been a high-profile international lobbyist on human rights and refugee issues and in recognition of her humanitarian work she was appointed to a new role as a patron of CARE International in January 2007.
LIFE BEGINS ANEW Eventually, Jacqueline went on to have two more children: daughter Verity, now 20, and son Zan, 18. However, before their safe arrival, she suffered the stillbirth of twin sons, Angus and Fergus, and a little girl, Madeline, who was delivered at 32 weeks and did not survive. Today she is blissfully remarried. “Let’s just say, I have finally found true fulfilment and peace with a person who is intellectually and morally on equal footing with me, and we support each other professionally,” she says. “Having formerly experienced severe domestic abuse, despite all my professional achievements and been a victim of childhood sexual abuse as well, I am happily at peace. 6 | THRIVE #9
An internationally recognised expert on the Hague Convention and International Parental Child Abduction, Jacqueline has lectured at the US State Department, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the European Union and the Hong Kong Family Law Association. She was awarded the United Nations Special Commendation for the International Year of the Family in 1996 and received two recognition awards from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Jacqueline is the Recipient of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (several clasps) from the Governor General and several other medals. Additionally, she was the first woman to be appointed as National Vice Chairperson of the Australian Defence Force – dealing with Reserve
SOME OF OA’S OTHER KEY ACHIEVEMENTS During the 2009 Victorian bushfire crisis, Operation Angel individually curated and collated humanitarian hygiene comfort kits. Massed community groups, individual families, retirees, school groups, and corporations including the ANZ Bank and ANZ Private Wealth Group and the NAB - volunteered hundreds of staff to assist in the quality control, packing and distribution of assistance. “Each pack also had a hand-written thank you note from a child or grateful citizen - achieving a tangible way for the pubic to express admiration and solidarity with firefighters,” says Jacqueline. “This was an end-to-end initiative, whereby I also drove trucks 14 hours a day, twice weekly (as a qualified emergency responder) into and through the fire cordons to deliver the packs to the base camp staging areas.
OPERATION ANGEL TAKES FLIGHT Today, Jacqueline’s humanitarian and charitable efforts are focused on Operation Angel, the not for profit, secular organisation she founded in 1997 and of which she is CEO. “Operation Angel brings practical relief and self-sustaining assistance to individuals and families affected by natural disaster or large-scale human tragedy in Australia,” she says. It was originally designed to assist disadvantaged and war-affected children and women in building self-reliance and self-esteem, but Operation Angel was reinvigorated during the 2009 Victorian bushfire crisis to respond to local catastrophes, evolving into a rapid response, community and volunteer support organisation, providing sustainable aid in times of emergency and disaster across Australia.
“We organised and distributed over $2 million of humanitarian relief supplies including quality clothing, toiletries, toys, water filtration systems, tools, bedding, hoses, nappies and bicycles to Victorian bushfire survivors and raised over $3.6 million worth of new goods via corporate donation, organised distribution and collections and drove trucks in convoys across the state to make deliveries. "Responding to the Queensland floods and cyclone relief in 2011, Operation Angel directed efforts into school premises in Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley utilising donated cleaning supplies, including procuring and managing logistics
“Its work as a key relief agency came to the fore during the national bushfire emergency of 2020, supplying hygiene kits and comfort packs to fire fighters and first responders, as well as displaced citizens,” Jacqueline says. THRIVE #9 | 7
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Forces, Medical and Humanitarian issues, holding the role as a statutory appointee for a number of years until she retired in July 2020.
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“Essentially, we are successful with what we do as we can pivot quickly and develop innovative solutions that pop into my head to meet desperate needs.” A MISSION TO STOP FAMILY VIOLENCE AT THE START Last July, Jacqueline became involved in a national media campaign about steps to prevent family violence - Stop It At The Start – a cause she is passionate to highlight.
support from Queensland Rail and the Australian Defence Force. OA also worked in the areas of Queensland flattened by Tropical Cyclone Yasi, which destroyed hundreds of homes, and co-ordinated and managed volunteers, collection points and corporate donors across seven states, in addition to resources from New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, the UK and US. “We are Melbourne based but in times of national crisis, we use volunteers around Australia [those interested in volunteering can follow through on Facebook],” says Jacqueline. “Scores of volunteers trust me to set a course and develop a cohesive and innovative response when needed. “When I am operating on my own, I often stumble over people or situations that need individual assistance and just do my best to iron out problems for them or source what they need. “I am currently working with a young mother of two who has a very serious oral cancer and not a lot of practical family support due to illness in other members of the family. “I put out a call for wigs for her, found her a freezer from an unexpected and welcome donation, and filled that with home-cooked meals for her and her family. I love a practical solution to a problem or for someone who needs a hand. “I pack boxes, drive trucks, conceive new projects and implement them in a hands-on way. If I’m not getting dirty or being at the coal face, then I am not doing my role properly and I’m letting people down who count on Operation Angel. 8 | THRIVE #9
Stop It At The Start is being raised to a new level in February with a TV campaign, in which Jacqueline appears with youngest daughter Verity, nearly 21 (pictured below). “I am very proud to be involved [in a campaign] combatting and educating our society about family violence and importance of respect,” she says. “It’s something I believe in passionately, and feel strongly about in terms of how we, collectively, raise our children and teach them how to respond to challenges. “As a person who has experienced domestic violence and abuse, I know that it is never too early to begin teaching our kids about respect and what is acceptable behaviour. “It’s never too early to start with little ones. This new campaign covers off on violence and acceptance of children and people who identify as members of the LGBTI+ sphere; why as parents, loving our children is all that matters and how short-sighted it is to reject a kid just because they love who they love.”
Following the death of the pioneering, legendary, Oscar-winning actor Sir Sidney Poitier in January, Jacqueline posted reminiscences of her friendship with him and wife Joanna, and how she [Jacqueline] looked out for their daughter, Sydney, when she once visited Australia.
Jacqueline is the author of the bestselling ONCE I WAS A PRINCESS and its sequel SINCE I WAS A PRINCESS: MY 14-YEAR FIGHT TO GET MY CHILDREN BACK THE CELEBRITY CONNECTIONS As a result of her own best-selling books, Jacqueline was introduced by their mutual publisher to powerhouse British, LA-based author Jackie Collins – who sold 500 million copies of her 32 steamy romance novels – and sister of actress Dame Joan, over a lunch in Melbourne’s famous Stokehouse restaurant. “We literally sniffed each other - identifying a very rare perfume we both had worn for years!” Jacqueline recalls. “Mine I had adopted at aged 16 and Jackie for at least 20 years. [Jackie and I] corresponded for years and vi sited each other or co-ordinated dates to meet up overseas when possible. “Even when she was very sick [the author died of breast cancer at 77 in 2015], Jackie made sure to blog about my daughter Verity’s writing and support her with an endorsement to her own fans. “She passed away not long afterwards, and I still miss her sassy notes and pointers on marketing which were sterling and innovative. Boy, did she know how to sell a book, or ice to Eskimos! “Jackie was a great supporter of my work as well, and it was she who introduced me to Sidney and Joanna Poitier and Michael and Shakira Caine. “Shakira became my London girlfriend and Sir Michael a friend as well. “The photo above was taken [by Sir Sidney Poitier] the day I met Shakira at Le Dome restaurant in THRIVE #9 | 9
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Los Angeles and we have been friends ever since.”
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KOALAS FOREVER
KOALAS, AN ICONIC AUSTRALIAN ANIMAL RECOGNISED THE WORLD OVER AND A NATIONAL TREASURE, ARE IN ACUTE DANGER OF BECOMING EXTINCT WITHIN THE NEXT 30 YEARS ON THE EAST COAST UNLESS URGENT ACTION IS TAKEN. THE WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE-AUSTRALIA (WWF) HAS LAUNCHED A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO HELP PREVENT SUCH A CATASTROPHE TO THE BELOVED SPECIES. IN FACT, THEY HAVE SET AN AMBITIOUS AND INSPIRING GOAL OF DOUBLING KOALA NUMBERS IN QUEENSLAND, NSW AND THE ACT IN 30 YEARS. Koalas have been ravaged by habitat loss, disease and climatic events in recent years, such as the devastating summer 2019-2020 bushfires, which scorched more than five million hectares in NSW alone and are said to have had affected 24 percent of koala habitats. This comes on top of ongoing bulldozing and logging of trees where koalas feed and live. WWF has identified Australia as the only developed nation with a global deforestation front (www. wwf.panda.org/discover/ our_focus/forests_practice/deforestation_fronts_/). A NSW parliamentary inquiry was told in June 2020 that koalas could become extinct in the state by 2050 unless urgent action is taken. Committee Chairwoman Cate Faehrmann said it was estimated at least 5000 koalas died in the bushfires. "What became crystal clear during this inquiry was 10 | THRIVE #9
that, without urgent government intervention, the koala will become extinct in NSW before 2050," she said. "At every turn we were handed evidence that showed our current laws are inadequate and facilitating the clearing of core koala habitat. The strategies and policies currently in place to protect the koala aren't working. "No one wants the only koalas in NSW to be in zoos," she said. "No one wants to explain to our grandchildren that we were warned but did nothing to save wild koalas in NSW. Loss of habitat poses the most serious threat to koala populations - an estimated 24 percent of habitat on public land was severely affected by the fires. In some parts there was a loss of more than 80 per cent of koala habitat.”
"Koalas Forever is a key project in WWF’s Regenerate Australia plan – the largest and most innovative wildlife and landscape regeneration program in Australia’s history." Their principal threats - habitat loss, diseases such as chlamydia [a sexually transmitted disease that can cause painful eye infections and blindness, bladder infections and infertility in koalas], and the impacts of climate change are a concern across the koalas’ range. "There must be a significant increase in koala habitat protected from logging, mining, land clearing and urban development," Ms Faehrmann said. "The Government needs to incentivise farmers so they're paid more to protect trees on their land instead of clearing them, and overhaul the failed biodiversity offsetting scheme, which allows core koala habitat to be cleared." NSW Environment Minster Matt Kean expressed concern at the inquiry's findings.
Queensland's koala population has also dropped by at least 50 percent since 2001 due to deforestation, drought and bushfires. Koala populations in Queensland, NSW and ACT were listed as vulnerable in 2012. In 2020, the Australian Koala Foundation estimated there were "no more than 80,000" left in Australia though others say it is difficult to know for sure. WWF-Australia, with its Koalas Forever initiative, is one of the many groups rallying to save our koalas. “The bushfire tragedy of 2019-20 united us all as a nation. Together, we watched, horrified, as iconic landscapes burnt and wildlife, homes and lives were all destroyed,” says Tanya Pritchard, WWF-Australia’s Landscape Restoration Project Manager. “We watched firefighters battling the blazes. We watched vets, wildlife carers, emergency workers and volunteers working tirelessly, around the clock, to save our wildlife, homes and bushland. “Their courage, compassion and dedication highlighted the very nature of what it means to be Australian. “It will take us all working together over the coming decades to recover what was lost. “WWF-Australia has an ambitious but critical goal of doubling the number of koalas in eastern Australia by 2050 as part of our `Koalas Forever’ campaign. “To achieve this, we will deliver a number of high impact initiatives. The focus will be emergency response, habitat restoration and future-proofing.
"Koalas are an iconic Australian animal recognised the world over and a national treasure which we will do everything we can to protect for future generations. "That's why the NSW Government has committed to our $44 million koala strategy, the largest financial commitment to protecting koalas in the state's history. "Koalas have been decimated. The population is going backwards really rapidly towards zero,” Mr Kean said. THRIVE #9 | 11
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The logging and fracturing of other koala areas had also been detrimental to their survival, according to the year-long investigation.
have to keep moving to find more trees.
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“We are investing in a koala activity assessment there to understand how the population trend is changing over time, working with governments and community groups in over 300 sites.
“We’re excited to trial specialised seed-dispersing drones to plant koala food trees and help create wildlife corridors. “We will continue to support wildlife hospitals and koala carers in NSW including funding upgraded facilities in key locations and advocate to strengthen laws and policies to protect koala habitat, as well as expanding protected areas. “We will push for the creation of the `Great Koala National Park’ – 50,000 hectares of new National Park in high priority koala habitat in state forests on the NSW north coast – and work to establish the `Great Koala Tourism Trail’ – a koala habitat eco-tourism trail from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast,” she says. PREPARING OUR KOALAS TO SURVIVE IN A HOTTER, DRIER WORLD “We know that koalas are going to struggle because of the impacts of climate change, such as more frequent and intense droughts and bushfires,” Ms Pritchard says. “The United Nations’ report on climate change has now revealed that we may be facing these impacts even earlier than we thought.
“Similar surveys were done in 2015 and 2018 and we are repeating that now. Obviously, it’s an expensive business. So, with the University of Newcastle, we’re developing new algorithms and more cost-effective ways of being able to monitor the population abundance across larger areas, using thermal-imaging drones. “This spatial mapping will help us prioritise key landscape areas for protection, by showing what the population is doing within that key landscape. “The opportunity to learn from Traditional Owners in putting fire back into the landscape, where it existed for thousands of years and kept our forests healthy, is extremely important. “Building the capacity of First Nations people to deliver cultural burns will help improve the integrity of koala habitat and rejuvenate those eucalypt species that need fire to regenerate. It will also hopefully decrease those really devastating wildfires by reducing fuel loads,” she said. WHAT WILL MAKE KOALAS FOREVER A SUCCESS? “We can’t do it on our own. The key critical issue is making sure that koalas’ habitats are protected, restored and healthy,” Ms Pritchard says. “If we can do that now, then there’s a chance that koalas will survive as the climate changes. Plus, for every koala we assist, we help a host of other species too.
“Our survey information shows that in some areas, koalas have declined by up to 80 percent over a 20-year period, which is tragic.
“Australia’s forests are our shared heritage and our legacy, and we all have a part to play in saving and restoring them for future generations of people and nature.
“There are also areas like the Pilliga, in northern NSW, once home to a thriving population, where they are now functionally extinct.
“Extinction is not an option for our koalas,” she said.
“Then, in the NSW Northern Rivers, along the riparian areas where we are trying to restore some really fragmented landscapes, the koalas are hanging on in scattered food trees, but they’re now very vulnerable because they 12 | THRIVE #9
Koalas Forever is a key project in WWF’s Regenerate Australia plan – the largest and most innovative wildlife and landscape regeneration program in Australia’s history,” she said. SUPPORTING AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST MOBILE WILDLIFE HOSPITAL THROUGH KOALAS FOREVER “Thanks to our generous supporters, WWF-Australia is supporting Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital with equipment and operation costs for Australia's largest mobile wildlife hospital,” Ms Pritchard says. Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Ltd will operate the $700,000 facility which can be driven to any wildlife crisis hotspot to treat, rehabilitate and care for native animals in distress. Foundation vet Dr Bree Talbot said taking the mobile hospital to a disaster zone will greatly improve survival rates for injured wildlife. “Within minutes of arrival, our team of wildlife expert vets will be dressing wounds and administering fluids, pain relief and medication,” Dr Talbot says. It means we can begin treatment before severe clinical signs, infection, or dehydration sets in.” The mobile hospital is completely self-sufficient with solar power, satellite communications, its own water supply, waste storage and state-of-the-art veterinary equipment. Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Founder and CEO Dr Stephen Van Mil said they conceived the idea of a large mobile wildlife hospital two years ago. “Then the catastrophic bushfires of last summer hit and we realised that the need for something like this is greater than ever,” he says. “Seeing dozens of injured koalas sitting in laundry baskets waiting for care was heartbreaking. “Thanks to funding from WWF we’ve been able to buy cutting edge X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, and
“Our vision to Regenerate Australia is ambitious but critical and can’t be achieved without your help. Join us in reimagining, restoring and revitalising our continent.” Under Regenerate Australia, WWF is seeking to raise $300 million, over five years, to help restore wildlife and habitats, rejuvenate communities impacted by the bushfires, boost sustainable agriculture and future-proof our country. MAKE A KOALA YOUR OWN Please help WWF continue to support koalas by adopting a koala: www.donate.wwf.org www.wwf.org.au/
THE SHIRT OFF HER BACK NSW woman Toni Doherty ran into a bushfire in the NSW Port Macquarie region in early 2020 after she spotted an injured koala crawling through the blaze. She literally took the shirt off her back to pull the burning koala off the burning tree it was trying to climb - and where it would have surely died. The koala - later named Lewis - was taken to hospital with severe burns to his feet, chest, and stomach. He was given a 50/50 chance of survival and despite the most loving, dedicated care, he later died of his injuries. The video became an international symbol of this catastrophe and human kindness. THRIVE #9 | 13
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anaesthetic machines, critical care cages, and a rapid test kit to check koalas for chlamydia.” Ms Pritchard said the funding was provided under WWF’s Koalas Forever project.“
WELLNESS
A VIRTUAL LIFELINE for
2022
TELEHEALTH SERVICES THAT ENABLE VIRTUAL ACCESS TO DOCTORS AND ALLIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – NEGATING THE NEED IN MANY CASES FOR FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENTS HAVE BOOMED SINCE THE PANDEMIC, TAKING PRESSURE OFF BOTH PATIENTS AND PRACTITIONERS. HOW IT CAN WORK FOR YOU.
Telehealth has played a critical role in the continuity of care for millions of Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, whether those living in a city or country town, outback, rural or regional areas. The risk of infection during physical consultations and surging demands on the healthcare system have also made Telehealth an important tool in the national medical armory.
take place anywhere - from home to work, in the car or a park, and so forth.
It is a consultation via a phone or video call [the video platform may be specified by your healthcare provider] when a physical examination isn’t necessary, or possible. An appointment can
Using the transmission of images, voice and data between two or more sites using telecommunications, Telehealth provides services such as clinical advice, consultation, education, and training services.
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Another convenience is the longer availability of practitioners. That is, most practitioners will open their appointment calendar for a longer period between 8am-9pm, therefore allowing more choice for the patient.
However, Telehealth is not intended to replace essential health care visits but be a convenient solution when you can’t see a practitioner face to face. In March 2020, the Federal Government introduced Telehealth services to meet the extraordinary needs and demands on Australian health practitioners, clinics and patients during the pandemic and to ensure that people more vulnerable to COVID-19 did not delay routine care from their GPs. Since then, a range of other health care providers have been able to offer telehealth services to patients including: •
Specialists, consultant physicians, surgeons
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Allied health providers (eg. dental practitioners, physiotherapists, podiatrists, midwives)
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Mental health professionals (eg. psychologists)
•
Nurse practitioners
It has been a boon for the many Australians who have found it difficult to see practitioners one on one. These include high-risk individuals, such as people in aged and other care facilities restricted by COVID regulations, people who are self-isolating, unwell or otherwise largely find it difficult to attend physical appointments.
WELLNESS
"According to the Australian Government’s www.digitalhealth.gov.au, between March 13, 2020, and December 5, 2021, 87 million Telehealth services were delivered to 16.2 million patients, with more than $4.4 billion in benefits paid and 89,180 practitioners using Telehealth services."
If a medical practitioner offers Telehealth as an appointment, all patients can access them without constraint. The difference for the like of specialists is that they would probably be offering the service as a patient pays/private payment service. According to the Australian Government’s www.digitalhealth.gov.au, between March 13, 2020 and December 5, 2021, 87 million telehealth services were delivered to 16.2 million patients, with more than $4.4 billion in benefits paid and 89,180 practitioners using telehealth services. On December 13 last year, the Government announced it was providing $106 million over four years to support continuing telehealth services and, from January 1, that these services introduced in response to COVID-19 would be ongoing. Eligible patients around Australia will continue to have virtual access to GP, nursing, midwifery and allied health services where the health professional deems it clinically appropriate. If a patient has a Medicare card, they are eligible for Medicare rebates. Further, if the provider offers bulk billing for Telehealth, a patient would be eligible to access it under Medicare. According to www.digitalhealth.com.au: “With Telehealth, you can see your nurse, doctor, psychologist, surgeon and other healthcare providers without having to visit them in person. What's more, if you've seen them in the last 12 months, they may be able to bulk-bill their service. “Many doctors and medical centres now offer Telehealth consultations. If you have a preferred healthcare provider, check if they’re set up for Telehealth. If they’re not, you can find a provider that offers Telehealth consultations at HealthDirect: www.healthdirect.gov.au.” THRIVE #9 | 15
FITNESS
Walk This Way to WELLNESS and WEIGHT LOSS IT’S FREE, IT CAN BE FUN AND HAS A WIDE RANGE OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS. WHY IT COULD BE TIME TO STEP UP YOUR WALKING Although most Australians are no longer in Covid lockdowns and many restrictions have been lifted, it’s fair to say a lot of us struggled to maintain motivation to keep active during the clampdowns and getting back into previous exercise routines has not been a walk in the park. Which brings us to walking … surely the most convenient form of exercise. It’s free, can be a social or solitary activity, is able to be done pretty much anywhere, anytime, by people of all ages 16 | THRIVE #9
and fitness levels, and in most weather conditions (floods, cyclones etc excluded!). It’s low impact and of moderate intensity and one of the most effective for mental and physical wellbeing benefits. And weight management. It’s generally recommended that most adults aim for around 10,000 steps per day to achieve health benefits. For most people, this is the equivalent of about 8km. This figure may rise or fall depending on a person’s age, current fitness level, and health goals.
"Walking has been a feature of my life during the good times and the bad, come rain or shine. For me, it provides an opportunity to clear my mind and gain some perspective. It’s a key part of how I manage my mental health. It can be a very sociable exercise or a moment of complete calm and isolation." – Prince William, Duke of Cambridge STEP IT UP For most people, there is little difference in the amount of energy used by walking a kilometre or running a kilometre – it’s just that walking takes longer, according to the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/ “Plan to cover a set distance each day and monitor how long it takes you to walk this distance,” the Channel recommends. “As your fitness improves, you will be able to walk a longer distance and use more energy. “Walking fast burns more kilojoules per hour than walking slowly, but this doesn’t mean you have to
push yourself until you’re breathless. Instead, pace yourself so that you can still talk. This simple rule of thumb means that you walk safely within your target heart rate, which brings about health gains. “Our bodies tend to get used to physical activity, so continue to increase your intensity as you are able to improve your fitness levels. You can increase the intensity of your walks by: • Walking up hills • Walking with hand [and/or ankle] weights • Increasing your walking speed gradually by including some quick walking • Increasing the distance you walk quickly before returning to a moderate walking pace • Walking for longer FIT FOR ROYALTY On December 1, Prince William announced a collaboration with Apple, when the Duke of Cambridge penned a string of Tweets revealing he would appear on a special episode of Time to Walk - an audio walking experience designed by the tech giant to encourage people to walk more often for their mental and physical wellbeing. The special program dropped on December 6, on Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music 1. The Duke personally shared the news on Twitter, saying: "Walking has been a feature of my life during the good times and the bad, come rain or shine. "For me, it provides an opportunity to clear my mind and gain some perspective. It’s a key part of how I manage my mental health. "It can be a very sociable exercise or a moment of complete calm and isolation. "In the hope of inspiring a few other people to get active and take time for their own mental health – I wanted to share a few of my stories and favourite songs with you in an episode of Time to Walk. "This experience means even more to me knowing that three great mental health charities: Give Us A Shout, Crisis TextLine and Lifeline Australia (www.lifeline.org.au/; 13 11 14) will receive donations to help continue the important work they’re doing to provide 24/7 support to those in need." THRIVE #9 | 17
FITNESS
Wearing a pedometer while walking helps you keep track of your cumulative steps, but smartphones usually have an inbuilt health app that, among other metrics, will keep count of your steps as well. This may also motivate you to move more over the days, weeks and months.
FITNESS To stress he was the person who penned the message shared on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Twitter account, William signed it off with a "W". Time to Walk, launched in January 2021, normally features celebrities or influential people walking to a place close to their heart while sharing important memories, life experiences and lessons learned through stories, photos and songs. HEARTFELT FITNESS Walking for an average of 30 minutes a day can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes by 30 to 40 per cent, according to the Australian Heart Foundation, which says walking regularly also has been proven to: • Manage weight, blood pressure and cholesterol • Reduce your risk of developing some cancers • Maintain your bone density, reducing your risk of osteoporosis and fractures • Improve balance and co-ordination, reducing your risk of falls and other injuries. • Improve daily mood, which cumulatively leads to better mental health "All adults aged 18-64 years should aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week," the Foundation says. "That’s 30 minutes on five days 18 | THRIVE #9
of the week. It’s considered ‘moderate’ if it takes some effort, but you’re still able to talk comfortably. "If you can’t find time for a 30-minute walk, try breaking your 30 minutes of walking into three 10-minute sessions on each of five days, is just as beneficial as doing the 30 minutes in one go! "If you're already finding your 30, you should consider picking up the pace, as people who are already active will benefit even more by exercising harder and longer. "For more health benefits, do 300 minutes of moderate activity each week, or 150 minutes of vigorous exercise. ‘Vigorous’ exercise means it requires more effort and makes you breathe harder and faster, for example, jogging where it becomes difficult to hold a conversation. "If you're not usually physically active, start by doing 10 minutes of brisk walking, and gradually build up to the recommended amount. Visit your GP or health professional for advice on how to safely build up your movement."
Visit the website for suggested free walkingprograms: www.walking.heartfoundation.org.au/
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WELL MIND
The TIME toADJUST!
MANY OF US HAVE BEEN LIVING OFF ADRENALINE FOR THE PAST LIFE-CHANGING TWO YEARS. IF WE KEEP IT UP WE WILL HIT A WALL – IF NOT ALREADY. BRENDAN MOLONEY, FOUNDER OF AN ONLINE COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO FINDING HEALTHY, NATURAL AND CALMING ALTERNATIVES TO THE ANGST OF MODERN LIFE, EXPLAINS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE THE PAST. By Brendan Moloney What’s resonating with me? I feel like it’s a bit of a long time that people have been holding on. Many people have run on adrenaline - fight and flight hormones - for the past 2 years. However, there is only so long that you can run on your body’s chemicals. There is a time that you are going to hit a wall. Why do I say this? Because I recently wrote a course for a client on “mental health breakdowns”. While writing it I was thinking, holy smoke, it would be ironic if I had a mental breakdown while writing a course on mental breakdowns. I did learn a lot though. Here’s some of the take-aways I got and want to share with you. We are going through a stressful time, and we need to get back to some of the basics. 20 | THRIVE #9
1. Acceptance. There has to be a point where we accept that this is not going our own way. Rather than fight it, we need to adjust. This means using this acceptance as a strength and a foundation. Finding alternatives, even if they initially don’t seem to be as attractive and engaging with them. Also accepting that you may be overwhelmed, sad, traumatised, depressed, anxious. You may be overworked, fearful, over-leveraged. 2. Self-care. There is a time for all seasons. I’d suggest for most people this is not a season of big growth. For me, just before Covid, my business was about to explode. We had loads of clients lined up and was going to have a bunch of breathing space. This didn’t pan out. I was initially bummed out. However, living through periods of significant burn out, I pulled back (a good thing about getting older you get some more perspective). Self-care is critical. Slowing down. Sleeping. Eating well. Going for a walk. Talking to people. Not overworking. These are not optional! These are the fundamentals. I am totally guilty of thinking that these are extras to work, instead of seeing these as fundamentals. If you are not feeling healthy and well, then what point is anything else.
"It is in the worst times that the seeds of the next best thing happens. Just be open to it. It’s happened throughout my life. It’s amazing." 4. Social support. I’ve always been a hermit and loner. Not sure why, I just like it. However, social support is key (even for loners). To be honest, I only really started using social media last year for social purposes. Lots of what I do now is connect with people online. It is quite nice. Social support - either online or offline - it’s good for the soul. People need human contact for so many reasons. Seek out those encouraging you and building you up. You deserve people who make you feel wonderful. Why not? 5. Calm. I put this last one down as calm. It is easy to get jumpy by having a lot of worst-case scenarios jumping around. What if Mary gets jabbed, is she going to die? What if I want to travel next year and I can’t? What I my kids are unemployed? I’ve found the best way to deal with these scenarios is not entertain them. You know
what? One person, one event can change the direction of your life, positively or negatively. One chance meeting. One hit my lightning moment. One great plate of spaghetti (now I’m opening a restaurant) moment, and the plates of the world shift for you. Instead of panic and negative alternative thinking, here’s a couple of things I do: •
I write in a journal (I actually use the Progoff method which has been life-changing for me). I think about all the great things in the world and make a list.
•
I tell myself whatever I’m thinking is not good for me, and to stop it. Most of all, I either sleep or go and create something - anything. It could be a drawing, a silly YouTube video, or a little blog. There is something about being consistently creative that is life-saving.
I think it is because you have to give away part of yourself and your ego and be in the moment. Who knows? It feels good. I know people are suffering, feeling a range of awful emotions. However, you’ve got to cut that crap out (unless it’s really bad and go and get professional help). I know it seems trite. But it is true. It is in the worst times that the seeds of the next best thing happens. Just be open to it. It’s happened throughout my life. It’s amazing. So … what’s resonating with you? Anything to shift? Are you caring about yourself and looking after yourself? Finally, when are you going to accept that the future is not like the past? Be a growing, flourishing and wonderful human being. Take care. Eat some berries. And do some burps (no one can be serious and burp).
Dr Brendan Moloney is the founder of the Parallel Movement, an online community dedicated to finding healthy, natural, and calming alternatives to the hustle-bustle of modern life. Head to his website for lots of different ideas on healthy living and how to thrive: www.drbrendanmoloney.com
THRIVE #9 | 21
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3. Professional support. I would be thinking that not as many people are getting counselling or engaging with psychologists during this time than they should. Some people have a stigma about talking to a psychologist or therapist. It is an investment in yourself. It is compounding. So while it may cost a little now, the benefits last a lifetime. I feel like running a campaign for psychologists: “It works out to only five cents a week over a lifetime”. Why suffer in silence when there are so many great professionals out there who can help?
WELL MIND
GET to the GUTS of your HEALTH ISSUES OVER THE LAST DECADE THERE HAS BEEN MUCH FOCUS ON THE RISE OF POOR GUT HEALTH AND ITS EFFECTS ON OVERALL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED LINKS BETWEEN GUT HEALTH AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, MOOD, MENTAL HEALTH, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, ENDOCRINE (HORMONE) DISORDERS, SKIN CONDITIONS, AND CANCER.
By Linda Paterson Have you ever wondered why the focus on gut health has increased over the last decade? Or why schools and restaurants now cater for most food allergens? It’s because food allergies and intolerances are on the rise in developed countries around the world.
It’s hard to believe that, just 20 years ago, it was rare to meet a child with a food allergy or sensitivity, but today if you are a parent or carer of a child in Australia, you’ll be very familiar with the food allergen board that exists within our education system.
Surprisingly, Australia has been reported to have the highest rates of food allergy in children.
It is estimated that up to 25 percent of children with food allergies have their first food reaction at a childcare or school setting, where foods associated with food allergies such as milk, eggs, and nuts are increasingly common.
The term food intolerance is used to describe a wide range of adverse reactions to certain foods. These reactions include stomach pain, bloating, gas/flatulence, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rashes, hives (urticaria), recurrent mouth ulcers or headaches. 22 | THRIVE #9
With this increase in allergies and food sensitivities many of these children also develop a variety of digestive and immune system symptoms; and this
WHAT IS THE GUTBIOME? There are 10-100 trillion bacteria cells living in the human body with over 500 different known microbial species. The average adult carries about 2kg of bacteria in the large and small intestines with 90 percent of the human microbiome cells living in the gut. These bacteria are collectively referred to as our gut microbiome. Some beneficial species of bacteria are responsible for keeping us physically and mentally healthy, so the role of our gut microbiome is key to our health and wellbeing.
"Our gut is also strongly connected to our mental health. An imbalanced gut microbiome has been linked to several mental health and psychological issues including anxiety, depression and mood disorders." HOW DOES GUTBIOME WORK? Just imagine for moment that your gut is a factory line where all the “workers” (micro-organisms and digestive enzymes) work together and ensure that all the food you eat is broken down and processed efficiently through the gut wall and into the blood stream to nourish your body.
WHAT IS GUT DYSBIOSIS? The state of an imbalanced gut is called gut dysbiosis, a condition that can lead to a variety of digestive symptoms, gut disorders, autoimmune reactions, psychological and physiological conditions as well as the onset of disease. It is a condition that may cause a child to develop allergies or intolerance to certain foods. Eczema or respiratory asthma conditions may also emerge at this time. Put simply, gut dysbiosis occurs when beneficial healthy bacteria are decreased in the gut which gives pathogenic bacteria the opportunity to overgrow and get out of control causing numerous symptoms such as bloating, discomfort, brain fog, leaky gut, digestive disorders, lethargy and food sensitivities. If the state of gut dysbiosis persists, these symptoms can lead to more serious health conditions and the onset of disease. GUT HEALTH AND STRESS Our gut is also strongly connected to our mental health. An imbalanced gut microbiome has been linked to several mental health and psychological issues including anxiety, depression and mood disorders. But this isn’t just a one-way cause and effect transaction because feelings of stress, anxiety or depression can in turn negatively affect the gut microbiome damaging our gut balance even further. This is where the phrase gut-brain axis was termed.
Like any harmonious working environment, the result is a healthy gut teaming with trillions of different bacteria that will in turn maintain a healthy immune system to help fight off disease. On the other hand, imagine a workplace where there was chaos and disorder. Where the “workers” became weak and unable to perform their job properly? The results are devastating and lead to an unhealthy gut microbiome, ultimately leading to gut dysbiosis (bacteria imbalance). THRIVE #9 | 23
WELL MIND
has led to extensive research of the gut microbiome.
HOW DOES AN UNBALANCED MICROBIOME MANIFEST?
WELL MIND
MICROBIOME ENVIRONMENT AT BIRTH Infants born by caesarean section have different gut bacteria to those born vaginally, which may compromise gut microbiome diversity. Further to this, if the health of the mother’s vaginal microbiome was out of balance during a vaginal birth, this may also influence the infant’s first colonies of gut microbiome bacteria compared to contact microbes found in a healthy birth canal. The health of the mother’s vaginal microbiome is also very relevant. Infants who are bottle fed develop completely different gut bacteria to breastfed infants and may be missing very important protective immune supporting bacteria. As an infant is introduced to solids, they may also be exposed to commercial foods containing sugar and processed carbohydrates. When over-consumed, these foods feed bad bacteria in the gut contributing further to an imbalanced gut. An infant’s healthy gut bacteria will support the appropriate function for digestion and absorption of food. If a child does not acquire normal balanced gut flora, the child will not digest and absorb foods properly, developing multiple nutritional deficiencies. And that is what we commonly see in children and adults with learning disabilities, psychiatric problems, and allergies. IMBALANCED GUT AND IMMUNITY This compromised gut bacteria balance can predispose the state of the child’s immune system and lead to ear, nose and throat infections that are often treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. The damaging result of an imbalanced gut is well known to have a cause-and-effect relationship with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. While antibiotics are known to kill infections, they also have the ability to wipe out healthy bacteria colonies in our gut that act as the “gut guardians” keeping us from getting sick. To make matters worse, antibiotics are resistant to killing some pathogenic disease-causing bacteria. So when the good guardians are no longer there to protect us, the resistant pathogenic bacteria have an opportunity to overgrow and our gut microbiome becomes imbalanced. If your diet is restrictive and only feeding a limited number of species in your gut, it’s likely that you’re restricting the ability of some important species to thrive and you may in contrast, be feeding harmful pathogenic species that grow larger colonies 24 | THRIVE #9
and contribute to disease, inflammation, and digestive disorders. GUT DIVERSITY Gut diversity is key to a healthy gut! The combination of species that you have in your gut will influence your overall health and wellbeing. One way to increase microbial diversity in the gut is to focus on a healthy well-balanced and diverse diet with a variety of healthy fruits, and vegetables, meats, fish, meat/bone stocks and probiotic foods like fermented vegetables, kombucha, kefir and yoghurt. Elimination diets have helped many in managing food intolerance, however they do not address the underlying cause which comes from healing the gut. This is where the GAPS Diet can help because it focusses on healing and sealing the gut. If your gut is healthy and in balance, it will be robust and teeming with beneficial microbes with no one species dominating your gutbiome. Healthy microbiome balance and diversity are crucial to healthy immune system function. No one species should be given the opportunity to exercise too much control over others. Gut dysbiosis, in contrast, has less diversity and less microbial balance. CONCLUDING THOUGHTS With a better understanding of the role of our gut microbiome and what we can do to reduce the state of gut dysbiosis, we can actively improve our overall health and well-being. Avoid antibiotics and medications wherever reasonably possible and try to adopt a healthy nutrition program that supports a healthy gut microbiome. Choose broad spectrum, multi strain probiotics and prebiotics to help restore healthy gut bacteria, such as contained in Gutbiome’s Advanced Synbiotic Formula.
WELLMIND
Linda Paterson
ABOUT LINDA PATERSON AND GUTBIOME SYNBIOTICS’ FORMULAS Linda Paterson is a Bachelor of Health and Science (Leisure and Health), has a diploma in microbiology, is a certified GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) practitioner and GAPS training instructor, an international speaker and gut health training instructor for nutrition coaches and practitioners. The company she founded and of which she is CEO, Gutbiome Synbiotics www.gutbiomesynbiotics.com.au - was born through life experiences, with Linda treating a variety of gut disorders in her own clinic and treating her son with autism. Her first company was GAPS Diet Australia. Linda has identified the challenges in finding a suitable probiotic within the industry that did not compromise quality in terms of scientific research claims, has allergen-free ingredients, strength and stability. The products Gutbiome Synbiotics have developed are proprietary-listed TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) formulas. Linda and the Gutbiome Synbiotics team recently launched the next generation of prebiotics/ probiotics, Gutbiome™ Advanced Synbiotic Formula.
These strains are fed by a wholefood prebiotic derived from the New Zealand golden kiwi fruit, which enable the beneficial bacteria to facilitate healthy growth at a strength of 23 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU). Linda says these are a few of the scientific benefits of Gutbiome’s Advanced Synbiotic Formula: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Helps reduce occurrence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in healthy individuals. Maintains healthy immune system function. Helps maintain friendly gut flora during antibiotic use. Helps restore friendly gut flora after antibiotic use. Supports digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Helps increase digestive system good bacteria growth. Helps restore friendly gut flora. Maintains healthy digestive system function. Supports general health and well-being. Helps to maintain healthy bowel function. Helps to decrease, reduce and relieve diarrhoea in children. Helps reduce occurrence of traveller’s diarrhoea.
It is the first and only Australian owned and formulated synbiotic formulation: a combination of both a probiotic and prebiotic, a scientifically proven daily supplement that supports immune health, respiratory function and multiple health needs by creating a flourishing gut environment. The broad spectrum multi-strain formula contains 18 strains of beneficial bacteria - the highest number of strains available in any probiotic in Australia.
www.gutbiomesynbiotics.com.au
EDITOR’S NOTE: Linda Paterson’s story has been backed by numerous scientific studies and research.
THRIVE #9 | 25
WELL MIND
When WILLPOWER is not ENOUGH THE POWER OF THE MIND IS IMMENSE. BUT FOR ALL THE MIND STRENGTH WE CAN SUMMON TO “CONQUER” HABITS WE CONSIDER DESTRUCTIVE TO OURSELVES THE ISSUES MAY BE MORE DEEPLY ROOTED – AND THEREFORE, BEYOND WILLPOWER UNTIL THEY’RE IDENTIFIED AND FACED.
By Anita Tomecki Have you ever wondered why you need willpower? Perhaps why the willpower you once had isn't working anymore or why that willpower only works from time to time? Why you can make a firm decision at times, maybe motivated by a good or bad incident. Like you're going to end that toxic relationship, kick that addiction, get fit and healthy, and end that destructive behaviour, only to fall back into bad habits not too long after. Sound familiar? In my work as a Human Behaviour Expert, clients will often bring these types of struggle into sessions. One in particular asked me: 26 | THRIVE #9
"Why do we do this to ourselves? At one point I was great for about three months and looked and felt better than I had in ages and was generally feeling happy about myself. I wasn’t even missing alcohol. “Then one day, out of nowhere, after not drinking for all that time and exercising and eating well, I suddenly thought: `I'm going to have a drink’. And so I did - and didn't stop for weeks. “I honestly don't know where it came from or what triggered it - nothing bad had happened. But obviously something subconsciously set me off.
love. It served them back then and brought them comfort.
"Lapsing can seem like it comes out of nowhere. The willpower has gone in a moment, for no good reason ... or so we think."
Something happens in their life and their automatic go-to is food in reaction. Food is giving them comfort for a moment.
So, why do we do this to ourselves? “Lapsing” can seem like it comes out of nowhere. The willpower has gone in a moment, for no good reason ... or so we think. There will be a bloody good reason but we often don't have access to this. When I have someone in front of me, I will ask them at this point - what was going on in your life that day, what thought were you having in that moment as you reached for the drink, food, phone or whatever you “needed” in that moment? Usually, the person will find something. They will give an answer and it usually doesn't take them too long, even though they thought they didn't know. The power is in asking the right question. They may not initially trust this is the right answer – “how could it be that?”, “that seems silly”. Or they don’t want to know it was “that” causing them to lose the willpower and fall back into habits they’re trying to change. Let’s take something like binge eating. The person may discover that the reason they turn to food is because there is a deep-rooted association with food that was formed in childhood. Their mother wasn't great at showing emotion but instead offered food as a love language. This helped a child to form a belief that food meant
In later years they have forgotten this but have this relationship with food that leads them to eating lots of this when they feel stressed.
Then they feel terrible for eating that much and tell themselves to get some willpower and get back on the horse tomorrow with another diet. They are totally missing that this belief has formed and is a firm internal structure sitting outside of their awareness. No amount of willpower is going to keep them on track while they can't see what is running the show. They are missing that there is a positive intention that food is having for them in those moments of stress. The person may question what is “wrong” with them for not being able to stick to the diet for more than a few days etc and continuously try to conjure some new willpower again and again. Perhaps a new, different diet plan will solve the issue … and so it goes; a search in external factors to resolve what they don't realise is in fact an internal struggle formed based on their past experiences. What is the answer, I hear you ask! The inner work is where the gold lies, to stop looking for willpower and external sources to help you resolve something that is repeatedly not working is the first step. In moments of reaching for the food, drink, phone – whatever your “poison” – stop and ask yourself: • What is happening in mind in this moment and the moments before? What was I saying to myself, what was I thinking about? • Where might this have come from? Where might this have started for me in my life? Notice what you are thinking and feeling in the moment. This is not an easy process and not one that we can always do alone. That is why there are professionals to help with these explorations. THRIVE #9 | 27
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“I've had multiple periods since then of 'being good', exercising regularly and eating well, and starting to feel good again. Then suddenly I fall off the wagon - again. And the judgement, guilt and shame start - again.”
The advice I would give is to seek someone to speak to. If you are able to do this process alone, then great, but often we don't have access to our blind spots.
The we can operate from a place of trust - trust that we are doing what we are doing is through choice rather than reactive, avoidant behaviour.
To just summon willpower in any moment and sustain it isn’t going to work for most people.
We may give ourselves permission to have that drink, certain foods, or whatever, without the fear of this escalating and getting out of control.
Once we can see what is really going on for us in the destructive behaviours we can start to change our habits and patterns. Once these are transformed then willpower is no longer needed.
We can trust that we can get back to the gym or healthy eating – or whatever our goal is - and live a less controlled life of balance and choice, as we resolve the issues from the past.
•
Anita offers a free initial session, either face to face (in Sydney’s eastern suburbs) or virtual.
Anita Tomecki is an NLP Master Practitioner, human behaviour expert/coach and workshop facilitator. Anita has many years of experience working with both women and men on making changes in their lives, having spent over a decade on this process with herself. Experiencing first-hand the power of fully understanding her own mind and body's programming, Anita works with people on a daily basis to firstly understand themselves and then make the necessary changes to live a more free and present existence. If you'd like to get in touch, go to LinkedIn: Anita Tomecki or Instagram: Anita Tomecki. 28 | THRIVE #9
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The RISE of the NARCISSIST – and the Toll on their Targets NARCISSISM IS NOT JUST A DESCRIPTION OF A VAIN, PREENING PERSONALITY. A PERSON MANIFESTING NARCISSISTIC TRAITS – DEPENDING ON THE DEGREE ON THE SPECTRUM – CAN HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON AND CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE AROUND THEM, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE CLOSE PERSONAL CIRCLE. The term “narcissist” has in recent years jumped off the therapist’s couch and into popular parlance. Experts believe that the effects of becoming the target of a “narc” have escalated since the pandemic, with many people becoming more vulnerable - psychologically, socially, financially and professionally - and, so, susceptible to being manipulated. Blogs, books, media articles and social media posts about narcissists abound. Indeed, the increased use of social media since the pandemic is believed to be a major contributing factor to the rise of “narc” (those who post heavily doctored self-aggrandising images and stories, and self-styled “influencers”, for instance). People who fall under their spell may find their self-esteem systematically undermined, often without realising why. Because, of course, many 30 | THRIVE #9
narcs can seem extremely charming, flattering and sincere at the outset, telling you what they think you want to hear - it’s like they have a radar for your “soft” spots. Then the undermining and manipulation subtly begins. The term has more and more frequently been applied in mainstream media and on social media to one half of a high-profile couple over the past 18 months, which sparked this writer’s interest in the phenomenon.
"Narcs are usually very adept at lying or twisting the truth to their advantage and, just as harmful, omitting the truth."
Narcissism is a cluster of personality traits that include an excessive need for admiration and attention, disregard for others' feelings, an inability to handle any criticism and a sense of superiority and entitlement. Narcs are usually very adept at lying or twisting the truth to their advantage and, just as harmful, omitting the truth. The Collins English Dictionary describes it as “an exceptional interest in or admiration for oneself, especially one's physical appearance”. In its most extreme manifestation it is a diagnosed mental health condition: Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), where a person can become psychologically and/or physically dangerous towards their “victims”.
“They often have an excessive need for attention and want to create a sense of superiority over the other person and this will affect the tactics that they use to control you.” WHAT IS NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER?
Dr Tennyson Lee is a consultant for Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) who specialises in NPD.
He explains how there are nine diagnostic criteria for the illness, as laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (the American psychiatrist’s bible, used by researchers worldwide).
A patient must have five to qualify. The criteria are: •
Grandiose sense of self-importance
•
Fantasies of success and power
People may associate NPD with being arrogant, cocky and manipulative. While these are symptoms of NPD, not everyone with those characteristics have the disorder, but an inflated sense of self.
•
Believe self to be special and unique
•
Requires excessive admiration
•
Entitlement
•
Interpersonally exploitative
This, ironically, is often underscored by low self-esteem.
•
Lacks empathy
•
Envious of others
Usually, the goal of the narc - whether it be a partner, family member, boss, colleague or so-called friend - is to manipulate, control and instill a sense of worthlessness in another person.
•
Arrogant and haughty behaviours and attitudes
WHAT IS NARCISSISTIC ABUSE?
"This abuse could be physical, financial, emotional or sexual," explains Ammanda Major, a relationships counsellor and Head of Clinical Practice and Service Quality at Relate in the UK.
To understand narcissistic abuse, it's helpful to understand what a narcissist is and how they think, she says. "A narcissist will often appear confident when underneath they lack self-worth and have trouble handling anything they perceive as criticism.
“What tips it into a disorder,” says Dr Lee, “is if there’s such an intense manifestation of these traits that it actually causes some sort of suffering or difficulty for the individual or for those around them.” Dr Lee believes the condition is more common than we realise: “I do think it’s a clinical entity which is under-diagnosed and under-thought of by medical professionals.” The good news is that narcissism likely decreases with age. Brent Roberts, Psychology Professor at the University of Illinois in the US, says: “There is relatively profound age trend to narcissism, such that it decreases pretty significantly. “In fact, if there’s anything I believe is universal it is the fact that older people are less narcissistic than younger people. That has shown repeatedly and convincingly across many different samples.” THRIVE #9 | 31
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Once lured into the web, the “targets” can often find it extremely difficult to escape the narc’s influence, particularly if it’s someone such as a domestic partner (the most common type of narcissistic abuser).
COERCIVE CONTROL
WELLMIND
At the extreme end of the narcissism spectrum, it can manifest as “coercive control”. This is a campaign orchestrated by a narcissist to gain complete control over their victim, also known as their “supply” or “target”, often with disastrous consequences. One such case was the tragic death in February 2020 in Brisbane of a woman and her three children. Her coercive controlling estranged husband got into his wife’s car as she and the children were about to drive off. Rowan Baxter then doused them all in petrol and set the car alight, killing Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, as well as himself. Estranged wife Hannah Baxter managed to escape the burning car screaming 'my children are in the car, save "my children". She died in hospital from her injuries. Another similar tragedy occurred in April last year on the Gold Coast when mother of three Kelly Wilkinson was dragged into the backyard by her former partner, doused in petrol and burned to death while the children were in the house. SIGNS THAT YOU’RE EXPERIENCING NARCISSISTIC ABUSE Narcissistic abuse is often "invisible," and there may not be physical evidence like cuts or bruises, explains Dr Sarah Davies, a counselling psychologist and author of Never Again: moving on from narcissistic abuse and other toxic relationships. "This means nobody else, aside from the victim, sees or suspects it,” says Dr Davies. “It can be so manipulative that victims can be unsure that they are experiencing abuse.” SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR Gaslighting This is when somebody manipulates you to make you doubt yourself, even your sanity, that can lead to difficulty in making decisions, 32 | THRIVE #9
trusting your own judgement and questioning much of your behaviour. Dr Davies says the narc might also criticise, undermine, and put you down in subtle or indirect ways, and this can make it difficult to spot. Controlling Behaviour "An abuser might tell you what you can and can't do, and who you can and can't see," explains Ammanda Major. This can be done covertly. "They might subtly make hints about your friends or social group as a way to isolate you," says Dr Davies. "For example, they say, 'You're too good for those friends,' or question why you're friends with them. "They might also guilt trip you into doing things their way or they'll provoke anxiety and scare you into submission." Aggression Disagreements are normal in a healthy relationship. However, abuse is not a disagreement. It's important to recognise the difference between a healthy argument and your partner being aggressive towards you. For example, any threats of violence, especially those which are used to control your behaviour, are a sign of abuse. Projecting blame "Narcissists never take responsibility for their actions," says Dr Davies. “They might tell you you're being too sensitive, overreacting, imagining things, or will blame you and others for their abusive actions. "For example, they might be unfaithful to you and say, 'Well, if you didn't do X, then I wouldn't have to cheat’. “This can make it really difficult to seek help as you might deny or doubt your own perception of things. But this in itself is a big sign that something is wrong.” You’re made to feel reliant "Victims often feel reliant on their abuser, who will have worked hard to make them feel unable to function away from the abusive relationship," says Ammanda Major, and this can make it especially hard to leave the situation.
If you're experiencing narcissistic abuse, or any other kind of domestic abuse, it's important to speak to somebody about it. Even if you're not sure what's going on, you should still talk through what you're feeling and experiencing. Speak to a doctor, psychologist, trained relationships counsellor or contact support agencies like Relationships Australia: www.relationships.org.au. You may feel awkward or even afraid to open up but speaking to an expert can help you gain clarity, work through feelings of trauma, and gain more confidence in what decisions to make so as to move on with your life. As well as speaking to a professional or a trusted friend, it can also be helpful to speak to people who have been through the same thing and understand. Look to join a support group in your area or online. In the long term, self-care is an important habit to get into to help you heal. "Practising self-care, working on your self-esteem and learning about healthy boundaries and communication in a relationship can help you to heal from an abusive situation," Dr Davies says, and it can be something to make a permanent part of your life.” HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE We all have access to narcissistic behaviours - it just depends on what level we access these, says Sydney- based Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner and human behaviour expert/coach Anita Tomecki. Anita has many years’ experience working with people on making changes in their lives, having spent over a decade on this process with herself. Experiencing first-hand the power of fully understanding her own mind and body's deep-rooted “programming”, Anita works to firstly help clients understand themselves and then make the necessary changes to live a freer and more “present” existence.
"The more narcissistic traits someone is displaying, usually the more emotional pain they are in,” Anita says. “The more they are unable to look past themselves is because they don't have the emotional capacity to do so. This will, as always, date back to childhood experience and trauma. "In my capacity as human behaviour expert, I work with my clients to start to uncover the parts of them that they are unaware of. "Often what happens is that we are triggered in the face of another's behaviour because of some unhealed parts of ourselves. "Unless we are of a `Buddha-like' state, we are all doing what we do because it makes us feel good, safe, loved, as if we belong etc. And there is nothing wrong with this. "We only have ourselves as a point of reference, so when we do things for others we will do it from a place of what also makes us feel good at some level. Sometimes this can be in sacrifice to our health. "We may be prioritising being liked rather than looking after our health, without seeing this. "People may attract 'opposites' - someone who happily allows another to be the centre of attention. "These people will have their own childhood stuff still with them which allows them to put others before them. "This is where narcissistic traits are in play on both sides. One side more obvious - and where we could refer to someone as the narcissist and the other side, more masked, and perhaps the victim. "To be able to accept all parts of ourselves as fallible humans, we have the chance to free ourselves of these unhealthy dynamics we can find ourselves in. “We can then simply see and recognise behaviours in others, no longer triggered by them or choosing to be engaged with them." Facebook: Anita Tomecki Instagram: Anita Tomecki
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WHAT TO DO
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effective / proactive/ client-centred If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact 000 or your local emergency counseling service.
Wellbeing Resource Video Centre WATCH FOR INSPIRATION AND RELAXATION
YOU’VE GOT TO TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS
Okay, that’s a title of a famous Glenn Campbell song and not designed to preach, but to explain. And not to suggest you haven’t been kind!
Acts of kindness can have a profound impact on a person’s life – including your own. And in this latest of the world’s chaos, the pandemic, simple acts of kindness are more important than ever. In this TED video, Orly Wahba, founder/ CEO of the global non-profit Life Vest Inside (LVI) and director of Kindness Boomerang - an educator, bestselling author, entrepreneur and keynote speaker – talks about the power of kindness, how it can transform yours and others’ lives, and “boomerang” back to you.
GUT FEELINGS produce the substances you need for emotional balance, energy level and disease prevention.
Dr Erika Ebbel Angle, entrepreneur and biochemist, discusses why she believes the gut microbiome is our most important “organ”. She says the gut is the "second brain", and that gut health affects overall health. This means that you are what you eat, but you are also the metabolites that live in your gut and
Poor lifestyle choices cause gut imbalances, which can lead to neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases, anxiety and depression. Dr Angle shares some tips about what you can do to maintain a healthy gut microbiome through diet and lifestyle choices. The doctor has dedicated her career to studying the gut and is the CEO and co-founder of Ixcela, the Internal Fitness™ company.
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VIVA VINTAGE! WHO’S REALLY GOT THE MONEY TO THROW AROUND NOW – OR WANTS - TO SPEND ON NEW CLOTHES, SHOES AND ACCESSORIES? WELCOME TO THE SURGE IN VINTAGE, SECONDHAND, RECYCLED AND UPCYCLED GOODS AS THE FASHION WAY FORWARD. AND, BASICALLY, TO SUSTAIN DAY-TO-DAY EXISTENCE
By LEE-ANNE CARTER As a longtime fashion editor, stylist and trend forecaster working in Australia and Europe, many know I am a huge fan of vintage, secondhand, recycled, upcycled anything … but I have a dilemma about fur. Secondhand apparel is possibly my first true, and remains my forever, love. I have been buying vintage since I can remember starting to buy my own clothes, and that was around the age of 11. And it seems I am not alone. With the pandemic and lockdowns’ ramifications forcing us to reassess our spending habits and making us look at how fast-fashion has impacted the environment, secondhand shopping is fast gathering pace for a new generation focused on sustainability, with over 40 percent of Millennials and Gen Z shopping for secondhand apparel, shoes and accessories in the past 12 months. In fact, when Sydney came out of lockdown last October after nearly four months, there was a reported queue around the block for one Vinnies – for two days! Trust me, as a forecaster, I am here to tell you this is only going to gain momentum as formats such as Swishing (clothes swapping) also ascend in popularity. 36 | THRIVE #9
I, for one, can more than understand the focus. Scouring op shops for that special one-of-a kind piece was – and still is - my idea of utopia. Even the musty smell of worn leather, stale tobacco and old perfumes - yes, this was before they had to be dry-cleaned to be accepted - was balm to my soul. To this day I cannot walk past a secondhand store without going in. Just to have a look. There is something that gets into your blood in regard to finding an amazing, one-off piece of, shall we just say, history … the stories it might have engendered, the things it must have seen, the personalities it cloaked, the cut, the handwork, the detail. For this reason, and so many others, vintage has been my true fashion passion. By the age of 13, I was such an aficionado that I could walk into a Vinnies, scour the racks - scanning for fabric first is my big tip - and pull out the most amazing evening dress, embroidered coat or a spectacular tweed ‘50s suit. Men’s tweed jackets were a specialty of mine, teamed with floaty, frothy tiered chiffon dresses in pretty pastels and ‘70s knee-high tan leather boots.
in summer with a denim mini or shorts, in winter with jeans, a recycled satin negligee top, and a cropped fur jacket.
When my Mum and Dad relocated us from the North Shore of Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland when I was 15, my sister and I used to catch the bus down to Brisbane and back in a day, which was a considered trek at that time, to shop secondhand.
Wait! What? Fur?
I should mention here, my initial love for recycled clothing came from not having enough money to buy the fashion I really wanted at the time (actually, still don’t)! My sister’s passion came from her designer genes and the desire to stand out. Although, come to think of it, wandering around in a pair of old man’s undies with a big black belt to hold them up might have created some attention on my side of things. Some of my most vivid memories involve outfits concocted from secondhand stores - a cream satin, long-line embroidered ‘50s jacket with a Jackie O-esque vibe that another woman followed me around for in the Newtown, Sydney, store as I perused the rails, finally working up the courage to say if I didn’t want it she would take it. Of course, that made me want it more. I wish I could have been magnanimous enough to offer it to her but it was a wardrobe staple for many, many years so it was put to good use. The delicious, sorbet-soft colours of the ‘50s cardigans with embroidered beading in lilac, baby blue, and soft cream that I wore with absolutely everything and that, not so long ago, Prada did a complete riff on for nearly $5,000 apiece. Now, why didn’t I keep those?! Or the stunning ‘70s chiffon layered summer dress, edged with handmade lace that I wore with multicoloured strap heels, and was stopped on a Sydney street by a stranger to be told it was the most beautiful dress he had ever seen, as he continued to walk on by. A pair of cowboy boots bought in Greenwich Village, New York (I still own and wear them 20 years later), that I clacked from Potts Point to Bondi in Sydney nearly every other weekend to visit friends - teamed
And this brings me to the crux of my second issue. The dilemma over fur. In order to create some understanding as to why I am in such a quandary over this issue (which at its outset seems simple enough - say no to fur), I am a true vegetarian of over 35 years and counting. Not pescatarian, and not vegan, mid you, however, I am a long-standing, committed vegetarian who (disappointingly for some) wears leather, and recycled fur. I however, do not have an issue with anyone who eats meat. And therein lies the heart of the matter. While the world is in meltdown, with good reason, over the practice of fur farming, I have had a long-standing affinity with secondhand fur. Only ever vintage, mind you, but fur nonetheless.
"Our planet is already choking under the insidious amount of plastic waste we generate - no less than eight million metric tonnes of plastics enter our ocean annually, let alone the fact that every year we dump a massive 2.12 billion tonnes of waste." A few years back I very proudly proclaimed that I only wore real fur. Each and every piece secondhand. I felt that that was fine. It was a natural fibre, therefore more sustainable, and it was pre-loved from an era where fur was acceptable - before polyester and the like. It was
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I even bought a pair of white men’s underpants that I wore as bloomer shorts back in the day, with a huge black leather studded belt. Oh, the memories.
SUSTAINABILITY
slow-fashion, classic, traditional - VINTAGE - and I was saving it from ending up as landfill. That also would have been fine, because as it was natural it would decompose - eventually. The reasoning went on and on. But now, even this reasoning is coming into question. Fur - full stop - is bang out of order. Especially after Gucci made an announcement in 2017 that it was stopping using real fur, a move that was met with an outstanding ovation, and set the impetus for everyone else to follow suit. Fashion houses, on a global scale, then set about embracing faux fur. Hold up. You do all know what faux fur is basically comprised of, don’t you? Plastic. Or in more informed speak, non-decomposing synthetic fibres. How is this better? For the environment a resounding no, for the animals, yes. And that is as good an argument as any: No animal should be harmed in the making of anything, if you want my opinion. But neither should our environment. Our planet is already choking under the insidious amount of plastic waste we generate - no less than eight million metric tonnes of plastics enter
38 | THRIVE #9
our ocean annually, let alone the fact that every year we dump a massive 2.12 billion tonnes of waste. So how can we countenance, let alone applaud, a move to more plastic? It appears however that this little gem - the composition of faux fur - has been largely swept under the landfill. No-one appeared to question this, while nearly everybody jumped on the faux fur fashion bandwagon and cried no to real fur in any format. And that is the real issue at hand. There are many varied formats to consider. We can generate and create from recycled plastic and new synthetics which help clean up the planet, but in their production create a level of toxicity – although, to be fair, this is getting better with new formations and production methods, or we can use responsibly farmed fur from reputable companies that bear a mark or standard outlining them as such (I question this as well), or, how about this - we can do away with both of these options and buy or use what already exists. Just a thought. The only other option is to look at the array of vegan alternatives cropping up - pineapple and mushroom leather, or skins grown from bacteria are making a strong appearance, so it won’t be long before we grow a natural fur, oh wait…. It would appear that I am not alone in my confusion over what we should be doing. In a
The report delved further noting that China and Russia focus on green fabrics, while Italy and Germany care more about the use of fur. South Koreans opt for material transparency, and France is concerned more with fair labour conditions. It surmised that luxury consumers on a worldwide scale demand sustainability, but don’t always agree what that looks like. Of course, all this does is make it harder for brands and fashion houses to meet expectations, and further clouds the recycling/vintage equation even further. What I do know is that the industry I love dearly is in a whole world of pain, and I applaud the fact that it is coming to grips with its own excess and desperately trying to rectify its past. but I do not think by creating an alternative substance to a natural one is the best answer when we are talking about the sustainability imperative. In all honesty, I think before we can even fully address the sustainability issue properly, we need to define what that exactly is. Without the histrionics. For it appears, despite the increasing, vociferous demand for sustainable goods, it is not always clear what is actually being demanded.
Today, the secondhand apparel market is valued at approximately $28 billion and is forecast to reach $64 billion within five years, according to a new report by ThredUp and GlobalData Retail, and I dare say those figures will incorporate a lot of secondhand leather, polyester and fur. In this era of extreme polarisation, when we are seemingly unable to create a balanced argument (or at least give voice to it - no-one stops to ask in a protest if what you are wearing is vintage), do we stand behind what was formerly a reasonable premise, or do we give in to the fear that we will be targeted by some form of cancel culture (which is now being identified in UK schools for what it actually is – extreme bullying) over what once was a well-intentioned past time? Animal cruelty is a definite no-go. We do not need to kill another animal for another fur coat - EVER. We have more than enough already made and sitting in storage around the world, and we can regenerate, remodel or simply re-sell. But therein lies the rub - are people really supporting a shocking, cruel trade if they wear what is effectively a piece of the past? Am I? These are the questions that haunt our times, and I fear ones that will create further polarisation in our already fragmented society. In the meantime, the outcry of rage is starting to encompass the leather industry. At this rate I fear that we will basically end up clothed in plastic. It better be recycled - or vintage - is all I can say!
Australian born journalist Lee-Anne Carter is an editor, storyteller-writer, creative director and trend forecaster who for nearly nine years was Swarovski’s Head of Global Trend Intelligence, Marketing and Communications, based in Austria. Now based in Marrakesh, Morocco, she has launched the Creative Soul agency, specialising in creative direction, trend analysis, consumer insights, consultancy, interior styling, sourcing, writing, editing, storytelling, and keynote speaking. www.creativesoul.agency
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recent Business of Fashion article commenting on the striking disparity of views and mixed signals of the sustainability imperative, it was mentioned that “…younger cohorts place greater emphasis on animal-free and vegan-made products, as well as ethical trade and durability, senior cohorts remain focused on recycled goods and waste reduction.”
NUTRITION & DIET
FLATTEN the COVID Weight Curve HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HEARD SOMEONE SAY “I’VE PUT ON SO MUCH WEIGHT SINCE COVID” OR SAID IT TO YOURSELF? CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST AND WHOLEFOOD HEALTH EXPERT LEE HOLMES SHARES HOW TO REVERSE THE CURVE, SENSIBLY, SUSTAINABLY AND DELICIOUSLY. “What’s for dinner?”. By Lee Holmes Let’s preface this by saying that health is so much more than a number on the scale or fitting into a particular dress size. Health encompasses every facet of our being; our relationship with ourselves and with others, the foods we eat, our stress levels and the way we move. However, if you’ve found the curve that’s been the hardest to flatten during Covid lifestyle changes and restrictions is your waistline, and you aren’t feeling your best, then you’re unlikely to do all of the other activities that make up a healthy you. Attaining, and then maintaining, a healthy weight doesn’t happen overnight. The girl you see on your newsfeed who promises you she lost 30kg in two weeks by consuming this one supplement/ following this exercise regime/cutting out one food group, is probably exaggerating the truth. Extreme diets aren’t enjoyable and sustainable. Ain’t nobody got time for that. So, how can you flatten the curve and lose weight sustainably and healthily? 40 | THRIVE #9
1. Let’s start with the most straightforward tip of all: drink more water. It’s likely if you’re reading this that you’re not drinking enough water. Go on, pick up a glass right now. I’m watching you. Don’t carry on reading until you’ve sipped water. Okay, good. Sometimes, we confuse hunger with thirst and eat when we’re just thirsty. While specific recommendations vary from person to person depending on weight, exercise and life stage, aim for approximately 2 litres. 2. They were wrong when they said diamonds were a girl’s best friend – it’s fibre. Veggies are full of fibre and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they should be the star of the show; the main portion on your plate. Load up on non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, zucchini (courgette), green beans, broccoli and asparagus (see my Prebiotic Tray Bake overleaf) If you’re worried that the only thing that’ll be green is you with envy when you see what everyone else is eating, I’ve got a dainty salad that everyone will love. Enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up or as a side salad, and it’s served in a teacup; seriously, is there anything cuter? See my Teacup Watermelon Salad in recipes over the page.
4. We all know how vital movement and exercise is to lose weight. Incorporate a mixture of aerobic and resistance exercise for weight loss and maintenance, as well as healthy bones and longevity. Try to include moderate movement like walking and yoga daily, two days of resistancestyle training like weight-training or Pilates and, if you’re up for it, a day or two of more vigorous activity, like a jog, a boxing class, or a dance class. Mixing up the way you move is great for your waistline and mental health too. 5. I believe everything is okay in moderation, so don’t be afraid of your favourite foods. If you deprive yourself of your favourite foods, you may end up overeating them when you have the chance (hello food baby!). Rather than looking at foods as cheat foods, let go of the negative selftalk and let yourself indulge on occasion guiltfree. When you do decide to eat calorically dense foods, enjoy every mouthful and savour it slowly (no human shovels allowed). 6. Reward yourself differently. If you usually have ice-cream to celebrate a win, treat yourself to something not food-related, such as a massage, a night on the couch watching your favourite movies, a warm bath or a foot soak. Or, if you’re looking for food to bring you comfort, have a go
at journaling, calling a friend, making a big cup of tea or going for a walk – food shouldn’t be our go-to reward or comfort! 7. Join my moderation revolution and promise me you’ll control your portions. While you can still enjoy delicious foods, it’s essential to look at the quality and quantity of what you’re eating. For those serious about losing weight, I recommend introducing intermittent fasting (or, if you want to be in the lingo, it’s IF) into your week. While traditional IF approaches involve reducing your calorie intake to 500 calories (2090 kilojoules) for women and 600 calories (2510 kilojoules) for men on two days per week, there are various approaches you can take to intermittent fasting. Whether you’re looking to get off the diet rollercoaster for good, keen to shed some kilos, increase your energy or reduce your inflammation, my Fast Your Way to Wellness program may be the option for you. The program will change the way you feel and the way you look, help you learn how to tune into your bodily cues and care for yourself the way you deserve! If you’re seeking lifelong health, intermittent fasting can be a powerful ally. With delicious options for breakfast, lunch and dinner for both fasting and non-fasting days, hints and tips, and more fast-friendly meals, check out my Fast Your Way to Wellness Cookbook and 6-week online program: www.superchargeyourgut.com/products/fastyour-way-to-wellness-6-week-online-program
Lee Holmes is an Accredited Clinical Nutritionist (Adv. Diploma of Clinical Nutrition, Adv. Diploma Integrative Nutritional Therapeutics) and a wholefoods chef and yoga and meditation teacher. Lee's specialty is gut and immune health and has created a range of gut-friendly programs and products including Love Your Gut powders, Golden Gut blend and Love Your Gut capsules. With a focus on wholefoods, she is an Ayurvedic chef and the author of the bestselling Supercharged Food series of books and runs popular website www.superchargedfood.com and other online health programs helping her clients reach their wellness goals. www.superchargedfood.com
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3. This one may scare a few of you off, but it’s essential to be eating enough protein to lose weight. Protein is vital for building muscle mass, increasing your metabolism and satiation. Include a range of protein at every meal, including plant-based proteins such as chickpeas, lentils, edamame beans, and non-plant-based proteins like fish, eggs, lean meat and some dairy. If you’re looking for a protein-rich meal that’ll help you build muscle and not your waistline, try out my Sautéed Scallops with Mushrooms and Spinach (in recipes over the page).
NUTRITION & DIET
SUPERCHARGED FOOD
Cafe-sty le smoked salmon, eggs and asparagus Serves 3
When you want to bring the fancy cafe breakfast into the comfort of your own home, here’s your recipe. Protein-rich eggs (who said they were just a breakfast food? They’re an anytime food!), chlorophyll-filled greens and delicious smoked salmon brimming with Omega-3s will provide a meal of stately standards.
Ingredients 3 medium eggs 150g (5 1/2 oz) asparagus 1 tablespoon dukkah (a traditional Egyptian blend of nuts, seeds, and warm spices) 100g (3 1/2 oz) baby rocket (arugula) 150g (5 1/2 oz) smoked salmon
Dressing 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar-free mustard 1 tablespoon chopped chives Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
42 | THRIVE #9
Method Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and cover in iced cold water. Once cool, peel and halve. Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water until just tender. Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place the dukkah in a small bowl and dip the eggs in to partially coat. Arrange the rocket and smoked salmon on a plate, then top with the asparagus and eggs. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.
NUTRITION & DIET
SUPERCHARGED FOOD
Sautéed scallops with mushrooms and spinach Serves 2 179 calories per serve (749 kJ)
If you’re looking for something light
Method
for a dinner for two, this is a great
Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
recipe that not only tastes delicious,
Season the scallops with salt and pepper, sear in the pan for 1–2 minutes on each side, until golden brown, then remove
but also can be on the table in 10 minutes. Shellfish such as scallops are a beautiful source of fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin D. Always buy shellfish fresh from your local fishmonger and eat as soon as possible.
Ingredients
from the pan and set aside. Add the garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and oregano to the pan, then cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and apple cider vinegar, then cook for 1–2 minutes, until the spinach just begins to wilt. Return the scallops to the pan and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Serve topped with the parsley or rosemary and with lemon wedges on the side.
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 200g (7 oz/10 small) scallops, rinsed and patted dry Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 garlic cloves, crushed 140g (5 oz) mixed mushrooms, whole or sliced 1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 200g (7 oz) baby English spinach leaves Splash of apple cider vinegar Chopped parsley or rosemary sprigs, to serve Lemon wedges, to serve
THRIVE #9 | 43
NUTRITION & DIET
SUPERCHARGED FOOD
Teacup
Watermelon Salad Serves 3 144 calories per serve (603kJ)
Ingredients 350g (12 oz/2 cups) diced seedless watermelon 90g (31/4 oz/2 cups) baby English spinach leaves Small handful of mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 60g (21/4 oz/1/2 cup) crumbled goat’s cheese
Dressing 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon lime juice Handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped 130g (41/2 oz/1/2 cup) sheep’s milk yoghurt Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Method Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl, then divide between three wide-mouthed teacups, mugs or bowls. Spoon the dressing on top and serve immediately.
Supercharged tip:
44 | THRIVE #9
Keep the salad and dressing separate until just before serving, then when you’re ready to eat spoon the dressing on top.
SUPERCHARGED FOOD NUTRITION & DIET
Prebiotic Tray Bake with Garlic Tahini Drizzle Serves 3 144 calories per serve (603kJ) Ingredients 200g Jerusalem artichokes 1 jicama (aka Mexican yam bean, or Mexican turnip) peeled and cut into wedges 200g parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways 300g heirloom or Dutch (baby) carrots, trimmed 2 leeks cut into 2 cm rounds 2 medium red (Spanish) onions, peeled and cut into wedges 12 asparagus spears, trimmed 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Garlic Tahini Drizzle 1 garlic clove, crushed Celtic sea salt, to taste 70g sesame tahini 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or more, to taste 2-3 tablespoons water Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes Method Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). To prepare the artichokes, scrub well but don't peel unless the skin seems too rough. Cut in half lengthwise and immediately rub the cut surface with half a lemon to stop it browning. Place all the prepared vegetables, except the asparagus, in a single layer, on a lined roasting tray (or two). You don’t want the vegetables to crowd, as they won’t roast and crisp up. Drizzle with oil and rub to coat. Roast for 25 minutes, turning the vegetables once, and then take out and add the asparagus. Roast for a further 5 minutes or until the asparagus is just cooked and all the vegetables are golden around the edges. Meanwhile, to make the garlic tahini drizzle, place the garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle and mash to a purée. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the tahini. Add the lemon juice and a little bit of the water, whisking continuously, adding a little more water each time until the sauce reaches the consistency of thick cream (or runny yoghurt). Taste and adjust seasoning. Arrange the roasted vegetables on a serving platter and pour over garlic tahini drizzle. THRIVE #9 | 45
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