PakMag Australia – March 2018 Issue 31

ISSUE: Mar 2018

31

AUSTRALIA

INSPIRE A HEALTHY LIFE AT HOME

FREE

CHASE YOUR DREAMS DETERMINING GENDER

PARTY VIBES WITH THE TIDES www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 1

CONTENTS 5

The Thing Is

Hello and welcome to the March edition of PakMag Australia.

with Bree James

This month we focus on personal development for parents. Our feature on

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Emotional Baggage

page 7 is all about how you emotional baggage from your childhood may be

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Bump, Bub and Beyond:

page 15 shows you why it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Determining Gender

10 Bump, Bub and Beyond: WIN 13 Health 15 Adult Education:

Chase Your Dreams

affecting how you parent your children and our Adult Education feature on

We also look at challenges in children with our piece on developmental disabilities. This gives you a great insight into the types of developmental disabilities that may affect children, how to identify them and the steps to take if you think your child may have a disability.

As usual, our Recipe, Celebrate and Home pages feature awesome tips and tricks on bringing some fun and vibrancy into your life.

17 Developmental Disabilities

Have a great month and until next time, don’t forget to tell them you read it

in PakMag!

in Children

21 Healthy Recipes 22 Celebrate: Party Vibes

with the Tides

24 Homewith Caro and Kingi:

Healthy Living

Bree James Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-Chief Contact Us: p 4053 3331 f 4053 3350 e admin@grandpublishing.com.au a Po Box 7433 Cairns Qld 4870 fb facebook.com/pakmagaustralia t #pakmag

Grand Publishing Founder and Editor-in-Chief Bree James

Marketing to Families Experts Lisa Gillman Janelle May

Operations Manager Rose Foster

Sub-Editor Kate Moloney

Graphic Designer Clare Winter

Accounts Trent Stievano

Supply & Distribution Manager Gleisy Meireles Media Intern Monique Saggers Social Media Intern Kalisha Fitsch

Disclaimer: No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may be reproduced, in part or in whole without the expressed permission of the editor. Whilst the greatest of care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct at the time of going to press, readers are advised to check details before visiting. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. The expressions expressed within PakMag are not necessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

Net Distribution Per Issue 10,000 CAB Publisher Statement Period ending 30th July 2018

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 3

The Thing Is

The Thing Is...

STORY Bree James

I remember being at a business luncheon, running to the toilet as they put my meal down as I felt really unwell.

I have no idea what the speaker spoke about from that moment on. My brain was running through everything I had eaten the past 48 hours trying to work out why I felt so sick. But this felt a little different, everything smelled disgusting, and I was getting waves of hot flushes then waves of nausea. Then it hit me. OMG, maybe I am pregnant. I was out of that lunch so fast, stopped at Woolies, grabbed a test and headed back to the office to force out a pee. The stick instantly showed a positive, I smiled and laughed, then panicked and cried as my current life flashed before me. I was going to have a baby.

The thing is, even if you are trying to have a baby, no one can prepare a mother to be for this moment.

In fact, nothing can really prepare you for parenthood full stop.

With two boys, now aged 6 and 9, I never expected the things that I was going to learn. The gross things I would learn. The things I wish I really didn’t learn.

1. That babies can poop really far with a nappy off. Like, metres. My first month home with baby in the middle of the night, I recall dodging just in time to miss my face, poop that hit my shoulder and the clean washing behind me.

2. That baby boys get erections from birth. Like, all the time. As a mother, it is very disturbing and difficult to change a nappy forcing a little stiffy to point anywhere but up so the pee doesn’t fly out the top of the nappy next time.

3. That boys will stick their doodles from a very young age into pretty much anything. Even the arch of a book spine to see if it fits whilst reading.

4. That they never grow out of sticking weird stuff in their mouth and licking stuff that makes you dry reach.

5. That personal space is gone, probably forever. Kids have a special radar that goes off when you pull your pants down, sit down to eat or rest, pick up the phone, or hop in the shower.

6. That little people can excrete smells that make you think something has died inside them. It seems to occur only when you are in public, especially small shops and elevators to have the most impact, and when people can’t tell if it’s you or your kids.

7. That children have no filter. They will say anything that comes to their mind. Like “Mummy, look at that OOLLLLDDD MANNNN, is he going to die?!”

Really loud.

Kids (especially boys), in a nutshell, really are gross.

Our job is to try and get them to be not so gross as they grow into adults… But I think most women who have a man in their lives will agree, that unfortunately some of these traits are life long skills. Us women would never excrete a smell in public, we save that for the confines of our home and it always smells like roses anyway.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 5

Parenting

Is your emotional baggage impacting the way you raise your kids?

STORY Donna Mahoney They say that the only real lessons we learn in life are from our more challenging experiences. Some of these lessons we learn from, some we are still getting over, and some things we may never get over.

As parents, these experiences can shape the way we bring up our children; sometimes we are aware of this, often we’re not.

Self-awareness is essential. Once we have that, we can mold our parenting to teach our children what we see as important qualities through our experiences. From the above example, you will be insistent on raising kids that have empathy, independence, and resilience. But the negative, less obvious qualities are likely to be the ones you need to watch out for.

Take a moment to think about your life. What experiences or people have shaped you and your beliefs? Although the key is to try not to place judgement on these experiences, we tend to place them as either negative or positive depending on how they made us feel. Get a piece of paper, split it in half and write down these experiences.

Are you bottling up your anger and then having outbursts because you haven’t learnt a positive healthy way to be angry? Are people in your life treating you poorly because you avoid conflict? Are you treating your kids like babies, doing everything for them so that they can stay kids as long as possible? Do you keep your kids from family members that could potentially emotionally harm them to protect them? Do you stay in an unhealthy relationship because you don’t want your children to have divorced parents?

Now, write out what you learnt from each of these moments, both positive and negative. Lastly, think if any of these things are impacting your parenting?

Let’s try a situation together. Say your parents divorced when you were little, and you were raised in a very hostile environment. From this you feel that you learnt positive traits such as empathy, independence and resilience, but also negative things such as growing up too fast, thinking that anger is bad and not having a positive view of relationships.

Impact on Parenting Our children do not come with a manual on how to parent them and often, the only way we have learnt how to parent is from our parents. Not only do they show us how, but they also show us how not to raise children as well. As parents, we get to choose which aspects of the way we were parented that we bring into our own parenting. Even the best of us sometimes cringe as we hear our parents’ voice come through our mouths or we do things a certain way, as a subconcious reflection of our parents behaviour.

Only you can analyse your behaviour. Remember you don’t need to be the perfect parent, none of us are.

Parenting is about ensuring we raise incredible kids that have a healthy emotional bank which they can draw on at any time they feel they are on the downward turn on the roller coaster that is life. It’s about ensuring we give our children the tools to help foster a belief in themselves that they can get through any moment in their life, grow and learn from it.

Donna from Innate Therapies counsels parents on how they can let go of their emotional baggage (amongst other issues, specialising in attachment and trauma therapy), so they can become more confident, self-aware and happy. She also helps children, couples and families using a range of modalities including Art Therapy, Clayfield Therapy, Sandpay and Symbol work depending on individual need. Visit www.innatetherapies.com for more information.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 7

Bump, Bub and Beyond

Determining gender STORY Kate Moloney These days, while it is possible to choose the sex of your child due to the advances in fertility treatment, Embryo Gender Selection is not available to everyone and does not come without significant cost and risk. In Australia, it is only undertaken for health reasons with couples who must undergo the whole process of In Vitro Fertilisation.

So, if you have an overwhelming yearning for a child of a specific gender, are there ways to tip the odds in your favour, to conceive a child of your preferrence? Does the fact that there are so many old wives’ tales (plus newer theories on this subject) lead to us questioning whether there may be some truth or validity to these, even though there is no scientific evidence to back them up?

If we’ve piqued your curiosity then here are two of the most commonly tried theories.

One theory is that the mother’s diet can affect gender.

According to this theory, eating alkaline foods, such as bananas, broccoli and potatoes, and avoiding milk, cheese and ice-cream will result in a boy, as the Y (boy) sperm is thought to flourish in an alkaline environment.

The X (girl) sperm, on the other hand, prefers an acidic environment created by eating a diet full of fish, meat, cheese and grains.

If this method does not appeal then perhaps you might prefer to consider the Shettles Method, developed by

Dr Landrum B. Shettles in the 1960s. This method is based on the theory that the gender can be determined by having intercourse at certain times in the ovulation cycle. The Y (boy) sperm, is fast but less resilient than the X (girl) sperm, which is a slower swimmer but hardier, meaning it survives longer. Therefore, if you want a boy, you should try and conceive during your ovulation day, as the fast-swimming Y (boy) sperm are likely to make it to the egg first. While if you want a girl, you should try and conceive only in the week (or few days) before ovulation as the weaker Y (boy) sperm will have died off, leaving the X (girl) sperm hanging around until the egg is ready.

When trying for our third child, while I really didn’t mind, as we already had two beautiful girls, I thought, “What harm is there in trying out the Shettles Method to conceive a boy?” I am not saying that this method was definitely the reason, but we did conceive a boy, and to this day, when he causes more mischief than our two girls combined, my husband takes much enjoyment from reminding me that I wanted ‘the boy’!

So, if you do have your heart set on one or the other then perhaps these theories may just assist you. But always remember, - the most important thing of all every baby, regardless of their gender, is a precious gift of life to be treasured.

Did you ever try one of these methods or one of the many other old wives’ tales to influence gender? We’d love to hear your story. Post your story on our Facebook page for the chance to win a prize.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 9

Bump, Bub and Beyond

BUMP, BUB AND BEYOND Featured products, reviews and prizes. Visit www.pakmag.com.au for your chance to win!

‘Bliss’ Organic Cotton Maternity Cami Top

Cloud b - Sleep Sheep and Tranquil Turtle

RRP $48.00, www.bubsnbumps.com.au

RRP Sleep Sheep: $59.99 / Tranquil Turtle: $79.99 www.cloudb.com.au

Unique organic cotton maternity tops from Bubs n Bumps.

Proudly show the world you’re expecting with cute & original artwork of babies printed onto the tops ‘bump’.

Proudly Australian made for assurance of quality. These comfortable maternity tops are sure to become your maternity wardrobe staple.

Available in 3 styles and 5 cute designs to choose from including the best selling ‘Peek-a-Boo’ baby and ‘Two Peas in the Pod’ for mothers expecting twins.

Sleep Sheep is the original plush that offers soothing sounds to help calm and comfort children to sleep. Playing soft sounds of nature or the reassuring sound of a mother’s heartbeat, Sleep Sheep is the perfect companion for a calm and restful night for both baby and parents!

Cloud b’s first product to combine both sight and sound features, Tranquil Turtle will transform your child’s room into a peaceful oasis.

The light projector creates a serene underwater effect - complete with softly rippling waves - while the sound machine offers two calming choices: a gentle melody or whispering waves.

We are giving away the ‘Bliss’ Cami top - choose from size small, medium or large.

Maze Activewear Nursing Sports Bra RRP $59.00, www.mazeactivewear.com.au Super supportive, this stylish sports bra will have you covered from Pregnancy to breastfeeding. The mesh panels allow you to breathe easy while the clasp back offers an easy off after a tough training session. Quick drop-down cups allow for easy breastfeeding, with adjustable straps that cater for variations in bust size and the different levels of support needed. This maximum support sports bra will soon become your go to staple of your maternity wardrobe.

10 March 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

Cloud b products are available to purchase from Babies R Us, Myer and David Jones.

Bump, Bub and Beyond

BABY’s stylish sanctuary

Constipation in Babies

STORY Kate Moloney

Is your baby crying, experiencing discomfort and irritability before a bowel movement or having fewer than three bowel movements a week? The cause of their discomfort may be constipation. This problem may be being caused by dehydration, formula milk or the introduction of solid foods.

One of the most enjoyable things of pending parenthood is the chance to create a stylish nursery.

When creating this sanctuary there are some things that you should consider.

When selecting furniture pieces, your number one priority should be safety. Ensure any items you are buying are Australian certified. For these items, especially if you are planning on more children, it can be a good idea to keep these in unisex colours, like wood and white.

If space allows, you may find that separating the room into three zones (one for sleeping, one for feeding and one for playing) works well.

Sleeping zone - Don’t be afraid to use playful bedding in bright colours to dress your neutral cot. Adding a soft nightlight that won’t disturb baby’s sleep when checking them during the night or when feeding is a great addition.

Feeding zone – Consider a feeding chair that is not only comfortable but also something that will later convert into a great toddler reading chair. An ottoman is also a recommended piece for comfortable feeding.

Play zone - Let your creativity run free. Colourful soft mats, plush animals, plus storage boxes and baskets for keeping all of baby’s items handy and sorted. Add colour to the walls with decals that can easily be changed for the next baby or as baby grows into the next stage.

STORY Kalisha Fitsch

If you think your little one may be experiencing constipation then here are a few things that you could try that may help with their discomfort: Encourage exercise: If your baby is a crawler, encourage more crawling! If they are not crawling yet, then move their legs in a circling motion (as if they are riding a bicycle) while they are lying on their back.

Massage the stomach: Gently massage your baby’s lower abdomen with three fingers to stimulate the bowels to encourage a bowel movement. You can do this massage several times per day until a bowel movement occurs.

Different foods: If your baby is eating solids, pureed apples, plums, blueberries and other foods high in fibre will help out. Incorporating more fruit juice and water into your baby’s diet will help as well, especially prune juice!

Switch formula: If your baby is on formula milk, sometimes this can be causing the issue. Talk to your doctor about switching to a different brand, as sometimes sensitivity to certain ingredients can cause constipation.

Constipation, while uncomfortable, is common. Try these good ‘ole home remedies to help relieve their pain, however, if you are concerned always consult your GP.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 11

Health

HEALTH Having the ‘chat’ with your son

CLASSROOM bugs: BUGS: Classroom PART 1 Part

STORY Mat May

STORY Dr Nicole Higgins, Health on Central

My children continually provide me with some of my most rewarding experiences.

However, they also come with many challenges, and for a dad, one of those is the conversation I must have with my son.

He is approaching ‘that age’ and, I’m sure, beginning to wonder about his changing body, so I now find myself gearing up for his inevitable questions.

“Hello Ms Jones. Sophie isn’t feeling well. Could you please come and pick her up from the sick bay?”

Why does this always happen as you are half way through your grocery shop or heading into an important meeting? The classroom is not only a breeding ground for fertile imaginations but also for school bugs.

While there’s often no realistic way to prevent children catching

But, should I initiate this conversation?

When is a good time? Should I wait for him to come to me? If he comes to me, do I use the correct anatomical terms for ‘things’ or do I use cute euphemisms? Should it be a serious conversation or do I lighten it with ‘Dad’ humour? Am I overthinking it?

infections at school, being able to spot the symptoms means

While I don’t consider myself a parenting expert, I do like to think I have been doing a good job so far, and this is such an important phase of his development, so I want to get it right. With that in mind, I did what any responsible dad in my situation would do… I got a book!

Snot, coughs and sore throats are usually caused by a virus. Viruses

There are a number of books available that cover everything from body changes to mood swings to new found desires and urges. They comprehensively cover any questions he may have about his transition into puberty, and you can then quite easily expand on anything he is unsure of.

streptococcus bacterial infection that lives on the skin. More

Reading such literature has made a potentially difficult and awkward conversation much simpler for both my son and myself which, I think, will allow him to accept his changing body and understand his changing attitudes without any undue worry.

parents can manage the illness and potentially stop them spreading the bugs. Over the next three editions of PakMag, we will look at the top five school bugs, starting with the top two: 1. Coughs and colds.

are treated with fluids and rest as antibiotics don’t make any difference. Viruses are often easy to catch, but their spread can be reduced by keeping your child at home and good hand hygiene.

2. School Sores (aka Impetigo).

These crusty yellow sores are caused by a staphylococcal or common during the warmer months, Impetigo gets into the deeper layers of the skin through cuts and sores. These sores are filled with bacteria which can weep; which makes it a highly contagious infection. Impetigo is generally not dangerous but usually needs a trip to the GP to get treated with antibiotics. Good hand hygiene, covering the sores with a dressing and not picking at scabs are the key to stopping this spreading amongst friends and family.

Young children tend to get sick more often as they build up an immunity however if you are concerned, your family GP is always there to help.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 13

Adult Education

It’s never too late to chase your dreams STORY Kalisha Fitsch

We are constantly reminded that time is ticking.

The days, weeks, months and years all seem to pass by quicker and quicker the older we get. Having children often heightens our realisation of just how fast our life is passing us by, and this can leave us questioning whether we are really making the most of our time. In these moments, thoughts of chasing our dreams enter our mind but are just as quickly met by our self-doubts, our “Oh, it’s too late for me to be able to do that now” thoughts.

But is it really too late? The answer is no! The reality is that life is growth and therefore it’s no surprise that a career path you found fascinating at 18 may not necessarily still interest you at 35. Whether you are 25 or 50, it’s never too late to start doing something you love. In the 21st century, with so many options available for further education including varied delivery methods, many people are taking up study to embark upon new careers, regardless of their age.

Changes in life situations have seen once career professionals, now mums, change from accounting careers to become teachers as the hours and holidays suit their lifestyles better. Previous office managers have made the change to freelance writing to enable them to work from home. Many home-based businesses have been established by mums who are successfully combining their passion with their family commitments.

Not entirely convinced? Well, there are plenty of women all around the world proving that you’re never too old to make that change. What about Australian mum-of-two, Naomi Simson? You probably have heard of this lady in red; she’s an entrepreneur, author and CEO of the online gift retailer RedBalloon. But did you also know that she had a well-paid corporate job, that would have been the envy of many yet didn’t make her happy? So, she made the change to do something that she was passionate about. Anna Mary Robertson Moses, otherwise known as Grandma Moses, proves it really is never too late; she began her painting career at 78 years of age.

In 2006, one of her paintings sold for a staggering USD 1.2 million.

Everyone's situation is different but what is the same, is that to make this change, you need to stay determined and always have a positive, never give up attitude. We are not saying that it is going to be easy, but if it is what you want, then your hard work will pay off and you will thank yourself down the track that you made this choice. No pain, no gain!

Your life is yours to live. It is up to you to make it the life of your dreams. So, if you have the opportunity to make a change that will lead to your greater happiness, grab it with both hands. Make that positive change that in the long run will benefit not just you but also your whole family. Happiness really is contagious.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 15

Challenges

Developmental Disabilities in Children STORY Rose Foster As parents, navigating the minefield of bringing up children can be a challenge. The trial and error nature of parenting, and the fact that every child develops at different rates means that knowing whether our children are on the right track can feel like a guessing game. This is particularly true when it comes to identifying problems.

sure you don’t panic if your little one is slightly behind expected milestones, these are only a guide. It’s when significant delays occur, or delays across multiple aspects of your child’s development that further investigation should be done.

What causes developmental disabilities?

Developmental disabilities range from autism and behavioural disorders to cerebral palsy and Down syndrome, so spotting signs of these disabilities can be easy or complicated. Certain issues can be identified at birth (and sometimes even before), but some problems don’t become apparent until certain milestones are not being met and we realise that a child is behind in their development.

For many developmental disabilities, the cause is unclear and it is often a number of factors which contribute to the problem. The main risk factors include problems at birth (including prematurity, low birth weight or oxygen deprivation), medical conditions (including ear infections, illnesses and injuries), and environmental factors (including trauma, a mother drinking or taking drugs prior to birth or poor living conditions).

So, how do we identify developmental disabilities?

What should you be looking for?

Well, unfortunately for many of these disabilities, there is no cut and dry test, so observation is the key to identification in the early stages. Knowing when a child should be reaching certain milestones is a starting point. It will help you identify whether your child is delayed in their development. It is important to make

There are five main areas in which a developmental disability may occur: cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, speech and language skills, fine and gross motor skills, and activities in daily living. If a child exhibits issues with two or more of these areas, it is considered to be a global developmental delay.

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 17

Challenges

Cognitive delays affect a child’s ability to learn, think and problem solve. Early ways to identify this is to ask yourself if your baby exhibits curiosity or if your toddler is learning new words, colours or counting. If the answer is no to these things, it may be a sign of developmental delay.

Social and emotional delays present themselves in a child’s ability to relate and interact with others. Babies should smile at people and make noises in an attempt to communicate and toddlers should be able to express their feelings and make friends. A lack of these signs could be cause for concern.

Speech and language delays may seem obviously identifiable but there are some things to consider that you may not have been aware of; it is not always the case that a child can’t pronounce words. With babies, the absence of babbling or cooing could help identify issues but in toddlers, their ability to understand instructions, tell stories that keep on track or use words in the correct context could also be telling signs. This type of delay is quite common which is perhaps the reason that Speech and Language Pathologists are trained specially to deal with this, whilst the other four issues are generally dealt with by paediatricians or occupational therapists.

Fine and gross motor delays can be identified in babies if they are not able to hold objects (fine motor) or if they don’t begin to sit up, roll or walk (gross motor). As children get older, not being able to hold tools or draw (fine motor) or having difficulties jumping or climbing may indicate a developmental delay.

Daily living problems simply mean that day to day tasks are not handled by the child. In babies, we as parents naturally do this for them, but if children don’t begin to eat or dress themselves, herein lies a potential issue.

How does a child receive a diagnosis?

Generally, your first step is to visit your GP who will advise you of the next steps based on his initial

18 March 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

assessment of your child. Your GP will generally refer you to a specialist or for further testing and investigation based on this assessment.

If you think your child has a speech or language delay, you can opt to visit a speech and language pathologist without a referral from your doctor.

Remember, early intervention is best and there’s no harm in going to the doctor if you think something’s not quite right. As the age old saying goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry”, and it’s true when it comes to helping your child with their development.

What treatment is available?

Depending on your child’s diagnosis, there are a number of different treatment options. Most of these include the help of a specialised professional. Occupational therapists are amongst the most common options for children with developmental disabilities, along with physiotherapist, speech and language pathologist and behavioural therapists.

Living with developmental delay Living with any kind of disability comes with challenges, but with a positive outlook and the right tools and professionals at your disposal, living a happy and fulfilled life is absolutely possible. Understanding that life won’t be bad, it will just be different is a great way to look at life when raising a child with a developmental delay.

With early intervention and treatment, many children with developmental disibilities grow up to become independent adults. For those with more serious developmental disabilities, particularly those who have trouble with completing day to day tasks or have low cognitive function, there are still options to help them live the best life they can. This includes community living, providing them with the equipment that they need and equipping their families with the skills and tools to help.

Healthy Recipes

HEALTHY RECIPES

Rainbow Pie with Hazelnut Crust Serves 1-2 Recipe by Georgia McDermott @georgeats

Teff and Almond Breakfast Crumble Serves 4 Recipe by Sally O’Neil @thefitfoodieblog

Crust 1 ½ cups of hazelnut meal ½ cup almond meal ¾ cup tapioca flour 1 small egg 100g butter

Ingredients 1 ½ cups flaked almonds 1 cup almond meal ½ cup teff 2 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup rice malt syrup or honey (plus extra to serve) 2 tbsp melted coconut oil 4 cups mixed berries 1 cup of your choice of yoghurt.

Filling 5 eggs 2 tbs milk 3 tbs pesto 1 cup roasted pumpkin 100g feta 50g sundried tomatoes 30g spinach 2 large swiss chard leaves, chopped 1 red onion diced chilli flakes, to taste salt and pepper to taste

Method Preheat oven to 160ºC In a bowl add the almond meal, teff and flaked almonds along with the cinnamon and mix well. Add rice malt syrup or honey and coconut oil then stir to combine.

Method Preheat oven to 180ºC. Mix together the ingredients for the pastry until they have congealed enough that you can roll it into a ball. Mould into a 25cm diameter pie tin and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

While the crust is cooking, cook onions and chilli in a good glug of olive oil until onion is translucent. Layer pumpkin, onion and chilli in the crust. Beat the eggs, milk and pesto together with some salt and pepper and fold through the feta, spinach and chard. Pour into the pie crust.

Pop the pie back into the oven for 15- 20 minutes, or until egg mixture has cooked completely.

Add the crumble dough to a baking sheet and press down into a large biscuit.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown then allow to cool.

Meanwhile, divide the berries into 4 bowls and spoon over yoghurt.

Using your hands, roughly break up the biscuit into large chunks and add to the bowls.

Drizzle over additional honey or rice malt syrup and serve immediately.

Recipes bought to you by The Source Bulk Foods. You can pick up quality, fresh ingredients for these recipes from The Source Bulk Foods. Check them out on Facebook /TheSourceBulkFoodsCairns

www.pakmag.com.au | March 2018 21

Celebrate

PARTY VIBES WITH THE TIDES We know that keeping a party of little ‘sea goers’ riding high on waves of happiness for a couple of hours can be a challenge.

But we assure you, you won’t be asked to walk the plank at your child’s party with these fantastic ocean-themed ideas.

You’ll ‘sea’ what we mean!

Feeding frenzy Snacks are a must to keep the hungry sharks at bay. Set up a table that is full of adorable munchies. Serve up colourful ‘saltwater’ popcorn - popcorn drizzled with blue candy-melts - or set their imaginations a sail with a pirate ship shaped watermelon!

This is a great trick to get some healthy snacks into their stomachs.

Thirsty? Serve up some refreshing drinks for your guests to keep

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them refuelled for more ocean exploring.

Decorate bottles, cups or glasses with strings and starfish paper-shapes to match the theme of the party.

Finding lost treasure Draw a mud map of your home and let the curious explorers search the house and yard for ‘lost treasure’ party favours.

This interactive way of gift-giving is an exciting experience and will be a memory not quickly forgotten by your guests. Who knows what they will find! You could hide away pirate or mermaid dolls, whalethemed educational games or other ocean-themed bits.

Sweet ocean treats

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The most anticipated event at any party is always the cake! Get creative with fondant, icing and edible glitter to create an impressive underwaterthemed tiered cake or adorable mermaid tail cupcakes for your guests to enjoy.

Or, let Cakes Annietime take the helm.

They can create perfectly scrumptious custom cakes that can even incorporate a photo frame to truly personalise your child’s cake.

With plenty of nibbles, games, and adventure fun, we are sure your party will go swimmingly and is ‘shore’ to be a great success.

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1. Mermaid Doll in Grey - RRP $ 49.95 - www.ellej.com.au 2. www.catchmyparty.com 3. Custom Birthday Cake. The possibilities are endless with Cakes Annietime - www.cakesannietime.com.au 4. www.karaspartyideas.com 5. Mobi Maths Game - RRP $29.99 www.playmackay.com.au 6. Big Waves Cushion by Bonnie & Neil - RRP $174.35 - www.korufurnitureandhomewares.com.au 7. www.docediafestas.com.br 8. www.thecakemamas.com 9. www.leaf.tv 10. Hand Squeaker Pirate - RRP $17.95 - www.ellej.com.au 11. Hattie Navy Spot Dress - RRP $44.95 - www.ellej.com.au

Home

HOW YOUR HOME CAN INSPIRE A HEALTHY LIFE With the Block’s Caro and Kingi

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24 March 2018 | www.pakmag.com.au

We all wish to live a healthier lifestyle, not only for ourselves, but also for the environment. But with the pace of life, it can be difficult to find the time and motivation to transform this wish into a reality. However, it can be easier than you might think.

There are some simple things that you can do and implement in your home and life, and these small changes that you make can have large positive effects on not just your health but also the worlds.

Reusable over single use: Reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the plastic waste in your home. Store your ingredients in glass jars and containers, take fabric reusable shopping bags with you when shopping and for school lunches try sectioned lunchboxes (or bento boxes). Plus, on a home dĂŠcor front, ingredients stored in jars can make for a wonderfully rustic feel!

Natural snacks: Packaged snacks are often highly processed and create single-use plastic waste. Invest in a beautiful fruit bowl or basket so you can incorporate natural snacks such as bananas, oranges, and apples into your life. Not only are fruits very good for you (obviously!), they can brighten up your kitchen and the waste they leave behind is easy to turn into compost to help your garden thrive.

Plants, plants, plants: Big and small, plants work wonders.

Some are known to be particularly effective at filtering the air in your home, thus creating a healthier living space.

Recommended plants for this include ferns, lilies, palms, and ivy. These will have your home looking good and smelling great too.

Chlorine-free play: Have you considered a chlorine-free swimming pool? A pool that is fully enriched with oxygen, has no odours, no taste, that is soft and gentle to your skin and reduces water waste with no shower needed after swimming! If you are interested, contact Swimart Cairns today.

Watch your life transform with these little changes to your home and lifestyle that will have you feeling not only healthier but also happier because you are helping to make a difference.

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