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Process

“To be in the process of getting to know someone, of building a relationship, of giving it your all generously and honestly, with absolutely no attachment to results … That’s not an easy thing,” writes Rachael Coopes on page 50. “From the perspective of yoga, the process of dating is the point, not the outcome. You do the work, give it your all, and then surrender and let grace step in. Because what is for you (or who) will never pass you by. This is where you need a little faith.”

Rachael’s piece is about surrendering to the process of dating, but her counsel can be applied to many aspects of life. There is great wisdom in the idea that value lies largely in the process, not the result. We are a society of goal-setters and achievement junkies, motivated by the modern world’s more, more, more attitude. But when we fixate on the outcome, we devalue the process of learning and growing. Conversely, when you invest energy into the process, you are better able to appreciate and stay true to your intrinsic motivators such as self-development, personal enrichment and fulfilment, rather than those things society tells us we “should” achieve. This season, don’t get caught up in the mad dash for the end result. Consciously honour the process, lean into it. And in Rachael’s words, have a little faith that the right outcome will arrive … in the process.

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Illustration creativemarket.com

v1 a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.

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From the editor-in-chief

H

omeschooling during lockdown has its joys and its challenges. Personally, I’m not complaining, my daughters have been wonderful with it. While it hasn’t been all roses and rainbows, there have been thorns and dust storms along the way, for the most part it has been a pleasurable experience. Nevertheless, like all parenting, homeschooling pushes you to places that you would not ordinarily go, as happened one day when we were discussing subject choices.

One of my daughters mentioned that she did not like history, and the other readily agreed. I have always loved history. My first degree was in ancient history and archaeology. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved historical matter, and I could not help but stand in history’s defence, although I knew I was outnumbered.

“But history is wonderful,” I led off, my grammatical recklessness signalling my passion.

“What’s good about it?” daughter 1 queried matter-of-factly.

“Just because you like it, doesn’t mean we have to like it,” daughter 2 drove the dagger deep.

They had me of course; I’m practised enough at parental parrying to know that “Trust me, I know” doesn’t cut it as a persuader after the age of two. It was on my lips to spout the perennial “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” but I managed to stop myself. This was no time for cliché; I wanted to give history a decent defence, and to do so I had to really examine my history fandom.

It did not take long for me to realise that what history offers, in my mind, is understanding: understanding of why our society is shaped as it is, comprehension of the thought habits we would otherwise accept as “truth”, and appreciation of our place in time and space. Quality history involves honest appraisal of what is and has been, getting past the rubbish that is public relations and image creation. Awareness of history is not all that is required for understanding, but it is a necessary pillar of understanding, alongside awareness of things like physiology, psychology, philosophy, ecology and cosmology. What each of these disciplines demands of us is willingness to listen, but unfortunately this is not a skill we have heard a lot about recently.

In light of the challenges thrown up by SARS-CoV-2 there has been a lot of shouting about the right to speech, the right to choose and the right to be right. What has been lost in this furore is that rights rest on responsibilities, and the responsibility to listen to what history and other sciences tell us is now more important than ever.

The echo chambers of social media offer you the chance to wallow in information that supports what you already believe without ever listening to anything else. If you want understanding, though, you must be willing to deal with what is, as revealed by methodical analysis, rather than just constantly reinforcing how you want things to be. Understanding leads to better decisions, and as a species we have some huge decisions coming our way. Courage to see things as they are and discipline to do what is needed are what we require: knowledge of history, application of science and honest intent is how we achieve it.

Without honest examination of life, decisions get layered on misconceptions until you build a Leaning Tower of Preference that will topple under its own weight. The essential power of awareness is the same as that of mindfulness, which is to be constantly aware of what is real, so that you do not end up building a life, or a society, that will collapse as it admires its own image.

I didn’t say any of this to my daughters. I simply answered, “I guess I just like it,” because sometimes, most of the time, if you are in defensive mode you have already lost the argument. There would be other times to further the discussion, but sometimes the better part of valour is discretion, as history has taught us.

Terry Robson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Join the WellBeing community VISIT US ONLINE wellbeing.com.au LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/WellBeingMagazine CHECK US OUT ON PINTEREST pinterest.com/WellBeingMag FOLLOW US ON TWITTER twitter.com/WellBeing_Mag

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Contents Community

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Your Say WellBeing readers tell us what’s on their minds.

138 Counter Culture Discover the books, podcasts and card decks that we’re loving at WellBeing HQ. 153 Real-Life Experience One reader shares her journey from fighting her diagnosis to accepting it as a part of who she is.

160 What’s On What’s coming up for you, plus what’s inspiring us.

Beauty, Food & Health 16

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24

56

59

The Pulse Read about how exercise can boost kids’ vocabulary and more.

Supplement Discover tribulus terrestris, which has been shown to increases libido in women.

Healing Food Explore the unlikely health benefits of fennel.

Fibrous and Fabulous Food Find out how to up your intake of fibre and keep your digestive system happy WellBeing TV Chiropractor and holistic lifestyle coach Dr. Jacinta Di Prinzio shares her self-care tips for embracing your femininity, naturally.

OUR SECTIONS:

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100

104

Community

Marvellous Mud Widely used for its skin-perfecting properties, research also suggests mud holds the key to significant advances in medicine and antibiotic resistance.

80 Special Report: Ultimate Oils Discover which dietary oils have abundant essential fatty acids, low rancidity and a high smoke point for cooking.

92 Menopause, Misunderstood Healthcare brand Flordis is on a mission to break the taboo around menopause.

110 Beauty-damaging Blue Light Find out if your skin is paying the price of technology overexposure.

140 Cookbook Recipes: Low Tox Life Food Good for your health, the planet and your budget, Low Tox Life Food is the perfect introduction to a greener kitchen and diet.

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Body, Mind & Spirit 18

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Lifelines Read about how uncertainty impacts our behaviours and more.

What’s Your Season?

By using nature as your guide, learn how to attune your body to the seasons for optimal health.

Querensteiger There is a name for those who make a radical career change: quereinsteiger, or quereinsteigerin for women. We

Beauty

Food

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90

explore how to successfully make a quantum career leap.

Reconnect with Your Body Your body holds infinite wisdom and insight, pointing to what needs attention in your life. But how well do you hear its messages and answer its calls?

The Evolution of Language The English language is growing by the day. We explore what new words and meanings say about today’s society.

Fine Romance In this romantic interlude we look at the biology and psychology of a cultural obsession.

Yoga for Dating Are you struggling on the battlefield of modern dating? Yoga can arm you with the intuition, faith and self-love you need to survive.

Doer & Thinker: Gill Hicks In the 16 years since Gill Hicks was caught in the London terrorist attack, the speaker, activist, author and curator has dedicated her life to campaigning for world peace.

Soothing Oils for Pregnancy Find out which essential oils are safe to use during pregnancy and how they can alleviate many common pregnancy complaints.

Personal Training: Tech Neck Do you suffer from “tech neck”? Follow these in-office exercises to reduce

Health

Body

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muscle tightness, increase work clarity and boost your overall body health.

12 Super Fitness Supplements Discover the supplements you can use to help you on your journey to peak fitness.

WellBeing Brain Boosters Enjoy some brain-teasers designed to keep your mind firing.

Home, Parenting & Relationships 100 The Power of Vintage Homewares A stylish and welcoming home doesn’t have to leave a heavy eco footprint. We share our tips for scoring the best upcycled, uplifting pieces.

104 Dress Yourself Happy As your second skin, the clothes you wear can boost your mood, selfimage and even your performance.

We explore what psychology says about your sartorial choices.

Mind

Spirit

Planet & Travel 20

Green Beat Read about greener jet fuel and other environmental news.

126 The Green-tech Minerals Dilemma We look at the damage greentechnology minerals may do and how we might overcome the challenge to create a renewable future.

164 Far, far away on Lizard Island Dreaming of a castaway experience?

Travel to the secluded Lizard Island, at the northernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef.

Every Issue 115 WellBeing Marketplace Our natural health educators and advertisers celebrate the season of giving.

142 Road Test We test out a 4-week mindfulness course at Nature Care College.

Home

Parenting

140

144 Holistic Journey Discover Wanderlust, the brand on a mission to transform the wellness space.

146 Natural Beauty Ema Taylor has some top tips for taking care of your teeth, naturally.

147 Quick Kitchen Lee Holmes shares her super fancy lunch recipe.

148 Digging In Jackie French celebrates the joy of sharing cuttings from your garden 149 Pet Care Karen Goldrick investigates good allergies in cats and dogs.

150 Ageing Well Michael Elstein discovers how fasting can slow the ageing process.

151 Clinical Casebook Karen Bridgman treats a patient struggling to conceive.

152 Stargazing Christine Broadbent reveals the planetary influences for November and December, 2021.

154 Unearthed by WellBeing Nourishing and natural health products and services from our advertisers.

158 Education Focus Meet naturopath Chelsey Costa as she shares her journey into the world of natural health through Endeavour College.

Relationships

Planet

Travel

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community YOUR SAY

I S C R E AT I N G Y O U R B E S T L I F E

take ca ou of y re

Discover your seasonal body type What’s your body IQ? Build your body intelligence

From the editor

How to make a quantum career change

I love hearing from you. Whenever I have a spare moment, I trawl through the WellBeing letters inbox in search of your feedback, perspectives and stories. Often, readers get in touch to tell us that this magazine helped them through a really difficult time.

Recently, I received an email from someone, let’s call her Holly, who took issue with our use of the word womxn in issue #193. This wasn’t an unpleasant email to receive, we welcome feedback of every stripe. But it got me thinking about the words we use to describe ourselves and each other, and the power of language in general.

I responded to Holly to tell her it was absolutely OK that she did not identify with the word womxn, but that it’s important we acknowledge words others use to describe themselves. After all, it is not political nor divisive to make room for language that includes everyone. It’s just kind.

I am breastfeeding my daughter at the moment. Being a first-time mum, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I love it. It’s a sacred time between the two of us and something only I can provide for her as her mother. However, I do not take issue with the term chestfeeding, because it accurately describes and includes other parents who are feeding their babies, including transgender men and non-binary people for whom the term breastfeeding isn’t a good fit. Given that breasts are hyper-sexualised in our society, some women may also feel more comfortable with the more neutral “chestfeeding”.

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at-desk exercises to relieve neck tension

Dress to boost your happiness

Issue 195 AUS $12.00* NZ $12.00 (Both incl GST)

Vintage homewares: Shop like a pro Fibrous and fabulous food

Yoga for dating | Travel far, far away to Lizard Island

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16/09/2021 9:05:02 AM

Did something resonate with you in this issue of WellBeing? Tell us!

Write to WellBeing, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde, NSW 1670, email wbletters@umco.com.au, comment on our Facebook or Instagram page: @WellBeing_Magazine.

We reserve the right to edit all letters.

It costs nothing for me to simply accept a word that makes others feel seen and acknowledged. It does not mean I am not breastfeeding, it does not erode the sanctity of my breastfeeding journey, or take anything from my bond with my daughter.

What it does is allow others to feel as supported in their journey of nourishing their child as I do. It is not for me to dictate the language around their experience.

I have my language, others have theirs.

We do not have to identify with every word, only those that resonate with our personal journeys and identities. But everybody deserves words and terms that ring true for them. We rely on words to construct our identities; they inform how we exist in the world. If we deny people their preferred labels, we deny them any chance of a fully fledged identity.

The beauty of words, certainly one of the reasons I became a writer, is that there is an abundance to choose from, and endless ways to sew them together to form different meanings and speak to different souls.

Words, like any art form, are not meant to resonate with every single person, but hit deeply with just a few.

The English language is only growing to include more words that describe our everchanging world. Our wonderful features writer Georgia delves into the fascinating evolution of language on page 42. I hope you enjoy her piece and everything else we have lovingly written for you this issue.

Stay in touch, Charlie ACTING EDITOR

mind HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

Hailing from the hypersensitive crowd A small but growing body of neuro-scientific research confirms the existence of “empaths” and “highly sensitive people”.

Here’s what to do if you’re one of them.

Words LINDA MOON

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mental health can be affected by subtle energies in their environment. Her books, including Second Sight and Thriving as an Empath and a growing number of blogs and films have given those who feel more deeply attuned to their environment a voice and sense of validation and empowerment.

Empaths, HSPs and intuitives The “empath and sensitives movement” (as it’s become known) has its own lingo to explain and differentiate what more sensitive people experience. There are highly sensitive people (HSP) or energy absorbers for instance, empaths, intuitives and psychics. “HSPs and empaths are not the same thing,” Orloff clarifies.

While they tend to get lumped together, they’re separate (though often related) traits. Sensitive people have an increased reaction to external stimuli including other emotions, whereas empaths have a greater than usual capacity to share another’s feelings — but from their own framework.

Research suggests most of us — even psychopaths — have the capacity for empathy. Orloff describes it as a spectrum with each of us sitting at different levels.

“There’s the middle of the spectrum which is the regular person who has empathy where their heart goes out for other people in pain or in joy. A little bit up on the spectrum are the highly sensitive people and then you have even higher on the spectrum, the empath,” she says. HSPs are highly sensitive to all the sensory elements

of the environment, including light, sound and other sources of stimulation, Orloff says. She says empaths possess all of that plus a high level of intuition: “They tend to be sponges who take the energy of others into their own body.” Orloff says it’s possible and common to be both an empath and a HSP. But not all HSPs are empaths.

Some people (studies suggest around 1 to 2 per cent of the population) have an extreme type of empathy known as “mirror-touch synaesthesia”. Such individuals literally feel physical touch within their own bodies when they view someone being touched.

Some highly sensitive people have developed a sixth sense and are able to tap into information they feel intuitively, such as what another person is thinking. Orloff calls such people intuitives. In Second Sight, Orloff gives an example from her own experience as a psychologist where in a peaceful lapse of concentration she was hit by a premonition (which proved correct) that her cheerful client was about to take her own life.

How common are empaths and HSPs? While there’s no true figure on empaths and HSPs, more of us are identifying with these personality types, with self-branded “empaths” trending all over social media.

For example, the Facebook group Empaths + Sensitives — from surviving to thriving (one of many such groups) has 81,415 members since establishing in 2017 and is growing.

Unsurprisingly, females (long recognised

Illustrations.Getty

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o you feel deeply affected by the suffering of others or pick up easily on vibes around you?

Maybe you avoid negative social media and news because of the way it affects you? What makes one person more sensitive than others? And what problems or potential advantages might we face if we’re one of the more sensitive crowd?

Dr Judith Orloff, a US-based psychiatrist and author, has spent decades investigating such questions. It was a search that grew out of her own experience. As a child Orloff felt there was something wrong with her. “I was criticised for being overly sensitive and told to get a thicker skin,” she says. Crowded places, like shopping malls, with their noise and overstimulation, exhausted her. They also caused anxiety, depression, aches and pains. Unsurprisingly, Orloff preferred spending time with one best friend over groups. A turning point came when the young Orloff met Dr Thelma Moss while working at an intuition lab at UCLA. Moss was the first adult to frame Orloff’s sensitivity as a positive ability. “She told me I was an intuitive empath,” Orloff recalls.

“It felt liberating to know there wasn’t something ‘wrong’ with me and I had nothing to be ashamed about. A whole new exciting world opens up when empaths discover who and what they are and can begin to embrace themselves.”

Orloff went on to coin the term “energy psychiatry” to explain how some people’s

wellbeing.com.au | 33

The empath crowd

Faraway fans

The article about highly sensitive people in the last issue was life-changing for me. Thank you.

Sharelle

My mum has been mailing WellBeing to me in San Francisco for more than 10 years. It’s my lifesaver!

Rebecca

community YOUR SAY

It's in the doing

The winner of the WIN! STAR LETTER! The winner of our Star Letter will win an insulated, double-walled glass flask from Fressko.

One lucky winner will be sipping ice-cold smoothies, detox waters and fruit infusions all summer in this BPA-free glass Fressko flask. Available in three sizes, it features a real bamboo, leak-proof lid. The 2in1 infuser also allows you to brew hot tea to perfection.

Simple, stylish and sustainable. To find out more, visit au.madebyfressko.com.

STAR LETTER! mind SELF-TALK

There is no greater gift that you can give yourself than time and care. And the most important part of your self-care routine should be nurturing your mental health. Taking the time to practise selfcare with products and practices that go beyond skin-deep allows you to connect with yourself, manage stress, anxiety and depression, and gives you the energy and focus to take care of your responsibilities and those around you.

Neurolinguistic programming and sympathetic self-talk help to create a compassionate dialogue with yourself and others. Discover how swapping out “should” for “want” changes your life for the better.

Words MARIE ROWLAND

Illustrations creativemarket.com

H

chasm that exists in the middle is where ow many times today have you unhappiness resides. The rise of anxiety started a thought or sentence and depression in Western society can be with the words, “I should”? attributed to many causal factors. There It’s always right there on the are too many to enumerate, but we know tip of your tongue: “I should go for a run; that they stem from both within our own I shouldn’t eat that croissant; I should being as well as external or environmental be practical and not follow my dreams; factors. Every day we see images posted on I should be happy, so why aren’t I?” Every social media that make us day, we rain the dictate of feel badly about ourselves. “should” on ourselves until The should-self and Instagram could readily be we become drenched in relabelled “Insta-glum”. dissatisfaction with the life the want-self are We are constantly being we’re leading. Implicit in always waging a war told that we should be this seemingly innocuous striving for a better life. verb are judgement and with each other.

It is little surprise that at recrimination laced with the heart of much mental a sense of obligation. Most anguish today is this notion that we’re just times when we “should” ourselves it has not enough. The constant self-flagellation very little to do with what we want or what and berating mean we can easily slip into feels good, but rather more to do with what a shame spiral. Self-harm is one of the is supposedly right for us. This internal biggest problems in young people today. And conflict results in making life a chore so much of it comes from this sense that instead of a genuine choice. It’s time to they could, would, should be so much more. stop this eternal tug of war and swap out Negative self-talk tends to trump “should” for “want”. positive self-talk, which inevitably results in chronic dissatisfaction. Every single one Why should you? of us has said a version of the following: We are in a constant battle with the life “I could be more successful if only I was we think we should be leading as opposed smarter”; or “If I was better looking to the one we are actually living. The

@theselfcollectiveco

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Life lessons Thank you so much WellBeing for helping recalibrate my internal dialogue.

I awoke today feeling that I “should” be out exercising, “should” be starting work immediately. Struggling with uncertainty in my life and not knowing where I’ll be living in four weeks’ time, I was engaging in negative self-talk. So I actively chose to linger over breakfast and opened issue #193. You had me at “Ephemerality”, reminding me to “look up and take it in” and that “this too shall pass”. Turning the page, I learned a life lesson from Terry about my internal rules — formed by my life experiences. He challenged me to acknowledge any bad experiences and make rules about how I want to be in the future, and not remained shackled to a “bad” internal rule. You’ve put a pep in my step and filled me with hope in the first two pages, thank you! I got this.

Christine

Happy reading I S C R E AT I N G Y O U R B E S T L I F E

Illustration Getty Images

Fast or foe?

Intermittent fasting

Issue 193 AUS $12.00* NZ $12.00 (Both incl GST)

Self-care is the dance of deepening the relationship with myself, my inner authority and inner wisdom so I can recognise what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” or “not now” to with grace and ease in the moment. It’s mindfully cultivating a practice of creating natural rhythms in alignment with my values and purpose, that nourishes my body, mind and spirit. @christinajcasey

Don’t should yourself in the foot

Accepting your shadow self

Self-care is one of the biggest buzzwords, but it goes beyond skin-deep. It’s less about face-masking and more about nurturing your mind, body and soul.

So we’re wondering: what does self-care mean to you?

Reclaim your worth The self-love lesson

Let go of “should”

Your travel guide to Australia’s flower fields

The nurture edition

Yoga for uncertainty | The new science of meditation

Workout your way

I picked up my copy of #193 today.

Happy nights of reading ahead for me.

Thank you for a beautiful magazine.

Dianne

Long-time readers I remember buying issue #01 in 1984. I shipped a box of WellBeing magazines to the UK when I left Australia, which later got ruined in a flood. Now I read the magazine online from Ireland — it’s still great!

Maggie

I’ve realised that self-care is moving my body in some way every single day, usually with a run or yoga — but even if it’s just a gentle walk around the block, it helps to clear my mind, gives me an energy boost and resets me. I’ve also stopped feeling guilty about having me time: no phone, no social media — just time to myself to relax, have a bath and journal, which helps me process everything I’m going through regularly. @thisgirlthatlife

I like to take an all-encompassing view: for mind — meditation and self-compassion towards my thoughts; for body — allowing my body to rest and know that it’s OK to rest; for soul — constantly checking in with myself and following my soul purpose and path, not anyone else’s. @theloveassembly

I used to think it was hot baths, chocolate and treats (which it can be), but now I know it’s also about respecting and acknowledging your energy levels, boundaries and routines. Self-care can look (unsexy) like doing taxes, going to the dentist and making your bed so when you’re tired later it makes life a tiny bit easier. @sophiemerkens

Creating space and stillness has been a gamechanger for me, and allows me to stay in tune with what really serves me — sometimes that’s busyness, but equally sometimes that’s doing a light workout, reading a book or calling a good friend. @ronileonardo

wellbeing.com.au | 15

the pulse COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON

Recent medical findings for a healthier body

Fruits for thought

Too much of anything can be poisonous, and this is true of the beloved brew, coffee.

Many people turn to coffee to get their brain ticking over for the day, but according to this new study too much coffee is bad for cognitive function in the long term.

The study involved more than 17,700 subjects aged 37 to 73. The findings showed that high coffee consumption is associated with smaller brain volumes and an increased risk of dementia. Dementia is a degenerative brain condition that affects memory, thinking and behaviour. It is also the second leading cause of death in Australia, with an estimated 250 people diagnosed each day. The dangerous level of coffee consumption was established as being more than six cups per day, with consumption at this level increasing dementia risk by 53 per cent.

Source: Nutritional Neuroscience

Exercise boosts kids’ vocabulary The Olympics earlier this year inspired us all and probably got many of you into the pool. It turns out that while not all kids will become an Ariarne Titmus or Emma McKeon those laps might help them become the next JK Rowling. In a new study children aged six to 12 were taught a list of new words before doing one of three things: swimming, taking part in CrossFit exercises or colouring in. The children who swam did 13 per cent better in remembering the words compared to the other two groups. The researchers theorise that motor movement helps in encoding new words because it is known to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which helps promote brain plasticity at the synapse level. Swimming is exercise that can be done without much thought whereas the CrossFit exercises were new and required mental energy to learn.

Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Tai chi for your waist

Medifact

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Tai chi might seem like gentle exercise, but research has shown it is comparable in effects to more apparently extravagant exercises. Over 12 weeks subjects in a study undertook tai chi, aerobic exercise or strength training daily. All groups experienced similar reductions in waist circumference, weight and body mass index.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine

Omega-3 boosts life expectancy For a new study, researchers analysed data on blood fatty acid levels in 2240 people over the age of 65. The subjects were followed for an average of 11 years, with tests done regularly. The first finding of note was that levels of fatty acids in the blood are as good a predictor of mortality from any cause as smoking. Specifically, it emerged that levels of omega-3 fats in red blood cells were especially good at predicting longevity. Having higher levels of omega-3 fats in red blood cells was found to increase life expectancy by at least five years. Conversely being a regular smoker takes 4.7 years off your life. To lift levels of omega-3 fats in your diet and body, consume oily fish and plant-based sources such as chia seeds, algal oils, Brussels sprouts, hemp seeds, walnuts and flaxseeds.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Illustrations Getty Images

Too much coffee

This study included 49,400 women and 27,800 men who were followed for more than 20 years. The subjects completed questionnaires about their intake of various foods as well as undertaking assessments of their cognitive abilities.

Food intake allowed the researchers to calculate how many flavonoids subjects were consuming. Analysis found that people in the highest 20 per cent of flavonoid consumers had about 600mg in their diet each day compared to about 150mg daily in the lowest consumers.

Those in the highest group had a 20 per cent reduction in risk of developing dementia. Strawberries have 180mg of flavonoids per 100 grams and apples have around 110mg. Flavones are a particular type of flavonoid and were associated with a 38 per cent reduction in cognitive decline. Capsicums have about 5mg of flavones per 100mg. Anthocyanins, found in blueberries, blackberries and cherries, also reduced risk of cognitive decline by about 24 per cent.

Source: Neurology

lifelines COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON

Interesting slices of life

Music fights fatigue

For this study, researchers surveyed more than 1000 full-time workers aged 21 to 34 across 18 different career sectors. Subjects were asked to rate their workplace across qualities including respectful engagement, autonomous respect, occupational resilience, job satisfaction, employee loyalty and retention and job engagement.

The results showed that while managers spend 70 to 90 per cent of their time communicating, they need to place more emphasis on the nature and manner of their communication. This is because the millennials surveyed placed less value on trendy perks than they did on being respected and having a sense of purpose, engagement and wellbeing. Work does not need to be joyful every day, but having a sense of fulfilment and respect as a human being is highly valued these days. The researchers conclude that employers risk losing younger workers if they don’t make an effort towards respectful communication in the workplace.

Source: International Journal of Business Communication

Uncertainty changes behaviour In the uncertainty induced by the pandemic, many bizarre behaviours arose, none less than the hoarding of toilet paper. To test how unexpected uncertainty impacts behaviour, researchers started subjects on a task but then changed the reward pattern midway through. They found that subjects looked for new ways to complete the task even though the best thing they could do was use their old strategy. It appears that unexpected uncertainty is such a powerful motivator for change that it motivates to adjust behaviour even when the behaviour is not productive. When uncertainty occurs people start looking for ways to reduce that uncertainty and they will change their decision-making and behaviour in ways that attempt to regain some sense of control. So unexpected uncertainty can cause changes in behaviour even when you would be better off sticking to your old strategy, like stockpiling toilet paper during a pandemic.

Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology

Controlling your feel-good

Did you know?

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Dopamine is known in popular parlance as the “feel-good” chemical. It is involved in sensations of reward and pleasure.

However, it seems we might not be victims of dopamine, waiting for the next surge. Research tells us that mice will cause production of dopamine in anticipation of reward or to enhance pleasure-seeking activity. If mice control their dopamine, it’s likely we do too.

Source: Current Biology

Spiritual fitness protects your ageing brain The relationship between spiritual fitness and physical and mental health is the focus of an emerging field of study. In a new paper, researchers note that religious and spiritual involvement help to preserve your cognitive function as you age. Today spirituality is often experienced outside of organised religion but can be part of any religion. Spiritual fitness is a new concept that weaves together basic psychological and spiritual wellbeing. The basis of spiritual fitness is the practice of meditation, Kirtan Kriya and other mystical endeavours. These researchers found that spiritual fitness reduces inflammation, cardiovascular disease and disability.

Additionally, scoring high on “purpose in life” makes people 2.4 times less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s. They also found that people with purpose showed better cognitive function. The researchers conclude that small shifts in your daily routine to boost spiritual fitness can have a positive effect on the ageing brain.

Source: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Illustrations Getty Images

Respect in the workplace

In a new study, subjects who were fitness enthusiasts completed a 30-minute cognitive test that fatigued them mentally.

They then undertook high-intensity exercise with and without self-selected motivational music. Researchers assisted subjects in selecting music with a questionnaire that evaluated rhythm, style, melody, tempo and beat of the song. Examples of songs selected were Addicted to You (Avicii), No One Knows (Queens of the Stone Age), Run this Town (Jay-Z) and Eye of the Tiger (Survivor). During the exercise session heart rate and perceived level of exertion were measured regularly. The results showed that interval running capacity was improved when listening to music, as were time trial performances. The improved performances were attributed to subjects having an altered perception of effort when listening to music. The researchers concluded that listening to music while exercising can improve performance if you are mentally fatigued.

Source: Journal of Human Sport and Exercise

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All the latest in environmental issues Cleaner jet fuel

Bee populations are currently threatened by a range of stressors including habitat loss, climate change, pesticides and invasive species. In a new study researchers sought to establish whether converting urban lots into green spaces to improve neighbourhoods might also benefit bees. The research encompassed community farms, gardens and green areas studied over three years. The results showed that urban green spaces surrounded by six or more connected hectares of green space and flowering fields created conditions most conducive to the conservation of native bees and wasps. These insects are important for pollination and pest control, two ecosystem services that benefit both rural farmland and the booming urban agricultural industry. Enhancing living conditions for bees in the city could help offset threats to their survival. This could be a viable land use for “legacy cities” where former industrial hubs have changed dramatically due to lost manufacturing industry and depopulation.

Source: Conservation Biology

Cockatoos learn socially Human children are proficient at learning socially; they copy skills from each other and adults. Animals tend to do less social learning, with most of their behaviour determined by genetics. However, in a new study researchers have found that sulphur-crested cockatoos do learn socially. Australian garbage bins have a uniform design across the country and cockatoos have been seen opening those bins to access the contents within. Researchers launched an online survey across Sydney to establish where this behaviour had been observed. The survey ran for two years and showed that bin-opening behaviour had spread rapidly. Results showed that the behaviour spread more rapidly to suburbs nearby than to those farther away. Additionally, birds in one suburb did all open the bins in the same way but the method differed from suburb to suburb. This suggests that the behaviour is learned by observing others and confirms that cockatoos are social learners.

Source: Science

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Microplastic is megaproblem Microplastics are small plastic particles less than 5mm in size.

Primary microplastics are added to things like personal care products, but larger plastic items like plastic bags can be broken down into microplastics. Until now, studies to test the impact of microplastics on marine life have mainly used clean, virgin plastics. However, in the marine environment microbes actually colonise the plastic that is present. In this new study researchers examined how much clean plastic would be ingested by oysters compared to plastic with an E. coli biofilm coating. The results showed that oysters contained 10 times more microplastics when exposed to plastics with the biofilm coating. This would be because it appears more like food to the oysters. According to the researchers this means that our food chain could contain more microplastic than previously estimated. That is bad news for the organisms ingesting the plastic and also for humans who ingest the organisms.

Source: Science of the Total Environment

Photography Getty Images

City bees

Air travel accounts for about 2 per cent of human carbon emissions.

Biofuels are being researched as the way to power air travel into the future. Now a new study suggests that a plant known as pennycress or stinkweed (botanical name Thlaspi arvense) could make a greener jet fuel with fewer production-related environmental impacts than other biofuels. The study involved researchers estimating the environmental impact of growing pennycress, transporting it to a biorefinery and converting it to usable jet fuel. The environmental costs include fertiliser use, pesticide use, water consumption and energy costs required to harvest and transport the plant. The modelling showed that pennycress required half as much energy to produce jet fuel as do other sources such as canola and sunflower.

The added advantage is that pennycress is a winter crop that can be grown between seasons of other crops so it does not divert use of agricultural land.

Source: Applied Energy

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supplement TRIBULUS

Tribulus Tribulus has been shown to increase libido in women, particularly in postmenopausal women, indicating an increase in testosterone levels, and to reduce the severity of the symptoms of menopause.

Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN

Active ingredients The whole plant, leaves and seeds of tribulus are used, and contain over 70 known active compounds. The major constituents of this plant are steroidal saponins such as the terrestrosins, desgalactotigonis, furostanol and spirostanol saponoside, which are the predominant actives for improving libido and sexual performance. They also contain alkaloids and common phytosterols such as b-sitosterol, stigmasterol, a cinnamic amide derivative terrestiamide and flavonoids such as quercetin.

The fruit of tribulus contains glycosides, especially saponin glycosides. The saponins on hydrolysis yields diosgenin, ruscogenin etc. Tribulus also contains vitamin C, potassium and calcium.

Therapeutic uses Substantial clinical trials are still needed, but there has been research on animals for many years. The effectiveness in human trials was determined more by the quality of the plant material and the concentration of specific active ingredients, which are significantly influenced by geographical regions.

Male reproductive system Tribulus has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction and enhance sexual performance in men, as well as improving sperm count and quality, possibly due to its androgen-enhancing properties, increasing

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testosterone. While studies have shown that testosterone is improved in androgen-deficient men (at 750mg a day for three months), evidence also shows that other biological mechanisms of this plant are likely to produce this effect.

Aphrodisiac Tribulus was used traditionally as an aphrodisiac and tonic, especially for male sexual health and performance. While it has been shown that tribulus can increase testosterone levels in men with an androgen deficiency, in a meta-analysis a significant testosterone increase was more likely in animal studies. As a single treatment, increased testosterone levels in humans was limited. However, tribulus increases nitric oxide levels, which could also explain the observed aphrodisiac properties of this plant, independently of testosterone levels.

A clinical trial in 90 male subjects over 12 weeks showed a significant improvement in erection, libido and orgasmic function in the treated group compared to placebo.

Tribulus has also been shown to increase libido in women, particularly in postmenopausal women, indicating an increase in testosterone levels, and to reduce the severity of the symptoms of menopause.

Athletic performance and bodybuilding Small clinical trials have shown improvement in muscle power and aerobic activity in young males supplemented with 1875mg of tribulus for 20 days. Rat studies are showing more promise where tribulus supplementation has increased muscle weight and the performance of rats undergoing high-intensity exercise by triggering an increase in androgens and insulin growth factor.

Anti-inflammatory Extracts of tribulus fruit have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating nuclear factor kB (NFkB), a major inflammatory pathway that has a role in various cancers, and by inhibiting the COX-2 pathways of inflammation.

Antidiabetic Extracts of tribulus have been shown to delay postprandial hyperglycaemia by inhibiting the enzyme alpha-glucosiderase, promoting insulin secretion, and influencing beta-cell regeneration in diabetic rats, overall having an antidiabetic effect.

Tribulus also improves insulin signalling through insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

Clinical trials showed that tribulus lowered both glucose levels and LDL and total cholesterol in diabetic women. Trials both on men and women are showing that there is a correlation between testosterone and type-2 diabetes, a lower testosterone level in men being a predictor of higher risk for type-2 diabetes. Androgens have also been shown to increase carbohydrate tolerance.

Antiurolithiatic and diuretic In rat studies tribulus showed a significant diuretic effect, possibly due to a high concentration of potassium salts. Tribulus also reduced high oxalate levels in rats by inhibiting the enzyme glycolate oxidase involved in oxalate formation, thus inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal formation and growth and normalising kidney lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). An extract of the fruits in particular conferred protection against the formation of kidney stones and repaired cell damage from the stones.

Cardiovascular The saponins in tribulus have been shown to dilate coronary arteries and improve circulation of the heart, reducing myocardial ischaemia and acting as a cardiotonic.

Tribulus protects against atherosclerosis, and the fruits have been shown to lower blood pressure in hypertensive rats, working through the ACE receptors.

Antimicrobial Tribulus fruit has demonstrated antibacterial, antiparasitic and larvicidal activity against a range of pathogenic organisms, including malaria and dengue fever, as well as activity against bacteria causing dental caries.

Cautions Avoid tribulus if allergic. Animal studies have shown possible photosensitivity, so avoid excessive sun exposure while taking this herb. Safety has not been established in pregnancy and lactation.

Dr Karen Bridgman is a holistic practitioner at Lotus Health and Lotus Dental in Neutral Bay.

Illustration Getty Images

T

ribulus terrestris is an annual plant in the Zygophyllaceae or caltrop family, with spiny fruit, yellow flowers and sharp thorn-like seeds. While originating in southern Eurasia and Africa, it has spread worldwide and is a hardy invasive species, being known as a noxious weed, partly because of its ability to survive but also because the thorny seeds can easily penetrate many surfaces including human skin and the mouths of grazing animals, generating painful wounds.

Tribulus terrestris has many common names, including puncture vine, bindii, goat’s head, devil’s thorn and tackweed.

Tribulus has been used traditionally in multiple ways, particularly in Ayurvedic medicine. For centuries it was mainly used to treat sexual dysfunction and venereal disease and for conditions affecting the liver, kidney, cardiovascular and immune systems.

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healing food FENNEL

Fennel Fennel as a food, a spice or a medicine has a wide range of actions protecting digestion, alleviating menopausal symptoms and improving respiratory function.

Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN

Active ingredients Fennel contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components such as rosmarinic acid, quercetin, rutinoside and kaempferol. The volatile oil contains anethole, estragole and fenchone. Bitter fennel has greater medicinal properties than sweet fennel. The seeds of bitter fennel contain at least 4 per cent volatile oil.

All parts of the fennel plant are used as both food and medicine and contain a range of minerals, being high in calcium and potassium as well as sugars and vitamins, with the seeds being the highest concentrated source. It is also a reasonable source of fatty acids, the highest content being in the leaves. The plant is high in carbohydrates and low in protein.

Therapeutic activity Digestive Fennel seeds are aromatic, stimulant, and carminative (reducing wind), so one of their main uses medicinally is to reduce flatulence and griping in adults and infants.

It is commonly prescribed along with purgatives to reduce the side effects of pain and griping. As such it was a major component of the traditional “gripe water”, along with syrup and sodium bicarbonate. It is particularly useful in infants and children.

Fennel increases gastrointestinal motility and acts as an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory, reducing pain,

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inflammatory bowel diseases and many digestive symptoms. It also has antiulcerogenic activity and reduces gastric mucosal damage from various sources including alcohol.

Respiratory Fennel syrup used to be given to reduce chronic coughing as it has a secretory activity in the mucous membrane, along with increasing the mucociliary activity of the ciliary epithelium. It is particularly useful in treating bronchial conditions, even in particularly polluted environments.

Hormonal balancing Fennel has traditionally been used as an oestrogenic agent, where it has been reported to increase milk secretion, promote menstruation, facilitate birth, alleviate symptoms of andropause (male menopause) and increase libido.

Fennel has also been used to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of menopause in women. Clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of a vaginal cream made from fennel in having a significant effect on improving menopausal vaginal dryness, thereby improving sexual activity in postmenopausal women. Applying the cream (five grams every night for eight weeks) showed improvement in all areas of sexual function including arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction and pain relief, without any adverse side effects.

Galactagogue The phytoestrogens in fennel improve the milk supply of a breast-feeding mother by promoting the growth of breast tissue.

Antihirsutism Fennel has been shown to reduce excessive male pattern hair growth

in women as it regulates disorders of peripheral androgen metabolism (including testosterone), particularly when used as a 2 per cent cream.

Anti-inflammatory The compound anethole has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antitumour properties, possibly acting through nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB)and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and inducing apoptosis in various cancers.

The extract of fennel seeds has also shown inhibitory effects against both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, including type IV allergic reactions.

Antithrombotic activity The essential oil of fennel has been shown to have a safe antithrombotic activity due to broad spectrum antiplatelet activity, a clot destabilising effect and vasorelaxant action. These studies using rats also showed that fennel oil provided protection against alcohol-induced gastric lesions.

Eyesight Rat studies have shown that fennel can reduce the incidence of glaucoma as it reduces eye pressure.

Hepatoprotective The essential oil of fennel has been shown to reduce hepatotoxicity, lowering the liver enzymes AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin.

Antibacterial and antifungal The essential oil from fennel seeds (as well as the fennel seed extracts) have exhibited antibacterial effects against a range of food-borne pathogens including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, H. pylori, Camphylobacter jejuni etc, including multidrug-resistant forms.

Fennel oil and fennel seed extracts have also been shown to have antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and A. flavus and Fusarium moniliforme at a 6μL dose.

Using fennel Fennel seed, including fennel oil, is not recommended in pregnancy due to its oestrogenic properties (although this is unclear and has not been determined by clinical trials), but otherwise, as a food and medicine it has been used for millennia without any documented adverse effects.

References available on request.

Dr Karen Bridgman is a holistic practitioner at Lotus Health and Lotus Dental in Neutral Bay.

Photography Getty Images

F

ennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a tall perennial herb of the Apiaceae or carrot family, native to the Mediterranean region but today widely cultivated worldwide. The name foeniculum comes from the Romans meaning “fragrant hay”. The whole plant is used medicinally as a culinary food, herb and spice. The stronger-tasting seeds taste like aniseed or liquorice. The seeds (actually the fruits of the plant) are used as a spice and are one component of the Chinese five-spice powder and are also used to flavour baked foods, meat and fish dishes, ice cream, alcoholic spirits and herb teas. The fresh green seeds are the best for cooking (they go grey as they age). The root bulb, stalks and leaves are eaten as a vegetable both raw and cooked, in side dishes, salads, pastas and vegetable dishes. In India, fennel is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri, Pandit and Gujarat cooking.

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Meraki

v 1 To do something with soul, creativity or love; putting a piece of yourself into what you do.

Photography Getty Images

Meraki (pronounced “may-rah-kee”) is a Greek word used to describe a labour of love. No matter how big or small the task, it is done with all your heart and soul. There’s a reason why food made with love tastes better; why hand-written notes and little acts of kindness put smiles on faces: meraki. Let this mindset be a new way to practise mindfulness each day. Savour every moment. Breathe it all in. Look for the smallest of things to inject a little extra love into. Let your actions speak louder than your words to truly show your nearest and dearest how much you love and appreciate them. Even in the simplest of tasks, like pouring a cup of tea, baking cookies, spending time with your loved ones or taking a few quiet minutes for yourself to unwind, keep meraki at the forefront of your mind.

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wellbeing.com.au | 27

body SEASONAL HEALTH

Nature’s cycle of seasons offers a model for living your best life, one that is filled with energy, vitality and resilience. By using nature as your guide, you can learn how to attune your body to the seasons for optimal health.

Words BRIELLE KELLY

T

he natural world is always changing. It’s either growing or diminishing, expanding or declining, ebbing or flowing, but it never remains still. Over the course of days, months and years, Mother Nature displays a dependable set of rhythms and patterns. Life depends on this rise and set, tides roll in and out, storms create a continuous process of transformation; birth is followed by growth, then maturity, decline, death and eventually a return to the Earth.

One of the keys to good health is the ability to adapt to change and “go with the flow”. Plants and animals instinctively know to do this. Growing and flourishing in the warmer months, then storing up and settling into the cold of winter, they find a way to endure and live through upheaval.

When you can experience vitality and energetic connection no matter what is happening around you — when you can thrive amid change — you can experience true wellbeing. The best way to do this is to live seasonally, to go as nature goes and follow the cues and solutions it prescribes. The foods you eat, exercise and activities you do, and even your daily thoughts and intentions all play a role in harmonising your health with the seasons.

Spring The theme of spring is birth and renewal.

As the first hints of warmth arrive, delicate flower buds emerge. Spring calls for letting go of the old and welcoming new ideas and possibilities.

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The primary health focus for the season is to keep moving and allow qi to flow. Qi (pronounced “chee”) is the energetic force present in all living things — it represents your lifeblood and essential vitality. When your qi is strong and circulating smoothly through your body, your physiological systems have the fuel needed to function in prime condition and fire on all cylinders.

To encourage the flow of qi, eat seasonally available foods like leafy green vegetables, herbs and members of the garlic and onion family. These spring foods provide a mildly cleansing and detoxifying effect; a “spring cleaning” of sorts for the body. Physical activities like stretching, massage and bodywork help to remove any points where qi is blocked in your body and keep your muscles loose and limber.

Staying flexible and open-minded in your emotional and psychological life is also important for encouraging the flow of new energies in spring.

Summer Summer is characterised by heat, motion and activity. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls this energy yang, and this time of year represents the peak of yang in the cycle of seasons.

Fuelled by abundant sunshine, plants and trees grow rapidly. It is a time for working hard and playing hard. To balance the frenetic pace and fiery yang of summer, use yin foods and activities to cool and refresh your body. Keep activities light and your body agile, and avoid overexerting yourself.

Indian summer In the middle of the seasonal cycle is Indian summer. At this time of year temperate weather and long days of sunlight give way to still and peaceful nights. TCM considers this fifth season to be the balance point and transition between the warm, bright yang of summer to the cool, dark yin of autumn and winter. Indian summer is like the middleaged prime of your life — you’ve developed a mature and stable foundation and you’re satisfied with what you’ve accomplished, but there is more to fulfil.

The focus of Indian summer is to build energetic qi and a grounded connection to the Earth. Eating whole grains, complex carbohydrates and naturally sweet foods like corn and sweet potatoes provides a lasting source of energy that is ideal for the season. Fresh air and sunshine are also natural sources of qi, and spending time outdoors is a great way to connect to that energy and the healing power of nature. In terms of exercise, emphasising postural alignment and core strength not only builds the physical foundation of your body, but also helps to cultivate self-awareness and confidence.

Autumn As autumn begins and the air turns crisp and cool, the leaves display a last burst of vivid colour before dropping to the ground and nature starts its move toward yin. It is the harvest season, a time for taking stock of the year’s gains and gathering and storing for the upcoming winter.

For autumn, the health focus is to keep the body warm and dry, and strengthen and bolster immunity. The best foods for this time of year include seasonal squashes, pumpkins and mushrooms, along with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Slow-cooked dishes and baked casseroles are especially warming and comforting. As the days get shorter and the skies greyer, the mood of autumn can tend toward feelings of heaviness. To counteract this, keep moving and stay active with aerobic exercise and group activities. One way to express gratitude and align with the spirit of the season is to volunteer your time and resources and engage with your community.

Illustration Getty Images

Live seasonally for better health

The ideal antidotes for hot, yang days are seasonal summer fruits and vegetables like juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelon.

You can also eat more frequent light meals and raw foods during this season. Doing yin-nourishing and mindfulness-based activities like yoga, meditation and progressive relaxation will help to calm your mind and maintain your emotional balance.

The ABCs of living seasonally

Winter Winter is a period of peace, reflection and rest. The pace of life slows down, signalling a quiet decline and nature’s withdrawal into yin. After making their final preparations, animals retreat into the warmth of their dens to wait out the harsh winter cold.

This season, the focus is to keep your body warm and protected from the elements and stave off any seasonal doldrums. Since it is the period of peak yin, it’s important to create balance by developing and nourishing yang. Eat warming meals like simmered soups and hearty stews that include rich meats and seasonal root vegetables.

Although winter moves at a slower and more deliberate pace, you can keep a yang energy alive through your thoughts, plans and imagination. That life fire continues, waiting to resurface and transform into a new energy in the spring, when the cycle of seasons begins once again.

Your seasonal body type Everything has its season. When your health is aligned with nature, your body follows the same patterns and rhythms as the natural cycle of seasons. You are a direct reflection and extension of your surrounding environment, and your body displays the same characteristics as the changing seasons: hot and cold, damp and dry and yin and yang. Your body should embody characteristics of the five different seasons throughout the year, feeling warm and energetic in the summer and cool and calm in the winter. However, when your body gets out of sync with nature, you may feel “stuck” in one season.

A seasonal body type is a health pattern in which you exhibit the characteristics of a single season throughout the year, instead of transitioning with the seasons.

The five seasonal body types: spring, summer, Indian summer, autumn and winter, represent imbalances or dominant patterns of one or more elements. For instance, if you usually feel warm, active and energetic and have a red complexion, high blood pressure, diabetes, physical pain or emotional frustration — you are probably more dominant in the heat and yang associated with spring and summer body types.

On the other hand, if you tend to have cold hands and feet, a pale complexion, a calm demeanour and a slower, more sluggish energy, with health conditions like infertility or low thyroid function — you more resemble the colder, yin characteristics of autumn and winter body types.

Indian summer body types typically have a more neutral character that lies between yin and yang, along with feelings of lethargy

Align with the seasons Follow nature’s cues as the seasons change.

In the warmer seasons, eat the refreshing fruits and vegetables that nature offers and keep your body light and active. In the cooler seasons, eat root vegetables and hearty fare to warm and energise your body.

Balance your body type Go to whatsyourseason.com/quiz to discover your seasonal body type. Correct any imbalance by using the healing principles appropriate for your type. If you resemble the warmer seasonal body types, cool and refresh your body with yin foods and activities. If you gravitate toward the cooler

and a weakened immune system. Each seasonal body type is associated with a set of physical symptoms, characteristics and healing principles that relate to the elements of that season. Although your seasonal body type stems from your genes and inherent constitution, your diet, lifestyle and environmental factors also play a role.

A seasonal body type is a health pattern in which you exhibit the characteristics of a single season throughout the year, instead of transitioning with the seasons.

Seasonal healing In order to heal your seasonal body type, follow nature’s themes and principles by eating the foods and doing the activities that are appropriate for your season. Choose foods and activities that balance your general nature through the use of opposites; use yin to balance yang, cold to balance heat and moisture to balance dryness.

For yang-dominant spring and summer body types, cooling foods and activities that emphasise yin are essential. The juicy fruits, fresh vegetables and leafy greens available in spring and summer are ideal for cooling and refreshing the body, and keeping it light and active. Mindful, meditative forms of exercise and regular massage can also help you to release stress and relax.

For cooler autumn and winter body types, warm and hearty foods provide the energy the body requires to sustain it through the cold. Think of soups and stews, seasonal root vegetables and heartier fare like meat and potatoes. High-intensity activities like aerobic exercise and interval training are also beneficial for revving up the body’s metabolism and yang in these seasons.

types, balance your body with warming, yang foods and activities.

Choose what your body needs Adapt to your current health condition and select your meals and activities based on how you are feeling each day. If you are feeling hot and bothered, or stressed and overworked, cool and relax your body with yin and other summer healing principles. If you are feeling sick or low in energy, choose Indian summer foods and activities which help to build qi. If you are feeling cold and have the blues, warm your body and enliven your spirit with hearty foods and yang activities.

If you are an Indian summer body type, you will benefit from eating whole grains, complex carbohydrates and naturally sweet foods, which are helpful for building energy and bolstering immunity.

Once you have restored balance to your seasonal body type, you can follow nature’s guide and align with the seasons: eat from the bounty of each season and embrace the theme and activities appropriate for that time of year. You may also find it helpful to fine-tune your diet and activities on a daily basis, depending on your health condition and any temporary imbalances that you may be experiencing.

Use your intuition to support your individual needs and adjust accordingly; be conscious of how you are feeling and what your body is craving. No matter what your body type or general predisposition is, you can apply the seasonal healing principles toward your food and lifestyle choices and improve your health each day.

The most sustainable approach to optimal health is one that is tailored to you and informed by nature. Nature’s wisdom is embodied in its cycles and rhythms, its restorative power and resilience. Keep moving, growing, changing and adapting, and go with the flow, like the natural world does.

When you are able to flow and yield like water, and to let nature run its full and variable course, that is when you achieve a life of ease, wellbeing and balance.

Regardless of the circumstances and challenges you may encounter, nature’s lessons hold the promise of energy and vitality, and teach you how to flourish and thrive in any season.

Brielle Kelly, DAc, LAc, DiplOM. is an acupuncturist, herbalist and co-author of What’s Your Season? Healing Principles and Recipes for Your Body Type. For more information, visit whatsyourseason.com and yinfinitewellness.com.

wellbeing.com.au | 29

paradigm shifters JONATHAN EVANS

Spend 10 minutes with our Paradigm Shifters, the people who are shaping the ideas that will take us into the future. Meet Jonathan Evans, specialist timber architect and founding director of biophilic architect firm Arbor.tect.

Jonathan Evans

Known for designing some of Australia’s most innovative timber buildings, Evans is leading the way in creating a sustainable model for future living and wellbeing. At the heart of Evans’ designs is a belief that we all long to reconnect with the natural world, and by living in sync with Mother Nature we live healthier and happier lives. Here the architect shares his vision for the future, his love of the ocean and what it takes to challenge the status quo.

Interview CHARLIE HALE

How I start my day …

I like to reconnect with nature each morning — spending some time in silence just watching and appreciating the surrounding beauty, colour, pattern and movement in the world around me.

I am fortunate to live in the village of Bundeena surrounded by a raw natural paradise, so this morning ritual usually involves either a mountain bike ride to the Royal National Park cliffs, a sunrise kayak paddle around the Port Hacking bays or a walk through a nearby majestic angophora forest, stopping along the way to sit in awe and contemplate.

What sustainability means to me …

In terms of environmental sustainability, I simply see it as making conscious decisions in our lives every day to both consume less and contribute more, to actively reduce and offset the carbon we generate so that future generations can enjoy the same benefits we do, rather than paying for the environmental damage that current generations have amassed.

The Austrian forestry industry illustrates this approach well. After over-exploitation the country was largely deforested, yet now boasts 50 per cent forest coverage through a structured plan utilising the reproductive capacity of trees, while balancing the economic, environmental and recreational demands on this natural resource. Eighty per cent of Austria’s forests are located on private landholdings, mostly family-run farming properties which are passed on from generation to generation, each harvesting a portion of the timber and replanting for the benefit of the next — the definition of a sustainable legacy.

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On work–life balance …

Flexible working arrangements can bring numerous benefits to both businesses and employees through improved work culture, diversity and productivity. As events ebb and flow through our lives we should seek to continually rebalance the time we dedicate to work and to life outside work.

where the low-risk conventional methods typically win out. You need to be brave with conviction of your concepts, and then put in the hard work and empirical research to ensure that the innovation is a success.

This was the case at Barangaroo in Sydney, where the Tzannes and Lendlease design and delivery teams proposed to challenge the status quo by constructing the first timber commercial building to be built in Australia in over 100 years (at the time of completion, the tallest of its type in the world). The result is an exemplar of sustainable building, constructed from the renewable resource of certified mass timber and recycled hardwood, storing thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide sourced from the atmosphere in the building structure, rather than releasing thousands of tonnes of CO2 in the production of concrete and steel, as would have been standard construction for CBD office buildings.

On creating a hopeful future …

As architect Buckminster Fuller proclaimed, “build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete”.

With conflicting demands, that split is not always easy to determine, but I guess one way to assess it is to imagine looking back on your life after retirement, to decide which parts will have been most worthwhile and to devote more time into those areas while you are able.

On innovation …

Challenging the norm is not always easy, especially in the construction industry

On the importance of the natural world …

The greater part of human evolution has been spent in adaptive response to the natural environment, with only recent centuries primarily replaced with an artificial, constructed, highly serviced environment.

Deep in our DNA is an emotional attachment to natural materials and settings, which if embedded in our buildings and cities through considered biophilic design principles can foster improved health, productivity and

Barangaroo mass timber office building.

Architect: Tzannes Photography: Guthrie Project

wellbeing. Users of the two Barangaroo mass timber offices report improved mood, reduced stress and higher productivity due to the warm, natural surroundings.

What I do to blow off steam …

The ocean has many varied moods and temperaments, which can be used to reflect and amplify my own feelings of the moment.

At times smooth and tranquil, deep and mysterious; but when I need to let off steam, the best tonic is to swim out into the cool, fresh crashing surf and live for a time among the immense energy and humbling power of the waves and ocean swell.

Words to live by …

One of the few quotes on our website is “Nature can endure without humans, but humans cannot survive without nature.”

Pillaging and degrading the Earth for monetary gain is short-sighted and ultimately more dangerous for humanity than it is for the natural world.

Pillaging and degrading the Earth for monetary gain is short-sighted and ultimately more dangerous for humanity than it is for the natural world.

What’s next for me personally …

I am focusing on the evolution of my own architectural practice, Arbor.tect, established this year after 24 years as a partner and design director, alongside

co-director Alec Tzannes, of acclaimed Sydney architectural studio Tzannes.

Abor.tect is seeking to develop a new architectural language of beauty and warmth, along with a revolutionary way of building our cities, which can transform the built environment from one of degradation and depletion to something which is climate neutral, inclusive and in sync with nature.

Say hello …

I would love to hear about your own experience of living in harmony with nature, and aspirations for a sustainable home or workplace environment that we could develop together.

Web: arbortect.com.au Email: jonathan@arbortect.com.au Instagram: @evans_architect

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Illustration creativemarket.com

CAREER CHANGE

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Time for a change?

Meet quereinsteiger Have you ever thought about a radical career change? It turns out there is a name for those who make this change: quereinsteiger, or quereinsteigerin for women. We explore the rising phenomenon of the lateral career change, the impact of COVID-19 on professional goals and how to successfully make that quantum career leap.

Words GEORGIA NELSON

I

n every job, there comes a tipping point that calls for a complete re-evaluation of where we are and where we’re going.

It’s not uncommon to feel as though we have outgrown a career or workplace the same way we outgrow phases, places, clothes and relationships.

Athlete and social entrepreneur Samantha Gash is no stranger to this feeling. Working long, unpredictable hours as a corporate lawyer, Gash began to gravitate towards her passion for endurance running, social impact and philanthropy work. “I didn’t know how they would fit together as they didn’t make up a conventional career,” says Gash. “But deep down I knew they aligned with my values of contribution, connection and community.”

And so she began her journey from lawyer to entrepreneur and activist. Since swapping business suits and briefs for sneakers and social activism, Gash has taken on ultramarathons, fundraising initiatives and ambassadorships for the likes of World Vision and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and recently launched Her Trails, a new holistic training program aimed at strengthening physical and mental resilience.

Gash’s story may be unique, but the premise is not a rare phenomenon, and there is a name for someone who makes a dramatic pivot in their career — quereinsteiger, or quereinsteigerin for women. Much like the Swedish word lagom or the Danish word hygge, there is no true English definition for this German word.

It roughly translates to “lateral entrant” and derives from the German word quer — referring to going against the grain and making a bold, unconventional move.

Until recently, this mindset was largely rejected. People were encouraged to stick to the conventional linear career path from day

one to retirement. In Germany, the average worker holds the same job for around 11 years. But now the German government is working to destigmatise career change, with an official web page dedicated to career change tips and interviews.

Locally, we have the Career Transition Assistance program, a federal plan that aims to provide support, retraining and upskilling to help mature-aged workers (those 45 years and older) pivot in their

Much like the Swedish word lagom or the Danish word hygge, there is no true English definition for this German word. It roughly translates to “lateral entrant” and derives from the German word quer — referring to going against the grain and making a bold, unconventional move. careers. There are eligibility requirements for the program, such as participating in other programs including jobactive, New Employment Services Trial (NEST), Online Employment Services (OES) or Volunteer Online Employment Services Trial (VOEST).

So how do we know we’re ready for a complete career makeover, and how do we get started? “When you reflect deeply enough and realise your time on this planet is of your choosing, the answer became very simple,” Gash says. Your journey starts here.

The midlife career crisis Once upon a time, it was standard to stay at the same company for 20, 30, even 40

years. But today, it’s rare for us to retire with a gold watch from a company we’ve been at for decades. Many of us pursue alternate career paths throughout our working lives. In fact, new data shows that the average Aussie goes through five to seven career changes in their lifetime.

“It’s natural to become curious and want to start fresh,” says psychologist, psychotherapist and founder of Pinwheel Psychology, Samantha Symes. “We work for a long time, and we get to that point of boredom and frustration. And this leads people to think creatively and ask themselves, ‘What else can I be doing?’”

Age and experience brings a wealth of perspective, change and growth. As we get older our values and desires shift, causing us to crave more flexibility, higher pay, a new challenge and more inspiration from our jobs. And some of us simply question whether we are getting the most out of our potential and if there is something else out there that would bring us more joy or motivation.

Podcaster and journalist Jacqui Ooi, who interviews women from all career backgrounds on her podcast What She Did Next, has found that each woman has her own unique career change story. “For some women, it’s been a big life moment like a health issue or becoming a parent that’s shifted their priorities around work,” she explains. “For others, it’s the realisation that the work they’ve been doing no longer aligns with their values … There are also women who simply enjoy the new. They like starting again, building something, challenging themselves to see what else they are capable of. That desire to keep learning and growing can take them in different career directions.”

According to 2016 LinkedIn data, women have job-hopped at a rate increasingly

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higher than men since 1986. And when it comes to changing careers entirely, women generally have a better idea of exactly what kind of work they want. “It’s more about problem-solving to fit with their lifestyle,” Symes explains. “They think, ‘Now that I’ve had a family, what job will have flexible hours? What job can I create in the time I have, that will support me, that I can grow as my family needs me less?’”

Symes notes that many women “are almost forced to think differently about their working life”. It may be an outdated notion, but the fact is women are much more likely than men to take time off work or leave their jobs entirely to find a more flexible career path once they have a family.

Symes went through a lateral career change herself, making the switch from the work-hard, play-hard life of sales and recruitment to psychology and career coaching. “I really wanted something that I could do as I got older,” says Symes.

“I saw a lot of clients who were in their 40s and early 50s when I was quite young, and they were struggling because the workforce can be quite ageist.”

We’re part of an ageing workforce, with the number of workers aged 60 to 74 steadily on the rise over the past decade — so it’s never too late to change careers. Take the late Ruth Flowers (aka Mamy Rock), for example. She nipped elderly stereotypes in the bud when she came out of a 10-year retirement to become a DJ at 68 years old. By 72 she was performing in nightclubs around the world. As journalist and social activist Gloria Steinem said, “The model of success is not linear.”

Pivoting through a pandemic The pandemic may have closed a lot of doors to both everyday life and your career, but it also opened the door to flexible work and pushed many people to reconsider what is truly important to them. According to The Great COVID Career Reset, a study conducted

by Women’s Agenda and Monarch Institute in late 2020, 77 per cent of women surveyed said the pandemic made them rethink their career goals and 80 per cent said they are rethinking what’s important to them when it comes to their career.

Home cook and recipe creator Jessica Nguyen gained a cult following on Instagram after her chilli oil recipe went viral in mid-2020. Nguyen was made redundant from her marketing job in Melbourne in March 2020 and joined the 600,000 Australians who lost their jobs at the start of the pandemic. Rather than look for a job where there were none, she shifted her

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focus to a life-long passion — food. Nguyen began sharing her recipes to her Instagram stories in cook-along tutorial videos that quickly amassed tens of thousands of views.

“It was something that I had sporadically done as a hobby and just as a fun thing on the weekends, but I just started doing it more because it was the only thing I could do that gave me joy,” says Nguyen. “So it was the perfect storm between me not having a job, sharing a whole lot of recipes online, everyone being in lockdown, not knowing how to cook and needing some kind of resource to cook dinner and bring a bit of joy to their lockdown.”

Fast-forward to 18 months later, and cooking at home is Nguyen’s full-time job. Between creating new recipes to share with her followers and collaborating with brands, Nguyen has launched her now famous chilli oil on the market via her website. What began as a pipe dream resulted in a career filled with new challenges, motivation and

creativity. “It was kind of fateful because I got pushed and forced into doing it, when I wouldn’t really have just made that leap,” Nguyen says.

The uncertainty of job security during the pandemic saw many of us look for alternative pathways and learn new skills. The Great COVID Reset Study found that 48 per cent of women upskilled during lockdown, starting online courses and university degrees.

This was perhaps as much a response to the threat of unemployment due to the pandemic as well as ever-evolving technology we use every day.

“Making a shift in your career can fill you with excitement, anxiety, overwhelm and even paralysis,” says Gash. “But pivoting careers has the potential to open more doors than shut — including keeping the door open to return to your previous job if you so desire down the track. Be brave in seeking out a mentor in the field you wish to work in to gain as much insight as possible.

Illustrations creativemarket.com

CAREER CHANGE

Think you’re ready for a career change? Here are five steps you can take to get your journey started.

Take some time to reflect: “Give yourself a timeframe as opposed to making the decision purely based on emotions,” Gash says. Consider your hobbies, values, passions and transferable skills, and the pros and cons of changing career.

Be curious: Do your research to find out what skills, experience and qualifications you need to change into your new career field of choice. Taking the Job Outlook Career Quiz can be a good place to start, and you may also want to seek guidance and advice from a professional career counsellor.

Set realistic goals: Know your limits and boundaries and be willing to apply these to all aspects of your

This will make your pivot based on solid information rather than hypotheticals.”

Taking the leap of faith The saying “Look before you leap” remains true when it comes to your career. Making decisions based on your emotions and impulses is not the best approach, and it’s important to consider the non-negotiables you are looking for in your next role. Start by writing down what benefits you are looking for — better work–life balance, flexible working conditions, a base pay rate — and consider whether you would be willing to commit to additional study if needed. The next step? Research and networking.

Getting first-hand stories from people in the field you are interested in is extremely important. They can help you figure out if the industry is the right fit for you and your lifestyle. “You need to talk to people who have some experience of the sector or industry you’re considering,” Ooi says.

“A job that might seem really appealing in your mind could look very different in reality … Don’t go in with rose-coloured glasses. Make sure you do your homework and try to get a sense of what your day-today might look like in your new career.”

Perhaps one of the biggest roadblocks to success and happiness within our jobs is self-doubt, manifesting as imposter

syndrome and leading many of us to question our capabilities — especially women working in male-dominated environments. Feeling like a fish out of water is normal in any capacity. But it’s important to remember not only what led you to this career change in the first place, but also the skills you have in your toolbox that you can use to excel in new roles.

“There are so many jobs with transferrable skills that may not seem obvious on paper,” says Ooi. “I’ve spoken to a woman on the podcast who left her career in real estate to become a scientist.

She actually found that the marketing and design skills she’d developed in her real estate role also helped her in communicating her research.”

Actor Denzel Washington was on the ball when he tweeted: “There are people less qualified than you, doing the things you want to do, simply because they decide to believe in themselves.” Overcoming self-doubt is essential to succeed in your career change.

As for the opinions and doubts of others, your own determination and resilience must speak louder. “Sometimes there can be naysayers among your own friends and family who don’t understand your desire to change careers. That can be hard to navigate,” says Ooi. “You need to have a pretty strong sense of self-belief to

The uncertainty of job security during the pandemic saw many of us look for alternative pathways and learn new skills. The Great COVID Reset Study found that 48 per cent of women upskilled during lockdown, starting online courses and university degrees.

new potential job. There is no point switching careers into a role that doesn’t meet your expectations or requirements and may result in unhappiness and added stress.

Use your network: Reach out to friends, relatives and mutual friends to discover if they know anyone with a similar career to the one you desire.

This will help you learn more and gain some first-hand insight.

Find a mentor: Mentors are important to have at all ages and stages of your career. Find someone you admire, reach out and see if they would be open to meeting for a coffee and a chat to share some advice and wisdom. And remember — a mentor doesn’t have to be older than you!

push past that and follow what you really want for yourself.”

Since taking the leap that led her from structured parameters to the ever-evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, Gash has learned to regain control of her mindset and defeat self-doubt. Her top tips?

• Balance your need to forecast ahead with the importance of surrendering to the moment. Being mindful allows us to mitigate comparison and build our self-esteem.

• Remember your capacity for growth expands through failures and mistakes far more than from smooth sailing.

Struggling can actually be a great strategy for personal and professional expansion.

• Your fears and self-doubt are often based on an outdated narrative you keep telling yourself. It’s up to you to rewrite the narrative.

And who knows? Your new career and the journey you take towards it may teach you a valuable life lesson or two. “I’ve become incredibly resourceful,” Gash reflects. “I’ve learned to fend for myself, back myself and endure through uncertainty.” It is this uncertainty that you can use to propel you towards your next big step.

“Do what scares you the most,” says Nguyen. “Because that’s where you grow the most … If you get the opportunity, just take it. That will lead to more doors and different opportunities and then you will just end up on the path that you wanted to be on.” C’est la vie.

Georgia Nelson is a journalist based on the South Coast of NSW and the features writer at WellBeing and WILD. She has a penchant for sustainable beauty, slow fashion and feminist literature.

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Photography Getty Images

Serendipity n 1 The phenomenon of finding valuable or desirable things by pure accident.

Happy accidents account for some of the most life-changing moments.

It may be a chance encounter that leads to true love, a random email that leads to your dream job or putting on an old coat and finding money in the pocket. But, unlike fate that happens to you, there is a bit of an art to stumbling upon happy accidents. To welcome serendipity into your life, you must be willing to allow success and happiness to bloom. Create calm through mindfulness rituals. Be willing to take a risk and step outside your comfort zone. Keep your mind and heart open, even when life tests you. And learn to trust yourself and take a chance on the unknown. This is when serendipity will find you; all that’s left to do is make the most of it.

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body BODY AWARENESS

Reconnect with your body Your body holds infinite wisdom and insight, pointing to what needs attention in your life. But how well do you hear its messages and answer its calls?

Illustration creativemarket.com

Words JESSICA LEE

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I

t is through your body that you can understand what needs attention in your life. Your body can alert you that you’re moving towards burnout, it can protect you from becoming sick and it can show you when you’re living out of alignment with your true calling. Your body sends you signals each day. How well do you notice and hear your body’s messages?

Exhaustion, illness, anxiety, stress and tension are all messages from your body that something needs your attention.

Perhaps you have an underlying health condition, maybe you aren’t speaking your truth, or you could be in the wrong job or working too hard.

Your body speaks to you in three ways: first as a whisper, then a shout, which, if left unanswered, is followed by a shutting down. For many people, tuning in and listening to their body’s wisdom can be a challenge. Do you listen to the whispers of your body? Or do you wait until your body sends you very clear signals, through an illness, a health scare or burnout, before you pay attention?

In my 20s, I experienced my own health challenges when I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Looking back, I can see that my body was cycling through burnout crashes, but I just kept pushing through to achieve my goals at university.

Being chronically sick for seven years showed me why it’s essential to listen when your body is sending you warning signs.

Despite having experienced my own health challenges in the past, and knowing what I need in order to be healthy and to thrive, at times I can still find it hard to honour my body’s messages. Only this year I went through another period of exhaustion and burnout and it got me thinking, “Why can it be so hard to connect and listen to our body’s wisdom?”

more joyful and easeful. You can create a life where you’re not pushing yourself to the limits and ignoring the important messages your body is sending you.

Stress and pressure When you’re under stress, your brain is wired to focus on immediate challenges.

This can mean you become disconnected from your body and stop noticing the signals it is sending you. Coming back to a state of calm by activating your parasympathetic nervous system can help you reconnect with how your body is feeling. Long, deep inhalations and exhalations is the quickest way to get out of your mind and back into your body.

Being under constant stress may have led you to normalise your experiences.

You may not want to hear what your body is telling you; sometimes your body’s wisdom is to slow down when you want to speed up, to say No when you want to say Yes or to make changes that challenge the status quo.

Daily headaches may be your norm, five hours’ sleep might be your daily routine and dragging yourself through the day is no longer a rare occurrence. It’s essential you know when you’re stressed so you can intervene early, as stress increases inflammation in the body, which can lead to serious illnesses and diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and dementia.

The struggle to stay connected

Societal expectations and judgement

Slowing down long enough to notice your body’s sensations and tuning into the messages it’s sharing with you can bring you face to face with resistance. You may not want to hear what your body is telling you; sometimes your body’s wisdom is to slow down when you want to speed up, to say No when you want to say Yes or to make changes that challenge the status quo.

When you can face the resistance you’re feeling, you are better positioned to move through it and create an aligned life that’s

Do you struggle to slow down? Does rest feel lazy? While you may know you need to listen to your body, we often house a critical voice in our head that says, “You should be doing more,” or “Keep going, keep pushing!”

In her book Untamed, Glennon Doyle talks about the challenges she’s faced on her journey to listening to her body.

She says she grew up believing “resting is laziness, and laziness is disrespectful.

Worthiness and goodness are earned with hustle.” Realising this was not serving her

or her relationships, she chose to shift this belief. “Hard work is important. So are play, and non-productivity. My worth is tied not to my productivity but to my existence. I am worthy of rest,” she writes.

In our hustle-obsessed culture that values pushing through above all else, it can be challenging to live a conscious life, to rest when you need it, to enjoy guilt-free relaxation and to respect your body’s limits.

Shifting away from a hustle mindset, however, will allow you to better hear and honour your body’s needs and wisdom.

Personality and passion Being totally absorbed and passionate about the work you do can also become an obstacle to body connection. Do you find it hard to get out of your head and into your body? Do you value thinking over feeling?

Do you regularly override your body’s signals to stop, often pushing past what’s good for you?

I definitely fall into this category. I am prone to overwork because I love what I do. I love being in my head more than my body. I love learning, researching, writing and exploring ideas. It can be really hard to tear myself away from my creative projects, even when my body is telling me it’s time.

Too often I push through and keep working despite a headache brewing, my shoulders becoming tense or feeling tired.

Neuroscience research has found that an overworked brain is a less effective brain, while time out fuels creativity, productivity and wellbeing. While you

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body BODY AWARENESS

Building your body intelligence According to body awareness expert Thea O’Connor, “Body intelligence involves the ability to connect with our body’s sensations or cues; listen to them and respond in a way that enhances our overall function and quality of life.”

In her blog post, “10 ways to listen to your body”, she writes “A great way to cultivate awareness of internal signals from our body, also known as our ‘interoceptive awareness’, is to start with the really small stuff, every day.” She offers a great tip: “Develop a simple daily ritual that grounds you in your body and gives you a moment to check in. You could, for example, take a moment on waking, then again at lunch time, and/or at night time to do a simple Body Scan.”

Building my body awareness has been an important part in restoring my energy and health. I’ve started listening to my body again and changed my daily routines. It has meant sleeping in more, resting when my body needs it, going for slow walks rather than doing intense gym workouts, spending more time preparing nourishing food, meditating and returning to yin and restorative yoga.

Each morning I start my day by asking, “How am I feeling today?” This question allows me to start the day with body awareness. Some days I feel deep gratitude and lightness and I go through my day noticing all the little things that make my life truly wonderful. Other days I feel tired and stressed. On those days, I show up differently and move through the day more slowly and with more self-compassion.

Respond with self-compassion On the difficult days when my body and mind may be struggling, I ask, “How can I make this easier?” and I look for the path of least resistance. I’ve noticed doing things the easy way can trigger guilt and shame. The conditioned voice in my head often tells me that “Easy is lazy” and “You should be working harder.” I do my best to make space for that voice, but to first and foremost honour my body.

Building my body awareness has been about more than just adding more body-based practices into my week.

It’s been about changing my whole relationship with my body. Instead of trying to override my body’s messages, I am now

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actively asking my body for guidance and developing a trust that my body knows best.

When I hit a difficult part of my day and I want to just push through, I am turning to my body for the answers. I ask my body, “What do you need right now?” While my brain says, “You’re tired, you need more coffee!” when I ask my body it says things like, “Jess, you really need to go and lie down for 15 minutes” or “You need fresh air and a gentle stroll around the block.”

The voice of my body is always more caring, nurturing and gentle than the voice of my mind. The voice of my mind is often a hard taskmaster. Your body invites you to develop more self-compassion, self-love and self-acceptance. As I’ve followed the wisdom of my body, I feel better, more restored and more creative.

You can also use your body’s wisdom to make more aligned choices in your life that better support your health and happiness.

In her blog post, “3 ways to build trust in your body”, O’Connor says, “The next time you have a decision to make that you are uncertain about: Come to stillness, pose your question to yourself, then choose one option. Notice what visceral response you feel in your body, to that choice. If you feel stressed or uneasy, what is that telling you? If you feel excited and expanded, what

does that indicate? Learning to recognise ‘yes’ and ‘no’ in your body is a powerful life skill with many applications.”

Reconnecting with your body begins with awareness and permission: permission to slow down and honour your body’s wisdom, without guilt or shame.

While you could wait for this permission to come from outside yourself, the only permission you really need is your own.

It’s OK to live and work with more ease, joy and spaciousness; in fact it’s what you need to thrive. Each time you choose to reconnect and honour your body, you’re choosing a new response and a new belief around work, rest and your sense of self-worth — you are actively rewiring your brain. As you reconnect with your body, you will access a gateway to deeper wisdom, pleasure, joy and more easeful living.

Jessica Lee is a performance and mindset coach, speaker and writer. She is passionate about helping people use brain-based strategies to achieve their goals and increase their health, happiness and creativity. She runs The Spark Effect Academy, an online performance and mindset program. Get in touch with Jessica at jessica@thesparkeffect.com.au or via thesparkeffect.com.au.

9 ways to reconnect with your body Daily check-in: Ask yourself each morning: “How am I feeling today?”

And “What do I need right now?”

Body mindfulness: Create regular routines that allow you to pause and connect with your body, like yoga, walking, tai chi or stretching.

Deep breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing will help you to switch from your mind into your body, activating your calming parasympathetic nervous system.

Take 10 long deep breaths to check in and reset during your day.

Connecting to your senses: Incorporate more sensory experiences into your day: have a massage, a long hot bath, diffuse your favourite oils, walk in nature and feel the sun on your face.

Decreasing stimulation: Limit the amount of stimulation you experience throughout your day.

Go for a walk without your phone, spend 10 minutes each day in silence or keep a journal.

Daily body scan: Take five minutes a day to do a body scan meditation, so you can notice and release points of tension and pain and bring your awareness back into your body.

Designing your ideal day: What would your day look like if you were tuning in to your body and taking care of yourself? Would you start your day with a walk in nature?

Would you go to bed earlier? Would you meditate daily?

Affirmation: Choose an anchor statement to come back to when you feel the pressure to ignore your body’s message. “I am worthy of rest,” “I honour my body’s wisdom,” “It’s OK to stop,” “I am allowing my body to thrive.”

Support: Once you understand what your body is telling you, ask for what you need at work, at home and in your relationships. Come back to your affirmation anchor and share your needs confidently.

Illustration creativemarket.com

may feel driven to work hard and have a strong desire to fulfil your purpose, you do your best work when you create more spaciousness and regularly take time to rest and reset.

“Body intelligence involves the ability to connect with our body’s sensations or cues; listen to them and respond in a way that enhances our overall function and quality of life.”

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Newspeak and neologisms: the evolution of language There are more than one million distinct words in the English language, and thanks to the pace of technology and social media, this is growing by the day. Words have taken on new meanings, new generations have utilised language as a form of activism and a new kind of taboo has emerged.

But what does the language of the digital age say about today’s society?

I

n his dystopian novel 1984, George Orwell created a new language for the fictional depiction of Oceania dubbed “Newspeak”. The purpose of this new language was to remove the possibility of rebellion by restricting language and altering meanings: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength,” writes Orwell. All political commentary aside, 1984 paints the perfect picture of just how easy it is to manipulate, change and redefine language to take on a whole new meaning.

But there’s a flip side to the notion of Newspeak. It shows just how much new words and meanings are defined by the culture, society and technology of the

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times. So where exactly do new words come from in the 21st century?

Unlike the government-dictated lexicon of 1984, most of the new language we use can be credited to young people, especially women (although we can credit the popularisation of certain phrases such as “fake news” and “alternative facts” to a similarly frightening real-life government figure as the one depicted in 1984 …). “For decades, linguists have agreed that young, urban females tend to be our linguistic innovators,” writes linguist and writer Amanda Montell in her book Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language.

Dr Amanda Laugesen, director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANU) and chief editor of The Australian National Dictionary, says, “Language always surprises you in terms of what trends it takes and where it goes.”

“Traditionally, it was young people using the kind of language that their parents didn’t use and didn’t understand, and that was a way of excluding their parents from their culture and to mark the older generation as being ‘uncool’,” Laugesen explains. And it seems that younger generations are often at the helm of creativity when it comes to slang, crafting new words or completely redefining common ones.

Photo: Vika Strawberrika on Unsplash

Words GEORGIA NELSON

Let’s take the word “scrub” for example.

One form of the word means to clean, and the other has been used as slang for “an insignificant or contemptible person” since the 16th century. We can perhaps credit TLC’s iconic tune No Scrubs for the reintroduction of the word into mainstream culture. There are plenty more catchphrases from the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s — “wicked”, “that’s sick” and “as if” (an iconic line from the 1995 film Clueless) — that were essentially redefined and reclaimed by the pop culture of the era.

Nowadays, we can credit social media for popularising and creating new words.

“The words we choose to use can reveal much about the way we think and the society that we live in,” Laugesen writes in her book Rooted: An Australian History of Bad Language. So what does the modern Australian lexicon reveal about our society?

The modern lexicon The Global Language Monitor (GLM) estimates that a new word is created every 98 minutes. In 2020, Dictionary.com recorded 15,000 updates to existing entries and added 650 new words, including ecoanxiety, GOAT (greatest of all time) and social distance.

“One of the most interesting things about social media language is the level of creativity,” Laugesen says.

Perhaps this explains why so many of the new words we use every day are portmanteaus — hybrid words that blend the sounds and meaning of two others, such as podcast (iPod and broadcast), cronut (croissant and doughnut), Labradoodle (Labrador and Poodle) and flexitarian (flexible and vegetarian).

Social media has also changed the process of how a word gets used and when it becomes an “official” dictionaryrecognised word. In the pre-internet world, a word would have to be widely used in the vocabulary for around 10 years before it was officially defined in print. Online dictionaries, however, have allowed for more immediate additions of words that may be trending or popular in the moment but aren’t guaranteed to stick around.

The rise of social media has sped up this process even more and made way for new words, meanings and phrases created by users. “Through social media, words that otherwise might be quite ephemeral, disappear very quickly or be quite localised slang gain a lot more prominence and can spread a lot further,” explains Laugesen.

Social media is certainly responsible for the creation of plenty of buzzwords (including meme, hashtag and selfie), but perhaps its most prominent role in developing language

is simply amplifying slang used by small groups, giving millions of people access to new words and meanings.

But the fast pace of digital media means that popular slang changes faster than ever.

Much like fashion trends, by the time you’ve got a solid understanding of how to use a certain word, it will already be obsolete.

Perhaps the more popular and widespread an originally niche word becomes, the less appealing it becomes to the creators.

We saw this most recently with the word “cheugy”, used to describe a person or thing that is the opposite of trendy — it’s not always used negatively, but to convey a certain type of aesthetic. This word was created in 2013 by then high schooler Gabi Rasson and soon spread among her school and throughout her college sorority over the years but remained relatively niche until it went viral via a TikTok post in March 2020. Cheugy caused a buzz on social media, and the new word was written about in almost every publication. And so using the word cheugy became cheugy and the word died out as quickly as it caught on.

“The words we choose to use can reveal much about the way we think and the society that we live in” Language trends in Australia When you think of Australian language, what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s phrases like “bloody oath!” or the way we abbreviate almost any word we can — barbecue to barbie, vegetarian to vego, afternoon to arvo and good day to g’day.

These diminutives add a friendly, informal vibe to conversations — some even date back to the 1800s. Abbreviations aside, there is another aspect of our Australian English that stands out.

“We are certainly renowned for our creativity with words and idioms, and this extends into the realm of the offensive,” Laugesen writes in Rooted. The four-letter words that were once incredibly offensive are now used fondly in friendly banter (context- and setting-dependent, of course) and swearing has become synonymous with Australian language.

But in the past decade, Indigenous language has begun to shape the 21st-century Australian lexicon.

“One thing that we’ve been tracking a lot in our work is the words around Indigenous culture and First Nations culture,” Laugesen explains. “There’s

been a lot of words that are coming into Australian English that reflect our understanding, for white Australians, of Indigenous cultural traditions, Indigenous traditional knowledge and even the adoption of Indigenous words for flora and fauna. Recently, there’s also been some discussion about using Indigenous language names for the seasons, which would then reflect our understanding of weather more from a First Nations’ perspective than from a Western knowledge perspective.”

And although Indigenous dialect is beginning to shape more of Australian English, First Nations people have been reshaping English among themselves for decades. Around 80 per cent of the Indigenous population speak Australian Aboriginal English (AAE), which has its own structure and phonetic variety. Kinship terms like “Auntie” and “Uncle” are used not just for blood relatives but to convey respect to senior people; “deadly” is used to champion someone who is doing good things; and “lubly”, a phonetic play on “lovely”, is used as a term of endearment, gratitude or attraction.

Linguistic activism and a new taboo The English language is generally known as the hardest language to learn. Much of it depends on how a word or sentence is communicated, rather than what is being communicated. “We all do different things with our language, we all speak in different ways and have different accents,” says Laugesen.

“Bad language can liberate and challenge, but it can also oppress and injure,” Laugesen writes in Rooted.

Fortunately, many oppressed groups and individuals have learned to utilise the complexities of the English language to reclaim, redefine and revolt.

This is especially evident among the queer community, BIPOC community and women. Laugesen details what she calls “feminist linguistic activism” through her research and writing, noting the ongoing debates and revival of terms that originated decades ago. Language has long been used as a tool to oppress and belittle women and minority groups, but Laugesen notes that women learned quickly how to subvert language as a means of resistance.

The ’70s and ’80s saw the birth of modern feminism, which, of course, led to the questioning of sexist overtones in language. History became “herstory”, Miss and Mrs became “Ms” (because our value does not lie in whether we are married or

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mind LANGUAGE

The Newspeak of 2021 can be hard to keep up with. Here are a few of our favourite words and what they mean in the digital age.

We know that language and slang is used by many to connect and bond. Speaking in this way is how women have learned to connect, challenge and thrive.

not), and a lot of gendered language was challenged as a political statement to move away from patriarchal language. Recent years have also seen the popularisation of alternate spelling for “women”, including womxn, womban, womyn or wimmin — all of which have slightly different meanings to different groups but are used to be inclusive, diverse and removed from the patriarchy.

This premise has been modernised in Wordslut, where Montell notes the way that language is constantly evolving as a means to both oppress and liberate. One of her most interesting arguments is the use of filler words predominately used by women, such as “like” and “you know”.

Women, especially young women, are often ridiculed or written off as ditsy for speaking this way, but Montell argues that “Young women use the linguistic features that they do, not as mindless affectations, but as power tools for establishing and strengthening relationships. Vocal fry, uptalk and even ‘like’, are in fact not signs of ditziness, but instead all have a unique history and special social utility.”

Laugesen agrees, noting that these kinds of prejudices are often imposed upon groups or individuals to disempower them: “That’s something that we’ve seen for a very long time,” she explains. “It just changes from generation to generation as to what is used to criticise and to stigmatise particular groups.”

We know that language and slang is used by many to connect and bond.

Speaking in this way is how women have learned to connect, challenge and thrive.

This sentiment is echoed in journalist Ann Friedman’s 2015 essay for The Cut: “Language is not always about making an argument or conveying information in the cleanest, simplest way possible. It’s often about building relationships. It’s about making yourself understood and trying to understand someone else.”

When it comes to reclaiming words, however, Laugesen explains that this is debated among linguists and can be “quite fraught as you really want to be thinking about other ways in which you’re trying to

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Blackfishing: When someone who is not of Black culture alters their image (typically through tanning, image filters or styling) or behaviour in order to appear as a person of colour.

Catfish: To deceive or manipulate by assuming a false identity or personality online; can be used as a verb or a noun.

CEO of …: A title given to a person who has mastered their field, typically seen in captions or the comments section on social media; for example, “CEO of memes”.

Deplatform: To ban a person or group from sharing their views on a public platform, usually by removing their social media accounts.

Doomscrolling: The act of excessively scrolling through sad, disheartening or depressing news on social media or news sites; falling into a rabbit hole of negative news, especially during the pandemic.

Fitspiration: A portmanteau of “fit” and “inspiration”; a very fit, healthy person (especially an influencer) who acts as motivation to improve one’s own fitness.

Flex: To show off or gloat; can be used as a verb or a noun.

Glow up: A dramatic transformation resulting in someone becoming more mature, confident or attractive.

fight discrimination and make political, social or cultural claims as a group.”

We’ve seen this kind of reappropriation recently among minority groups, with BIPOC reclaiming racial slurs and the queer community owning homophobic language — and often these words are used as a term of affection, endearment or recognition among the respective communities. This essentially removes the offensive power from the term, offering an alternative discourse that allows groups that were once oppressed to reclaim power and identity.

Reclaiming a slur or offensive term that has been typically used to oppress or offend feels powerful for many, but it does not allow for others outside the group to use the word.

Given our the incredibly colloquial slang and casual use of swear words, what does “taboo” language look like in modern society? “What’s interesting about the trends of the moment in terms of thinking what’s taboo language is that it’s really shifted now to discriminatory language,” Laugesen muses. “There’s

Mansplain: A portmanteau of “man” and “explain”; the act of a man explaining something to someone, usually a woman, in a condescending or patronising way.

Proffee: A drink made by combining iced coffee with protein powder.

Queerbaiting: A strategy commonly used by the entertainment industry (as well as celebrities and influencers) to appeal to an LGBTQ+ audience without actually following through or being progressive.

Shade: Used in reference to sly or subtle criticisms towards someone or something, as in “to throw shade”.

Side-eye: A sidelong glance, usually used as an act of suspicion, disapproval or even curiosity.

Sleepcast: A new form of audio content pioneered by Headspace combining voice and ambient sound to encourage a restful sleep.

Stan: Originally a portmanteau of “stalker” and “fan”, but now has a mellower meaning; a “stan” means a dedicated fan, to “stan” means to be in support of something.

Tea: Slang that originated in black drag culture meaning gossip or juicy news, as in to “spill the tea”.

Zillennial: a “Microgeneration” of people born between 1993 and 1998 who are too young to relate to millennials but too old to relate to Gen Z.

a lot more awareness and a lot more effort being made to try and eliminate discriminatory language.”

This encompasses race, gender, ability, sexuality and many more factors that have historically been used against individuals within these groups. “I think that’s a reflection of the kinds of preoccupations that we have and we’ve become a lot more aware of how language can be discriminatory and how it can stigmatise,” she says.

While we are not heading down the same dystopic path as the world of 1984, we still have a way to go and a lot to learn about the language we use, especially when it comes to cultural sensitivity. The words we speak and how we use them can and do have a lasting effect. It’s up to us to ensure this shift is for the better.

Georgia Nelson is a journalist based on the South Coast of NSW and the features writer at WellBeing and WILD. She has a penchant for sustainable beauty, slow fashion and feminist literature.

mind ROMANTIC LOVE

Fine romance

Romantic love dominates Western thinking, at least in the popular culture space, but what is this ideal we all hold? In this romantic interlude we look at the biology and psychology of a cultural obsession.

Words TERRY ROBSON

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Romantic love does not just involve loving another person — it entails being “in love”, which suggests a whole level of immersion that courtly love did not embrace. We also talk about “falling in love”, which suggests that there is an element of the experience that is out of the control of the participants, as if there is some “higher” power involved. In turn that translates into finding the ultimate meaning of life revealed in another human being as if you have found the missing part of your self. It is just a hop, skip and a jump from this to the notion of “soulmates”.

As you fall in love, 12 areas of the brain work together to release euphoria-inducing chemicals including dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline and aldosterone.

It is all rosy and wonderful so far, but there’s a problem. Despite the ecstasy of being “in love”, we all know that it is a transitory state. In between being “in love”, people spend a lot of time feeling lonely, frustrated and alienated from others.

There is a tendency to blame others when love fails, and so you go searching for another person to make love work. This is the psychic wound that dominates Western culture. The psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed that if you can find the wound in an individual, or a society, then you have found their path to consciousness. In the

spirit of seeking consciousness, then, it is worth seeking out the true nature of this cultural obsession that is romantic love.

The biology of the fall Love is spoken of as a “matter of the heart”, but in truth love is more a matter of the brain.

The first thing to note is that according to the research you can fall in love in one fifth of a second, or perhaps a more poetic interpretation may be “in the twinkling of an eye”. From that instant you are swept away in a brain-based biochemical torrent.

As you fall in love, 12 areas of the brain work together to release euphoriainducing chemicals including dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline and aldosterone. In people who are “in love” there is also a spike in the release of the chemical nerve growth factor (NGF) which causes growth and maintenance of neurons. Levels of NGF drop off again after one year of being in love. The research also showed that falling in love activates similar areas of the brain to cocaine and elicits the same euphoric feelings.

It is no surprise then that being in love causes widespread changes in your body; it can, for instance, reduce physical pain.

In effect, falling into romantic love soothes you on a psychological and a physical level. It is no wonder then that you feel crushed when love is withdrawn by a partner while you are still immersed in your biochemical bath.

Being in love is a real and measurable phenomenon on the physical level, but your romantic choices are also impacted by what is happening around you.

Illustrations creativemarket.com, Getty Images

I

n 2019 the journal Psychology of Music published a study that had examined songs that made the Billboard Top 40 from 1960 to 2010. The aim of the study was to see what the songs were about, as a window into what occupied the popular culture mind of the times. Sex and sexual desire appeared more frequently as the decades progressed, jumping from showing up in 18 per cent of songs in 1960 to 42 per cent in 2010. Drugs and wealth also became more prominent themes featuring in around 23 per cent of songs by the end of the noughties. There was one topic though that remained a consistent focus and far outweighed any other idea in popular music. That topic was romantic love, and it graced no less than 65 per cent of popular music across the decades.

This lyrical prominence is not just an indication of what songwriters are obsessed with; it arises from the music industry’s knowledge that romantic love is what the public want to hear about. It also reflects that, in the Western world at least, romantic love has replaced religion as a means of satisfying the needs of the soul.

The 21st century ideal of romantic love is not new; it arose out of the courtly love sung about by medieval troubadours, but it is very different. In the medieval world courtly love was transformative: it involved placing the object of your adoration on a pedestal, and through your love the truth of all existence is revealed. This much is shared with modern romance, but the difference was that courtly love specifically operated outside of sex and marriage, whereas in our modern mind romantic love, sex and marriage are intricately intertwined.

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Illustrations creativemarket.com

mind ROMANTIC LOVE

The hand of fate

classic film Casablanca when Humphrey Bogart uttered the line, “Of all the gin joints in all the world, she had to walk into mine.” Bogie was referring to the fickle hand of fate throwing him back together with his old love, and in fact fate does play a hand in the process of falling in love, because where you live and where you meet someone impacts your judgement of them without you even being aware of it.

For instance, research published in the journal Personal Relationships has revealed that physical attractiveness matters more in more socially mobile urban areas, where individuals have a high degree of social choice. In rural areas relationships are less about choice and more about living in community. A flow-on from this selection pressure in the cities is that young city women have their psychological wellbeing strongly linked to their appearance.

Aside from where you live, the specific social context in which you meet people also has a big influence on how you will feel about them. This was shown through

a study published in the journal Psychological Science where researchers analysed data from 84 different speeddating events. The data showed that the attributes that people liked depended on how many people attended the event. At bigger events women and men decided based on quickly identifiable attributes like height and weight. At smaller events people made decisions based on qualities that take longer to identify, like education and type of job. Your brain can only do so much, and when faced with abundant choice it goes with what it can evaluate most quickly.

It seems outrageous to suggest it but perhaps, based on this, a nightclub is not the best place to find a partner.

Two as one In the first year or so of a new relationship when romance is in bloom there is a sense that the two people involved have melded into one. This is partly why it can hurt so profoundly when a relationship ends.

Studies have shown that when a romantic

Illustrations creativemarket creativemarket.com, com Getty Images

As much as you might think that your choice of the object of your romantic love is entirely your own, the evidence of evolutionary biology reveals that certain things that determine attraction to another are hardwired into you. Beauty might be seen as the unifying concept that we apply to certain signals processed instinctively by your unconscious brain. While different cultures have different ideas of what beauty is, the research tell us that the idea that physical beauty matters is consistent across cultures.

Detecting physical beauty is really detecting a healthy individual who would make a good mate. At some level your romantic partner must trigger those primal parts of you that make you believe they will be a good life and reproductive partner.

Exactly how you perceive another person’s beauty, however, is a function of how your internal processes react with the nature of your surroundings.

One of the iconic lines from popular culture of the 20th century came from the

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relationship ends you suffer on many levels. Over time romantic partners develop shared friends, shared activities and even overlapping self-concepts. Research has confirmed that people have reduced self-concept clarity after a break-up. Just as partners can come to complete each other’s sentences, they can come to complete each other’s selves. So when a relationship ends there is not only the pain of loss but the disorientation of changes in your self.

This is not to say that being in a close relationship is a bad thing. In fact, couples who use the term “we” a lot may have the best relationships. Research published in the journal Psychology and Aging showed that couples who emphasise their separateness by using pronouns such as “I”, “me” and “you” were found to be less satisfied in their marriages. “We” language grows out of a sense of partnership and being able to face problems together.

Love’s gift All of this tells us that there is a definite biochemistry to romantic love, but to return to where we began this exploration, what is the psychological layer of the romantic love experience? In his best-selling book The Road Less Traveled psychotherapist M Scott Peck says that as you grow you develop your ego, or sense of self, and that by the time you are an adult you have well-established ego boundaries. Peck says that it is lonely behind these ego walls and that “The essence of the phenomenon of falling in love is a sudden collapse of a section of an individual’s ego boundaries, permitting one to merge his or her identity with that of another person.”

For Peck the sudden release from your egoprison is the source of the ecstasy of falling in love. In many ways this is a dark view. It sees falling in love as an act of psychological regression, taking us back to the childlike state of feeling at one with the mother. It also sees love as a doomed state once the reality of life intrudes.

There are, however, more affirmative views of what is going on when the sense of “two becoming one” arises. In The Path to Love Deepak Chopra says, “Love’s gift is to strip away a lifetime of imprints in the psyche that condition us to believe in separateness, returning us to the reality that we were born in, which contains only love.”

To view falling in love as simply a psychological trick is unnecessarily jaundiced, because it is a real phenomenon and can be immensely positive.

The sex bomb In the modern world, certainly the modern Western world, sex and falling in love go hand in hand. According to Erich Fromm, author of The Art of Loving, the link between falling in love and the act of sexual intercourse is real but can also be deceptive and dangerous. Fromm says that the desire for sex can be driven by love, but it can also be motivated by anxiety, wanting to avoid aloneness, the desire to conquer or even the wish to destroy. He says, “Because sexual desire is in the minds of most people coupled with the idea of love, they are easily misled to conclude that they love each other when they want each other physically.”

If love inspires the drive for sex then it can be a transcendent thing, but as Fromm observes, there is any number of less noble motives for having sex and you owe it to yourself and your partner to be as honest as you can about your motives. Sexual attraction alone, without love, can create the illusion of union while leaving both partners as alone as before. By contrast, erotic sexual attraction that is combined with genuine love is a powerful and positive force. This deeper erotic love is defined by Fromm as

Romantic love combined with sexuality offers opportunity because it offers the chance to move towards intimacy requiring honesty, availability and conscious presence.

one that “loves in the other person all of mankind, all that is alive.” Seen in this light, romantic love and its attached sexuality is no lightweight human experience but is a fundamental of being your best self.

Romantic love combined with sexuality offers opportunity because it offers the chance to move towards intimacy requiring honesty, availability and conscious presence.

The power of love American singer and songwriter Huey Lewis, along with his band The News, spoke glowingly of “the power of love”, and despite all of the criticism and belittling that the “in love” phase draws to itself, it is still a potentially immensely positive part of life.

It is possible through romantic love to have an almost mystical sense of your own divinity, or place in the cosmos. In the luminous aura of romantic love there is a sense of flourishing and emerging into the fullness of your enlightened being. To serve another without thought of return is an outflowing away from your self and into the world. The great and wonderful paradox is that the altruism of romantic love means that you go out of your way for another and in the process, you get out of your own way.

It is not without perils and it is not a straightforward path, but the wild ride that is romantic love, if experienced as an altruistic love of your partner, can free you from your small “self” and that is ultimate freedom.

Terry Robson is a writer, broadcaster, journalist, television presenter and speaker.

He is the Editor-in-Chief of WellBeing magazine. terryrobson.com.

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body YOGA

Yoga for dating On the battlefield of modern dating, yoga can arm you with the intuition, faith and self-love needed to survive.

Words RACHAEL COOPES Photography TESSA TRAN

D

ating. Oh, how it’s changed. In my day, there was no social media and little texting. You had to get someone’s number, speak on the phone, make a plan and stick to it. You’d look up movie times in the newspaper, which you had to go to the shop to buy with your money.

You couldn’t book online, so you’d arrive at the cinema early enough to get tickets.

There was something about the accountability of it all. People did what they said they were going to do, and actually showed up. To not turn up and leave someone standing outside a cinema or restaurant was a rare and serious thing, unlike the regular online “ghosting” of the modern dating world.

Life was slower, there were way fewer distractions; people sat at dinner, listened to one another, looked at each other’s faces (instead of their phones) and read each other’s subtle cues. In other words, they actually got to know one another. They generally said what they meant and meant what they said, and you worked out fairly quickly who was right or wrong for you.

How times have changed. Dating has become so tricky. So how can the practice of yoga bring more joy to the process?

Perceptions In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali tells us the mind turns and these movements create the way we see the world. Everything you experience in life moves through the lens of your unique perceptions. The problem with this, Patanjali says, is that you never really see clearly. When dating, your perceptions of a person and relationship are coloured by your thoughts, which move, according to Patanjali, in five different ways.

Two of these ways are imagination and memory. Say, for example, you meet someone, you like them and things are going well. Very quickly, you shift from getting to know who they are, into a fantasy — about how they could be the one, how great things will be, the things you’ll do together, the apartment you’ll buy, maybe even the wedding and kids you’ll have.

Conversely, maybe things aren’t going so well. Your date stops texting for a day or two.

I mean, sure, they said they have a busy few

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days coming up. And yet … the imagination sets in motion. It writes a story about what’s happened: “Maybe it was when I said X, Y, Z.” “Maybe they lost their phone.” “Maybe they don’t like me.” Maybe, maybe, maybe.

When we’re not in imagination, memory steps in. Most of us have been hurt by someone before. It’s almost impossible not to bring the scars of past relationships into the present dating experience. When something in the present triggers a confronting feeling (as it inevitably will when getting to know someone intimately), the past informs the present.

Most of us have been hurt by someone before.

It’s almost impossible not to bring the scars of past relationships into the present dating experience.

Dating shows you where you are stuck, where you need to soften and where you still have work to do. It’s an opportunity to let go of the past and grow. It’s up to you to notice when you are in imagination or memory, and pull yourself into the only thing we ever have — the now or atha in Sanskrit. The atha is what it’s all about, says Patanjali. Only in the atha can you stay open and curious in order to discover who this person really is.

Aversion and being triggered Intimate relationships are one of the most powerful teachers. They hold up a mirror and reveal your deepest vulnerabilities.

Pema Chodron talks about the concept of shenpa in Buddhism, or our inherent capacity to get triggered.

You know that moment: you’re sitting, chatting away, your date game is strong and … BOOM. You don’t know what you said, but your date has pulled away from you energetically. A wall has come down.

Conversely, your date who just moments ago was the star of your fantasy wedding, says something and you get triggered and

withdraw. Patanjali refers to this as dvesha, one of the kleshas or afflictions of the mind. Dvesha is our tendency to move away from people we have an aversion to. In this pulling away, you harden that aversion.

The yoga then, is to notice when you’re triggered and soften instead of harden — to let people have different ideas and opinions to you. This is not to say that aversion doesn’t show up for good reason; sometimes we need to set a boundary or move away from someone for our safety. We don’t ignore that. Knowing when aversion is for a good reason and when it isn’t requires discernment. This is where intuition steps in.

Intuition The third eye centre, or ajna chakra, is the seat of intuition. People who have been in robust, long-term relationships talk about this “knowing”. They meet someone and that’s it — they know. Perhaps there has been a time when you had absolutely no doubt about something in your life: a job or an action you had to take. It just felt so clear. That’s your ajna chakra. You’ll know you’re connected to it when there’s no confusion. The ajna knows. It will guide you well, if you listen.

Non-attachment Both the Bhagavadgita and Patanjali speak to the importance of non-attachment — in other words, to be in the process of getting to know someone, of building a relationship, of giving it your all generously and honestly, with absolutely no attachment to results.

That’s not an easy thing. When you’re putting your heart on the line, giving someone your precious time and energy, surely it’s OK to expect something back?

From the perspective of yoga, the process of dating is the point, not the outcome.

You do the work, give it your all, and then surrender and let grace step in. Because what (or who) is for you will never pass you by. This is where you need a little faith.

Faith The Gita said it, Patanjali said it, George Michael said it: “You gotta have faith.” Yogic faith is not necessarily the kind of faith that says, “The universe is going to give me the

Thread-the-Needle

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body YOGA

Anahatasana

anything that is not being freely given to you. You can’t force or manipulate someone to love you, it never works.

You can’t force intimacy. You can’t make someone love you. If someone doesn’t have the time or energy for you, don’t be a love vampire. And conversely, if someone is an energy vampire, and you feel drained every time you see them, that’s on you — set a boundary.

Brahmacharya: Energy control. This yama can be translated as using our body or “char”iot as a vehicle to reach Brahma or the highest. Most of us don’t use our body to connect to something greater than ourselves. Use your creative life force well.

At the minimum, don’t manipulate others, use intimacy for connection rather than further separation by reinforcing the ego.

Aparigraha: Non-grasping. Like nonattachment, this one is very challenging in practice. It requires us to be generous and open in the process of dating, while not grasping it too tightly with white knuckles.

If you love someone, let them go. And don’t compare your dating experiences to others.

Stay in your dating lane, run your own race.

Anjaneyasana

The sequence for dating

person I ask for!” Rather, it’s a deep faith that the universe is conspiring for your growth: that it will bring you people that facilitate that growth. If they’re not right for you, they will help you grow, show you who you really are and take you closer to yoga. Faith will allow you to be grateful for every single moment in the dating game: the good, the bad and the ugly. Because the universe always has your back. Date your best and then trust the rest.

Yamas or ethics The yamas in Patanjali’s “eight limbs” also provide excellent guidelines for dating.

Ahimsa: Be kind and compassionate. Try

Halasana

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not to hurt others. We cause harm when we are unconscious. Staying conscious in the process of dating is the work. When there’s a choice to be kind or cause harm, be kind. Ask: “What’s the kindest action for me to take in this moment with this human in front of me?”

Satya: Be honest. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Speak with honesty and clarity, but always put it through the ahimsa filter first — it may be true but is it kind? Also, don’t lie to yourself or others or pretend to be something you’re not. Be 100 per cent authentic you.

Asteya: Non-stealing. Don’t take

Matsyasana

In the crazy world of dating, notice the moments you allow the present experience to be hijacked by imagination and memory.

Instead, bring yourself back to the now. Do your best to notice when you’re triggered; soften, instead of harden. Have faith and don’t attach to results. Be conscious of how you treat others, treat them as you would like to be treated. Because, you’re really just dating yourself, and the most courageous and powerful act we can do in this lifetime is to swipe-right on ourselves.

This sequence is focused on the higher chakras, away from the “me, my, I” lower energetic centres. They pull us into the centres of the heart (anahata chakra), the communication centre (visshudha chakra) and our intuition (ajna chakra).

Throughout the practice, apply equal ratio

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Yoga and Wellness Retreats

Immerse yourself in all aspects of yoga and gain teaching skills. Byron Yoga Centre courses include the opportunity to teach real public classes to develop your experience and confidence.

Relax, recharge and reset healthy habits.

Book a retreat at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre and reap the benefits of some time out to focus on your wellbeing. Enjoy the holistic yoga and wellness programs and gain tools to take away.

info@byronyoga.com | www.byronyoga.com | 02 6685 8327

body YOGA

Balasana

The Gita said it, Patanjali said it, George Michael said it: “You gotta have faith.” Yogic faith is not necessarily the kind of faith that says, “The universe is going to give me the person I ask for!” Rather, it’s a deep faith that the universe is conspiring for your growth.

ujayii breath. Like fogging up a mirror with the mouth closed, keeping the inhale and exhale equal lengths.

Anahatasana Set up on all fours, keep hips above knees and walk the hands forward until the space between the eyebrows, ajna chakra, connects with the earth. Allow the head to be heavy and relax the neck. Lift the navel to the spine. Take five ujjayi breaths. Shift awareness into heart space, soften it and melt it down with every breath. Walk the hands back to all fours.

Anjaneyasana Step right foot between the hands.

Come up into a lunge, right knee above ankle. As you press the right foot down, interlace fingers behind the back.

Lengthen tailbone by picking frontal hip bones up. Open the heart upwards and send the wrists down towards the earth behind you. Shift awareness to the space between the eyebrows and gaze there, eyes open or closed. If it’s OK for your neck, open the throat without crunching or compressing back of neck. Take five conscious breaths, zipping up lower belly.

Place hands back to earth, either side of the feet, step the left foot forward, and replicate on the left side.

Halasana Lie on your back, arms either side of the body, engaging legs. Press the palms down and on an inhale, send the legs overhead, bend elbows and place them in lower back.

Extend legs or bend knees, especially if hamstrings or lower back are tight. Press back of head gently into the earth. Keep hips over shoulders and spine long. Take five breaths. Bend knees as you extend the arms and press palms down into the earth

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once more. Roll the spine down.

Matsyasana Lying on back, legs extended and feet together, point toes or flex feet. Walk hands towards feet as you move shoulders away from ears. On the inhale, press forearms down and lift chest up. Firm legs and navel to spine. Stay here or lengthen neck and open the throat, taking crown of head to the earth. Close the eyes and gaze internally between the eyebrows to ajna chakra. Five breaths. Lift head up as firming arms down and lower back to earth.

Meditation

Balasana Squeeze knees to navel, rock back and forth to sit, or straight into child’s pose.

Knees together, buttocks back to the heels.

Forehead on the earth or block. Feel the connection of the third eye centre with the earth. Relax the neck and allow head to be heavy. Focus your attention on ajna chakra.

Five breaths.

Meditation Choose a comfortable seat and close the eyes. Watch the breath moving in and out of the nostrils. Don’t modify the breath, let it be natural, and follow the inhale and exhale. Shift your awareness to the third eye centre, between the eyebrows. As you place your attention there, on the inhale think of the word “I” and on the exhale “trust”. Repeat the mantra as you continue to follow the breath. Feel this deepening connection with your intuition. This chakra is represented by the colour violet, so if you like to work with colours, you could see violet here. Sit for five minutes.

As a mama, writer, Play School presenter and yoga teacher, Rachael Coopes loves storytelling and yoga philosophy. A certified 800-hour Jivamukti teacher with more than 1000 hours of training and a decade of teaching, she currently facilitates yoga teacher training programs at BodyMindLife. She is eternally grateful to all her teachers.

Find photographer Tessa Tran @breathinglightphotography.

food FIBRE

Fibrous and fabulous food Fibre might not be the sexiest food group, but it is essential for keeping your digestive system happy. We explore how to up your intake.

Words LISA HOLMEN

P

rotein, carbohydrates and fats are usually high on the nutritional trend list but what about often-forgotten fibre?

Fibre is an essential part of our diet and can have a huge impact on our daily and long-term health. We all know we should consume it, but how much do we really need and what are the fibre-rich foods?

Unfortunately, many Australians aren’t getting enough fibre in their diet. Australian guidelines recommend adults eat at least 25 to 30 grams of fibre a day, and many fall short of this figure. Although its benefits are commonly linked to digestion and “keeping us regular”, the benefits of fibre don’t stop there. Here are some tips to pack more fibre into your diet to keep you and your gut feeling fabulous.

Dietary fibre, also known as “roughage”, is the parts of plant foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts which your body can’t digest or absorb. This means that fibre travels relatively intact through our digestive system, including the large intestine and colon where it is naturally fermented by good bacteria.

Fibre is crucial for keeping our digestive system happy. There are two types of fibre, soluble fibre and insoluble fibre — both have a unique role to play and are found in different foods.

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance which makes you feel full for longer. This type of fibre speeds up digestion and helps with digestive issues including constipation.

Foods high in soluble fibre include oats, legumes, fruits, vegetables, barley and psyllium to name just a few.

Insoluble fibre absorbs water rather than dissolves in it. This type of fibre is found in bran, whole wheat flour, skins of fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds. Rather than speeding up the digestive process, insoluble fibre helps soften stools and keep the bowels regular, which is particularly important for people suffering from constipation.

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Although it’s not classified as a specific fibre, resistant starch also has an important role to play in the process. Resistant starch functions like soluble fibre and feeds good bacteria through the short-chain fatty acids that live in our large intestines. This type of starch is found in grains, seeds, legumes, raw potatoes, cooked and cooled pasta, rice and slightly unripe bananas. If we don’t eat enough foods which are rich in resistant starch, the good bacteria get hungry and start feeding on other things in our bodies rather than the beneficial short-chain fatty acids. This can have a detrimental impact to the bowel and may cause damage to colon cells, a precursor to bowel cancer.

Adequate fibre intake in our diet is particularly important as we get older and our digestive system slows down.

Fibre is essential to keeping our gut happy. Adequate fibre intake in our diet is particularly important as we get older and our digestive system slows down. Fibre is most famous for maintaining bowel health since it increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it, making it easier to pass. Not only does this help constipation but it can help lower the risk of developing haemorrhoids, diverticulitis and colorectal cancer. A fibre-rich diet can also help increase the good bacteria in the gut.

Recent studies have suggested that fibre can have a positive impact on heart health by helping to lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. The soluble fibre found in bran, some legumes and flaxseed can lower the low-density lipoprotein, or “bad”, cholesterol levels. Fibre also binds to the cholesterol in our system and helps prevent it clogging our arteries.

Since fibre keeps you fuller and satisfied for longer, it is great for weight control. It

has the added benefit of binding to fat and sugar molecules, which limits calories from the foods you eat. Fibre is particularly beneficial for people with diabetes since it slows the absorption of sugar to help improve blood sugar levels. By regulating the blood sugar levels, it helps avoid insulin spikes which often make you feel drained.

This can have positive effects on energy levels throughout the day, helping to prevent the dreaded post-lunch slump.

Increasing the fibre in your diet Eat with the rainbow When it comes to fibre-rich foods, variety is key. Fibre is found mostly in wholefoods or plant foods that have little or no processing.

It’s recommended to consume at least two pieces of fruit and approximately two to three cups of vegetables (ideally five different vegetables) on a daily basis. Make sure you opt for high-fibre fruit and vegetables; fruits which are particularly high in fibre include apples, pears, berries and avocados, while high-fibre vegetables include artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and leafy greens.

Load your dinner plate with vegetables first to ensure you’re getting the fibre you need.

Skip the juices, since the juicing process removes a lot of the fibre and pulp. It’s best to eat the whole fruit and vegetables wherever possible. Alternatively, use a blender to whip up some fibre-rich smoothies and smoothie bowls.

Switch to wholegrains Fibre doesn’t stop with fruit and vegetables. It’s a good idea to consume primarily whole grains to boost your fibre intake. Aim to consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Make the switch from white, processed foods to grain and wholemeal varieties. This could be as simple as switching from white bread, rice and pasta to the brown and wholemeal alternatives. Just simply switching from a white to wholegrain sandwich can quadruple the amount of fibre we consume. Look for breads that list

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food FIBRE

Recent studies have suggested that fibre can have a positive impact on heart health by helping to lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. The soluble fibre found in bran, some legumes and flaxseed can lower the low-density lipoprotein, or “bad”, cholesterol levels.

“whole wheat” or “whole grain” as the first ingredient on the label.

You can also enjoy a sweet treat or two with healthy high-fibre options such as oats in banana pancakes and unprocessed wheat bran in muffins and cake. There are so many delicious wholegrains you can experiment with in the kitchen including wild rice, barley, whole buckwheat, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, bulgar, wheat germ and lentil pasta.

Up your water intake Drinking water is very important in a fibre-rich diet, particularly foods high in insoluble fibre as it absorbs water. Look at your urine throughout the day to see if you’re getting enough water. Apart from first thing in the morning, urine should be on the lighter side rather than dark amber or brown (this is a sign you are dehydrated). It’s recommended to drink at least six to eight large glasses of water each day to help make bowel motions softer and easier to pass.

Never skip breakfast!

Breakfast is another great way to sneak some extra fibre into your day, including wholegrains, nuts, seeds and fruits. Try sprinkling nuts, seeds and psyllium husks directly on your morning porridge or make a chia pudding topped with fresh fruit.

When it comes to cereals, look for ingredients high in wholegrains like rolled oats, bran and muesli. These should have

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approximately six grams of fibre per serve.

You can also add some extra fibre by including chia seeds, ground linseeds and grated apples on top of your morning cereal.

Make friends with chia seeds; they are the single best source of fibre at approximately 10 grams of fibre per serve. They are delicious in a chia pudding, sprinkled on a smoothie bowl, made into a jam or just added to oats in your morning porridge.

Boost your intake of legumes Whether it’s chickpeas, lentils, beans or peas, there is a lot to love about legumes.

They are full of nutrition and flavour and are excellent sources of fibre. A cup of cooked beans can deliver 75 per cent of your daily fibre needs. Get creative in the kitchen and trade meat for legumes; think a comforting veggie chilli con carne, lentil lasagne or chickpea and sweet potato curry or buddha bowl. Beans are also delicious in nachos and tacos, paired with plenty of fibre-rich veggies, or the perfect way to bulk up salads and soups.

Rethink your snacks Make snacks count towards your fibre intake. Trade sweets for healthy high-fibre snacks like nuts and seeds. Raw vegetable sticks and fruit are the perfect pair for a home-made grazing platter with guacamole or hummus. Dried fruits are great, but they should be eaten in moderation as they are high in sugars and calories. Popcorn is also a great option, as long as it’s not covered

with butter and salt. Since popcorn is a wholegrain it has approximately 4 grams of fibre per large serving.

Always check nutritional labels Be a savvy shopper and study the nutrition labels before you buy the product. Consider products which have at least 2.5 grams of fibre per serving, ideally 5 grams of fibre per serving for fibre-rich content. Look for the word “whole” on the ingredients list and opt for wholegrain rather than “multigrain”, which often means there are many different types of grains within the product, not specifically wholegrain. This is especially true for breads and breakfast cereals.

Keep the skin on your fruit and veg The skin on your fruit and vegetables is often the most fibre-dense, not to mention the highest in vitamins and nutrients, so when you can keep the peels on! This is effective for potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples and pears to name a few.

If your diet isn’t meeting your daily requirements of fibre there’s also the option of taking a fibre supplement, but it’s best to start with wholefoods from your diet first.

It’s a good idea to introduce more fibre gradually, especially if you usually have a diet low in fibre. Too much fibre can cause gastrointestinal upsets like gas, bloating and cramping. Introducing more fibre slowly allows your digestive system to adjust and won’t be as much of a shock to the system.

Lisa Holmen is a food and travel writer and photographer. Her aim is to “eat the world” one inch at a time and explore as many different cuisines and cultures as possible. Follow Lisa’s journey at lisaeatsworld.com.

wellbeing tv WITH DR JACINTA DI PRINZIO

From the WellBeing team Welcome to WellBeing TV, a new feature in collaboration with some of our favourite brands and wellness wizards.

As Australians become increasingly health-conscious, we want to bring you honest tips and insights straight from the experts themselves. Whatever wellness you’re seeking, join us on this holistic health journey as we meet and get inspired by the industry’s best.

In this WellBeing TV feature, we speak to Dr Jacinta Di Prinzio, an integrative chiropractor, holistic lifestyle coach and personal trainer. Dr Di Prinzio shares her self-care tips for embracing your femininity, naturally.

For more information, visit wellbeingmag.tv or follow us on Instagram @wellbeing_magazine.

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cottons

Go slow with your flow Your menstrual cycle should not be a source a shame, but a time to slow down, take care and embrace your magic. Chiropractor, lifestyle coach and personal trainer Dr Jacinta Di Prinzio shares her self-care tips for this special time of the month.

Words DR JACINTA DI PRINZIO

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wellbeingtv COTTONS

For more, visit wellbeingmag.tv and cottons.com.au.

Take care of yourself Your period is a totally natural part of you, so your products should be too. Protect your body inside and out by choosing products like Cottons Organic which are free from dyes and scents, and made with certified organic cotton.

Look for products that are certified organic cotton, GMO-free, no chlorine bleach, no dyes or scents and naturally low irritant. If you’re not sure what’s contained in your sanitary items, check the ingredients list on the pack.

Journal and meditate Journaling is a wonderful tool for self-care.

During your period, hormone levels decline, which heightens the communication between both sides of your brain (the thinking and the feeling side). This means that you will be much more intuitive and clear on big picture topics, making it a perfect time to journal and meditate.

Go for a nature walk We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. It can restore our mood, boost our energy and vitality, and refresh and rejuvenate us. Use this time to connect with our beautiful Earth by walking barefoot in the sand or grass.

Be sure to be present and admire the smells, sights and sounds along the way, and take this time to feel naturally grounded.

Do something kind for yourself

“O

h hey, I have my period today.” Did that make you uncomfortable? Well, it shouldn’t. Your period, or monthly moon (or whatever you prefer to call it) is a magical part of being a woman.

Without it humanity would not exist; your favourite people would still be stardust. Your monthly flow is something that should be celebrated, not hidden or shamed.

For too long women have been embarrassed to own this sacred part of themselves. We have been trained to sneak sanitary pads to the bathroom; to peel off the sticky strip slowly so as not to make a sound; to fake a headache during school sports class because the truth, shrouded in taboo, would make the male sports teacher uncomfortable.

Get on with it, get it done, cover it up, slap on a smile and push through, all while literally bleeding. That’s the culture that has been celebrated and supported. Well, I say no more.

No more sneaking through the “feminine hygiene” aisle. No more lowering of our

voices when we say the word “period”. No more dosing up on painkiller after painkiller just to prove our worth through productivity.

It is time to go slow with your flow.

Next time you are on your monthly, try these tips to slow down, recharge and honour the powerful woman within.

Drink cacao There is a reason that chocolate is a girl’s best friend. Raw pure cacao is rich in magnesium, which has been shown to relax the smooth muscle of the uterus and reduce prostaglandins that cause period pain. Add a pinch of pure cinnamon to your cup for added anti-inflammatory benefits.

Thank your body for all of the fantastic things it does for you every day by buying yourself flowers, running yourself a warm bath or treating yourself to a relaxing massage.

Indulge in whatever fills up your cup.

As an integrative chiropractor, holistic lifestyle coach and personal trainer with 11 years’ experience in the health and wellness industry, Dr Di Prinzio has worked with over 1000 clients. She helps them heal from the inside out, naturally, using a complete mind, body and soul approach.

For more, visit wellbeingmag.tv and cottons.com.au.

Binge watch Yes please to endless hours on the sofa with a hot-water bottle and every episode of your favourite series. This is not a time to feel guilty for your endless to-do list. Take the time now to be the best type of couch potato you can be — everything else can wait.

For too long women have been embarrassed to own this sacred part of themselves … Get on with it, get it done, cover it up, slap on a smile and push through, all while literally bleeding.

Cottons Organic new certified organic range is made with the best-quality cotton. They are proudly GMO-free, naturally low irritant with no chlorine bleaches and scents. Cottons Organic has no synthetic “sleeves” on their tampons, making them healthier for you and the Earth. For more, visit cottons.com.au.

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Authenticity n 1 The quality of being real or true.

Photo: Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash

In the wake of the chaos and upheaval of the past two years, it’s natural to feel a little lost. This period has caused many of us to rethink what’s important to us — our values, the fundamental aspects that make us who we are, what sparks a fire within us, what kind of person we want to be. Authenticity is not about being your “best self” and hiding your flaws; it’s about being your “authentic self”, recognising your flaws, embracing your imperfections and allowing love and compassion into your life. Putting your most authentic self on display may come with some risks; not everyone will accept your true self, but the fear of not being liked causes us to put on a façade in the first place. When you take off the mask and are true to yourself, a whole new sense of purpose and fulfilment blooms. Let this season be the beginning of a new chapter in your story, one where you are true to your inner-most feelings and desires. When you are ready take some time out, breathe deeply and ask yourself: what does your most authentic self look like?

What you find may surprise you in the most delightful of ways.

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thinkers & doers GILL HICKS

Gill Hicks

A lasting impression In 2005, Gill Hicks’ life was changed forever when she lost both her legs in the London terrorist attack. In the 16 years since, the speaker, activist, author and curator has dedicated her life to campaigning for world peace.

Words JESSICA LEE

W

hen Gill Hicks lost both her legs and nearly her life in the July 7, 2005, terrorist attack in the London Underground, it brought her face to face with the horrors of terrorism. But it also showed her the depths of human compassion, love and empathy.

Hicks has risen to become a voice of hope and optimism, and a passionate advocate for peace. Her story and journey have captured the hearts and minds of many, and her work through her charity M.A.D. for Peace (Make A Difference for Peace) has won her numerous awards, including an MBE and OAM. Hicks is the embodiment of warmth, compassion, intelligence and optimism.

She has a real thirst for life and a desire to push her limits; to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the London bombing, Hicks abseiled Adelaide’s tallest building.

Our shared humanity To be confronted by a sudden disability and the grief that comes with that is no easy thing. To then leave your old life behind in search of something more meaningful amounts to a seismic shift.

But that’s exactly what Hicks did, leaving behind a successful creative career in London to dedicate her life to promoting peace and fighting extremism.

“I didn’t have to make a choice, it was like I had arrived in it,” she says. “Ultimately everything started from a place of feeling absolutely euphoric I was alive … beyond appreciative and grateful — euphoric! It made me think deeply about the gift of life and I felt an incredible sense of love.

“I became aware of the ‘rubbish of life’, the trappings of the banality of everyday that we often don’t recognise as banality

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until we’re on the other side of this Perspex wall. It was like the world changed. But I suddenly realised the world hadn’t changed, I had. The question became: ‘How do I tell an unchanged world what is possible?’ That began the quest!”

Amid the horror scenes in the London underground that July day, Hicks was confronted with the worst, but also the best of humanity. “People were willing to risk their lives to enter a situation that was completely horrific and unknown,” she says. “They put themselves at risk trying to save as many lives as they could.

My life was seen as far more important to save than their own. That love of humanity, connection, empathy and duty is extraordinary! I experienced the ‘us’ that I know us to be.”

The “us” Hicks experienced was present among those in the train carriage after the bomb went off. “There’s this etiquette in London when you’re commuting where you don’t talk to anyone and you don’t look at anyone. We’ve all signed up to this unwritten rule and it’s become a way of life,” she says.

“In a horrific situation, that conditioning

evaporated in a second. While we waited for rescue, we all helped each other.”

After the bomb blast, the survivors held each other’s hands and called out their names in a roll call of life, “I’m Gill.

I’m here. I’m alive,” Hicks recalls saying.

“We kept each other alive, buoyant, connected and together.” Tragically, in the hour Gill waited to be rescued, the others in her carriage passed away. Each year, Gill honours their lives by placing a flower in the ocean and lighting a candle.

One of Hicks’ guiding principles is that there is more that unites us than divides us. When you strip away the social conditioning, she explains, you are better able to connect with people, no matter your differences. “I don’t understand how we can lose a sense of seeing ourselves in others. We need to connect with others on a human level and to feel a deep sense of empathy for each other.”

Disasters often bring people together, but Hicks wants to see this connection and empathy without adversity, loss and trauma.

While cultural and systemic change is often hard and slow, Hicks believes peace begins with the individual; with how you live, how you think and the small actions you take in your day-to-day life.

The most important shift you can make is realising how precious and fleeting your life is, she says. “We live with the absolute knowledge that we will die. This is the most unifying thing of all.

The price of life is death; that’s the only thing that should motivate us and should mean we live each day like we are on the edge of our seat! That is a big task … we have a lot to do!”

According to Hicks, it all starts with ourselves. How you think about yourself informs how you treat others, she says.

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thinkers & doers GILL HICKS

Creative healing

We must extend empathy towards ourselves through self-compassion: “The relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship we will ever have.” It’s a lesson she is teaching her eight-year-old daughter Amelie. “It starts with ‘I am my greatest love.’ Once that relationship has formed, everything becomes clear and it helps you make good choices and not harbour negativity.”

The power of the mind Mindset has always been an important part of how Hicks has chosen to respond to her life and how she has been able to find opportunity in adversity. “I see life as an unfolding of situations and it’s how we interpret those situations that matters.

I don’t see things as fate, but more as a catalyst of change,” she says.

It’s hardly a new philosophy, but Hicks is a big believer in the power of our thoughts.

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“The impact your thoughts can have on your life is profound,” she says. “A single thought can influence our actions or inactions; a single negative thought can stop us from achieving. Being conscious where our thoughts are leading us and why they are leading us there is so important.

The freedom in that is extraordinary; even if we are constrained physically, it doesn’t stop the mind!”

While it’s tempting to label life events as “good” or “bad”, Hicks prefers to focus on what she terms gathering experiences.

“Whatever we go through, good or bad (and our perception of good and bad), we are creating an ‘experience CV’. It means whatever you go through in life you can draw upon that experience.

“At the end of our life we can say: ‘I’ve had a great CV, I’ve built a lot of wisdom.’

I think the meaning of life is to find your meaning in life; it’s a great riddle of sorts.”

Hicks has added to her own experience CV and pushed her limits over the last few years, working on a range of creative projects that have brought her back to her creative roots.

“I’d left my creativity in a basket to the side that I called ‘Life number one’. I felt like my purpose was to concentrate on countering extremist narrative and working in the hard edge of peace building.”

That changed when she was asked to do a painting to raise money for a charity in 2014. Hicks admits to feeling nervous stepping back into the art space, but while she was painting, she experienced an incredible feeling of becoming one with the paint and canvas — the unique beauty and joy of being totally in flow. “I knew in that moment I needed to go back to painting.

I’d dismissed my creative life because it didn’t feel ‘on purpose’. I felt I needed to be solving extremism and I dismissed who I really was in my soul.”

Since becoming a double amputee, Hicks has become fascinated by the idea of footprints. As she began painting again, footprints started to feature strongly in her work. “These little feet would create mandalas and the mandalas would be telling stories about humanity, how we are the same but slightly different, and why that’s OK. As someone who is a double amputee without feet, I thought my natural place was to talk by using footprints. To bring a levelling to us as empathetic beings. To say we all leave an impression, we all leave a footprint.”

Her deepest creative healing, however, came when she stepped onto the stage earlier this year at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. In her show Still Alive (and Kicking) Hicks took her audience on a journey of song, music and video, to share her experience of the London terrorist attack and explore what’s truly important in life.

Performing every night, 12 shows in all, with a black tutu made from an incredible amount of tulle, it was an impressive feat and her performances received rave reviews. The experience had a profound impact on Hicks, bringing a renewed sense of wholeness and joy to her life.

“It has been extraordinary,” she says.

“It saved my soul! When music came into my life, I felt connected again. It was like being whole for the first time in 16 years.

For someone who is not whole, who has lost both legs, to feel this enormity of presence and to feel connected again, it’s incredible.

To feel fully present and fully me — that’s what the Fringe performances did for me. I realised this is what real purpose feels like.”

There is great power in expressing ideas creatively. Art often succeeds where words

alone can’t. “Art is its own language,” says Hicks. “It’s a language that everyone can interpret. Art talks to the soul and informs the mind. The heart influences the mind, which means it can change opinions.”

Hicks is a passionate communicator.

She founded M.A.D. for Peace, a nonprofit organisation that focuses on communicating the importance of individual responsibility when it comes to ending extremism, conflict and violence in 2007. That grew to birth consultancy firm M.A.D. Minds and, most recently, Hicks has launched Music Art Discussion (still M.A.D.), which explores how creative expression can be used to promote peace and connection. Hicks has come full circle, back to her full expression as a creative and a change-maker.

This year marks 16 years since the bombing. There is no doubt the terrorist

attack changed Hicks in profound ways, but in so many ways she is still the same woman she always was. She has always been defiant, with big ambitions, huge amounts of courage, a great sense of humour and a love for people. As she puts it: “I am still me, but on steroids!”

With so much still to share, Hicks won’t be wasting a minute of her precious life. She is currently working on three new creative projects: a cookbook titled Breaking the Bread that will tell the stories of survival through recipes; a children’s book series, Tricky Trickster, about a mischievous daughter with a very curious mind; and a podcast called Who Cares? in which she interviews people working in fields that make a positive difference to the world.

While Hicks might not leave a physical footprint any more, she

has made an enormous impression on the world. She has shifted the conversation around peace and unity, promoting sameness over difference and empathy over hate. With her precious understanding of how fragile life is, she calls us all to live our lives to the full, to stop for a moment and ask the important questions of our lives: “How much are you giving?” “How light is your footprint?”

“How deep is your impression?”

Jessica Lee is a performance and mindset coach, speaker and writer. She is passionate about helping people use brain-based strategies to achieve their goals and increase their health, happiness and creativity. She runs The Spark Effect Academy, an online performance and mindset program. Get in touch with Jessica at jessica@thesparkeffect. com.au or via thesparkeffect.com.au.

“I’d left my creativity in a basket to the side that I called ‘Life number one’. I felt like my purpose was to concentrate on countering extremist narrative and working in the hard edge of peace building.”

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body MUD

Mud, marvellous mud We scold our children for playing in it and lament it trodden into the carpet, but mud has long been celebrated for its healing benefits. Widely used for its skin-perfecting properties, research also suggests it could hold the key to significant advances in medicine and antibiotic resistance.

Words JO JUKES

T

here are more living things in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on the planet, according to the James Hutton Institute, a scientific research institute in Scotland.

It’s no secret that mud is often used in baths and facials to soften the skin, but research also suggests that elements of mud may hold answers for the future of medicine, pain relief and antibiotic resistance.

And it’s not just physical health that mud can benefit; a bacterium commonly found in soil has been found to alter the behaviour of laboratory mice in the same way as antidepressants, and could pave the way for a future “stress vaccine” to help minimise the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions.

Since the pandemic, many of us have become clean fanatics. But when dirt holds the key to many health benefits, we shouldn’t be afraid to get our hands dirty.

By definition, mud can be a mixture of soil, clay, silt, minerals and earth; when mixed with water it takes a liquid form. Clay is a soft rock-based compound and is often one of the elements that come together to make mud.

You have probably come into contact with some of the more common types of clay, like French green clay or bentonite clay, both of which have purifying properties and are often utilised in skincare products to help balance oily or acne-prone skin.

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Photography Getty Images

What is mud?

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body MUD

The use of mud in health and beauty treatments isn’t new. Cleopatra is perhaps the most famous mud-enthusiast; the Queen of Egypt founded the world’s first spa, located by the Dead Sea, and was allegedly said to use mud-wraps to keep her skin looking youthful. Today, people still travel from around the world to float in the Dead Sea and lather themselves in mud in the name of smooth, glowing skin.

Closer to home, New Zealand Mãori have used geothermal muds and sulphurous waters in traditional healing practices for centuries to soothe their battle-scarred bodies. New Zealand is home to some of the most active geothermal activity in the world, and the Rotorua region on the North Island is home to Hell’s Gate, the country’s only geothermal mud spa.

Mud baths Mud baths are perhaps the most common way to reap the benefits of mud. I visited the Hell’s Gate mud spa for exactly that reason. Holding my breath a little to avoid the smell of rotting eggs (caused by the mineral-rich sulphur water), I immersed myself in the warm water, slathering clumps of mud onto my arms, back and face. Washing it off some 20 minutes later, my skin felt softer and smoother, with a slight tingle. Was it just a placebo?

Science suggests not.

Mark Frazer is a tour guide at Hell’s Gate. According to Frazer, the mud at the geothermal spa is so healing that it’s

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medically certified and was once supplied to a local hospital. “[Hell’s Gate] used to supply black mud to a hospital in Rotorua, which treated people with ailments like arthritis and rheumatism,” says Frazer.

The key mineral that helps ease aches and pains is magnesium, but the geothermal mud also contains silica, alumina, calcium, iron, titanium, sulphur, phorsphorus, sodium and potassium.

Such minerals are also beneficial for acne-prone skin, particularly the bactericidal properties of sulphur, which kills bacteria and assists in the prevention and elimination of acne. “We had a young fellow here three years ago,” says Frazer, “working during the summer for a couple of months. He had chronic acne. We put him on a program of using the mud on his face once a day, and when he left, that acne was virtually clear.”

The benefits of mud baths aren’t unique to New Zealand. In 2010, a study published in the Rheumatology International journal explored the efficacy of mud packs and baths as a treatment for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Researchers based at Rome’s Sapienza University separated patients into two groups; one underwent three cycles of mud-based spa therapy over the course of a year, and the other did not.

Overall, the mud-bath therapy remarkably improved the clinical conditions of patients with knee arthritis and significantly reduced the frequency and severity of symptoms.

Mud baths are not recommended for pregnant people, those with high or low blood pressure or with certain health

conditions. If you’re unsure then consult with your doctor before taking one.

Injuries and trauma Mud and clay are also used to help heal and soothe trauma sites on the body.

Mud-packing is an alternative therapy that has been used for centuries to help heal injuries, old wounds, aches and pains. Clay is mixed with herbal fluids to increase its detoxification properties and it’s applied to specific areas of the body such as scars and surgery or pain sites, and left on for around 10 minutes before being washed off.

Gary Beck is a naturopath who has been practising for over two decades and specialises in mud-packing. “Mud-packing is a tool used to help overcome some form of trauma or blockage in the body,” says Beck. “More specifically, it’s used to unblock energy flow in areas that have become blocked or traumatised. The term I use is that the trauma has caused an ‘interference field’. If you can envisage the meridian system used in acupuncture or Traditional Chinese Medicine, you may get a feel for how an area at one end of your body may in fact be affecting another part of your body.”

Practitioners believe that trauma blocks the flow of energy and disrupts how that energy communicates with organs, hormones and the body’s nervous system and energy centres, and that mud-packing treatments can help alleviate these issues.

Mineral-rich mud In 2002, the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology reported the results of a small study

Photo: Sandie Clarke on Unsplash

Centuries of healing

conducted with mud pack treatments for knee arthritis. A group treated with natural mineral-rich mud compresses had a significant reduction in knee pain, but another group, given mineral-depleted mud compresses, had no significant change.

Not all mud is made equal. You can’t simply scoop a handful of mud from your garden and expect magical results; the key is mineral-rich mud.

Dr Zara Celik, a chiropractic doctor and owner of Melbourne’s Amara Wellness Centre, explains that high-quality mud is essential. Mud products can be purchased directly from professionals, but if you’re keen to make your own, Dr Celik recommends buying certified organic mud or clay, which you can mix with water or food-grade rosewater to form a paste.

Massage onto your skin, leave to dry for oily skin, or almost dry for dehydrated skin, and wash off with a warm damp cloth.

Depending on what you want to achieve with your skin, you can add extra elements to the clay for a nourishing facial boost.

“We sell certified organic clay here at the Wellness Centre. [Clients] can just mix it with water and apply, or they can put serum in it if their skin’s really dehydrated and dry,” says Dr Celik. “I also recommend using raw aloe vera gel extract, blended and added to the clay, for skin that is dehydrated or very itchy, particularly for eczema or rosacea.”

Opioid alternative One of the newer and more innovative breakthroughs in using mud for health purposes has nothing to do with slathering it on your skin, but its potential for the future of antibiotics and pain relief medicine. In 2019, a sample of estuarine mud taken in Tasmania 16 years before has yielded a potential new class of painkiller as potent as opioids, but without their disadvantages. The properties of the mud’s marine fungi have the potential to bypass many of the negative side effects associated with traditional pain relief, including increased tolerance and addiction.

Professor Rob Capon is one of the researchers who made the discovery.

Professor Capon is a professorial research fellow at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience. His research specialises in the search for molecules from nature that can be used to solve important scientific issues.

The potential of the findings from the Tasmanian mud are still being explored and, unfortunately, Capon’s research faces many obstacles. “It’s very expensive to get a new analgesic (painkiller) onto the

That feeling of joy you get after an afternoon of digging in the garden isn’t just the satisfaction of a hard day’s work — there’s a science behind it. Good bacteria … have the potential to boost our mood.

market,” Professor Capon explains. “A lot of the large pharmaceutical companies have stepped away from even trying on the grounds they don’t want to run the risk of failure. They would rather focus on a different type of drug, which has a higher risk to market profile. So it’s a commercial challenge to get a new analgesic funded through the development phase.”

After the initial discovery, Professor Capon’s findings have now been passed onto researchers at the University of Sydney who have expertise in pharmacology and neuroscience for the next phase of experiments. Capon is hopeful that the researchers can put a strong enough case together to approach a major pharmaceutical company in the future.

Antibiotic resistance Pain relief isn’t the only discovery found in the study of mud; it could also pave the way for new antibiotics. As superbugs become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and threaten to cause 10 million deaths per year worldwide by 2050, researchers are desperately looking for answers.

“One of the other [findings] we have, which is progressing even better, comes from a soil sample from a desert region in North Queensland,” says Professor Capon.

“It gave us a bacterium on that occasion, rather than a fungus, and produced molecules that we discovered are very effective at killing tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant strains of tuberculosis.”

Research is still ongoing, and Professor Capon’s team also runs the Soils for Science program, inviting Australians to donate samples of mud from their backyard so the researchers can study them to see what other medical advances could be made. Details can be found on their website (https://imb.uq.edu.au/soilsforscience).

Stress buster That feeling of joy you get after an afternoon of digging in the garden isn’t just the satisfaction of a hard day’s work — there’s a science behind it.

Good bacteria in soil form part of the microbiomes that build our resistance to illness and fight the bad bacteria that causes infection, and the good bacteria

also have the potential to boost our mood.

In 2007, researchers from Bristol University and University College London carried out experiments using laboratory mice, and discovered that a “friendly” soil-dwelling bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae activated brain cells to produce serotonin (“the happy hormone”) and altered the mice’s behaviour in a similar way to antidepressants.

Another study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016, showed that injections of M. vaccae prior to a stressful event could prevent a “PTSD-like” syndrome in mice, fending off stress-induced colitis and making the animals behave in a less anxious manner when stressed again later.

This study was led by Christopher Lowry, associate professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. Associate Professor Lowry hopes this bacterium could potentially be used to develop a microbe-based “stress vaccine”.

“We are hoping that M. vaccae NCTC 11659 [a strain of the bacterium] could be used for prevention of PTSD,” says Professor Lowry. “For example, by initiating a treatment regimen after trauma.

Alternatively, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 could be used for prevention in individuals with a high risk of future trauma exposure, such as active military personnel, first responders or nurses in COVID-19 intensive care units.”

Research is ongoing and showing positive results to date, and once funding is secured, researchers are planning to take their findings to clinical trials.

Mud is more than just a nuisance when it’s trailed through the house. It holds an array of health and wellbeing benefits, some of which are paving the way for the future of medicine — something to remember next time you’re digging in the dirt or clapping the mud off your shoes.

A teaspoon of soil holds endless possibilities for health and wellbeing.

Jo Jukes is a British-born freelance writer based in Sydney. She loves waking up to the sound of the ocean, and writes about travel, health and wellbeing. Find her on Instagram @what_ joey_did_next.

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body ESSENTIAL OILS

Soothing oils for pregnancy Pregnancy is a magical time, but it can also be uncomfortable in many ways. Whether it’s an aching back or increased levels of stress and anxiety, essential oils can alleviate many common pregnancy complaints and make this time that bit more comfortable.

P

regnancy is an exciting time filled with anticipation and joy. It is also a time of transformation in which your body goes through aches and pains, hormone fluctuations and many other changes — not to mention the emotional shifts as you move from one trimester to another. Add to the mix a rapidly changing body, and pregnancy can be quite a challenging time.

It’s natural to search for remedies that will help with pregnancy complaints. One such intervention is the use of essential oils and aromatherapy, which is quickly becoming commonplace among pregnant women. But there are a few things to watch out for in order to ensure the safety of you and your baby. It is critical to understand what essential oils to use and how to use them during the three trimesters and when you’re in labour.

As aromatherapy expert and author of A Scented Life, Pat Princi-Jones says, “It is important to respect the healing potential of pure essential oils and take into account that they are 70 times stronger than their plant counterpart.”

Essential oils are volatile liquids derived from various plants through steam or hydro-distillation of leaves, roots, seeds, flowers or bark. Only some oils, like citrus oils, are cold-pressed. Essentially, a large amount of plant material produces only a small amount of concentrated oil, which is present in all plant organs and leaves at a low concentration of 0.1 to 1 per cent, with some exceptions such as clove oil, which has a 10 per cent concentration.

The chemical composition of each essential oil is unique, depending on the plant source. But all oils primarily consist of terpenes, which give the oils their distinct aromas and impart powerful antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving abilities — just by using a small amount.

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“In order to fully appreciate why essential oils have such an immediate and profound impact on our psyche and body, we need to understand two physiological processes: how the olfactory system works and how essential oils are absorbed into the body,” says Princi-Jones.

When essential oils are inhaled, millions of receptor cells in the nose send messages through the olfactory nerve to the limbic system — the part of the brain responsible for memory, emotions and behaviour. Within milliseconds, the limbic system analyses the odour message and

… the use of essential oils in pregnancy is a controversial topic. One of the primary concerns is that there is not enough research into how essential oils impact the developing foetus. conveys it to other parts of the brain that control blood pressure, breathing, stress levels, heart rate and hormone balance.

The biological processes of inhaled essential oils by the olfactory system can have a profound impact on our overall health and wellbeing.

“When applied topically, essential oil compounds are absorbed into the body through the pores of the skin, the sweat glands and the hair follicles,” says Princi-Jones. Because essential oils can dissolve in fat, they are able to penetrate the skin’s natural fat and disperse into underlying organs and tissues.

“One of the wonders of aromatherapy is that the healing powers of essential oils can be utilised for just about any condition or phase in a woman’s life, and pregnancy

is no exception,” explains Princi-Jones.

“Essential oils are capable of enhancing mood, balancing hormones and helping with those annoying discomforts often experienced during this time.”

But the use of essential oils in pregnancy is a controversial topic. One of the primary concerns is that there is not enough research into how essential oils impact the developing foetus. When applied topically, essential oils penetrate the skin or other tissues within a matter of 20 minutes and can even cross the blood–brain barrier. This is a concern that because the placenta is known to be permeable to many essential oils, there is an increased risk of toxicity to the foetus.

While the level of toxicity depends on the plasma concentration of the essential oil, the foetus is less likely to tolerate these substances than the mum-to-be, according to Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, authors of Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals.

“The dangers of systemic toxicity increase tenfold with oral administration,” says Princi-Jones, emphasising that essential oils should not be ingested during pregnancy as the amount of essential oil reaching the foetus can be high. But if applied topically, either through massage or a compress with a recommended dilution of less than 1 per cent, or no more than four drops in a bath, then the amount of essential oil that reaches the placenta is minuscule.

The International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA) pregnancy guidelines state that “small amounts of essential oils can be beneficial to the baby and there are no recorded instances of harm being caused to the child through essential oils used in aromatherapy massage.”

According to IFPA, it’s important to remember the extra layer of fat you develop under the skin by the second trimester acts as a barrier between the essential oil and

Photo: Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

Words MEENA AZZOLLINI

your growing baby. The essential oils are absorbed and dissolve in the fat from where it releases slowly into other tissues.

“Given essential oil use is trending at present, extra care needs to be taken to ensure you are choosing a true and authentic essential oil from a reputable supplier,” adds Princi-Jones. “It’s important to do some of your own research and above all make sure you trial all of the oils and the impact they have on you before you commence use.”

First trimester The first 13 weeks of your pregnancy are most crucial as your baby develops major organs, and any risk to the baby should be avoided. Some essential oils are also linked to uterine contractions, and with no clear evidence available they can potentially put

you and your baby’s health at risk.

“Don’t use oils topically at all during this time,” warns Princi-Jones. “Simply diffuse a few drops of your favourite citrus peel for a one hour interval, such as lemon or tangerine to uplift your spirits.” Experts also warn against the use of aromatherapy products during the first trimester, as these products contain essential oils.

Recommended oils to diffuse (only) for your first trimester: Ginger, lavender, lemon, mandarin, Roman camomile, spearmint, tangerine.

Second and third trimesters By the second and third trimester, your

baby is more developed, and you can use specific oils topically through massage or in a bath, provided you are having a healthy pregnancy.

Aimee Sing, a Blue Mountains-based doula, lactation expert and mum of three, says she used essential oils in the second and third trimesters after consulting with an aromatherapist. “I mostly used lavender essential oil for easing headaches, nausea and for sleep, it made such a massive difference!” she says. “I also used wild orange essential oil during the later parts of my pregnancy to provide an energy boost.” In her third trimester, Sing found these oils to be particularly helpful in easing uncomfortable symptoms associated with fatigue, hormonal headaches, sleeplessness and restless legs.

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body ESSENTIAL OILS

“One of the wonders of aromatherapy is that the healing powers of essential oils can be utilised for just about any condition or phase in a woman’s life, and pregnancy is no exception.”

Melbourne-based mum of two, aromatherapist and infant massage instructor Catherine Cervasio used a blend of camomile and lemon to relieve heaviness and pain in her legs, occurring in the later part of her pregnancy. “The lemon historically said to be a ‘vasoconstrictor’ [helps support vein wall strength] perfectly balanced with the earthy aroma of the camomile,” she says.

Essential oils are used in the second and third trimesters for several pregnancy complaints, including for relieving aches and pains, for restful sleep, to uplift moods, to alleviate nervous tension and for relaxation. One of the most common concerns is the appearance of stretch marks, affecting almost 90 per cent of women. Certain essential oils have shown promising results in reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

Cervasio, who has developed an awardwinning brand of natural skincare, applied a blend of petitgrain and mandarin together with organic rose hip and natural vitamin E oil to minimise stretch marks during her first pregnancy. “By the time I was in my second pregnancy I had developed this fabulous blend into an even richer, moisturising mix with avocado and jojoba oils.”

Stress is another common complaint during pregnancy, along with mood swings and emotional ups and downs, although excessive stress can increase your risk for certain complications such as pre-eclampsia, miscarriage, preterm birth and low birth weight for your baby.

Some essential oils are useful for relieving stress and have been known for their calming effect on the mind. “I believe using essential oils in vaporisers around the house or placing a drop of oil on the collar of my clothes played a big part in

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being able to cope with stress,” says Gold Coast-based aromatherapist and prenatal massage therapist Carley Borman, who experienced extreme stress during her first pregnancy and found that using bergamot, geranium and patchouli helped her manage her stress levels. “I also managed early pregnancy nausea the same way, wearing peppermint oil on my collar.”

Another popular essential oil known for its calming effect is lavender oil, derived from lavender flowers. Studies have shown the relaxing benefits of lavender oil, and when properly used during pregnancy and labour it can calm the nerves, soothe aches and pains and even reduce labour pain.

“Some people are turned off by lavender, but this could be because a particular variety isn’t appealing,” says Cervasio. “I love French lavender, which is softer and truer to ‘lavender’ compared to, say, a more camphorous lavender, often grown in the lower regions.” For those who don’t like the smell of lavender, rose oil is a great option. This floral oil, often associated with the heart chakra, is known to reduce stress and can alleviate anxiety during labour.

Studies have found Roman camomile oil has a gentle relaxing effect on the central nervous system, thus encouraging stress relief and even offering relief from migraines.

Geranium oil is another effective option, proven to be effective in reducing anxiety in the first stage of labour.

Recommended oils for second and third trimesters: Bergamot, frankincense, grapefruit, lime, neroli, patchouli, petitgrain, rose absolute, sandalwood.

Increasingly, essential oils are becoming a staple in birth plans and are a part of an extensive toolkit used by doulas and midwives during labour.

A 2011 Cochrane review discovered that the pain associated with labour was less in women who used aromatherapy; they also showed lower anxiety scores. Other potential benefits seen were a reduction in diastolic blood pressure and shortened labour. The participants in the review used different methods of applying essential oils, including using essential oil in a warm footbath.

Another British study of 8000 women giving birth using aromatherapy showed that 50 per cent of the mothers found the use of essential oil during labour to be helpful. Participants rated rose and peppermint oil to be most useful.

According to Mem Davis, a naturopath and doula, essential oils used during labour should be based on personal preferences.

“During labour, a woman’s sense of smell is altered and is often far more sensitive; she may dislike the smell of some oils that she would usually tolerate.”

Essential oils are deeply connected to our memories. “Few things move us so profoundly as the sense of smell and the memories and emotions it evokes,” says Princi-Jones. These memories can be either positive or negative, and using certain oils during labour can trigger emotional memories connected to the scent of the oil, thus intensifying the experience of birth. That’s why experts recommend testing essential oils before using for labour.

Davis uses a small selection of oils for her clients during the last trimester and for birth for safety reasons. “I use clary sage for massaging around the feet and ankles, particularly during the last couple of weeks when there are signs of pre-labour,” she says. “During labour, I keep lavender handy for a calm environment, citrus or jasmine for boosting mood and energy, and peppermint for nausea.” She also recommends using

Photo: Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash

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body ESSENTIAL OILS

First trimester Morning sickness: Diffuse one drop each of ginger, lemon and spearmint before retiring and upon waking. Breathe deeply.

Alternatively, add the drops to a dish of steaming water and place it by your bed.

Skin: Moisturise your skin with jojoba oil to help prevent stretch marks and promote suppleness.

Warm one teaspoon between your hands and massage gently over the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks in a circular motion for a gorgeous glow that protects and nourishes the skin. Regular use of jojoba is nourishing and regenerating to the skin.

To diffuse: Lavender and Roman camomile.

Second and third trimesters Stretch mark prevention: Add two drops each of Roman camomile, frankincense, lavender, mandarin and neroli to 80mL of jojoba or coconut oil. Warm a few drops between your fingertips and apply gently to your skin.

The oil keeps for three months if stored in a cool dark place.

Melancholy: A weekly bath is comforting and can help with those unpredictable mood swings.

Add one drop each of lavender, mandarin and neroli to one tablespoon of jojoba and add to warm bath water. Swirl to disperse oils, and soak for 15 minutes with knees bent and your head gently resting on your knees.

Aching back: Add one drop each of lavender and neroli to a wet washer and apply cloth to lower back area until the cloth gets cold.

Repeat compress.

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Don’t ingest essential oils.

Don’t apply topically in the first trimester.

Use in a diffuser for the safest option.

Buy premium-grade oils only from a reputable supplier.

Always dilute essential oils in a carrier oil such as jojoba, coconut or sweet almond.

Don’t exceed the dosage recommendation.

Consult your doctor and an aromatherapist before using.

Essential oils generally regarded as safe during pregnancy This list can vary as there is very little research and clinical trials available to support their use. We can only be guided by an understanding of the chemical compounds found in each oil.

Bergamot, cardamom, eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus first-grade only), frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender (Lavandula angustifolia first-grade only), lemon, mandarin, neroli, palmarosa, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, Roman camomile, rose spearmint, sandalwood, tangerine, ylang ylang.

Remember that citrus peel oils are phototoxic and must not be worn for 12 hours prior to sun exposure.

Essential oils not safe for use during pregnancy Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

Angelica, aniseed, basil, birch, camphor, cinnamon leaf, citronella, cumin, fennel, hyssop, laurel, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, marjoram, mugwort, nutmeg, oak mass, parsley, pennyroyal, rue, sage, tansy, tarragon, thuja, thyme, wintergreen, wormwood.

Meena Azzollini is a health and wellness writer who helps businesses engage their audience with the power of words.

Recommended oils for labour: Clary sage (only use in the presence of a midwife),frankincense, geranium, lavender, lemon, mandarin, peppermint, Roman camomile, sandalwood.

Photography Getty Images

Essential oil recommendations from aromatherapy expert Pat Princi-Jones

Safety protocols when using essential oils during pregnancy

a drop of essential oil on a tissue that can be inhaled and then disposed of easily so that no lingering smells stay in the room in case the baby needs a little extra help breathing after it is born.

“I used a couple of drops of sandalwood oil on a tissue and breathed in during contractions. This tissue with the oil became a security blanket for me. I recall after my baby was born one midwife remarking that I could probably let go of the tissue,” says Cervasio.

Using an electric diffuser is another popular option. Experts recommend not to go overboard as the smell of the essential oils can linger in the air, affecting both the mother in labour and the healthcare providers in the room. They may experience headaches and other unwanted symptoms which may intensify even more for the birthing mum because of her altered sensitivity to smells.

Although some essential oils can be applied topically during labour, they can sometimes lead to irritation. “I don’t use other oils topically, with lavender being the exception for high stress or elevated blood pressure,” says Davis. While spot-checking for any adverse reactions is recommended before using essential oils during labour, a few drops of oil on a cloth placed on your forehead or the back of your neck is enough for the oils to be effective. “If you’re using an oil topically, be sure to dilute it — most come with a guide on how many drops per tablespoon of base oil,” Davis advises.

Pregnant women have been using aromatic plants and plant extracts for centuries for many pregnancy-related concerns as well as for preparing for labour and motherhood. While scientific studies catch up to draw conclusive evidence on the safety of certain essential oils, some clinical evidence supports the use of essential oils during pregnancy, but only when used safely and as recommended by experts. If you are pregnant for the first time and want to use essential oils, then it’s vital to seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

special report DIETARY OILS AND FATS

Ultimate oils Scouring shelves for the ideal oil can be confusing. Which oil has abundant essential fatty acids, low rancidity and a high smoke point for cooking? We take you through an ocean of oily options in this detailed look at the oil you need.

Words CAROLINE ROBERTSON

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Photography Getty Images

C

onfusion has abounded as to the benefits and detriments of dietary fat since researcher Ancel Keys presented his diet–lipid– heart disease hypothesis at a 1955 WHO meeting and the 1979 US McGovern report recommended people eat less fat and more carbs. Though curbing fats has been the cornerstone of cardiovascular disease management for decades, compelling evidence contradicts advice to reduce fats, rather advocating moderate healthy fats within a balanced diet. Research also indicates that the main contributors to heart disease are oxidation and inflammation fuelled by hydrogenated oil, refined grains, sugar and processed foods.

While unadulterated fats are essential, adulterated fats are dangerous. Dr Mark Hyman warns, “Our typical Western diet is full of inflammatory fats — saturated fats, trans fats, too many omega-6, inflammatory, processed vegetable oils like soy and corn oils.” Hydrogenated fats are created in an industrial process, adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. They include stick margarine, vegetable shortening, commercial baked goods and fried fast food. Hydrogenated oils have been associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type-2 diabetes, inflammation and increased levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

However, healthy oils properly prepared are vital for health. Along with each oil’s specific benefits, fats are essential to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. They also help healthy cell membranes, muscle

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special report

movement, neural pathways, skin and joint lubrication and cushion organs. According to the Victorian government’s Better Health Channel, omega-3 fatty acids appear to lower blood pressure, improve blood vessel elasticity, facilitate normal heartbeat, thin blood to reduce clots, ease inflammation, support immunity, prevent depression and contribute to a baby’s brain development.

Bestselling author of Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Udo Erasmus, advises omega-3 for staying warm as “it increases metabolic rate, energy production and heat”.

The oils we eat regularly can make or break our brain and our body. Just as an oil change can make a car run smoothly, eating optimal oils tunes us up. To thrive from oils and avoid adverse affects, let’s separate fat from fiction.

Fat facts Studying oil chemistry can be a slippery subject, but it is helpful to grasp basic concepts. There are four main types of dietary fats — saturated, monounsaturated (omega-9 fatty acids), polyunsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) and trans-fatty acids.

Natural trans-fatty acids in dairy may be beneficial due to the conjugated linoleic acid content. Artificial trans fats, also known as partially hydrogenated fats, are vegetable oils that are chemically altered to stay solid at room temperature. Trans-fatty acids are also formed when oils are heated at extreme temperatures or reused for frying. WHO and the International Food and Beverage Alliance aim to eradicate trans fats worldwide. According to WHO, industrially produced trans fats have caused over 500,000 deaths from coronary heart disease globally annually.

Artificial trans fats are empty calories that can increase bad LDL cholesterol, inflammation, insulin resistance and heart disease. Foods that contain artificial trans fats may include vegetable shortening in baked goods, microwavable popcorn, some margarines, vegetable oils like canola, fried fast food, non-dairy creamers, chips, pies, pizza, frosting and crackers. The best way to avoid eating trans fats is to shun foods with hydrogenated oils while preferring a diet rich in fresh, whole foods with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and healthy fats.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)

Health-promoting sources of polyunsaturated fats include salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts and unhydrogenated soybean oil.

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have two or more double bonds in their carbon chain. “Poly” means many and “unsaturated” refers to double bonds.

These liquid oils include corn, safflower and sunflower. Health-promoting sources of polyunsaturated fats include salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts and unhydrogenated soybean oil. Scientific studies have found omega-3 and -6 fatty acids can protect against heart disease, decrease inflammation, increase good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are considered health-promoting providing they aren’t overheated. They are generally liquid at room temperature, but harden when chilled. MUFAs include avocado, nut butters, olive oil and peanut oil. They have similar health benefits to PUFAs including lowering LDL cholesterol, reducing heart disease risk, improving blood vessel function, stabilising insulin levels and normalising blood sugar.

Saturated fats have divided nutrition experts for decades. These fats are saturated with hydrogen with single bonded carbon molecules. They include dairy, meat, butter, coconut and palm oil. Though saturated fats can increase both LDL and HDL cholesterol, meta-studies have suggested that saturated fat intake doesn’t increase heart disease. A disproportionate quantity of saturated fat coupled with processed food can contribute to health

Photography Getty Images

DIETARY OILS AND FATS

EW K N O LO !

Did you know there are 16 Hass avocados in every bottle?

Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Avocado Oil. Brimming with healthy monounsaturated fats, Grove is perfect to use across savoury or sweet dishes! Available nationwide across Australian and New Zealand supermarkets. www.groveavocadooil.com.au

special report DIETARY OILS AND FATS

Need omegas?

Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids are essential in our diet because we can’t create them.

However, you can make omega-9 fatty acids.

Omega-3, -6 and -9 are so called according to where double bonds sit on their fatty acid chain. For example, the final double bond in an omega-3 fatty acid occurs three carbons from the chain terminal.

The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 is around 1:4, but studies suggest that a Western diet can have a ratio as imbalanced as 1:17. A 2008 study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine summarises “a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today’s Western diets, promotes the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3 PUFA (a lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio), exert suppressive effects.”

There are three common omega-3 fats obtained from dietary sources such as algae, chia seeds, flaxseeds, salmon and walnut.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), originally

from microalgae, can reduce depression and inflammation, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish, is vital for the brain. Unfortunately a study published in the May 2016 issue of Progress in Lipid Research revealed that the majority of the world’s population is deficient in DHA and EPA. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), present in plant oils, supports the heart, immune and nervous system. Though there is a belief that the conversion of vegetarian ALA to omega-3 is poor, Erasmus says, “If you have enough ALA, your body will automatically convert it to what your body requires at the time.” Interestingly, a study of 14,422 people published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that non-fish eaters had higher conversion rates of ALA than fish eaters.

Signs of omega-3 deficiency include allergies, dandruff, dry skin, brittle hair, excessive ear wax, rashes, tiredness, insomnia, poor concentration, memory loss, aching joints, leg cramps, thin nails and painful or prolonged periods. Babies need sufficient omega-3 for healthy eye and brain function. Children with low omega-3 have been shown to be more prone to attention deficit disorder, behavioural problems and depression.

The Western diet is abundant in omega-6 and 9 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are PUFAs essential for energy and immunity. Linoleic acid is the most common omega-6 fatty acid, abundantly available in flaxseeds. Other omega-6 fatty acids are gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) in borage along with conjugated linoleic

Signs of omega-3 deficiency include allergies, dandruff, dry skin, brittle hair, excessive ear wax, rashes, tiredness, insomnia, poor concentration, memory loss, aching joints, leg cramps, thin nails and painful or prolonged periods.

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Liquid gold Multiple factors affect oil’s quality, according to Dr Selina Wand, research director of the Olive Center at the University of California, who writes, “Chemical changes depend on many variables such as the moisture, acidity, and antioxidant properties of an oil.” Some oils are naturally stable and preserved due to their high antioxidant levels, like sesame oil. Other oils can oxidise and go rancid rapidly, such as vegetable oil. Rancid oil contains free radicals, which contribute to inflammation and cell destruction.

The smoke point of oil is the temperature at which it starts smoking. Scientific studies show overheating oils to their smoking point causes them to generate toxic fumes and free radicals and hydrogenates the oil, destroying nutrients. Erasmus agrees: “When we burn the oils, they burn us. When we fry the oils, they fry our health.”

Olive oil has a low smoke level of 190–207°C, hence it is ideal to cook it on a low heat for minimal duration or enjoy it uncooked. But buyer beware: a CBS report found that up to 70 per cent of the extra-virgin olive oil sold worldwide is mixed with cheaper oils. Ghee, on the other hand, has a high smoke point of 250°C, which is well above the normal cooking temperatures and is higher than most vegetable oils.

To ensure oil remains fresh, smell a bottle every use. Off oil will smell strange, appear cloudy, thicken and potentially contain mould. The more saturated a fat is the less prone it is to become oxidised from light and heat exposure. Ideally store oils in airtight, dark glass or ceramic containers in a cool cupboard or fridge. Plastic or metal

Photography Getty Images

issues however. A balanced, fresh, wholefood diet with moderate saturated fats can support health in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle. Saturated fats are vital to create cell membranes, bones, protect the liver from toxins, improve immunity and protect against harmful micro-organisms.

They also contribute to making cholesterol, which is essential to produce hormones, vitamin D and fat-dissolving bile acids.

acid (CLA) in milk. Excessive omega-6 can increase inflammation, raise blood pressure, cause blood clots, retain water and increase risk of heart attack or stroke.

In the form of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), moderate omega-6s can facilitate fat loss, reduce nerve pain, lower blood pressure, support bones, lower risk of heart disease, reduce ADHD and ease rheumatoid arthritis. Common sources of omega-6 are corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

Omega-9 fatty acids are monounsaturated oils produced internally.

They may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and complement essential fatty acids’ role if taken in the ideal proportion.

Omega-9s are found in common oils including avocado and olive.

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special report

containers can alter oil and leach harmful chemicals. Prefer smaller bottles to reduce long-term exposure. To extend oil longevity, consider adding vitamin E oil.

Outstanding oils Understanding an oil’s flavour, smoke point, consistency and special strengths show us how to apply them for culinary or curative purposes. Prefer oils that are organic, unrefined and cold-pressed. Unrefined oils retain flavour, enzymes and nutrients but may have lower smoke levels. Refined oils are processed through filtering, bleaching or heating to remove volatile compounds that denature virgin oils.

Algal oil Fortunately, vegetarians can now access abundant omega-3, EPA and DHA from the same place fish source theirs — algae.

Research found fish accumulate high levels of omega-3s because of their algae-rich diet. Algal oil also has a very high smoke point of 251°C. Because it’s grown under controlled conditions and purified, algal oil is free from toxins that may be present in fish oils. Its neutral taste and odour are less likely to cause a fishy aftertaste or nausea.

Studies support algal oil for reducing triglyceride levels, lowering risk of heart attack and depression and as an eye tonic.

Avocado Extracted from avocado pulp, this oil is delicious cooked or raw. With the highest smoke point of any plant oil, it’s suitable for cooking. Though the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 12.5:1, it is still considered anti-inflammatory and is prescribed medicinally for arthritis management.

Scientific studies have verified avocado

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oil’s power to decrease LDL cholesterol, reduce blood triglycerides and lower blood pressure. It also contains carotenoid lutein which supports healthy eyes. Avocado’s emollient properties ensure optimal dermal hydration. Avocado’s fungicidal and antibacterial activities are also beneficial for dandruff and dermatitis. Adding avocado oil to salad will increase carotenoid absorption by up to 15.3 times according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in March 2005. Purchase pure avocado oil from a trusted source, as a 2020 study at the University of California discovered that the majority of domestic and imported avocado oil was rancid and sometimes 100 per cent soyabean oil.

Smoke point: 250°C for unrefined oil.

Fatty acids: 12 per cent SFAs, 76 per cent MUFAs, 12 per cent omega-6.

Nutrients: Vitamin E, carotenoids, chlorophyll, heart-healthy oleic acid and cholesterol-culling beta-sitosterol.

Borage This pretty plant’s seed oil is a superstar for inflammatory issues. Clinical evidence supports borage oil’s efficacy for acne, arthritis, breast pain, eczema and menopause. Borage bears the highest gamma-linolenic acid content of any seed oil, which converts to anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E1. Borage oil is best taken raw in capsule form or topically as it has a low smoke point.

Smoke point: 107°C. Fatty acids: 20–26 per cent gammalinolenic acid and linolenic acid.

Butter Hindu art depicting Baby Krishna stealing freshly churned butter convey India’s

regard for this sunny spread. Butter’s butyric acid is a powerful anti-inflammatory that has been used to manage Crohn’s disease. The vitamin A and D in butter can boost bone health, increase immunity, aid eyes, promote cell regrowth and support skin. The omega-3 fatty acids in butter also lower the level of omega-6 fatty acids and thereby reduce risk of heart disease.

Studies show that organic grass-fed butter is higher in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Natural butter is preferable to margarine, which is chemically refined and potentially hydrogenated and often contains vegetable oils, emulsifiers, preservatives, food acid and flavours. Being primarily saturated fat, butter is great for gaining weight but should be taken in moderation by those suffering obesity.

Smoke point: 150°C for unrefined butter.

Fatty acids: 66 per cent saturated fatty acids; 26 per cent monounsaturated fat; and 3 per cent polyunsaturated fat, linoleic acid (2 per cent) and alpha-linolenic acid (1 per cent).

Nutrients: Vitamins A, D, E, B12 and K2, iodine and selenium.

Coconut Crowning coconut oil a superfood is an exaggeration, but it does offer wholesome dietary fat. Though this tropical treat is a saturated fat, it contains lauric acid which increases good HDL cholesterol.

Coconut also has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral actions which explains why oil pulling can cleanse oral impurities.

Coconut’s medium-chain triglycerides are an easy energy source, feeding the brain-clarifying ketones. A high-ketone diet also reduces epileptic seizures in children according to research reviewed by the

Photography Getty Images

DIETARY OILS AND FATS

Though clarified butter has the same fat content as butter it lacks lactose and protein. This also gives ghee a high smoke level safe even for deep-frying.

Epilepsy Foundation. A daily dose of 30ml of coconut oil reduced abdominal obesity in a 12-week study involving 40 women.

Coconut oil is a beauty boon, maintaining hair and skin moisture while preventing protein loss, but with a comedogenic factor of four it isn’t recommended for acne-prone complexions. It’s also an excellent lubricant.

Smoke point: Refined 204 °C, unrefined virgin 177°C. Fatty acid profile: 92 per cent SFAs, 7 per cent MUFAs, 2 per cent omega-6.

Nutrients: Vitamin E and medium-chain triglycerides.

Flaxseed Also known as linseed oil, this is the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids along with cancer-preventing lignans. The high omega-3 and -6 fatty acids in flaxseed oil are beneficial for inflammation, better brains, healthy hearts and happier moods and may lower cholesterol according to recent research. Studies suggest that taking 1–2 grams of flaxseed per day can improve symptoms of dry eye, and a Canadian study discovered that flaxseed oil prevented breast tumour growth, likely through alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) content.

Flaxseed oil is great as a gentle laxative. It also supports shiny hair and hydrated skin and even assists weight loss, according to a 2015 study published in the Nutrition Journal. Conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA depends on gender, smoking, digestion and diet. Many prefer fish oil for their omega-6, but fatty acids in fish are about five times easier to damage with heat, light and oxygen than ALA. With its low smoke point of 107°C, flaxseed oil shouldn’t be heated.

Ghee Ayurveda exalts this golden elixir as the healthiest edible fat. A study published in The International Quarterly Journal of Research indicated that medicated ghee decreases serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol esters.

Though clarified butter has the same fat content as butter, it lacks lactose and protein. This also gives ghee a high smoke level, safe even for deep-frying. Ayurveda utilises ghee for eye health, memory, digestion, flexibility, rejuvenation and virility.

Ghee is a good source of DHA, which can reduce the risk of ADHD, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and insulin resistance.

Butyric acid in ghee along with vitamins A, D, E and K boost immunity and gut health, strengthens bones and improves eyes.

Traditionally prepared ghee from fermented butter contains more phospholipids and DHA than industrial methods of making ghee.

Fatty acid profile: 68 per cent SFAs, 28 per cent MUFAs, 4 per cent PUFAs (1 per cent omega-3, 3 per cent omega-6).

Smoke point: 250°C. Hemp Free from THC or CBD, hemp oil won’t make you high but it may make you healthy. Hemp is dubbed “nature’s perfectly balanced oil”, due to containing an excellent 1:3 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid. Hemp seed oil also has the highest plant source of polyunsaturated fatty acids at around 80 per cent. The GLA in hemp seed oil has been shown to assist ADHD, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, PMT, rheumatoid arthritis and skin allergies.

Nutrients in hemp help healthy eyes, support skin, are cardio-protective and constitute an antioxidant for cellular rejuvenation. Studies suggest that the GLA found in hemp seed oil has a direct modulating effect on prolactin, hence it may help painful breasts and menopausal issues. Hemp’s anti-inflammatory fatty acids can ease eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. Considering hemp’s low smoke point of 165°C it is best not to heat it.

Fatty acid profile: 80 per cent as polyunsaturated fat, including omega-6 fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA 54 per cent) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA 3 per cent), and omega-3 fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA 17 per cent) and stearidonic acid (2 per cent), 5 per cent to 11 per cent monounsaturated fat and 5 per cent to 7 per cent saturated fat.

Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, E, phytosterols and phospholipids.

Krill Krill oil comes from cute crustaceans.

Though more expensive than fish oil, krill may be worth it as a study demonstrated krill oil’s EPA and DHA phospholipids have a 121 per cent higher absorption compared to fish oil triglycerides. It has also proven to be more effective than fish oil at lowering blood sugar, triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol. Krill is packed with powerful antioxidant astaxanthin for skin, eye and cellular health. Some feel krill is purer because it is at the bottom of the food chain. Krill’s choline-containing phospholipids and phosphatidylcholine reduce homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease. Be sure to look for a krill oil that is sustainably sourced, with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) protocols in place.

Please consult your qualified healthcare provider before commencing new supplements or altering your medication.

Caroline Robertson has dedicated decades to natural therapies. She practises as a qualified naturopath, homeopath, remedial masseuse and first aid trainer. For online or in-person consultations or treatments see carolinerobertson.com.au.

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body WORKOUT

Realignment exercises to alleviate “tech neck” Spending so much of your day slumped over desks and screens has a very real detrimental effect on your neck and upper back. Reduce muscle tightness, increase work clarity and boost your overall body health with these in-office exercises.

Words BELINDA NORTON

N

o matter how much time you spend working out or in a yoga studio, if you’re an office inhabitant or working from home, chances are you spend many hours at a desk. And when you’re not at work, your neck is probably curved over a phone with shoulders, arms and hand muscles in a constant state of contraction.

To state the obvious, sitting for eight-plus hours a day staring at a screen isn’t how your body was designed to function — and forcing it into these positions can compromise your health.

“Tech neck” is a result of sitting with the head forward, neck curved in a downward glance, shoulders rounded, arms and elbows locked upon the side of body and hands gripping a device.

People spend approximately five hours a day on tech or a phone, which has led to alignment issues causing neck aches and pains. Researchers predict that 7 out of 10 people will experience tech neck or shoulder aches at some point in their lives.

Tech neck compresses and tightens the muscles, tendons and ligament configurations in the front of the neck while lengthening the trapezium and splenius capitis muscle, tendons and ligament structures behind the neck. The average human head weighs around 5kg, which is more than a newborn baby.

In the tech neck position, the head is balanced on seven vertebrae in the neck and supported by 20 muscles that are responsible for mobility in the head/neck structure as well as keeping that weight balanced. Over time, that extra strain of this muscle positioning is causing muscle discrepancy.

What we can do to allieviate this strain is make sure we develop our posture through proper alignment exercises and practices. These body mobility habits can prevent the aches and pains associated with tech neck. By doing a quick set of simple stretches at your desk daily, taking the stairs and walking during lunch, you can help offset the ill effects of tech neck and our stagnated body habits.

Moving the body with incidental

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exercises can account for most of your daily health requirements. These basic exercise tasks may seem strange to complete at work, but building on fundamental alignment movements in your everyday habits is proven to increase work clarity and overall health. Just spending a mere 5 to 10 minutes exercising at your desk can stimulate blood flow, help you push through the afternoon slump and alleviate nightly headaches.

Below are 10 moves that help reduce muscle tightness. Aim to hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Make sure you hold the stretch to a point of mild discomfort,

People spend approximately five hours a day on tech or on a phone, which has led to alignment issues causing neck aches and pains. but never pain. It’s also important to take breaks where you walk around during the day. If possible, use a sit-stand desk at work or in your home office to ensure 30-minute movement breaks for increased productivity.

Exercises to combat tech neck for sitting and standing at work Strengthening and stretching your muscles with focused alignment can alleviate nagging neck pain. Incorperate these equipment-free stretches and exercises twice daily to improve body mobility.

1 The exaggerated nod The exaggerated nod counterbalances the downward/forward head position by pulling shoulders down and back and increasing neck mobility.

2 Padahastasana Padahastasana, standing up straight onto your tip toes and then touching your toes, stretches the neck and hamstrings. It allows the neck and shoulders to hang and your spine to lengthen. The hips are tight from sitting with legs in a 90-degree

angle, therefore straightening up and focusing on lengthening will improve blood flow and stretch the spine.

3 Seated spinal rotation Move toward the front of your chair and lean forward. Place palms together between legs with arms fully extended.

Reach one hand up and rotate to the side.

Work with your breath and exhale while rotating, then inhale on the way back to centre. Switch sides.

4 Chest opener with upper back extension Place arms behind the head with fingers interlocked. Extend back over chair while engaging your core and abdominals.

Be sure not to allow the lower back to extend. Optionally, use a ball or pillow and place it midway down the back prior to extending backwards.

5 Neck stretch Sit tall and upright. Grasp the bottom of the chair with your hand to keep the shoulder depressed. Bring your opposite hand overhead and gently provide pressure on your head as you bring your ear toward your opposite shoulder. Hold, and then repeat on the other side.

6 Overhead triceps stretch Lift one arm overhead. Bend the elbow fully, letting the hand drop toward the mid-back with your palm facing your back.

Place your opposite hand on your elbow and apply pressure to increase the stretch.

Hold, and then repeat on the other side.

7 Seated hamstring stretch Rest your heel on the floor, keeping your leg straight. Gently lean forward until a stretch is felt behind your knee and thigh.

Hold, and then repeat on the other leg.

You can intensify the stretch by pointing your ankle and toes upwards towards your body.

8 Oblique twists Sit in a swivelling chair with your hands holding the edge of your desk. Spin yourself as far you can to one side using your hands, then switch to the other side.

Repeat for at least 10 reps on each side.

Note: If you do not have a swivel chair, you can bend your arms up in front of you and turn your body to the right and left.

Just make sure to move from your core.

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Moving at work Depending on your office set-up, it might not be practical to exercise at your desk, especially if you’re in close quarters with co-workers. However, there are many other ways to fit in time for incidental exercise at work.

Go for a short walk on your break.

Replace the office chair with an exercise ball.

Use the stairs regularly.

Consider a standing desk.

Consider walking or biking to work if practical.

Keep some exercise equipment at work so you can exercise during your lunch break, especially a foam roller.

Walk while on the phone and use headphones as opposed to holding the device.

9 Seated knee-to-chest: leg lift and leg extension combination Sit tall in a chair and have your legs straight out in front of your body. Hold the bottom of the chair for support and pull knees in toward your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat at least 10 times. Then lift one leg straight until your hamstring comes off the seat — hold for at least 20 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Then sit tall, with feet flat on the floor.

Lift one leg until it’s parallel with the floor and straight out in front of you by contracting (squeezing) the muscle on the front of your upper thigh. Hold for a second, then lower back to the starting position. Repeat this combination 10 times on each side.

10 Foam roller Foam rolling can be an effective tool to add to your warm-up or cool-down before and after exercise, but especially after work for the upper shoulders and back. Using a foam rolling technique can help relieve muscle tightness, soreness and inflammation, and increase your joint range of motion.

Complete a roll of this spine back and legs before work and after work daily.

There is no single method guaranteed to alleviate tech-induced pain. If you are struggling to find time to stay active, you may want to try doing these short workouts before you begin your day instead of throughout the day. No matter your time constraint, any effort is worth the effort. This stretch set will keep your muscles active and flexible and that is the key to our best health and mobility.

Belinda Norton is a health and fitness educator and personal trainer with 23 years’ experience.

She is a health writer, author of Fit Mama, speaker and children’s health advocate.

Connect with her at blivewear.com or Instagram @Belinda.n.x. where you can find her workout videos and “how to”s.

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wellbeing partner FLORDIS

Menopause, misunderstood

E

very day, thousands of women across the world enter into a normal and natural stage of life, menopause. And while menopause is an absolute certainty for all women at some point in their lives, new research has revealed that four out of five Australians don’t actually know what menopause is and how it can impact a woman’s life.

This research, conducted by Flordis Femular®, reveals the persistent misunderstanding surrounding menopause

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and how the many misconceptions around this time can affect women’s wellbeing.

While the average age of menopause is around 51 years, Flordis’ research shows that nearly half (48 per cent) of Australian women who had been through menopause experienced symptoms before the age of 45, which is much younger than people generally think it occurs.

Leading women’s health and reproduction educator Natasha Andreadis believes that the many misconceptions surrounding menopause,

and the fact that symptoms and timelines can vary considerably from person to person, is the reason many Aussies are still “menopause ignorant”.

“It’s really quite disheartening to find that 80 per cent of women in their 40s and 50s feel like menopause is still a misunderstood topic that can’t be discussed in day-to-day life,” she says. “For women, this is a pivotal time in their lives that they should be able to embrace with freedom and empowerment, yet instead, the Flordis Femular research has found

Photography Getty Images

Every woman will go through menopause at some point in her life, but new research shows that a huge 80 per cent of Australians don’t know what menopause is.

Integrative healthcare brand Flordis is on a mission to break the taboo, educate the public and encourage women to embrace this pivotal time in their lives.

Common menopause symptoms Results from the Flordis research.

Your body is going through one of the biggest transitions in its existence, so embrace those stereotypes with pride, ensuring those closest to you know you’re going through a few hormonal adjustments. that they believe they will be perceived as old, less valuable (due to their inability to have children) or not as attractive as they once were. And with the general population reinforcing these sentiments, it truly shows that misinterpretations of menopause are having an impact, by continuing to fuel the stigma and drive these feelings in women.”

Fifty-one-year-old business owner Alex Coward first began noticing menopause symptoms about 18 months ago. Her cycle had become more sporadic over time, and was accompanied by difficult symptoms including sleeplessness, low energy and hot flushes. While trying other therapeutics, Alex decided to pursue complementary medicines to help alleviate her menopause symptoms.

She tried the Flordis women’s health range, including Flordis Femular®, which she says relieves a lot of her symptoms.

“Having energy was always a pride thing, and menopause really stole that from me.

It’s been a tough process, particularly in the early stages; however, now I am working to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle with Flordis Femular®, which is helping me be less hot and sticky during the night, sleep easier and just overall cope better with the symptoms,” she says.

When it comes to menopause, Andreadis stresses that there is no set framework for how each woman will experience it, but instead should become as menopause-aware as possible and be on the lookout for symptoms of perimenopause as they hit their 40s, so they can combat it effectively. Andreadis has some top tips for noticing the early stages of menopause.

Track your cycle If you’re someone who’s always been on a regular cycle, one of the first differences you will notice entering into perimenopause is the irregularities in your cycle. During perimenopause, it’s normal to skip periods for intermittent lengths of time. This can go on for years;

Hot flushes: 57 per cent. Those aged 51+ were more likely to report this, with 64 per cent aged 51–55 and 77 per cent aged 56-65 Night sweats: 48 per cent Sleeplessness: 48 per cent Mood swings: 42 per cent Fatigue: 42 per cent Irritability: 40 per cent Anxiety: 36 per cent Joint pain: 29 per cent

however, once you’ve had no period for at least 12 months, this is normally when you would be considered as moving into the menopausal stage of life.

While many women ignore the habit of tracking their cycle after children or as they age, maintaining this is an important step through your menopause journey, so you can keep an eye on how frequently and consistently your periods are coming and know where in the process you are.

Don’t ignore the lethargy

Femular® and Femular® Forte are nonhormonal complementary medicines, clinically proven to relieve a range of menopause symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, irritability, mild anxiety, sleeplessness and fatigue.¹¯³ The Femular® range contains a natural active ingredient called Actaea racemosa Ze 450 and has been clinically researched to demonstrate a reduction in menopausal symptoms, as early as one month after use. ¹¯³ Significant relief from menopausal symptoms has been shown in clinical trials at three months, with continued improvement over nine months. ¹¯³ The Femular® range is available through healthcare professional recommendation, in pharmacies Australia-wide.

These medicines may not be right for you. Read the label before purchase. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

References: 1. Lopatka L et al., Journal of Menopause 2007; 2:16-21. 2. Schellenberg et al., Evidence-Based Comp and Alternative Med 2012.

Funded by Max Zeller Soehne AG. 3. Drewe J et al., Phytomedicine 2013; 20:659-666. Funded by Max Zeller Soehne AG.

During perimenopause, your body experiences changes to its hormone levels, including oestrogen and progesterone as well as those produced by the thyroid, so it’s understandable if you start to feel a little lethargic or fatigued. I’ve noticed a lot of my patients want to blame busyness or crazy work schedules; however, getting tired or lacking energy when you used to be bouncing off the walls is a clear sign that something is changing in your body. As women we like to think we can take on the world, but sometimes we just need to stop, take a breath and listen to our body and what it needs.

Embrace the stereotypes One of the major telltale signs that a woman is entering into menopause is a significant adjustment in mood and temperament. I know, it seems like one of those lazy stereotypes, but it’s often true.

Studies show that women are more likely to experience anxiety, low mood and mood swings in perimenopause, so it shouldn’t be something you have to make an excuse for.

Your body is going through one of the biggest transitions in its existence, so embrace those stereotypes with pride, ensuring those closest to you know you’re going through a few hormonal adjustments, so they understand and can assist you to make it as easy as possible.

For more, visit flordis.com.au.

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body FITNESS SUPPLEMENTS

12 super fitness supplements Keeping physically fit supports your mental health as well as keeping you healthy in a myriad of ways that make life better. The challenge is that getting fit can be challenging for an unfit body, so here are some effective and readily accessible supplements you can use to help your body on the path to fitness.

Words TERRY ROBSON

B

eing physically fit is a wonderful base from which to live an enjoyable and healthy life. Being active improves your mental health, reduces your risk of type-2 diabetes, improves blood pressure, balances blood sugar levels, reduces body weight and maintains cardiovascular health.

Unfortunately, 55 per cent of adults in Australia do not get the recommended amount of physical activity, 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity activity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous activity per week. Your

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quality of life will improve if you get fit, but knowing that and doing something about it are two separate things.

The process of getting fit can be a stress and strain on your body. You might not feel that you have the energy needed to get fit, and once you start training keeping your energy levels up can be a challenge.

To help your body cope with the impact of the regular exercise you need to live well and build the muscle that will support your journey into fitness. Here are 12 powerful yet gentle supplements you can use.

Energy is the fundamental unit that drives your body and your health. You cannot exercise if you lack energy.

That is why entities in your body’s cells called mitochondria are so important to your fitness routine. Mitochondria are present in every cell in your body, and they manufacture energy in a series of chemical reactions called the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, which stores energy in the form of the chemical adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The release of ATP creates energy. This process is effective and nearly perfect … but not quite.

Minor imperfections in energy production generate free radicals that leak from the mitochondria and make energy production less efficient. The less efficient the energy production process, the more free radicals are generated.

The free radicals eventually damage your DNA, the genetic blueprint that directs energy production and controls all other cell functions. The net result is inefficient energy production that leaves you tired.

A big part of lifting your energy levels is providing the nutrients that are needed in the mitochondria to improve the efficiency of energy production and, in doing so, reducing the number of free radicals that are created.

The nutrients following are those that are central to cellular energy production and which will help to raise your energy levels.

Alpha lipoic acid Alpha lipoic acid is a biological antioxidant that elevates levels of your body’s antioxidant enzymes. Additionally, alpha lipoic acid has been shown to aid in increasing glucose uptake in skeletal muscles and to improve mitochondrial function.

Dose: 50mg per day for general antioxidant protection.

B vitamins The B vitamins are a group of watersoluble vitamins featuring vitamin B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cyanocobalamin) and biotin.

These vitamins are grouped together because they come from the same sources and work together in the body. As a group they are active in providing the body with energy by converting carbohydrates into glucose. They are also necessary for metabolism of fats and protein.

Carnitine For the mitochondria to create the energy needed to sustain cellular function, fatty acids (which serve as the mitochondria’s fuel) must be transported through the cell membrane and into the

Photography Getty Images

Build your energy

Nutrient

RDI*

Suggested daily intake

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

1.2mg

25–50mg

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

1.2mg

5–10mg

Vitamin B3 (niacin)

15mg

25–100mg

Vitamin B5 (pantothenate)

5mg

10–100mg

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

1.3mg

25–50mg

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

2.4μg

10–100 μg

Biotin

30μg

50–300μg

Folic acid

400μg

400μg

*Recommended daily intakes are a minimum required to avoid disease and are not necessarily the optimal level required for people living an active modern lifestyle.

mitochondria. The amino acid L-carnitine your body, where it facilitates and regulates boosts mitochondrial energy production the transformation of fats and sugars by facilitating fatty acid transport and into energy. The heart and liver contain oxidation within the cell. Supplemental the greatest amount of CoQ10. CoQ10 is L-carnitine may protect your heart and essential for youthful mitochondrial energy support general cardiovascular function. function; it is a potent antioxidant, and It may have a triglyceride-lowering effect there are links between deficiency of CoQ10 in some as well as help to elevate good and age-related mitochondrial disorders.

HDL cholesterol levels. L-carnitine may Natural production of CoQ10 declines also have antioxidant properties. precipitously with increasing age and Dose: 1000–2000mg daily; take on empty ageing humans have been found to have stomach.

57 per cent less on average compared to Carnosine that of young adults. Supplementing should Carnosine is made up of a chemical improve energy levels for most people. combination of the amino acids Dose: Adult levels of supplementation beta-alanine and L-histidine. Long-lived are usually 30–90mg per day, although cells such as nerve cells and muscle people with specific health conditions cells contain high levels of carnosine. may supplement with higher levels (with Carnosine levels the involvement of a decline with age, health practitioner). which is a shame Creatine A big part of lifting your because it is an was energy levels is providing the Creatine important nutrient discovered in the nutrients that are needed in 1830s when it was for an exercising body. Carnosine is a the mitochondria to improve identified in meat. pH buffer and so can A decade or so the efficiency of energy protect muscle cell later it was found membranes from that wild foxes had production. oxidation under the more creatine in acidic conditions of their muscles than muscular exertion. It also enables the domesticated foxes, suggesting that heart muscle to contract more efficiently physical exercise influences how much through enhancement of the calcium creatine accumulates in muscle. We response in heart cells. now know that it is used by your body in the production of phosphocreatine, Dose: Carnosine oral supplementation is which is broken down into phosphate and relatively new, and there is no recommended creatine during high-intensity exercise dietary intake (RDI) for this substance. The that lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. normal dose is 100–200mg each day. Up to That breaking down process releases 1000mg per day can be taken, although there energy and is used to generate ATP, your have been some reports of muscle twitching muscles’ primary source of energy. with dosages of over one gram per day.

Co-enzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) Taking creatine supplements has been Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is incorporated shown to increase phosphocreatine levels into the mitochondria of cells throughout in muscle, and so is regarded as “fuelling

up” your natural stores of energy. The more creatine you have stored, the faster ATP is generated, and that means more energy immediately available to your exercising muscles. Supplementing with creatine should also decrease the recovery time required between episodes of intense exercise.

One study conducted at Victoria University, Melbourne found that supplementing with creatine prior to extreme exercise reduced muscle damage and led to faster recovery of muscle strength.

Dose: To “load”, take 3g daily for a month, or alternatively take 5g four times a day for five to seven days and then revert to between 2g and 10g daily for one week to six months.

After six months a four-week break can be taken before resuming the process.

Iron Your body contains about four to five grams of iron and 60–70 per cent of this is in the blood stream. Red blood cells contain a protein called haemoglobin and each haemoglobin molecule contains four iron atoms. It is the job of iron to grab onto oxygen as blood passes through your lungs and then later release that oxygen into body tissues where it is needed. The iron in these red blood cells is replaced every 120 days. Iron is also needed for storing oxygen in cells and in production of energy in cells.

No wonder then that if you are low in iron you become lethargic and low in energy.

Dose: The best-absorbed forms of iron are the “chelated” forms such as ferrous succinate and ferrous fumarate. Men require around 7mg of elemental iron per day and women need 12–16mg. To maximise your iron absorption take the supplement between meals and with a supplement of at least 250mg of vitamin C as this vitamin greatly enhances iron absorption.

Quercetin Quercetin belongs to a class of watersoluble plant pigments called flavonoids.

It acts as an antihistamine and has antiinflammatory properties, and it plays an important role in the mitochondria.

Research has found that taking 500mg of quercetin daily for a week leads to a nearly 4 per cent increase in maximum oxygen uptake as well as a 13 per cent increase in endurance.

Dose: 200–500mg taken two to three times per day.

Making muscle Once adults reach 40, they start to lose between 0.5 and 2 per cent of their muscle each year. Your muscles are of course essential to your fitness routine. You want to protect them and also help them

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body FITNESS SUPPLEMENTS

to the loss of strength that generally occurs with age. One study found that people with the highest levels of selenium in their blood have the greatest upper and lower body strength, performing better on hip, knee and hand strength tests. Unfortunately, since soils are notoriously depleted of this mineral it is hard to get in food.

Dose: Adults 60–70μg daily.

to grow. Even without wanting to enter a body-sculpting competition, strong muscles provide lots of metabolic, stability and postural advantages, so looking after them is important.

Amino acids Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins in the body. Twenty different amino acids are used for the growth, repair and maintenance of tissues, and some of these are also used as an energy source for skeletal muscle. Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) can help maintain muscle or build muscle if you want to bulk up.

The three BCAAs leucine, isoleucine and valine are unlike other amino acids.

While most amino acids are metabolised in the liver, BCAAs are metabolised in muscle and they contribute to the anabolism (ie building) of muscle tissue.

During exercise, muscle stores of BCAAs may be used as an energy source.

Arginine, another amino acid, promotes the release of hormones such as insulin and growth hormone, helps support immune function and is involved in wound healing.

Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid

in the body, provides glucose for energy and enhances immune function. Glutamine is especially helpful for preventing immune system suppression that may occur after bouts of intense physical exercise.

The results of many studies suggest that taking between six and 11 grams per day of an amino acid mixture may enhance aerobic fitness, reduce muscle injury and shorten recovery time after exercise.

Magnesium Magnesium is involved in several hundred different enzyme reactions in the body that relate to production of energy and cardiovascular function. Magnesium is also essential for the proper function of muscles. Without magnesium muscles cannot relax and cramping can result.

Despite its importance, many people today are magnesium-deficient since things like alcohol and coffee can lower magnesium levels.

Dose: 350–500mg daily.

Selenium Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect muscles from oxidative damage, one of the factors that contribute

Taking creatine supplements has been shown to increase phosphocreatine levels in muscle and so is regarded as “fuelling up” your natural stores of energy.

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Although being fit is a good thing for your health, “getting” fit can put a strain on your body. So it is worth thinking about taking supplements on a long-term basis that will help protect your body against the damage that regular physical activity can bring about.

Antioxidants When you exercise you boost your body’s metabolism, and this means that you produce more molecules known as “free radicals”. These free radicals are highly reactive oxygen fragments that may lead to many chronic diseases and can accelerate the ageing process. Research today is telling us that free radicals also serve some useful functions in your body, but excess levels of free radicals are an issue.

Your body has control mechanisms to deal with the excess free radicals, but if you are exercising regularly, your body’s ability to cope may be overloaded.

To deal with free radicals head-on, you do have neutralising weapons known as “antioxidants”. Antioxidants give up electrons to the free radicals thus neutralising them. In addition to the antioxidant nutrients mentioned above, vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant that works with another antioxidant, vitamin E. When a vitamin E molecule is damaged, a vitamin C molecule will repair vitamin E and return it to its antioxidant state.

There are also many herbal remedies that have powerful antioxidant effects to support your body when exercising. The herb Ginkgo biloba is a potent antioxidant that particularly protects blood vessels and has the added bonus of supporting circulation. All red and blue fruits and berries contain flavonoids that block free radicals. Tea is an excellent source of antioxidant flavonoids, especially green tea. Beta-carotene from vegetables is another antioxidant that has a proven capacity to prevent disease generated by free radicals.

Terry Robson is a writer, broadcaster, journalist, television presenter and speaker.

He is the Editor-in-Chief of WellBeing magazine. www.terryrobson.com.

Photography Getty Images

Better than cure

mind BRAIN BUILDING

WellBeing brain boosters All the evidence tells us that your brain is like a muscle: the more that you use it the better it works. In the interest of supporting your brain and keeping it at its best, we have put together some brain teasers, a crossword and a page for colouring, all designed to get your brain expanding and ticking over. Pull out the section and use it at your leisure, but be sure you do use it — your brain will be the better for it.

THE WELLBEING TEAM

Down 1 Floral tea ingredient, commonly mixed with hibiscus (7) 2 Wine-dealer (7) 3 Female’s reproductive gland (5) 4 14-legged crustacean (6) 5 Resolve, courage (8) 6 Calla or tiger, eg (4) 7 Iranian’s neighbour (5) 8 Bone crusher found in 13 Down (5) 13 Split African nation (5) 14 & 21 Across Latin American maize flour (4,6) 16 Canadian territory (5) 17 Overly dainty (4) 19 Bargain hunters (8) 22 Reside (7) 23 Happy with (2,5) 24 Chinese food similar to 1 Across (6) 25 Permeate (5) 26 Cocoa source (5) 28 G&T’s T (5) 29 Rule, influence (4)

To find out the answers, visit wellbeing.com.au/brain-booster.

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Brain teaser If all plinks are plonks and some plunks are plinks, which of these statements must be true?

All plinks are plunks.

Some plonks are plunks.

Some plinks are not plunks.

Riddle Realising his reign was nearing its end, an ageing king was struggling to decide which of his two twin sons to give his kingdom too. So, he proposed they compete in a horse race to decide who would be the next king, with a rather peculiar stipulation: “Whoever’s horse crosses the finish line last will get the kingdom.”

As you’d expect, both sons started the race extremely slow before finally coming across a man on the side of the road. As the man slowly walked alongside them, they explained what they were doing. He then leaned in and offered two words of advice.

After that, both sons took off as fast as they could toward the finish line. What were those two words of advice?

Credits: Vanishingincmagic.com, puzzleprime.com Illustration: Getty Images

Across 1 Pasta parcels (7) 5 Like a rising stock (7) 9 Ayrton ---, late F1 champ and feature of a 2010 documentary (5) 10 Vacillate, waver (9) 11 Beeswax structure (9) 12 Airport check-in request (4) 15 Panner’s disappointment (6) 18 Heartburn relievers (8) 20 Of the 5 Down et al (8) 21 See 14 Down 25 Machu Picchu resident (4) 27 Mary Celeste or Octavius, eg (5,4) 30 Pseudocereal dubbed with a misnomer (9) 31 Ancient region encompassing parts of 13 Down (5) 32 People from which books or places are named (7) 33 Accessory to hitch a four-in-hand into (7)

home VINTAGE

Pieces from the past A stylish and welcoming home doesn’t have to leave a heavy eco footprint. Secondhand and vintage pieces can enrich your interiors without damaging the planet.

We share our tips for scoring the best upcycled, uplifting pieces.

Words JESSICA BELLEF

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inhabitants to forge a deeper connection to a place. “Because we are a mobile society now, much more than in decades past, we create meaning in our lives not from the urban environment but from curating our home environments,” Rieger suggests.

According to Gumtree’s Second Hand Economy Report 2020, the total value of the second-hand furniture and homewares economy in Australia last year was $3 billion — higher than any other year over the past decade.

Today’s society has adopted a throwaway mindset, where low prices are lauded and longevity given little thought.

Some vintage collectors consider themselves “purists”, connected to a specific era from which they will furnish their home floor to ceiling. “As a material culture theorist, the ‘purists’ who live in throwback homes fascinate me,” says Rieger. “I think sometimes these people want to live in the past, but sometimes they are like historians and very dedicated to the details and materiality of these time periods.”

Others prefer a more eclectic look, mixing pre-loved furniture from different eras alongside new pieces. Whatever the reason, those turning to the second-hand market not only save money, but keep furniture in circulation and out of landfill.

There are many upsides to incorporating second-hand pieces into your home, whether

you favour a purist’s slice of time in history or a space that mixes eras and origins.

Sustainability Today’s society has adopted a throwaway mindset, where low prices are lauded and longevity given little thought. Products are designed for disposability in order to increase consumption. “We are producing too much stuff and too much waste,” says Rieger. “By including second-hand pieces in our homes, we are reusing and sometimes even upcycling.”

For previous generations, well-made furnishings were expected to last a lifetime.

Antiques are, by definition, over 100 years old; handcrafted with natural materials and solid construction techniques, they were built to endure. The modern-day cheap sofa or poorly made dining table is unlikely to become an heirloom that future generations will enjoy and pass onto their own children. In fact, cheaply made items often don’t hold up after a few years’ use, destined to end up as landfill. “I call this ‘interim’ stuff,” says Fletcher. “It won’t last.

Vintage stuff lasts, like my 1950s Sunbeam toaster. I’ve had it for 25 years. I paid less than $2 for it and it’s still going!”

Affordability Decorating with pre-loved goods offers a wallet-friendly way to create a functional and beautiful home. Rare antiques and significant designs do have higher prices, but bargains abound when you shop pre-loved over new.

From the freebies found on the street at council clean-up time to the masses of stuff hiding in charity stores and online

Photo: Deborah Diem on Unsplash

S

tepping into Dannielle Fletcher’s home is akin to taking a trip back in time, landing on platform shoes into the groovy 1970s. Dressed with shag rugs, mushroom lamps and varying shades of orange, sunny yellow and brown, Fletcher’s home is a testament to her love of retro style and her dedication to collecting ’70s vintage.

“I love the patterns and colours, and the brightness of it. It’s such a happy era,” she says. Fletcher has been drawn to second-hand since she was a young girl visiting garage sales and op shops.

“I’ve got the collector bug and I can’t change that,” she says. The second-hand fossicker owns a popular vintage store in the Illawarra south of Sydney, jam-packed with retro homewares and fashion and frequented by a legion of fans who are as obsessive about throwback wares.

The success of Fletcher’s business reflects a wider interior design trend that draws on inspiration from the past. In the face of fractured sociopolitical and environmental climates, there is a sense of nostalgia weaving through society, a yearning for the “good old days”.

Janice Rieger, an associate professor at the Queensland University of Technology and a material culture theorist, design historian and interior architecture academic, has witnessed this refocus within Australia’s health sector. “When we look at the design of our aged care homes now, we are seeing a shift towards nostalgia and a mixing of new and old pieces to create meaning and memories of days gone by,” she says.

Pieces that evoke times gone by often hold a grounding power and allow

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home VINTAGE

own history, like a Victorian highboy from my Grandmother Belle, or pieces from another era like the 1950s or 1970s,” Rieger says. It can also influence our attitude to life in general. “Cherishing and caring for our things and their past histories incorporates an ethic of care into our homes and lives,” she explains.

Character-filled spaces

Side-of-the-road finds and op shop goodies can sit alongside cherished heirlooms for an interesting patchwork of styles that enrich a space and can’t be replicated with chain store goods.

Second-hand pieces have lived a previous life, and any scratches or imperfections tell a story of originality and provenance.

Side-of-the-road finds and op shop goodies can sit alongside cherished heirlooms for an interesting patchwork of styles that enrich a space and can’t be replicated with chain store goods.

Such interiors act as an autobiography of the homeowner, creating a nurturing space that affirms the inhabitant’s sense of self and instils a sense of pride. “I believe the things we have in our homes tell stories — stories of the past, stories of our lives and stories of the future. We have strong relationships to the material things in our homes, and many of us curate our homes to be a reflection of this,” says Rieger.

Fletcher says that sharing her love of retro via her store has gifted her a connection to like-minded people and strengthened her own sense of self: “I feel this is my identity,” she says. “I’ve made beautiful friends with people through the shop. That doesn’t usually happen a lot later in life, so I feel very lucky.”

Create connections

The thrill of the hunt

Rieger is a firm believer in the emotional benefits of bringing second-hand into the home. “There is comfort in surrounding ourselves with history. Whether it is our

Many vintage and retro lovers effuse about the thrill of the hunt, where unearthing a prize among a dusty jumble of castaways garners an immense sense of satisfaction

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and pride. That feeling of accomplishment is harder to come by when you are shopping at a large retail store where factory-made products are lined up on a shelf.

Second-hand shopping requires patience and a smidge of determination, but the emotional experience of finding something that speaks to you is worth the effort. “It’s my happy place,” says Fletcher, who admits that second-hand shopping has become a salve for her mental health, offering a distraction from her anxiety and giving her a purpose. She finds joy in the activity of rifling through old things.

“Wherever I am, I am always looking.

I can’t help that, it’s in my blood,” she says.

How to successfully inject the past into your present Cast a wide net Whether you are visiting stores, poking around a garage sale or shopping online from the comfort of your sofa, the trick to finding second-hand gold is to search widely and often. It can take time to find the perfect piece, but if you are checking in with stores regularly, you will increase the chances of success.

Op shops and charity stores are plentiful throughout Australia, as are smaller retailers that resell vintage finds. Antique dealers expertly curate authentic designs from all over the world, but you can stumble across equally unique designs at garage sales and market stalls. Auctions are no

Photo: Debby Hudson on Unsplash

marketplaces, other people’s trash can quickly become your treasure for little to no dollars. In Gumtree’s 2020 report, 48 per cent of Australians cited ‘saving money’ as a key reason they would buy second-hand for their home. Swapping unwanted things with your friends and family or finding a way to work a family heirloom into your home can also help to keep costs down.

create a one-off piece that fits seamlessly into the look of your home. By keeping an open mind and using your imagination and a bit of elbow grease, you can reinvent furniture and extend its life cycle. A word of caution: some DIY jobs are irreversible, so if you are unsure you will get the finish you are looking for, reach out to a professional restorer before picking up an electric sander or paintbrush.

Create a focal point Aim for a mindful curation rather than a jumble of garage sale castaways. While it’s honourable to shop second-hand in order to save something from landfill, you don’t want to live in a furniture graveyard.

Clutter can have a negative impact on your wellbeing, so be selective with your additions and always buy with intention. If you’re struggling to make the room look “right”, there might be too many statement pieces vying for attention. Simplify the room by choosing one or two hero pieces and add elements that complement, rather than compete with, these shining stars.

Prioritise function Ornate and highly polished antiques are things of beauty, but there is a chance

such a piece will clutter a room if it serves no purpose. Choose items you can use often and furnish according to your lifestyle. Your home may be lacking in storage or you need a larger dining table to host dinner parties. Whatever you require, there will be a second-hand furniture solution that boosts the functionality of your home while adding character.

Shop like the pros If you’re searching for something in particular, don’t forget to bring a tape measure on your fossicking trips and a record of your space’s dimensions.

Measure your doorways at home and have a plan for getting bulkier goods into place.

Inspect items closely: check the stability of the legs, the quality of the stitching and the joints. If you have this basic checklist in mind each time you shop, you will be able to act quickly on a purchase. Time is of the essence in the world of second-hand — gems are snapped up quickly!

Jessica Bellef is a Sydney-based author and freelance interior stylist. Find her at jessicabellef.com or on Instagram @jessicabellef.

Photo: Emma Frances Logan on Unsplash

longer just for the professional traders, and many auctioneers in Australia now run auctions online. The popularity of sites like Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace means easily accessible second-hand pieces abound. Wherever you shop, searching regularly will give you a better idea of the market value of pieces you have your eye on. Nab a bargain by comparing the offering and avoid overly inflated prices.

Mix old and new Creating a unique space that reflects your tastes is about choosing what you love regardless of the year it was produced. There is beauty in contrasts. An antique worked into a contemporary home can make a strong style statement and will give the century-old piece a renewed energy. Similarly, a rustic farmhouse table surrounded by sleek midcentury chairs will create a striking talking point and draw people in to the space. The key to curating a harmonious grouping is to choose pieces that are correctly scaled to each other and the room’s proportions.

Repurpose and rework If you love the shape of something but the colours aren’t quite right, consider reupholstering, refinishing or painting to

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mind DRESSING FOR HAPPINESS

Dress yourself happy Bouncy neon sneakers, sleek workout tights, a cosy jumper that wraps you up like a cocoon — we have all experienced the rush of confidence and pleasure a piece of clothing can bring. We explore what psychology shows about the effect clothing can have on your mood, performance and self-image.

Photography Getty Images

Words REBECCA HOWDEN

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T

here’s something magic about slipping into a piece of clothing that really makes you feel good about yourself. Wearing something you love can invigorate you, making you move differently in the world — standing taller, smiling more brightly, striding with purpose. It can give you an extra glimmer of confidence that others respond to, reinforcing the good feelings.

Think of a soft, perfectly fitted T-shirt that feels like home against your skin.

A sharp blazer that you throw on before an important meeting. Those workout tights that make you feel swift and powerful. A splash of yellow that imbues a grey day with sunny feeling.

Fashion is often dismissed as superficial, but there is something deeper to the connection between how we dress and how we feel. In her book The Psychology of Fashion, behavioural psychologist Professor Carolyn Mair writes, “As our second skin, fashion enables us to construct and express our identity …

When we try on new clothing, we can see ourselves as a different person and take on a new identity and mood.”

It’s a phenomenon psychologists call “enclothed cognition” — the idea that our clothing choices can impact our mood, self-image and even our performance.

This is something Sydney-based image consultant Louise Bernardi sees every day in her work to help people find their authentic style and express themselves through dress.

“Clothing has a powerful effect on how we feel,” she says. “When we look good, we feel good. When we feel good we gain confidence.

Confidence unleashes our inner strength and abilities. I truly believe the most important thing when getting dressed is to choose clothes that make us feel great.”

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mind

The uplifting power of clothes For many of us, choosing our clothes each day is an unconscious act. We reach for something familiar and clean and throw it on without much thought. But that quick decision can reveal things about our mood and self-image, and play a role in shaping those feelings for the rest of the day.

“We all have days when we feel uninspired, flat, directionless and missing that spring in our step,” Bernardi says. “Put on something dowdy, dirty and dishevelled and you’ll feel the part. But if you wear your favourite outfit, the results can be amazing.

You have more energy, inspiration and the day looks more positive.”

Professor Karen Pine, a developmental psychology researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, has led several studies investigating this link between clothing and mood. In one study of 400 people, she found a strong connection between feeling stressed, anxious or depressed and clothing choices. “When someone feels like this their world appears to close down,” she writes in her book Mind What You Wear. “Their outlook narrows, the range of things they enjoy shrinks and their interests become more limited.

They become less tolerant of anything unfamiliar. It’s hardly surprising then to

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discover that their wardrobe options also appear to shrink.”

Professor Pine found that women who were feeling unhappy or stressed reported neglecting over 90 per cent of their wardrobe. Specifically, she found they were more likely to choose to wear things that “camouflage” the body, like a baggy top or an old jumper. In contrast, when they were feeling happy and positive they were 10 times more likely to wear a favourite dress, and much more inclined to adorn themselves with jewellery and accessories.

So, what if instead of reinforcing a low mood with clothes, we put on something we associate with cheerfulness and confidence anyway? From her research, Professor Pine concludes that choosing uplifting clothes — well-cut garments that make you feel good, flatter your body and remind you of happy times — could help to boost your mood when you’re feeling down.

“Many of the women in this study felt they could alter their mood by changing what they wore,” she writes. “This demonstrates the psychological power of clothing and how choices can influence a person’s happiness.”

Dressed for success As well as lifting our mood, our clothing choices have the potential to boost our

performance, subconsciously nurturing our skills and motivation. “How you dress affects the way you feel and how you perform,” Bernardi says. “Gym clothes put you in the mood to exercise. High heels make you feel glamorous and confident. A suit puts you in business mode, so you think smarter, faster and command more respect.”

Psychological researchers Professors Adam Galinsky and Hajo Adam demonstrated this effect in a 2012 study that coined the term “enclothed cognition”. They asked participants to wear a white coat and perform a task that required sharp attention to detail. When the coat was described to participants as a “doctor’s coat” (a garment symbolically associated with scientific intelligence and focus), they performed notably better than in their own clothes. However, when participants believed the coat to be a “painter’s coat” (associated with creativity and free-flowing imagination), they showed no such improvement on the science-minded task.

The key to this effect seemed to be the combination of two elements — the symbolic meaning of the clothing and the physical experience of wearing it. “Although the saying goes that clothes do not make the man, our results suggest that they do

Photo: Hassan OUAJBIR on Unsplash

DRESSING FOR HAPPINESS

“As our second skin, fashion enables us to construct and express our identity … When we try on new clothing, we can see ourselves as a different person and take on a new identity and mood.”

hold a strange power over their wearers,” the researchers concluded.

In Mind What You Wear, Professor Pine describes a similar study, in which she found that wearing a Superman T-shirt boosted students’ impression of themselves, making them feel both more likeable and more powerful. “When asked to estimate how much they could physically lift, those in a Superman T-shirt thought they were stronger than students in a plain T-shirt or in their own clothing,” she writes. “It seems indisputable that putting on a piece of clothing which carries symbolic meaning can change a person’s self-perception and even their thought processes. It can make them feel more or less attractive, confident, powerful or clever.”

wearer has to believe in this,” she writes.

“Therefore, the mood-enhancing power lies with the wearer, not the clothing or its colour per se.”

For some, that might mean canary yellow, neon pink and brilliant sapphire blue — colours that feel bright and bold.

For others, black is glamorous and thrilling, symbolising drama and mystery and sophistication. Soft neutrals like grey marle, ivory and oatmeal might feel dull and expressionless to some, but to others they’re soothing, grounding and elegant.

There are no rules; the most important thing is choosing colours that personally light you up and make you feel great.

The magic of colour

When you open your wardrobe in the morning, how do you feel? If your clothing options aren’t sparking optimism, pleasure and inspiration, it might be time for a wardrobe clean-out. Here, Bernardi shares a few quick tips for building your authentic style identity, clearing out the garments that bring you down and creating a wardrobe that brings you joy.

Get to know yourself “First, it’s really important to spend time with yourself and know who you are,” Bernardi says. “Start at the beginning: what’s your message? How would you describe yourself? What are your views, your values, your principles, your experiences? By understanding who we are on the inside, we can adapt our dress to express ourselves in an authentic way.”

Discover what clothes you love Notice what styles, colours and materials make your heart leap when you see them, and collect images for inspiration. “I would start a Pinterest board and look for people whose style you love, so you can start to get ideas,” Bernardi says. “Then you can go back to your wardrobe and put pieces together that build from that.”

Celebrate your unique beauty When creating your personal style, discovering what really flatters you and celebrates your unique beauty can go a long way to helping you feel confident.

“Get to know your body shape and how to complement it with the best lengths, cuts and shapes,” Bernardi advises.

Playing with colour can be an energising way to infuse more happiness into your wardrobe and explore what makes you feel good. “Colour plays an incredible role in how we look and feel,” Bernardi says. “When you’re wearing beautiful colours that look fantastic against your eyes or make your skin glow, it lights you up. People are smiling as soon as you walk into the room. Colour can be used to express emotion; it can be symbolic.

Colour can make you feel happy, sad, bright, vibrant. It can project strength, energy, honesty, integrity and trust.”

Research in colour psychology has found that particular colours produce an emotional experience. Colours with longer wavelengths (blazing reds, oranges and yellows) feel warm and stir up passionate feelings, while those with shorter wavelengths (tranquil blues and greens) feel cool and relaxing. Some researchers have theorised that brightly coloured clothing could therefore boost our mood, while more subdued colours could create a more mellow feeling.

But, good news for those who love all-black everything, that doesn’t mean rainbow colours are always better. In The Psychology of Fashion, Professor Mair notes that any colour can lift our mood, depending on the personal association we have with it and the expectations we have of wearing it. “The symbolic meaning of the clothing could potentially lift mood, but the

How to create a feel-good wardrobe

“Everybody is beautiful — the idea is to find that beauty and try to magnify it, while downplaying anything you might feel vulnerable about. Then you can get dressed in the morning and have a spring in your step and a smile on your face, because you feel good and have the confidence to express yourself.”

Get playful with colours, textures and accessories “Learning how to inject colour in your life is so energising, and embracing your unique colour palette will bring your style to a whole new level,” Bernardi says. “An understanding of how to use colour will change the way you shop and dress and give you more control over your visual communication and the message you’re sending.” Along with colour, explore different patterns, prints, textures, materials and accessories — mix it up and discover what feels good to you.

Choose materials that feel good There’s a physical and sensory element to clothing’s effect on how we feel. We wear materials against our skin and that can have a big impact on our comfort. “We all want to be comfortable — I think that’s key, as much as wearing a smile,” Bernardi says.

Professor Pine’s research suggests that choosing natural fibres like linen, cotton, silk and wool can feel more luxurious, comforting and grounding, partly because they connect us with nature.

Give yourself freedom to move Similarly, choosing clothes that allow you to move freely can help you feel more comfortable and confident. Think of function as well as style. That might mean choosing something loose and breezy if you’re going on a summer adventure or it might be about feeling supported and streamlined with good quality activewear.

Keep evolving Bernardi suggests regularly refreshing your wardrobe so you can ensure you have pieces that make you feel good right now.

“Sometimes when you reach a new life stage — maybe you become a mother or there’s a change in your career — people can feel a bit lost and think, ‘Who am I now?’” Bernardi says. “You’re a new person every five or 10 years, so it’s natural your style will keep evolving too.”

The changes to your wardrobe don’t have to be dramatic. Simply take a moment to pause in the morning and consciously choose to wear something that lights you up from the inside.

Rebecca Howden is a Melbourne-based writer with a passion for health and wellbeing. Find her at rebeccahowden.com.au.

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Change Change is in the air. And after the past two years, we need it more than ever. As we head towards the new year, we encourage you to listen to the calls from within and have courage to act on their wisdom. Do you hear a gnawing voice that tells you there has to be something more? Be it a small shift or a quantum leap, there is no better time for transformation than now. On page 32, features writer Georgia Nelson explores the German phenomenon of querensteiger — those who make a radical career change. She interviews athlete and social entrepreneur Samantha Gash who delivers some wise words: “When you reflect deeply enough and realise your time on this planet is of your choosing, the answer [is] very simple.”

It’s never too late for an unexpected pivot. Make the bucket list, be open to new experiences and stay curious. You are not stuck. You can change your mind, you can change your life.

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Photo: Ross Sneddon on Unsplash

v 1 to make something different; alter or modify.

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beauty

Photo: Becca Tapert on Unsplash

BLUE LIGHT

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Beauty-damaging blue light Our non-stop digital connectivity has created a world in which humans are experiencing unprecedented exposure to blue light from our technological devices. But is your skin paying the price of technology overexposure?

Words LOLITA WALTERS

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f you’re serious about taking care of your complexion, it’s important to understand the impact blue light has on the cellular ageing of your skin and your general wellbeing, plus what you can do about it.

When it comes to minimising premature ageing, photosensitivity and pigmentation, there is growing evidence confirming that protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays alone simply isn’t enough. According to experts, blue light is a big culprit contributing to oxidative stress, which has an overall beauty-damaging domino effect.

Are you glued to your phone, laptop or tablet for multiple hours a day? If you answered “Yes”, take a deep breath! The good news is that you don’t have to let your skin pay the price of overexposure to technological blue light emissions; you simply need to understand what is really going on and what you can do about it.

What is blue light?

Although today blue light is often associated with technology, it naturally comes from the sun. When the light from the sun travels towards Earth, it contains all colours of visible light. As the sunlight reaches Earth’s atmosphere, it collides with gases and other particles, which cause it to scatter. Since blue light travels in shorter, smaller waves, it is scattered more than other colours and therefore makes the sky appear blue most of the time. So really, we are quite literally surrounded by blue light.

The increase in exposure, however, comes from human-made sources of blue light, including our laptops, computers, television screens and all other digital devices, as well as LED lighting and fluorescent bulbs.

Blue light’s relatively short wavelength measures around 400–450 nanometres.

This means blue light, also known as High Energy Visible Light (or HEV), has a higher energy intensity than other lights in the visible spectrum. The significance of this for your skin is that it is more likely to cause cell damage.

Tech-nation Australians are large consumers of technology and most of us spend hours each day in front of gadgets and screens.

A quick look at recent statistics shows why understanding the associated implications of tech-use, including blue light exposure, is so significant in today’s digitally focused world.

A report released in February this year

by We Are Social and Hootsuite, Digital 2021: Australia, revealed that Australians have become increasingly reliant on digital and social media in every aspect of their daily lives, fuelling technological consumption. As a result, Australians now spend over 40 per cent of their waking hours online, with an approximate average of seven hours each day dedicated to the internet via smartphone, tablet and computer use. This has seen an increase of around 32 minutes daily compared to figures from just last year.

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beauty BLUE LIGHT

against data gathered using clinical tools and other viable measures of the internal and external signs of skin ageing, 60 women between 30 and 50 years of age were assessed in order to evaluate the role that poor sleep quality plays. The health of the skin barrier, as well as the participants’ self-perceived satisfaction with their appearance, were also factored into the research. The findings revealed that those with chronic poor sleep quality experienced significantly accelerated internal ageing compared to those who slept soundly for around seven to nine hours a night. The poor sleepers also showed impaired skin barrier function and were found to have lower self-satisfaction with how they looked.

The skin’s internal clock

Research conducted by reviews.org across all ages showed that Australian smartphone users clock an average of five and a half hours a day in front of their screens, which translates to a staggering 17 years of your life. Combine this data with television use and the fact that a large percentage of the population works 40-hour weeks in job roles largely spent in front of a computer screen, it’s clear that the total hours you are exposed to blue light from digital devices on a daily basis is much higher.

The problem with blue light Not all blue light is bad. Natural exposure to the right amounts of blue light during the day is essential for regulating your body’s natural sleep and wake cycles. Additionally, blue light can boost your alertness, elevate your mood, improve reaction times and even increase your memory and cognitive abilities.

The problem is the overexposure to blue light. While your body needs blue light from the sun to regulate your circadian rhythm, our technology-driven world means this exposure doesn’t end when the sun sets as it once did, and continues late into the evening through the use of our devices.

This throws off your natural body clock and disrupts sleep quality.

Pervasive tech-usage means that even during waking hours, your skin

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may be coming into unnaturally high concentrations of the powerful blue light emitted from screens, which combines with the blue light you receive from the sun to produce a cumulative adverse effect.

Beauty sleep, interrupted Experts agree that even small bursts of blue light from devices is enough to disrupt your sleep cycle, which is why you should make sure your smartphone isn’t near your bed at night. “Upsetting our circadian rhythm should be avoided,” says dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams, who explains that getting the recommended eight hours of quality shut-eye each night is essential for the body and skin to repair itself. “Disturbing our biological clock is connected not only to premature ageing, but also many health issues.”

If this optimal period required for rest and restorative cellular functions is interrupted, over time the consequences will show on your skin. Think accelerated effects of ageing, including the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and a lacklustre complexion.

A study carried out by scientists from the University Hospitals of Cleveland clearly illuminates the link between a good night’s sleep and better skin health and appearance. Using a combination of a specific sleep questionnaire compared

Direct consequences for your complexion Beyond the domino effect that poor sleep and disrupted cellular rhythms have on your beauty and wellbeing, the direct impact that blue light exposure can have on your skin is quite serious. Overexposure to blue light accelerates the oxidation process, which causes inflammation and damages the skin barrier, producing effects similar to those associated with too much sun exposure — worsened lines, wrinkles, skin laxity and uneven tone.

Photography Getty Images

Research conducted by reviews.org across all ages showed that Australian smartphone users clock an average of five and a half hours a day in front of their screens, which translates to a staggering 17 years of your life.

Over a 24-hour period your circadian rhythm regulates most of the physiological, mental and behavioural changes in your body, including your sleep and hormones.

According to Dr Williams, many people are not aware that our skin cells have their own internal clock too. “Our skin is subject to a circadian rhythm as much as any other organ system,” she explains. “We know for example that in the evening and at night our skin is more active in cell regeneration and repair than during the early day. One of the reasons for that is that the stem cells in the bottom layer of our epidermis (the ones that create new cells) are most active late at night.”

What this means is that excessive exposure to blue light from your devices has the potential to not only disrupt your overarching bodily circadian rhythm, it can also have a microcosmic impact right down to the cellular level of your body’s largest organ — your precious skin.

If your skin cells do not recognise the change from day to night, the important evening repair processes may be impacted, leading to visible ageing of the skin, along with other unwanted physical manifestations, such as a dull complexion and dark under-eye circles.

beauty BLUE LIGHT

How to protect your skin?

Another similarity with UV light damage is that studies have revealed that the effects of blue light on skin may take years to show on the surface. This makes prevention methods key when it comes to reducing the impact that technological blue light exposure has on your skin, as well as that which comes from the sun.

Of course, the simplest and most direct way to protect your skin is to avoid overexposure whenever possible. This means minimising screen time and only using blue-light-emitting devices for essential reasons. Reserve your technology usage for its important functions, such as work and education or staying in touch with friends and family. You may find it helpful to monitor your daily screen time so you can see how much time you are spending in front of your devices.

It can be particularly helpful to implement a technology-free evening regime. Try switching off blue-light-emitting

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devices by around 8pm to allow your body to produce melatonin and prepare for a rejuvenating slumber.

If you must look at screens past this time, consider turning down the blue light on your device. Many phones and laptops now have in-built “night modes” or use an application such as Flux. These can usually be configured to automatically activate during your chosen hours across all your devices.

Wearing blue-light-blocking glasses is another lifestyle tool that may be helpful in preventing some of the circadian rhythm disrupting qualities of blue light exposure, as well as helping to protect the delicate skin around the eye area.

Blue light is also another reason to apply your SPF every day and preferably a natural, physical one. “Wearing any physical sunscreen can actually help to mitigate damage caused by blue light.

Physical sunscreens contain active ingredients such as zinc oxide and, unlike chemical sunscreens, sit on the skin surface to most effectively block blue light and minimise the damage caused by light radiation,” explains Mitsios.

As a naturopath, Mitsios also recommends bolstering your skin’s resilience by loading up on foods that are rich in antioxidants, which internally assist in preventing the free radical damage caused by blue light. “Green tea, broccoli and berries are some of my favourite antioxidant-rich superfoods with evidence around improving skin’s response to damage,” she says.

Antioxidant-rich skincare Incorporating topical antioxidants into your skincare routine is also key to defending the skin from the free radical inducing repercussions of excessive blue light exposure. This is because your skin’s antioxidant stores are rapidly depleted the more you are exposed to the damaging effects of blue light and the oxidative stress it causes. “By giving the skin a healthy dose of antioxidants, you create a ‘bank’ or

store of them so they continue to work to reduce skin damage, even when you have removed your sunscreen,” explains Mitsios.

Look for serums and face oils that are rich in ingredients that provide antioxidant protection, such as broccoli extract, kale and St Mary’s thistle, as well as super fruits like pomegranate and açaí berry and plenty of vitamin C. Adding a protective serum to your skincare regime both morning and night is an effective strategy for supporting skin health and defending your complexion from all sorts of external aggressors, including blue light and pollution.

According to Mitsios, the right natural skincare ingredients applied regularly can have profound benefits that are backed by research. For example, topically applied broccoli has been shown to work inside cells by boosting the production of a network of protective enzymes that defend cells against many aspects of damage, including UV and blue light damage.

More than skin deep Ultimately the health of your skin is a reflection of your overall wellness and beauty. Glowing skin and sparkling eyes really do start from within. Make a good night’s sleep a priority, switch off from your emails at the end of the day, put your phone down and take a walk outside or curl up with a good book instead.

While it’s important to understand how overexposure to blue light can damage your complexion, in this technology-saturated world it is more than just your skin that could use a break from digital stimulation.

Go on, switch off for a moment; your body, mind and skin will thank you.

Lolita Walters is an Australian freelance journalist, editor and lifestyle writer focused on wellness, beauty and travel. She enjoys life by the ocean, whether she is residing in Sydney as a North Bondi local, or is spending time at her overseas home in beautiful Bali.

Photography Getty Images

According to Anna Mitsios, the naturopath and skin expert behind Edible Beauty Australia, long-term exposure to blue light has not only been shown to cause serious skin damage including premature wrinkles and pigmentation, but it can also promote the breakdown of collagen and can exacerbate existing skin conditions, including dry skin, acne and hypersensitive skin. “When combined with UVA and UVB sun damage, long-term exposure to blue light ultimately presents as premature ageing and the research is scary!” she says.

In fact, one peer-reviewed study of the effects of blue light on the skin, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, found that exposing skin to the amount of blue light we get from the sun caused more pigment, redness and swelling than when the same person’s skin was exposed to comparable levels of UVA rays.

While these findings are shocking, they are not that surprising when you consider that the direct skin-harming effects of blue light are due to potential free radical generation, which contributes to skin ageing in the same way that exposure to UV rays does.

What makes blue light even more impactful, however, is that it has the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin than UVA and UBA light does. Blue light can reach right down to the layers of the dermis which house your collagen and elastin. These substances are essential for maintaining the structural integrity of your skin, so damage equates to exacerbated sagging and wrinkling.

marketplace

WellBeing Marketplace

Festive Gift Guide Like a stroll through a literal marketplace, we hope this section will offer you inspiration and ideas for living a better life. In this edition, we’re celebrating the festive season with a mindful gift guide.

Choose mindfully this season and gift meaningful presents to those you love.

Mindful celebration With the festive season just around the corner, we explore some ways you can mindfully celebrate this special time of year.

recipient would like to exchange your purchase. Gifting mindfully not only makes those you love feel special, but also means you can feel guilt-free about the presents you have selected.

Celebrate you Words LAUREN CLARKE Photo ANNIE SPRATT ON UNSPLASH

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t’s the season of giving, and our minds are focused on celebrating and reminding our loved ones that we care.

But it can be all too easy to forget one important person at this time of year — yourself. Between social obligations (virtual or in-person), long lists of presents to buy and indulgence that can come at the cost of our health, it’s easy to give too much of yourself as you try to please those around you.

There’s no denying it has been a challenging couple of years — which is why it’s more important than ever to put yourself first and mindfully celebrate this season.

Politely decline Select your events carefully — and don’t be afraid to politely decline. You don’t need a reason not to attend every event this year.

Consider the occasion and ask yourself if it will really bring you joy.

Every time you say Yes to an event you don’t really want to attend, you’re saying No to something else, whether that’s time with your family or simply time with yourself. Don’t feel like you need an excuse; it’s OK to just politely say no.

Gift mindfully The digital retail space is full of noise as department stores compete for business in your inbox and social media feeds. Choose mindfully this season and gift meaningful presents to those you love.

Consider the presents you buy: do they come from businesses whose values align with your own? Are you certain the recipient will enjoy the gift, or will it languish unloved and unused in a cupboard somewhere?

Select your gifts with care and investigate the returns policy in case the

It can be tempting to neglect your needs at this time of year. There’s so much to do and so little time — which makes it more important than ever to prioritise yourself.

Set time aside to relish a quiet moment. Now is the perfect time to make meditation a part of your daily routine.

These moments of quiet can help balance the excess of noise that’s so prevalent at this time of year.

Nourish your body wisely. Select foods that will energise and fuel you to balance the times of indulgence that are a part of the festive season. Don’t feel guilty about indulging either; there is no such thing as “bad” food, only an unbalanced diet.

One final way to celebrate yourself is to carve out time in your calendar for rest.

Set aside time to catch up on some Zs with an afternoon nap. Allow a loved one to look after small children or delegate household duties to family members. Your time is the greatest indulgence you can give yourself at this time of year. wellbeing.com.au | 115

marketplace EPZEN

The gift of relaxation Give the gift of relaxation this festive season with EpZen’s range of Relax products.

Tell us about the EpZen Relax Range.

Tell us more about what EpZen is promoting for Christmas.

All EpZen products have a unique combination of 100 per cent natural essential oils. These essential oils are carefully curated and blended to assist with specific wellbeing needs.

They also contain magnesium, which is known to improve mood and sleep quality and assist with stress and relaxation. Studies show magnesium is best absorbed via the skin — which is where our products come in.

EpZen is Australian-owned, parabenfree and vegan-friendly, and is not tested on animals.

EpZen is certified as being 100 per cent low CO2 by the Carbon Reduction Institute and offsets 100 per cent of its operational emissions.

We’re promoting the EpZen Relax Bundle.

If you know someone who could benefit from some time out, the Relax Bundle is the perfect gift.

The EpZen Relax Bundle is ideal for those living a demanding lifestyle. This range of magnesium is infused with a 100 per cent natural essential oil blend of rosewood, ylang ylang, geranium, frankincense and may chang.

The bundle includes EpZen Relax Magnesium Bath Crystals 900g, EpZen Relax Magnesium Body Spray 100mL and EpZen Relax Magnesium Body Lotion 100mL, all designed to help you and those you love relax and recharge through the power of aromatherapy, essential oils and magnesium.

Please note that this bundle is not packaged in a gift box/gift wrapping.

All orders are packaged in 100 per cent recyclable materials.

What is the heritage and story of EpZen? EpZen is all about reconnecting our consumers to calm. Our high-quality range of Australian-owned body-care products enables our consumers to get micro-moments of calm in their stressful, fast-paced and busy lives by simply using our range of bath crystals, body lotions and body sprays. EpZen helps us become mindful through our senses of smell and touch.

What has been a highlight of the EpZen story?

Adding our Project Reconnect social impact cause to the EpZen brand was a great moment. Through this project, EpZen provides 116 | wellbeing.com.au

direct monetary grants to mentors in the wellness space who are helping communities reconnect to calm. Project Reconnect enables these mentors to easily extend their services to help more and more Australians foster their own mental wellbeing.

What has been the most challenging part of the EpZen journey to date?

A challenging part has been realising how much COVID has impacted on Australians’ mental health. Stress from lockdowns, home schooling and not being able to see friends all impact our ability to cope from day to day. EpZen hopes to provide holistic solutions to help one reconnect to calm in such an uncertain time.

Where can we buy your product?

EpZen products are available at epzen.com.au and from Woolworths, Coles and selected retailers.

For more information visit epzen.com.au or call 1300 364 515.

marketplace CLÉMENCE ORGANICS

Celebrate summer skin Bridget Carmady from Clémence Organics shares her tips for protecting your skin this summer.

help your skin maintain a healthy barrier while still getting that all-important vitamin D. Clémence Organics products fit those criteria perfectly!

This is a season for giving; if I was looking to gift just one of your products to someone in my life, which would you recommend and why?

Our 2 in 1 Face Exfoliant + Mask, for sure!

It’s like a facial in a tube. After just one application, skin will be clearer, baby-smooth and instantly revitalised. Everyone needs this product in their life.

You’re passionate about the link between good skincare and good health; can you tell our readers more about this?

As a naturopath, it all comes down to health.

How you treat your body, what you feed it and what you put on it is clearly reflected in your skin. And, likewise, what you put on your skin influences the health of your body. This is because your skin absorbs around 80 per cent of what you put on it. So if your skincare contains petrochemicals (eg paraffin), synthetic preservatives (eg parabens) and chemicals (eg PEGs), these are going into your body and can play havoc with hormones, accumulate as toxins and trigger reactions.

Think of skincare how you think of food.

You really only want to put good stuff in your body as you know that this will fuel your body and lead to good health. Using good-quality, certified organic skincare is like feeding your skin with the highest-quality ingredients, guaranteeing the best results and ensuring healthy skin as you age.

What is Clémence Organics promoting for the Christmas period?

We have many gifting options, including our beautiful new cosmetic case made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. You can get this filled with select products from either our facial or body ranges.

Where can we buy Clémence Organics products?

Good skincare is important all year round; what do we need to be particularly conscious of in summer?

Summer sees our skin exposed to the sun more than any other season and, while it offers some benefits for skin (eg vitamin D), the sun can cause permanent damage and increase the signs of ageing.

This is why it’s important to ensure skin is protected with good hydration, antioxidants and SPF. Choose a range of products that

You can purchase directly from our website, clemenceorganics.com and at select retailers throughout Australia. See our stockists page for those closest to you.

For more information, visit clemenceorganics.com.

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marketplace FRESSKO

Farewell single-use with Fressko Release your eco-guilt with high-quality, reusable products and nurturing teas from Fressko.

that you could take with you on the go. It started small but grew quickly with the introduction of more high-quality, reusable brew-as-you-go options.

What has been the highlight of Fressko’s story to date?

Tell us about Fressko.

Fressko is a range of chemical-free, insulated, high-quality reusable coffee cups and tea-infuser bottles. They are designed with quality, sustainability and versatility in mind.

The 2-in-1 infuser allows you to transition from a tea infuser into the perfect vessel for your ice-cold fruit infusions or smoothies. The five-star-rated reusable coffee cups tick all the boxes for a stylish and sustainable cup to always carry with you — say goodbye to single-use.

What is the heritage and story of Fressko?

Fressko launched seven years ago after the founders noticed a gap in the market for a stylish and versatile tea infuser 118 | wellbeing.com.au

We have had the pleasure of collaborating with some amazing brands, which is always exciting. The collaborations range from corporate branding, community sponsorships and online collabs to donation support such as with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Being able to support causes that really need it is a special feeling.

The launch of our reusable cups has also been a massive highlight. After a few years in development, we finally have a product that ticks all the boxes!

Tell us more about what you’re promoting this summer.

We are excited to say that we have recently launched a range of loose-leaf teas that are the perfect addition to our tea infuser flasks. This product is 100 per cent organic, created by a naturopath and hand-blended in Australia, resulting in a line we are really proud to be offering.

Our philosophy is simple: be kind to Mother Earth, to others and to yourself, and these teas are the epitome of this.

With blends such as Sleep, Calm and Immunity, they are lifestyle teas, designed to deliver a dash of kindness to yourself or the person you gift them to.

Where can we buy Fressko products?

Online and from selected retailers.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

The most challenging part is always the logistics. Things like shipping delays — especially during the past 18 months (thanks, COVID) — which are out of our control. The design process, although lengthy, is actually quite fun. Providing an awesome, long-lasting alternative to single-use is obviously our goal and after years in development, we were finally able to achieve this.

For more information, visit au.madebyfressko.com or email hello@madebyfressko.com.

marketplace WEAVER GREEN

A sustainable success Weaver Green is proving that sustainability really does start at home with its range of homewares made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.

has numerous Weaver Green products in her and Prince Charles’ home.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

Meet the team behind Weaver Green.

Nikki and Rupert met while travelling, working in the glamorous world of superyachts, but when it was time to start a family, they knew exactly where they wanted to be: back home in beautiful Noosa.

They also knew that whatever they did next had to have a positive impact on the planet; they felt a pull to begin an ethical business that could make a real difference.

A joint passion for rustic antiques led the couple to start a business importing vintage furniture from Europe to Noosa.

On a business trip to the UK to source antiques, Nikki and Rupert decided to branch out into eco-friendly, ethical homewares to complement their furniture range. That’s when they spotted Weaver Green — a UK company revolutionising the textile industry by crafting rugs, blankets and soft furnishings from recycled plastic bottles.

This was the business they had been searching for. Not only was the product environmentally friendly, ethically made and beautiful, Weaver Green products are designed for both indoor and outdoor use, making them well-suited to the Australian lifestyle.

Nikki and Rupert were sold; they had to bring Weaver Green to Australia. They met with the brand’s owners in the UK, struck

up an immediate rapport and pivoted their business completely to become Australia’s sole distributor of Weaver Green products.

Tell us about Weaver Green products.

Our stunning range of soft furnishings has the look and feel of natural fibres but contains up to 3000 salvaged plastic bottles per product, turning rubbish destined for the ocean into something beautiful to be enjoyed for decades. All of the Weaver Green products are also completely recyclable at the end of their useful life.

Weaver Green’s range of artisan textiles are influenced by Scandinavian, African and Eastern design, combining soft yellows, reds, blues and greys with natural tones to make timeless products to suit any decor or style.

Suitable throughout the home, including in kitchens and bathrooms, our hard-wearing, stain- and mould-resistant properties also make Weaver Green the perfect accessory for all your outdoor entertaining areas such as decks, balconies and by the pool. They are even machine washable.

What has been the highlight of the story?

Most recently, the UK showroom was opened by the Duchess of Cornwall, who

There is so much noise in the online homewares space, so being seen is definitely our biggest challenge. And convincing people that despite the fact that our products are made from plastic, they are lovely and soft, and look and feel like natural fibres. This messaging is especially challenging to convey when people are buying online.

Tell us more about what Weaver Green is promoting for Christmas?

Weaver Green is perfect for your Aussie Christmas, whether you’re revamping your outdoor spaces, planning gifts or even sourcing items for your Christmas lunch table. We can help you find beautiful and sustainable solutions.

Where can we buy Weaver Green products?

Online at weavergreen.com.au or at our Noosa showroom.

For more information visit weavergreen. com.au, call them on 07 5231 9805 or visit them at 5/33 Gateway Drive, Noosaville, Queensland.

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marketplace BEST BUDS

Healing with hemp Enjoy the medicinal benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp with Best Buds.

of CBD and hemp. Both goods are non-addictive substances and present a plethora of health benefits. The primary issue is the flawed federal laws, which prevent people from accessing this type of natural medicine. So to fight for our community, we decided to start Best Buds and help dismantle inconsistent cannabis laws. We want our audience to educate themselves to see if this natural medicine is right for them.

Meet Best Buds.

Tell us about your products.

At Best Buds, we have a vision of increasing awareness for the benefits of CBD and hemp in Australia. We want to break the negative stigma associated with CBD. There’s a plethora of data suggesting that CBD products provide short-term and long-term benefits for their users. We think it’s time to show Australians that they can trust their Best Bud and look into the benefits of CBD. We think this is a wonderful opportunity for our business to grow, but more importantly, we want our fellow Australians to join our campaign to legalise CBD in our beautiful country.

Best Buds will be the global marketplace for the highest quality CBD and hemp products. Rather than just selling products, Best Buds is a community of CBD and hemp enthusiasts, where people can share their stories, provide their recipes and even help fellow buds with common inquiries.

What has been the highlight of the Best Buds story?

Partnering up with Australian ambassadors from the Epilepsy Foundation and Dementia Foundation.

What has been the most challenging part of the Best Buds journey?

What is the heritage and story of the Best Buds brand?

People have not been educated on the benefits of CBD and their predisposed stigma towards this product has clouded their judgement towards the benefits of the product.

We started the company in the western suburbs of Sydney. We would like to help our community by sharing the benefits

Tell us more about what you’re promoting for Christmas.

We have some Christmas special deals!

Enjoy our recipes for Christmas meals using CBD/hemp.

Where can we buy your product?

You can buy our products at best-buds.co.

Products will be in stores from mid 2022.

For more information visit best-buds.co

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marketplace AMPERNA® & EDIBLE BEAUTY

The skincare solution Meet Kiri Yanchenko, founder of AMPERNA®, a probiotic skincare brand dedicated to providing gentle solutions for problematic, sensitive skin.

Meet Kiri Yanchenko.

I started my career in the FMCG design and brand activations industry in Sydney. During this time, I took a career break and became my father’s sole carer. He passed away before he was 62.

During this period of intense pressure, I was prescribed medication to help my skin and stress levels. I reacted to this medication; three of the side effects were severe pustular acne, skin hives and weight loss. I was admitted to hospital.

My skin went from normal to unbearable almost overnight.

After leaving hospital, I was offered more medication from professionals. Instead, I decided to review my whole lifestyle, taking a holistic approach to my health.

I researched diets and a healthy lifestyle. I went through the process of cutting out everything I shouldn’t be eating and reassessing everything that I was

using on my skin. Going through the process of identifying certain triggers to my skin problems and helping myself took two years. So began my search for a solution: and my brand AMPERNA® was born.

Tell us about AMPERNA. AMPERNA® is an active probiotic skincare line. We are Australianmade and -owned, cruelty-free, vegan and free from harmful ingredients and chemicals. The award-winning AMPERNA range is science-backed and tested on real people in the real world to help them feel comfortable in their own skin. We are results-driven and always looking for ways to innovate.

AMPERNA skincare is holistic and effective, driven by my own deep, personal understanding of the challenges faced by having problem skin. Our products contain only the necessary base ingredients plus skin-changing actives, such as our probiotic complex and our

bio-fermented oligopeptide, glycolic acid and vitamins B and C.

What has been the highlight of the AMPERNA story to date?

We have now helped thousands of people feel more comfortable in their skin. We are in business to help people with their skin health in a holistic way using our products and our holistic skin coaching service.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

The most challenging parts have been navigating business during a pandemic and sourcing ingredients and components for manufacturing.

Tell us more about what AMPERNA is promoting this season.

We have some great gifting bundles and some fabulous new

Beauty from within Edible Beauty is transforming the way we think of beauty, by empowering people to approach healthy, glowing skin in a holistic way.

Tell us about the range of products from Edible Beauty Australia.

We are a holistic beauty brand that offers both topical skincare and wellness products designed to improve health and vitality from the inside out. Our naturopathic formulations are 100 per cent vegan and cruelty-free and blended with ingredients that are literally so pure you could eat them. Blended with food-grade ingredients including exotic oils, butters, beauty-boosting vitamins, herbs, fruits, clinically proven botanical extracts and wildcrafted Australian natives, Edible Beauty products are teeming with antioxidants and skintransforming actions.

What is the heritage of Edible Beauty Australia?

Our founder Anna Mitsios is a naturopath and nutritionist. She was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes at age 18 — a big turning point in

her life. That diagnosis inspired her search for natural solutions, nutrition and herbal remedies to help manage her autoimmune condition. This quest later led to her work as a naturopath in a Sydney fertility clinic, where she grew frustrated with the absence of safe, clean skincare options, especially for pregnant women.

Anna created her range of natural and efficacious products to fill a void for anyone seeking pure, vegan and sustainable beauty formulas.

What has been the highlight of the Edible Beauty Australia story?

The highlight of our brand has been transforming a countless number of people’s skin. One of our key missions is to change the way people do “beauty” by empowering them to work on their complexion topically and internally.

I have had countless turnarounds, but most recently a wonderful

transformation with a customer who had perioral dermatitis for two years. It was fantastic to see her skin clear and healthy after six weeks of working together.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

products. Our sun-sense products are also always popular during this time of year.

Where can we buy AMPERNA? Online and in select specialist stockist locations.

For more information visit amperna.com or call 0412 978 030.

including our Native Collagen Powder, Complexion Protein+ and Beauty Dew — Hair Skin Nail Support. These three products work wonderfully to support natural collagen production.

Where can we buy your product?

You can buy our products online at ediblebeautyaustralia.com as well as at select retailers including Adore Beauty, David Jones and Nourished Life.

I have definitely found it most challenging to find ways to reach more people and assist them on a greater scale. This has pushed me to find out more about social media, become more present on it and work out ways to transform more people’s skin holistically.

Tell us more about what Edible Beauty Australia is promoting for Christmas.

We are wanting to get the word out there on our wellness supplements,

For more information visit ediblebeautyaustralia.com.

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Marketplace Celebrate the festive season with a gift from one of our WellBeing Marketplace advertising partners.

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Join the global marketplace for the highest quality CBD and hemp products this season with a visit to Best Buds. As well as selling products, Best Buds is a community of CBD and hemp enthusiasts where people can share their stories, provide their recipes and even help fellow buds with common queries.

This Christmas, enjoy their seasonal recipes featuring CBD and hemp. best-buds.co

2 Clémence Organics 2 in 1 Face Exfoliant + Mask Delight your loved ones with the gift of good skin with the Clémence Organics 2 in 1 Face Exfoliant + Mask. This duo contains organic rosehip seed granules to gently exfoliate, biofermented hyaluronic acid to support collagen synthesis and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and detoxifying bentonite clay to draw out toxins and impurities. clemenceorganics.com

3 AMPERNA® Pro+ Bio Resurfacing Retinol ALT Help calm redness and improve skin appearance with the Pro+ Bio Resurfacing Retinol ALT from AMPERNA®. This beauty must-have is 100 per cent free from sulfates 122 | wellbeing.com.au

and parabens, and contains no synthetic colours or fragrances, making it safe for the most sensitive skin — even during pregnancy.

The AMPERNA® Pro+ Bio Resurfacing Retinol ALT contains leaves of the Indian babchi plant (used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine). amperna.com

4 Weaver Green Avignon Duck Egg Throw Give a truly sustainable gift this Christmas with the Avignon Duck Egg throw from Weaver Green. This product is not only soft and stylish, but it’s made from 300 recycled plastic bottles.

You will be amazed at how luxurious and soft this throw is — in fact it’s so divine, you’ll probably want to buy one for yourself as well. weavergreen.com.au

5 EpZen Relax Range Give the gift of relaxation with the EpZen Relax Bundle. This bundle contains EpZen Relax Magnesium Bath Crystals, EpZen Relax Magnesium Body Spray and EpZen Relax Magnesium Body Lotion to help your loved ones feel at peace this festive season.

The EpZen Relax Bundle utilises 100 per cent natural essential oils and magnesium. epzen.com.au

6 FRESSKO Camino Coral 340ml Coffee Cup Fressko’s stylish, chemical-free, lightweight, insulated stainless steel reusable coffee cup is the new and improved version of the classic takeaway cafe cup.

Available in 8oz and 12oz, Fressko coffee cups are vacuum sealed and scratchresistant, and have a spill-proof, screw-in, easy-to-clean lockable lid.

They fit perfectly under the barista’s machine and your standard cup holder and are ideal for travel. au.madebyfressko.com

7 Edible Beauty Australia Building Blocks Bundle Build the skin of your dreams with the Building Blocks Bundle from Edible Beauty Australia. By incorporating these wellness supplements into your routine, you can transform your skin from the inside out.

This bundle is comprised of the Native Collagen Powder, Complexion Protein+ and Beauty Dew — Hair Skin Nail Support.

These three products work wonderfully to support natural collagen production, providing healthy and strong hair, skin and nails. ediblebeautyaustralia.com

Illustration: Getty Images

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WellBeing Partners CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

WellBeing

Festive Gift Guide An edit of mindful gifts from our advertisers 2

The Wellness Edit Good-for-you goodies to delight health enthusiasts and spiritual souls.

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1 Vita-sol Purity Wholefood Vita-sol premium certified organic greens is an inner beauty powerhouse designed to support a healthy liver, gut and skin. Containing natural nutrient rich ingredients to give nutritional support over the festive season.

W: vita-sol.com

Illustrations Getty Images

2 Purematcha Tea in Japan is offered as a gift for good health and longevity. Cultivated in Uji Japan, this ceremonial grade matcha is high in mood-enhancing L-theanine and supremely fresh in colour and taste. Treat yourself or someone you love with the health enriching taste of pure matcha green tea.

W: purematcha.com.au 3 Moontime Diary The Moontime Diary keeps you informed about planetary movements. By tuning into seasons and cycles, you can live a healthier, more organised and sustainable lifestyle.

The Birthday Calendar helps you choose suitable gifts aligned to the zodiac signs.

W: moontimediary.com.au

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4 Earthing Oz Ocushield blue light filters help to relieve digital eye-strain, fatigue and help improve sleep by filtering out harmful blue light from your iPhone, iPad, laptop or monitor.

Visit Earthing Oz for Ocushield and more safe tech solutions.

W: earthingoz.com.au 5 Indie Rose Revitalising and nourishing your skin has never felt so good. Indie Rose Rituals luxury body oils are jam packed with antioxidants to intensely hydrate and invigorate your skin while enhancing a whole new level of self-

love. Plus, they are 100 per cent natural and illuminated with 24k gold.

W: indieroserituals.com 6 Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil Help your skin keep its natural tone and resilience during and after pregnancy with this all natural massage oil. With sweet almond oil and vitamin E-rich wheatgerm oil, this oil helps prevent stretch marks, leaving skin smooth and elastic.

W: weleda.com.au

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WellBeing Partners CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

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The Beauty Edit For beauty lovers and skincare addicts who enjoy a more natural approach.

8 Shampoo With A Purpose Facial Cleanser Bar Do you want to go plastic free but keep your beautiful glow? Look no further, our facial cleanser bar is a pH-balanced, Australian made, all-natural cleanser and it doesn’t need a plastic bottle. It’s long-lasting and soothing for the skin.

W: shampoowithapurpose.com 9 Happy Breast Balm Breast Care Kit An all-natural, self-care kit containing the original Happy Breast Balm, plus a dry skin brush, massage mantra and instructions on brushing the body and massaging the breasts to improve blood flow. Get to know and love your breasts or inspire a loved one to take care of theirs.

W: breastbalm.com 10 Dermatonics® Give a gift every skin type will love! The top-selling Dermatonics® Nourishing Face Oil calms and hydrates all skin types and

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has been dubbed “liquid gold” and a “game changer” for complexions.

W: dermatonics.com.au 11 GUINOT Advent Calendar GUINOT’s glamorous second edition advent calendar is filled with 24 surprises to pamper you head to toe. Create 24 moments of magic, designed to make your skin youthful, smooth and radiant. Ending the year in celebrating beautiful you.

W: guinot.com.au 12 Pod Organics Pod Organics captures the wondrous gifts of nature to bring you skincare products that naturally nourish and nurture. Their award-winning products are multipurpose, all natural, organic, crueltyfree and ethically sourced. Their Sweet Pea & Me range is lavender-free, vegan, breastfeeding, and pregnancy safe, safe for the whole family and kind to even the most sensitive and delicate skin.

W: podorganics.com.au 13 Cosmetic Lab Designed to help you feel beautiful and confident in the skin you’re in, Cosmetic Lab fills the gap between makeup and skincare. Each product is loaded with skin loving ingredients to help support natural, healthy and glowing skin.

W: cozmeticlab.com.au

14 BABOR Advent Calendar Escape the ordinary and join the BABOR fairy tale this Christmas. Let us take you through seven beautiful chapters of our BABOR Advent Calendar journey, with each chapter opening up to a surprise product to make you glow each day for 24 days till Christmas.

W: au.babor.com 15 The Natives Co. The Natives Co. scour the globe for the finest international and home-grown natural and organic skincare, makeup and wellness products. Their ethical, safe and luxurious products are the best indie beauty has to offer, grown in nature and proven in science. For festive giving made easy, browse their gift guide, which is bursting with ethical and luxury products perfect for the conscious consumer.

W: thenativesco.com.au 16 RAWKANVAS See, smell and feel the difference with RAWKANVAS, an award-winning natural and vegan skincare brand backed by science and driven by confidence. Handcrafted using stunning natural colours and scents, an eco-friendly design, recyclable packaging and cruelty-free practices, it’s beauty with a conscience for all skin types.

W: rawkanvas.com

Illustrations Getty Images

7 Byron Bay Bronze A limited edition Christmas bundle that contains everything you need for a summer glow without the harmful chemicals. Spoil a loved one with the brand’s four bestsellers: Luxury Face Tan Water, Self-Tanning Foam, Pro Strenghth Tan Remover and a Luxe Tanning Mitt, or gift it to yourself for a no-nasties, safe tan this holiday season.

W: byronbaybronze.com.au

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The home edit For homebodies, hosts and hospitable friends.

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Your hair will thank you for these scalp loving ingredients.

W: pumphaircare.com 17 Shampoo With A Purpose Shampoo Bar Our shampoo bars are worth up to six bottles of regular haircare. They are all-natural, Australian made, pH-balanced and are incredibly easy to use. There are five types: OG (Natural), Volume, Dry or Damaged, Colour Treated and Unscented. Try yours today, it’s never too late to make the S.W.A.P. W: shampoowithapurpose.com 18 PUMP Haircare Liquid Gold Growth Oil Treatment A luxurious pre-wash hair oil packed with Jamaican black castor oil, organic argan oil and nourishing, active botanical extracts to stimulate hair growth and add shine.

21 Young Living The Young Living Lucia™ Artisan Diffuser is handcrafted by a master glassblower, making each one a unique work of art.

The elegant design creates soft, ethereal light as the ultrasonic diffusion fills your home with the uplifting aroma of Citrus Fresh and Peppermint essential oils.

W: youngliving.com 22 Gro Urban Oasis Give the gift to grow this Christmas with a lush plant from Gro Urban Oasis. Lasting long after the petals have fallen, a living plant gift will grow, just like your love for years to come.

W: gro-urbanoasis.com.au

19 Weleda Skin Food Indulge & Restore Gift Set Indulge your skin from head to toe with this intensively moisturising set, packed with powerful botanical extracts and natural plant oils, for soft and smooth skin. Contains Skin Food 30mL and Skin Food Body Butter 150mL. W: weleda.com.au

23 Atkins Farm ‘Petite’ wines Illustrated by Olivia Rogers, these wines look and taste great and, at 8.5 per cent, are low in alcohol for your all-round enjoyment. Petite Sofia is a fruit driven Sauvignon Blanc with notes of citrus blossom and a refreshing palate.

W: atkinswine.com.au

20 Herbalife Moisturizing Vitamin Mask Featuring blend of triple hyaluronic acid, hydrolysed avocado protein and Centella Asiatica Extract, this mask provides 8-hour continuous hydration, leaving skin more moisturised, dewy and softer.

W: herbalife.com.au

24 Seed & Sprout Ditching plastic bottles has never looked, smelt or felt better with Seed & Sprout’s Citrus & Mint Shampoo Bar. This Mane Mojito is the perfect balance for clean, hydrated hair and will save three and a half 300mL plastic bottles of liquid shampoo.

W: seedandsprout.com

25 Happy Human an Refillable cleaning i care that’s h ’ better for you and our planet. The Happy Human bundle includes antibacterial hand wash and surface cleaning tabs that work like a Berocca — just add water to the reusable glass bottles in this no-nasties kit, pop in the fizzy tabs and ta-da, you have a handwash or multi-purpose cleaner. Plus they smell amazing with our native Australian essential oil scents. The perfect practical gift that is effective and works wonders to end single-use plastic waste at home.

W: heyhappyhuman.com 26 Bondi Wash A selection of natural products designed for beautiful travel, the Bondi Wash Getaway Bags bring the beauty and scents of the Australian bush with you while you travel. Available for the Home, Body and Dog. W: bondiwash.com.au 27 Hemp Collective Discover Hemp Collective’s Natural Pet Care Range, perfect to gift your furry friend. Pet Shampoo Bars moisturise, clean and replenish the natural balance of your pet’s coat, Pet Balance Oil delivers a unique combination of good saturated fats and Pet Balms heal rough and cracked paws. Use the code HempC21 for 15 per cent off.

W: hempcollective.com.au

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planet GREEN-TECH MINERALS

The mineral dilemma behind green tech The world faces a green paradox — we can’t keep consuming fossil fuels but the renewable alternatives require minerals that need to be mined.

In this clear analysis we look at the damage green-technology minerals may do and how we might overcome the challenge.

Words MARTIN OLIVER

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Risking a supply crunch Geopolitically, production of specific minerals is often concentrated in a fairly small number of countries, many of them politically unstable. Additionally, the dominance of China in mineral refining is exacerbating tensions with the US, and its position of power could in the future be used as leverage. In the case of the 17 rare earth elements widely used in green tech, especially wind power, it refines about 90 per cent of the global supply, and this dominance is predicted to tighten even further to 95 per cent by 2025. When Donald Trump made the bizarre move in 2019 of offering to buy Greenland from Denmark, it is likely that the island’s rich supply of rare earths was his primary motivation.

In 2019, eight scientists at the UK’s Natural History Museum sent a letter to

By 2040, total lithium production, largely for lithiumion batteries, is anticipated to skyrocket 42-fold. the British government, warning about intense resource demands resulting from all of the UK’s vehicle fleet becoming electric as part of Britain’s net zero by 2050 target. Specifically, it pointed out that this would involve nearly double the total annual world cobalt production, nearly the entire world production of the rare earth neodymium, three quarters of the lithium and at least half of the copper. These figures are based on the UK’s 2019 vehicle fleet, and do not factor in its likely growth up to 2050. Because the UK represents about 3 per cent of the global vehicle fleet, such a planet-wide changeover would require around 30 times these quantities.

Meanwhile, the Geological Survey of Finland recently put out a report The Mining of Minerals and the Limits to Growth, whose key message is that current reserves will not supply sufficient metals to meet long-term demand for renewable energy infrastructure. It advocates for resource use policies to be structured around longterm supply considerations, very much the opposite of the present economic-growthdriven arrangement. It emphasises that the grade of mineral ores has been diminishing over time, resulting in increased energy for processing, higher emissions, greater production costs and increasing quantities of mining waste.

The IEA predicts that supply issues are most likely for lithium, battery-grade nickel and rare earths. For many metals, the rate of mineral deposit discovery has been on a downward trend, and the IEA points out that historically the average time lag between the discovery of a deposit and start of production has been 16 years. It is concerned about a “looming mismatch” between demand and future supply.

Environmental damage Mining as a whole is commonly associated with a range of environmental problems.

• The use of acids, toxic chemicals and copious water in mineral processing.

• A risk of polluting downstream waterways, and sometimes drinking water supplies too.

• Production of large quantities of mine tailings.

• Loss of biodiversity, obviously at the mine site, but also in its surrounding areas.

• Deforestation. In a current Tasmanian example, the company MMG runs an existing operation mining copper, zinc and lead, and plans to destroy up to 285 hectares of rainforest in the Tarkine region for a new tailings dam. This

Photography Getty Images

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ossil fuels are on track to soon become history. In May 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) put out a report calling for a stop to all new fossil fuel development by the end of the year, and for the sales of internal combustion engine cars to discontinue by 2035. The purpose of this aggressive stance on climate change is to align with the Paris goal of having a shot at a maximum 1.5°C temperature rise. The report, Net Zero by 2050, laid out a detailed road map for an accelerated transition to renewables, and many decision-makers are paying attention.

Perhaps surprisingly, clean energy infrastructure involves sourcing significantly more mineral content than is needed for its fossil fuel equivalent; an onshore wind farm, for example, requires nine times more minerals than a gas-fired plant. Compared to an internal combustion car, about six times more minerals are needed to build an electric car. The energy sector represents a growing percentage of world demand for copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite, lithium and many others. In the politics of climate change, the more ambitious the emissions cuts, the faster mineral demand will need to multiply. These issues were presented in a sister 2021 IEA report The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions.

The IEA’s paper predicts that by 2040, green energy demand for critical minerals will have multiplied sixfold from a baseline of 2020. However, in some cases, this expansion of mining will be in a different ballpark. By 2040, total lithium production, largely for lithiumion batteries, is anticipated to skyrocket 42-fold. For graphite, 25-fold; cobalt, a 21-fold growth; and nickel, a 19-fold multiplication. These figures would change if existing battery technology is superseded, as this would prompt a shift to a different balance of materials.

BHP Billiton’s iron ore plant with excavators and stockpiles of iron ore, Western Australia

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planet GREEN-TECH MINERALS

Pools of brine lakes at a lithium mine in the Atacama Desert, Chile

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region of northern Chile, where the salt flats lithium industry is presently concentrated, is the driest place on Earth, and the lowering water table is causing trouble for llama herders, quinoa farmers and 18 nearby indigenous communities.

Another area of contention is Thacker Pass in Nevada, which contains rare sagebrush habitat and is home to pronghorn antelopes and golden eagles.

It also has one of the world’s largestknown lithium resources, and is the site

… current reserves will not supply sufficient metals to meet long-term demand for renewable energy infrastructure. of a planned mega-mine that would be 2.3 miles (3.7km) long and 0.5 miles (0.8km) at its widest. The project is subject to an ongoing blockade involving activists, ranchers and Native Americans. Nevada is home to Tesla’s US Gigafactory that uses large quantities of lithium.

Rare earth mining and processing have a bad reputation due to the presence of unwanted radioactive thorium contamination, and less commonly uranium, in the ore. Baotou, in the Inner Mongolia region of China, is a rare earth

processing centre, and wastewater from the plants is discharged into a toxic artificial lake. At Kvanefjeld in Greenland, there are plans for a huge mine that would supply both rare earths and uranium. In rural Victoria, a proposed mineral sands mine supplying some rare earths could threaten the nearby Busch Organics farm with radioactive dust.

Urban mining One way to moderate the need for mining expansion is by recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment in purposebuilt facilities, increasingly referred to as urban mining. E-waste is around 40 to 50 times richer in minerals than mined ores. Research by the Norwegian research agency SINTEF found that urban mining is 17 times less energy-intensive than production from virgin materials.

Quantities of e-waste material are growing fairly quickly, in line with increased high-tech consumption and disposal.

There are major environmental benefits in recycling e-waste instead of binning it, or storing it in a drawer and forgetting about it. Recycling of high-tech and green-tech products can be a part of the solution, but it is limited because the exponential growth in demand cannot be matched in real time by availability of recycled material.

Oceania, which takes in Australia and New Zealand, is one of the world’s top regions for e-waste production, and its

Photography Getty Images

prompted a blockade that has led to a stream of arrests.

• Threats to the welfare of indigenous peoples, especially Brazilian tribes facing mining corporations that have been emboldened by far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

• Excessive energy use. Mining is energy-intensive, with the production of seven minerals (iron, aluminium, copper, zinc, lead, nickel and manganese) alone being responsible for 7 per cent of the world’s greenhouse emissions. However, there is large energy difference between refining in a country with a renewablesdominated grid, as opposed to a largely coal-fired grid such as China’s.

Once demand struggles to keep up with supply, it is inevitable that a steep increase in “green extractivism” will catalyse an expansion encompassing more controversial and contested projects.

These may involve environmentally sensitive areas, national parks, indigenous territories, in deep sea areas or even mining on the moon or asteroids.

Lithium has been dubbed “white gold” because it is pivotally important for current battery technology in the new energy economy. The salt flats in Chile, Bolivia and Argentina are sometimes called the “lithium triangle”. Here, lithium is extracted from brine of salt crusts in a water-intensive process that is causing a lowering of the water table. The Atacama

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planet GREEN-TECH MINERALS

be sold second-hand if compliant with the current standards.

recycling rate of 8.8 per cent is about half of the global average of 17.4 per cent. An aggressive mix of regulation and more recycling facilities is needed. Australia has a product stewardship policy governing the industry recycling of TVs, computers, monitors and computer peripherals. Victoria has banned the landfilling of e-waste, broadly defined as an electrical item with a battery, plug or cord. So far, New Zealand has not introduced any similar measures.

For the consumer, lithium-ion batteries, up to appliance-sized, can be recycled at many council facilities, and in Australia they are accepted at Battery World stores.

Electric vehicle batteries still contain enough charge to repurpose for domestic batteries or large-scale electricity backup storage. These are sometimes known as “second-life batteries”, and the Nissan xStorage domestic battery system is made

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from former EV batteries. An unwanted EV battery of this type is best removed by a local dealership for recycling when it is swapped for new. It can also be sold on a second-hand marketplace.

While used solar panels are largely sent to landfill, in Victoria this is prohibited under the state’s e-waste laws. Australia has one solar panel recycling company, Reclaim PV based in Adelaide and Brisbane, which asks a recycling fee of A$11 per panel plus the freight cost of transporting the panels.

A national network of drop-off points is currently being set up. New Zealand does not have any equivalent facilities. An issue identified following research in Australia is a trend towards removing solar panels prematurely for various reasons, resulting in a plea from researchers to leave them on the roof until they fail. Where panels are removed while they still work, they can

Debate around environment, economy and the renewables transition includes “deep greens” on one side and “light greens” and techno-optimists on the other. While light greens tend to believe that the future can be a renewables-andelectric-cars flavour of business as usual, deep greens disagree. Much of it boils down to differing attitudes toward the notion of “green growth”.

The Mining of Minerals and the Limits to Growth predicts an end to growth economics. It characterises a continuation of the economic growth paradigm as “increasingly ineffective, and a waste of valuable resources.” A fast shift away from fossil fuels is necessary, but feeding the voracious mineral appetite of renewables will cause huge environmental damage unless economic growth is swapped for a planned economic contraction, perhaps along “degrowth” lines.

A degrowth-based society is likely to be energy-constrained, frugal and community-oriented, with custodianship of possessions and resources, greater self-sufficiency and limited mobility. In the waste hierarchy, degrowth aligns well with the “reduce” option at the very top.

The challenge is that in order to work, a degrowth society would require everyone to voluntarily live in this fashion, and not just a radical fringe of deep greens.

What might a degrowth approach to electric cars look like? Martin Brueckner from Murdoch University has suggested car-sharing. If every EV were shared among 10 different drivers who would otherwise buy a private EV, this would reduce the quantity of mining for such cars by 90 per cent. Such a model would however be difficult to mandate. Public transport and cycling also have an important role to play, and cities need to be designed with cyclists in mind. A 2021 study in a transport journal found that for urban areas, cycling was 10 times as important as the electric car in reaching a net zero by 2050 climate target.

In the view of Hal Rhoades, northern European coordinator of the Yes to Life, No to Mining activist network, “We cannot mine our way out of the climate crisis.”

Perhaps the last word goes to actor Will Rogers, who once said, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore.

Photography Getty Images

A degrowth paradigm

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travel THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Climb high above Watsons Bay for big-picture views

Far, far away on Lizard Island At the northernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef, just out of reach of the seasonal crowds, the happily secluded Lizard Island is every contemporary castaway’s dream destination.

Words CATHERINE LAWSON Photography DAVID BRISTOW

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t’s not at all difficult to fall in love with Lizard Island’s coral-fringed curls of sand and the cornflower-blue bays that beckon snorkellers under the sea. Travel writers and reef lovers besotted with this tropical isle call it idyllic and wild, and while Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is littered with such beauties (some far more verdant and with coral reefs in much better shape), the allure of Lizard Island lies in its being so very far away.

Reaching its national park-protected shores is an adventure in itself, ensuring very few people converge on Lizard’s 24 shimmering white sand beaches at any one time. Those who do make the journey — by plane, charter boat or private yacht — amount to an incongruous bunch of castaways: five-star resort guests, adventurous grotty yachties and fly-in campers who arrive with tents and snorkelling gear, and pay in pocket change for their rustic beachfront views. All come

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seeking seclusion under the sea and Lizard Island never fails to disappoint.

Lieutenant James Cook named the island for its resident yellow-spotted monitor lizards and it’s here where naturalist Sir David Attenborough began his 60-year-long love affair with the Great Barrier Reef, which he calls “the most magical place on Earth”. On its northern tip, Lizard Island’s step-off-the-sand reefs are studded with luminous giant clams, blooming coral bommies and a kaleidoscopic cavalcade of lime and tangerine-coloured fish.

Sadly, the last eight years have pushed Lizard Island’s pristine wilderness to the brink. In 2014 and again in 2015, category 4 cyclones Ita and Nathan pummelled the island, all but flattening its only resort.

A year later, the first of four catastrophic coral bleaching events triggered by globally rising sea temperatures left Lizard Island’s fringing reefs in precarious shape.

In July this year, the findings of long-running research on the island revealed that 16 per cent of Lizard’s coral species have disappeared since 2011. Zoe Richards, senior research fellow at Curtin University, predicts extinctions will likely continue as global temperatures rise.

Ironically, the same cyclones that batter Lizard Island every summer bring a silver lining, cooling the sea and helping stressed coral reefs survive each long hot summer.

It’s hard not to see these bleached underwater landscapes as the canary in the coal mine, but Lizard Island has not yet reached its tipping point, and the more visitors it bewitches, the more hope there is for its reefs.

Fortunately for those who make the trip, snorkelling and diving adventures off Lizard Island remain phenomenally vibrant with busy biodiversity: black-tipped reef sharks and green sea turtles, octopus, huge humphead wrasse and bright spotted

Walk an hour from Watsons Bay and discover that the Blue Lagoon, really is “the most romantic place on Earth”.

Harmless black-tipped reef sharks are a thrilling spot for snorkellers

The rappel down granite cliffs onto Coconut Beach is childs’ play

The yellow-spotted monitor gave this wild isle its name

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travel THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Who could argue when Attenborough himself calls the Great Barrier Reef the most magical place on Earth

Lieutenant James Cook named the island for its resident yellow-spotted monitor lizards and it’s here where naturalist Sir David Attenborough began his 60-year-long love affair with the Great Barrier Reef.

lagoon rays. The world-famous Cod Hole on the Ribbon Reefs lies just a quick boat ride away, and Lizard Island’s Blue Lagoon harbours truly remarkable, shallow-water snorkelling sites that throng with fish.

Walking trails pull adventurers out of the sea to stand on the summit of Cook’s Look at sunrise, to discover Indigenous and pioneer-era heritage sites, and to rappel down sheer granite cliffs and gather up nautilus shells on the fantastic, faraway Coconut Beach.

As tropical isles go, Lizard Island has considerable wow factor. Attenborough and I are in agreement when he calls Lizard Island one of his favourite places to be.

I once sailed there for a two-week stay and three months later I was still under the sea, anchored in uber-clear Watsons Bay and living off fresh fish, a micro-garden and home-brewed beers.

No matter how many times I visit, there’s always something new to experience, like this year’s impromptu yoga sessions on the casuarina-fringed edge of Watsons Bay (Mary Watsons Bay to be precise). Joining a laidback band of early risers, our mats, blankets and beach towels rolled out on the sand, we stretched and smiled and saluted the sun in one of the most amazing spots on the planet. Afterwards everyone drifted back home, paddling stand-up paddleboards and sea kayaks to their private yachts, or strolling along the sand to their temporary digs in one of Australia’s most spectacularly located fly-in campgrounds.

Shoestring stays Lizard Island levels the playing field for self-sufficient travellers with more spunk than savings. Its beachfront national park campground presents the ideal opportunity to play Robinson Crusoe in primitive campsites that cost just $6.85 a night.

Sandy sleeping bags are de rigueur, but the views, snorkelling, enviable sunsets and adventurous exploring all make this one of the cheapest island flings you can enjoy in Australia. The low price tag also means

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there’s plenty left to spend on sunset drinks on the frangipani-scented lawns of the resort’s “all-welcome” Marlin Bar. Right off the camp lies Lizard Island’s famously colourful Clam Garden, and you can fin out from the beach to eyeball the harmless reef sharks that cruise beneath Watsons Bay’s colourful north wall. The campground provides just the basics: picnic tables, a free gas barbecue and composting toilet, and there’s drinkable bore water a short walk away.

Most campers arrive armed with their own creature comforts: hammocks and shade cloths, eskies full of cold drinks, snorkelling gear and inflatable SUPs. These extra toys facilitate excellent half-day paddles north to Mermaid Cove (where the honeymooners hang out) or south to the Blue Lagoon — the islandstudded sanctuary made famous by 2008’s blockbuster Fool’s Gold. Filmed on location, the movie’s star Kate Hudson named Lizard Island “the most romantic place on Earth”; the Blue Lagoon’s tricoloured turquoise, gold and viridescent, palm-fringed vistas are what she’s referring to.

The lagoon is scenically nestled between four extraordinary granite islands with equally idyllic beaches: Osprey, Palfrey, South and the Seabird Islets.

A beautiful spot to snorkel, providing you can access it by boat, lies along the southern edge of South Island (just time your drift dive with the tides).

storms and cyclones, the resort has been levelled and rebuilt twice in the last decade. This year it took second place in Travel + Leisure magazine’s “Top 5 Resort Hotels (Australia and New Zealand)”, coming in just ahead of the list’s only other Aussie property: Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in the Blue Mountains.

To be transparent, I have never been a guest, but if money is no object and you are neither a camper nor a sailor, the resort offers your best shot of experiencing Queensland’s tropical reef standout.

Despite its remoteness, there’s a level of luxury here that you’ll appreciate having travelled so far, including (at a price) a rare collection of cellar wines and a full range of spa treatments. Private fishing and diving charters can be booked too.

What the resort doesn’t offer you can probably do without, like speedy Wi-Fi and shopping. But once you’ve pocketed your phone, the list of ways to spend your day (after an obligatory poolside cocktail) is exhaustive.

Hike to the summit of Cook’s Look in time for sunrise, climbing the 359-metre-high granite knoll for mind-blowing 360-degree views and a peek at an Indigenous ritual site just below the summit (two hours return).

You can motor your private dinghy to Turtle Bay, tour the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station and unravel some pretty intriguing tales of Indigenous and colonial history too.

Five-star decadence

Mary Watsons Bay

One bay south of the campground but a world away in every sense, the five-star Lizard Island Resort pampers guests with all-inclusive packages priced from $1969 a night. Its 40 beachfront villas and rooms are the only accommodation on the island, and stays here include gourmet meals and picnic hampers, cocktails, coral trips, use of your own dinghy and access to all the gear you need to explore.

Exhibiting significant staying power in the path of almost annual summertime

Of all the pioneers who played a part in Lizard Island’s long and intriguing history, Mary Watson is by far the most memorable.

In 1881, while her husband Robert was away from Lizard Island on a six-week-long fishing trip, 23-year-old Mary Watson fled an Indigenous attack on her small settlement by setting to sea in a bêche-de-mer (sea cucumber) boiling-down tank.

Accompanied by injured Chinese servant Ah Sam and her four-month-old baby Ferrier, Mary Watson’s makeshift

It’s an easy paddle from Watsons Bay to the usually deserted slice of sand at Turtle Beach

The only obstacle for sailors who arrive in their luxury catamarans and humble monohulls, on world cruises and coastal escapades to The Tip, is that Lizard Island has a way of holding travellers with too-loose itineraries to ransom, bewitching each with its considerable charm. “One more day” quickly turns into a week, and only when the trade winds turn and the supplies begin to dwindle, do boaties weigh anchor and bid their goodbyes.

Whatever your budget, getting to Lizard Island is easier than you might think, with twice-daily flights during the north’s mild, wintertime dry season (May to October).

This is the time when troublesome marine stingers disappear and calmer seas ensure that the snorkelling is sublime. So, if you are thinking of blue skies and even bluer seas, there’s still time to find yourself far, far away on tropical time this year.

Captivated by wild places and passionate about their preservation, Catherine Lawson and David Bristow run wildtravelstory.com, an information hub for inspiring travel far off the beaten track. Their latest book, 100 Things to See in Tropical North Queensland, is available at exploringedenbooks.com.

For yachties, there are few better anchorages on the Great Barrier Reef

boat drifted in the current for nine days before washing ashore on the waterless “Watson’s Island” in the Howick Group where the trio died of thirst.

While I applaud Mary Watson’s epic instinct to survive, what endears me to her story is that it shines a light on the pioneer-era stumbling that saw fishermen set up shop on an island sacred to Cape York’s Dingaal people. At the time, Lizard Island — known as Jiigurru — was reserved for the initiation of young men and used for hunting and tribal meetings. This hallowed ground was part of Dreamtime creation stories associated with the stingray, and sacred sites, including shell middens and what is believed to be a ceremonial rock arrangement beneath the summit of Cook’s Look, all point to its significance to the Dingaal people.

The great tragedy of Mary Watson’s tale is that the deaths didn’t end with hers.

Revenge killings in her name added to a body count of 150 Indigenous people, none of whom are said to have been

involved in the Lizard Island attack. The footprint of Mary Watson’s cottage ruins remains visible today, scenically sited between flying fox-filled mangroves and the picturesque bay that bears her name.

Smooth sailing Degustation menus and spa treatments might be nice, but for adventurous yachties like me, sailing is the most thrilling way to experience Lizard Island. Raise the sails in Cooktown and by day’s end you’ll be dropping the anchor and plunging overboard, soaking up a glorious watery sunset with your feet dug into the sand.

Grotty yachties (as we are always known) pay nothing for their watery island escapades, a fact that has many resort guests curling their toes, and if you are feeling adventurous, acting as crew on such voyages can be the stuff of dreams.

Lizard’s dry season anchorage in Watsons Bay is well protected and comfortable in the strongest south-easterly trade winds, and the holding is solid and sleep-friendly.

Escape routes Get there Lizard Island is located 240km north of Cairns. During the dry season, East Air operates daily charter flights between Cairns and Lizard Island (except Mondays and Wednesdays).

Resort guests pay $770 return, campers $820 return (visit eastair.net.au).

Go From May to October.

Stay National park campsites cost $6.85 per person per night ($27.40 per family). Facilities are limited to picnic tables, composting toilet, a bore water tap, gas barbecue (hotplate, no burners) and tarp poles (BYO shade cover, camping gear, food supplies and water container).

Book online at parks.des.qld.gov.au.

Pack Swimmers, snorkelling gear, hiking sandals and reef-friendly sunscreen.

Do Download the Lizard Island Field Guide app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Plan To find out more visit lizardisland.com.au.

wellbeing.com.au | 135

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spirit BOOKS, FILMS & PODCASTS THAT WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE

counter culture Reviews by Charlie Hale & Georgia Nelson

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art JAMES NESTOR, PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE Breath is a powerful tool. Beyond keeping us alive, breath can calm us, help us focus and provide a grounding force for many of us. But it seems that humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly.

In Breath, Nestor explores the “lost art” of breathing that dates back to around 400 BCE. He draws upon ancient wisdom, real-life stories and studies in pulmonology, psychology and human physiology to deliver an intriguing read that will change the way you think about your body’s most basic function. Nestor discovers freedivers who have utilised their breath to increase their lung size; explores the effect the industrial revolution had upon the quality of breathing; dives into the healing power of breath; and ultimately teaches us how to harness our breath to its full potential. GN

Rebellious Rituals REBECCA HULSE, SELF-PUBLISHED (BOOKBABY) A profanity-filled pep talk in coffee table book form, Rebellious Rituals is a self-help guide like no other.

Author, business coach and self-titled rebel Rebecca Hulse invites you to throw out the rule book and give yourself a break from the failed attempts at “perfect” routines and self-care rituals. This is a book for those who can’t seem to stick to, well, anything. It’s about meeting yourself where you are, in all your messy glory. Hulse is energetic, playful and just a little bit wacky in her presentation of accepting yourself as you are and exploring all that life has to offer (the good, the bad and the ugly) with frank acknowledgement and explosive creativity. A wonderfully fun guide to living this wild ride of a life with heart and courage. CH

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The Sunny Nihilist: How a Meaningless Life Can Make You Truly Happy WENDY SYFRET, SOUVENIR PRESS Ever felt burnt-out or overwhelmed amid the chaos of today’s society and thought “What’s the point of all this?”

Wendy Syfret has. The Sunny Nihilist offers a humorously realistic take on modern life. Described as “a balm for the soul of burnt-out millennials” (and it truly is), the book encourages readers to really consider the ephemerality of life and how this can actually act as an antidote to the pressures imposed on us by work, money, love, spirituality and society.

There are plenty of pop-culture references as well as historical theories referenced, and ultimately we are challenged to reframe our mindsets to celebrate an existence of unimportance. Like so many in younger generations, Syfret has learned to look on the bright side of nihilism. GN

Darkness is Golden: A Guide to Personal Transformation and Dealing with Life’s Messiness MARY HOANG, PANTERA PRESS If you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, self-love and silencing your inner critic, Darkness is Golden might just light the way to healing. Dr Mary Hoang, founder and head psychologist of The Indigo Project, has struck the perfect balance between personal anecdotes, healing exercises and mindful prompts in this transformative, no-BS guidebook to facing your fears. Scan the QR codes to access meditations, sonic embodiments and soothing audio tracks to listen to as you read. But be prepared to provoke your inner darkness on your journey to find the hidden gold — a new sense of direction, self-acceptance, trust and love. As Hoang puts it, “the messiness of being human is powerful — it connects us to each other because, at the heart of it, we’re all rowing in the same shit-soup at times.” GN

How Wild Things Are: Cooking, Fishing and Hunting at the Bottom of the World ANALIESE GREGORY, HARDIE GRANT New Zealand-born chef, and now author, Analiese Gregory is no stranger to Europe’s fine-dining scene. But in 2017, Gregory packed her bags for an unchartered life in the Tasmanian wilderness, where she hunts, forages and fishes to source the freshest local ingredients in the most sustainable of ways. How Wild Things Are, a memoir–cookbook hybrid, combines a narrative of the intrepid chef’s culinary journey and travels, with scenic photography from Tasmania and New Zealand, as well as a selection of recipes that hero Australian and New Zealand ingredients. Gregory’s penchant for the slow food life shines and the book ultimately encourages readers to soak in the joys of everyday life. Whether you’re an avid foodie, home cook or adventurer, How Wild Things Are will dish up hours of entertainment — and perhaps even inspire a new adventure of your own. GN

The Paper Palace MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER, PENGUIN I haven’t read a novel that has gripped me as much as The Paper Palace did in some time. Tightly woven and cleverly constructed, Miranda Cowley Heller’s debut plays out over one summer’s day in the life of Elle Bishop.

The anchoring story is interwoven with 50 years of Elle’s devastating family history and its long-held secrets, which unspool with gutwrenching realisation. It’s a novel that cracks open the heart and exposes the consequences of choices made and paths not taken. An occasionally uncomfortable read, with scenes of rape, incest, abuse and trauma, Heller’s novel gets to the heart of what it is to be shaped by the people, places and moments, both momentous and seemingly inconsequential, of one’s past. Heller’s sense of place is intoxicating. I could smell the damp rooms of the Paper Palace, feel the pond lapping at my feet; I walked the shaded paths to the beach and tasted the tang of Clamato. A stunning debut novel that is somehow both harrowing and humorous. CH

podcast Wake Me Up: Morning Meditation and Motivation

The Plant Clinic: Healing with Plant Medicine ERIN LOVELL VERINDER, THAMES & HUDSON Following the success of her first book, herbalist, nutritionist and wellness expert Erin Lovell Verinder is sharing more of her plant wisdom in The Plant Clinic. Bursting with recipes and protocols to heal modern ailments, including burnout, insomnia and low libido, this is an ultimate first aid kit for both body and mind. Verinder presents her knowledge in an easy-to-use format with detailed, step-by-step guides for diagnosing, managing and dosing over 100 common health issues. Find salves for acne-prone skin, tonics for restless nights and an infusion to bring you back from burnout. It’s a thoughtful guide that inspires you to take charge of your health and live your best life. CH

TYLER BROWN For anyone looking to recalibrate their body clock to become a “morning person” and start the day with a positive, motivated mindset, Wake Me Up is the perfect place to start.

This podcast will help you wake up and welcome the day rather than hitting snooze repeatedly and letting the hours slip by. Host Tyler Brown covers all aspects of mindfulness through meditations and affirmations that will help you overcome the slump, find new motivation and drive, let go of your ego, talk positively to yourself and ride the waves of life. And for the days when you just need to slow down and breathe, Brown’s soothing, easy-going meditations will give you the grounding you need. As we emerge from the peak of the pandemic, start each day with gratitude, awareness and a dose of positivity with the Wake Me Up podcast — the perfect pairing to your morning cuppa. GN

wellbeing.com.au | 139

recipes LOW TOX LIFE FOOD

Low Tox Life Food: How to Shop, Cook, Swap, Save and Eat for a Happy Planet

By ALEXX STUART, MURDOCH BOOKS

Images and text from Low Tox Life Food by Alexx Stuart, photography

by Cath Muscat. Murdoch Books RRP $36.99.

G

ood for your health, the planet and your budget, Low Tox Life Food is the perfect introduction to a greener kitchen and diet. It’s part guidebook, part cookbook, packed with plenty of tips that will make you just as handy in the garden as it will in the kitchen. Stuart will teach you how to how to compost, cook from scratch with wholefoods and choose the right places to shop and what to buy to limit your intake of nasty pesticides and unnecessary chemicals. This is the season for celebrations and family gatherings, and Low Tox Life Food is here to shake up your Christmas table spread in the healthiest of ways with an abundance of colour, flavour, plant-based alternatives and plenty for the meat-lovers, too! Sounds too good to be true? You’ll have to see it to believe it. But you can trust that this cookbook will be a mainstay in our kitchens for years to come.

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Burnt Honey Semifreddo with Seasonal Fruits Serves: 10–12 ¾ cup local honey 600mL organic pouring cream or coconut cream 8 organic pasture-raised egg yolks 2 organic pasture-raised eggs ½ tsp vanilla bean powder ¼ tsp grated or ground nutmeg

Topping 2 cups pitted cherries or your favourite seasonal fruits, chopped Fresh berries and local edible flowers, to serve Grated or ground nutmeg, to serve

Line a 24cm cake tin or 11 × 27 × 9cm loaf tin with baking paper (it will mould to the tin better if you scrunch it up well first, then spread it out to line the tin. I use two strips of paper at right angles, to get good coverage and to have plenty to fold over the top).

Combine half of the honey and 2½ tbsp of the cream in a small saucepan and cook on high until the mixture smells super-caramelly (almost burnt), about 4 mins. Pour immediately into a room-temperature bowl to cool.

Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.

Place the egg yolks and remaining honey in a medium metal bowl that will sit securely on top of the saucepan without touching the water.

Place the bowl over the simmering water and beat with hand-held electric beaters until the mixture is pale, creamy and frothy (taking care not to burn the electrical cord). Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside.

Pour the remaining cream into a deep medium bowl and beat until thickened but

not too stiff. Gently fold the cream and the cooled burnt honey mixture into the beaten egg mixture. Everything should now be in one bowl.

Pour into the prepared tin, then cover and freeze for 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the semifreddo from the freezer, take out of the tin by pulling on the paper, then remove the paper and place the semifreddo on a plate or cake stand. Do not panic if the paper sticks. Just wait a couple of minutes for the semifreddo to soften, and it will peel off super-easily.

Scatter the fruit and edible flowers over the top and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Notes: When cherries are out of season, try finely diced pear, sautéed in a pan with a little butter and vanilla bean powder, then cooled to room temperature. For the photo, I used figs, about four. In spring/summer, you could use berries and small locally growing edible flowers such as elderflower.

You can keep the semifreddo in the freezer for 3–4 days before serving.

Roasted Garlic, Herb and Apricot Chicken Tray Bake

My Bestest Roast Potatoes Serves: 6–8

Serves: 8 2 bulbs garlic Extra-virgin olive oil, for roasting, plus 2 tbsp extra, for rub 1⅔ cups coriander ½ cup flat-leaf parsley ½ tsp fennel seeds 150g tomatoes 1½ tsp salt 1.6kg chicken pieces

1 large red onion, halved then each half cut into 3 wedges ½ cup stock of your choice 60g butter or 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 12 dried apricots or pitted prunes, or 6 pitted dates, halved

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the garlic bulbs on a roasting tray and douse them in olive oil. Roast for 45 mins, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Turn the oven off.

Once the garlic is cooled, squeeze the roasted cloves from their skins and into a food processor. Add the coriander, parsley, fennel seeds, tomato, extra olive oil and salt, then pulse until a paste forms. Rub this all over the chicken pieces, then place them in a roasting tin. Pop them to bed in the fridge overnight if you can. Otherwise continue with the recipe.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C. Arrange the onion around the chicken pieces. Pour the stock into the corners of the tray, to ensure it sinks to the bottom. Cut the butter into slices and dot on top of the meat.

Add the apricots, arranging them around the chicken. That’s it.

Roast for 1 hour and it’s ready to serve, straight from the roasting tin.

Note: I like to roast the garlic a couple of days before when I’m cooking something else so that it’s ready for me to make the paste super quick. Use a mixture of chicken thighs and legs — whatever you fancy. You could also use a hand-held blender to blend the garlic paste in a jug.

8 desiree, sebago, maris piper or russet potatoes (approx. 2kg) 1½ tsp salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, lard or tallow

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Wash the potatoes and cut them in half. Place them in a large stockpot, cover with cold water and add the salt. Place over medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer for 5 mins to parboil them.

Strain in a colander and leave for a couple of minutes to let all the steam off — this is key. They must be dry before the next step. While they’re drying off, place the lard or tallow in a roasting tin and place in the oven for about 5 mins.

Cut the potatoes in half again and scrape all over the exposed flesh with a fork, to rough them up and create some crumbly edges. These bits will catch the fat and crisp up to epic heights during cooking.

Add the potato pieces to the super-hot fat in the roasting tin, placing them on a flesh side and spooning a little fat over them to coat the other sides. They should sizzle as they hit the tin. Roast for 45–60 mins, turning them halfway through cooking, until roasted to your liking. You’re done. Enjoy!

Fresh Goat’s Cheese, Leafy Local Greens, Seasonal Fruit and Classic Dressing Serves: 6 200g fresh goat’s cheese, crumbled 1 lettuce head, leaves separated, washed and torn into smaller pieces

60g rocket and/or foraged local greens 100g seasonal fruit 2 tbsp finely chopped mint ⅔ cup hazelnuts, roasted ¼ cup Mum’s Vinaigrette

Combine all the non-dressing Note: In summer, pitted ingredients in a large flat salad cherries are delicious, as are bowl. Toss the vinaigrette and serve. nectarine wedges.

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road test SHORT COURSE

Rediscovering gratitude We explore the power of the mind and the meaning of gratitude through a four-week course at Nature Care College.

Words GEORGIA NELSON

“W

A new perspective I’m no stranger to mindfulness, having meditated regularly for the past few years, and currently an avid subscriber to the Calm app, but the Nature Care College course offered some new techniques and approaches to meditation. Despite feeling rather flustered by looming deadlines, a chaotic new kitten and the uncertainty of how the pandemic was to impact my life in the next few weeks (it’s mid-August at the time of writing), Emma’s guided meditations offered a safe, tranquil space to escape.

I began to open my mind to new forms of meditation that I hadn’t tried before,

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point for me, but giving myself space and permission to breathe and just be was exactly what I needed.

The art of mindful living

including loving-kindness meditation.

Picture yourself standing with a loved one and wishing wellness, safety, love and abundance upon them. Then invite a few more loved ones into the circle and repeat. Continue to expand your circle until you are surrounded by the global population, wishing each and every one of them wellness, safety, love and abundance.

The whole process may draw out a range of emotions; but in the end, it feels like a warm hug welcoming you home.

By class three, mindfulness was well and truly coming with ease. The week’s lesson was about self-acceptance and compassion — both of which have never been a strong

By class three, mindfulness was well and truly coming with ease. The week’s lesson was about self-acceptance and compassion — both of which have never been a strong point for me, but giving myself space and permission to breathe and just be was exactly what I needed.

The Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Wellness course will provide you with a toolkit to take your mindfulness practice to the next level. Whether you’re looking to improve your own personal rituals or start sharing the art of mindfulness with others through becoming a meditation coach or holistic practitioner, this course is a great guide to direct you on your journey. You will not only learn the mental benefits of mindfulness, but discover the science behind these practices and the physiological benefits and changes that follow. You’ll also learn how to unlock the power of the mind, curate a regular practice and suggest the right approach to mindful practices to different clients.

For those embarking on further education within the wellness space, Nature Care College offers multiple diplomas and certificates from meditation to holistic nutrition, herbal medicine and astrology, as well as plenty of one-off courses for those looking to increase their knowledge or simply dabble in the wellness space.

The choice of live online sessions, or the flexibility to watch the class recordings at your leisure in line with your weekly schedule makes the classes accessible, and you can even do a mixture of both. The interactive learning environment allows you to discuss ideas and open your mind to new perspectives from your fellow classmates so it truly feels like a community.

The course helped me to discover that gratitude is a mindset. It’s more than simply giving thanks and feeling content.

It encapsulates a whole way of living and looking at things with greater awareness and acceptance. I’ve learned to live and accept life’s ups and downs and all the imperfections in myself and others — we are all human after all. I am able to find stillness and peace even in the most chaotic of times.

For more information, visit naturecare.com.au.

Photo: Ben White on Unsplash

hat does gratitude mean to you?”

The question buzzed around my mind throughout my first session of the Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Wellness course at Nature Care College. For the rest of the day, I pondered the question … What is gratitude and what does it mean to me?

I kept coming back to my course instructor Emma Gray’s words that “things happen for us, not to us.” I sat in my home office embarking on the second week of lockdown, and as I pondered this statement, I felt the bitterness and frustration of the past few weeks slowly melt away. I nominated journaling as my 21-day gratitude practice to get the sea of thoughts out of my head and onto paper. And even in the midst of a pandemic, as my mental health spiralled and my emotions were in a constant state of flux, finding abundance began to come easily.

Once the seed was planted, it blossomed into a sense of purpose and contentment that appeared in almost every act of the day — upon waking, taking the dog for a walk around the block and cooking a nourishing winter breakfast.

I began rising with the sun just to take in the beauty of first light; the ever-changing ombre hues, the crisp morning air, the feel of the sand beneath my feet as I strolled along the shoreline. Suddenly, waking early (I’m not at all a morning person) felt less like a chore and more a blessing.

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Revolutionising wellness For the past 20 years, Wanderlust has collaborated with world leaders in the holistic health space to offer a new approach to wellness. Now, the brand is on a mission to revolutionise the supplement industry with a range of plant-active, herbal-led supplements. We chat to Radek Sali, the chairman of Wanderlust, to learn more about the future of wellness and how you can find your true north.

What inspired you to take over Wanderlust?

Naturally, I have always been inspired by the Wanderlust community’s unwavering passion for wellness. I had the experience of working with Wanderlust as a sponsor in its early days, and I could see its potential and how transformational the events were for attendees. So when the opportunity presented itself, it was great to be in a situation where we could partner up with Wanderlust to take it to the next level.

Wanderlust’s mission is to “find your true north”. What does this mean?

“Find your true north” honours that one’s best self isn’t a destination — it’s a journey.

The meaning behind this is that we believe people are innately seekers, chasing purpose, moving towards an elusive goal to be and feel our best. The journey changes as we do, and so we wander — not because we are uncomfortable, but because we will not accept complacency. This innate desire to travel or roam within our consciousness inspired Wanderlust’s “finding your true north” mission.

What does a typical Wanderlust event look like?

The beauty of Wanderlust is it’s anything but typical.

Through our breathtaking festivals and transformational experiences, we bring together leading practitioners in mindfulness, yoga, nutrition and holistic health to support people worldwide to find their true north at our events. I have to say the power of 3000-odd people meditating together for 20 minutes is just extraordinary.

While each type of event varies, you will always find a movement practice, entertainment, good food, inspiring speakers and music. It’s a celebration of conscious living and connection at its finest.

144 | wellbeing.com.au

Please tell us about Rise with Wanderlust.

Rise is a new Wanderlust event designed to bring our conscious community back together. After the displacement of lockdowns, we’re all craving human connection. So we aim to “Rise” together with this mindful morning series to cultivate connection and experience emerging talent and artists while nurturing body and mind.

Rise will tour around Australia, in unexpected locations — living true to our name Wanderlust, celebrating the spirit of exploration. Rise events are tailored to each unique location but will always include a grounding meditation, empowering yoga flow and inspiring guest speaker, and finish with a nourishing vegan brunch together.

Most importantly, we want our community to feel uplifted and inspired to continue their practice when they leave, as we believe self-care benefits more than just yourself but for society at large.

When can we expect to see a Rise event?

Stay tuned for 2022 to find out when a Wanderlust event will be happening near you by visiting wanderlust.com.au or sign up to our newsletter to keep up with the latest event news.

Tell us about the range of supplements.

Inspired by this spirit of exploration, our mission continues with a range of herbal-led supplements and plant-active wholefoods.

We’re excited to disrupt the market with a range Australians have been seeking — vegan, no fillers, responsible packaging and made in Australia. The herbal-led formulations combine a selection of organic, all-natural ingredients and every product is consciously created

with intelligence and purpose, so you can positively support yourself and the planet.

The range offers liquid herbal extracts, vegan capsules and wholefood powders tailored to support specific health needs.

How do you live a conscious, mindful life?

Meditation for 20 minutes twice per day is my non-negotiable; I don’t leave it up to chance to feel my best. To be honest, I really look forward to my meditating practice as I don’t feel my day is complete without it. I work out in the gym at least four times a week, practise yoga three times, eat at least 70 per cent fruit and veg along with my daily supplement regime, which just got so much better supported by our Wanderlust products.

Wanderlust has inspired wellness since 2001. What’s your vision for the future?

Everyone talks about the personal impact of the wellness journey, but what makes us excited about the future with Wanderlust is the collective impact we can have by prioritising taking care of ourselves. It has a positive ripple effect on everyone around you — we see our products, content and events as an essential part of that journey.

For more information, visit wanderlust.com.au.

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Naturally

column NATURAL BEAUTY

A EMA TAYLOR

healthy mouth and smile is not only how you greet the world but an indicator of your age and overall wellbeing. Tooth discolouration, enamel wear and decay are preventable and can be kept at bay with a wholesome diet, specific nutrients and a few age-old beauty practices that you can easily weave into your daily routine.

is a naturopath, clinical nutritionist and certified fertility awareness educator. For more, visit emataylor.com or @emataylornaturopathy on Instagram.

… tongue scraping involves scraping your tongue with a U-shaped tool … from the back to the front of your tongue first thing in the morning to remove built-up bacteria.

What causes poor oral health?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to poor oral health; the leading cause however is generally tooth decay. This is often a diet-related disease caused by the bacteria in your mouth converting sugar into energy and producing acid as a waste product, which gradually eats away at your teeth.

Beauty begins on the inside, so by changing a few dietary and lifestyle habits you can reduce the risk of tooth discolouration and decay.

Refined sugar By removing sugar from your diet you drastically reduce the food supply for the bacteria living on your teeth. Refined sugar is found in lollies, soft drinks, sports drinks, concentrated fruit juices, baked goods, sweetened yoghurts, salad dressings, condiments and a number of other processed foods. The best way to avoid refined sugar is to enjoy wholefoods, meaning food that comes from the earth in its whole form such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, animal protein and healthy fats.

Coffee Coffee is very acidic and, in excess, any acidic food can cause tooth enamel erosion, resulting in thin and brittle teeth. Additionally, an excess of coffee can cause tooth staining. Why not switch out your second cup of coffee for a herbal tea, spiced ginger and turmeric latte or a matcha instead?

Alcohol Alcohol is acidic and often contains high amounts of sugar, both of which lead to tooth decay.

Similarly to coffee, an excess of alcohol can cause tooth discolouration.

Smoking People who smoke have a higher risk of developing gum disease, oral cancer, tooth loss, tooth and root decay and stained teeth compared to non-smokers.

Additionally, smoking depletes the immune system, reducing the body’s ability to fight off infection in the mouth and body and leading to premature ageing.

Citrus fruits Citrus fruits are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants that are wonderful for your health; however, they are very acidic, which can erode tooth enamel making your teeth more vulnerable to decay.

After enjoying citrus fruit, wash your mouth out with water to reduce acid build-up.

Natural ways to improve oral health In addition to brushing and flossing regularly to remove plaque and food build-up from your teeth, there are a number of nutrients and other age-old practices that you can add into your beauty routine to improve the health of your mouth.

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Eat nutrient-rich foods Just as your hair, skin and nails require vitamins and minerals to function properly and look their best, so do your teeth, tongue and gums. Be sure to include the following nutrients in your diet.

• Calcium helps harden your enamel and strengthen your jawbone. Find it in milk, cheese, yoghurt, almonds, broccoli and salmon.

• Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium while boosting bone mineral density. Your body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun, so aim for 15 minutes a day. Additionally it can be obtained by eating fatty fish, canned tuna and portobello mushrooms.

• Potassium improves bone mineral density. Enjoy bananas, lima beans, tomatoes and sweet potatoes.

• Phosphorus supports calcium in building strong bones and teeth. Obtained from all types of seafood, lentils and pumpkin seeds.

• Vitamin K helps block substances that break down bone and helps the body produce osteocalcin, a protein that supports bone strength. It is obtained from leafy greens, parsley, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

• Vitamin C strengthens your gums and the soft tissue in your mouth. Citrus fruits, potatoes and leafy greens are all high in vitamin C. • Vitamin A helps keep mucous membranes healthy and encourages healing. Enjoy fish, egg yolks, liver and leafy green vegetables.

Stay hydrated Drinking water helps to flush away food debris and bacteria from teeth and gums, dilutes harmful acid caused by bacteria in the mouth and promotes saliva production, which keeps teeth strong by washing them with beneficial minerals. Women should aim to drink around 2.7 litres of water a day while men should drink 3.7 litres.

Oil pull Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice to support the removal of toxins from the body and improve oral health. Oil pulling involves swishing around one tablespoon of a high-quality oil (such as sesame or coconut oil) in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes first thing in the morning and then spitting it out.

The understanding is that the oil breaks down and dissolves the bacteria in your mouth and on your teeth.

A study on 60 adults showed that oil pulling with coconut oil for 10 minutes every day significantly reduced the number of bacteria in saliva in as little as two weeks, compared to distilled water.

Tongue scrape Another age-old Ayurvedic remedy to help remove toxins from the body and improve oral health, tongue scraping involves scraping your tongue with a U-shaped tool (that you can buy from chemists or online — I like Keeko’s range of natural oral products) from the back to the front of your tongue first thing in the morning to remove built-up bacteria.

Research has shown that after just seven days of tongue scraping morning and night, bacteria associated with periodontal disease and oral malodour were significantly reduced.

Illustration Getty Images

Taking care of your oral health, naturally

column QUICK KITCHEN

A fancy lunch: Chermoula Prawn & Shaved Fennel Salad I’m so fancy You already know I’m in the salad lane, It’s not my first prawn rodeo.

I’m so fancy Can’t you taste this prawn?

Remember my fennel frond, ’bout to blow.

Photography Lee Holmes Illustrations Getty Images

Hey everyone, I’m so excited to announce that I’m releasing my debut album, Songs About Prawns, featuring the single “I’m so fancy lunch” and a track called “Shrimply the best”. Find it on Spotify or wherever you find your music. Just kidding.

One thing I am serious about is food. If you’re serious about creating fancy lunches, like me, and want to impress your family, friends, neighbours, Instagram followers or just yourself, you’ve got to try my Chermoula Prawn & Shaved Fennel Salad from Supercharge Your Life. Prawns can look a little complicated, but secretly they’re straightforward to make (I won’t tell anyone if you won’t).

Prawns don’t get enough attention. They are high in protein but have half the number of calories of other sources of protein, like chicken or fish. If that’s not reason enough, prawns are also a great source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones.

If you have never bought prawns yourself, I recommend using all of your senses to identify the best ones for picking.

• Avoid prawns that look discoloured, dry or slimy.

• Fresh prawns should smell like the ocean, so if you’re smelling anything else, they may be a little fishy (ha!).

• Look for prawns with a clean and firm shell and, preferably, bodies that are attached to their heads.

I choose local produce wherever possible, which is integral if you want your prawns to be prawn-fect.

Avoid buying prawns too far in advance — ideally,

Prawns can look a little complicated, but secretly they’re straightforward to make.

purchase prawns on the morning of consumption.

And there you have it, my Prawn Picking 101.

Besides the prawns, what makes this meal oh so fancy? The chermoula. Why? Well firstly, how many of your attendees would know what chermoula is? Of those, how many would know how to pronounce it?

Exactly — that’s fancy!

Chermoula is a marinade and relish used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking.

It’s used to flavour seafood, meat and vegetables.

Luckily, chermoula is easier to make than it is to pronounce. You simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender and let the blender works its magic.

The last component of this dish is the shaved fennel. Is there anything fancier than a shaved vegetable in a salad? I think not.

Fennel is an antioxidant-rich vegetable that’s high in fibre; it’s crunchy and slightly sweet and is the health world’s answer to liquorice.

Plus, it’s incredibly versatile — how many vegetables are delicious baked or raw? Very few, that’s how many.

Are you ready to show off just how fancy you are with this “I’m so fancy lunch”?

LEE HOLMES runs Supercharged Food and recently released her book Supercharge Your Life. Visit her blog at superchargedfood.com for cooking inspiration, recipes and tips.

Chermoula Prawn & Shaved Fennel Salad Serves: 4 Chermoula 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp sweet paprika 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, chopped 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 small red chilli, seeded & roughly chopped Handful parsley leaves Handful coriander leaves 1 tbsp lemon juice 100 mL olive oil

½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 16 large prawns, peeled & deveined, heads & tails left intact Shaved Fennel Salad 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice ¾ tsp sea salt

To make the chermoula, process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Place the prawns in a bowl and add three quarters of the chermoula, refrigerating the rest in a jar for later use.

Mix until the prawns are well coated, then leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat a barbecue grill plate to high or heat a chargrill pan over medium-high heat and cook

¼ tsp freshly black ground pepper 1 zucchini or cucumber, thinly sliced lengthways using a vegetable peeler, mandolin or knife 1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved & chopped, bulb shaved using a vegetable peeler, mandolin or knife 40g red onion, sliced

the prawns for 3–4 mins on each side, until cooked through.

To make the salad, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, shaved fennel, half the fennel fronds and the onion, then stir gently to coat well.

Serve the prawns with the salad, and garnish with the remaining fennel fronds.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think on my Instagram page @leesupercharged.

wellbeing.com.au | 147

column DIGGING IN

Share your garden and spread the joy

JACKIE FRENCH is an author, gardener and honorary wombat. She was the Australian Children’s Laureate from 2014 to 2105 and awarded Senior Australian of the Year in 2015. Jackie is also a patron, ambassador and director of projects for kids, animals and the land.

Get in touch via Facebook @authorjackiefrench, Twitter and Instagram @jackie_ french_.

… deep within me is the conviction that gardens should be gifts, from our friends and from the earth around us. You should not have to pay for beauty.

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almost-black ink colour that flowers all late winter and spring. There are clove pink plants to divide (the scent is stunning) and agapanthus — the modern varieties that don’t turn into weeds — and oregano and thymes and several kinds of mint.

Possibly, OK, almost certainly, I’m going to send her far too much — her garden is already well planted.

It just needs a few new gems for her to enjoy as they grow and delight with the colours of their flowers.

It doesn’t matter if there are surplus cuttings or divisions; her neighbours are keen gardeners. Even in lockdown she can leave the cuttings on the footpath for them to collect, and demand, “Have you planted them yet? Are they putting out leaves?”

Years ago I discovered I love giving away plants as much as I love giving away our surplus fruit. I now grow pots of seedlings and cuttings specially to give away. The bloke who gave me a lift back from Sydney last year was greeted by my husband with a potted coffee plant to thank him, as well as a basket of limes.

I have a whole box full of various potted lilly pillies to give away. Come to think of it, I need to send one of those to Evangeline, or maybe two or three. The flowers are brilliant white blossom and the berries are a glorious purple and red.

I love mooching around garden centres and through garden catalogues, especially the ones that grow new hardy cultivars or new fruits like the plum and cherry cross I’ve planted this winter. But deep within me is the conviction that gardens should be gifts, from our friends and from the earth around us. You should not have to pay for beauty. Flowers, vegetables and trees have been seeding and fruiting long before we human beings came on the scene. We just need to know how and when to gather them.

When you share a garden, you are planting hope: the hope those dead-looking sticks and withered seeds will brighten our gardens with flowers not just for us, or for those who pass our gardens and enjoy them too, but for the birds, insects and thousands of microfauna. Sharing a garden is celebrating the extraordinary generosity of our planet, and every green and growing gift we plant helps to preserve it.

Illustration Getty Images

M

y friend Evangeline called last week — she was feeling low. Evangeline has been doing things for over 70 years.

Suddenly in lockdown, all the voluntary projects she is involved with, the lunches with friends and sleepovers with grandkids had to stop. Even her garden looked gloomy, she said. But how could she get new flowers in lockdown?

One option is to buy plants online; there are many nurseries that now sell online. But Evangeline has never bought plants online and felt guilty spending money on herself when so many were in need. So tomorrow, I’m going to mooch around my garden and send her bits of it to plant.

My garden began nearly 50 years ago when a neighbour, Jean, gave me cuttings from her garden, as well as seeds she gathered in her handbag on trips with senior citizens; she would reach over fences to snip off a bit of wood to plant or a seed head ready to give its bounty. Woe betide if her offerings weren’t planted (and growing) next time she wandered up the valley for a visit.

Within three years of her generosity I had trees, flowers, roses and veggies. I was broke, but I had a garden. Ever since, I have been giving bits of my garden away too.

Spring is a wonderful time to share plants. For Evangeline’s cuttings, I’ll head to the salvias, the kinds that bloom in hot dry summers and freezing winters and tolerate extreme neglect. These are my kind of flowers. We have at least 30 different kinds of salvias, from groundcovers to giants that grow twice as tall as I am. There are golden spires in autumn, and a hedge of blue salvias that flower nine months of the year that birds and bees adore. There are giant purple blooms and rich red ones in winter in the most sheltered part of the garden, and an orange groundcover salvia with furry grey-green leaves that I have never seen in any salvia collection.

It’s easy to take cuttings of salvias: you just snap off a bit of wood and poke it in the ground. If it’s spring and the soil is moist, that bit of wood will probably grow, as long as you wrap the ends in damp newspaper, and the whole lot in something waterproof, and post it in the overnight express (which is no longer “overnight”, but they’ll survive at least a week in the post).

Big white federation daisies are easy to take cuttings of; so too are the smaller pink and yellow ones, and all of the lavenders, the hibiscus, the bougainvillea, wormwoods, the fuchsias and the roses, though rose cuttings need to be poked into damp sand and left to grow roots before planting them out.

This is also the time to divide plants; the ones I planted decades ago and have multiplied ever since: bright red or yellow red hot pokers, some that bloom in summer and the even more welcome winter ones; the modern varieties of hellebore I grew with fingers crossed from seeds, hoping they’d grow true to type with long stems for cutting and rich purple flowers, and most of them did — we have a dozen different shades of purple hellebore from the one bush I took seeds from, starting from pale mauve-grey to an

column PET CARE

Food trials for allergies

F

ood allergy is an immune response to food, resulting in clinical symptoms such as inflammation, skin redness, itch, gut symptoms, respiratory signs, conjunctivitis or ear inflammation. Food allergies might be suspected in dogs and cats with year-round symptoms or with concurrent gut and skin symptoms.

Food intolerance is a different reaction to food that is not immune-mediated, and may be due to other factors, such as digestive enzyme deficiency such as lactose intolerance, or inability to digest specific nutrients like fat or fibre. Gut symptoms are more likely to predominate.

As holistic vets, we view the role of food in other ways. Poor-quality ingredients may be contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides or herbicides. Chronic exposure damages the gut, leading to dysbiosis, as well as damaging cells in other organ systems and contributing to chronic degenerative diseases. This is a more long-term view of the effect of food.

Dysbiosis results in leaky gut syndrome, where poorly digested food is absorbed and is more likely to trigger an adverse or allergic reaction.

The energetics of food When taking Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) imbalances into consideration, we try to think about the energetics of foods, based on Chinese medicine principles. Foods have certain tastes and properties that we can use to enhance and support other treatments including herbal formulae and acupuncture.

In TCM, inflammation can be a form of “damp heat”. This might be triggered or perpetuated by the feeding of ingredients that are considered “hot”.

Examples of “heating” foods are lamb or lamb liver, and diets that are cooked at high temperatures or highly processed. “Warming” foods may include beef or chicken. “Cooling” meats include turkey, ocean fish and rabbit.

However, TCM food energetics are based on thousands of years of tradition in Chinese people, and these may not always translate to our domestic pets and the foods they now eat.

Photography Getty Images

Food trials A food trial is used to test for food allergy or food sensitivity in dogs and cats. From a conventional perspective, a food trial is like a controlled scientific experiment, where your pet must only eat the prescribed diet for the prescribed time.

Holistically it may be thought of as a cleanse or detox. There are three approaches to the diet: a prescription diet using a hydrolysed protein, a commercial diet with limited ingredients and a novel protein or a homemade diet.

Hydrolysed proteins are processed to become small molecules that don’t trigger an allergic response when they cross the gut barrier. If skin or gut symptoms improve while on this trial, this is consistent with a food allergy. The advantage of these diets is they are ready to go, and balanced, which may be important for instance if feeding

a growing dog. The disadvantage from a holistic perspective is that the ingredients and processing may themselves tend to create inflammation.

Moreover, they are not always palatable.

Commercial diets using limited ingredients and novel proteins may be a better choice. They are balanced and are usually wet food, which has less inherent “heating” effect. They are convenient. Choice of the novel ingredient requires an extensive food history questionnaire. One risk of commercial diets used in diet trials is that there may be contamination with other ingredients at the processing plant. Another challenge when choosing novel proteins is the role of “cross-reactivity” — where, for example, turkey may cause reactions in pets allergic to chicken. Cross-reactivity may also occur between goat and lamb, and between venison and beef.

Where possible I actually prefer homemade diets. These will not be balanced, and will consist of two or maybe three novel ingredients. For dogs, a protein (50–60 per cent of the diet), grainfree carbohydrate such a sweet potato or butternut pumpkin and maybe a green vegetable.

Organic free-range human-grade ingredients are preferred, or the best that can be practically achieved.

A food trial is a bit like a cleanse, and sometimes simplifying the diet will help heal the gut and down-regulate immune imbalances.

Food trials are carried out for a minimum of six to eight weeks, although when taking the detox approach I prefer at least three months. Once the trial is completed, a sequential challenge is carried out, to confirm the role of food causing symptoms, and to create a list of “safe” foods. I challenge by adding in one ingredient at a time, ideally using good-quality proteins, to minimise the effect of the chemical load. Generally, if the ingredient is reactive, there will be a flare-up within a few days, but we continue each new ingredient for two weeks.

The goal is to establish two or three proteins that can be rotated for ongoing feeding.

During the initial food trial, symptoms will need to be managed, but ideally your pet is off all medications, and even herbs and supplements, for the last four weeks of the trial. Gut repair and biome restoration are an important part of the treatment.

Food trials can be tedious and difficult, especially in fussy pets. Ultimately when choosing diets for food trials, and for ongoing nutrition, I will use the diet that the pet will eat, and that keeps them symptom-free and in good health, even if in the end it is a commercial diet. “

KAREN GOLDRICK is a holistic veterinarian at All Natural Vet Care, Russell Lea, Sydney.

T: 02 9712 5844 W: naturalvet.com.au.

Food allergies might be suspected in dogs and cats with year-round symptoms or with concurrent gut and skin symptoms.

wellbeing.com.au | 149

column AGEING WELL

Sirtuins and ageing

S is a Sydney-based anti-ageing physician and writer. He is the author of three books including his latest, The Wellness Guide to Preventing the Diseases of Ageing.

He has also designed the app The Diet Guide to Ageing Prevention.

… alternate day fasting, which might be a tall order for most of us, has been found to be the most powerful way to turbocharge [sirtuins].

150 | wellbeing.com.au

The sirtuin story Sirtuins are enzymes that, as Professor Morris describes, are located at the “intersection of stem cells, ageing and cancer”. They can help us to manufacture stem cells, which have the power to rejuvenate our ailing bodies, make the mitochondria, the vital batteries of our cells, function more effectively and ward off a number of cancers.

Switching on sirtuins can facilitate the prevention and treatment of a range of conditions including heart disease, diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, arthritis and other conditions of ageing. Weight gain often connected with poorly functioning insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and fat metabolism, the scourge of so many of us as we age, can also be abrogated if we activate sirtuins successfully. Switching on sirtuins might be the magical key for stopping and even reversing ageing.

The problem is that, like everything else that goes into decline with ageing, the activity of sirtuins similarly deteriorates. As Morris illustrates, there is a range of strategies that we can employ to re-engage sirtuins. Periodically eating less, that is alternate day fasting, which might be a tall order for most of us, has been found in rats to be the most powerful way to turbocharge these chemicals.

For the less battle-hardened, fasting one day a week and ramping up our exercise regime can also be used to jump-start sirtuins. And for those who simply want to pop a pill, taking supplements like resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes, naringenin, a citrus flavonoid, or vitamin-like substance and fisetin, another bioactive flavonoid

in strawberry, apple, persimmon, grape, onion and cucumber, can be a simpler way to deploy sirtuins.

There are also more potent sirtuin boosters like nicotinamide mononucleotide and nicotinamide riboside, offshoots of vitamin B3, but these aren’t commercially available in this country.

Aside from all these seismic scientific insights, what inspires most about Morris is that the anti-ageing maverick is in perpetual motion.

Some mornings he’s up at 3.30 doing his research having taken a sleep break to meditate at 2am.

Then he goes to the gym, swims and is back home preparing a fruit platter for his family. When we go out for a meal he eats slowly, finishing his food long after I’ve devoured every morsel on my plate with regrettable alacrity.

His eyes are always bright and shiny, never losing their sheen, just like those of a child whose enthusiasm has not been sclerosed by the assaults of a lifetime. It’s not surprising that he maintains a youthful exuberance for supporting his beloved AFL team, the Sydney Swans. Just get him started on that topic and he will regale you endlessly about their moves in their latest triumph. If there is any anti-ageing exponent who is doing his level best to activate his sirtuins it is Brian Morris, and this column would not be adequately served without this tribute to his relentless spirit, which I’ve been privileged to encounter.

To honour his lifelong contributions to science and humanity Professor Brian Morris has been made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Photography Getty Images

DR MICHAEL ELSTEIN

ome experts like to bludgeon you repeatedly with their brilliance; not so Professor Brian Morris, a molecular biologist and professor emeritus of medical sciences at the University of Sydney.

His prodigious research efforts, which span the unveiling genes that override ageing and elevate blood pressure and a mountain of work on sirtuins, enzymes that reside at the epicentre of ageing, give this scientific decathlete every reason to be bombastic. Yet about a marathon 50-year career which is ongoing and has generated an astounding 427 scientific contributions, some epic in their dimensions, he remains steadfastly humble.

His “Aw shucks I’m just doing my job and what I enjoy most” humility imbues his gold medal contributions with even greater heft and gravitas.

Aside from unfurling the underlying physiological nuances that elevate blood pressure, an undertaking that will allow us to individualise the management of this pervasive condition, Morris’s work on the gene for renin, a protein that raises blood pressure in some and expedites ageing in others, will provide us with vital insights that will help us to mitigate both.

But it’s his efforts in unlocking the role that sirtuins play in governing ageing that Morris’s legacy might reside.

column CLINICAL CASEBOOK

Conception difficulties

T

hese days there is an increasing incidence of couples having difficulty conceiving a baby.

One of my patients was having this problem.

She was 38 years old, had been working and living overseas for many years and had been married about 15 months previously. As she was concerned about her age and the potential for decreasing fertility, she and her husband decided to try and conceive as quickly as possible, but this had not happened as yet.

Medically it is generally suggested to try and conceive for 12 months after ceasing the contraceptive pill or contraceptive devices, and if this is not successful to then seek medical assistance.

Illustration Getty Images

The case Over the previous six months she and her husband had been attending a clinic for potential infertility and had been thoroughly tested. Her husband’s sperm count and motility were excellent. Today this can often be a problem as fertility issues are about equally shared between males and females, 45 per cent and 55 per cent respectively.

Her testing also did not come up with any major abnormality, only a couple of smaller changes that I felt were not major issues. She tested negative for human papillomavirus and she had been charting her cycles for 12 months. As the medical teams had not found any specific abnormalities, the couple had been signed up for IVF treatments. However, she wanted to try complementary medicines before she went down the IVF route, as she was interested in potentially healthier options.

Her overall health was very good, and although she was slightly low in iron her energy levels were good. She was fit, exercised regularly and ate a predominantly vegetarian diet. Symptom-wise, she was experiencing wind and bloating most days, indicating a digestive problem, but bowel function was normal. She and her husband ate mainly organic food and she had a diet well balanced for her blood group.

Checking her cycle charts showed normal temperature at 36.6 degrees, indicating her thyroid function was normal, but her temperature did not change mid-cycle (a rise in temperature being an indicator of ovulation), and her cycles were shorter than “normal” at 24 days, indicating slightly low oestrogen in the follicular phase, with the pattern indicating ovulation was low or absent.

Our testing also showed protein digestion problems which could have partly been the result of a stressful job (and stressing about not conceiving), some liver detoxification issues (which can be related to oestrogen metabolism) and slight ovarian dysfunction. She also had colon toxicity and some issues with candida.

She was already taking a range of supplements including zinc, vitamins C, D3 and K2, activated B12, iron and some herbs for stress management.

The strategy With all this information, we discussed the issues of stress, since being stressed about not conceiving is a major issue in causing the problem. Moreover,

she had a stressful job from which she had already resigned and would be leaving in a few weeks.

Apart from correcting any deficiencies, which ideally should be corrected in a preconceptional care program, generally a woman who is trying to conceive does not want or need to take many supplements — quite often just a general pregnancy multivitamin is a good idea as long as there are no major nutrient deficiencies. I also usually recommend a high-DHA fish oil along with zinc for the correct development of the foetal nervous system.

With this information, the main areas we discussed were stress management, such as getting a pet (to take her mind off worrying about it), stopping the daily chart monitoring for a while and enjoying her married life. Charting the cycles on a daily basis, while providing useful information, can increase stress levels significantly so are best done for only a few months. Meditation or yoga can also be useful.

As supplements I recommended vitamin E and zinc to improve fertility, dandelion “coffee” to improve liver function and protein-digesting enzymes.

I suggested she eat more slowly to improve digestion, although her digestive issues would have been exacerbated by the stress response.

I also recommended magnesium in alkaline water for stress management, and slippery elm powder and bentonite clay (one teaspoon of each) added to her breakfast for improved digestive function and to reduce colon toxicity.

I prescribed a herb mixture with ashwagandha, Siberian ginseng for adrenal function, pau d’arco as a digestive, St Mary’s thistle for liver function, liquorice root, paeonia for ovarian function, red clover for its phytoestrogenic properties and astragalus for immunity, to be taken daily but ceased if she became pregnant.

Dietary measures I recommended were to increase phytoestrogenic foods such as flaxseeds and non-GMO soy products such as tofu and tempeh to increase oestrogens in the first two weeks of her cycle.

I prescribed a chaste tree supplement for the last two weeks of her menstrual cycle for hormonal balancing.

If she did become pregnant, I recommended she stop the herbs, the chaste tree and the higher intake of phytoestrogenic foods and stay on a basic pregnancy multivitamin with the essential fatty acids and zinc. She could continue with the slippery elm and bentonite clay as maintaining good digestive function was important.

All of this produced a very happy result: three months later she rang me with confirmation that she was six weeks pregnant, and told me she was feeling exceptionally well apart from a little morning sickness. I recommended fresh ginger root or peppermint leaf tea to deal with the morning sickness, which proved to be very effective in her case.

We discussed having one cup of raspberry leaf tea daily after 12 weeks to improve birth outcomes, which she was very happy to do.

KAREN BRIDGMAN is a holistic practitioner at Lotus Health and Lotus Dental in Neutral Bay.

All of this produced a very happy result – three months later she rang me, and it was confirmed that she was six weeks pregnant …

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column NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2021

Scorpio

CHRISTINE BROADBENT loves astrology for its healing strengths and has over 30 years’ experience in her combination of personal readings, writing and teaching astrology. Book to

Sagittarius

November has special mana: the Sun and your ruling planet Mars are back in Scorpio.

Consider your totem the Eagle and use your powerful vision wisely in the last months of 2021.

From the New Moon in Scorpio on November 5 to the Mars–Mercury line-up on the 10th, you can clearly see, claim and articulate your path ahead.

The destabilising challenges of November 11 to 18 test your commitment, followed by a lunar eclipse in Taurus on November 19 when tensions can be released easily. You prove yourself from November 21 to December 6.

Focus on your health, and a recharge arrives between November 5 and 19. Use it, because adventure heads your way from November 29 to December 12. You know what you want, so dream big and romance or a creative breakthrough will find you. Timing is everything when the eclipses fall in your sign, as they do at December 4’s New Moon in Sagittarius. A total solar eclipse encourages you to follow your inner star — trust your instincts. Jupiter offers a path of opportunity through to December 20; unleash your enthusiasm to help you navigate change.

see Christine in Sydney December 2021 and January 2022, and Melbourne in February 2022. After that Auckland, plus phone, Skype or Zoom sessions worldwide. Visit astrologyembodied.com for upcoming retreats and workshops in Australia and New Zealand. Contact Christine for more details.

Ph/Txt Au: 0402 664101 NZ: 0214 10126.

Pisces November 5’s Scorpio New Moon harmonises with Neptune in Pisces, beginning 25 days of easy flow. November 13, 19, 21 and 30 keep you on a sweet track, despite others seeming stressed.

December 4’s New Moon sees a partially closed vocational door slam shut. If anyone can move fluidly now, it’s the Fish. If no one is looking, does it matter what you do, or is a benevolent presence always looking? Pisces cares about such questions. A new Pisces era begins on December 29, when ruler Jupiter re-enters Pisces and old worries dissolve.

Cancer November 5’s New Moon sees your creativity and pleasure thrive. On the same day, Lover Venus enters your partner sign of Capricorn and stays for four months. From November 13 to 21 surprises turn into progress; loving relationships built on helpful acts are favoured by this.

The downside is Venus slows down, hanging with planet Pluto for most of December and going Retro on the 19th, so significant others could seem controlling or secretive. Yet early March 2022 might show you it was your issue, not theirs.

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Capricorn

Aquarius

If expectations crumble in November, talk things over rather than walking away. With Lover Venus in Capricorn from November 5, now is the time to give up your restraint. Your timekeepers are November 19’s Venus-ruled lunar eclipse in your love sign, then Pluto in Capricorn, which empowers communication on November 21. Being bold delivers much better results than a dignified silence.

You need support now, since Capricorn time from December 22 brings the challenge of Saturn’s goals redefined by change agent Uranus.

Aries The vulnerable Lamb needs to don a Ram fleece in November when Mars reveals your limitations. The fleece will add security to the agonising task patience. By waiting, a chance to reinvigorate your finances could open. Between November 17 and 19, stay receptive; love replaces resistance at the Full Moon. The fiery cycle that begins on November 22 becomes constructive between November 30 to December 1. December 4's total solar eclipse will sow seeds for an adventurous life path, so be attentive.

Leo Leos like fun, yet November 5 to 16 has so many responsibilities fun seems like a mirage. But from November 22 to December 6, more ease flows into your life. When the Sun and New Moon join in your love sign on December 4, a waxing Moon cycle rewards reflection about those you love. From December 12, connections pick up pace, peaking with the Full Moon on December 19 to 21. Cooperative efforts minimise the potential stress of the challenges between December 22 and 28, maximising your sense of gratitude.

After a year of far-sighted Jupiter and taskmaster Saturn transiting Aquarius, shifts are coming. On November 5, the New Moon in your vocational sign will lead you. Accelerated by desire and potential change, you must hold the balance. Enjoy the last of Jupiter in Aquarius until December 30, but don’t get careless; a lot is at stake. Any resistance you have to a constructive shift can be released at November 19’s Full Moon. The Sagittarius cycle from November 22 to December 21 is a timely networking month.

Taurus Is it stability you are experiencing or stasis?

Shake-ups on November 11, 14, 16 and 18 are difficult but liberating. When the Bull finally decides to make a move, you are unstoppable. After an eclipsed Full Moon in Taurus on November 19, your theme is “this and that” not “either or”.

Obstacles to a new way of living are dissolved when you simply let go, guided by Venus in your adventure sign. November and December are pivotal, but it will be February 2022 before results become clear.

Virgo With Earth/Water harmonies sprinkled through November you will feel the stardust effect. On November 5’s sexy New Moon, Lover Venus enters your love sign; the writing is on the wall, if you take time to read it. Fortunately, Venus stirs up serious romance for months. Dates to be awake to her potential are November 7, 13, 19, 21 and 30. December 1, 6 and 21 are a nice follow-up.

Demands on your time, patience and management skills are intense and unpredictable in December, so keep some fun in your schedule.

Gemini Often in your head but guarding your heart, Gemini is undergoing the last phase of an 18-month karmic alert in which the Dragon’s Head has carried you on a journey of self-discovery. That guarded heart is strengthened from November 7 to 19, which helps you make the right choices.

If circumstances force you to be still, allow the slowness to heal you. December 19’s Full Moon in Gemini is accompanied by Jupiter harmonies and a Venus “Station”, showing that the next three months will illuminate your path with heart.

Libra A New Moon on November 5 highlights your financial decisions, while planet Mars energises plans. Libra’s home zone comes alive this season, manifesting as renovation plans or joy from time at home.

Your natural sense of style serves you well now. A total solar eclipse on December 4 coincides with a Venus–Pluto dance that lasts all month, complicating emotions and intensifying desires. This may not be the “civilised” behaviour Libra favours, but embracing truths can heal intimate relationships this month.

column REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE

… a simple truth emerged that has allowed me to consider my body differently: my illness is part of me. It is not an outside attacker, scaling my walls. It is genetically coded in my body. If I hate my illness, I am directing hate toward myself

The unwilling warrior When Allison Agsten was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis eight years ago, she did what many people do when facing illness: she fought it with everything she had. It’s taken considerable courage to accept her illness as a part of who she is, but now Allison is at peace with her diagnosis.

Words ALLISON AGSTEN

M

y face was covered with hundreds of blisters, my bulging eyelids were swollen shut and the pain radiating down my back made it difficult to walk.

Something had gone terribly wrong since the birth of my second child. Months after he was born, I was barely able to care for him, his brother or myself due to a mysterious set of symptoms that only seemed to worsen. Many doctors and countless tests later, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, or AS, an incurable inflammatory disease of the spine.

If untreated, AS can lead to the permanent fusion of vertebrae; and even with treatment, it can seriously compromise quality of life. I’ve tried just about everything to manage my condition. Severe diets and herbal supplements taken by the fistful

never made a dent. Immune-suppressing injections helped until they nearly killed me.

Five years in, I was more ill than ever. And yet, I worked relentlessly and never missed a school play or a morning drop-off. At the lowest of health lows, my doctor and my husband got together to convince me to take time off. It was an intervention of sorts. My life depended on it.

I’d spent years fighting my disease. Isn’t that what I was supposed to do? The battle analogies related to illness are seemingly endless: we look for “silver bullets” and praise “cancer warriors”. In her famed essay, Illness as Metaphor, Susan Sontag argues that these kinds of associations can be dangerous: “As long as a particular disease is treated as an evil, invincible predator, not just a disease, most people with cancer will indeed be demoralized”.

For me, it was quite the opposite. The combat mentality created a sense of agency in a situation that was actually out of my control. I pushed on valiantly until, close to collapse, I finally took a break.

At a retreat far from my job and my family, and with the help of doctors and therapists, I loosened my grip on the fight.

I ate delicious meals, napped in the sun and went on long walks alone. By way of pleasure and introspection, I accepted AS once and for all. And after sitting with acceptance, a simple truth emerged that has allowed me to consider my body differently: my illness is part of me. It is not an outside attacker, scaling my walls. It is genetically coded in my body. If I hate my illness, I am directing hate toward myself.

In my worst moments, I try to accept my illness, and in my best, I even embrace it.

AS has taught me extraordinary lessons, the kind that some of us may have to wait until much later in life to learn. These days, I squander less energy on maddening problems that can’t be solved. I also possess a much more complex perspective on strength and fallibility that informs the way I treat myself and others. I’ve evolved in these meaningful ways because of my ailments rather than in spite of them.

So does tenderness versus antagonism towards AS impact my health? I wish I could tell you that this outlook magically cured me, but a disposition can’t change my diagnosis.

Nothing can. What it has done is dramatically alter my experience of pain. I was clenched against AS for years. Now, I flow with it. As I type this, blisters fill my mouth, making it difficult to eat. Sleep may not come easy tonight as the weight of blankets hurts my bones. But I accept the pain as it is — a sensation among other sensations, a feeling within a constellation of many other feelings.

I am not a warrior. I am not a metaphor of any kind. But I am, gratefully, at peace.

Allison Agsten is a journalist-turned-curator currently pursuing a master’s degree at the Harvard Kennedy School. She was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis eight years ago.

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education focus ENDEAVOUR COLLEGE

Coming home to a career in natural health We chat to Naturopath Chelsey Costa about her journey into the world of natural health and how choosing the holistic path at Endeavour College proved to be one of the most rewarding decisions she has made. to hold a strong interest in health education and regularly conducts public-based health education talks in the community.

Campus locations Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney.

There’s never been a better time to study natural medicine Already a $5.6 billion industry, Australia’s complementary medicines health sector has seen a considerable acceleration in growth in the last five years and continues to outpace growth in the broader economy.

With a strong consumer focus on preventative healthcare, the future already looks bright for their graduates.

Learn through practice

A

fter studying at university in Western Australia, Chelsey Costa describes Endeavour College as like coming home. “At uni, it can be difficult to make connections,” says Costa. “At Endeavour it’s the opposite. I discovered a supportive environment where I got to know everyone, made amazing friends, learned so much and felt right at home. I loved it.”

While Costa originally wanted to study medicine, she became increasingly interested in healthy eating and lifestyle.

She pushed this passion aside to study neuroscience for six months — until she realised it wasn’t for her.

“I started working in a healthfood store and was just about to study nutrition when I stumbled across Endeavour,” she explains. “The college offered a more holistic degree, so I made the switch then changed courses to naturopathy. I’m so grateful that I found Endeavour and I only wish I’d known about it sooner.”

Costa balanced part-time work with full-time study. “At Endeavour, you can easily ask questions and our lectures often become discussions,” she says.

“I absorbed so much knowledge because I was engaged in my studies. My main challenge was that I put pressure on myself to get the best marks.”

The active learning environment meant that Costa was able to interact

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with her peers and lecturers for a more immersive and hands-on experience.

“The lecturers at Endeavour are really supportive. They always took the extra time to explain something if I needed it, and the supervisors in the student clinic are incredible. They gave me a lot of confidence in starting to practise.”

According to Costa, the lecturers were always looking for opportunities for their students. “They also ran a session where a lecturer from each modality talked about how they got started in their career. It was inspiring,” she says.

Since graduating from Endeavour with the Naturopathy Academic Excellence Award and Dux Medal Award, Costa has begun her career as a qualified Naturopath at Perth Health & Fertility in City Beach. She is passionate about women’s health and specialises in treating hormonal conditions such as PCOS, cycle irregularities, endometriosis, PMS and acne, among general naturopathic medicine.

“My mission is to educate each patient and provide them with the tools to put the power back in their hands so their body can do what it’s designed to do — heal itself and be the best version it can be,” says Costa.

She is also one half of @peppermintandsage_ on Instagram where she works alongside her sister in the natural health space. Costa continues

Each campus has an onsite Endeavour Wellness Clinic, where theoretical knowledge comes to life for students.

Endeavour College’s Health Science degrees include hundreds of hours of hands-on learning with real clients.

This clinical experience sets Endeavour College graduates apart and gives them confidence to begin their clinical practice.

Endless career choices Endeavour College graduates can work as clinical practitioners in their own clinic or a multi-modality clinic alongside other clinicians. Many graduates are now taking their clinical practice to the client by offering mobile services as well as online using digital technology to give access to clients at a distance. In addition to clinical practice, graduates have countless non-practitioner careers available to them. These natural health specialist careers range from content creation to education to consulting and advising.

With such a variety of careers available, Endeavour College graduates have the luxury of designing their careers to fit their passions, aspirations and lifestyle.

Turn your passion into your purpose and connect with Endeavour College today.

For more information, visit endeavour.edu.au or call 1300 462 887.

Follow Chelsey’s natural health journey at peppermintandsage.com or on Instagram @peppermintandsage_.

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community YOUR WELLNESS GUIDE

What’s in season this summer • Make DIY everlasting blooms — dried flower arrangements not only look beautiful but can also add a touch of personality and colour to every room.

Save yourself the cash by drying a fresh flower bouquet! All you need is a bouquet (lavender, baby’s breath, strawflower, wheat and eucalyptus are great for drying), some twine and a dark, dry area with good ventilation to hang the bunch upside down. In two or three weeks, you’ll have your very own everlasting blooms!

• Experience shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing”, a Japanese ritual that essentially requires a walk in the forest. Shinrin-yoku is a holistic ritual has been used to help with stress, anxiety, depression, blood pressure and better sleep — it’s

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also prescribed by therapists all over the world. To get the full effect, leave your phone at home and allow yourself to wander aimlessly, pausing to take in the sensations of the green world around you. Breathe deeply and feel your worries slip away.

• Plant a herb garden so you can have a (veggie) patch-to-plate selection of delicious greens for the summer months! You may already have some seedlings from spring, or perhaps you’d prefer to pick up some punnets from your local gardening store.

Whatever you prefer, there are plenty of options for planting: a backyard veggie patch, DIY tin planters for the kitchen bench or get creative with hanging wall garden!

Left Our features writer Georgia decided to indulge a little with a trip to the day spa! Skincare is one of her favourite hobbies, and there’s no better way to relax than with a facial and a herbal cuppa.

Above Taking advantage of the last of the spring snow, Georgia and her partner Tom managed to squeeze in a few trips to the Snowy Mountains to brush up on their boarding skills. Sunshine and smiles all round!

Illustrations Getty Images

Inspiring activities

Self-care

Illustration Tams at Soul Stories: soul-stories.com

• Establish a bedtime ritual. or overnight mask; exfoliate two Winding down at the end or three times per week; add of a busy day can prove a an antioxidant-packed serum; challenge, so preparing a spritz your way to hydration with regular pre-sleep routine can a facial mist; and never forget help notify your body when your sunscreen. it’s time to sleep. Start your • Write down what you have screen-free time about an achieved this year, no matter hour before bed, do a stretch how big or small. It’s been sequence, read a book, pour a year (or two …) of ups and yourself a herbal tea and hit downs for all of us and now play on a sleepcast. is the time to take stock and • Curate a summer skincare reflect on your achievements. routine. A change of season Whether you mastered a recipe, is the perfect time to shake tried something new or landed up your skincare. Swap heavy your dream job, take it all in moisturiser for a lightweight gel with pride and gratitude.

Above Our acting editor Charlie has been enjoying some rather lavish, home-cooked lunches during Sydney’s lockdown. When you’re stuck inside for weeks on end, it’s important to enjoy the ceremony of small moments, like creating delicious food. This miso-glazed trout bowl has been made on repeat!

Right Months spent inside can send even the most dedicated hermits a bit loopy. It’s so important to get outside and spend time amid nature, and delight in the magic Mother Nature continues to offer.

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WellBeing Issue 195 is published by Universal WellBeing Pty Ltd, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113, Australia. Phone: +61 2 9805 0399, Fax: +61 2 9805 0714. Printed by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd, Singapore.

Distributed by Gordon and Gotch.

Editorial advice is non-specific and readers are advised to seek professional advice for personal problems. Individual replies to readers’ letters by consulting editors are not possible. The opinions expressed by individual writers in WellBeing are not necessarily those of the publishers.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing.

They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but the shifting sands of time may change them in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and the Australian Consumer Law. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. This magazine is printed on paper that comes from a mill that satisfies the requirements of ISO 14001. *Recommended retail price ISSN 0812-8220 Copyright © Universal Magazines MMXXI ACN 003 026 944 umco.com.au IMPORTANT: This magazine is intended as a reference volume only, not as a medical manual. While the information is based on material provided by researchers, the magazine does not presume to give medical advice. Be sure to consult your physician before beginning any therapeutic program.

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