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The 3 Top Benefits of Dry Body Brushing

Ever wandered down that aisle at Priceline, stumbled upon the long handled, firm bristled brushes and thought to yourself; “Seriously, what are these used for?” You’re not alone. Up until recently, I was just like you. I couldn’t work out why anyone would want to clutter up their bathroom with a whopping great brush and even after hearing the words ‘dry-body brushing’ wasn’t convinced it was worth giving up those extra ten minutes of precious, precious sleep.
As it turns out, I was correct in my assumption that the brushes were indeed used for ‘dry body brushing’ but was completely incorrect is surmising that a session under the bristles wasn’t worth the time and effort. After reading up a little on the benefits, I decided to try it for myself (a huge sacrifice for someone who really, really likes her sleep) and I haven’t looked back. Here are the main reasons why I start my day the brushing way.

It stimulates circulation – I was paid a visit by the cellulite fairy during pregnancy and while the majority of the dimples have been banished, there’s a few stubborn patches remaining on my bottom. The key to improving the appearance of cellulite is blood flow and the best way to get the blood pumping? You guessed it, a firm brushing session. You’ll actually see the blood rushing to the surface during a brushing treatment, a great indication that you’re getting things moving.
It assists our bodies with detoxification – You’re probably already aware that the skin, like our kidneys and colon, is an organ of elimination. What you may not have known is that the skin is responsible for shifting up to 1/3 of the nasties present in […]

By |June 5th, 2013|Detox, Health & Wellbeing|0 Comments
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5 Easy Ways With Chia Seeds

It seems you can’t stroll down the aisles of your local supermarket these days without stumbling across a super food (which is great news, don’t get me wrong!) Chances are good you’ve had an encounter or two with chia seeds but haven’t had a clue what they are or why you should throw them in your trolley.
I’m here to tell you that chucking a packet of two into your basket might not be a bad idea. There are a million and one (slight exaggeration but close) ways to integrate the humble chia seed into your diet and reap the rewards that this little powerhouse has to offer.
So why should you get on the seed train? For starters, chia is packed full of nutrients. Super high in fibre, Omega 3, antioxidants, calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin C, this gluten free seed is also incredibly high in protein. It’s not often that plant based forms of protein are given the ‘complete protein’ tick (meaning they contain 8 essential amino acids for healthy growth and development) but chia manages it.
A tablespoon a day is the recommended daily intake, though you may find you need a little more or less in some recipes.
Keen to start getting your chia on? Try one of these easy ways to effortlessly include it in your life.
–       In a smoothie – Adding a tablespoon of chia to your smoothie will not only add all the aforementioned nutrients, it will also help thicken up the mixture, making it more thickshake than milkshake.
–       On your cereal – If you’re a fan of muesli or porridge in the mornings, add a spoonful to the mix before adding your milk. The taste is mild enough not to […]

By |June 3rd, 2013|Detox, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition|0 Comments
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A Beginners Guide To Gluten Free

When you embark on a detox program (like our Community Detox), it is likely that you will be told to avoid gluten. In fact, eating gluten free has become somewhat fashionable, with many people claiming to feel better when they avoid it. But what’s so bad about gluten anyway?
Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale, oats, and ancient wheat grains like spelt and kamut. This protein is difficult for some people to digest. In mild cases this can manifest as bloating or rumbling tummy, but in serious allergies it can cause immediate and intense symptoms.
What’s the difference between a gluten allergy and an intolerance?
With a food allergy, the body’s immune system gets involved and mistakenly identifies the food as being a foreign invader. The immune response can produce rashes, inflammation, digestive symptoms, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. With food allergies the symptoms usually begin soon after eating the food. Coeliac disease falls under the banner of food allergies.
Food intolerances often start out as milder symptoms which become more serious over time. These symptoms occur due to the inability of the body to properly digest the food. If left untreated, even a mild gluten intolerance can take its toll on the body, causing damage to the digestive system.
What symptoms have been linked with gluten allergy/intolerance?
Symptoms include:

eczema, hives, rashes and acne
reflux, bloating and heavy feeling in the stomach after eating
irritable bowel, gas, diarrhea, constipation
asthma, runny nose, blocked ears, sinus troubles
joint pain and stiffness
foggy brain, headaches and fatigue
depression and anxiety

Isn’t a gluten free diet just for coeliacs?
No! Just because you’re not coeliac doesn’t mean that it’s all smooth sailing. Gluten intolerance is different to coeliac disease, and won’t show up on a […]

By |May 31st, 2013|Detox, Emma's Detox, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition|0 Comments
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Technology – help or hindrance?

On one side of this debate we have people screaming that technology has led to our uber sedentary lifestyles and that it is a prevalent reason for the current state of our youths’ health. According to livestrong.com obesity rates in children have tripled in the past 20 years and is believed to be due to high calorie consumption and limited activity/exercise. “Teens manipulate a joystick instead of a baseball bat. The television has become a constant companion, replacing outside play” (Livestrong.com).
It’s also been shown that children’s excessive use of video games and other sedentary activities are impacting on the sensory development of our youth. Putting on my speechie hat now, we have also seen a huge increase in the number of early intervention clients coming through the clinic as books are replaced with movies, play time replaced with apps and verbal interactions are fast being replaced with typed/visual interactions. But before we sharpen our pitchforks and declare an outright war on the Technology Industry, let’s have a look at the benefits it brings when utilised in a controlled environment.
I used to be on the ‘anti’ bandwagon. Thinking that my health was deteriorating because of the new fandango age I was growing up in and believing that the lure of sitting down at the computer with a cuppa, a muffin and a good facebook stalk was just too strong. Hold the phone…rather than focusing on technologies that may be detrimental to our health (ie. losing hours on facebook; sitting instead of moving etc). These are just SOME of the amazing ways that technology is revolutionizing the health and wellness community.
+ The blog world. Oh holy tolitoes. Healthy information, recipes, workouts and motivation are but a […]

By |May 28th, 2013|Detox, Health & Wellbeing|0 Comments
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Detoxing is More Than Just Weight Loss

Losing weight may be one of the main reasons why women embark on a detox program, but there are so many other benefits that you may not yet have realised. Detoxing affects every organ in the body – if not directly, then indirectly. Sure, weight loss is usually a most welcome outcome, but what other results will you discover? Here are a few examples of the benefits of a detox program:
Reduced bloating and improved digestion
Do you feel bloated and sluggish? Is your digestion all over the place, sometimes too fast, sometimes too slow? A good detox diet is full of fibre and healthy oils, which will help your digestive system get moving again. Most detox diets also eliminate potential food allergens like wheat and dairy. When you avoid these foods, your digestive system will find it easier to get back into a healthy rhythm.
Improved liver function
Do you skip breakfast because you’re not hungry in the mornings? Do you feel hungover after just one or two drinks? Does your body find it difficult to digest fatty foods? These are all signs of a liver that’s under the weather. Most people know that coffee, alcohol and prescription medications can all add extra strain on the liver, but did you know your liver function may also be affected by eating processed foods, being exposed to chemicals commonly used around the house, and long term emotional stress?
Skin problems
Detoxing can help a load of skin conditions, including acne, eczema and psoriasis. When the liver and bowel are not working at optimum levels, the skin picks up some of the slack when it comes to eliminating toxins, hence the breakouts. By sorting out the liver and bowels, you give the […]

By |May 25th, 2013|Detox|0 Comments
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How To Treat Thrush Naturally & Successfully

I’m not going to sugar coat it; thrush is kind of unpleasant. And by ‘kind of’ I mean ‘very’ and by ‘unpleasant’ I mean ‘hideously gross.’ I don’t know about you, but personally, it’s one of the those things that makes me roll my eyes and get cranky with my body for allowing itself to fall out of balance and contract such a condition.
Unfortunately, getting cranky doesn’t really solve the problem and while shifting the blame to your body might make you feel better momentarily, it also causes us to conveniently forget the fact that perhaps it’s something we’re doing that’s causing the imbalance to occur (sometimes repeatedly).
An outbreak of thrush and subsequent trip to the pharmacy will usually see you leaving, laden down with pessary’s and creams, usually with names like Nilstat and Canesten. These products are designed to both soothe and treat the symptoms, therefore neutralizing the problem. Unfortunately, they don’t actively work to restore the good bacteria needed to prevent another outbreak occurring and they use some pretty intensive chemical compounds to achieve their goal.
After a recent outbreak of the dreaded ‘T’, I decided I wanted to try and do things a bit different this time. I was growing mighty tired of products that seemed to put a bandaid over the problem, without ever really eradicating it entirely.
A little bit of research pointed me in the right direction and I came up with my own treatment plan. And I’m happy to say that it worked extremely effectively. I’m certainly not a trained medical professional, so what worked for me may not work for you, but if you’re keen on trying something before hitting the chemist, give one of the below a […]

By |May 21st, 2013|Health & Wellbeing, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments
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    Introducing Our Next Hottie Contributor – PCOS Specialist!

Introducing Our Next Hottie Contributor – PCOS Specialist!

I am so excited to introduce my next contributor to my blog – international author, PCOS expert and experienced clinician Dr Rebecca Harwin who has been helping women improve their health for many years!

Read this if you’ve been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (also known as PCOS)…

You’ve been to your doctor (or for most women, quite a few doctors) and you’ve received the scary diagnosis, “You’ve got Polycystic Ovary Syndrome”.

Many questions may race through your mind… ‘What does that mean?’ ‘Is it fatal?’ ‘Can I ever have kids?’ ‘How do I lose weight?’ What the research shows is that these questions will often never receive an answer, and most women will not be given the best advice for this syndrome – lifestyle change – even though they innately know that lifestyle approaches are important.

What does it mean?

Let’s take a closer look.

There are two main ways to currently diagnose Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): the Rotterdam Criteria and the NIH/NICHD. These are both only used after other causes for the signs and symptoms you are experiencing have been ruled out.

The Rotterdam criteria define PCOS as being present with at least two of the following: infrequent menstruation, excessive ‘male’ hormones (hyperandrogenism) and/or Poly Cystic ovaries on ultrasound.

The NIH criteria define PCOS as the presence of hyperandrogenism and infrequent ovulation (oligo-ovulation).

This means that if you have too much testosterone (symptoms/signs like excessive hair growth, acne and/or infertility), and you have an irregular menstrual cycle, and/or you have polycystic ovaries on pelvic ultrasound, you will most likely be diagnosed with PCOS.

Is it fatal?

PCOS increases your risk of conditions like heart dis-ease, diabetes and some types of cancer. The good news is that a positive, healthy lifestyle significantly reduces – […]

By |May 17th, 2013|Fertility, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments
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Introducing Another Hottie Contributor!

Another wonderful energy to join my team is Emily Meagher, a 24 year old Speech Pathologist and Health Junkie from WA. Emily’s blog, Bless This Mess, is a beautiful collection of delicious food inspiration and recipes with a refreshing taste of youthful exuberance. Her writing makes me smile and her enthusiasm is contagious. Emily will share with us her “buzz” words which will cover the latest Superfoods, exercise crazes and hot health topics. I will let her introduce herself.
Oh hello there lovely ones!
As you might start to see my face popping up occasionally on this blog, I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce myself and give you a chance to get to know the woman behind the words.
I’m Emily, a 24 year old south west WA dwelling lady, who is passionate about all things health, wellness and happiness. By day I’m a full time speech pathologist and by night (or every other possible second I can spare) I am nose deep in a health book or pluggin’ away at posts for my blog. I’m a whole food eating, back bending yoga loving, sweat chasing and affirmation chanting wellness junkie.  I adore spreading the wellness message and encouraging young women to live their fullest, healthiest and happiest lives possible. About 5 years ago a spark was lit and I became engrossed in all things health and wellness. Ever since I can remember, I have dreamed, wished, played, talked, worked and strived for becoming the very best version of myself.
I’m the perfect human example of a yin and yang symbol. I still have my slip ups, I still engage in not so healthy behaviours, I still order a wine or a gelato with my friends […]

By |May 15th, 2013|Health & Wellbeing|0 Comments
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Food Allergy Awareness Week

Did you know that 2% of our overall population, including 1 in 10 infants, are living with a food allergy in Australia? In the last decade, life threatening allergic reactions in children under 4 years old have increased fivefold. These frightening statistics are the key message being delivered during Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia’s Food Allergy Awareness Week. Food allergies are becoming an increasing concern for parents, or those planning to conceive, so here are some frequently asked questions.
What has caused the rise in food allergies?
At this stage, no one really knows what has caused the sudden spike in food allergies. There are several different theories around, but there is no concrete evidence as yet. However the following factors may play a role:

Gut dysfunction due to an imbalance of bacteria and increased permeability (leaky gut)
Vitamin D imbalances in both mum and baby
Extreme cleanliness and lack of exposure to dirt and bacteria (the hygiene hypothesis)

 What happens in the body during a food allergy attack?
The mechanism behind food allergy responses is simple. The immune system mistakenly identifies a substance in the food as being dangerous to the body. It sends out special antibodies (immunoglobulin E or IgE) to attack and neutralize the substance. When you eat that particular food again, the IgE antibodies recognize it and send a signal to the body to release histamine into the bloodstream. It is the histamine that causes allergic symptoms. In mild cases it could cause a runny nose, sneezing, rashes, hives, itching or digestive symptoms. In more serious cases, the high levels of histamine can lead to anaphylactic symptoms like swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing
 Which foods are most likely to cause food allergies?
 There are over 170 foods known […]

By |May 14th, 2013|Children|0 Comments
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Detox Your Desk

When was the last time you did anything more than work at your desk? Seems like a strange question I’m sure but if you cast your mind back, can you actually remember the last time you re-organised all those bits of paper floating around?
What about sorting through that overflowing in-tray or even wiping down the keys you spend roughly eight hours a day tapping? If your desk is anything like mine, it’s in a pretty sorry state of affairs. Given that we spend such a large chunk of our week desk bound, it makes pretty good sense that we really should take stock and re-calibrate our workspace.
A quick desk detox is good for your mental and physical health. Here’s how to tune up and perhaps even improve your productivity, creativity and general wellbeing.

De-germ – See that keyboard your fingers were glued to mere seconds ago? It’s absolutely crawling with nasties. If you’ve got a few minutes, turn your keyboard upside down and give it a good bang. Once you’ve gotten over the horror at what’s lurking beneath, it’s time to clean up. With winter almost upon us, the germ situation is only going to get worse. A quick spritz with a natural, non-toxic spray is the best way to de-germ your space. For a homemade option, simply mix equal parts lemon juice, white vinegar and baking soda with some water. While you’re getting your spritz on, give your mouse, monitor and phone a going over as well.
De-clutter – Do you have papers on your desk that date back to 1992? Maybe you’re not that bad but the majority of desks seem to accumulate insane amounts of paper, even in today’s supposedly ‘paper-less’ office.’  Excess […]

By |May 13th, 2013|Detox, Sustainable and Green, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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How to Heal Your Adrenals Naturally

How to Heal Your Adrenals Naturally

Adrenal fatigue is one of the most under diagnosed illnesses in western society. Download a copy of my free ebook to learn about the symptoms and how to heal your Adrenals naturally.

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