How to get your kids to eat more veges

October 5, 2015 · 8 Comments

How to get your kids to eat more veges

My mum dobbed me into my kids the other day when we were visiting.

Yes, my vege phobia as a child was uncovered!! I really only ate potato and a few salad veges. My poor mum!

This lasted right into my mid 20s until I decided to get over myself and eat some darn veges. However, I still do a bit of a dry retch at the thought of a big plate of boiled veges.

I tried lots of things and worked out how I liked my veges cooked and how I could add flavour to make them yum. Nowdays I love my veges – but please don’t make me ever eat mushrooms, peas or broccoli that has been steamed too long!

There is a lot of debate about whether you should hide vegetables or not hide, but I say, do whatever it takes to get the kids eating veges – their growing years are so important and good nutrition is vital. However, in saying that, don’t stress about it too much – fruit can also provide a lot of nutrients that are found in vegetables and kids won’t starve themselves!

My own kids went from babies who ate homemade pureed veges with relish (I mean the joy type relish not the yummy type) to toddlers who spat everything out to teenagers who still sometimes sigh at veges. It’s not the most fun bit of parenting, is it?

So here are my tips for jazzing up those veges and making them more appealing for kids (and big kids).

How to get kids to eat more veges:

♥ Add butter. Everything tastes better with butter (am I right??) Toss some steamed veges with a knob of butter and a good sprinkle of Herbamare. You can also use olive oil. I am also going to say… add bacon, cream and/or cheese.

♥ Add salad dressing. Obviously salad dressing on a salad is delish but I also love it on my steamed veges! Try this recipe. We all know a little raw honey on carrots is a winner too!

♥ Add a tasty sauce. Satay, soy sauce, white sauce, cheese sauce, hollandaise, garlic mayo or roasted tomato sauce. Mmmm!

♥ Wrap them in pastry. Try these Mini Meat Pies.

♥ Dip them. A yummy dip and raw or lightly steamed veges are a winner. Try my Easy Herb and Garlic Dip, hummus, salsa, tzatziki, nut or peanut butter. Alternatively, put the veges in the dip and serve with some good crackers or crusty sourdough bread. Here’s a great round-up of dip recipes.

♥ Crumb them (because everything tastes better crumbed!!). Get an egg and a touch of milk and whisk and then dip in some breadcrumbs or almond meal, fry with some coconut oil or fat and bake in the oven. Zucchini cut into chips, crumbed and oven baked is amazingly yum! Also try it with rounds of eggplant, topped with a tasty tomato sauce and mozzarella.

♥ Cut them smaller. A big hunk of broccoli can seem daunting to a little kid. Small pieces seem much more manageable and tasty. I often cut veges like carrot and zucchini with my mandolin on the larger setting. It also means they cook quicker.

♥ Cut them into different shapes. A carrot stick might be boring but what about a lovely thin carrot ribbon? Would heart shaped roasted potatoes taste better?

♥ Buy the best quality, freshest veges you can find. They taste better and sometimes the ones in the supermarket have lost their flavour!

♥ Put them on a stick. Seriously, who doesn’t love something on a skewer? Dice some veges (zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and red onion work well) and pop them on a soaked bamboo skewer. Throw onto the barbie or under the grill. You can add a tasty sauce or baste with salad dressing before cooking if you like.

♥ Try cooking them differently. My kids hate pumpkin but love pumpkin soup! We can get into a cooking rut sometimes, but mix it up and try a new method. Roast some cauliflower instead of steaming it, stir-fry brussel sprouts with olive oil and bacon, make sweet potato chips instead of mash, make crispy kale chips, steam veges very lightly instead of boiling – you get the drift.

♥ Add them into meals. A stirfry, casserole, macaroni cheese or biriyani all make veges taste better when there are other flavours going on. Cut the veges small.

♥ Try them raw. Lots of kids will happily munch on raw veges but hate cooked! Obvs don’t do that with potato.

♥ Put them on a pizza. No explanation necessary, because…. pizza!!! Pizza scrolls are also a winner. I love these animal face pizzas by Annabel Karmel.

♥ Puree them. Smart mums know that pureed veges can hide in all sorts of unusual places. What about spinach in pancakes, sweet potato in brownies, greens in sorbet, avocado in chocolate mousse, cauliflower in cheesecake, anything and everything in pasta sauce and soup!

♥ Get them involved. Helping prepare food gets kids taking ownership of what they eat. You can of course ham it up and tell them how amazing their yummy meal is. Little kids can wash lettuce and tear it into strips, older kids can chop!

♥ Eat your veges when you are pregnant! This pub med study shows that kids can get a taste for veges via the amniotic fluid. Fascinating!

♥ Use the Learning Bowl technique. Nutritionist, Mandy Dos Santos at Little People Nutrition says this is a great introduction to new foods for those kids that may have anxiety or sensory issues.

♥ Start from the source by getting a vege garden happening or just grow some cherry tomatoes in pots. Not only is it a lot of fun, but again, taking ownership of food is important for kids.

♥ Get the kids to select some veges at the farmers’ markets or supermarket. We need five small carrots, can you find a crazy looking potato for your dinner – that sort of thing!

♥ Add grated veges to everything. Muffins or cakes (try my Carrot Cake recipe and this Chocolate Zucchini Loaf), burgers, meatloaf, bolognese, chicken nuggets or a zucchini slice. Grated veges cook down well into foods. Peeled zucchini is especially easy to hide if your kids are super duper fussy!

♥ Try them powdered. Especially for the extra fussy child who likes to pick out every bit of vegetable, powdered veges work a treat. We love the Take a Broth Tasmania Vegetable Broth Powder. You can stir it into food just before serving or sprinkle it on popcorn or plain rice crackers.

♥ Keep putting the veges on the plate. Experts say it takes up to ten times for kids to be exposed to a new food before they will eat it.

♥ Put them in a smoothy or juice. Green smoothies are all the rage! Add a handful of spinach (which is tasteless in a smoothy) to some coconut water and a few pieces of fruit and blend. Sneak in a little carrot or cucumber into a freshly squeezed juice.

♥ Use some marketing skills. Veges are good for super strong muscles like Superman, this green drink is what Shrek drinks, this makes you grow, this makes you run fast and play. This isn’t broccoli, it’s dinosaur trees!

♥ Don’t forget brekky and snacks. Offer veges throughout the day, not just at dinner. Eggs cooked in capsicum rings and cut up carrot sticks with some peanut butter are yum.

♥ Eat dinner earlier. Most adults I know struggle to eat well when they are tired. Get in early and feed the kids a nice wholefoods dinner with veges before they start getting overtired. Just after school can be the ideal time for dinner.

♥ Make sure they are hungry. I know most kids graze, but I found it helpful to stop snacks at a set time to ensure the kids were hungry for dinner.

♥ Practice what you preach. There is no way kids are going to love vegetables if you are not eating them. Set a good example. If you want to ham it up a bit and exclaim with joy every time you eat veges, you can do that too!

♥ Try new vegetables all the time. Get the kids excited about purple carrots and qukes (mini cucumbers)!

♥ Make vege fritters or hashbrowns. Yum! Try these zucchini hashbrowns or make a smiley face vege fritter.

♥ Make it fun. If you have the time and can be bothered, making some fun things out of veges can work well – presentation is often half of the battle! Check out Pinterest for some cool ideas – not all of them are time consuming and fiddly. I am seriously in love with these Capsicum Frogs!

♥ Serve vegetables in something different. For toddlers, serve cut up veges in ice cube trays or mini-muffin tins. Older kids might like making a creation with food on one of those special Face Plates.

You can even make the veges the serving container like these cute cucumber dip cups or serve their sandwich in a rolled up lettuce leaf instead of bread.

♥ Don’t lose your cool. Yeah, I know how frustrating it is when you shop, prepare and cook and those little rugrats turn their nose up!! But, when you lose your cool, you are creating negative feelings and associations around food. Keep it positive and then if they won’t eat, be neutral. Don’t ever force, bribe, negotiate or threaten.

♥ I’ve always enforced the ‘you don’t have to like it, but you do have to try it’ rule. All of us have veges we hate and so will your kids – respect that but do make them at least try it before they decide they don’t like it.

♥ Persevere. Kids go through stages, so keep at it and don’t give up!

My kids are now in their late teens and love eating vegetables – cooking them for meals, making up salads for their lunches and just gnawing on carrots and celery. I think this has a lot to do with their long term familiarity with vegetables. They still hate pumpkin though!!

Need more help?

Food Critic Flower Essence Blend. Try this amazing flower essence blend by Megan at The Simplest Remedy. She shares some other great tips too.

Feeding Fussy Kids. Sydney naturopath and nutritionist, Julie Maree Wood shares her expert advice and recipes to get your kids eating nutritiously. I love this book!!

Deceptively Delicious. Jessica Seinfeld is a master at hiding vegetables in her kids’ favourite recipes.

Check out this blog post listing kids books all about vegetables.

Naturopath Iwa Brown from Magnolia Naturopathy also has some great tips for Feeding Fussy Kids.

I would love to hear your tips – do you have something else to add to my list??? Leave us a comment or some links to your favourite vegetable recipes!

5 Essential Natural Remedies for Natural New Age Mums

September 30, 2015 · 2 Comments

I often get asked what things are essential for NNAMs to have on hand for their family’s health, so today I am sharing with you my top five natural products. They are all multi-purpose and have a huge range of properties, benefits and uses around the home – not just for healing and health but for beauty and cleaning too!

The best thing about these natural remedies is that they are all affordable and having all-purpose products means you are saving money and have less clutter.

So, these are my:

5 Essential Natural Remedies for Natural New Age Mums

♥ Jojoba Oil

As much as I love my coconut oil, I am finding that jojoba oil is replacing it as my go to oil (I know – even I am still a bit in shock!!!) Jojoba oil is similar to coconut oil – it is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic. It’s also a great all-purpose oil but where it tops coconut oil is that it has virtually no odour and it sinks straight into the skin without that greasy residue (its actually a wax and the closest oil to our natural skin’s oil).

Jojoba oil has great benefits for your skin as a daily moisturizer as it is very high in antioxidants and contains vitamins A, D and E, essential fatty acids and Omegas 6 and 9. However you can also use it for a wide range of ailments including acne, rosacea, burns, dermatitis, eczema, insect bites, psoriasis, sunburn, abrasions, skin rashes, scars, nappy rash, cradle cap and surgical wounds.

I love The Jojoba Company brand – it’s owned by an Australian family and grown ethically in NSW with lots of love and nurturing! Unlike other brands, its 100% pure and cold pressed without any heating or refined so the nutrients stay intact.

♥ Lavender Oil

I am a huge fan of essential oils and use them daily but if I am pressed to choose just one (usually when I go on holidays and can’t take my collection with me) then I choose lavender oil.

It’s one of my favourite smelling oils but it is also a great all-rounder. It has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. It also has antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifying and sedative effects!!

You can use it directly on acne, bites, stings, burns and muscle aches and a drop on your pillow helps with sleep. It’s great as an insect repellant (combine with a carrier oil) and to relieve tension, headaches, depression and anxiety.

I love the Twenty 8 brand of essential oils. Sunshine Coast mum and aromatherapist, Kim Morrison has created a beautiful range of pure essential oils that don’t cost a fortune but are still of the highest therapeutic quality. Check her out here.

♥ Epsom Salts

Also known as magnesium sulphate, epsom salts have a wide variety of uses to treat common ailments. It’s a naturally occurring mineral that can be used internally or externally. It can be used dissolved in a bath as a muscle relaxant, headache soother, as a treatment for sprains, bruises and joint inflammation and as a great way to absorb magnesium into your body (most of us are deficient).

2 tablespoons of epsom salts dissolved in warm water works as a laxative. A bath with epsom salts will relax and eliminate toxins from the body and soaking also helps to remove splinters. You can even use it in the garden, as a fabric softener and for cleaning. It’s awesome!

♥ Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is another all-purpose remedy that has so many uses, you can even buy a whole book about it! We look up the book if we have ailments to see if ACV can help and it usually does! Get a raw, organic, unfiltered version with ‘the mother’ for the best results.

Some health benefits include helping with digestion, acne, weight loss, sore throats, bad breath, sunburn, wart removal, toxin removal, lowering blood sugar, lowering bad cholesterol and more. You can take it daily in some water or use it on your meals! It makes a cracker salad dressing.

You can also use ACV for cleaning, disinfecting, as a hair rinse and for whitening your teeth! I like the Braggs brand in a glass bottle but as mentioned, any brand that is organic and unfiltered with the mother is good.

♥ Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is the last of my must haves and again, it’s a really great all-rounder. It’s properties include anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial. It’s not actually a tea, its flowers of the chamomile plant that you make up into an herbal infusion.

As well as being a nice herbal tea to drink, you can use it to relieve colds, soothe upset tummies, help you to sleep, relieve hemorrhoids and treat candida, eczema and allergies. Use it externally for under-eye bags, acne, conjunctivitis, fungal skin infections and abscesses. There is some research suggesting it can be helpful for diabetes and cancer. It’s a wonder herb!

You can buy chamomile flowers in teabags, but I prefer to get the loose tea herbs. Hilde Hemme’s herbals are in most health food stores or online. If pregnant or breastfeeding, please check with your health practitioner before using.

Yes, I know, it’s hard to stop at five natural remedies, but these are my top five that I buy regularly and use. What is in your top five? Are they the same as mine?

5 Ways to Prevent Burn Out

September 7, 2015 · 7 Comments

Today I am welcoming Sam Cannell, nutrition and lifestyle coach to the website to share with us her tips for preventing burn out. As a mum with two kids, Sam has experienced this first hand and now helps women regain their wellness and zest for life.

5 Ways to Prevent Burn Out

Are you feeling flat and fatigued? Need a coffee first thing in the morning to get started? Can’t keep up with the kids like you used to? You could be on the brink of pushing yourself too far.

♥ Sort out your sleep

A healthy sleep routine balances the fat burning hormones, assists how we manage stress and also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Another hormone impacted by sleep is leptin. This clever hormone tells our brain when our tummy is full and helps to regulate our appetite and metabolism. When we don’t sleep properly we disrupt this hormone and find ourselves eating more.

When we are sleep deprived we are more likely to make poor health choices, we exercise less and rely on caffeine and sugar for energy… it’s a vicious cycle! Most mums love to stay up late because the house is nice and quiet but breaking this habit is really important for preventing burn out.

A healthy sleep habit isn’t just about getting 8 hours of shut eye a night, the quality of our sleep is so important and our modern day lifestyle isn’t helping. We should be aiming for a 10pm bedtime but from 9pm we need to get off the tech gadgets and have zero screen time. Winding down for bed is one of the simplest ways you can improve your quality of sleep. You’ll go to bed with a calm mind and find that drifting off to sleep is much easier.

♥ Cut out caffeine

When our adrenal glands are under so much pressure caffeine can make it even worse and the road to recovery becomes slower. When you’re under extra stress it’s easy to reach for caffeine to help get you through but that morning latte could actually be pushing you closer to burn out. Cutting out caffeine (for a few months at least) is vital for healing the adrenal glands and for preventing full blown burn out.

If you’re worried about withdrawal headaches then ease out of your coffee addiction over a week, cutting back each day until you go completely without. You’ll be amazed that within a few days you don’t need that caffeine pick me up anymore!

♥ Avoid sugar and processed foods

If you’re body is already feeling fatigued then one of your highest priorities should be nourishing yourself with fresh, real whole foods. When your energy levels are low then it’s unlikely your going to be feeling like cooking up lavish meals so keep your cooking really simple and ensure you are getting quality protein at every meal. I

f you’re skipping meals then that also needs to stop so keep ingredients on hand for delicious smoothies for those times you can’t be bothered preparing breakfast or lunch.

♥ Ease up on the cardio exercise

If you’re a gym junkie struggling with low energy levels then the type of exercise you are doing could be contributing to your burn out. Excessive cardio will do more damage than good to an already stressed body.. sad but true! Stick to low impact and gentle exercise while your body is healing, now isn’t the time to run a marathon.

♥ Start saying ‘no’

Most mums on the brink of burnout have a lot of trouble saying ‘no’ to others… they are the ‘go to’ person for everything because they always say yes! As a result their own health suffers and they never have any time free for themselves. If you have all the warning signs of burn out then it’s so important you learn to say ‘no’ to the things you don’t want to be doing.

Healing from extreme fatigue takes time and your body needs a much slower pace to heal properly. That means you need time for naps, time to go slow and space to just be.

If you’ve been battling fatigue, I want you to know that it really is possible to prevent burnout but you need to take action now rather than waiting until it’s too late. It’s taken years for your body to get to this point so be gentle with yourself and let the healing begin.

About Sam:

Sam Cannell is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach specialising in women’s health and is the creator of The Fabulous Woman Project.

What’s so bad about 2 minute noodles and what to eat instead

August 25, 2015 · 42 Comments

What’s so bad about 2 minute noodles and what to eat instead

This article was prompted because my son was introduced to those 2 minute noodle bowls (in styrofoam) at a school camp a few months ago. He came home and bought one from the corner shop as a quick snack. He knows they are not that great (without me having to tell him), but convenience and taste were winning out. On this occasion I did stop him from pouring boiling water into the styrofoam, I made him put it into a bowl!

It’s a whole other article about my teenagers and how their independence has influenced their eating habits so I will tell you about that another time!! Once I started really looking at what was in these noodles though, I was shocked. I knew they were bad but this was particular food was something I really didn’t want to compromise on. We found some alternatives they were happy with and that I would provide with my money, not theirs and now everyone is happy!

So today, I thought I would share with you what I discovered about those 2 minute noodles and let you know about some better alternatives.

Okay so what is wrong with 2 minute noodles?

Well, here is an ingredient list for just one type of these noodles, Maggi 2 minute noodles as sold in Australia (you can find all the products and ingredients on their website).

Noodle Cake: Wheat flour, vegetable oil (antioxidant 319), salt, mineral salts (508, 451, 501, 500), vegetable gum (412).

Flavour Mix Sachet: Iodised Salt, Maltodextrin (Contains Sulphites), Flavour Enhancers (621, 635), Flavours (contains Wheat, Soy, Celery, and Sulphites), Mineral Salt (508), Onion Powder (contains Sulphites), Vegetable Fat (antioxidant (320)), Colours (Tumeric, Caramel III) (Contains Sulphites), Parsley Flakes, Spices.

What I am not loving:

♦ Vegetable oil – this could be anything from GMO canola to unsustainable palm oil and the noodle cake is deep fried in it, so it’s been heated to a toxic level.

♦ Antioxidant 319 – also known as butylhydroquinone. The Chemical Maze by Bill Statham (seriously, everyone needs this book) gives this a sad face. It’s recommended to be avoided because: carcinogenic in high doses, may be associated with birth defects, acute neuro-toxic effects in animals, prohibited in food for infants.

♦ Salt (this isn’t going to be a healthy salt, but a heavily processed white salt)

♦ The mineral salts and vegetable gum are not too bad, but they can cause abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea if consumed in large amounts.

♦ Iodised salt is a refined salt with added iodine (probably synthetic)

♦ Maltodextrin may be GMO and contains sulphites. Sue Dengate, author of Fed Up says “Sulphites have been associated with the full range of food intolerance symptoms including headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, behaviour disturbance and skin rashes but are best known for their effects on asthmatics.”

♦ Flavour Enhancers. The number 621 is MSG. This gets a sad face from The Chemical Maze. The range of problems is extensive! Heart palpitations, pins and needles in the upper limbs, bronchospasm in asthmatics, restlessness, irritability, dizziness, migraine, depression, nausea, tingling and numbness. Prohibited in food for infants. Number 635 is also a sad face and should be avoided by people with asthma. Other problems include unbearably itchy rash, swelling of the lips and tongue, headache, allergic reactions, behavioural problems, heart palpitations, sleep disturbance. Prohibited in food for infants.

♦ Antioxidant 320 is also known as butylated hydroxyanisole – it is banned in some countries and is petroleum derived. The Chemical Maze has two sad faces on this one. It’s problems include suspected respiratory, endocrine, skin, liver, immuno and neuro-toxicity, headache, DNA damage, recognized carcinogen, wheezing, asthma, insomnia, fatigue, depression, chronic urticaria, wild life and enviro toxicity. Prohibited in foods for infants.

♦ Caramel 111 (or 150c) is also given a sad face by The Chemical Maze. It is also referred to as ‘ammonia caramel’ and may affect the liver, may cause gastrointestinal problems and is prohibited in food for infants.

Wow, are you shocked? That’s a chemical cocktail right there in a noodle packet!

The other issues to consider are the interactions of consuming all these toxins together and also the cumulative effect in the body. The Maggi brand is also owned by Nestle, a company I try to avoid supporting due to their unethical practices. A few months ago, Maggi noodles in India were also found to have excess quantities of lead and msg.

Okay, so what are the alternatives?

I know that 2 minute noodles are a quick and easy option, very cheap and kids generally love them. However, in light of the above information and depending on how often your family eat 2 minute noodles, you may want to start swapping over to something better.

Look out for plain rice noodles, brown rice noodles or soba noodles. Learn to read ingredient labels and look for ones with minimal ingredients and no additives. Try the Spiral Organic brand – these are usually great quality.

Flavourings:

Okay, so the flavouring sachet is arguably the biggest problem in terms of additives, so what can you use instead? My kids usually just use a knob of butter and a sprinkle of Herbamare (sea salt with veggies and herbs) or sometimes just fresh parmesan cheese.

You might want to provide a few options and see which ones the kids like best. Add in some cooked veges, meat or egg to make your noodles a complete meal!

You can also use:

♥ Dehydrated Bone Broth powder(yummo)

♥ Miso paste

♥ Nutritional yeast flakes

Do your kids like 2 minute noodles? Do you have alternatives to share with us?

The benefits of dry skin brushing (and how to do it)

August 10, 2015 · 1 Comment

The benefits of dry skin brushing (and how to do it)

There are many reasons why you should take up dry skin brushing!

I absolutely love the way it makes me feel. Make it part of your morning ritual and see how YOU feel!

But first, how do you do dry skin brushing?

Get naked. Grab a dry, long-handled, natural bristle brush – you can find these at health food stores, chemists or online.

Start gently brushing your body. Use long, sweeping strokes, all over your body, always brushing towards the heart, not away from it.

Take your time and make sure each area is brushed thoroughly. Be careful of any sensitive parts of your skin and any acne, rashes etc. Be very gentle on the boobs!

Don’t forget the soles of your feet. I don’t do my face as I already exfoliate it or you could use a smaller brush designed for the face.

Now have a warm shower. If you want to really get the blood pumping, finish with a spritz of cold water. Make sure you moisturize well afterwards.

Because of the detoxing effect of dry skin brushing, clean your brush at least once a week in a tea-tree oil and water solution and dry well.

So, what are the benefits?

It feels AMAZING! It’s a bit like a mini-massage!

It stimulates your nerve endings and helps your nervous system.

It gets rid of all the dead skin cells sitting on your skin.

It gets your circulation pumping.

It can help with your muscle tone and cellulite.

It helps detoxify your body.

It can help tighten up your skin, because of the increased blood flow to the area.

It gets the lymphatic system stimulated.

It will make your skin feel really smooth and look glowing.

It’s a cheap way to get beautiful skin without salon visits.

Because it feels AMAZING!

What should you use?

Use a natural body brush, rather than a synthetic one to avoid scratching the skin. This body brush by Bodecare is specifically designed for dry skin brushing. I love the detachable head with canvas strap so you can really get in close to the areas that need it.

I also like the Bass brush, which is all natural and a little cheaper, but not contoured.

Want more info?

This fabulous book, Dry Brushing goes right into detail about how to dry brush, with step by step instructions and information. Get it here.

Did you know? Our skin is our largest organ. One quarter of the body’s detoxing goes on via our skin! Try dry skin brushing every morning for a month. Report back and tell me how you feel!

Do you have dry winter skin? Read this.

6 Vapour Chest Rubs that are all natural!

August 6, 2015 · 12 Comments

6 Vapour Chest Rubs that are all natural!

It’s winter and time when the lurgies and germs abound.

Vapour or chest rubs are often used to help relieve symptoms of coughs, colds and flu. However, did you know that the leading vapour rubs on the market contains several toxic ingredients?

Petroleum can be problematic for a number of reasons. It’s one ingredient I steer clear of in skincare.

Camphor is a highly toxic poison and can cause serious problems if consumed. Turpentine oil, while a natural product, can burn the skin and cause respiratory problems.

There are some really great options out there though, so it’s easy to make the switch to something more natural. Here are some of the best!

♥ Chesty Rub by 123 Nourish Me

This Chesty Rub from Alisa and Danni at 123 Nourish Me is fresh and minty. It’s suitable for children over 6 months old and contains high quality organic ingredients and flower essences. Get it here.

♥ Baby Breathe Balm by Bubbles Organic

Bubbles Organics is an awesome Gold Coast based small business, owned by sisters, one of whom is an aromatherapist. Get it here.

♥ Chesty Calm Breathing Balm by My Gypsy Child

Cairns mum Sacha is seeing her organic baby range, My Gypsy Child going from strength to strength. Get it here.♥ Lhami Eucalyptus Balm

New South Wales natural new age mum, Natalie makes this Eucalyptus Balm as part of her natural skincare range, Lhami. Get it here.

♥ Simple As That Vapour Rub

This pharmacist formulated range is great for anyone with sensitive skin who reacts to skin care with lots of ingredients. Also in a Baby Vapour Rub version. Get them here.

♥ The Physic Garden Eucalyptus Rub

The Physic Garden make a huge range of balms and rubs and their Eucalyptus one is a best seller. Get it here.

♥ Kiwiherb Baby Balm

I had to add one more because this one is just so good. It’s very safe and gentle for babies with just herbs and a teeny bit of lavender oil. They also make a De-stuff Rub for everyone else. Find them here.

So, there you have some fabulous alternatives to toxic vapour rub!! I also love supporting Aussie family businesses who are making a difference and have a real passion for health and wellbeing.

If you are handy and have some oils on hand at home, you could also try making your own chest rub.

What do you use at home for chest rub? Is it time to make the swap to something a bit more natural?

*Please always double-check any product or ingredient containing essential oils that you use on babies and toddlers. Here is the current safety information regarding peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil around children from a source I trust, Robert Tisserand.

(parts of this post are sponsored)

Pearls of wisdom from a day with nutritionist Cyndi O’Meara

July 22, 2015 · 13 Comments

Pearls of wisdom from a day with nutritionist Cyndi O’Meara

On the weekend, I flew down to Brisbane to see one of my long-time inspirations and affiliate partner, nutritionist Cyndi O’Meara.

I first encountered Cyndi about six years ago and found her books pivotal in my health journey. The thing I love about Cyndi is that she is down to earth, doesn’t rest on her laurels but keeps learning and investigating, is not afraid to speak up, does not sugar-coat things and doesn’t have a celebrity/ego thing going on! Her passion is infectious.

The seminar was a whole day event and there were so many lightbulb moments and pearls of wisdom. Things that shocked me, inspired me, educated me and geared me to action! I know I wasn’t alone – the whole room was lapping up these gems.

I am sharing some of those pearls with you today. Now, obviously I am only able to give you snippets here and can’t fully expand on these concepts and explain them all (you will need to go to one of Cyndi’s seminars for that) but if something catches your interest, research it further. Ask your holistic practitioners, get a book or check out Cyndi’s website.

Keep learning and educating yourself!

♥ “The population will become split between the smart and the dumb. The smart ones will begin taking their health into their own hands because they’re already seeing that what we are doing now is not working”. Dr. Dwight Lundell

♥ At the MINDD foundation conference, experts predicted that 1 in every 2 children born will have autism by the year 2032.

♥ Just because it’s common, doesn’t mean it’s right or the truth.

♥ We can heal a nation by going back to our kitchens and cooking. “It is our empowered, divine honour to be in the kitchen, to feed our family, to heal a nation.”

♥ We are living a modern life with an evolutionary body. Look to traditional cultures for answers.

♥ You might think that cut up apples in a bag are a healthy choice, but they actually contain a nasty preservative to stop them going brown!

♥ Fructose makes peptides which make amino acids which make serotonin. Don’t be so quick to stop eating fruit!

♥ Eating fat, sugar and salt is not necessarily bad! It all depends on the quality. Choose unprocessed forms as these elements all play a part in our wellness.

♥ Dulse is a great source of natural iodine ( a mineral many of us seem to be lacking )

♥ Sea salt can contain a lot of pollution from the ocean. Pink Himalayan salt is pure.

♥ Cyndi uses coconut oil to brush her teeth!

♥ It can take 17 years for current research to reach students. Don’t just rely on what your doctor tells you.

♥ We are made up of 90% bugs! The microbiome is where it’s all happening. The microbiome will influence so much in your body from the immune system, to absorbing nutrients, to protecting us from heavy metals, to your mental health. It’s so important to get your microbiome sorted!

♥ To establish a good microbiome for your baby, the absolute best things you can do are: have a natural birth, have skin to skin contact straight away and breastfeed.

♥ Things that destroy the microbiome include antibiotics, antacids, the contraceptive pill, some supplements, processed foods, artificial additives, pesticides and municipal water.

♥ “Genes do not control us they respond to what we do, and our microbiome allows adaptation and robustness of the individual, rather than the species”.

♥ Five Steps to Healing the Microbiome

1. Remove parasites and offending foods

2. Rebuild with broth, spices and herbs

3. Replenish with ferments and pre and probiotics

4. Retain your individual food needs

5. Review what’s working and what’s not

♥ The wheat we eat now, the way it is grown, harvested and processed and consumed is so different to how it used to be. Go back to basics, choose a good wheat with as little possible processing and chemicals. Emmer Wheat is an ancient, traditional wheat.

♥ Did you know that wheat can be found in our medications and vitamins?

♥ Many vitamin and mineral supplements are made from synthetic ingredients. Vitamin A can contain acetone, Vitamin C can contain glucose, Vitamin B can contain a by-product from the petrochemical industry and fish oils may be topped up with soybean oil and other fillers like propylene glycol.

♥ Inca Inchi oil can be used as an effective face moisturizer.

♥ Use green stevia, not white stevia!

♥ Did you know that most dates you buy can contain sulphites, rice flour and/or oil as well? Dates are sometimes also pollinated with wheat. Cyndi has sourced dates that are just pure organic dates without anything added.

♥ Aim to have single ingredient products in your fridge and pantry.

♥ Waking at 3am with cramps could be a sign you have a parasite.

♥ Some probiotics contain GMO bacteria.

♥ Eat your cheese with figs – there is a component in figs that will help you digest cheese. (Well I don’t need to be told twice…. yummo!)

♥ Rewild yourself!! Connect with nature, get good sleep, decrease screen time, get your circadian rhythms in sync.

♥ Connect with the sun and moon. As soon as you wake up, get out and get some sun on you. At night, go outside and look at the moon.

♥ Follow the FOSET principle of eating. Foods that are Organic, Sustainable, Ethical and Trusted.

♥ Don’t get overwhelmed. Make changes on step at a time and make those changes solid and sustainable.

♥ Don’t beat yourself up for what you used to do. We can only educate ourselves and start doing things better now.

Some people and resources suggested by Cyndi:

Why Isn’t My Brain Working?

Dr Sarah Ballantyne – The Paleo Approach

Lights Out

Underground Wellness

Dr Terry Wahls

Dr Leo Galland

In conclusion:

I really do trust implicitly the information and products that Cyndi provides. I always knew the Changing Habit’s food products were great but listening to Cyndi talk about how she sources them was incredibly impressive. Thorough research and testing is done on all products so you can be really sure you are getting the best quality product out there! Cyndi will not introduce a product into her range that she would not eat herself.

Now, it’s not possible to see Cyndi for one on one consults anymore. But, in order to reach and help more people, there are several ways you can get assistance and benefit from the amazing knowledge and widsom of Cyndi O’Meara!

♥ Check out the Changing Habits’ website. There are loads of free blogs and articles to learn from.

♥ Read the book, Changing Habits Changing Lives.

♥ Do the 21 Step Reset – it’s a great place to start for all the basics.

♥ Do the Hunter Gatherer Protocol – learn how to restore your body back to optimal health.

♥ Do the 4 Phase Fat Elimination – get back to your natural weight, eliminate toxic fat safely with real foods and support drops.

If you are not sure which one of these things is right for your particular issue, then you are able to get a consult with the resident nutritionist, Sheridan to point you in the right direction.

If you get the chance to see Cyndi live, then don’t hesitate to go – you will enjoy every minute of it, learn a lot and be inspired to get your health sorted!

The Top Ten Must Have Books for Natural New Age Mums

July 1, 2015 · 7 Comments

The Top Ten Must Have Books for Natural New Age Mums

I am a massive book lover. Ever since I learnt to read, I have always had a book on the go.

We have such a great little library at home, covering all sorts of topics of interest to natural, new age mums! Actually the Natural New Age Dad can also be found reading up on them as well. The kids don’t let us go near bookshops anymore because we spend far too long in there!

I thought I would share the top ten books that I find invaluable. The ones I keep coming back to often and that I use as references throughout the website and our life! Books that have helped me learn more about being happy, healthy, and holistic.

♥ Healthy Home Healthy Family by Nicole Bijlsma

Building biologist, naturopath, acupuncturist and mum from Melbourne, Nicole Bijlsma shares with us her extensive research and knowledge in this book. Healthy Home Healthy Family covers everything you need to know about keeping your family safe at home including: electromagnetic fields and radiation; drinking water; allergens; mould; dust; pets; plants and pollens; chemicals in personal care and cleaning products; pesticides; our clothes, bedding and toys; cookware and building materials. You will be surprised at how many health problems can be caused by ‘sick building syndrome’.

♥Changing Habits Changing Lives

Nutritionist and Aussie mum Cyndi O’Meara has been sharing her healthy living message for 25 years! She is my go-to person for all things nutrition. Changing Habits, Changing Lives is one book that truly has changed my life.

With each chapter dedicated to small changes, healthy living becomes achievable and sustainable. I also love Cyndi’s down to earth, no BS approach. There’s a good reason why she has such a loyal following!

♥ The Chemical Maze Handbook

This book is simply a must-have for decoding all those labels! It’s quick and easy to use and doesn’t hurt your brain with too much advanced science info. Simply look up an additive or chemical via their numbers or name and Bill will tell you if it’s okay or not and the potential health hazards. Keep a copy in your handbag and become empowered to choose the best possible products for your family!

♥ Nourishing Traditions

Although this book is by an American author, the information remains relevant to us. Sally Fallon is a pioneer in the nourishing, traditional, real food movement. Over ten years ago she was dispelling the low-fat myth and urging us to eat animal fats and broth.

She also goes in to other diet myths like soy and helps us to understand how a traditional approach to food is one that is best for our health. Packed full of recipes, Nourishing Traditions is the well researched reference book for anyone who wants to adopt a real food way of life.

♥ Like Chocolate for Women

This is the ultimate self-care bible for women everywhere. Kim and Fleur cover so many topics including aromatherapy, ditching guilt, aging with grace, simple exercise, healthy meals and balancing hormones. Every time I read it, I pick up some new gem to take away. This book is so inspiring and insightful but at the same time presented in a loving, gentle, down to earth manner. One of the books I love to gift to my girlfriends!

♥ The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

We stumbled across this book so many years ago and I still like to refer to it. If you feel like you are constantly butting heads with those you love, have a read of this book! When we work out how our family and ourselves express love via one of the “Five Love Languages” we can then be guided to deeply understand each other. This works not only with our spouses but also our children, our extended families and friends and those we work with. A truly easy to understand and implement concept that will bring more harmony to your relationships!

♥ The Coconut Oil Miracle

Written by qualified naturopath and nutritionist, Bruce Fife, this is one book that was also life-changing for us! We have embraced coconut oil with a passion and use it everywhere and everyhow! This book is your go-to guide with ideas, current research, recipes and detailed information on how coconut oil can be the best thing you have ever discovered for your health and wellbeing!

♥ Buddhism For Mothers

There is no denying motherhood comes with as many highs as it does lows. This beautiful book gently encourages us to become calmer and happier mothers through principles of Buddhism. Sarah applies the practices to the everyday challenges of being a mother and helps us to nurture ourselves to be the best we can be. A must-have for all mums.

♥ Wholefood Baking

Jude has attained the level of goddess in wellness circles! She truly is an inspirational woman and well ahead of her time. In this award-winning book, Jude shares her philosophy and information about nourishing ourselves with wholesome, organic food.

♥ Natural Remedies

Mim Beim is arguably Australia’s best known naturopath! With over 25 years of experience, she really is a leader in her field. In this book Mim has the natural remedies for over 200 common ailments and she firmly believes in diet and lifestyle before medication. This is a must-have reference book you will use over and over again – I do!

It was so hard to narrow this down to ten books! I tried to choose the most popular books by experts in their field to give you the most useful and reliable information. There are so many more I want to share with you though, so I think I will have to do a follow up!

I would love to know what you would add to my list! What is your top ten?

Only skinny people do yoga (and other misconceptions)

June 25, 2015 · 20 Comments

Only skinny people do yoga (and other misconceptions)

I can’t do yoga.

I’m too big.

I’m not flexible.

I’m not fit.

I’m too old.

I have an injury.

I don’t have the right clothes.

Just some of the misconceptions I have heard from women in regards to yoga.

I have been doing yoga for about 16 years. I can tell you right now that you don’t have to be any of those things to do yoga.

I think social media has a lot to answer for in creating these misconceptions. We see wellness people on Instagram or Facebook showing their amazing skinny bodies, clad in bikinis, performing superhuman feats of balance and flexibility on some beautiful exotic beach or mountaintop.

Good luck to them – that’s their practice. I can tell you now that there are just as many regular sized mums with wobbly bits, in holey tracky-daks doing their yoga on a sticky floor in suburbia.

Yoga quite literally means to join, unite or attach.

Yoga is so much more than a physical practice. In fact the asanas (or poses) are just one aspect of yoga. Wait until you find out about all the awesome breathing practices and relaxation techniques like yoga nidra!

You don’t need special clothes (just something comfy and stretchy) or equipment (although a yoga mat is nice to have). You don’t even need to go to a class. Get hold of a book or a dvd and go for it. Your local library is a good place to start.

If you want to go to a class, choose a yoga teacher that is more spiritual based rather than exercise based. They should be encouraging you to go at your own pace, stop if something is hurting or doesn’t feel right and allowing you to find your own way. Some teachers also offer one on one teaching.

In fact, many of the yoga teachers I have had do not have perfect bodies or perfect flexibility. How refreshing! You will find people of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels at yoga classes. I have done yoga with a very flexible octogenarian!

Yoga can be done by anyone!

Yoga can be comfortably done with bolsters, cushions and blankets supporting you and poses can always be modified to suit the level you are at. I have a bulging disc so I am careful to never do forward bends. If you have an injury, get some advice from a qualified yoga teacher or ask an exercise physiologist what you should avoid. Yoga can also be done from a chair or in bed. You don’t have to get down on the floor if you can’t manage it.

It’s not about tying yourself up in a shape that resembles a pretzel (although if you practice for a few years you might want to do that!) To start with, it’s about moving your body, stretching it out and making it feel good.

If you don’t resonate with the first yoga you try, then try something else. There are many different types of yoga, each with different focuses. If you are a bloke, don’t be intimidated by classes! My hubby loves his yoga and he doesn’t mind hanging out at classes with me. Yeah, guys can do yoga too!

What I think I love most about yoga is that it fosters self awareness, mindfulness and appreciation of our bodies. The benefits of yoga are just too good to dismiss it because you think you are ‘too something’ or ‘not enough something else’!

It might be just what you are looking for!

Need some inspiration?

Check out the hashtag #curvygirlyoga or #curvyyoga on Instagram.

Curvy Yoga

Body Positive Yoga Australia

Yogasteya

Charlie Merton, Yoga Teacher

Resources

Rejuvenation Lounge

Yogi Tree Wellbeing

I will be talking more about yoga in the coming weeks. Those of you in our chat group asked me to put together five basic poses for the beginner to practice. Keep an eye out for that one.

I would love to hear your experiences with yoga! Let us know in the comments!

What’s all the fuss about PHENOXYETHANOL ?

June 19, 2015 · 10 Comments

What’s all the fuss about Phenoxyethanol ?

What is Phenyoxyethanol?

Pheynoxyethanol is a synthetically produced glycol ether preservative used in cosmetic products to prolong their life. It’s pretty commonly found in natural products, particularly the cheaper priced ones.

Is it bad for us?

Well, this is where it gets confusing!

The EWG Skin Deep Database puts its hazard rating as low-medium with a number 4. There is no cancer or development/reproductive toxicity concerns. There seems to be a small concern about allergies.

There was one study which suggests it’s not so great for products used around your lips (so ingestion is no good).

The Chemical Maze Handbook says 🙁

“Suspected reproductive and developmental toxicity; effects from exposure may cause headache, tremors, eye irritation and central nervous system depression; mild irritation on sensitive skin; absorbed by the skin, toxic to the kidneys, the nervous system and the liver; safe as used up to 5%”

The International Journal of Toxicity says in their report on the safety of phenoxyethanol “It is concluded that Phenoxyethanol is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the present practices of use and concentration.”

The Material Safety Data Sheet on phenoxyethanol says;

It’s hazardous in case of eye contact, skin contact, ingestion and inhalation. “The substance is toxic to kidneys, the nervous system, liver. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated or prolonged inhalation of vapors may lead to chronic respiratory irritation”

Keep in mind that the MSDS is for phenoxyethanol in its pure 100% form. In cosmetic products, the amount of phenoxyethanol might have 0.5% or 1% of the substance.

What’s the issue?

Initially it seemed this preservative was a great substitute for parabens and embraced by the natural cosmetic companies. Since new information and research has come to light, some cosmetic companies are reformulating their products to remove it and replace with something safer.

Perspective

While phenoxyethanol may sound pretty bad, I think you have to look at it in context. 0.5 – 1% is a pretty small amount of it in your product. Cosmetics need preservatives to avoid bacteria growing in them and the addition of phenoxyethanol helps to keep natural products reasonably priced. As the Chemical Maze pointed out, it has been declared safe in amounts under 5%.

We quite probably encounter more toxic chemicals in our environment, in the air we breath and in a hundred places you would not think.

For those that are sensitive to products, have allergies or any sort of intolerance to products, it might be an issue for you and it’s probably best to steer clear.

For those that are on a budget and can’t afford the expensive natural products, you may want to settle for a bit of phenoxyethanol in your products. Perhaps limiting those products with phenoxyethanol to ones that are washed off rather than left on your skin is a compromise.

It’s pretty much a personal choice.

I know I can get a little paranoid about all the nasties, so sometimes its good to just take a step back and put it all into perspective.

How to avoid phenoxyethanol

Look for products that are certified organic. They should not contain phenoxyethanol.

Read labels. Phenoxyethanol can also be listed under fragrance, Phenoxytol, Phenoxethol, Rose ether, Phenyle cellosolve, and Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether.

Some brands that don’t contain phenoxyethanol:

Happy Skincare

Mukti Organic Skincare

Twenty 8 Skincare

La Mav Skincare

Brands that do contain phenoxyethanol are usually at the cheaper end of the natural skincare ranges like Sukin and Australia Pure Beauty by Nature’s Organics.

You might also like to read:

The Best Natural Skincare Brands

The Best Natural Makeup Brands

What are parabens and should we avoid them?

Does phenoxyethanol bother you? Do you look for it on labels?