Spring into Life

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(incl. VAT) FREE TO WELLNESS WAREHOUSE REWARD CARD HOLDERS

SEPT 2016

The Wellness Warehouse magazine

DETOX ESSENTIALS Keep it light & easy

SPRING CLEAN YOUR WORKSPACE

From sitting properly to clearing clutter

Offers valid from 1 - 30 September 2016. Selected items may not be available at certain stores. We reserve the right to limit quantities. E.&O.E.

Life

SPRING INTO

Meet mother and daughter team Miekie & Jalene Burger

MIX UP YOUR WORKOUT Variety you will love

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FROM THE EDITOR

magazine helping you live life well

SPRING INTO LIFE

EDITORIAL

September catapults us into a new season with enthusiasm.

It’s a beautiful time to get ready for summer and a perfect one to throw out, delete, renew, refresh and reorganize.

That’s why we’re giving you every opportunity to do so.

Food wise, we’re soaking and activating nuts, which means putting more life into our food and increasing nutrition. We’re making up batches of kombucha, the fermented ‘tea’ that’s so interesting to brew. We’ve also got some great ideas to detox without the drudge and challenging you to acquire the taste for buchu water. If you’ve got any kind of addiction or know anyone who does – it’s time to come clean and work on a programme to take back your life. Revamp your workspace is a call to get all the elements you need in place to minimize sitting, improve your posture, clear the energy and fuel positive production. Osteopathy explores posture in more detail and aligning your body. If you’re curious why you seem stuck in strange patterns you may want to find out about your Akashic records or your Book of Life and see if there’s anything that needs clearing. We present work-outs that get more interesting when you mix them up and add different elements. We’ve also got some wonderful principles for anti-ageing, something we prefer to call pro-youthing. Join in the momentum of finding new life and getting ready to feel the sunshine in more ways than one. I wish you all the energy of a spring-filled month.

PUBLISHER: Dr. Sean Gomes EDITOR: Robyn Wilkinson robyn@wellnesswarehouse.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR: Lara Potgieter lara@holistica.co.za DESIGN: Inge Smit inge@wellnesswarehouse.com DIETITIAN: Hayley Cimring

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING & DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES: Sue Dall, cell: 084 707 4477 wellmag@wellnesswarehouse.com PRINTED BY: Paarl Media Paarl

For details of all the Wellness Warehouse stores, log onto www.wellnesswarehouse.com or contact the support office on:

Wellness Support Office 261 Bree Street, Cape Town

021 003 3552 www.wellnesswarehouse.com WELLNESS magazine takes no responsibility for the content of the advertising material supplied directly by advertisers. We accept advertising in good faith and do not research advertising claims. Kindly consult a professional should you have any doubt as to the efficacy of any claims made.

All the best Robyn

ambassadors

ON THE COVER

live life well

We ask our cover models mother and daughter team Miekie and Jalene Burger from Simply Well a few questions on life and wellness.

Sharni Quinn Yoga and Life Coach Consultant 071 954 2816 sharni@followthesun.co.za www.followthesun.co.za

How do you ‘live life well’?

We strive to eat an 80% alkaline based diet, avoiding foods that cause acidity in the body as much as possible, and make sure we drink enough clean, local spring water. We support local organic farmers and eat the healthiest produce available. Regular exercise and stretching is part of our ongoing schedule and whenever possible we enjoy time in nature. A long beach walk or a forest hike is the perfect way to unwind. We love spending quality time with friends and family.

Elan Lohmann Sleekgeek 084 333 1313 elan@sleekgeek.co.za www.sleekgeek.co.za

What is your favourite wellness tip?

Focus on everything you consume – ask yourself: does my body need this, before you eat. Health is our natural state – the body can heal itself with a balanced diet, regular exercise and enough rest.

About Simply Well Combining nutrition, yoga and exercise specialisation, we teach groups of people and private families simple techniques to change their lifestyle. We also have a corporate programme specifically designed for those that are sedentary most of the day. Training sessions include breathing techniques to manage stress and simple exercises to do at your desk. Nutritional guidance is focused on food that is energising, and proper hydration. Tailor-made day packages, long term or monthly programmes for corporates, individuals and families are available. These may include guided meditation and yoga. www.simplywell.co.za

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Kelly Shreuder Dietician & Personal Chef 082 321 8463 kelly@ctdietician.co.za

MODEL: Miekie & Jalene Burger PHOTOGRAPHER: Anton Robert STYLIST: Bernadette McCabe LOCATION: The cover picture was shot on location at the Greenhouse in Montebello Craft centre in Newlands, Cape Town

We are delighted to announce that the Wellness magazine is now on sale at Starke Ayres at both the Rosebank and West coast branches in Cape Town

Dr Mark Vella School of Lifestyle Medicine 021 438 4155 (work) 082 940 7465 mark@lifestylemedicine. co.za www.lifestylemedicine. co.za Leilah Kirsten Movement Coach and Prime Movement Pilates Teacher leilahkirsten@gmail.com www.leilahkirsten.com

Despina Learmonth Counselling and Health Psychologist 071 473 4973 despina@drlearmonth.com Nomvula Khuzwayo One-on-one personal trainer micjazyk@gmail.com Antonia De Luca Owner of Leafy Greens Caf 082 882 7300 antonia@leafygreens.co.za www.leafygreens.co.za Imtiaz Desai Exercise Scientist and owner of CrossFit Jozi 083 293 6470 imtiaz.desai@gmail.com Daniel Mpilo Richards Professional Actor 082 331 6566 dmrichardsltd@gmail.com

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SEPTEMBER 2016 NUTRITION 14

CLEAN BREW - Whip together an excellent detox drink recipe that includes activated charcoal and lemonade.

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ACTIVATED NUTS - When you activate nuts it begins the process of germination, breaks down phytic acid and makes them more nutrient available.

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SPRING DETOX ESSENTIALS - Shaking off the mid-winter gremlins might call for a detox.

Rather than deprivation we keep it light with some great essentials to add to your daily regime.

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TURMERIC, COCONUT & GINGER TEA This special method of making a delicious brew of anti-inflammatory tea is something to keep on file forever.

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HUNTING & GATHERING - More than ever finding good quality food has become essential to health: we look at home practices like brewing kombucha, keeping a bee hive and growing your own.

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SEASONAL CLEANSE FOR MORE ENERGY Follow a wholefood path for a seasonal cleanse that will access more energy in your body.

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HEAL BEHIND THE SCENES WITH OSTEOPATHY Osteopathy is a liberating and totally holistic way of dealing with structure and function in the body. We delve deeper into this wonderful practice.

CREATIVE THERAPY - Discovering a new life journey, healing trauma or forging a different way of thinking can be done using a highly creative therapy process.

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NURTURE 32

THE PRINCIPLES OF YOUTH - Growing older can be disease free, energising and liberating. All it takes is breaking degenerative practices, ideas and thoughts and following a lifestyle that feeds youthfulness.

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AKASHIC RECORDS - Everything that’s happened, can happen and is happening is recorded in the Akashic Records. We look at why knowing what’s in there might be beneficial.

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STEPS TO THERAPY - Addiction comes in many forms and guises and can be highly challenging to overcome. We look at an outpatient programme and examine practices that provide the best chance of recovery and healing.

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LIVE 50

SPRING CLEAN YOUR WORKSPACE From finding the right chair, reducing the effects of sitting time, to using standing desks, adjusting computer angles, de-cluttering and energetic work flow, we show you how.

GROW 54

GROW TO GIVE – Gardening has never been trendier or more philanthropic. Grow to give means sharing excess veggies with the needy and flowers with local Hospices; swapping seeds and gifting cuttings.

MOVE 40

NEW MOVES – With fitness and movement forever evolving you need never get bored.

We take a look at 3 new fitness trends: antigravity or aerial fitness, body weight training and wearable technology.

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MIX UP YOUR WORKOUT – Use variety to keep your workout energizing and exciting. We look at exercise tips and how to fuel an active lifestyle.

REGULARS 8

Events - Interesting Workshops, Training,

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Editor’s Choice - Looks at our favourite

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Meet our Supplier - We feature Simply

48 56 61 63

Fairs & Courses.

products for September.

Bee and their bodycare ranges.

Journey - Spend some time at Babylonstoren in the winelands.

Read Well - Pick something inspiring and keep turning pages.

Classified - Lets you know what’s

happening in your wellness community with workshops, retreats, therapies and more.

5 Favourite Teas - Learn the amazing properties of healing teas.

helping you live life well

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OUT & ABOUT

SEPT

by Lara Potgieter

SHED THAT EGO, TAP INTO THE ANGELIC REALM, COMMUNE WITH DOLPHINS AND RE-DSICOVER YOUR INNER GODDESS WITH THIS EXCITING LINE-UP OF

YOGA & NIA WEEKEND TULBAGH

HEALING AND CELEBRATORY EVENTS. ANGEL PRACTITIONER COURSE 3 TO 4 SEPTEMBER 2016 Join Doreen Virtue-certified angel therapy medium Glynis Dinsdale on an intimate and enlightening workshop in Meadowridge, Cape Town that will help you to develop a connection to the angelic realm, learning to help others through angel readings, healings and guidance. For more information visit www.angelways.co.za or contact glyndins@netactive.co.za.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP 6, 13, 20 & 27 SEPTEMBER Develop an understanding of your chakras and aura and learn the basics of grounding, clearing and protection through a series of practical exercises, visualisations and guided meditations presented by intuitive energy healer LisaJane Baxter at the Novalis Ubuntu Institute in Wynberg, Cape Town.

For more information visit www.

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helping you live life well

intuitionandhealing.co.za or contact info@intuitionandhealing.co.za.

NO EGO RETREAT 16 TO 24 SEPTEMBER 2016 Open to those who have attended The Journey Manifest Abundance Retreat, this life-changing course will help you liberate yourself from the false identity you’ve bought into, exposing the patterns and traps creating separation and pain in your life and helping you to experience freedom in the truest sense of the word. For more information visit www.thejourneysa.co.za or contact infosa@thejourneysa.co.za.

SACRED CELEBRATION WITH DOLPHINS 22 TO 27 SEPTEMBER 2016 Deepen your connection to your sacred self and the splendour of the natural world through magical encounters with wild dolphins and deep yoga and yoga nidra practice in Ponta d’Ouro, Mozambique. The adventure includes three dolphin

launches, a snorkelling course, yoga and meditation workshops, spiritual ceremonies, beautiful accommodation and nutrition for both the body and the soul. For more information visit www.wiseliving.co.za or contact Wendy on 011 781 4797.

CELEBRATING SPRING 24 SEPTEMBER 2016 Indulge in a variety of treatments, explore different movement and meditation modalities, and enjoy delicious food and local arts and crafts at the Holistic & Creative Centre in Woodstock, Cape Town this Heritage Day. For more information visit www.196victoria. co.za or contact info@lilahealthandwellbeing.com.

UPCOMING: YOGA & NIA WEEKEND 4 TO 6 NOVEMBER 2016 Immerse yourself in the practice and principles of yoga and Nia at

The Blue Butterfly Retreat Centre in Tulbagh. The weekend includes daily yoga and Nia classes, delicious home-cooked vegetarian meals and a ‘Reconnect to Self’ workshop in splendid countryside surrounds. For more information visit www.jillianlambert.co.za or contact Jill on 082 775 0198.

GODDESS TOUR TO EGYPT 15 TO 28 MARCH 2017 Embark on a pilgrimage to magical Egypt to follow in the footsteps of the ancient goddesses, balancing the masculine and feminine energy in your life and reclaiming your own divine nature as a strong, beautiful woman capable of leading society out of a place of ego and back to a place of love. For more information visit www.metamorphosis. amawebs.com or contact Michelle on 082 378 5859.

IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS EMAIL robyn@wellnesswarehouse.com

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EDITOR’S CHOICE ALL THAT MAN NEEDS FOR HEALTH

Peanut Protein

AND HEALING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

A new whey protein has just been launched by Nutritech with a long awaited Peanut Butter flavour. There’s a lot to be said for whey protein. Research says it has the highest BV (Biological Value) of all proteins available in nature and the highest rate of nitrogen retention.

Evidence suggests Whey Protein contains higher levels of essential amino acids than other proteins, promotes lean muscle growth and improves athletic performance. Studies show that Whey Protein can promote weight loss, improve immunesystem function, prevent heart disease, diabetes and bone loss.

With accolades like that, it’s a definite ‘go-to’ ingredient for smoothies and post training intelligence. Nutritech Peanut Butter Premium Whey R299.99

GOD IN NATURE, THE CHALLENGE OF SCIENCE IS TO FIND IT. PARACELSUS

Super Succulent Sceletium is a rare South African succulent that has been used for thousands of years by ancient local tribes for relaxation, enhanced mood and ‘euphoria’. A number of alkaloids that interact with the brain’s serotonin and dopamine receptors are to thank for the mood elevating action of the plant. I find that keeping a bottle of these drops in my handbag helps me to feel prepared for anything that might throw me off centre, as 20 drops under the tongue helps to relieve stress and tension, combats irritation, lifts my mood and even helps me to concentrate better on the task at hand. Dr Boxall Sceletium Tortuosum Tincture Drops 20ml R109.99

Wisdom of the Wild When Body Stress Release practitioner Archie and raw food nutritionist Juliet relocated to the edge of the Knysna Forest, they were delighted to discover that they shared their home with some powerful medicinal mushrooms.

Their first encounter was with wild red reishi, which they have managed to harvest and harness into a powerful immune-boosting, hormone-balancing, energising tincture for those wanting to reap the benefits of wild African energy at its best. African Forest Wild Red Reishi Tincure R199

Tea Tree Teeth Ancient Aborigines were known to chew on tea tree leaves to keep their oral hygiene in tip-top shape. Today, we’re able to harness the unique antibacterial power of tea tree oil in our daily dental regime by using tea tree toothpaste. Thursday Plantation contains 100% pure antibacterial tea tree oil and is free from fluoride as well as synthetic parabens, petrochemicals and animal derived products. It effectively cleans teeth and freshens the mouth, helping to foster healthy teeth and gums for those times when we can’t get hold of a tea tree leaf to chew.

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Toothpaste 110g R98

Drink Your Greens

Kitchen Kombucha When Theonista Founder Meghan Werner had to ask a friend to send her a SCOBY from Seattle so she could enjoy some good quality kombucha here in Cape Town, she realised that there was a gap in the market for the probiotic-rich fermented tea. While her range of ready-to-drink kombucha has become a firm favourite amongst local health enthusiasts, she decided to take the movement a step further by selling brew kits for people to make their own kombucha at home. Everything you need to get started, each kit includes a SCOBY, starter liquid, raw sugar, a custom home brew tea blend, a reusable cloth tea bag, a cover cloth, a leaflet with detailed instructions, and a cloth tote bag (just for fun). Kombucha Home Kit Theonista R350

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Containing a unique combination of organic, non-GMO wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, spinach, chlorella and broccoli, Amazing Grass’ Green Superfood is filled with the vitamins and minerals needed to promote detoxification, to help maintain healthy organ function, and to offer a high-quality plant-based protein. Add to that some yerba mate and matcha green tea and you get an extra natural energy kick. The best part of all is that the lemon-lime flavour makes it far more palatable than your standard green powder. Amazing Grass Green Superfood 210g R769

Skin Soother Aloe Vera is deeply moisturising, contains a host of antioxidants, and has antiinflammatory properties beneficial in the treatment of multiple skin issues. Dr. Organic has combined the myriad benefits of Aloe Vera with fellow skin-loving ingredients shea butter, cocoa butter and sweet almond oil to create a naturally soothing and restorative cream for all-day care. Dr. Organic Aloe Vera Day Cream 50ml R282

SHOP ALL ONLINE AT WELLNESSWAREHOUSE.COM

helping you live life well

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CONNECT, SHARE

& spread some love

Congratulations to @pdhoekstra for being our August winner!

We can’t wait to see more of your Wellness inspired creations.

WINNING POST

share your wellness moments with us and stand a chance to

WIN R500 12

helping you live life well

Live life well by sharing your wellness moments with us on social media. Every month we’ll select our favourite social media post to win R500 to spend at any Wellness Warehouse or online.

Remember to tag us in your posts: @WellnessWarehouse on Facebook and Instagram and @Wellnews on Twitter

ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIP TRUE RESULTS

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CLEAN brew WE LOVE THIS DETOX DRINK WITH ACTIVE CHARCOAL TO HELP GET RID OF TOXINS. COMMIT TO DRINKING IT EVERY MORNING FOR A WEEK OR LONGER AND FEEL ASSURED THAT YOU’RE CONTRIBUTING TO A HEALTHIER, CLEANER BODY. Makes 1 glass

INGREDIENTS 2 TBSP CHIA SEEDS 1 GLASS OF SPRING WATER 1 TSP ACTIVATED CHARCOAL POWDER JUICE FROM 1 ORGANIC LEMON 2 TBSP B GRADE MAPLE SYRUP PINCH OF HIMALAYAN SALT

1. Add the Chia seeds to your glass of water and soak for 20 minutes.

2. Once the seeds have become gelatinous then put this, plus all the rest of the ingredients into a Nutribullet or blender.

3. Blend well for a few minutes and drink straight away.

DID YOU KNOW? You can detox your brain by having the powerful antioxidants, Omega 3 and green tea.

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helping you live life well

ACTIVATED

CHARCOAL

Activated Charcoal is an amazing detox agent because it has the ability to attract other substances to its surface and hold them there. This process is called adsorption. It can absorb hundreds of times its own weight in heavy metals, poisons, and other chemicals, which are then expelled from the body. Activated charcoal comes from things like nut shells, bamboo, trees, olive pits and other similar compounds burnt at extremely high temperatures. In the end it becomes an odourless and tasteless black powder. It is used to relieve flatulence and bloating, help with stomach ulcers, whiten teeth, detox the digestive system, treat alcohol poisoning and more.

Renew your health this spring

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A TEASPOON OF ACTIVATED CHARCOAL HAS THE SAME SURFACE AREA OF AN ENTIRE SOCCER FIELD. THE POROUS QUALITY OF CHARCOAL ENABLES IT TO ABSORB AND FILTER AWAY QUANTITIES OF INTESTINAL GAS.

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WHITEN TEETH Make sure you only use it on your own teeth and not false teeth. Dip your wet toothbrush into powdered activated charcoal. Brush lightly then take a sip of water and swish it around your mouth for a few seconds and spit it out. Plaque will bind to the charcoal. Do this twice a week.

TREAT A BEE STING Add a teaspoon of activated charcoal to a teaspoon of coconut oil and apply generously to the sting.

MAKE A FACE MASK Add 1 teaspoon of charcoal to 3 teaspoons of aloe vera gel.

Mix together and smear evenly over face. Once it’s dry, rinse it off completely. This is a great mask to use if you’ve been near a lot of traffic or in city smog. Use it to treat pimples as well.

CAUTION: There are some cautions to drinking activated charcoal. Be careful not to drink too much of it as, in large doses, it can cause the detox process to be too harsh. You should only drink it a few hours after eating, or on an empty stomach and you need to make sure you have plenty of water.

DAILY CLEANSER

PICK ME UP & DIGESTIVE AID

PRE-SUMMER TOTAL BODY DETOX

Please note complimentary health products do not replace a healthy lifestyle or claim to cure or treat any disease(s).

Add these products to your overall healthy lifestyle for optimal benefits.

Products exclusive to Wellness Warehouse, health stores and pharmacies.

For more information contact: 021 701 5000 or ghpoffice@iafrica.com www.goodhealthsa.co.za

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MEET OUR SUPPLIER

SIMPLY BEE SIMPLY BEE WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED IN 2011, BUT ITS ORIGINS STEM FROM A WEDDING GIFT OF A SINGLE BEEHIVE IN THE 1950S. “MY GRANDFATHER GAVE MY FATHER A BEEHIVE AS A PRESENT. THIS WAS OSTENSIBLY TO PUT HONEY ON THE TABLE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE WAS TOO POOR TO BUY JAM,” SAYS SIMPLY BEE FOUNDER HELENA VAN DER WESTHUIZEN. That single hive grew into a passionate hobby with 50 hives and in 1994, turned into a full-time beekeeping business. A lifetime of beekeeping knowledge was handed down to Helena’s husband, Pierre, in 2008, and Simply Bee took flight.

KEEPING IT NATURAL The secret of a good skin product lies in the combination of good, natural ingredients with natural processes designed to maximise purity without damaging the ingredients.

Natural ingredients are profoundly effective, they stimulate your senses, they are better for the environment and beneficial to overall well being. Natural ingredients nurture the skin with wholesome nutrients familiar to the body’s chemistry, and working in harmony with the body. It’s crucial for natural ingredients to come from a renewable and plentiful resource found in nature.

Equally important is the processing. I personally control the manufacturing.

Any processing, including distillation, condensation, extraction, steaming, and hydrolysis are kept to a minimum. My

DID YOU KNOW The van der Westhuizen family visiting Helena and Pierre in Hopefield, a perfect location filled with Fynbos for the bees to pollinate.

There’s no commercial farming in the immediate vicinity which makes our honey, beeswax and propolis 100% organic.

Our bees are not used for commercial pollination and so there’s no exposure to chemicals. The hives are placed on stands, which means they’re badgerfriendly too.

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helping you live life well

goal is to maximise purity without negative effects on the ingredients – simply put: my goal is to keep natural ingredients natural.

This ensures full retention of their beneficial properties.

SMALL BEGINNINGS Being allergic to most cosmetics with synthetic ingredients and harsh preservatives led me to research products made from honey. “When I started making concoctions in the kitchen. Pierre laughed but I assured him I was going to create amazing products. I started giving it away to friends and it just snowballed from there.”

Helena made her first sale on 22 March 2011. “Pierre couldn’t believe I was selling creams. When orders started coming in, he realized it was viable. Five months later, after working through the night sticking on labels for an order, he took it much more seriously.”

“I still keep my batches small and start all of them myself,” she says.

We started off with only five products, and in answering the huge demand for natural products it catapulted to over forty

products in a relatively short period. These include body lotions, hand cream, foot balm, ointments, shampoo, soaps, facial skin products and polishes.

Until February 2013, Simply Bee’s products were produced in Pierre and Helena’s braai room at home “because it’s important to ride out one phase before going to the next”. The couple now has premises in Church Street, Hopefield where all Simply Bee Products are handmade to Helena’s formulas. They also have a shop and observation center to educate the public on bees and honey.

BEEKEEPING SET-UP Pierre started with 240 hives and now has over 600 hives, all on private land amidst fynbos. “Most beekeepers have their hives on farmers’ land,” she says, adding that farmers are mostly happy to do this because bees are good for their vegetation.

“Our hives are not moved, except a few meters to give them shade because the angle of the sun changes during the year, or if an area becomes depleted of food for the bees.” The specific set-up differs between beekeepers and depends on the

vegetation. “We only do Fynbos. We don’t pollinate because we believe it stresses the bees too much,” Helena says. “A bees’ honey production depends on the area and what’s available there – there’s no exact turnaround time. If you don’t stress your bees, they’re more resilient and productive.

DIY BEEKEEPING Helena, who is on the Western Cape Bee Industry Association, says it’s essential that new beekeepers register with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and belong to a beekeeping association. “It’s important, even if you only have one hive because in the event of a disease outbreak, everyone can be informed immediately. Even deserted hives have to be treated so robber bees don’t spread diseases. We need to protect our bees, “ she says.

THE LIFE OF A BEE In the Western Cape we farm with the Cape Honey Bee, the Capensis bee, which forms swarms of 30 000 to 80 000 bees.

These consist of the queen, the hundred or so male drones that mate with the queen, and sterile female worker bees. In spring, the queen lays thousands of eggs, one per honeycomb cell. These hatch into larvae, which are fed ‘royal jelly’, honey, and pollen by worker bees. The bees close the cells after six days and the larvae grow into pupae, which in turn transform into adult bees. The entire life cycle takes three weeks.

The worker bee then carries out various tasks in the hive over the next 21 days.

During the first two days of her life, she helps clean and warm the brood nests. From day three to day five she takes part in feeding the older larvae with honey and pollen, and from day six to day 11, she feeds young larvae with royal jelly. From days 12 to 17, she produces wax to construct the comb, and from days 18 to 21 helps guard the hive entrance and ventilate it. After this, she joins the other bees to forage for nectar, pollen and propolis.

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FROM VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, SIMPLY BEE NOW HAS OVER 200 STOCKISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND EXPORTS TO ZIMBABWE, BOTSWANA, NAMIBIA, ENGLAND, USA AND MAURITIUS.

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In summer, bees live for 28 days as they work hard, but they can live for up to 48 days in the winter months when they are only feeding the queen and keeping the hive warm. The colony keeps the hive at about 38 degrees Centigrade and in the winter seal it with propolis to maintain this temperature. Propolis is a resin collected from trees and bushes, it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, and is used to insulate the hive and protect it hive

against viruses. Studies have proved that propolis fights cancer and gum disease by encouraging healthy cell growth.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Fynbos honey was Simply Bee’s first product. Then came the lip balm pot, soap, antiseptic balm, hand cream and wash. The biggest selling points for Simply Bee, is that the products are natural and the range is also affordable. Her most popular products are propolis serum, anti-aging cream, antiseptic balm, propolis balm and heel balm. The heel balm, propolis serum and anti-ageing cream were finalists in the UK’s Natural & Organic Awards last year.

CHALLENGES Preserving the products without using chemicals was the greatest challenge for Helena.

“I wanted to preserve my products with propolis, a natural preservative, but it took a while to get it right. Another big problem was good quality water, imperative to conserve the integrity of the products.

“We value every individual client, whether they buy a lip bam or spend R10 000, we give our utmost attention to any complaints we may get. I’ve couriered a lip balm to a client at my own expense,” says Helena.

“People like supporting a family business that’s small and personal.“ “We never imagined the business would take off like it has. It has exceeded every vision I had. It almost feels as if I am telling somebody else’s story.”

AS CREATORS AND OWNERS OF SIMPLY BEE OUR MISSION IS TO NOT ONLY GENERATE AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF USING NATURAL BEESWAX PRODUCTS BUT ALSO TO PROMOTE BEE CONSERVATION. THE BEEHIVES STARTED BY MY FATHER PROVIDED THE FOUNDATION FOR A FAMILY LEGACY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.SIMPLYBEE.CO.ZA OR FIND THE PRODUCTS IN STORES OR ONLINE AT WWW.WELLNESSWAREHOUSE.COM

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What the Bleep are

Activated Nuts?

by Lara Potgieter

EVER EAT A PACKET OF NUTS, FEEL A LITTLE HEAVY AFTERWARDS, AND THEN SPOT PIECES OF THE OFFENDING SNACK STILL HANGING ABOUT IN YOUR POOP THE NEXT DAY?

DID YOU KNOW? •

•

•

•

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The reason nuts are soaked in salty water is because the salt awakens enzymes that are then able to break down and neutralise enzyme inhibitors.

Aborigines have been activating nuts and seeds for thousands of years.

Phytase is the enzyme that breaks up phytates. While some animals have plenty of it, humans do not.

While activated nuts are put through a dehydration process to make them last longer and taste delicious, it’s during the soaking that the magic really happens.

helping you live life well

While nuts are high in all the good stuff – including protein, essential fats, fibre, antioxidants and minerals - they do also contain natural chemicals that could interfere with your digestive system and impair your ability to absorb all their great nutritional potential.

Nuts contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that bind to enzymes, decreasing and/or blocking their actions.

The nuts themselves need these, as they prevent them from prematurely sprouting, but they also act on our digestive enzymes, binding to minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium and impairing our ability to absorb them.

Before you go nuts at the thought of cutting out the tasty and convenient snack, take a deep breath because there is a solution.

You may have seen some seemingly exorbitantly priced nuts labelled as ‘activated’ at your local health food shop and groaned at the idea of yet another new-agey marketing gimmick.

The truth is, there is benefit to this preparation method, as it begins the process of germination, breaking down the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and making the nutrients more available.

Activating is an ancient practice that once involved soaking nuts and seeds in brine and letting them dry in the sun.

Luckily, we have a quicker and more sanitary way of doing things today.

Here’s how…

ACTIVATED NUTS EQUIPMENT • Dehydrator • Bowls • Sieve

INGREDIENTS A VARIETY OF NUTS, SUCH AS ALMONDS, PECANS, WALNUTS AND HAZELNUTS SEA SALT

1. Place each variety of nuts in a separate pot or large bowl with 2 – 3 tablespoons of sea salt dissolved in water 2. Soak for 8 – 12 hours 3. Drain nuts through a sieve and rinse under running water 4. Place each variety of nuts on a separate dehydrator sheet 5. Dehydrate for 12 – 14 hours, or until the nuts are crispy and dry

TIP: If you’d like to make a really tasty snack, add some cinnamon, coriander and cumin to the drained nuts before placing them in the dehydrator.

INTRODUCING AFRICAN FOREST MEDICINALS’ RANGE OF LONGEVITY & IMMUNE-BOOSTING WILD-HARVESTED TINCTURES All of our products contain wild-harvested mushrooms and herbs. Wild-grown mushrooms/herbs are superior to cultivated ones in a variety of ways: • They have developed more potent chemical defences against predators and it is these chemicals that form the protective “medicines” that are so beneficial to us.

• They are more highly mineralised than cultivated herbs as they grow in pristine, wild nature, with its highly mineralised soils.

• They have absorbed all of the wild energies of its environment, which in turn are passed on to us and help to keep us more closely connected to our own wilder, more natural state of being.

If you don’t own a dehydrator you can use your oven set to a really low temperature.

Possible Benefits: Wild Red Reishi - immune-modulator, anti-cancer, anti-aging/longevity, anti-stress/calming, liver tonic/detoxifier Turkey Tail - potent anti-antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-cancer, immune-modulating, energy-boosting Passion Flower - hormone-balancing, counters “estrogen dominance”, mood-enhancing Our medicinal mushroom tinctures are “dual” hot water and alcohol extracts. This means that the active ingredients are actually extracted from the hard, chitin-walled cells of the mushrooms, making them bioavailable to the body. This is a vital process, as without this the active ingredients (polysaccharides and triterpenes) cannot be absorbed and used by the body.

Non-extracted, powdered mushroom material does not give you the same benefits.

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9 WAYS TO

HELP YOUR BODY DETOXIFY IF GOING ON A SPECIAL DIET SEEMS LIKE DEPRIVATION, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY A LIGHT FORM OF DETOX

BY ADDING A FEW SUPPLEMENTS AND LIFESTYLE INNOVATIONS THAT HELP KEEP YOUR BODY RUNNING OPTIMALLY. 1. ADD MORE FIBRE – Eat organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables like beetroot, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli. Eat unrefined brown rice and seaweed as well as spirulina and chlorella all of which are excellent detox foods.

2. SUPPORT YOUR LIVER – Herbs or tea that include dandelion root, burdock, milk thistle, and green tea are excellent.

3. INCLUDE VITAMIN C – This will help the body make glutathione, a liver compound that gets rid of toxins.

4. DRINK MORE WATER – Find a supply of fresh spring water, use ozonated, spring or mineral water or invest in a good filter.

5. INCREASE YOUR AIR QUALITY – Avoid air conditioning and recycled air, try and get as much fresh air and breath it deeply into your lungs. This will help oxygen circulate through your system.

6. FOCUS MORE POSITIVELY – Drop negative emotions, resentment, anger and angst in favour of positive, loving, kind thoughts and feelings. Use meditation to help you if you’re feeling challenged by this.

7. GENERATE SOME SWEAT – Make time to do regular saunas.

This will help your body eliminate waste through perspiration.

8. MAKE YOUR HEART BEAT – Do some cardio whether it’s skipping, running, walking uphill, cycling or dancing – get your heart rate up for at least a few minutes every couple of days.

9. DRY BRUSH OR SCRUB – Use a dry brush on your skin or a good body scrub to exfoliate and allow your skin to remove toxins through the pores.

BUCHU BENEFITS Buchu is becoming more and more popular for its incredible far ranging health benefits. Some swear by it’s energy giving properties, others vouch for it’s ability to detox the body while others believe it helps with weight loss and has excellent diuretic properties. Buchu is used in multiple medicinal formulations, in balms and lotions, in tea and in water. It is generally known as a tonic or elixir to promote overall wellbeing.

Minerals, anti-oxidants, vitamins, flavonoids are all part of buchu’s magical complement of benefits. If you’re looking for a vitality companion, take a bottle of buchu water with you and sip it regularly during your day.

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TURMERIC COCONUT ginger tea

IF WE STAGED AN OSCAR FOR HERBS AND SPICES, TURMERIC WOULD BE THIS YEAR’S NON-DISPUTED WINNER. THE MORE WE RESEARCH TURMERIC THE LONGER THE BENEFIT LIST BECOMES. FROM CANCER TO DEPRESSION, ALZHEIMER’S TO EYE HEALTH, TURMERIC IS AN EXCELLENT PREVENTATIVE AGENT AND AN INCREDIBLE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY. WE FEATURE A DELICIOUS TURMERIC, COCONUT AND GINGER TEA THAT’S BOTH DELICIOUS AND HIGHLY BENEFICIAL ON MANY LEVELS. Serves 2

INGREDIENTS ½ TEASPOON ORGANIC TURMERIC 1 TBSP RAW HONEY ¼ CUP COCONUT FLAKES 3 TSPS GRATED GINGER 3 CUPS BOILING WATER 1 TBSP FRESH LIME JUICE 2 PINCHES OF BLACK PEPPER

1. Drizzle the honey into a small round bowl and add the turmeric. Use the back of a teaspoon to grind the turmeric into the honey so it is really well blended.

2. Put the coconut, ginger and black pepper into a big glass jug then add the boiling water.

3. Leave it to brew for about 30 minutes then strain the mixture making sure you press out all the flavour from the coconut and ginger.

4. Just before you serve it, heat it up then add the lime juice and honey turmeric paste. Stir it really well so the turmeric is caught up in the liquid.

DID YOU KNOW? Consuming black pepper alongside turmeric increases the bioavailability of its essential healing component, curcumin.

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helping you live life well

TRY THIS

Taka Coconut Turmeric Tea Organic Traditions Turmeric Powder

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HEALTH BOOSTING TURMERIC & COCONUT DRINKS Scientific research & ancient wisdom agree TURMERIC IS GOOD FOR YOU! Studies show that turmeric may help

REDUCE INFLAMMATION FIGHT INFECTIONS TREAT DIGESTIVE ISSUES

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eat recipe

ADDING SUPERFOODS

to your smoothies

ADDING ALL THREE OR ANY ONE OF THESE INGREDIENTS WILL BOOST YOUR NUTRITION AND OFFER YOU SUPERIOR FORMS OF NUTRITION.

Hemp Oil Contains significant amounts of omega 3’s and 6’s in a unique near perfect ratio for human nutritional needs. This cold pressed oil provides powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helps to protect the skin, reduces the threat of heart disease, and helps burn excess body fat.

Coconut Oil The saturated medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s) in coconut oil speed up metabolism, and stabilises blood sugar levels facilitating weight loss as a result. The MCT’s in coconut oil require less energy and fewer enzymes to digest and therefore provides more energy to the body, more quickly than other known fat sources.

Cacao Butter Is the good fat or oil content from the cacao bean, which has been cold-pressed out of the bean. It can be used to make hard-set chocolates and makes an amazing skin moisturiser.

Cacao contains high levels of anandamide, which is a lipid (fat) known as ‘the bliss chemical’ because it is released while we are feeling great.

SUPERSHAKE POST WORKOUT SMOOTHIE Smoothie making is an effective way of consuming nutrient dense superfoods, and promotes the concept of ‘small frequent meals’. The combination of high fat, high protein contributes to overall satiety and prevents blood sugar imbalances throughout the day.

This in turn helps to prevent binge eating on high sugary snack foods and ultimately the weight gain that ensues.

INGREDIENTS 300ML WATER 1 TBS GREEN SUPERSHAKE 2 TBS HEMP PROTEIN POWDER 1 TBS HEMP SEEDS 1 TBS HONEY 1 BANANA

Blend until smooth and creamy TIP: Add 1-2 Tbs of melted coconut oil or cacao butter to your smoothie.

RECIPE SUPPLIED BY PETER AND BERYN DANIEL FROM THE MAGIC OF SUPERFOODS (SOARING FREE)

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helping you live life well

GET

SUMMER READY Increase your intake of alkalising proteins Speed up your metabolism and build lean muscle mass by including alkalising high protein superfoods to your every day intake.

KNOW YOUR SUPERFOOD PROTEIN SOURCES HEMP SEED PROTEIN

With its exceptional protein profile, hemp protein powder is an excellent source of muscle building protein. Hemp is a high quality, easily digestible and complete source of protein. The protein found in hemp is highly alkalising which enhances the speed of recovery of muscle tissue post a workout.

SHELLED HEMP SEEDS

Hemp seeds contain all 20 known amino acids, including all the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Hemp seeds contain 30% pure digestible protein that both build and repair muscle tissue.

These incredible seeds are also high in essential fatty acids.

SPIRULINA

This incredible source of complete protein is easily absorbed by the body and is also highly alkalising. Spirulina is 60-70% protein by weight, yields 200 times more protein per acre than beef and is 4 times more digestible. Try taking spirulina in tablet form if you are not fond of the taste of the powder.

GOJI BERRIES

Goji berries contain all 8 essential amino acids making them a complete protein source. These body-building proteins contain 18 amino acids including tryptophan, an amino acid that supports brain health.

CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds are a near complete source of protein containing almost all of the essential amino acids. Chia seeds contain twice the amount of protein than almost all other seeds or grains. The combination of essential fats, fibre and protein make chia an excellent food for improving endurance, fitness and flexibility.

HIGH PROTEIN SUPERFOODS

SOARING FREE SUPERFOODS

www.superfoods.co.za . www.rawlicious.co.za 0861 000 976

Soaring Free Superfoods imports the highest quality, organic and wild-harvested superfoods from around the world. With high integrity sourcing from farms and forests, plus concentrated nutritional potency, these Superfoods represent ancient wisdom combined with great taste for abundant energy.

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HUNTING & GATHERING

by Kirsten Alexander

MORE THAN EVER FINDING GOOD QUALITY FOOD HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH: WE LOOK AT HOME PRACTICES LIKE BREWING KOMBUCHA, KEEPING A BEE HIVE, GROWING YOUR OWN VEG AND CONNECTING MORE TO THE SOURCE OF YOUR FOOD

DID YOU KNOW? President Obama released the recipe for his White House Honey Brown Ale. Brewed on the White House premises, it’s believed to be the first alcohol brewed or distilled at the White House. The honey was harvested from the presidential hives on the South Lawn. The Honey Brown was such a success, the president had his team concoct a honey porter and a honey blonde as well.

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helping you live life well

The movement to sustainable, organic, and hyperlocal food is prompting a complete reenvisioning of what a farm is. Today, a farm means a small patch of living greens tucked away in your garden, on your balcony, or in your spare room. There are multiple benefits of growing your own produce; from controlling the growing process and what pesticides are on your food, to eliminating the struggle of finding trusted healthy, organic food at your grocery store.

KEEP A BEE HIVE Starting an apiary is relatively easy and there are many reasons to keep your own honeybees.

Honey is probably the most obvious answer!

A single bee can produce 1/2 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime (about 6 weeks), and with a colony consisting of thousands of bees, that can add up quickly. Raw honey is not only a great sweetener, but has many wonderful antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal qualities.

It’s been used as a potent healing agent for thousands of years and has recently been scientifically proven to treat a wide variety of

ailments, wounds and burns. Because of its chemical makeup, honey is a great long-term food storage item that can be preserved for decades.

Wax is another popular product of bees. In ancient times the importance of beeswax often overshadowed the production of honey.

Today, beeswax is used in a wide variety of products and applications including candles and cosmetics, lotions and lipbalms. Beeswax candles burn brighter, longer, and cleaner than typical wax candles.

On top of learning the ins and outs of beekeeping, you may not get a large amount of honey from your first couple of yields. Be patient with yourself and your bees, speak to local beekeepers and beekeeping organizations or communities. Go out with an expert a few times before raising your own bees.

GROW YOUR OWN VEG Growing your own produce is all the rage nowadays; and it’s a simple, easy practice the whole family can enjoy. The most significant reason to grow your own produce is the price; stocking up on herbs from your local grocer can be an expensive endeavour when you compare it with the price of purchasing herbs or seeds to grow on your own. Your home-grown herbs can last for months, and some herbs, like rosemary and thyme, can even last for years.

“

THE SECURITY OF KNOWING HOW YOUR FOOD IS GROWN AND WHAT IS USED IN THE PROCESS IS REASON ENOUGH TO GROW YOUR OWN.

“

By growing your own produce you can control what goes into your food and you can make sure your produce is totally organic without harmful chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The security of knowing how your food is grown and what is used in the process is reason enough to grow your own.

If you’re a first-timer, it’s best to start with herbs; the gateway plants to gardening.

Rosemary, thyme, parsley, and basil are common choices and compliment a great many dishes. Home-grown tomatoes are another great choice because of their exceptional flavour. They can be a bit temperamental, so if you’re a beginner, it’s best to start with cherry tomatoes. Zucchini, squash, bell peppers, and lettuce are also good additions to your vegetable garden.

Remember to plant the vegetables you use frequently; you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew.

HOMEMADE COMPOST Peat moss or compost is essential to successfully grow heavy-feeding plants.

Making your own compost is not only cost-effective; it’s environmentally friendly and easy, too.

Here’s how to make your own compost in six easy steps: 1. Procure a 3.5 litre trash bin with a tight-fitting lid.

2. Poke holes evenly along the sides for drainage.

3. Set the new compost bin outside on bricks or cement blocks.

4. Start composting. This means starting with shredded paper and cardboard to make a bed, followed by adding food scraps such as eggshells, potato peelings, lettuce leaves, and other leftover foods.

5. Continue to add compostable materials in this pattern: paper products followed by organic products, paper followed by organic.

6. Be sure to turn the compost bin on its side and roll it around on the ground a couple of times each time you add food or paper products to keep the mixture aerated. Water it frequently.

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TRY HOME BREWING Home brewing is a fun and rewarding hobby that anyone can do – and who knows, you may get so into it, you’ll start your own micro-brewery! It’s probably wise to make your first batch with a pre-made kit - it will contain all the ingredients you need to brew your desired drink from home.

Brewing at home also affords you the freedom to adjust recipes according to your preference, create beverages that are unavailable on the open market or beverages that may contain fewer calories or less alcohol. One of the most common forms of home-brewing is beer. Beer has been brewed on a small scale for personal consumption thousands of years prior to its commercial production.

Über Flavour Brews combine the zing of freshly squeezed juices, aromatic flavours and rooibos tea to bring you an alchemy of tastes that’s a little left of centre, a little ‘umami’ and 100% natural. Experience Über Flavour - an ancient brew with a distinct African soul - today.

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@UberFlavour

Another form of home-brewing is making wine or mead. Mead is wine made from honey and the type of honey you use determines your flavour profiles just like the variety or blend of wine grapes does in traditional wine making. It’s not just about grapes and honey though. Fruit and vegetable wines can also be made by the adventurous brewer. They can range from a crisp strawberry wine, to a floral dandelion and clover wine.

Turning apple juice into a hard cider can become an art form. The goal is to blend juices or varieties of apples to get the perfect match of sweetness, acidity, and tannins. You could also try your hand at home-brewing Kombucha. It’s made by fermenting tea with a ‘mother culture’ also called a ‘SCOBY’. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast.

You can buy the culture from various outlets and sometimes you can grow them from a commercial bottle of Kombucha.

Rice wine is yet another type of wine that can classify a home brewer. It’s made simply from cooked rice, yeast, and special bacteria. You can get the supplies you need online or in a Chinese food market. Like all the wines above, your type of rice will determine the flavour.

TRY THIS: KOBUCHA HOME KIT R350

Natural Ingredients Rich In Antioxidants No Added Sugar Caffeine Free No Additives

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eat A wholefood cleanse enhances detoxification There are many variations of cleanses and detoxes, my approach is to enhance the systems of detoxification. This means to eliminate foods that increase the burden on the liver; remove or limit possible allergens; provide support for organs; and improve digestion and bowel transit time.

A spring cleanse can be anything from three days, although 15-20 days is optimal, and a month is ideal. A cleanse should never be stressful and can be accomplished by the following:

NATURAL

HEALTH TIPS SUPPLIED BY THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL HEALTH

Add more energy with a seasonal cleanse What are toxins?

Toxins can be broken up into two types: endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous toxins are by-products of metabolism and energy production. They occur as part of the process of living and can be used-up hormones, by-products of exercise or metabolites of energy production.

Exogenous toxins come from the environment like cigarettes, mould, pollen, chlorine from water, insecticides and pesticides from food, alcohol, caffeine, medications and chemicals from plastics and cosmetics.

The Western diet is often at odds with good detoxification Western diets are typically low on fresh organic produce, low in fibre and high in sugar and preservatives, often leaving us short of the nutrients, water and fibre we need.

When toxic metabolites accumulate they cause symptoms like: low energy levels, bad breath, foul-smelling stools, PMS or other issues related to hormonal imbalance, low immunity (more than two colds per year), brain fog, or inability to think clearly, worsened hangovers and acne.

DID YOU KNOW?

The body has a fabulous, intelligent detoxification system already in place. The liver, kidneys and other organs of the digestive system spearhead the major detoxification processes. When working as they should, they rid our bodies of toxins that could cause health problems if left unmanaged.

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helping you live life well

1. Eating at least 6-8 portions of fresh organic vegetables and fruit daily – favouring vegetables. Vegetables provide nutrients needed by the liver. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage stimulate the phases of liver detoxification. Smoothies are a great way to get nutrients and plant fibre.

2. Focus on eating plenty of fibre-rich foods to establish good digestive elimination. Oats, lentils, chickpeas, brown rice and quinoa provide fibre and B vitamins. Legumes also provide a broad spectrum of amino acids, and are great replacements for animal protein.

3. Drink 1.5-2 litres of filtered water daily. Decaffeinated teas like fennel, ginger, nettle mint and liquorice also count and nourish the detoxification organs.

4. Eat portions of raw food daily. These contain powerful enzymes that help you digest food more easily.

5. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking and common food allergens such as dairy and gluten. All these can aggravate your digestive system and increase the toxic load on your liver.

Responsible detoxing Some people may get withdrawal symptoms, withdrawal from caffeine can bring headaches and, as your body starts to release toxins, you may feel fatigued and have flu-like symptoms. This is normal, and shouldn’t last longer than 3-4 days.

Adding nutritious whole foods won’t damage your health, but if on any medication or pregnant, tell your GP you are changing your diet.

The College of Natural Health is running a ‘Detox, Cleanse and Weight Loss’ short course in September over two Saturdays, in Johannesburg and offering a CNH Certificate in Detox, Cleanse and Weight Loss. Cost: R1100 for the course, including practical sessions.

For more information, email: info@collegeofnaturalhealth. co.za or visit http://www.collegeofnaturalhealth.co.za/shortcourses/detox-cleanse-weight-loss/

Claire Clerkin is a Nutritional Therapist associated with CNH (College of Natural Health), which trains students across South Africa for careers in natural health.

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nurture

did you know?

Studies show that many of the centenarians around the world are people who eat less. Research conducted on centenarians in Japan show a general trend of eating until 80 percent full rather than eating until completely satiated.

THE PRINCIPLES OF

YOUTH

by Dr Kevin Lentin

GROWING OLDER CAN BE DISEASE FREE, ENERGISING AND LIBERATING. ALL IT TAKES IS BREAKING DEGENERATIVE PRACTICES, IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND FOLLOWING A LIFESTYLE THAT FEEDS YOUTHFULNESS. DR KEVIN LENTIN SHARES SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES OF YOUTH. Ever heard the saying, ‘Getting old is not for the feint hearted?’ I’m sure you have, but what does it really mean?

It seems we’ve come to accept that getting older inevitability brings with it an array of signs and symptoms, which can vary dramatically, but which definitely include some, if not all, the following: • • • •

• • •

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musculo-skeletal aches and pains arthritis cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease a range of cardiovascular diseases like arteriosclerosis, raised cholesterol, hypertension and stroke digestive conditions Diabetes and of course the ultimate dreaded disease – cancer

helping you live life well

Is it necessary to accept this as inevitable, or is there something we can do to reduce, reverse, and even totally prevent many of these degenerative aging processes?

According to research on ageing, studies clearly indicate that the effects of aging can be significantly slowed down, if not reversed.

So what we should really be concerning ourselves with is not the fact we get older, but more with the process of senescence.

Senescence is the term given to the processes of age related changes that adversely affect vitality and function as we age. There are many examples of folk in their 70’s, 80’s, and even older, that are hale, hearty and happy. Mostly people put this down to genetics. If you were unfortunate enough to be in the ‘bad gene’ queue you

will have inherited ‘unhealthy’ genes and would so experience the adverse effects of senescence.

A study conducted by a group of investigators at the University of Pennsylvania, found that only 20% 30% of our longevity, health and vitality is determined by our genes. Dr Bruce Lipton, well known cellular biologist, believes that the genetic influence on senescence may actually be as little 5% - 10%. This means that, at best, 70% - 80%, and perhaps even as much as 95%, of how long we live, the quality of our life, our sense of wellbeing, our health and vitality is determined by the influence of other factors; environment, the type of lifestyle we live, our diet, alcohol consumption, exercise and how well we control stress levels.

If this is true, and science seems to think so, what can we do to slow down or reverse this process?

Research around senescence and aging says there’s a lot we can do to target the structures ultimately responsible for deterioration as we get older. The structures ultimately responsible for this deterioration are our cells, and more specifically our entire cellular system.

The human body is designed to act as a self-healing organism. It’s able to produce all of its own anti-inflammatories, anti-biotics, ‘happy’ and mood stabilizing chemicals, immune complexes, friendly bacteria, and wound healing and repair substances – all involved in the process of homeostasis and the management of balance in the cellular system.

This process of homeostasis, however, is vulnerable. Bombard it with too many ‘pro – death’ cellular messages for too long and eventually cellular breakdown will begin. It is this cellular breakdown that is responsible for the adverse effects of ageing.

Here are 3 areas we need to focus on to slow down or reverse senescence.

1. OUR STRUCTURE 2. OUR NUTRITION 3. OUR STRESS

Our structural system comprises the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue. The structural system is generally very resilient, but modern lifestyles subject this system to constant overuse, repetitive strain and trauma.

“

ALTHOUGH CHRONOLOGICAL AGING IS A NATURAL PROCESS, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH DIS – EASE OR DISEASE. THERE ARE ASPECTS OF AGEING THAT ARE HIGHLY DESIRABLE – WISDOM AND MATURITY, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT IS INCREASINGLY LOOKING AS THOUGH IT MAY EVEN BE POSSIBLE TO DIE HEALTHY!

“

The pace of the 21st Century means we’re busy all the time. It’s ‘GO, GO , GO’; there’s very little real R & R time.

Deprive your body of rest and relaxation for too long, not to mention sleep, and you

place all body systems under physiological strain, which eventually, leads to tissue and cellular breakdown and speeds up senescence.

As we age our muscles get weaker and smaller. The muscles are the source of our energy production and structural support.

A light resistance exercise programme, for example, to strengthen the muscular system, offers remarkable support for your structure, and for many of the other body systems as well.

Secondly, our diet and nutrition is responsible for maintaining the self-healing and homeostatic potential of our bodies.

Our bodies can essentially be described as complex chemical laboratories. Chemical reactions occurring every milli- second producing pain killers, antibiotics, cortisone, hormones, enzymes, energy molecules, ‘happy’ chemicals, immune complexes and thousands of other substances that keep us alive. These chemical reactions are dependent on that wonderful substance called food.

More important than food alone, the correct type of food is crucial to optimum functioning. Every meal should contain a combination of complex carbohydrates (potato, rice, root vegetables and some grains), proteins (fish, meat, chicken, nuts, seeds, cheese, eggs, beans, legumes) and fats (olive oil, fish oils, flax oils). Meals

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should always be eaten while sitting down and not ‘on the run’. Each mouthful should be chewed at least 20 times!

Refined foods like sugar and white flour, processed foods like frozen meals and packet foods, ‘deli’ meats and tinned foods, fast food and junk foods are all ‘nutrient deficient’ and should be taken in moderation, if at all. These foods all contain the ‘pro – death’ cellular messenger substances that promote senescence.

If consumed on a regular basis the body’s coping mechanisms are placed under stress, resulting in conditions like ‘insulin resistance’, which has been directly linked to cardiovascular disease, adult onset diabetes, raised cholesterol levels and raised uric acid. The body is at greater risk of free radical damage, also directly linked to quickened ageing.

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One of the consequences is the immune system is ‘up-regulated’, as is adrenal gland stimulation, resulting in many of the adverse effects of getting older e.g. increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, bowel disturbance, reduced libido, fatigue, menopausal symptoms and the list goes on and on.

Finally, attention needs to be given our psychological / emotional state. It is no coincidence that stress is considered the ‘silent killer’.

Being constantly bombarded by stressors stimulates the stress activation response, also known as the flight or fight response resulting in the body’s ability to promote homeostasis being under constant pressure and threat.

Some of these stressors include time pressure, excessive deadlines, perfectionism, ongoing relationship, financial and career problems and living in regret of the past and fear of the future.

Learned responses result in the production of ‘messenger molecules’ (hormones), like adrenalin, noradrenalin and cortisol with the effect of ‘up-regulating’ virtually every system and cell in the body to assist with persistent stress.

As time progresses the body becomes less and less able to cope, the coping mechanisms become exhausted and begin to falter and symptoms start manifesting.

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helping you live life well

Because of a constant influx of stressful situations our responses become habitual.

Slowly but surely, we get caught up in ‘habit loops’ where we begin responding to almost anything (and sometimes everything) with a flight or fight response.

This eventually causes cellular fatigue, cellular breakdown, cellular dis – ease and finally cellular disease.

These responses are learned and become our default mode to manage life. It’s becoming more widely accepted that one can break these ‘habit loops’ and create new, more positive responses to old stressors.

Meditation, visualization, affirmations and mindfulness, practiced regularly, are techniques that provide the impetus for this reprogramming. The amazing power of positivity, as a healing tool, is becoming well recognised, as a way to manage stress.

As we become proficient at seeing everything in a more positive light the cellular system is less traumatized and can maintain optimal function for much longer.

So it’s not too late to take control and make the necessary lifestyle changes that will add years to life and life to your years.

i

Dr Lentin has been in private practice for more than 30 years. While his core interest revolves around the diagnosis, treatment and management of neuro-musculo-skeletal conditions, his continual search to deepen his understanding of ‘wellness’ led him to study and practice Functional Medicine.

He now focuses his years of study and clinical experience on a more integrated approach to health and wellness, incorporating his skills in the musculoskeletal (chiropractic), bio-nutritional and functional wellness (Functional Medicine) as well as the psychoemotional realms to offer patients a holistic approach to health care.

1976 graduated from the University of Natal with a B. Social Science, majoring in Psychology.

1984 graduated Doctor of Chiropractic, Cum Laude, from Life Chiropractic College, in Atlanta, Georgia.

2004 Diploma in Applied Clinical Nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition, in Sydney, Australia 2006 & 2012 Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice’ Contact Dr Kevin Lentin at Constantia Chiropractic Clinic, 36 Constantia Road, Wynberg, W Cape Tel: 021 797-8056

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health

BEHIND THE SCENES

WITH OSTEOPATHY

by Lara Potgieter

WE’VE BEEN HEARING QUITE A LOT LATELY ABOUT OSTEOPATHY, A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT ESSENTIALLY EMPHASISES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN THE BODY. WHILE IT CAN’T BE STUDIED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THERE AREN’T MANY LOCAL PRACTITIONERS, WE MANAGED TO TRACK ONE DOWN IN OUR ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER A BIT MORE ABOUT THE ELUSIVE MODALITY. “Keep it pure, boys. Keep it pure,” was the last advice that osteopathy founder Dr. Andrew Taylor Still offered his students and successors before his passing in 1917.

It’s also one of the first things that Cape Town Osteopath Dr. Guy Ashburner shares when explaining the fundamentals of the discipline during our first session at his practice in Constantia.

A self-proclaimed purist, Dr. Ashburner’s resistance to new-age lotions and potions is in itself refreshing. “Study the anatomy, and work on that with your hands,” is his modus operandi.

I was fortunate enough to experience the true sophistication of this simplicity in my three sessions with Dr. Ashburner.

After taking a (very) comprehensive history, he examined what he believes to be one

DID YOU KNOW? •

•

•

• •

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Osteopathy focuses on how all the body’s systems are interconnected, and how each one affects the others.

Sir Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, George Michael, Kate Winslett, Emma Thompson, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Robbie Williams and Bruce Springsteen have all been treated by prominent London osteopath Garry Trainer.

Former US President George Bush employed an osteopath as his primary doctor.

Princess Anne is the patron of the British School of Osteopathy.

The British School of Osteopathy will be 100 years old next year.

helping you live life well

of the most important factors in the health of the body: the posture. Despite his tact and professionalism, I could see that mine made him shudder.

“Posture is everything,” is another of his many quotable assertions. “If we all had good static and dynamic posture, I’d be out of business,” he quips. “Poor posture can lead not only to structural imbalance, but also to problems with the gut, respiratory infections, and more. If your posture ‘closes in’, the drainage in your system is affected.

We need to get the plumbing to work!” he explains.

Needless to say, the fact that I could touch my toes did not serve to distract Dr. Ashburner from the fact that my left and right shoulders did not appear to exist on the same plane.

“If everything’s in the right place - as nature intended - things tend to work, strangely enough,” he offers facetiously when I start questioning him about the possible root causes of my various symptoms. Never one to mince his words, Dr. Ashburner believes in getting straight to the source of our often over-complicated complaints: “If you see an animal with bad posture in the wild, it won’t last very long. Which says a lot for the Westernised, supposedly civilised, human race.”

Aside from sharing a wealth of knowledge on the subject of osteopathy and the biomechanics of the human body at large, Dr. Ashburner gives a mean treatment.

Prefacing what seemed to me to be patterns of complicated and skillful movements and manipulations with things like “let’s make your right side happy” and

“your spine’s a bit of a challenge, isn’t it?” he was able to offer me significant relief all the way from my bothersome TMJ down my over-worked spine. As it turns out, my spine was working too hard because my hip and shoulder girdle just weren’t coming to the party.

While I’ve become rather accustomed to enjoying the often short-lived relief of a nice relaxing massage and then being on my merry way until the need arises for the next appointment, Dr. Ashburner had no intention of letting me off the hook that lightly.

“We need to resolve the problem – get to the root cause of why you’re currently feeling this way. What are the maintaining factors? What are you doing wrong over and over again? How are you moving, or not moving – is it aggravating the problem?”

I was glad that his treatment had served to significantly calm my nervous system, as I might have felt a bit on the spot under this inquiry at any other time. The thing is, he’d hit the nail on the head: I am ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of my body, and no amount of healings and treatments will ever fully alleviate the symptoms if I don’t take a good look at how I use my body in my daily life.

“People don’t use their bodies correctly.

They don’t see the value of doing the right movements, which will load the bones correctly. Movement is life! If we don’t use our bodies properly, we can’t expect the muscles to work correctly,” explains Dr. Ashburner.

It all seemed so obvious in that treatment room, but how many of us are really aware of whether or not the specific movement we’re doing in our everyday lives is good for our own unique bodies?

“Exercise trends abound these days. Just because the media or the guru says it’s good for you, doesn’t mean that it is,” says Dr. Ashburner.

“There’s a rule of thumb,” says Dr. Ashburner:

“

MOVE AS NATURE INTENDED, STABILISING THE SPINE AND EFFECTIVELY USING THE HIP AND SHOULDER GIRDLES TO GENERATE THE MOVEMENT. IF A MOVEMENT FEELS UNNATURAL, QUESTION IT. ALWAYS STRIVE FOR SIMPLE YET POWERFUL COMPOUND MOVEMENTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE REAL WORLD.

“

I particularly enjoyed his anecdote about looking out for animals in the wild scratching their heads and wondering which muscle group to isolate on any given day.

At least I’ve never been a fan of the gym, and Dr. Ashburner’s series of simple and manageable exercises to strengthen my scapular muscles (for example) fit very nicely into my everyday routine. It’s liberating to know that I almost always have everything I need for a good little compound movement session at hand. Chair, doorframe, shelf, sorted. Working with me must have been a bit easier than with his more athletically inclined patients, despite my wonky shoulders.

Available at health shops & selected pharmacies

I left Dr. Ashburner’s practice not only with another releasing treatment to look forward to but, perhaps more importantly, a new way of sitting, standing and moving to put into action.

“Osteopathy is not just about techniques,” says Dr. Ashburner.

“It’s about understanding. Get to the root, address it with the help of a skilled professional, and then do what you need to do in your daily life to ensure that you keep everything in balance.”

Sounds like a winning formula to me.

This worried me at first. How much damage could we be doing to our bodies in our wellintentioned attempts to help ourselves?

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated.

i

For more information or to book an appointment with Dr. Ashburner, call 021 715 9999, e-mail guy.ashburner@gmail.com or visit www.osteogoodhealth.com.

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live

GREEN PIECE

By Lara Potgieter

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED IN A CAUSE THAT SUPPORTS CONSERVATION, HERE’S AN EXTREMELY WORTHY ONE THAT COULD LAUNCH YOUR ECO-EFFORTS INTO MEANINGFUL CHANGE.

PROTECTING OUR PENGUINS SANCCOB (the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) is synonymous with African penguins, the only penguin species to occur naturally on the African continent. Established in 1968, SANCCOB has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing ill, injured, abandoned and oiled African penguins and other seabirds for almost 50 years. Today, SANCCOB operates two seabird centres strategically placed in Table View (Western Cape) and Cape St. Francis (Eastern Cape) and treats approximately 2 200 seabirds a year, of which around 1 500 are endangered African penguins.

The iconic African penguin, with its home at popular tourist sites like Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town and Stony Point in Betty’s Bay, was once one of South Africa’s most abundant seabirds. The species, however, has suffered a massive population decline from an estimated one million breeding pairs in the 1930s to approximately 25 000 breeding pairs today. Worryingly, the present population represents only 2.5% of its prevalence some 80 years ago. Currently, the biggest threats to the species include habitat

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helping you live life well

degradation, commercial over-fishing (which has depleted fish stocks), oil and marine pollution, and predation by Cape fur seals, sharks, feral cats and mongoose (amongst others).

SANCCOB offers a 24-hour, 365-day rescue service for African penguins and other seabirds and works closely with colony managers, conservation partners and dedicated volunteers from across the world to ensure the best care possible for its feathered patients.

On 8 October, SANCCOB and various organisations around the world celebrate African Penguin Awareness Day, dedicated to raising worldwide awareness about the plight of the endangered African penguin.

SANCCOB, together with South African National Parks, is hosting a fun-filled Penguin Festival at Boulders Beach (Simon’s Town) on 8 October, and a Penguin Palooza event with Cape Nature at Stony Point (Betty’s Bay) on 15 October. All funds raised will go towards saving the endangered African penguin. For more information, visit www.sanccob.co.za or call SANCCOB on (021) 557 6155.

7 WAYS YOU CAN

HELP TO CONSERVE AFRICAN PENGUINS: 1. Start your own fundraising campaign for SANCCOB and African penguin conservation in just a few minutes with Givengain: www.givengain.com/c/ sanccob 2. Adopt and name an African penguin by visiting sanccob. co.za/adopt/ 3. Report injured penguins and/or oiled birds to SANCCOB by calling (021) 557 6155 (normal work hours) / 078 638 3731 (after hours and weekends) or to SANParks on 021 786 2329 (office hours) or 0861 106417 (24-hour emergency number) 4. Donate to SANCCOB at sanccob.co.za/donate. php or see what items are needed on SANCCOB’s Wish List sanccob.co.za/ involved/#wishlist 5. Visit SANCCOB’s online shop for penguin goodies at sanccob.co.za/shop.php 6. Raise funds for SANCCOB by simply swiping your MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card: sanccob. co.za/involved/#myschool 7. Volunteer at SANCCOB by emailing volunteers@ sanccob.co.za

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move

NEW

MOVES WITH FITNESS AND MOVEMENT FOREVER EVOLVING YOU NEED NEVER GET BORED. WE TAKE A LOOK AT 3 NEW FITNESS TRENDS

There has recently been a growing global trend toward fitness; so much so, 2016 could be dubbed Year of the Body. With a growing access to the internet the world over, finding a fitness regimen to suit even the most complex needs is as simple as asking Google. Fitness is less about expensive and difficult equipment and more about developing a solid knowledge base on the subject. The trends in fitness reflect this idea as popular exercise, more than ever holds focus on resting properly, an inner health and beauty, as well as simple, sustainable activities that can be performed anywhere, at any time.

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helping you live life well

AERIAL FITNESS This completely freeing and relaxing form of fitness is also popularly known as Antigravity yoga. You suspend yourself in a variety of gravity-defying poses mid-air using nothing but your own strength and a specially designed hammock.

This new trend combines practices of yoga, acrobatics, and Pilates into one fun, exhilarating, and novel workout. Research suggests that by facilitating bending and stretching of the whole body during exercise, your muscles and joints will be strengthened and rehabilitated, and your spine decompressed as your body hangs freely.

As with other forms of active exercise, the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems can be improved through increased blood circulation. Yoga in general and anti-gravity yoga in particular is promoted as benefiting emotional, psychological and spiritual health. For individuals with back and neck pain, many yoga poses and inversions, like headstands or even downward dog, just aren’t options.

But when you’re suspended in the air, performing these positions and holds doesn’t put any pressure on your spine or neck. The complex movements also force you to focus your attention on breathing and rebalancing the body and mind.

BODY WEIGHT TRAINING Bodyweight training has seen a rapid rise in popularity, and for good reason. It uses minimal equipment making it one of the more affordable and convenient ways to work out. Not just limited to push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with their fitness routine.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY You don’t have to break a sweat to take part in one of the biggest fitness trends of the year- that’s because the biggest trend will be found on your wrist as wearable technology.

A fitness tracker is the perfect way to monitor your activity easily and with unmatched accuracy. Think of it as an electronic finger on the pulse, constantly measuring your vitals, quality of sleep and step count. Today’s fitness market is stuffed with compelling devices, most of which can do a pretty good job at the basics of tracking.

Finding the time, motivation and energy to work out can be difficult, but it’s certainly made much simpler with a fitness tracker.

Whether you spend most of your time sitting on the couch or training for a marathon, a fitness tracker helps you take that next step. Fitness trackers support fitness and healthy weight loss by helping you achieve small, frequent success.

Most bodyweight exercises can be progressed or regressed to match an individual’s abilities, so this is a great way to encourage a fitness novice or get the whole family involved. Bodyweight exercises also have a far lower risk of injury compared to using free weights and machines because there’s no external load putting strain on the muscles.

If you already have a successful workout regime, fitness trackers keep an accurate record of your daily progress so you work harder and smarter. They also help you find daily motivation to improve by encouraging you with vibrating notifications, smart adaptive goals and coaching tips.

Another great benefit to bodyweight exercises is that it works several muscle groups at once; this is due to a lack of isolation and the need for a large majority of muscles to perform a movement properly.

For example, in a push-up, the body must form a rigid straight line, and the elbow joint must move from a straight angle to the smallest angle possible, and so your core muscles, chest muscles, triceps, and legs are all involved in ensuring proper, strict form.

did you know?

A New-York based movement studio has put a new spin on spinning classes – they’ve dumped their bikes into the swimming pool for a new take on the popular spinning session; what will they call it? Splashing?

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move ambassadors live life well

5

1. Find a fitness facility or a coach with a big picture approach to health and fitness; one that keeps your movement regime fresh and exciting.

2. Try a new sport every winter and summer. Sports are less predictable than training so it’s a wonderful opportunity to test the fitness you develop during training.

3. Get to know people from different training groups and join them frequently for workouts.

4. Participate in organised events like park and trail runs, and do some obstacle courses.

5. Make changes all the time before you get bored. It’s often difficult to develop consistency once you are already bored.

Start mixing it up now.

KEEP ADAPTING YOUR

WORKOUT HERE’S WHY

THERE IS NO IDEAL ROUTINE If your current exercise regime routinely comprises the same types of exercises and activities, your margins of experience and comfort are limited.

That means the breadth of your fitness and abilities are also limited. By constantly changing your workouts you grow your margins of experience and develop a far broader base of fitness.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF TRAINING Research shows that those who begin a traditional gym-based exercise programme, 60% drop off within three months! One of the most common causes is boredom. Changing your workout is not only important for fitness, it’s essential for adherence as well.

DID YOU KNOW? Research by Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye shows that the body can reach a plateau during training known as homeostasis. Selye produced a theory known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) which outlines how the body responds to workout stress. Beginner exercisers usually have a great improvement as the body reacts quickly, muscle growth is induced and strength increases from intermuscular, intramuscular, and neural adaptations. After some time, the body adapts, and it becomes harder to achieve the same rate of change. Adding variety to workouts helps prevent adaptation.

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helping you live life well

TIPS TO FUEL AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

i

Imtiaz currently heads up one of South Africa’s original CrossFit affiliates, CrossFit Jozi, established in 2010. He uses a holistic approach that includes the CrossFit method of training, tailored nutritional advice, and lifestyle choices like sleep and recovery to guide people to better health and fitness.

Tel: (011) 454-3348 imtiaz@crossfitjozi.co.za www.crossfitjozi.co.za

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nurture

READING THE

AKASHIC RECORDS EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENED, CAN HAPPEN AND IS HAPPENING, IS SAID TO BE RECORDED IN THE AKASHIC RECORDS. WHAT’S MORE IS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT’S IN THERE EVERYTHING YOUR SOUL HAS EXPERIENCED FROM THE BEGINNING OF ITS TIME.

According to various believers, everything you’ve ever been or done, experienced or felt is recorded in something that’s known as the Akashic records. It includes all your past lives and is the central storehouse of all information for every individual who has lived on the earth. It even contains every deed, word, feeling, thought and intent and is interactive, having an influence on our everyday lives, our belief systems and the circumstances and realities we attract.

I was intrigued to find out Hajira Khalfe based in Cape Town, did Akashic record readings, so I booked an appointment to find out more. Feeling a little nervous and not exactly sure if I was going to relate to what was in my records, nor, for that matter be charmed with what might be there - I suppose I was skeptical but very curious. All Hajira needed was my date of birth, my name, permission to access my records (it’s not possible and definitely not recommended to delve into anyone’s records without their permission) and I was to see her in a week’s time. The concept of the existence of this type of record is fairly

did you know?

widespread. It is spoken about in many myths and folklore and is even evidenced in both the New and Old Testament in the Bible as the Book of Life. In Psalm 139, David refers to the fact that God has written down everything about him and all the details of his life – even that which is imperfect, and those deeds which have yet to be performed.

Christian mystic Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) is well known for his discoveries and work in the Akashic realm.

He believed that accessing the Akashic records would be a source of hopefulness and helpfulness to the person concerned.

The records are said to connect each one of us to one another and can explain why we feel like we’ve known someone forever or have a strange attraction to or repulsion of certain people. They’re also said to shape levels of human consciousness. Founder of the Theosophical Society, mystic Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891), believed that the records have an on-going creative stimulus on present day life.

The [Edgar Cayce Akashic record] readings suggest that each of us writes the story of our lives through our thoughts, our deeds, and our interactions with the rest of creation. This information has an effect upon us in the here and now. In fact, the Akashic Records have such an impact upon our lives and the potentials and probabilities we draw toward us that any exploration of them cannot help but provide us with insights into the nature of ourselves and our relationship to the universe. Adapted from Edgar Cayce by Kevin J. Todeschi

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helping you live life well

I asked Hajira how she knew what was in the records and she explained that she connects to the energy field at the spiritual level of the individual’s Akashic record. Through this connection, she sits down quietly, receives and downloads information, including specific facts and details.

Although prophecies, readings and information from psychics and mystics, are often written off by skeptics, many of them have been very famous and have collaborative evidence that simply cannot be explained. Well-known philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of the Anthroposophical Society could access information past the material world into the spiritual world (which was equally as real to him as the physical world is to others).

Steiner believed almost anyone is able to develop the ability to perceive other worlds.

Settling into my appointment with Hajira was such a lovely experience. Having previously owned the Tea Emporium at Cavendish Square, she has a close affiliation to tea.

Currently she has a range of Chakra teas

which she has energetically matched to the frequencies of the chakras. Hajira had chosen a blend she thought would complement my temperament for us to drink while she gave me feedback on the session. It happened to be the most amazing tea I’ve ever tasted (and I’m an avid herb tea drinker).

It was made with raw twigs, leaves and flowers and included licorice and all kinds of fruit rinds and herbs too.

“

THE ONE WHO HAS ACQUIRED THE ABILITY TO PERCEIVE IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD COMES TO KNOW PAST EVENTS IN THEIR ETERNAL CHARACTER. THEY DO NOT STAND BEFORE HIM LIKE THE DEAD TESTIMONY OF HISTORY, BUT APPEAR IN FULL LIFE. IN A CERTAIN SENSE, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TAKES PLACE BEFORE HIM. EDGAR CAYCE

“

My reading was equally amazing. Four of my ‘past lives’ showed up in the records – some of them had distinct relevance to my current life. In one of them I was apparently a lace maker in Italy. Strangely, I have boxes of little pieces of lace that I collect and my Mum always says when she was pregnant with me, over and above craving ice-cream or pickles, she always had an overwhelming desire to buy pieces of ribbon and lace.

Could this be a left-over fancy from this past life? From the four lives that were described in my reading, in three of them I was female and one of them I was male, a highly skilled tree feller.

Another quirky fact about me is that I am fascinated by tree bark and my favourite place to be is in a forest surrounded by trees. Is that a co-incidence or is it me simply identifying with my reading? A deeper discussion about particular encounters with people during those lives and certain hurtful life events and circumstances was examined in light of difficulties I’ve experienced in this life. Whether true or not, whether simply literal or figurative, it turned out to be highly revealing and I could see how knowledge about possible previous lives could bring clarity, relief and illumination that’s useful in this life. One thing is for certain, and that is that life is filled with inconceivable things and with mystery, and it can bring an immense amount of joy celebrating that which we still have to discover.

i

If you’re curious about your Akashic records, contact Hajira Khalfe on Email: inspiredpathways1@ gmail.com or Cell: 084 8000 920

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nurture

FINDING HELP FOR

ADDICTION

ADDICTION AND ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOUR IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN WE LIKE TO THINK. YET IT CAN HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE LIVES OF MANY. WE SPEAK TO MONIKA MACNAUGHTON FROM THARAGAY OUTPATIENT IN CAPE TOWN ABOUT GETTING YOUR LOVED ONE ONTO A WORKABLE PROGRAMME OF RECOVERY.

did you know?

Statistics show that 1 in 10 people can be classified as an addict, and that every addict will negatively affect at least 17 people around them. There are many successful treatment options but if left untreated, addiction is a progressive and terminal disease.

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helping you live life well

Addiction is not what it seems - nor what many people believe it to be. It is not the product of a weak mind, or the result of a lack of willpower. It does not discriminate either - anyone can be affected: from the most disadvantaged to the most privileged.

The word ‘disease’ is what usually causes confusion about addiction. There are many conflicting theories about what addiction is, and what the causes of it are. In the past, addicts and alcoholics were locked up in mental asylums, but this understanding of addiction has now thankfully evolved.

Current thinking is that addiction generally runs in families, and is therefore an inherited disorder.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), is the handbook that mental health professionals use to determine a diagnosis of addiction. The latest edition lists 11 different symptoms, such as consistently drinking alcohol; using more than intended; craving; an increase in tolerance; withdrawal; and unsuccessful efforts to reduce the amounts taken in.

The manual then categorises the addictive disorder as being mild (2 to 3 symptoms are present); or moderate (4 to 5 symptoms); or severe (6+ symptoms).

The AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and NA (Narcotic Anonymous) fellowships often describe the outcome of addiction as

‘jails, institutions or death’. Fortunately, the disease can be arrested, regardless of the severity, and doesn’t have to progress to that point. There are different options for treatment: inpatient treatment at a clinic usually means booking in for 3 weeks or more, depending on whether the person needs a detoxification programme or not.

Outpatient treatment has been shown to be just as effective depending on the level of motivation to stop drinking or using; and allows the person to attend group and individual counselling sessions whilst still working or studying, and living at home.

Many people have also come into recovery by attending AA or NA meetings (which are held all over the country), and getting into a 12-step programme. This involves attending meetings regularly, doing stepwork (written work), and finding a sponsor (a person who has been in recovery for at least a year, and can help with the written work and in times of need).

the person concerned to deny or sidestep the issues in the company of many. Set up a specific time to do this.

3. PREPARE YOUR APPROACH Before you confront the person, jot down some of the concerning behaviour or habits. Have specific incidents, behaviours and outcomes ready as this is the first thing your candidate is likely to ask. What makes you think I’m an addict? Next, write out what you would like to say using positive language that’s loving, kind and supportive rather than blaming and accusatory. Do research and find facts about the specific addiction you are referring to. Be aware of trying to instil the idea of change into their life and thoughts.

“

AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAY, THIS IS NOT HOW THE STORY IS GOING TO END.

Whether the problem behaviour centres around alcohol, using illegal or prescription drugs, gambling, sex, shopping, social media or food; the disorder does not have to deprive the person and those close to them of leading a fulfilled, healthy and balanced life. Recovery is possible with abstinence and change.

If you have someone in your life that you think is an addict, here’s how to stage an intervention and encourage them to get help.

1. DEALING WITH DENIAL Right from the start you need to realise that most addicts are in denial about their addiction. Addiction is often closely connected to self-deception and is such a strong impulse that it often gives rise to manipulative characteristics. Sometimes, people are aware they have an addiction, but either choose not to do anything about it, or simply can’t because the addiction is so strong and overpowering. Choosing to confront a friend or family member about a drug, alcohol or behavioural addiction is a daunting thought, but sometimes it’s the only way to intervene.

“

4. DEVISE A PLAN OF ACTION Think about what comes after the confrontation. Have a recommended plan of action – a rehab or outpatient programme they can access immediately. Sometimes it’s easier to get commitment when there is a specific path ahead. What type of help will they need? Do some research and have some options available. You may get a small window of opportunity to get them onto a programme. Most addictions create emotional instability; drugs, substances and repetitive behaviours can cause altered brain chemistry. Sometimes an emotional or mental issue could have fuelled the addiction. A confrontation can create heightened feelings of insecurity, vulnerability and fear. Be prepared for this.

Speak to a rehab or counsellor and have a potential appointment ready.

2. CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE TIME It’s highly recommended to include a few people that are closest to the addicted person to come together and do the confrontation together. It will be harder for

i

For more information you can contact Monika or Imogen McIntosh on Tel: 074 795 7654 Email: outpatient@tharagay.co.za or visit www.tharagay.co.za

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GETAWAY

BABYLONSTOREN Anyone who goes to Babylonstoren is destined to fall in love. It’s a delight in every way. At the heart of the 580 hectare farm is a structured garden overflowing with offerings. Fruit trees of many variations generously offer succulent sun-kissed treats ready to pick and eat on the spot.

Vegetables of all colours, tastes, shapes and sizes inspire a plethora of recipes while exotic spices and herbs join in the conspiracy of taste. Current owner and sensibility genius Karen Roos, alongside a team of experts and permaculture fundis have called into being the spirit of the mythological gardens of Babylon, those from the sixth century BC, attributed to Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Babylonian empire.

Amble through the gardens geometric bones and you can expect magical bird nest chairs hanging in the trees, stone and pome fruits, nuts, citrus, berries, bees, herbs, ducks and chickens and a prickly pear maze. They have more than 300 plant varieties, which can be eaten or used medicinally. Everything from the guesthouses to the little row of shops, the two restaurants, wine tasting and the Spa flows from the bountiful ideology of the

DID YOU KNOW? Babylonstoren is between Stellenbosch and Franschoek about 40 minutes from Cape Town. It has the Simonsberg, Du Toitskloof and Franschhoek mountains as backdrop, and spreads across 580 hectares, 3,5 of which are used for fruit and vegetable growing and 72 for vines that produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the many blends bottled under the Babylonstoren label.

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helping you live life well

garden. Buildings embody earthiness and simplicity yet at the same time feel opulent and grandiose.

“

THOSE WHO DWELL AMONG THE BEAUTY AND MYSTERIES OF NATURE ARE NEVER ALONE OR DISHEARTENED

“

Many of the guest suites have been converted from original farm buildings and updated with more light, more glass and oodles of comfort. My suite had a sizeable fireplace with plump seating nearby and wine decanter, which elicited a timeous delivery of a bowl fat olives just at the right moment. A giant bed with crisp linen, (and hot water bottle that mysteriously appeared as it was time to sleep), an overflowing bowl of freshly picked oranges, an assortment of coffee blends, a bookshelf with tempting titles were just some of the thoughtful ingredients that typify the culture of Babylonstoren.

Exploration opportunities are dizzying; cycling through the gardens, joining a mushroom course, foraging for herbs, having a Spa treatment, lunching in one of the two restaurants, browsing the shops, picking fruit, following a mountain trail, climbing the koppie, wine tasting is all on offer.

Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Dutch Farms dating back to 1692 when land usage was granted to burgher Pieter van der Byl by the then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel. He planted the first vineyards Some of the farm’s earliest structures from that time remain on the farm today, with Babylonstoren’s Cape Dutch werf (farmyard) typical of the architectural style popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. As such it is considered to be one of the best preserved farmyards in the Cape today.

i

Whether you go for the day, pop in for lunch, a weekend or stay for an entire week, Babylonstoren will steal your heart. To find out more or to make a booking log onto www.babylonstoren.com

ALLERGY SEASON AHEAD .....

BE PREPARED!!

Allergy Support 60 Caps Allergy Support has a complex combination that may assist the body with its natural ability to deal with allergens. Allergy Support may assist with allergies, hay fever and boosting the immune system.

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TOP: Cottage Bedroom and Bathroom NEW: Library of the Farmhouse

BABEL by Maranda Englebrecht is a cookbook that pays homage to Babylonstoren and specifically the Babel restaurant and the food created there. It's also about more than food – it's the story of an extraordinary place that brings together the work of horticulturalists, winemakers, farmers and culinary artists. Look inside the pages to find recipes like Amaretto Apricot Tart with Crème Patisserie; roasted Pancetta Farm Chicken with Sauteed Beet Greens and Whole Beetroot; or Babel Breakfast Tart.

Available from the farm shop or online.

Kill-A-Germ act as an antioxidant and have antiviral and antibacterial effects.

It boosts the natural immune system and is known for preventing the common cold. It is an ideal product to take during times when the body is subjected to possible infections.

For more information visit us at www.pmrnutrition.co.za Email info@pmrnutrition.co.za Find us on Follow us on 49

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live

SPRING CLEAN

your workspace FROM FINDING THE RIGHT CHAIR AND USING A STANDING DESK, TO DE-CLUTTERING AND CREATING AN ENERGETIC WORK FLOW; WE SHOW YOU HOW.

did you know?

One of the earliest innovators of the modern office chair was Charles Darwin who added wheels to his chair to get to his specimens quicker while in his study.

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helping you live life well

It’s time to refuel and re-energise and get your ducks in a row for a successful and productive year ahead. From taking stock of progress on your business goals and getting organized for tax season, to adding a little colour and zest to your desk area here are six tips for spring-cleaning your office space to brighten up your mood and become more productive at work.

MAKE A DATE Half the battle of a good spring-clean is committing to a day to begin. Unfortunately,

chores don’t happen just because we want them to; we need to make a concerted effort to create the environment we want. Make a commitment to yourself by scheduling a cleaning session in your own calendar. If your days are jam-packed, try to schedule your spring-cleaning session for a time when the week begins to wind down; like a Friday afternoon. If your office allows, you may even want to go in over the weekend to freshen up your desk before Monday morning.

WATCH YOUR WIGSPAN Everything you use regularly should be within arm’s reach to create a seamless flow of work. This seems a simple rule to follow, though how much of what’s on your desk are you keeping for ‘just in case’? If you can’t go a few hours without referencing an important folder, place it within arm’s length. If you’re constantly stapling materials, keep your stapler within close reach. But, if you rarely use that pile of reference books, move them to a more distant corner, or into filing cabinets behind you.

“

TECH EXISTS TO MAKE OUR LIVES EASIER; THOUGH IT CAN QUICKLY BECOME THE ANTITHESIS OF CONVENIENCE IF YOU DON’T STAY ON TOP OF YOUR VIRTUAL CLUTTER.

DIGITAL DE-CLUTTER What better time to take control of your technology than during a good springclean? Tech exists to make our lives easier; though it can quickly become the antithesis of convenience if you don’t stay on top of your virtual clutter. It can be mentally taxing to get rid of emails so consider this six-D method: look at each email and choose to either Discard, Delegate, Do, Date, Drawer (keep on file) or Deter (unsubscribe).

Just like an overflowing email inbox, an overloaded computer desktop is as distracting and tricky to navigate. Create an email folder called ‘desktop’ or ‘2016’ and drag any old icons, documents and folders there. That way, you still have what you need, but it’s not haunting you each time you start your computer.

GO GREEN

“

While spring cleaning is definitely about throwing out the old, it’s also a chance to welcome in the new and improved.

Not only will a desk-plant improve the air quality around your desk, studies have conclusively shown that a plant on your desk can actually reduce your work stress and increase overall productivity. Look for a plant that doesn’t need daily watering or require direct sunlight; especially if your desk isn’t near a window. Succulents and cacti are great low-maintenance plants that require just a tad of water once per week, however they do need at least some daylight to survive.

STAND UP FOR YOUR HEALTH The detrimental effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time are certainly no secret. Whenever possible, it’s always advised to get up and take movement breaks throughout your day; but it’s not always easy to walk away from a task you’re fully immersed in. If you’re always completely immersed in your work, get your computer to remind you once every hour or so to stand up and stretch – it’ll help your eyes, too, by ensuring you look at a more distant object than the screen in front of you. Have you considered using a standing desk? As the name suggests, it’s a desk which allows you to comfortably stand while you get work done. Along with a host of health benefits, the physical stance you assume at a standing desk can also boost your mood and energy levels; leading you to be more productive, optimistic, and motivated to get important tasks accomplished.

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live

FENG-SHUI

The revered Chinese art of arrangement focuses on the placement of objects in particular directions to align Chi (or energy) to manifest a desired outcome.

Feng Shui can help you facilitate an office environment that keeps you energized and brimming with new ideas. Introducing office plants into your environment, for example, promotes the growth of your wealth. If you want your work to be noticed by the people who matter, fire up the South side of your desk with all things red. Adorn your computer monitor with crystals like citrine and blue calcite; the first promotes energy and liveliness and the latter facilitates communication. Cultivating the West of your desk is imperative to stimulate creative ideas and provocative new solutions to everyday challenges. Choose things Orange in colour; a flowering plant, tools of your trade or posters of inspiring words.

Understanding your personal energy map, or Bagua, is essential in the placement of objects on your desk. Help identify the corners of your desk by using a compass app which uses your GPS to tell you exactly where each direction is.

OFFICE THRONE Studies have shown that a supportive office chair increases productivity and maximizes efficiency. A bad office chair, on the other hand, can lead to back strain, leg problems, and carpal tunnel; all of which cause lost time at work and sends productivity spiralling. We speak to Mark Gurwicz from Geo Cloud Chairs and Office Furniture on tips for choosing the most effective office chair: 1. LUMBAR SUPPORT: A good office chair will have support for the lower back. Some of the better ones will even have an adjustable lumbar support that allows the user to fit the chair to their lower back. This is important in preventing back strain that can worsen and become sciatica, a condition which can be debilitating.

2. ADJUSTABILITY: Important features that should be adjustable include lumbar support, arm width and height, seat back width and height, seat and back angle, and tension control.

3. WHEEL BASE: Nearly all office chairs have a wheel base; however, if the office is carpeted it may be necessary to get a chair with wheels specifically made for carpet. Rolling is important in preventing strain due to reaching across a desk to retrieve out-of-reach items.

4. SWIVEL BASE: All office chairs should swivel freely to allow for easy access to various parts of the desk. If the chair doesn’t swivel freely, arm fatigue can result from over extending to reach for things.

5. FABRIC: The fabric should be breathable to keep the chair from becoming hot and uncomfortable after hours of sitting in it. It should also have enough cushioning to support the person sitting in it without feeling the base of the chair through the cushion.

6. When sitting, make sure your hips are higher than your knees. Your feet should be planted steadily on the ground and you should get up frequently and move around.

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helping you live life well

new natural home fragrance

Uplift your environment Use one of the Wellness brand room sprays or diffusers to add a lasting fragrance to your home, office or car.

Switch on your senses and breathe in the heavenly smell of Neroli, Lemongrass or Lavender.

Our sprays are made from 100% pure essential oils. Pure and natural ingredients mean a beautiful permeating fragrance with a lingering aroma. The diffusers consist of reed sticks and last over 3 months; simply turn the reeds for a burst of fragrance. All you do is open your diffuser kit, unpack the reeds and dip both ends into the fragrance. Leave to stand remembering to turn the reeds a few times a week.

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grow

did you know?

A sunflower is not just one flower. Both the fuzzy brown centre and the classic yellow petals are actually 1,000 - 2,000 individual flowers, held together on a single stalk.

GROW TO GIVE GARDENING HAS NEVER BEEN TRENDIER OR MORE PHILANTHROPIC. GROW TO GIVE MEANS SHARING EXCESS VEGGIES WITH THE NEEDY AND FLOWERS WITH LOCAL HOSPICES; SWAPPING SEEDS AND GIFTING CUTTINGS. In the past, when thinking about gardening and farming, images of rolling countryside hills filled with rows of vegetables or fruit would usually come to mind. But the times have changed; and so has the concept of farming. With the advent of technology and greater access to the internet, the traditional concept of farming has completely turned on its head. More and more of our local food production is happening in urban centres and aided by online apps, websites and communities.

URBAN GREENING Certainly in South Africa we’ve seen an ‘urbanisation of poverty’ as the rural poor rapidly become the urban poor.

Already straining under the pressures of meeting their peoples’ needs for housing, education, health, employment and basic services, cities must also address the environmental and social consequences of rapid urbanisation. Consequently,

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helping you live life well

environmentally-sound urban development has become a major concern, one which is inspiring kind-hearted South African’s to take matter into their own hands.

Enter the world of urban greening. Large numbers of homeowners growing edibles, combined with an interest in health and food security and readily available technology, has led to a surge in groups helping to facilitate the sharing of excess backyardgrown crops. Whether via tiny backyard plots, community gardening in city parks, guerrilla gardening on vacant plots, indoor hanging gardens, rooftop growing, vertical gardens and more, urban farming with a charitable twist has become a trend, the world over.

GUERRILLA GARDENING Possibly the most popular trend is guerrilla gardening. Considered the horticultural cousin of graffiti, guerrilla gardening is a

visual, subversive form of environmental activism that reassigns an aesthetic and functional purpose to neglected and derelict urban spaces. It’s essentially the act of gardening on land that the gardeners do not have the legal rights to utilise which technically means it’s illegal, but that hasn’t hampered the horticultural heroes.

The term was first used by activist group, Green Guerrillas, when they transformed a New York city municipal lot into a vibrant community garden in 1973. Guerrilla gardens have been bursting into bloom all over South Africa, too. Groups like Secret Sowers SA, The Secret Gardener and AMBush Gardening Collective have transformed lots from Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and Durban; using Facebook Pages and Groups, emails and Whatsapp to orchestrate their gatherings and projects.

If you’re keen to sow some seeds but don’t have a garden to do it in, here are some ideas inspired by guerrilla gardeners: •

•

•

•

Find a neighbour or relative who is willing to give you a corner of their unused garden in exchange for some of the harvest.

Look for a community centre or library nearby and talk to them about starting a community garden. All it takes is one person to start the ball rolling and others will join in.

If your apartment block has a flat roof, investigate the possibility of starting a rooftop garden. Make sure that the roof is suitably waterproof and can take the extra weight of beds or pots.

Also take care to protect your plants from wind and hot sun.

Get together with a few other parents and start a vegetable garden at your child’s school. Involve the children and teachers so everybody can learn and share the bounty.

SEED BOMBS Seed bombing is a technique of introducing vegetation to land by throwing or dropping seed balls. Often, seed bombing projects are done on privately owned, or off-limits land. Seed bombs are the ultimate hippy grenade; a fistful of compacted compost stuffed full of differing seeds to be tossed onto unsuspecting land in the hopes the seeds will flourish. The precise legality of throwing seeds onto someone else’s property, even if the site is derelict and showing all the signs of having long been abandoned, is still unclear. So, do your homework before embarking on any guerrilla gardening ventures. Make sure the land isn’t used for agricultural purposes;

Get all your garden essentials from

you don’t want to interfere with food crops.

Ensure the site is not due for imminent construction and be reasonably sure the plants will thrive there.

“

CONSIDERED THE HORTICULTURAL COUSIN OF GRAFFITI, GUERRILLA GARDENING IS A VISUAL, SUBVERSIVE FORM OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM THAT REASSIGNS AN AESTHETIC AND FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE TO NEGLECTED AND DERELICT URBAN SPACES.

“

THE GIFT OF GREEN There are some incredible uses of technology in guerrilla gardening that haven’t quite taken off in South Africa but can serve to inspire new and innovative ways to share the bounty of fresh urban produce. Ripenear.me is a web app that connects people through the food each person grows. The app allows a user to pin their fresh produce on a map so that others may find and enjoy your spare food; or you can browse online for fresh food hot-spots in and around your neighbourhood. Thriving in the United States, AmpleHarvest.org helps 42 million home and community gardeners end food waste and hunger by educating and enabling them to donate their excess garden produce to one of thousands of communities on their list.

If you’d like to try your hand at making your own seed bombs, here’s a basic recipe you can follow and adapt. It makes six sizeable seed bombs: • • •

• •

5 tablespoons of seed compost 4 tablespoons of terracotta clay powder 1 teaspoon of seeds (Note: Base this on poppy seeds as a size guide and add half a teaspoon more as the seeds go up in size.)

1 teaspoon of chilli powder as a pest deterrent (optional) Sprinkles of water at intervals

Libraries in America are also jumping in on the trend by stocking seeds. Of the roughly 17,000 public libraries across the country, about 350 are now ‘lending’ seeds. Seed packets are generally stored in a cabinet or an old card catalogue, where they’re divided by category - edible, herb, and ornamental - and arranged alphabetically, often with a label indicating how difficult a plant is to grow. Though the hope is that borrowers will be able to return seeds from a successful harvest, it isn’t required.

From a seed-paper save-the-date and corporate gift seed packs, to plantable stationary and plant cuttings; giving the gift of urban greenery is a hugely popular trend. There are endless ideas and inspiring websites online promoting hand-crafted horticultural gifts for every occasion. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Starke Ayres Garden Centre supply plants, gardening products and landscaping services. They have a range of flowers and seed, and expert advice to help you with growing.

WIN WIN WIN

Both the Rosebank and West Coast branch of Starke Ayres Garden Centre will be issuing a prize consisting of a R250 gift voucher.

All you have to do is attach your purchase slip with your name, phone number and email address into the instore competition box.

Note that this applies to all purchases over R150 and is valid for the month of September 2016.

Starke Ayres Garden Centre will contact the winner telephonically end of September 2016.

Starke Ayres Rosebank, 21 Liesbeek Parkway, Rosebank, Cape Town Tel: 021 685 4120 Starke Ayres West Coast Garden Centre, West Coast Village Shopping Centre, Sunningdale, Cape Town Tel: 021 554 8450

WIN 55

ON THE SHELF

by Lara Potgieter

THIS MONTH WE PAY GREAT TRIBUTE TO ALL THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WITH JOURNEYS TO SHARE AND KNOWLEDGE TO IMPART. WE’RE CONTINUOUSLY INSPIRED BY AND GRATEFUL TO AUTHORS WHO BRING US THEIR MAGIC STORIES. Avoidance Behaviour), The Wealth Chef is an accessible and entertaining resource that makes working with assets, liabilities, income and expenditure easier and more enjoyable than most would deem possible.

Ann encourages us each to become our own ‘Gourmet Wealth Chef’, using her tried-andtested recipes for destroying debt and enjoying the ‘financial freedom feast’. The book offers a great balance between metaphysical concepts like our beliefs, visions and projections around money, and practical tools like sample income statements and balance sheets, spending plan reconciliations, ‘debt destroyer’ planners and ‘expense-slashing’ tips.

Radical Self-Love l Gala Darling Hay House Covering everything from meditation to masturbation, this fun and beautifully illustrated book offers a hands-on (excuse the pun) approach to rediscovering our own magic. Quirky and outspoken, Gala speaks specifically to young women struggling with body insecurities, self-doubt, heartache and comparison fatigue.

Each chapter includes a ‘homework’ section with a series of exercises to help us apply the concepts in our daily lives, finding adventure and ‘deliciousness’ in the small things that we so often take for granted about ourselves.

Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life l Dr. Wayne W. Dyer Hay House This handbook for living a balanced, moral and spiritual life is Dr. Dyer’s accessible translation of the classic Chinese book of wisdom, the Tao Te Ching. Covering everything from creativity, humility and gratitude to relinquishing worldly pleasures and living beyond the ego, it includes practical solutions on applying the invaluable ancient wisdom in everyday life - from planting seeds and practicing conscious kindness to fasting, retreating into silence, and spending more and more time in the magical gap between our thoughts.

You Can Heal Your Life l Louise Hay Hay House

The Wealth Chef l Ann Wilson Hay House A great book for those of us with what the author refers to as MMAB (Money Management

A timeless classic, You Can Heal Your Life has guided over 50 million readers worldwide to learn to truly love themselves, and in doing so to discover how everything else in life starts improving from that place of authentic personal power. Louise helps us to uncover our rigid beliefs about who we are and how we ought to live our lives, reminding us that ‘the point of power is always in the present’. Packed with simple yet powerful insights and exercises, the book offers a great ‘mental housekeeping’ framework in which to finally relinquish destructive patterns of thought and behaviour in all areas of life.

Dying to Be Me l Anita Moorjani Hay House A profound overview of the revelations of a near death experience, Dying to Be Me offers readers a glimpse into what lies beyond the world of the physical. If you’ve ever grappled with questions about who you truly are, why you’re really here, and how you can transcend the fear that can so often define life on the physical plane, you’re sure to enjoy Anita’s candid sharing of all that she learnt from nearly dying – and then fully recovering – from so-called ‘terminal’ cancer.

SHOP THE BOOKS ONLINE OR AT AMAZON.COM

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helping you live life well

57

BULLETIN

CREATIVE

THERAPY DISCOVERING A NEW LIFE JOURNEY, HEALING TRAUMA OR FORGING A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING CAN BE DONE USING A HIGHLY CREATIVE THERAPY PROCESS. WE SAT DOWN WITH CAROL NELSON WITH A PROCESS THAT INVOLVED WORKING WITH IMAGES, COLOURS, SYMBOLS, GESTURES, SOUNDING AND SENSING ALL OF WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO BRING OUT THE BODY/MIND INTELLIGENCE. NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF PERSONAL CHALLENGES YOU MAY HAVE, YOUR PSYCHE BRINGS TO LIGHT THE CORE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE WORKED WITH. Coloured pencils, a bag full of stones, crystals, beads and bark may seem strange tools to use for healing but not to Carol. With a background in art and a love for healing Carol merged the two together and studied techniques like Mari which is a cutting edge Jungian assessment tool; life alignment, and process art. Between all of these tools and with many years of experience Carol’s intuition and pathway to healing is a phenomenal creative journey. Of course, in any healing process the body and mind have changes to adapt to and there’s an element of challenge but working in a positive and enlightening format makes the journey exciting and enriching.

I never anticipated that having a brief conversation about an issue and then without necessarily thinking of the issue but rather drawing a picture, the very core of the matter could be revealed in such an accurate way.

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helping you live life well

Mari (which stands for Mandala Assessment Research Instrument) reveals a literal picture of the psyche that includes areas of tension and attention. It engages the whole brain as opposed to the one-sided thinking brain and reveals the inner truth of a person. Because we respond intuitively to symbols and colours –an individuals choice of symbol and colour reflects what is going in their life. Mari is a tool that interprets what it all means.

Carol presented a whole lot of different cards and asked me to choose the shape I most liked or felt most drawn towards. We tend to choose shapes according to where we are in our feelings. A particular shape may represent a need to defend oneself or create boundaries, another may indicate struggle and opposition or a need for nurture. Then we looked at different colours – they represent another set of feelings like low energy or passivity or

passion. Colours, shapes and symbols carry deep associations that are universal. This process works directly with the psyche and shortcuts the thinking we so often get lost in.

A session of drawing and connecting with all the different shapes, colours and symbols was a fascinating journey that brought about great understanding and healing. It was a really enjoyable experience that held so much value.

It’s especially good for people that aren’t sure how to express themselves or find it difficult to access their feelings. Carol’s passion is to work with people who want to do deep self -enquiry and expand their consciousness.

If you’d like to know more about creative healing contact Carol on Cell: 076 149 1815 or Email: conscious0spaces@gmail.com or you can find Carol on www.holistica.co.za

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sceletium

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Sceletium Tortuosum phyto-extract, also known as Kanna, is an indigenous South African herb, a natural remedy for stress, anxiety and mental clarity.

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Can help to improve frame of mind and focus, and create a feeling of upliftment during day time.

Can assist with the sleep process, resulting in a more relaxed feeling during night time.

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It nourishes your body at a cellular level by allowing the body to release toxins and reach its perfect state of harmony Your body is flooded with live enzymes, vitamins, minerals which results in a strengthened immune system

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Dedicated to local and organic produce Superior twin gear cold pressed juicer Bottled in glass, fresh not frozen Personal service from harvest to delivery cleanse@yemayaorganic.co.za

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Rest ~ Relax ~ Revive Nourish & Restore Yoga Retreat 18 ­ 20 November 2016 Join Nina & Nicole on the Nirvana House Boat in Langebaan for this magical retreat!

For more info contact: Nicole Panzer ­ 0833779248 info@lila­healthandwellbeing.com www.yogaretreatsnn.wordpress.com

TERRIFIC TEAS

by Lara Potgieter

WHETHER YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO SLEEP, LOOKING TO UP YOUR DAILY DOSE OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS OR SIMPLY IN THE MOOD FOR A LITTLE SENSUAL INDULGENCE, YOU’RE SURE TO ENJOY A GOOD CUP OF ONE OF THESE…

Chamomile

If the idea of drinking daisies sounds as magical to you as it does to me, you’ll love the fact that chamomile is a herb derived from a flowering plant in the daisy family.

For centuries, fresh and dried chamomile flowers have been used to cure everything from anxiety and insomnia to menstrual cramps, muscle twitches and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Known as bisabolol, the active ingredient in chamomile has anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Buchu

In 1652, the Khoisan of the Cape introduced the first Dutch colonists to a healing herb called buchu. Centuries later, we’re using it in everything from skincare to haute cuisine. The early Khoisan chewed the leaves or made infusions and poultices, taking advantage of the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-spasmodic properties of the South African plant. Buchu tea is a valuable source of vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as a host of minerals, anti-oxidants and disease-preventing flavonoids.

Peppermint

A refreshing way to start the day, a cup of peppermint tea is said to help improve digestion, reduce pain and inflammation, boost the immune system, and assist in weight loss. It certainly boasts a soothing fragrance and delicious taste, and is one of my personal favourite pick-me-ups.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for its medicinal properties for nearly 2000 years. A bit of an over-performer, ginger tea is known for assisting with everything from gas and morning sickness to circulation and sex drive. While studies have reported ginger as having some beneficial effect in almost all health-related concerns (including protection against nuclear radiation!), it’s probably safer to say here that a morning cuppa helps to open the sinuses, stimulate the senses, and get the blood sugar levels off to a winning start.

Moringa

You may not yet have tried this one, but it’s being hailed as the new coffee in health circles around the world. It’s packed with nutrients, fights inflammation and free radicals, and supports liver and brain health, amongst other impressive accolades.

While I’ve heard it described as ‘a light tea with a slightly earthy taste’, I must admit the flavour didn’t immediately appeal to me until I found it in a great blend with ginger and lemon.

helping you live life well

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organic superfoods wellness

Our nutrient dense organic superfoods are antioxidant rich & may assist in neutralising the free radical damage that occurs every day.

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