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

Reclaim
Accepting your
your worth
shadow self
The self-love lesson
Fast or foe?
Intermittent
fasting Let go of
“should”

Your travel
Issue 193 AUS $12.00*
guide to
NZ $12.00 (Both incl GST)
Australia’s
flower fields

The nurture edition

Yoga for uncertainty | The new science of meditation
Workout
your way
 2021

Leader of the natural medicine industry 1800 456 855 | atms.com.au

 Ephemerality
n 1 the condition of being transitory,
existing only briefly

Absorbed in the minutiae of life as we are, it’s

hard to consider the vast expanse of history that
went before us and the future that stretches out
ahead. We are but a tiny moment in time, existing
only briefly. And in that moment are smaller
moments: the seasons of our life, the ebbs and
flows, the peaks and troughs. It’s a daunting
thought, but there is something comforting about
the ephemerality of life. Everything is a phase, to
be enjoyed to the full or weathered until brighter
times. And each dance in time can never be
replicated just as it was; each feeling, season,
chapter holds a unique timestamp. So remember
to look up, take it in. And if you’re struggling
Illustration Getty Images

through the fog, repeat after us: this too shall pass.

8 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 9
 From the editor-in-chief
W
hat are the internal rules that run your life?
Storytellers know that any story, and your life is a story, runs to internal rules.
To give just one example, consider the “Rule of Two” that exists in the Star Wars
universe. I’m no Star Wars nut but I do like the films and apparently, the “Rule of
Two” is a philosophy established by the evil Sith (Darth Vader was one) after their internal conflict
led to them being defeated by the Jedi. After that, the Sith rule was that only two Sith Lords could
exist at any given time, a master and an apprentice, to avoid in-fighting. Internal rules are about
learning from experience and avoiding unpleasant experience or recreating pleasant experience.
I came to ruminate on internal rules recently when a friend observed, “Oh, I never eat bread
if I know that I’m going out the next day.” I must have raised a querying eyebrow because he
hastily reassured me that this was not a new religious observance. Instead, he informed, it
dated back to an instance some years earlier when he had an embarrassingly explosive social
experience with an overactive bowel that he attributed to an excessive amount of bread in the
form of croissants, toast and buns consumed earlier in the day.
He has had no formal diagnosis of gluten intolerance or other issues with wheat, but he is
quite sure in his own mind that it was bread that caused his problems that day. Hence, while he
still eats bread in varying forms, he avoids it when he has social events in the offing. That is his
own internal rule and it makes sense in his universe.
Thinking about my own internal rules I came to the sad realisation that one of my internal
rules is to not trust offers that are apparently overly generous. It goes back to some naïve
mistakes I made early in my career that culminated in an instance where I was fooled by
a fraudster who offered me own television show. I added up my experiences and became
extremely cautious of unexplained goodwill (a terrible way to live).
I have my own “rule of two” (or actually “rules of two”) and you have yours. The fact that
they are different doesn’t mean either us is “wrong” it just reflects that we have had different
life experiences and the life rules we have drawn up reflect that difference. These rules
once formed settle into the sediment of your thought pool and become part of the shape of
your unconscious. It is important to accept that albeit you hold these rules deeply, they are
arbitrary, and they are not truth.
It also strikes me that if you make an internal rule in response to a bad experience, aren’t
you just attaching yourself to that bad experience in perpetuity? It is far better to acknowledge
your experience and then make rules about how you want to be in the future, rather than
creating ones that protect you against what you don’t want.
There’s nothing wrong with internal rules, we all have them, but it is important for your own
wellbeing that you acknowledge those rules and the events that led to their formation. Without
that clear knowledge your rules themselves can become your anchor and your prison.

Terry Robson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Join the WellBeing community

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10 | wellbeing.com.au
 Contents
Community
14 Your Say
WellBeing readers tell us what’s on
their minds.
138 Counter Culture
Discover the books, podcasts and
board games that we’re loving at
WellBeing HQ.
153 Real-Life Experience
Reader Ashley Rodriguez shares her
journey from never wanting children
to having two kids she adores.
160 What’s On
What’s coming up for you, plus
what’s inspiring us.
Beauty, Food & Health
16 The Pulse
Read about how mushrooms can
lower the risk of cancer and more.
22 Supplement
Discover resveratrol, a plant-based
substance that has similar benefits
to exercise.
24 Healing Food
Explore the medicinal uses of
apple-cider vinegar.
50 Ancient Grains
Discover some of our favourite
ancient grains like farro, spelt,
millet, bulgar and teff and how to
prepare and cook them.
55 WellBeing TV
Meet Damian Kristof, a naturopath,
chiropractor and nutritionist as
OUR SECTIONS: Community
12 | wellbeing.com.au
44
he shares his top tips for living a Body, Mind & Spirit
wholesome life. 18
70 Face Masking Up to the Future
Face masks have become an essential 28
addition to our everyday lives. Find out
how this new normal will evolve the
once-humble face mask. 30
76 Herbs for your Beauty Routine
Find out how herbs can become a
valued part of your beauty routine.
82 Intermittent Fasting 32
Look past the hype and find out
the real advantages of time-
restricted eating.
88 Special Report: Conquering Candida 36
We sort the fungus from the facts in
this wide-ranging report that answers
common questions about candida. 40
140 Cookbook Recipes: Simply Food
Eleanor Ozich’s new cookbook Simply 44
Food offers 80 delicious wholefood
recipes for everyday living.
Beauty Food
66
132
Lifelines
Read about Zoom fatigue and more.
Drawing Back to Wellness
Understand how art therapy can
heal emotional issues.
Paradigm Shifters
Spend 10 minutes with Tayla Harris,
AFL Women’s footballer, professional
boxer, speaker and activist.
Don’t Should Yourself in the Foot
Discover how swapping out
“should” for “want” changes your
life for the better.
Being Bad
Read about why you should unleash
your inner rebel more often.
Love Me Do
Learn to love yourself to live a good life.
Meditating Minds
Meditation is often touted as a
recipe for a good life. We explore the
Health Body
 58 140

scientific analysis that suggests it has
a real positive effect on body and mind.
58 Yoga for Uncertainty
Learn to relax in the midst of chaos and
stay steady in moments of uncertainty.
66 Doer & Thinker:
Genevieve Clay-Smith
Meet the director advocating for
inclusivity through her award-
winning films.
99 WellBeing Brain Boosters
Enjoy some brain-teasers designed to
keep your mind firing.
102 Personal Training
Try these plyometric basics to warm
the body fast and maintain mobility
during the cold months.
76
128 Social Media Shade
Does it seem like your phone can
read your mind? Find out what you
can do to stay safe on your favourite
sites and apps.
Home, Parenting & Relationships
104 Spoilt Kids
Has overindulgence become the new
normal? Learn how to implement
boundaries for your kids.
108 Make the Most of Less
Create a sense of spaciousness with
these tips for a calm, clutter-free and
functional home.
Planet & Travel
20 Green Beat
Read about coral reefs and more.
124 A Future Without Gas?
As the Australian government expands
the country’s gas production, find out
the real impacts of this “transition” fuel.
132 Floral Fantasies
Travel from farmers’ fields to the
outback and discover the best
floral sensations.
Every Issue
115 WellBeing Marketplace
Our natural health educators and
advertisers share how to boost
your immunity.
144 Road Test
Create an at-home spa ritual to
nourish the soul and skin.
145 Holistic Journey
Meet Lexie McPhee as she makes
her career dream a reality at
Endeavour College.
146 Natural Beauty
Ema Taylor shares the essential fatty
acids to enjoy and avoid.
147 Quick Kitchen
Lee Holmes gets creative with leftovers.
148 Digging In
Jackie French has tips on how to
share a backyard farm.
149 Pet Care
Karen Goldrick discovers CBD for pets.
150 Ageing Well
Michael Elstein on terminating ageing.
151 Clinical Casebook
Karen Bridgman investigates
common skin cancers.
152 Stargazing
Christine Broadbent reveals the
planetary influences for July and
August, 2021.
154 Health Source
Nourishing natural health products
and services from our advertisers.
156 Beauty Source
Healing products that care for your
skin, hair and body naturally.
157 Food Source
Healthy and delicious food products
from our advertisers.
158 Education Focus
News from our natural health
educators; this issue: Nature
Care College.

Mind Spirit Home Parenting Relationships Planet Travel

wellbeing.com.au | 13
 community
YOUR SAY

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

Reclaim
Accepting your
your worth
shadow self
The self-love lesson
Fast or foe?
Intermittent
fasting Let go of
“should”

Your travel
Issue 193 AUS $12.00*
guide to
NZ $12.00 (Both incl GST)
Australia’s
flower fields

The nurture edition

Yoga for uncertainty | The new science of meditation
Workout
your way

Did something
resonate with
you in this issue
From the editor
of WellBeing?
Again, I wake at midnight for a snack. The baby and with it, my baby arrived. In no time at all,
Tell us! Write to that’s growing inside of me is hungry and, for instead of waking up at midnight to feed myself
WellBeing, Locked now, predictable. I stumble to the kitchen with my cereal I’ll be waking up to feed my baby.
eyes half-open. Blinded by the aggressively bright For now, it’s time to put my editing hat
Bag 154, North Ryde, fridge light, I grab the milk and pour some cereal aside. I’m leaving you in the very capable
NSW 1670, email into a bowl. Narrowly avoiding a milk-to-cereal hands of our talented deputy editor Charlie,
wbletters@umco. spill in the dark, I wander back to bed and start who you’ve heard many times within these
munching. Cereal is not a silent food. My husband pages. You’ll also get to know more of Georgia,
com.au, comment Henry stirs, lovingly squeezes my arm and rolls a wonderful writer, who has recently joined our
on our Facebook or over. He knows the drill; it’s been happening for small team. And, as always, our true north and
eight months. Crunch, crunch, crunch. As I slurp the spine of WellBeing, Terry, won’t be leaving
Instagram page: my cereal, I see the full moon outside. It’s a pink your side. I, on the other hand, will be soaking
@WellBeing_Magazine. supermoon and I admire the soft light dancing up the newborn phase, enjoying a change of
We reserve the right to on the blinds. I realise that I’ve carried this little pace and taking the rest of the year off to be
one in my womb for eight full moons. I wonder, a mum. I’ll see you back here in 2022, most
edit all letters. if under the light of the next full moon, I will be likely more tired and frazzled but (hopefully)
meeting my baby. The thought makes me smile. enjoying the wild ride.
By the time you read this editor’s letter, lovely
reader, the full moon in May will have bloomed Kate Holland EDITOR

FROM OUR FRIENDS | Shoalhaven Shoalhaven | FROM OUR FRIENDS

Adventure therapy
Hi WellBeing! I just finished reading
issue #191 and was so moved and
Adventure inspired by ‘Adventure therapy’
therapy by writer Lauren Clarke. I am now
Endorphins with a side serving of emotional connection could
be just what the doctor ordered for your next vacation — and
Shoalhaven is the perfect place for it.
Words & photography LAUREN CLARKE
planning to visit Shoalhaven and do
some forest bathing and exploring
A
wellness-themed vacation can and truly connect to the world around you for
be all about days by the pool, an all-over dose of wellbeing your body, mind
sunrise yoga and hours whiled
away in an eco-resort. Those
sorts of holidays are undoubtedly good for
the soul — but just as healing is a dose of
and soul will thank you for.

adventure, and the Shoalhaven region is
the perfect place to experience these two
elements in tandem. Stay in one of the
many local hotels, resorts or guest houses
and enjoy some of the adventures this
locale has to offer at the same time.
An adventure vacation is good for your
wellbeing in many ways. It offers the feel-
good rush of endorphins that only adrenalin
can bring. It also prioritises movement and,
with many of us living sedentary lifestyles
where we’re stuck behind a desk, a vacation
that involves some degree of physicality is
good for our bodies.
The benefits continue; many studies
have proven that being outdoors promotes
better immunity, again suggesting that
an adventure vacation may indeed be just
what the doctor ordered. And if that’s not
reason enough to look into an adventure
vacation, surely the old recipe for a good
night’s sleep — a large serving of fresh air
and exercise — will do it.
Yet the physical benefits don’t hold all the
appeal. This kind of experience can also add
to your emotional wellness. The Shoalhaven
region boasts many forms of guided tours,
which allow you to exercise not only your
body but your mind too. Enrich your soul
with new cultural experiences and form an
emotional connection to the locations you
It’s time to reconnect visit. Focus on your breathwork and your
with nature. body as you explore these new surroundings
Natural wonders
The City of Shoalhaven is a short two-
the region. Thank you!
and-a-half-hour drive south of Sydney
(approximately 200 kilometres). It’s also
accessible by train, with the South Coast
railway line terminating just shy of Nowra
at Bomaderry.
Miraa
Whichever way you get there, once
you arrive you’ll feel at peace. The region
stretches along the coast from Berry and
Kangaroo Valley right through to the Clyde
River, encompassing a rich variety of natural
wonders. Gorgeous native trees tower over
roads that lead toward Shoalhaven’s series
of coastal towns and beaches. Nature is at
her finest here — and with 70 per cent of the
area made up of national parks and forests,
and 100 beaches for the traveller to enjoy,
she’s certainly on display.
This is a region that is no stranger
to hardship. The 2019–20 summer saw
bushfires ravage this corner of the world,
followed by a quieter tourist season than
the area was used to, thanks to the travel
restrictions imposed as a result of the
pandemic.
Yet new growth has sprouted from the
ashes. The Shoalhaven tourism operators
have more unique experiences for visitors to
enjoy. Outside, majestic old trees tower over
a thicket of fresh young greenery, resulting
in the sort of natural beauty that is uniquely
Australian and much like the people
of Shoalhaven themselves — resilient,
resourceful and ready for the future.

124 | wellbeing.com.au wellbeing.com.au | 125

14 | wellbeing.com.au

beauty
SMART SKIN SOLUTIONS
Better skin each
birthday
With a plethora of anti-ageing beauty products available, it’s hard to know what’s the
most helpful and the least harmful. The good news is that by taking consistent care of
your skin with healthy habits, nourishing foods and a few smart tricks, you can create
a smooth, firm and fresh skin complexion.
A
s we age, are we destined
to dodge harsh lighting and
mirrors like vampires? Or are
there ways to accept ageing
so that we shine in the spotlight? If you’re
skin-smart you can look attractive at all
ages, sans filters and foundation. Sample
these beauty bites for forever fresh skin.
Boundless beauty
In the black comedy Death Becomes Her
Isabella Rossellini plays a stylish witch
touting an immortality elixir. She moans,
“This is life’s ultimate cruelty. It offers
us a taste of youth and vitality and then
it makes us witness our own decay.” In
reality Rossellini is ripening not rotting with
age. Having signed a Lancôme contract at
65 she’s luminous and loving life on her
organic farm, producing pet projects such
as hilarious Green Porno. Her secret? “With
wrinkles, you have to assume them. And I
have a lack of self-hatred. It seems to be
working!” Allure no longer has an age limit
thanks to mature icons such as Christie
Brinkley, Joanna Lumley and Helen Mirren.
Recently featured in HuffPost, cancer
survivor Barbara Rabin looks sensational
at 67. She says, “Sexy is self-confidence.
It’s being comfortable in your own skin. It’s
looking in the mirror and liking what I see.”
None of these women resorted to drastic
measures to preserve their appearance.
They haven’t lost their unique look to the
bizarre Barbie ideal care of Botox and
fillers. Through effective self-care including
skincare, diet, exercise and pleasure they’re
getting better each birthday.
Skin sins
Are you creasing your face with excess
expression, resting your fingers on your
face or sleeping on your side? With
awareness and a silk pillowcase you can
cultivate a smoother visage.
32 | wellbeing.com.au
STAR LETTER!
I S C R E AT I N G Y O U R B E S T L I F E
improve
your
How to
say sorry
MEET
Layne
Beachley
Issue 191 AUS $12.00*
NZ $12.00 (Both incl GST)
Relationship ghosting | Explore the Hawkesbury & Shoalhaven
Words CAROLINE ROBERTSON
If you want to accelerate ageing,
then smoking is the answer. It not only
increases lip lines but promotes premature
wrinkling everywhere via free radical
damage, collagen breakdown and a sallow
hue from poor oxygenation. Nicotine
teeth add to the aged effect. Dehydrating
drinks such as caffeine and carbonated
beverages leave our skin thirsty. Cleansers
stripping skin of sebum leave it dehydrated
and defenceless. Prefer pH-balanced
cleansers such as natural oils or micellar
formulations free from drying alcohol.
Always remove make-up, preferably with
an ionic brush such as the Clarisonic which
has oscillation technology clinically proven
Life creates lines from
laughter, tears, triumphs
and trials; they’re the map
of our journey.
to cleanse skin six times better than hands
alone. Not removing make-up blocks
pores, promotes pimples and breeds
blackheads. Sun damage is the most
detrimental disturbance to skin. Always
wear a sun-blocking broad-brimmed hat,
chemical-free sun protection such as clear
zinc oxide and 100 per cent UV protective
glasses to reduce squint lines and
pigmentation. At 72 Stevie Nicks attributes
her ageless skin to avoiding sun exposure.
Step away from the sweets if you want to
look sweet: eating excess sugar destroys
skin through a process called glycation.
Antioxidants can ameliorate this effect
including alpha lipoic acid, astaxanthin and
resveratrol. Snuggle up for beauty sleep
for a fresh visage. “Sleep-deprived women
show signs of premature skin ageing and
a decrease in their skin’s ability to recover
after sun exposure,” according to Dr
Baron, director of the Skin Study Center at
Natural skincare
Thank you for an outstanding article on skin care by Caroline
Robertson in WellBeing #190. I have invested in drawers full of
cosmetics and beauty products over the years. Most of them
have caused me adverse reactions, irritations and insomnia.
I will try your suggestions of natural substances for age spots
and broken capillaries. I believe DIY is the way to go.
Heidru
community
YOUR SAY
The winner of the
WIN! STAR LETTER! It's in the doing
The winner of our Star Letter will win
Being present is something we’re
a gut and beauty pack from Maeraki Australia.
Valued at $135, the pack includes Maeraki’s
all constantly working on whether
Harmony and Radiance superfood powders that be through meditation, breath
designed to transform your skin and gut health. work or daily rituals. Anyone who
To find out more, visit maeraki.com.au. practises mindfulness knows it’s
a journey, not a destination. So we’re
wondering, do you have a story
about your mindfulness journey?
My mindfulness journey really began
when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Daily rituals like acknowledging gratitude,
journaling and authentically feeling
what I needed to get through each day
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
in Cleveland. Other enemies of super skin
include air-conditioning, alcohol, allergies,
of treatment were pivotal practices that
chemicals, heat, stress, pollution, wind and
hormonal imbalances.
Longevity lunch
helped me to acknowledge moments of fear,
In the classic Stardust, Michelle Pfeiffer’s
character Lamia, Queen of the Witches,
is determined to eat stardust to achieve
eternal youth and beauty. Unfortunately,
but also stopped me from going into full
there’s no such supplement of immortality
but collagen comes close. For centuries,
collagen has been Asia’s anti-ageing elixir
for dryness, lines and sagging. Collagen
also contributes to stronger nails, longer
hair, a super skeleton and dynamite
digestion. The hydrolysed marine collagen
is primarily type I and type III collagen,
catastrophising mode … Mindfulness should
which has been shown to have superior
bioavailability compared to other animal
sources. Don’t heat collagen above 300°C
as it undergoes irreversible degradation.
be taught in schools — it’s a key life skill.
Skin superfoods can reduce
inflammation, increase plumping collagen,
hydrate for dewiness, cleanse blood for
clarity and activate epidermal repair.
@ronileonardo
Foods high in antioxidants vitamins A,
C and E and zinc promote rapid skin
regeneration. These include açaí, almonds,
citrus fruits, gooseberries, maca, orange
vegetables, papaya, pomegranate, seeds
and turmeric. For radiantly healthy skin, try
blood-purifying aloe vera juice, chlorella,
chlorophyll, spirulina, wheatgrass and
I used to always live for the future. My
organic green vegetables. Select the most
suitable internally lubricating oil to glow
mind was in a constant state of anxiety
Photography Getty Images
from every pore. The following are a rich
source of skin-saving fatty acids: algae
oil, black seed oil, coconut oil, evening
primrose oil, fish oil, flaxseed oil, ghee,
hemp seed oil, olive oil and pumpkin
seed oil. The classic supermodel secret
over possible negative future happenings,
to stunning skin is plenty of pure water.
Room-temperature or warm water
or constantly creating lists and said: “Once
wellbeing.com.au | 33
I get this sorted, I will finally be able to
relax.” The practice of meditation and
mindfulness changed my mind and
changed me. I started to live, fully, at last.
Best thing that ever happened to me!
@karenwilson__
For me, mindfulness and meditation
are about simplicity. I find mindfulness in
walking, in washing up, in meditating in
queues and in the simple act of breathing.
My mindfulness rituals are simply being
aware of the small moments of life, the
Blessings ones we normally rush through and gloss
Wow Kate, I just loved reading about over. My journey has taught me to be
your surprise new year wedding in present and conscious in my daily life and
your editor’s letter for WellBeing #191. given me the power to find my balance
What a way to bring in the new year. again each and every time I lose it. And
Let go God bless you so much! How adorable that’s why a mindfulness journey never
of guilt ends, because there’s always something
it was to think of doing this, I too had
tears in my eyes. As I was reading your testing your balance.
letter I imagined myself right there as @namaste.naomi
Yoga for the
imagination an uninvited guest. I loved how your
dad met you at the bottom of the stairs After 32 years in the police force I was in
and walked you down the makeshift an extremely dark place that I thought I’d
aisle in your backyard with your mum never get out of. I eventually found myself
10 right by his side. Perhaps COVID-19 outside a yoga studio (something I had
feel-good
foods was a blessing in disguise for lots of never contemplated) and started my healing
people. It’s brought a lot of heartache, journey. Since then, I continue to do courses
SPECIAL
R E P O R T but also some heart-warming stories to delve down the rabbit hole of all things
Natural — to enjoy the simple and wonderful yoga and mindfulness. I’m now teaching
energy
boosters things life really has to offer. If anyone yoga to frontline officers and feel fulfilled in
has not read Kate’s letter then please, giving back and hoping I can just make
please, do yourself a favour and read a difference with one person and their
it! Just beautiful. Thank you so much mental health journey.
for sharing. @denbylea
Anna
wellbeing.com.au | 15
 the pulse
COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON

Recent medical findings for a healthier body

Mushrooms
lower cancer risk
For a new study, researchers conducted
a systematic review and meta-analysis
of 17 cancer studies published between
1966 and 2020 that encompassed 19,500
subjects. Their analysis of the studies was
aimed at exploring the relationship between
mushroom consumption and cancer
risk. Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants
and nutrients, and the results do show
that these wonder foods protect against
cancer. Shiitake, oyster, maitake and king
Green veg and your microbiome oyster mushrooms have higher levels
of the unique and powerful antioxidant
Sulphoquinovose is a sulphonic acid that is a derivative of glucose and found primarily ergothioneine than white button, cremini
in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. In new studies researchers and portobello mushrooms. Despite this,
have shown that sulphoquinovose stimulates the growth of key organisms in the people who incorporated any mushrooms
gut microbiome of humans. Specifically, these organisms include the bacterium into their daily diet had a lower risk of
Eubacterium rectale, one of the 10 most common bacteria in the microbiome of healthy cancer. Specifically, people who ate 18
people. The E. rectale bacteria ferment sulphoquinovose to produce a compound grams of mushrooms daily had a 45 per
called dihydroxypropane sulphonate, which in turn acts as an energy source for other cent lower risk of cancer compared to
bacteria. Additionally, sulphoquinovose was found to increase levels of hydrogen those who did not eat mushrooms. The
peroxide in the gut. Too much hydrogen peroxide is a bad thing, but at the low levels strongest association was with a lowered
encouraged by eating these foods it is believed to have an anti-inflammatory effect on risk of breast cancer. The mechanisms
the intestinal lining. So you have yet another reason to eat your leafy greens. are not clear, but the protective effect of
Source: The ISME Journal mushrooms against cancer is undeniable.
Source: Advances in Nutrition

Cocoa and fat

HIIT for fit In a new study, researchers gave obese
Recent research has sought to establish whether HIIT training will improve health. mice a diet supplemented with 80mg of
HIIT (high-intensity interval training) involves periods as short as four minutes of cocoa powder per gram of food for eight
high-intensity exercise interspersed with recovery periods. The new study involved weeks. Compared to controls, the mice
collecting and reviewing 10 years’ worth of research into HIIT, where the daily given cocoa gained weight at a 21 per cent
sessions involved at least 15 minutes of high-intensity exercise. Combined with slower rate, and had less inflammation
a previous meta-analysis, the results showed that HIIT improved blood sugar levels, and less oxidative stress. Cocoa contains
reduced fat in the liver, improved cardiorespiratory fitness, improved heart function antioxidant compounds but also blocks
and enhanced arterial health. These results were comparable to 45 minutes a day of enzymes that are responsible for digesting
moderate intensity aerobic exercise. The research suggests that HIIT is a safe way to dietary fat and carbohydrate. This effect
exercise — but it is intense, so check with your healthcare professional to make sure it was achieved with cocoa, not chocolate.
is right for you — but for anyone with time constraints HIIT is well worth considering. Additionally, the amount of cocoa given
Sources: The Journal of Physiology to the mice is equivalent to about 10
tablespoons of cocoa powder a day for
a human. The researchers do not advocate
giving cocoa to obese people, but do
Illustrations Getty Images

The COVID flush suggest that substituting cocoa (not

COVID-19 has been detected in stool and urine samples. Given
this, public toilets may be a cause for concern, so researchers
Medifact measured droplets generated by flushing a toilet. They found
a substantial increase in aerosols in the air, with each flush
generating up to tens of thousands of droplets. Since they are so
small, these droplets can remain suspended for a long time.
Source: Physics of Fluids
chocolate) for other snack foods in the
context of a healthy diet and increased
physical activity might have positive
outcomes. A daily cacao (better than
cocoa), banana, almond milk and cinnamon
smoothie with a twist of honey couldn’t hurt.
Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry

16 | wellbeing.com.au
 lifelines
COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON

Interesting slices of life

Zoom fatigue dissected

With the proliferation of Zoom and
other platform videoconferencing due
to workplace changes, the fatigue that
follows a videoconference has become
an established phenomenon. People
report that these virtual meetings are
“taxing on mind and spirit” and “leave me
feeling extra tired”. To examine the effect
of videoconferencing, researchers had
subjects complete hourly surveys every day
for five consecutive working days. More
than 1700 surveys were completed, with
Wisdom, loneliness and your gut subjects taking part in an average of five to
six videoconferences per week. The results
As we research “wisdom” we are finding it is related to specific brain areas, and also showed that watching oneself on a webcam
that the wiser you are, the happier you are and also less prone to negative states or turning the webcam off had no effect on
such as feeling lonely. We also know there is a “gut–brain axis” that links intestinal fatigue levels. Neither did meeting length
health and your emotional state. In new research on people aged 28 to 97, the gut impact fatigue. However, people who felt
microbiome was analysed and then compared to measures of mental state. The a true sense of belonging or connection
results showed that greater diversity in the gut microbiome was associated with to the group experienced significantly less
higher levels of wisdom, compassion, social support and social engagement. A diverse fatigue. Additionally, the sweet spot for
microbiome was also linked to lower levels of loneliness. It is possible that loneliness timing seemed to be early afternoon, as
may lead to changes in the gut microbiome or that altered gut bacteria may dispose conferences scheduled then produced less
a person to being lonely. Either way, it is wise to get your microbiome in good shape. fatigue than at other times of day.
Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry Source: Journal of Applied Psychology

Brains that agree

Women who dare go grey In a new study, researchers asked subjects
Society’s norms impinge on all of us, but research suggests they fall more heavily whether they agreed with a series of
on women, especially older women. According to researchers at the University of statements like “Same-sex marriage
Exeter, the “older women” in the Western world are often regarded as unpleasant is a civil right” or “Marijuana should be
or incompetent. In the face of impossible standards to remain youthful forever, legalised”. They then divided the subjects
a new survey suggests some women are finding value in standing against the into pairs based on their responses and
social norms. The survey looked at women who had chosen to go naturally grey created some pairs of like minds and other
and let their real hair colour show through, a phenomenon which has increased pairs with opposing opinions. They then
with lack of access to hairdressers during COVID lockdowns. The researchers initiated discussions among the pairs and
say this has accelerated a shift toward non-colouring of hair that was already used infrared spectroscopy to measure
occurring. The survey found that while women did experience some negative brain activity during those discussions.
prejudice as they allowed their grey hair to show, they also enjoyed feeling more When people were in agreement brain
authentic. Let’s hope archaic social attitudes might soon catch up. activity showed a synchronicity and was
Source: Journal of Women & Aging centred in the sensory areas of the brain,
presumably responding to visual cues from
their partner. When partners disagreed,
Illustrations Getty Images

the activity was quite different between the

The truth about doublespeak partners and centred in the frontal lobes,

Did you We know politicians employ doublespeak, using euphemisms

to describe disagreeable truths, like describing “torture” as
brain areas involved in higher cognitive
functions. It’s an insight into those social

know? “enhanced interrogation”. We see through it though … don’t we?

Actually, according to research, people’s opinions are swayed
by doublespeak. No wonder the politicians keep using it.
Source: Cognition
media bubbles, in that simply hanging with
people you agree with does not tap into the
higher parts of your brain.
Source: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

18 | wellbeing.com.au
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All the latest in environmental issues

Contagious solar panels

In a new study, researchers wanted to
see what factors might influence people
to install solar panels on their home roof.
The researchers expected that income or
educational background would be strong
influencing factors, but instead they found
that proximity to other houses with solar
panels was the strongest determinant of
whether a house had solar panels itself.
The more solar panels there are within
a short distance of your house, the more
likely you are to have them. The solar
contagion effect is strongest for a short
radius around a house with solar panels
and then decreases with distance. The
likelihood of you having solar panels
Sustaining chardonnay halves if you are 100 metres away from
a house with panels. More solar panels
Australia produces more than a billion litres of wine annually, and with that come
lead to more solar panels so that
thousands of tonnes of residue including skins, seeds, stems and pulp. This solid
“seeding” solar panels in areas where few
residue is called pomace or marc and is sometimes used to make spirits, but using
exist may be a way to flip a community to
as much as possible is essential to making wine production sustainable. Now
becoming solar-reliant.
in new analysis researchers from the University of California have found that
Source: Scientific Reports
chardonnay marc contains oligosaccharides, some of which are similar to those
contained in mother’s milk. Oligosaccharides feed strains of bacteria in the gut
that help build immunity and disease. The chardonnay marc was also found to
be a rich source of antioxidant flavonoids. Finding uses for the waste by-product
of winemaking goes a long way towards making the wine industry sustainable.
The signs are that waste from chardonnay, and other wine species, could provide
compounds that support health.
Source: LWT — Food Science and Technology Social
tyrannosaurs
If you believe what
you see in Jurassic
Coral reefs, Park, Tyrannosaurus
rex was a solitary predator, but new
coastlines and research suggests this popular notion

economies may be wrong. The new study comes

from a research site in Utah where
For a new study, US researchers
chemical analysis of the remains of four
developed computer models
or five tyrannosaurs found at the site
that can assess the effect of suggests they all died there together.
storms and waves on the The idea that tyrannosaurs might be
ecosystems and economies of social beings with complex hunting
coastal communities. They were strategies, like wolves, first came to
also able to forecast flood damage light 20 years ago based on the remains
with and without the presence of 12 individuals found in Alberta,
of coral reefs along shorelines. The Canada. This idea has been disputed by
results of their analysis showed that experts who believe the T. rex had brain
coral reefs offer more than US$1.8 billion power similar to modern crocodiles
Photography Getty Images

worth of flood protection annually to US coastal and was not capable of complex pack
communities. Just losing one metre of reef height would increase the number of flood- organisation. Then a second mass death
vulnerable properties by 90 per cent and increase damages by US$5.3 billion. Sea- site in Montana supported the notion of
level rise is a growing threat to communities and economies, but losing ecosystems social tyrannosaurs, and this latest Utah
such as coral reefs can have similar effects in much shorter time frames. Studies find adds further to that view. Maybe the
such as this highlight the importance of coral reefs to flood mitigation and give the T. rex was smarter, and even more scary,
evidence needed to invest in supporting hazard management and reef restoration. than we think.
Source: Nature Sustainability Source: PeerJ

20 | wellbeing.com.au
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 supplement
RESVERATROL
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a substance naturally found in plants that has
a variety of health benefits when taken as a supplement by humans.
Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN
R
esveratrol is a compound found
in many plants. This compound is
called a stilbene, which is one of
the polyphenols. Plants produce
these compounds for their own protection,
as they have significant antioxidant
properties and protect the plants themselves
from damage by bacteria, fungi and UV
radiation. The majority of supplements
today are manufactured from the root of
the plant Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese
knotweed). These properties of resveratrol
have multiple (and similar) health benefits in
both animals and humans.
Resveratrol is well absorbed in humans,
but its metabolic bioavailability is dependent
on a healthy liver and healthy small
intestine. Quercetin, catechins and curcumin
increase its activity and bioavailability. The
maximum plasma levels occur about an
hour and a half after ingestion, although
absorption is slowed by taking it with a meal,
rather than on an empty stomach.
Therapeutic uses
Anti-inflammatory
Resveratrol significantly reduces systemic
inflammation in humans by inhibiting the
pathways of nuclear factor-кB (NF-кB) and
tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). These
are major instigators of the COX-2, LOX and
IL-6 inflammatory pathways — chronic and
severe inflammatory pathways — which
are responsible for many of the chronic
diseases of today.
Antioxidant
Research shows that resveratrol exhibits
multiple antioxidant effects in humans
through various mechanisms. In a range
of animal studies this antioxidant effect
contributed to the increased lifespan of the
animals studied, and along with its ability to
activate a specific gene, “sirtuin 1”, this has
been shown to extend lifespan in humans as
well. The antioxidant effect also assists in the
repair of the cell nucleus helping to repair
DNA damage, the key feature of ageing.
Anti-ageing
Resveratrol has been studied in many life
forms for its ability to increase lifespan by
various mechanisms such as regulating
oxidative stress, improving energy
metabolism, reducing telomere shortening,
improving nutrient absorption and helping
to repair DNA damage and mutations,
thereby reducing cellular senescence while
inhibiting cancer growth. Resveratrol has
also been shown in humans to exert an anti-
22 | wellbeing.com.au
ageing effect through multiple mechanisms,
partly by assisting in the prevention of the
chronic (commonly inflammatory) illnesses
associated with ageing.
Cardiovascular system
Research has shown that resveratrol
demonstrates multiple activities in both the
prevention and treatment of cardiovascular
disease. It assists in improving oxidative
stress, reduces inflammation, improves
cholesterol metabolism and normalises
blood sugar and insulin metabolism, as
well as having the potential to improve
the symptoms of atherosclerosis
by suppressing smooth muscle cell
proliferation and reduce the risk of heart
failure. Resveratrol also improves systolic
blood pressure in hypertensive patients.
Metabolic syndrome and obesity
Resveratrol produces similar benefits
to exercise, including lowering insulin
levels. Studies on mice demonstrated
that resveratrol can improve glucose
metabolism and insulin sensitivity, thereby
reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome
and type-2 diabetes. Resveratrol also
inhibits adipocyte (fat cell) proliferation and
differentiation, inhibiting the development of
obesity and its related metabolic conditions.
Improves memory and cognition
Research has shown that resveratrol
increases blood flow to the brain and can
itself cross the blood–brain barrier. Research
is increasingly showing that not only is
resveratrol improving memory and cognition
and mood in young healthy people, but it is
also having benefits in older persons and
slows the progressive decline in symptoms
of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Cancer and immunity
The anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol,
particularly the inhibition of the COX-2 and
LOX pathways of inflammation, along with
its antioxidant activity, play a significant
role in protecting against various cancers.
Resveratrol also works as an adjuvant
to various forms of chemotherapy and
inhibits the development of metastases
by regulating apoptosis in the cell cycle,
although the mechanism of action seems
to vary with different cancer cell types.
Resveratrol is a substance naturally found in
plants that has a variety of health benefits when taken
as a supplement by humans.
There is positive research showing
improvement in a range of cancers
including lymphomas, hepatomas and
colon, lung, pancreatic, kidney, breast,
ovarian and prostate cancer.
Improves bone density
Research has shown that resveratrol,
under certain conditions, can act as
a phytoestrogen. A clinical trial was
conducted on post-menopausal women
where the women were prescribed a low
dose of 75mg of resveratrol twice daily for
12 months. At the end of the trial there were
positive effects on improving bone density
in both the lumbar spine and the neck and
femur, compared with a placebo. The effect
was greater in women who started the study
with low bone health biomarkers. The effect
was further enhanced when the women also
took vitamin D and calcium.
Fatty liver
Animal studies have shown that the
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions
of resveratrol improves markers of both
alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease through inhibition of TNF-α.
Food sources
Resveratrol is found mainly in red grape
skins, berries, cacao and peanuts. Taken
as a supplement, resveratrol appears to be
more effective if taken at the same time as
curcumin, green tea and quercetin.
Using resveratrol
A daily supplement of 200–400mg of
trans-resveratrol has been shown to be
beneficial in inflammatory diseases including
metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular
disease. Supplementing resveratrol with its
synergistic nutrients such as quercetin and
curcumin may improve outcomes.
Resveratrol is generally perceived as
safe and well tolerated. Occasionally people
experience headaches and gut disturbances
at very high doses, but no adverse events
have been noted long-term.
References available on request.
Dr Karen Bridgman is a holistic practitioner at
Lotus Health and Lotus Dental in Neutral Bay.
Illustration Getty Images
 healing food
APPLE-CIDER VINEGAR
Apple-cider vinegar
The use of vinegars generally, and apple-cider vinegar in particular, as a condiment
and food ingredient spans thousands of years across many cultures. Today we use it for
everything from blood sugar and weight control to cholesterol management.
A
pple-cider vinegar (ACV) is
made from fermented apple
juice. It is made by crushing
apples, pressing out the juice,
then adding yeasts and bacteria to start the
fermentation process, converting the sugar
into alcohol. Continued fermentation occurs
when the alcohol is converted into vinegar
by acetic acid-forming bacteria (Acetobacter
species). The acetic acid and malic acid give
the vinegar its sour taste. Vinegar can also
be made from apple peels (APCV).
While vinegar can be made from almost
any fermentable carbohydrate source (the
name comes from the French meaning
“sour wine” — vin aigre), traditional
apple-cider vinegar is made by a slower
process with a longer fermentation
than vinegar made from grapes, which
allows for an accumulation of a non-toxic
“slime” composed of yeasts and acetic
acid bacteria called the “mother” of the
vinegar. The quality of the final product
is determined by the quality of the raw
materials and by the microbial diversity
involved in the fermentation. Apple-cider
vinegars made from apples with a higher
sugar content have greater nutrient
density including increased antioxidant
properties, particularly the antioxidant SOD
(superoxide dismutase) activity.
Historically, in 400 BCE Hippocrates
was prescribing a mixture of honey and
apple-cider vinegar for the treatment of
a variety of diseases, and ACV was found
particularly useful during the American
Civil War for disinfecting the wounds of
soldiers when used topically.
Ingredients
Apart from the acetic and malic
acids, apple-cider vinegar contains
vitamins, mineral salts, amino acids
and polyphenolic compounds such as
catechins, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid,
gallic acid etc. Cider vinegars contain
about 5 to 6 per cent acidity.
While the polyphenolic compounds
in ACV have significant antioxidant
properties, APCV is particularly rich
in gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin,
chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and
p-coumaric acid. APCV is generally
believed to boost the physiological state
and function of vital organs in the body by
acting as a detoxifying and purifying agent.
24 | wellbeing.com.au
Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN
One study showed that
taking apple-cider vinegar in
salad dressing was sufficient
to improve the glycaemic
response to a mixed meal in
normal subjects.
Healing power
Blood sugar management
One study showed that taking apple-cider
vinegar in salad dressing was sufficient
to improve the glycaemic response to
a mixed meal in normal subjects. This was
determined to be related to the acidity of
the food. Further trials have supported
this improvement in glucose management
and insulin sensitivity after carbohydrate
meals of bread or potatoes where apple-
cider vinegar has been added as a dressing
on these foods. The research showed that
this was not a property of delayed gastric
emptying, but may instead be related to its
effect on reducing disaccharidase enzyme
activity. One study, however, on diabetic
patients did show that apple-cider vinegar
taken with a meal delayed gastric emptying.
Weight control and digestion
Adding apple-cider vinegar to a meal
increases short-term satiety, possibly due
to the delayed gastric emptying. Apple-
cider vinegar has been shown to reduce
gastrointestinal inflammation. Its acidic
nature indicates the possibility of improving
protein digestion when taken with a meal.
Cardiovascular
The SOD activity in good-quality
apple-cider vinegar is one of two main
antioxidant defence systems in the
prevention of cardiovascular disease and
is critical in preventing the pathogenesis
of hypertension and atherosclerosis.
It is crucial for the health of vascular
endothelial and mitochondrial function.
Cholesterol management
In rat studies, apple-cider vinegar has been
shown to significantly improve cholesterol
metabolism by lowering both the
triglyceride and very-low-density lipoprotein
(VLDL) components of cholesterol in rats
fed high cholesterol diets. Further studies
also showed a significant improvement
in cholesterol management in both
normal and diabetic rats where the HbA1c
significantly decreased in the diabetic group
and significant reduction of LDL (“bad”)
cholesterol and triglycerides accompanied
by an increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol
in the diabetic rats. This improvement in
lipid profiles indicates a potential for the
management of diabetic complications.
Antibacterial and antifungal
Apple-cider vinegar was tested at different
dilutions against a range of pathogenic
organisms and was found to be effective
against pathogenic E. coli, Staphylococcus
aureus and Candida albicans by down-
regulating cytokine inflammatory pathways.
Liver health
An interesting study on rats showed that
apple-cider vinegar reduced mercury
damage in the livers of rats tested, due to
its powerful antioxidant properties.
Topically for varicose veins
In a human study, when patients with
varicose veins applied apple-cider vinegar
on the areas of varicosity, it was found to
increase the benefits of conservative medical
treatment and significantly decrease the
symptoms of the varicosities such as pain
and heavy feelings in the legs. It also lowered
anxiety levels due to improving cosmetic
effects, without causing any side effects.
Using apple-cider vinegar
Apple-cider vinegar has been used to
improve human health for millennia.
Today much more research could be done
on humans, while the positive rat studies
hold promise for the future of using this
Photography Getty Images
food to support human health.
If you are drinking apple-cider vinegar
daily, it is a good idea to rinse your mouth
afterwards, as the acidity of the vinegar
can erode tooth enamel over time.
References available on request.
Dr Karen Bridgman is a holistic practitioner at
Lotus Health and Lotus Dental in Neutral Bay.
 • S I N C E 18 76 •

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O
 Self-love
n 1 the act of prioritising one’s own wellbeing,
worth and happiness

Think about the term “self-love” for a moment and

picture what it means for you. Go beyond the beauty
face masks, bubble baths and momentary pleasures
and really take stock. What do you do for you? How
are you? It’s been a rollercoaster 18 months that
woke and broke many of us … self-love has become
integral for us to function. Radical self-love arms you
for the unpredictability of life and is a complex, ever-
evolving journey. It may be something as simple as
saying “No” to setting healthy boundaries or realising
you are not responsible for the happiness of others.
It may be nourishing your body with healthy home-
cooked meals, switching off your devices and heading
out into nature, putting your daily affirmations into
practice or crying, laughing and moving your body
unapologetically. Listening and responding to the
needs of your body and mind is the most radical form
of self-love. It isn’t always easy, especially in times of
heartache and gloom, but is always worth it.

26 | wellbeing.com.au
 Illustration Getty Images

wellbeing.com.au | 27
 mind
ART THERAPY
Drawing back
to wellness
Art therapy can heal emotional issues and help guide
you towards a gentle yet powerful healing. Here, we take
a look at the research that now supports it.
Words SONIA ZADRO
“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us
where no words exist.” ~ Eileen Miller
E
ver found yourself doodling away
at a meeting or during a difficult
phone conversation, only to notice
an hour has flown and your doodles
have kept you surprisingly sane? Have
you ever coloured in a beautiful picture or
spontaneously drawn something because it
feels good? It turns out drawing feels good
because in a multitude of ways it is good
for you. Drawing and art therapy have been
increasingly used over the past century to
heal emotional issues and help us generally
feel better, and the research now supports it.
Sometimes it might just feel wonderful to
express your joy creatively through drawing
and art. At other times, what we are feeling
inside is so confusing or painful we can’t
even define it with words, or we may not
want to define your feelings at all; instead we
want to retreat into a shell and avoid feeling
28 | wellbeing.com.au
altogether. In all these situations expressing
yourself with colour, shape and symbols
through drawing can be a gentle and
powerful release that is both revealing and
healing. Seeing your feelings on the page can
help make them clearer and change them.
Art therapy and its effect
on the brain
When you draw a picture to express or
explore your feelings, you actively engage
many areas of your brain including
cortical regions (symbolising, planning
and decision-making), the midbrain and
brainstem (sensory and kinaesthetic), the
amygdala and the limbic system if dealing
with traumatic memories; and if the
person is asked to talk about their drawing
it engages the left hemisphere of language,
connecting a meaning narrative to non-
verbal experiences which may be hard to
verbalise. It is believed that this whole-
brain integration can assist healing.
Part of this healing comes from
stimulating the body’s relaxation response.
In one study, salivary cortisol (the stress
hormone) was measured in a group of
69 family members who were caring for
their loved ones with cancer. Cortisol was
measured before and after a two-hour art-
making session. A significant reduction
in both anxiety and cortisol was found in
participants after the art therapy session.
Given that drawing appears to often induce
a somewhat meditative state whereby we can
become so focused on our drawing we are
no longer aware of our emotional or physical
pain, the reduction of the stress hormone
cortisol may partly explain why this is so.
Some studies also suggest that by using
our whole brain while drawing, art therapy
may help us to get smarter. In a study of
91 older adults in various forms of assisted
living, 10 weeks of art therapy significantly
increased cognitive performance.
How art therapy helps
For young children, people who find it
difficult to express their feelings, or those
with expressive problems, or when we are
confused or overwhelmed, art therapy is
a saviour. A good example of this is with
a 20-year-old client Jason who presented in
therapy as happy, witty and genuine. Yet in
his assessments for depression he scored in
the extremely severe range and expressed
that he often had thoughts of suicide. It was
a complete contradiction to his presentation.
Clearly, I hadn’t got past his mask. So I asked
him to draw a rough outline of his body and
to colour the deeper feelings he experienced
within the outline of his body. I took one
look at the intense colours and shapes and
all his hurt, rage and pain became clear to
me. The block he felt around his heart was
represented by a thick heavy red band drawn
over his chest. He hadn’t even realised
this band was there until he drew it and
realised it represented his rage at all the
disappointment he had experienced, and said
it felt as if it suffocated him. After the session
Jason found he could breathe a little easier
and knew he needed to find safe ways to
process his anger and hurt.
Art psychotherapist and teacher Annette
Coulter, who lives in greater Sydney,
describes the way art therapy can heal as
follows: “When the client expresses images
visually and gazes at them, that internal
holding finds some release and a more
cognitive distancing starts to be achieved.
Illustration Pippa
For example, trauma impacts internally and
is often hard to discuss, but recreating the
trauma visually in the safety of what the art
therapist sets up can help the client find
some release for those traumatic memories
and to reflect on the externalised portion
of this memory in that moment.”
Reaching your goals and dreams
A powerful and positive way art therapy can
help is by drawing your dreams and goals
through symbol, shape and colour. You might
draw a goal happening using colour and
shape to describe how you feel achieving it.
Examples might include getting your dream
job, improving self-esteem, getting fit or
finding a life partner. Another approach is to
draw the events of your dream day doing all
the things you hope to do in it. Or to draw a
bridge. On one end of the bridge is your past
and all the things you want to let go of. At the
other end is your future and all the dreams
and the joy you want to move towards. Then
draw yourself on that bridge and how you
feel moving forward. By engaging all your
senses and feelings in this exercise you can
make your goal clearer and more real, and
feel more motivated to achieve it. Then put it
somewhere where you look at it every day.
Healing grief
Art therapy is used extensively in hospitals
and nursing homes around Australia to
address grief. Mother Virginia Rea shares
her experience below of her daughter
Pippa, who spent six nights in the Royal
Children’s Hospital in Melbourne before
she died from a brain stem tumour.
Pippa’s (and my) first exposure to art
therapy was when she transitioned from
brain cancer treatment to palliative care.
She was asked to draw “Heaven”. Art made
talking about her being in heaven far less
threatening and scary for a 10-year-old.
Pippa’s heaven is beautiful. It is full of life.
It has stars, music, birds, flowers, water,
puppy dogs and bunny rabbits. It has a big
yellow castle where she will live. It sits on top
of the clouds. I asked Pippa if that was the
staircase to heaven. She said, “No, Mummy,
that is a ladder so you can climb up and
visit me.” She wrote a list of other names who
could also climb the ladder to visit her, but
she ran out of room on the piece of paper, so
she wrote “ … and lots more people.”
I asked Pippa about the rain.
“It’s not rain, Mummy, it’s drops of water.
When you feel drops of water on your face
you will know I want you to come and visit
me for a while.”
Virginia said at 11 years Pippa learned
and taught some of her friends how to draw
a portrait. Six days later she passed away.
Virginia says, “At the time my daughter
could not speak, she had limited hearing,
she had atrophy in most of her body. Yet she
learned that art therapy helped her achieve
something that a lot of us take for granted
— completing a task. Creating.”
Forty-eight-year-old Melbournite Collette
also found drawing helped heal her grief.
She did an art therapy course with a friend
to help her process her mother’s death. “We
were given a canvas each and asked to close
our eyes and think about our loved one and
then choose two colours that represented
what we were seeing or how we felt. [After
painting] we took a break and waited for the
paint to dry and then chose more colours.
I have my piece on my wall at home and often
look at it and see things in it that I didn’t see
when I first painted it,” she said, adding that
the process helped bring her closer to her
mother and was deeply healing.
Drawing promotes self-
awareness, self-reflection and
control over your feelings.
Healing trauma
If the trauma is still raw and symptomatic,
art therapy should be used with care and
under the supervision of a trauma therapist.
Given that trauma heals through processing,
art therapy can be a gentle and powerful
way to help. Dutch psychiatrist Bessel Van
Der Kolk in his famous book on trauma, The
Body Keeps the Score, describes the story of
five-year-old Noah. Noah witnessed the first
passenger plane slam into the World Trade
Center from the windows of his first-grade
classroom 450 metres away. Ten days later
when Bessel visited Noah, Noah showed him
a picture he drew the day after the crash.
It showed the airplane slamming into the
tower, fire, firefighters, people jumping from
the windows and at the bottom a black circle
— “a trampoline … so the next time people
have to jump they will be safe,” Noah said.
This was Noah’s way of helping him deal
with the trauma by drawing a safe ending
for the victims. Here, through art therapy,
his mind was able to help him deal with the
more distressing aspects of his memory.
Projection and self-awareness
Drawing promotes self-awareness, self-
reflection and control over your feelings. Art
is subjective. It is a direct reflection of what
you hold deep within yourself at any time.
In life, humans often unconsciously project
their deeper insecurities and unresolved
feelings onto other people. For example,
if you feel highly triggered by someone or
judge them harshly, you may be projecting
your own judgements or your own old
unprocessed feelings onto the other person
through anger. This is known as projection.
Art therapy and drawing makes these often-
unconscious feelings more conscious. You
can see more clearly what you feel and think
through what shows up in your drawings.
This helps you to own them, process them
and reflect on them. In this way, art therapy
helps people see, process and heal their
projection. As Fritz Perls, the founder
of Gestalt therapy, so aptly put it, “The
healthiest form of projection is art.”
Healing your inner child
Everyone has a childlike part that, at
times, may dominate your personality,
especially when your inner child has
unresolved issues. A powerful way to
heal past childhood issues is by using
art therapy to heal your inner child. For
those with past trauma this is best done
under the guidance of a trauma therapist.
Italian psychologist Lucia Capacchione
describes an art therapy process in her
book Recovery of Your Inner Child. Here,
you draw your inner child with your non-
dominant hand (if you are right-handed,
use your left hand). This is believed to
help access the more emotional, intuitive
part of the brain and help connect to your
“inner child”. Then with your dominant
hand write out some questions to the
“inner child” such as, “Hi little Mary,
how are you feeling today?” and “What
do you need from me the adult?” Then
write a response with the non-dominant
hand from the “inner child”. For example,
little Mary might say, “I felt scared and
need a hug and some love.” Or “I feel
bored and want to have some fun.” You
might then use a pillow as a proxy and
imagine hugging the child, affirming him
or her. Or going out to do something fun.
Cappachione’s book outlines this process
in a way that explores many different
aspects of the “inner child” and can be
a powerful healing tool.
As you can see, art therapy holds a host
of applications from inspiring your dreams,
promoting relaxation, expressing difficult
feelings and healing your deepest pain. One
thing to keep in mind is that no matter how
bad things get in life, it’s worth giving art
therapy a try. As the famous teacher and
actor Stella Adler once said, “Life beats
down and crushes the soul and art reminds
you that you have one.”
Sonia Zadro is a clinical psychologist with
20 years of experience and a freelance writer.
She is interested in helping people heal and
opening minds through science. To find out
more, visit soniazadro.com.
wellbeing.com.au | 29
 paradigm shifters
TAYLA HARRIS

Tayla Harris
Spend 10 minutes with our Paradigm Shifters, the people who are shaping the ideas
that will take us into the future. Meet Tayla Harris, an AFL Women’s footballer,
professional boxer, speaker and activist who is using her growing platform to change
the conversation around violence against women.
Interview KATE HOLLAND

How I start my day … My work is quite
ad hoc; one day I might be up early for
a photoshoot and the next day I might sleep
in as I have AFL training in the evening.
I train most days depending on what
season it is — either football or boxing.
On ambition … I don’t really plan my life too
much: I say yes to amazing opportunities
and go with the flow. I never planned to live
in Melbourne; I was in Brisbane playing
footy for the Lions and then moved to
Melbourne to play for Carlton.
Tell us more about Our Watch … I wanted
to be involved with an organisation
that has really good credibility in the
community like Our Watch does.
I cannot accept that violence against
women occurs and it’s not in my nature
to allow that to happen. As someone
with a platform, my self-proclaimed
responsibility in the community is to raise
awareness and speak out on these topics
and hopefully people will feel represented.
On work–life balance … I’m busy but
I love the chaos and I’ve learned to
relax into it. A saying that my boxing
coach often uses is “It’s important to
hone the skill to be comfortable being
uncomfortable.” I take that not only into
boxing but also everyday life.
On success … Being happy in life or the
moment. There’s your typical success like
kicking a goal or winning a game or a fight,
but for me success comes from within.
A saying that my boxing coach
often uses is “It’s important to
hone the skill to be comfortable
being uncomfortable.” I take
that not only into boxing but
also everyday life.
Deep success arises whether you lose or
not. My team lost our first two games, yet
we managed to stay together and not let
our loss impact our next few games. We
continued to push on and we’ve had a few
wins since where we’ve come back stronger.
On gender equality … There’s so much
opportunity to fast-track equality. What we
need to achieve is right in front of us and
it’s very challenging when there’s
pushback. The reality is, equality is
inevitable. Now women can do everything
and anything — including playing male-
dominated sports or being the CEO of
a company. We still have a long way to go,
however. It takes brave people to go against
the grain and we’re seeing more of those
people in the community. Gillon McLachlan,
the CEO of the AFL, championed AFLW and
is a great example of a leader in equality.
The initial plan for AFLW was to kick it off
in 2020, but Gill said let’s do it in 2017. Had
it not been for him, we would only be in our
first year, but now the AFLW is in its fifth
year, which is incredible.
What I do to blow off steam … I love to
swim. For me, it helps my body recover
and relax. There’s something about being
in the pool with your head under the
water, not being able to hear anything. My
dog Bean also heaps me to relax. I also
love to call my family and talk to them.
What’s next for me personally … So
much! It’s hard for me to say where or
what I’ll do next but I’m sure more footy,
boxing, advocating for women’s equality
and using my voice in the community.
Say hello … Over at Instagram
@tayla_harris.

30 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 31
 mind
SELF-TALK

Don’t should
yourself in
the foot
Neurolinguistic programming and sympathetic self-talk
help to create a compassionate dialogue with yourself
and others. Discover how swapping out “should” for
“want” changes your life for the better.
Words MARIE ROWLAND

H
ow many times today have you chasm that exists in the middle is where
started a thought or sentence unhappiness resides. The rise of anxiety
with the words, “I should”? and depression in Western society can be
It’s always right there on the attributed to many causal factors. There
tip of your tongue: “I should go for a run; are too many to enumerate, but we know
I shouldn’t eat that croissant; I should that they stem from both within our own
be practical and not follow my dreams; being as well as external or environmental
I should be happy, so why aren’t I?” Every factors. Every day we see images posted on
day, we rain the dictate of social media that make us
“should” on ourselves until feel badly about ourselves.
we become drenched in The should-self and Instagram could readily be
dissatisfaction with the life the want-self are relabelled “Insta-glum”.
we’re leading. Implicit in We are constantly being
this seemingly innocuous always waging a war told that we should be
verb are judgement and with each other. striving for a better life.
recrimination laced with It is little surprise that at
a sense of obligation. Most the heart of much mental
times when we “should” ourselves it has anguish today is this notion that we’re just
very little to do with what we want or what not enough. The constant self-flagellation
feels good, but rather more to do with what and berating mean we can easily slip into
Illustrations creativemarket.com

is supposedly right for us. This internal
conflict results in making life a chore
instead of a genuine choice. It’s time to
stop this eternal tug of war and swap out
“should” for “want”.
Why should you?
We are in a constant battle with the life
we think we should be leading as opposed
to the one we are actually living. The
a shame spiral. Self-harm is one of the
biggest problems in young people today. And
so much of it comes from this sense that
they could, would, should be so much more.
Negative self-talk tends to trump
positive self-talk, which inevitably results
in chronic dissatisfaction. Every single one
of us has said a version of the following:
“I could be more successful if only I was
smarter”; or “If I was better looking

32 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 33
 mind
SELF-TALK
Deciphering between the helpful and harmful “shoulds” — based
on your innate values which actually define you — means that
you can move closer to living your true life.
I wouldn’t be alone”; and then there is the
perennial: “I should lose weight so I can be
happier.” Could, would and should are the
semantic triumvirate of disillusionment.
Sadly, people are no longer content with
who they are or what they have but are
mired in the misery of all they should
be. Embedded in the word “should” is
judgement, and it is usually steeped in
a critical evaluation of self. Worse still, we
often impose this dirty word on others.
Conflict between couples often kicks
off with the lament of what the other
isn’t doing, pointing the finger at what
they should be doing or could be doing
better. What is truly detrimental and even
traumatising is telling a child that they
should have done better on a test or need
to figuratively “pull their socks up” on the
34 | wellbeing.com.au
soccer field. You’re never too young to not
feel good enough. This language, laden with
judgement and disapproval, only reinforces
that they are lacking. Even before kids are
out of nappies, they learn the derogatory
language of “should”, and so the cycle of
inadequacy begins and is perpetuated.
How society shoulds on us
Beyond the self-legislation that we impose
upon ourselves, we are taught as soon
as we are cognitive that we must follow
rules if we are to get on in life. What we
should or shouldn’t do is implicit in the
daily conduct of our lives. We are obliged
to live by the rules of society and for the
most part we accept that law and order is
important for us to feel safe and secure.
This is how society functions.
There are also the social conventions
that evolve and are adopted based on
the times we live in. Wearing masks in
a pandemic becomes the new norm and
part of how a community works together
for the common good. While mandated to
wear masks, there is an overriding sense
of social responsibility to which most of us
conform. Duty or moral obligation comes
into play rather than just following the rule
of law. In this way, the concept of should has
much deeper implications because of moral
imperatives and ethical considerations.
Then there are the unspoken norms in
Illustrations creativemarket.com
society which ensure civility and concord.
“Appropriate behaviour” is instilled in
us from the time we are children, so we
instinctively know how to act or present
in a variety of environments or situations.
We wouldn’t floss our teeth in a restaurant
or text in a yoga class. And it is frowned
upon if social norms are breached. These
precepts offer a code of conduct by which
to live. And this also moves into the moral

landscape. For instance, being honest in our
dealings or understanding the old precept
that a “person is as good as their word” is
deemed morally correct behaviour. These
accepted wisdoms can be viewed as the
good “shoulds” that ensure a life is led with
a sense of decency and propriety. Of course,
some of us choose to follow or not to follow
these guidelines based on our values or
culture, and this is when the conceptual
notion of should has shades of grey.
It is both interesting and ironic to note
that while we can show rational judgement
when should is imposed on us in a societal
framework when it comes to managing
“should” in our own lives we tend to take
a much more hard-line view. And this is
when should really does become a dirty word.
The semantics of should
Technically speaking, should is a word
that always precedes or qualifies a verb
(such as do, be or have). Interestingly, this
modal verb is in good company with other
words such as could, must or need, which
effectively perform the same function.
These verbal bedfellows are all infused with
a sense of imperativeness which affects
how we think about ourselves or a situation.
Language matters. Words matter. If
we consciously think about and moderate
how and when we use this or a similar
type of word we may in fact propagate
a more compassionate view of ourselves.
Neurolinguistic programming is a form
of therapy that uses language-based
interventions to change behaviours with the
intention of enhancing a client’s confidence
and decision-making processes. While
this didactic therapeutic approach may not
actually address the deeper root causes of
people’s issues, it can still act as a starting
point to raise self-awareness.
But formal therapy isn’t required to
retrain your thinking. By consciously
engaging in sympathetic self-talk anyone
can affect a more compassionate dialogue
with themselves and those with whom they
interact. Swapping out “should” for “want”
or employing phrases such as “it’s important
to me” or “I value” changes so much of how
we view and appraise ourselves. Even the
phraseology sounds less confrontational
than “I should be”. Subsequently, we
become less judgemental and take greater
ownership of our lives, while being a whole
lot kinder to ourselves and those we would
otherwise scrutinise or criticise.
Should vs want
Psychologists often speak of the cognitive
dissonance that their clients experience.
In our daily lives, we all live with some
The dos and don’ts of should
Think about the moral obligations or ethical
considerations when it comes to doing the
right thing: you should apologise for hurting
someone even if you don’t want to.
Think about what feels right to do as
opposed to what you think should do. After
a tough week, if you really want a Saturday
sleep-in even though guilt dictates you
should get up early to do chores, sometimes
being kind to yourself is the better option.
Weigh up the cost to self if you do or don’t
do what you think you should do.
Ask yourself if these “shoulds” are your
expectations or others’ expectations of you.
form of dissonance, which essentially is
the proposition of holding two opposing or
conflicting ideas which produce distress
in our lives. The beliefs we hold may
not be reflected in our actual behaviour.
For instance, we may want to be in
a committed relationship with a view
to having a family but we are inevitably
attracted to mysterious loners who we
know won’t stick around. This disparity
results in despair as we find it hard to
believe that we can act in ways that
contravene our strongly held value system.
But we do this every day and in every way.
We see this dissonance play out on
other psychological levels as we often
feel torn between what we want to do and
what we should do. And this plays out
in the choices we make. This is a form
of intrapersonal conflict — effectively
the detrimental dialogue we have with
ourselves. The should-self and the
want-self are always waging a war with
each other. This dissonance results in
spasmodic behaviour and outcomes. We
often feel displaced no matter what we
choose. Our fears or our desires to be
accepted often supersede what we really
want in order to live a truthful existence.
We see this with people who feel they
need to follow cultural norms or religious
practices where there are dictates on how
they should live. But even at a simple,
day-to-day level we experience the
“should” curse. For instance, it may be
that you don’t want to drink at a party, but
you feel as though you should so as not to
be seen as a bore.
Rather than just choosing one or the
other, the pathway to peace is to find
the balance between should and want.
It doesn’t need to be binary in the sense
of either/or. When you are open to this
notion that should and want are different
sides of the same coin then you will find
that you can hold both notions without
capitulating to dysfunctional dissonance.
Evaluate whether something
is a good should (constructive) or
a bad should (destructive). “I should
pay my credit card rather than splurge
on that handbag” — self-restraint vs
self-gratification.
Consider your passions, values and
what really drives you. Is what you’re
doing actually matching your values?
Do you want to lose weight because
you should or because you’d love to get
back into your favourite jeans?
Should yourself only if something really
matters to you.
You can slowly let go of all the dictates
that grip you and move toward a place of
self-acceptance. Deciphering between the
helpful and harmful “shoulds” — based on
your innate values which actually define
you — means that you can move closer to
living your true life. For instance, accepting
that you should eat less sugar if diagnosed
with onset diabetes is a constructive use of
should because you value good health. But
denying yourself the pleasures of eating
well in order to conform to a body image
to which you don’t even subscribe is
a destructive should, as this denies you
any agency over your own body.
In fact, when we give in to “should”
without really engaging with why we are
doing so we surrender governance over
ourselves. It is our job to look after what is
in our best interests and what reflects our
true values. We should be deferring to what
is right and real for us and no one else.
After all, isn’t it is far more comforting and
reassuring to belong to yourself rather that
to belong to an idea of who you should be?
You should know better
Now we should all know better to not
should our life away! It’s just too short.
Life is all about rules, so why impose
a whole set of arbitrary dictates when we
all have the autonomy to decide which
personal life rules we want to follow. So
the trick is to really know yourself, to
embody what your core values are and to
realise what matters to you. Then, with
confidence, act on these innate beliefs.
When you work this out then it should be
easy to drop the shoulds and defer to the
wants, loves and truth of being you.
Life is tough enough, so don’t should
yourself in the foot.
Marie Rowland is a writer and psychotherapist
in private practice based in Manly on Sydney’s
Northern Beaches. For more information go to
talking-matters.com.
wellbeing.com.au | 35
 mind
BEHAVIOUR
Being bad
When used in the right context and manner, some behaviours
deemed taboo by society can actually be good for you. Here’s
why you should unleash your inner rebel more often.
N
ice people don’t swear, break
wind, get angry or display
selfishness. Sound familiar?
In all societies we grow up
learning how to behave — acquiring such
moral maxims from our parents, teachers
and others, then internalising them and
passing them onto the next generation.
While few would want a world without
a moral value system, according to
science some socially unacceptable
behaviours can have surprising benefits.
It all depends on context.
The power of swearing
Cussing, for instance, might be viewed
negatively, but it can help you tolerate pain
and increase your strength — pretty handy
if you’re trying to lift heavy furniture or deal
with particularly bad news.
A 2017 study, for example, found
letting out a whopper gave participants
undertaking an isometric handgrip test
(a test of strength) an 8 per cent
increase in manpower. Though small,
it’s significant enough to make all the
difference between whether you open
the jar of pickles or not, the study
authors say. Speculating on the possible
mechanism of action, researcher
Professor David Spierer hypothesised that
cursing might function like a mindfulness
mantra, reducing our perception of pain.
Timothy Jay, one of the world’s leading
academic experts on swearing and
a retired emeritus professor of psychology
of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts,
says swearing is misunderstood. Its chief
function is to express our emotional
feelings and convey them to others, he
36 | wellbeing.com.au
Words LINDA MOON
explains. “All cultures have taboo words
and swearing/cursing language.”
In fact, cussing has many benefits. It
helps us cope, vent and reduce stress and
pain. It also aids humour, social bonding
and sexuality and provides a symbolic
outlet for aggression and retaliation
without us resorting to the physical kind,
Jay, the author of Why We Curse, explains.
On the negative, offensive words are
also used in hate speech, discrimination,
name-calling, anger, frustration,
… think of swearing as
a style of clothes we wear to
fit the occasion or as a social/
psychological tool to be used
for a variety of purposes.
aggression and self-deprecation, he adds.
It’s this myriad of functions (for good
or not) that explains its preponderance
across all cultures and endurance
throughout time. “Swearing is normal and
all native speakers who are competent
know how to swear,” he says. “Whether
they do or not depends on personality
factors. Children learn swear words as
soon as they learn to talk, and their taboo
speech becomes more adult-like as
they age. People who are good language
speakers are also good at knowing how
and when to use taboo words.” In fact,
several studies have found links between
a potty mouth and higher literacy,
intelligence and honesty.
Jay blames our moral condemnation of
profanity on ancient religious leaders. “Over
centuries of trying to eliminate taboo words
from our vocabularies have universally
failed,” he says. “Contemporary swear
words (like f*ck) are hundreds of years old.”
The key is to curse in context. “There
is nothing ‘wrong with’ swearing as there
is nothing wrong with sexual intercourse
— both restricted to proper time, place
and partner,” Jay says. “A taboo word’s
meaning depends entirely on the context
in which it is used. So from a scientific
point of view it does no good to think of it
as wrong.” He says to think of swearing
as a style of clothes we wear to fit the
occasion or as a social/psychological tool
to be used for a variety of purposes.
The benefits of slacking off
Thanks to social conditioning, we tend to
frown upon those we deem lazy and uphold
and reward those who work hard. Sydney-
based organisational psychologist, author
and communications trainer Clare Mann
says it’s a moral paradigm largely based on
the Protestant work ethic (“the devil makes
work of idle hands”), the corporation
model and learned from our families. “The
corporation was built on a military model
of working hard and obeying rules,” she
says. “Instead of people learning to be
Illustration Getty Images
creative and solve some of the problems
they face, they learned to make a living and
be part of the economic machinery. Most
people believe that’s a good thing and their
identity gets attached to it.”
Our need to fit in and be part of social
groups means most of us toe the line,
Mann says. But, as most of us innately
wellbeing.com.au | 37
 mind
BEHAVIOUR
know, taking time out for ourselves and
doing nothing can have benefits. Working
too much causes enormous physical
and emotional stress, Mann says. “Our
immune system is affected, we release
more cortisol and adrenaline, we’re
reacting to things from a fight/flight
mode. So we can’t access creativity,
relax properly or rejuvenate ourselves.
It affects our sleep.”
Mann believes the increase in average
working hours, coupled with fear of losing
our jobs and being unable to pay the bills,
is helping fuel the increase in depression
and anxiety being seen in most Western
countries. It’s the whole fear-based
mentality of needing to get on the ladder
38 | wellbeing.com.au
and invest in the future combined with the
feeling we’re not getting anywhere and are
trapped in the system. “It’s crushing the
human spirit,” she says.
If we cut back and gain more balance in
life, we start to rejuvenate, Mann says. “We
actually realise that there can be some joy
and fun in life. What about going for a walk,
painting or enjoying the sunset?”
Those who need convincing might
want to refer to a study by John Pencavel
of Stanford University. He found
productivity and output tend to decrease
after 50 hours, so much so that 70 hours
of work give about as much output as 56
hours. Don’t feel guilty about slacking off
on the job.
Be a rebel with a cause
Working less is one form of social
rebellion, but we fear rebellion generally.
Whether it’s going out in public without
a mask on or standing up to the boss,
what’s controlling our behaviour is fear of
social shame and ostracism, Mann says.
Because we value the idea of having
freedom, most of us compensate by
Illustration Getty Images
rebelling in socially allowable, private
ways, Mann says. “We might have a
chocolate cake or smoke when our partner
is not looking. We might go on a splurge
and spend money. We’re not allowing
ourselves really to rebel.”
A good example is our use of social
media, Mann says. “People put information
online that makes them socially
acceptable, rather than what they think or
feel,” she says. “You’ve got this true and
false self-operating. People fear rebelling,
because they’ll be ridiculed.”
However, it’s rebels and rule-breakers
who create change in the world, drive
innovation and forge new paths for humanity.
Unfortunately, the identity myth that we
have to be like others to be happy means
many of us are not being ourselves, Mann
says. However, living behind a mask also
makes us feel lonely and represses what
we need and want.
The benefit of rebellion is being
authentic and true to oneself, Mann says.
Seek out like-minded souls or supporters
who believe in the real you. “Unless we have
others who believe in us it’s hard for us,”
Mann says. “We all need social support.”
Harness your anger
One of the Buddhist “Three Poisons
of the Mind” and the Biblical “Seven
Deadly Sins”, wrath is associated with
foolishness, strife, social division and
violence. It’s also linked to a greater risk
of heart attack, stroke, hypertension,
diabetes, depression, anxiety, reduced
lung and immune function and more.
However, rage has a useful side.
“Anger is a reaction to something we
value being violated — like a massive
injustice in society or animal cruelty,”
Mann explains. As such, it can be
harnessed as fuel to help us defend our
rights and address injustice.
When negotiating, a moderate intensity
of anger gained bigger concessions
than being passive in a 2018 study
published in the Journal of Experimental
Social Psychology. Anger boosted the
performance of athletes in an experiment
by the German Sport University, a finding
replicated in other studies.
Hardwired into us, anger sparks first in
the amygdala in our primitive limbic brain,
triggering the fight or flight response, but
it can be controlled by the more rational
prefrontal cortex, which is the part of our
brain responsible for decision-making
and reasoning.
Importantly, when anger is pushed
down it’s bad for us and others. “It spits
out into sarcasm, undermining people
or passive aggression, because we’re
told it’s not good or nice,” Mann says.
“When people push it down, this is when
it turns into depression and learned
helplessness. Depression is not this
flattened state of being. It’s usually
fuelled by anger where we’ve given up at
some point; we don’t feel we can say or
… productivity and output tend to decrease after 50
hours, so much so that 70 hours of work give about as
much output as 56 hours.
do anything or get an outcome that we
want or be judged for it.”
It takes a lot of energy to suppress
anger, Mann says, and gender,
personality and other factors shape how
we express it. The taboo around anger
is particularly strong for females — one
of the reasons the “kinder sex” is more
likely to experience depression.
“The real problem is that anger is often
channelled out at people in a destructive
way,” Mann says. “When we’re able to
manage our internal state and communicate
the significance of violating something that’s
really important, we’re in a better space.
That can be very productive. When we learn
to constructively use anger, it can be a tool
for change.”
Healthy selfishness
Mann views the word “selfish” as
a label others apply as a form of social
control: “Rather than actually saying ‘I’m
disappointed, but that’s up to you,’ the
person saying it usually wants to make you
feel guilty so they will have their own way.”
Defining selfish behaviour is also not
as clear-cut as we like to think, Mann
says. We call others selfish if they put
their needs before ours, yet by expecting
them to conform to what we want, we’re
not much different. When we give in to
others’ demands it’s often to avoid the
greater discomfort of social censure
— so, ultimately, it’s driven by our needs.
The more important issue is how to
balance our own needs with those of
others. “Is it beneficial to run roughshod
over others? No, it’s not a nice thing and
you’re not going to have any friends,”
Mann says. On the other hand, we have
to take responsibility for our own needs.
“People distort themselves in all sorts
of ways,” she says. “They go year after
year to family gatherings they don’t
want to go to or stay in relationships or
jobs they shouldn’t due to unquestioned
assumptions and social or cultural norms
that say this is how we should do things.”
But giving out or sacrificing because
we feel we “should” can create resentment
towards others. “The fact is you do have
choice,” Mann says. “Also give permission to
other people to put a value on themselves.
If we want good relationships, we might
say, ‘Hey, I know Christmas is important to
you; however, on this occasion I’m going
on holiday. Why don’t we get together the
weekend before?’ You’re putting some credit
back in the bank.” Supportive relationships
aren’t based on shaming or guilt, she says.
While the Bible admonishes us to love our
neighbour, it also calls us to love ourselves.
The life-changing beauty
of sadness
There’s also a lot of social control around our
feelings of sadness and depression, tellingly
labelled “negative emotions” and demonised
by the positive thinking movement.
Mann says it’s normal to have
such emotions when we experience
loss, whether it’s the loss of financial
security, our future life plans, meaningful
connections or something else significant
to us. “Feelings are not to be resolved,
they’re there to be experienced,” she says.
“They tell us what is significant to us.”
It can be hard to see many kickbacks
in depression — it’s related to cognitive
decline, a reduced life expectancy and
more. However, it’s bottling things up
(so often encouraged by our society) that
harms us the most. In a Harvard School of
Public Health study, those who suppressed
their emotions had a 70 per cent higher
risk of being diagnosed with cancer.
Mann says, “We’re not taught to
manage our own emotional states, to
honour our feelings; therefore we push
them away.” Cry if you want to and
find supportive avenues to vent your
feelings whether it’s within counselling,
a self-help group, creative expression or
something else. Expressing our sadness
also gives others sanction to open up
about their stuff.
When we embrace and accept deep
despair and unhappiness, there’s often
a healthy inward-looking re-evaluation of
life that opens the door to positive change
in our lives, Mann says. It’s quite common,
for example, for survivors of tragedy to
express gratitude for lessons gained from
their experience and to feel empathy for
others in a similar situation.
Linda Moon is a freelance health, travel and
lifestyle writer and a qualified naturopath
based in Katoomba, NSW.
wellbeing.com.au | 39
 mind
SELF-LOVE
Love me do
Loving yourself can have a negative connotation, but in fact love
of the self is the basis of all other loving and living a good life.
I
t is not always a compliment when you
say of someone, “She loves herself!”
This expression usually refers only
to the most base or childlike form
of self-love that results in self-obsession
and narcissism. The self-love that we
are talking about here, however, is a far
more profound and positive state of having
appreciation, awareness and acceptance of
your true self. This is not about selfishness
or egomania. As Jutka Freiman, a Sydney-
based psychotherapist and group facilitator,
observes, “Self-love is the experience of
self-acceptance and self-nurturing. It is
being self-ful, which is different from being
‘full of one’s self’. In this latter state of
being issues of superiority, grandiosity and
self-centredness contribute to selfishness.”
Healthy self-love is not about
comparison to others but an awareness of
who you are. At the same time however, in
this honest appreciation of your self, you
come to an awareness of your connection
to others.
This paradox is highlighted by Dr
Judith Pickering, a Jungian analyst and
couples therapist in private practice in
Camperdown, Sydney, who says, “Being
selfish implies an unbalanced attitude:
that is, over-focus on our own desires
at the expense of others. Loving oneself
is a part of loving others; we are all
part of a common humanity, we are all
interdependent and interrelational beings.
40 | wellbeing.com.au
Words TERRY ROBSON
To overemphasise one’s self at the expense
of others denies this reality, just as
overemphasis on others at the expense of
one’s self also leads to difficulties.”
To understand genuine self-love, it
will help to look at self-love in its most
unbalanced state: narcissism.
Healthy self-love is not about
comparison to others, but
it is about an awareness of
who you are.
Meet Narcissus
The word narcissism derives from the
classical Greek myth, in which the main
character, a youth called Narcissus, falls
in love with himself. Narcissus was the son
of the river god Cephissus and the nymph
Liriope, and was extremely good-looking.
Narcissus was so handsome that many
women and men fell in love with him,
including himself. One of his admirers was
the nymph Echo, who had been cursed by
the goddess Hera to repeat only the last
words spoken to her. Narcissus eventually
rejects Echo, and she spends the rest of
her life pining away with only her voice
remaining. Ameinias, another admirer, was
so devastated by Narcissus’ indifference
toward him that he killed himself. Before
doing so, however, Ameinias called on the
gods to punish Narcissus. Isolated and
unengaged with others, Narcissus eventually
sees his own image in the water, and falls in
love with himself, or at least his image. As
he reaches down to touch his reflection, he
disappears into the abyss of the waters of
the river Styx. Ultimately what remains in his
place is a flower, a yellow-centred daffodil
with white petals: the narcissus.
The layers of meaning in this myth are
many, as with all myths. While we interpret
narcissism as an obsessive love with
your self, the myth tells us much more.
“Narcissism is a complex issue which
has found its way into common speech,”
says Freiman. “The myth tells us that
with inadequate ‘mirroring’ we drown in
false mirrors. Adequate mirroring is what
every child needs to gain a sense of their
authentic selfhood. What we’re seeing is
that children who haven’t been ‘seen’ for
who they are either have no clear sense of
self and feel lost or are set up to believe
Illustrations creativemarket.com
that to be seen they have to perform certain
roles, such as be successful, beautiful or
caring, or to appear a certain way in order
to be valued. Narcissus, who had no sense
of himself, finally found a way of being seen
and became intoxicated with his own image.
We see this all the time in those who believe
they are what they appear to be or what
they do. Narcissism is drowning in our own
impression of our self.”
wellbeing.com.au | 41
 mind
SELF-LOVE

Pickering adds, “Narcissism as

a personality disorder has its origins in
a developmental failure, a failure to be seen,
acknowledged, understood and to have that
recognition mirrored back. The narcissist
gets caught in the longing for mirroring,
being seen, but cannot move beyond
this stage. It means that relationships
are predicated on the other being there
to reflect and respond, not a two-way
relationship where there is give and take,
and mutuality. Narcissus wishes to be seen
but cannot see the other as an Other: they
are there just as a reflecting surface.”
Inherent to narcissism, and therefore
lack of self-love, is a lack of genuine
self-knowledge. This is spelled out right
there in the myth for us. Freiman explains,
“Narcissus, who had no sense of himself,
finally found a true image of his deepest
nature and became intoxicated with this.
The common understanding of the myth is
that Narcissus is identified with his self-
image and that’s what has him drown in
the pool. But another interpretation might
be more along the line that Narcissus,
being dissociated from the beauty the pool
is reflecting (his disowned true nature),
falls in love with a self so unknown and
foreign to his ego self that he assumes it
belongs to someone else. It’s important
to remember he drowned because he was
grasping at a beauty he didn’t recognise
as his own. This interpretation is more in
line with narcissism, which is the condition
where the deeper self is still split off and
disowned in some way. It is the failure to
grasp one’s own true nature. We see this
all the time in those who believe they are
what they appear to be or what they do.”
As Pickering observes, “Narcissism is
a system built on fantasies, image, denials
of reality, mortality, of who we actually are.
Yet that reality is always there behind the
phantoms and falsehoods we create.”
The Narcissus myth is not without hope.
Although Narcissus’ obsession with his own
image leads to his destruction it also leads
to his transformation into another form,
the flower that we now call the narcissus.
In that transformation Narcissus has
become part of a larger whole. Having been
lost in his obsession with self, Narcissus
Illustrations creativemarket.com

has become part of what is real and

unembellished, the natural world.

Lazy lover
From the unbalanced obsessive self-love
of Narcissus, let us then go to the other
extreme and consider why it is that people
may lack self-love. From the Buddhist
perspective, those who lack self-love are
lazy. This may seem a harsh judgement to

42 | wellbeing.com.au
pass on someone who is already down on
themselves, but it is not really.
The laziness that Buddhists speak
of in relation to lack of self-love has
three parts: indolence, cowardice and
distracted busy-ness. Indolence refers
to not doing something even though you
know that it is good and should be done.
Cowardice leads to you underestimating
your qualities and capabilities, thinking,
“I’m so useless that I could never do it.”
This kind of thinking results in inaction
and doing nothing when something could
easily be done. It is cowardice in the
sense that is creating reasons not to act
and hiding behind a protective wall of
supposed inadequacy. The opposite of this
is self-belief and a willingness to do what
you can, knowing that whatever that is
will be useful in some way.
The third type of laziness that blocks
self-love may actually seem the opposite
of laziness; it is seeming very busy, being
very active but wasting time and energy
on meaningless activities that will not
accomplish anything in the long run. When
you do many things for no real purpose,
you fail to focus on what is truly worthwhile
and your path has no clear direction.
Lack of self-love will lead to some
unproductive actions at best and some
dreadful actions at worst. Mahatma Gandhi
said, “Fearlessness is the first requisite of
spirituality. Cowards can never be moral.”
If you want to create self-love then you will
need to bravely face who you really are, and
the first part of that is accepting that you
are no worse, or better, than anyone else.
We are the same
“If we don’t love ourselves sufficiently then
we are unlikely to know ourselves well,”
says Freiman. “When we are not in a solid
relationship with ourselves we run the risk
of projecting the best of who we are onto
the ‘other’. This is just another form of
narcissism, I’m afraid.”
What Freiman is highlighting here is
that it is easy to project your good qualities
onto other people and not accept that they
are a part of you. It is equally easy to fail to
acknowledge your bad qualities. Neither
mode of operating is realistic and neither
leads to self-love. We all have good and
One of the powers of meditation is that as you make it a regular
practice, there is a constant erosion of negative and unreal thoughts.
… Getting beyond those unrealistic thoughts and beginning to
realistically know your self make it possible to truly love.
bad qualities within us, and part of loving
yourself is to know this but not to judge it.
While the first step to loving yourself
may be accepting that you share
commonalities with everyone else, it is still
“you” that you need to love. The question is,
who is that self with which you are seeking
to establish a loving relationship?
According to Freiman, “Loving one’s
self or true nature is different from loving
one’s ego. A capacity for empathy tends to
mitigate against egotism, which derives
from a lack of healthy self-esteem.
When we enter into self-love we love the
essential aspect of who we are, not our
ego. Our essence is that aspect of our self
that is our embodied aliveness. It’s not
driven by anything outside of our truth and
beauty. To distinguish our essential self
from our egoic structures, to see the
old patterning as just that, and open to
a more expansive sense of self is the aim.
This may sound cosmic but we all know
those moments when we are transported
by music, nature, acts of kindness or
whatever into a ‘bigger self’. In that space,
what is not to love?”
Learning to love yourself
Having realised that self-love is your aim
after all, and knowing that laziness and
cowardice are antithetical to self-love,
how then do you start the journey into
self-love? It will take some work, but it is
a worthwhile journey and there are tools
that you can use.
Pickering points out, “It is much easier
to love ourselves if we have ourselves been
loved. We love ourselves when we first have
been loved and felt deeply seen, known and
loved by our primary caregivers.”
The harsh reality is that some people
have not been loved by their parents or
carers, and for these people the therapeutic
situation can help begin self-love. Pickering
observes, “The ideal is that parents love
their child for who that child is, not who they
would like them to become. Often a parent,
due to their own narcissism, wants the
child to be a reflection of themselves and
so they only give love and approval when
the baby accommodates him or herself
to the mother’s reality. Psychotherapy is
aimed at healing such developmental lacks
and losses; the therapist’s job is to mirror
and reflect the true self of their patient,
drawing out the shoots of new life and
the true nature of the patient, giving that
patient confidence to become themselves
and live their own life. They feel loved by
the therapist, in a form of ‘agape’ love,
that is not a love which has its own ends.
Feeling truly loved and recognised over
time, in all one’s complexity and full-square
reality, gives the patient a sense of deep
worthiness, confidence, trust and a sense
of authenticity.” As a Buddhist herself,
Pickering adds, “In Buddhism there are
meditation practices for enhancing
a genuine sense of love for oneself.”
Meditations for self-love
If you search the internet then you will
find an ample supply of meditations aimed
at fostering genuine self-love. One of the
powers of meditation is that as you make
it a regular practice, there is a constant
erosion of negative and unreal thoughts.
Eventually changes take place. It may
be slow, but the effects are real. Getting
beyond those unrealistic thoughts and
beginning to realistically know your self
make it possible to truly love your self.
Living a contemplative life using
meditation can get you out of a self-loathing
or narcissistic rut. “Contemplative” does
not mean spending all day sitting cross-
legged under your nearest Bodhi tree.
Rather it is accessing your inner world
without judgement on a regular basis. The
genuine self-knowledge that results will
foster actual self-love and will also bring
about a deep inner security that is rooted in
reality. This is a far healthier place to be in
than to be living in a myth constantly hoping
or being afraid. The feeling of security that
grows from self-love allows you to see the
reality in everyone and everything else and
to be at peace with it.
Terry Robson is a writer, broadcaster,
journalist and public speaker. He is the Editor-
in-Chief of WellBeing magazine. Connect with
Terry at terryrobson.com.
wellbeing.com.au | 43
 mind
MEDITATION

Photography Getty Images

44 | wellbeing.com.au
Meditating minds
Meditation is often touted as a recipe for a good life, and the evidence
from millennia of practice and recent scientific analysis suggests that
it does have real and positive effects on your body and mind.
Words TERRY ROBSON

M
editation is widely popular
these days and is not only
a practice followed by yogis
and monks. Meditation
is taught in schools, businesses allow
employees time to meditate during the day
and even footballers are embracing this
ancient practice. This is no bad thing because
meditation does have some very real and
positive effects on your mind and your body.

Healing DAF brains

Every day you are bombarded with
information, and some of that
information is vital to staying alive, so you
must pay attention to all of it. You need
to know, for instance, if a car is coming
around a corner, and you cannot risk
ignoring any signs and indications around
you that may tell you if that car, or some
other important event, is on its way.
The drain on your brain that results from
attending continuously to those stimuli that
surround you is called “directed attention
fatigue” (DAF). This DAF has been identified
at the neurological level as the wearing
away of your ability to voluntarily focus
while ignoring distractions. The symptoms
of DAF include heightened distraction,
impatience, forgetfulness, poor judgement
and increased stress. In essence, DAF is
antithetical to happiness. This is where
meditation comes in.
Studies have shown that meditators
have a thicker prefrontal cortex and right
anterior insula, the parts of the brain
involved in attention and sensory processing.
These brain regions tend to thin as you
age, and meditation obviously strengthens
this attention-related part of the brain.
This adds up to the fact that meditation
helps regenerate an exhausted mind.

wellbeing.com.au | 45
 mind
MEDITATION
Regular meditators develop a new default mode of the brain
that is centred less on the self and more on the present.
That, however, is just the beginning of how
meditation creates both functional and
structural change in your mind and brain.
Serenity now
There is a part of your brain that includes
the medial prefrontal and posterior
cingulate cortex and which is involved in
lapses of attention. It is the part of the
brain that runs the “default mode” of your
mind, to use computer-speak. This area of
the brain is also involved in conditions like
ADHD, anxiety and Alzheimer’s disease.
In the brains of experienced meditators,
the practice of meditation switches off
activity in the medial prefrontal and posterior
cingulate cortexes. This means that during
meditation experienced mediators do not
“zone out” or slip into default mode but
remain acutely aware. Even when the
default mode area of the brain is active
for experienced meditators, other parts of
the brain involved in self-monitoring and
cognitive control are active at the same time.
This is not the case for people who are new
to meditating.
Additionally, when researchers
have measured activity in the brains of
regular meditators when they were not
meditating but when they were resting
or had been given a task, their brain
patterns of activity were the same when
meditating as when doing anything
else. This suggests that the benefit
of meditation is not localised to the
meditation itself but permeates the whole
of life as a result of reprogramming your
brain. It is likely that regular meditators
develop a new default mode of the brain
46 | wellbeing.com.au
that is centred less on the self and more
on the present. This ability to be in the
present is highly empowering.
Research tells us that, on average,
people spend 47 per cent of their time
not thinking about what they are doing. In
fact, when engaged in any given activity,
except lovemaking, people’s minds
wander for 30 per cent of the time. This is
important because research also tells us
that mind wandering is the cause, not the
result, of unhappiness.
Through meditation you train your
mind to focus its attention in the now,
and science is confirming what spiritual
teachers have been advocating for
centuries, that a mind which can focus on
the present moment is a potent mind.
Meditation variation
Of course, there is a variety of meditation
techniques that have grown through
various traditions, and the evidence is that
although broadly having similar outcomes
for your brain, the different approaches do
have slightly different effects.
There is the “focused-attention” type
of meditation, in which the practitioner
concentrates on an object or emotion.
Then there is the “open monitoring” style,
which involves being mindful of your breath
or thoughts. There is also a style that has
been dubbed “automatic self-transcending”
meditation, which allows individuals to
transcend their own mental activity and lose
themselves. Research on these different
approaches published in the journal
Consciousness and Cognition showed some
interesting differences.
In focused-attention styles of
meditation (including Tibetan Buddhist,
Zen Buddhist and some Chinese qigong)
brain waves of the beta and gamma
types were generated. Beta waves are
associated with everyday consciousness
but gamma waves indicate the highest
levels of focus and cognitive functioning.
By contrast the open-monitoring
technique (featured in Buddhist mindfulness,
some qigong and Vedic sahaja yoga
traditions) resulted in increased theta
activity. This is the slowest of the brain
waves mentioned here and is believed to be
associated with creativity and dreaming.
Lastly, the self-transcending
styles (including Vedic transcendental
meditation and some Chinese qigong)
induce alpha wave activity in the brain.
This alpha activity represents a relaxed
and effortless alertness.
Whatever the variations, what the
styles of meditation have in common is
getting you past your chattering “monkey
mind”, and the effects of this not only
alter your consciousness but also have
real physical effects.
Keep your brain young
Meditation improves immune function,
reduces blood pressure and enhances
cognitive functioning. It also leads to
measurable physical changes in the brain
that combat the effects of ageing.
Using a type of brain imaging called DTI
(diffusion tensor imaging), which allows
analysis of the connectivity within the brain,
research has found the brain images of
meditators have stronger connections
between brain regions and show less
age-related loss of brain function. These
effects occurred throughout all brain areas
including the frontal lobe, temporal lobe,
parietal lobe, occipital lobe, corpus collosum
(which connects the two halves of the brain),
limbic system and brain stem.
The most significant differences
between meditators and non-meditators
is in the nerves that connect the cerebral
cortex and the spinal cord (cortico-spinal
tract), the nerves that connect the front
and back of the cerebellum (superior
longitudinal fasciculus) and the nerves
connecting the limbic system (emotions) to
the frontal cortex (uncinate fasciculus).
Photography Getty Images
In essence, meditation slows down
brain degeneration associated with ageing
and also promotes connectivity within the
brain. The net effect of meditation on the
brain then is anti-ageing. It is likely
that meditation causes changes on a
micro-anatomical level, leading to these
results possibly via the immune system.
 mind
MEDITATION
Mind–body synchrony
Meditation may also enhance
synchronisation of your mind with your
body, and it may do it to a greater degree
than even something as wonderful and
powerful as ballet.
Dancers do extraordinary things to
achieve the control over their body that they
need to progress in their field. If you want
to go beyond primary school performances
and be able to perform at a serious level
as a dancer, then you will have to engage
in hours upon hours of training. All of
this will allow you to use your body as an
instrument. The whole aim of a dancer is to
develop awareness of, and precise control
over, their muscles. Logically, you would
think this would lead to an integration of
mind and body. However, if you want to
achieve synchronisation of body and mind
you are far better off meditating.
This has been illustrated in research
done at the University of California,
Berkeley, which was aiming to establish
how close the connection is between your
emotions and your physical body, since we
use terms that suggest the link is strong
such as “bursting a blood vessel in anger”
and “feeling the heartache of sadness”.
To test the link, the researchers sampled
dancers with at least two years of training
in modern dance or ballet and compared
them to people who were practitioners
of Vipassana meditation with at least two
years’ practice. There was also a control
group who had no experience in dance,
meditation, yoga, Pilates or sport.
The subjects were wired to measure
their bodily responses while they watched
emotionally charged scenes from movies
and used a rating dial to measure how
they were feeling. While everybody in the
study had a similar emotional reaction
to the movie scenes, the meditators
showed a strong correlation between the
emotions they reported and the speed of
their heartbeat. There was surprisingly
little difference between the dancers and
the control group, who both showed
a lesser connection between feelings and
physical response.
The theory as to what is happening here
is that while dancers learn to synchronise
their bodies in time and space, they are
not necessarily learning to align them with
their internal state. By contrast, meditators
As well as helping your cognitive processes, meditation will
also help you on an emotional level.
48 | wellbeing.com.au
attend to what is happening within them
and become attuned to their physical body.
There is no value judgement here and
certainly no denigration of dance, but if you
want to achieve mind–body integration,
then, rather than spreading your legs in
a jeté or bending them for a plié, perhaps
you should cross them and meditate.
Creative problem-solving
Meditation wasn’t created to give
Buddhists something to do when they sit
down, nor was it designed so that modern
finance executives could assuage their
guilt. Meditation is a honed and crafted tool
to enhance the mind, and it can be very
practical in its outcomes.
For instance, people who engage
in “open monitoring meditation”
(being receptive to every thought and
sensation) have been shown to experience
improvements in “divergent thinking”.
Divergent thinking allows for many
new ideas to be generated, and a very
encouraging thing is this effect occurs for
both people who have never meditated as
well as those who meditate regularly.
If you want to do some creative
problem-solving, regardless of your
meditative experience, a little open
monitoring meditation may help you
see solutions that were previously
unimagined. As well as helping your
cognitive processes, meditation will also
help you on an emotional level.
Emotional rescue
Mindfulness is the flavour of the moment,
and we know that mindfulness has effects
like enhancing immunity, improving
memory, increasing the grey matter in the
brain and helping with emotion control. In
fact mindfulness meditation can help with
dealing with emotions even if the person
practising it is not naturally mindful.
In one study, people who had not
previously practised mindfulness meditation
were assessed to establish if they were
naturally mindful or not. Then, while wearing
an electrode cap to take an EEG of brain
activity, the subjects took part in either an
18-minute guided mindfulness meditation
or a language-learning presentation. After
the meditation the subjects were shown
disturbing images and instructed to view
them either “mindfully” or “naturally” before
completing a questionnaire while the EGG
was monitored.
Regardless of whether the subjects
were naturally mindful or not, after
meditation the subjects were able to
control emotions and were able to recover
faster (showing greater emotional control)
than the other group. However, the
instruction to view the images mindfully
made no difference.
The mind that meditates
There is ample evidence that meditation
fundamentally changes both the physical
structures of your brain and the way
that your mind operates. It has been
established that people who meditate
regularly have more activity in the parts of
the brain associated with positive emotions
and happiness. Meditation also promotes
a capacity to be in the moment, to think
creatively and to master the emotions.
What is more, while meditation causes
profound changes in the long term, it can
also have short-term benefits as well.
Meditation is a simple, accessible tool that
allows you to know and master your mind.
It does require a little time each day, and
the benefits are greater the more time
Photography Getty Images
you spend doing it, but given the myriad
benefits that flow, it is time well spent.
Terry Robson is a writer, broadcaster,
journalist and public speaker. He is the Editor-
in-Chief of WellBeing magazine. Connect with
Terry at terryrobson.com.
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Ancient grains are nutrient-dense, high in fibre and linked to health
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grains pack a nutritious punch
while being readily available on
supermarket shelves and in wholefoods
stores for keen foodies to embrace and
enjoy in everyday cooking. More modern
and common grains such as wheat, maize
and rice which, over time, have undergone
significant refinement, hybridisation and
genetic modification can still of course
be of benefit in the diet; however, as they
deviate more from their original and
natural state, so too can their nutrition.
Ancient grains such as amaranth,
millet, einkorn, sorghum, freekeh, teff,
spelt, bulgar, rye, farro, wheat berries,
wild rice and kamut, however, remain
largely unchanged or unrefined, offering
unique properties in nutrition and diversity
in flavour to meals too. If you’re keen
to experience and connect with new
ingredients that hold a beautiful connection
to the past, ancient grains are your go-to.
Farro
Farro originated in the Mediterranean,
has a mild nutty flavour, chewy texture
quite similar to a brown rice. It boasts
rich sources of protein, fibre, magnesium
and iron. Farro is a variety of wheat,
and does contain gluten; however, the
gluten component is shown to be far less
than that of modern, refined wheat and
potentially better tolerated by those with
a mild wheat or gluten intolerance. It is not
however, appropriate for coeliacs.
Embrace the grain
Use farro whole rather than milled into
a flour. Two options of farro are often
available: pearled and semi-pearled. Aim
to purchase and cook with semi-pearled
50 | wellbeing.com.au
Words JACQUELINE ALWILL
farro as it contains more of the outer bran
and is thus a denser source of nutrients.
3 ways with farro
1. Swap arborio or brown rice for farro in
your next risotto dish, a beautiful nutty
flavour to team with the creaminess of
parmesan and vegetables.
2. Sauté cooked farro with leftover roasted
vegetables as a breakfast hash, topped
with an egg and a dollop of pesto.
3. Enjoy cooked farro among a wholesome
mix of vegetables and beans in your next
batch of minestrone soup.
A great way to get more
nutrients such as zinc into
kids is with spelt.
Spelt
Spelt has a mild, very similar flavour to
traditional wheat, making it an easy swap
for wheat-based dishes such as bread,
pancakes, pastry and pasta.
Spelt also holds a similar nutrition
profile to common wheat and therefore
contains gluten; however, as with many of
its ancient grain siblings, spelt is richer
in some nutrients, including zinc and
protein. A higher zinc content in what can
very easily become an everyday grain is
beneficial for supporting immune system
function and wound healing and for the
synthesis of proteins and DNA; also, zinc is
required in higher quantities during stages
of life such as pregnancy, infancy and
early childhood. A great way to get more
nutrients such as zinc into kids is with
spelt. Slice of spelt sourdough anyone?
Embrace the grain
Try whole spelt grain, rolled spelt and spelt
flour. Whole and rolled spelt grain has quite
a tough texture and is best soaked overnight
(fermented) or sprouted to ease digestion.
Spelt flour can be found both in wholemeal
and plain variations, with a remarkable
difference in colour. Aim where possible for
the wholemeal spelt flour to maintain higher
levels of nutrients from the whole grain.
3 ways with spelt
1. Swap rolled oats for rolled spelt in your
next muesli or porridge topped with fresh
berries and seeds. Rolled spelt does take
longer to cook so be sure to soak it in
advance for a faster cooking experience.
2. Include spelt as part of a wholesome
flour blend with wholemeal and brown rice
to boost nutrition in your baking. Test the
blend on an old favourite like banana bread
or muffins first, and you’ll soon see there’ll
be no looking back at plain white flour!
3. Supercharge weekend breakfasts with
plant-based spelt hotcakes topped with
maple syrup and strawberries or any
fruits in season.
Millet
Millet has a creamy, mild flavour (not
overbearing like quinoa or buckwheat) in
cooking. While millet is not currently
a frequent feature on the bigger supermarket
shelves, it is beginning to gain significant
popularity in Western countries due to millet
Photography Getty Images
being a gluten-free grain, popular and
convenient for both coeliacs and gluten-free
diet devotees. Millet is commonly consumed
throughout Africa and Asia and has been
a staple grain in these regions for centuries.
Millet packs its nutrition into the grain with
magnesium and calcium to boot. Just one
cup (100g) of cooked millet grain delivers
wellbeing.com.au | 51
 food
GRAINS
Millet flour is a wonderful option to keep in the
cupboard and combine with other gluten-free flours
for wraps, pancakes and baking.
20 per cent of the recommended daily intake
(RDI) of magnesium and 13 per cent of the
RDI of calcium. Magnesium is essential for
hundreds of biochemical pathways in the
body; it supports muscle contraction and
relaxation and thus plays an important role
in exercise and athletic performance. It can
help with blood glucose regulation, reducing
demands on insulin and nutritionally is
indicated in type-2 diabetes and gestational
diabetes mellitus (during pregnancy). Among
many other incredible supportive factors,
magnesium has powerful cardiovascular
benefits, with studies showing that higher
magnesium intake can help reduce blood
pressure levels.
Embrace the grain
Try puffed millet, millet flour, flakes and
whole millet grain. Puffed millet is readily
found in wholefoods bulk stores and
packaged to throw into granolas or home-
made cereals. The whole millet grain is
great for building out salads and warm
dishes. As with all grains, aim for the whole
grain, and preferably rinse and soak before
cooking for optimal results. Millet flour is
a wonderful option to keep in the cupboard
and combine with other gluten-free flours
for wraps, pancakes and baking.
3 ways with millet
1. Fill wraps made with millet and
buckwheat flour with your favourite
ingredients for a healthy lunch option, or
alternatively use them as an easy roti-style
bread with an Indian meal.
2. Incorporate puffed millet into
a healthier variation of granola with
quinoa, buckwheat, oats, olive oil, maple
syrup, cinnamon and dried fruits.
3. Add as a delicious inclusion to a crust
with almond meal and herbs for fish,
chicken, meatballs or falafel.
52 | wellbeing.com.au
Bulgar
Bulgar has commonly been used throughout
history in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean
cooking and has a delicious nutty flavour.
Bulgar’s nutritional profile is similar to
modern wheat but with a richer source
of nutrients due to minimal processing of
the grain. This is especially the case for
dietary fibre, with 1 cup of cooked bulgar
wheat contributing 8.2g fibre, a whopping
33 per cent of the RDI for adults. The
majority of Australians aren’t meeting the
RDI for dietary fibre through their diet, so
understanding where the big hitters are,
such as bulgar, is a simple but powerful
way to up your fibre intake with ease.
While most associate healthy fibre intake
with bowel motions and digestive health,
remember that a fibre-fuelled diet will
benefit cardiovascular health by lowering
and maintaining cholesterol levels while
also feeding beneficial bacteria in the
gut microbiome which have a number
of positive effects on health including
reducing inflammation, incidence and risk
of illness and chronic disease.
Embrace the grain
Enjoy the whole bulgar grain rinsed and
soaked before tossing into salads, pilafs,
puddings and porridge.
3 ways with bulgar
1. Whip up a nourishing bulgar and greens
with feta salad to serve for dinner one night
and enjoy for lunch the next day — a lovely
flavour and more nutrient-dense alternative
to couscous or pasta salad.
2. Pop some spice in your rice, or in this
case bulgar, with a delicious pilau/pilaf that
can be enjoyed vegetarian with chickpeas,
or for meat lovers with lamb or chicken.
3. Pump up a Mexican-style chilli with
cooked bulgar or make a meaty swap for
plant-based meal with lentils, kidney beans
and bulgar — a hearty meal any night of
the week and great stored in the freezer for
a quick go-to as well.
Teff
Teff is a tiny seed (although grouped
as part of the grain and ancient grain
family), historically eaten in Ethiopia, with
a plethora of nutrition benefits. Teff has
a rich, earthy, nutty flavour, is naturally
gluten-free and is a wonderful substitute
for rice, quinoa and barley. Lighter
varieties of teff (such as ivory) are milder
and sweeter in flavour.
Of all the ancient and whole grains,
teff boasts rich sources of calcium,
iron, protein and resistant starch. Just
one serving of teff (1 cup of cooked
teff grain) offers approximately 123mg
of calcium, meeting 15 per cent of
the RDI for calcium in adults (19- to
50-year-olds). We know calcium’s role
in bone and teeth density, but calcium
also plays an imperative role in muscle
function (contraction and relaxation),
blood clotting, heart function, nerve
transmission, hormone secretion and
intracellular signalling.
Embrace the grain
Enjoy ivory or brown varieties of teff in
their whole form or milled to a flour.
Teff grain is fast-cooking boiled on
the stovetop, and is a great addition to
a wholegrain porridge with oats and
quinoa. Teff flour, while gluten-free, is
best combined with other gluten-free
flours for baking, as teff lacks the binding
strength in baking of oat or rice flours.
Traditional cooking in Ethiopia uses teff
to make a fermented bread (much like
a wrap) called injera.
3 ways with teff
1. Try out some new baking ingredients
with a teff fruit bread or teff pumpkin and
date loaf. Warming flavours with richer
sources of protein, calcium and iron from
a traditional fruit bread.
2. Got teff? Make tabbouleh, a simple yet still
wonderfully nutritious alternative to freekeh
or other tabbouleh grains. Use a combination
of both ivory and brown teff grains and serve
it up with a piece of citrus-glazed salmon for
a divine meal with mates.
3. Remake your idea of pizza with a teff
Photography Getty Images
flour pizza base. Combine teff flour with
arrowroot and brown rice flour to produce
a pizza with nutrition to boot.
Jacqueline Alwill, founder of The Brown
Paper Bag, is an Australian nutritionist,
author, presenter and mum. For more, visit
thebrownpaperbag.com.au.
wellbeing.com.au | 53
 food
GRAINS
Spelt Flour Pancakes
Makes: 8–10 hotcakes to serve 3–4
1 tbsp chia seeds or 1 free-range
egg for vegetarian option
2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
¼ cup coconut sugar
4 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1¾ cups plant-based milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Coconut, olive oil or vegan butter,
for cooking
Strawberries, sliced, to serve
Maple syrup, to serve
To make the chia egg, combine
chia seeds with 3 tbsp water in
a small bowl, mix and set aside to
gel for 10 mins.
In a large mixing bowl, combine
spelt flour, coconut sugar, baking
powder and salt and mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk
together plant-based milk (or dairy
milk for vegetarian option), vanilla
and the chia egg or free-range egg
(for vegetarian option).
Pour wet ingredients into dry,
whisk together until it forms a batter
and leave for 10 mins before cooking.
Heat a frying pan on medium
heat, add enough oil/butter to
coat, then add ¼ cup batter. Cook
approximately 4 mins on one side
or until bubbles just start to appear
on the top of the hotcake, flip and
cook a further 2–3 mins on the
other side.
Transfer to a plate, cover and
repeat with remaining batter.
Serve topped with strawberries
and maple syrup.
54 | wellbeing.com.au
Bulgar Greens & Feta Salad
Serves: 4 as part of a shared meal
200g bulgar, rinsed
½ cup shredded kale leaves
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
½ cup chopped fresh dill leaves
2 medium Lebanese cucumbers, diced
180g Greek feta, crumbled
Sea salt & black pepper
Dressing
2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil,
add bulgar and cook for 10–15 mins or until
tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Once cooled,
combine with kale, mint, dill, cucumbers and
feta and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Whisk together ingredients for dressing in
a small bowl
Pour dressing over salad ingredients, toss
and serve.
Millet Buckwheat Wraps
Makes: 9–10 wraps
1 free-range egg
¾ cup (190mL) plant-based milk
2 tsp (10mL) extra-virgin olive
oil, plus extra for frying
⅓ cup (50g) millet flour
⅓ cup (50g) buckwheat flour
Pinch sea salt
½ tsp baking powder
In a mixing bowl, whisk together
egg, plant-based milk and
extra-virgin olive oil. Sift millet,
buckwheat flour, sea salt and
baking powder into the wet
ingredients and whisk again to
form the batter.
Heat a frying pan on medium
heat, add enough oil to coat the
pan then add 3 tbsp batter to the
pan and swirl to spread evenly.
Cook for 40 secs on one side
before flipping and cooking the
other side. Transfer to a plate,
cover and cook the remaining
wraps. Enjoy fresh filled with your
favourite ingredients or store in
fridge up to 3 days.
 wellbeing tv
WITH DAMIAN KRISTOF

From the WellBeing team

Welcome to WellBeing TV, a new feature in collaboration with
some of our favourite brands and wellness wizards.
As Australians become increasingly health-conscious, we want
to bring you honest tips and insights straight from the experts
themselves. Whatever wellness you’re seeking, join us on this holistic
health journey as we meet and get inspired by the industry’s best.
In our first WellBeing TV feature, we speak to Damian Kristof,
a naturopath, chiropractor and nutritionist with over 20 years’
experience. Damian shares his top tips for living a wholesome life
and how to get the most out of your morning.

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

wellbeing.com.au | 55
 pana organic

4 wellness tips to fuel your morning

To kick off our new WellBeing TV series, nutritionist, naturopath and
chiropractor Damian Kristof shares his top tips for improving your health,
which includes a delicious hot chocolate from Pana Organic.
Words DAMIAN KRISTOF

56 | wellbeingmag.tv

Check out
wellbeingmag.tv
for more wellbeing
hints and tips
“I
t’s no secret that breakfast is
my favourite meal of the day. I
love it so much that I dedicated
part of my life to developing a
nutritionally dense breakfast cereal for the
market. This is a homage to what I believe is
the most important part of the day. But for
many people, breakfast is often something
they choose to go without. Why?
In a world that moves at such speed, there
are so many reasons to skip breakfast. Being
a naturopath, nutritionist and chiropractor for
over 20 years, I’ve heard it all.
However, what if I talked to you from your
body’s perspective? The biggest clue to why
we should be eating breakfast is all in the
name: “breaking” the “fast”. As the name
suggests, breakfast breaks the overnight
fasting period. It replenishes your supply
of glucose to boost your energy levels and
general alertness. It’s like a big alarm clock
to tell your body it’s time to wake up and get
ready for the day ahead.
Studies have even shown that people
who eat breakfast can improve their
memory and concentration. Even better,
it can also make you happier by improving
mood and lowering stress levels for the
most optimum day.
 So, for all you breakfast skippers looking
to make a switch, here’s a few tips that you
can use for essential wellbeing.
Get moving
Whether you run, walk or stretch, regular
physical activity has a host of worthwhile
health benefits, from burning body fat, building
muscle mass and strengthening bones to
enhancing cardiovascular health. Working
out in the morning also jump-starts your
metabolism, resulting in you burning calories
throughout the day. Exercising in the morning
can also help to lower stress hormones when
compared to exercise later in the evening.
Drink your nutrients
Having combined the philosophies of both
naturopathic and chiropractic approaches
to healing and wellbeing, I look to food as
medicine. I like to nourish my soul with Pana
Organic Hot Chocolate. It may seem like an
indulgence but it actually has a whole host of
health benefits. One of the certified organic
ingredients, cacao powder contains powerful
antioxidants and magnesium, and many
studies have shown its beneficial effects on
heart health, insulin levels, memory and
more. To add a little sweetness, the drink
contains panela (also known as rapadura),
which is unrefined whole cane sugar.
Try a Bircher muesli
Breakfast is the perfect time to pack
in some vitamins and nutrients for the
right start to the day. My go-to is always
a Bircher muesli. It’s a great option for
busy mornings when you need a healthy
breakfast to get you out the door in a hurry.
I use a whole apple, wholegrain steel cut
oats (or brown rice flakes if I’m going
gluten-free), coconut yoghurt, coconut
water and berries, plus a handful of nuts,
dried sultanas, currants and cranberries
with a sprinkling of chia seeds.  
Look at labels
When looking at food ingredients, it’s
important to remember that less is
more. My goal is to eat as close to nature
as possible. Here’s a quick tip to make
wellbeingtv
PANA ORGANIC
Breakfast is the perfect time
to pack in some vitamins
and nutrients for the right
start to the day.
shopping for healthier food a whole
lot easier. Did you know that the food
ingredients on Australian packaging are
listed in order by weight? That is, the
ingredient that weighs the most is listed
first and the ingredient that weighs the least
is listed last. Using this tip, you can quickly
spot foods that might be high in saturated
fat, added salt or added sugars because
these ingredients are listed as the top three.
In this little beauty, Pana Organic’s new
Hot Chocolate range, you will find just two
sustainable ingredients: certified organic
cacao and panela.
EW
N
Enjoy as a hot or cold beverage or
sprinkled over your favourite frozen
dessert. Available at Woolworths
and pana-organic.com
wellbeingmag.tv | 57
 body
YOGA
Yoga for uncertainty
Learning to relax in the midst of chaos and to stay steady in moments
of uncertainty is the path to true awakening.
Words RACHAEL COOPES Photography JONATHON BUTTERY
A
psychologist once told me that
she believes anyone is capable
of dealing with any situation
as long as it is known. It’s the
uncertainty that unravels most people.
According to the yoga teachings, the
manifest world is constantly moving
through cycles of creation (Brahma),
sustenance (Vishnu) and destruction
(Shiva). Then the cycle begins again. There
are no exceptions to this rule. We never
know how long any part of the cycle will
last; that’s the great, terrifying unknown.
Yet so many of us experience pain clinging
to the things we don’t want to end or
change and wishing things away we’d
prefer would finish or disappear. It’s this
inability to accept the basic laws of nature
that tells us “the only constant is change,
none of us know what comes next”.
The reality is, the only thing we can rely
on is change. The world will keep throwing
us curveballs. It’s never the things we
worry about at three in the morning that
come to fruition — it’s the random acts
on a Tuesday afternoon that sideswipe
us. I mean who imagined in December
2019 the world was about to unravel in
the way it has? Life is unpredictable;
that’s the deal of being alive. As exciting
and terrifying as that is, it’s natural to
want to find something solid to cling to.
Feeling grounded amid the chaos can
bring some ease to the process of change.
The practice of yoga provides us with
exactly that: a way to sit with uncertainty
and ground into the only thing that is not
subject to change — that deeper part of
ourselves: our consciousness.
What is that deeper part
of ourselves?
From the yoga perspective, we are made
up of energy and matter. Energy moves
through matter all the time. So does
consciousness. Where matter is finite,
and subject to the laws of manifestation,
consciousness is not: it is infinite. It is
58 | wellbeing.com.au
vast and powerful and not subject to
change or the laws of manifestation.
Sometimes energy moves through a tree,
so consciousness can experience itself
as a tree, or an ant or a “Rachael”. So
there is this part of “Rachael”, absolutely
experiencing itself as finite — my body,
my mind, my “Rachael”-ness, my
experience of the external world. And
at the same time, there is this part of
“Rachael” that is pure consciousness,
awareness, not subject to change. That
is the truly powerful part of the self, that
yoga practice gives us access to.
Feeling grounded
amongst the chaos can
bring some ease to the
process of change.
How can we stay steady when
nothing else is?
Connect to the infinite
It’s important to use your yoga practice to
feel the infinite part of yourself because
it’s only available at the feeling level. Using
asana (yoga postures), meditation and
pranayama, we are peeling back the layers
to use the body and mind and breath to feel
what is beyond that.
In a pranayama practice, for example,
we get curious about the breath. We play
with controlling and freeing it so we can
feel who and what we are beyond the
breath. The breath shows us that we are
subject to the laws of manifestation.
I have a beginning (I inhale), a middle (the
pause at the top of the breath) and an end
(I exhale and empty the breath). Then the
cycle begins again. The breath is always
changing. A challenging asana pose shows
us this at the physical level. Our time on
the mat reveals to us at a cellular level,
but can you also feel this part of you that
is infinite? Even for a second? It may not
be the yoga mat that reveals it to you; it
may be walking barefoot in nature, surfing,
listening to music — anything that brings
you a moment that connects you to your
true “home”, that deeper part of the self.
Starting with the roots
According to the yoga physiology, the
energetic body is very complex with
different systems and layers. One aspect
of this is the chakra system. It’s said
there are seven energy centres that are
placed along the spine where the central
energetic channel (shusumna) is. The base
chakra (muladhara) is associated with the
earth element, and so it determines how
grounded we feel, how well we connect
to the earth. Mula, in this context, means
root. Adhara can be support or foundation.
Dhara can mean flux. How balanced
we are in the muladhara chakra will be
represented by how deep our roots are
and how connected to the earth we feel;
therefore, how steady our support or
foundation is whether grounded or in
a constant state of flux.
It all begins at the roots
Root systems are incredible. They grow
deeply into the earth to constantly provide
the rest of the plant with life-bringing
minerals. The trunk, stems, leaves, their
life depends on the health of the roots.
This is why it’s so important to nourish
our roots. In those unsteady moments, in
those times of flux, no matter what the
conditions our roots run deep and we will
be OK. We can withstand the weather. The
seasons will change, from blustery winter
to the new beginnings of spring. We have
the capacity to withstand it all.
However, when the roots aren’t
nourished, when our foundation isn’t stable,
we live in a constant state of fight or flight.
How to nourish your roots
Tribe
There are many different ways to balance
muladhara and nourish your roots.
Having a deep connection to tribe is a very
wellbeing.com.au | 59
 body
YOGA

Squat or garland pose Goddess

and getting plenty of sunlight. The same

Fostering a healthy, supportive relationship with goes for us. Drink lots of water and herbal
teas like turmeric. Eat foods that are red
family, friends, your work tribe and community can or earthy colours like root vegetables
make you feel like you are home. such as potato, sweet potato, pumpkin,
red onion and carrots. Warm, roasted
vegetables and dals help ground on a
physical and cellular level.
powerful way to start. Community gives putting time and energy into fostering Asana
us a sense of belonging; being connected those connections, our foundations will Learning to stand steadily on your own
to this planet in some way. Fostering a feel shaky. It’s a very good reason not only two feet is the starting point to balance
healthy, supportive relationship with family, to spend more time with those you love, but muladhara. It’s why Shri Pattabhi Jois
friends, your work tribe and community to resolve relationships that keep you stuck made everyone master the standing
can make you feel like you are home. You feeling unsafe and unsteady in this world. series first in the Ashtanga system,
are safe. These people have capacity to Resolution doesn’t always look like kissing before they were given any of the other
hold you through every storm. It’s why and making up. Sometimes it’s a process poses. When we need grounding, the
satsang, or keeping good company, is of forgiveness and letting go so we can use standing poses are magic. And all the
considered one of the most important that energy being wasted on resentment other poses lie in them. Master them and
yogic practices in today’s world by my and sadness to grow our own precious you master your life.
teachers Sharon Gannon and David Life. roots. Sometimes it means setting
I know life is busy, but it is essential we boundaries to create a healthier dynamic. Yoga sequence for uncertainty
prioritise our connection to tribe if we Food In this grounding series, take a good five
desire an easeful journey through the Another way to nourish your roots is to eight breaths in each pose. Notice what
inevitable uncertainty of life. When we through the physical body. Think about happens when you stay steady in a pose: feel
have conflict with our people or we aren’t how well plants do when they are hydrated the earth beneath your feet and find balance.

Warrior 2

60 | wellbeing.com.au
 body
YOGA

Warrior 1 Triangle

Squat or garland pose (Malasana) the right thigh bone out and around to set is wrapping out and around in external
Set feet hip width or wider. Bend the the knee at a 90-degree angle, over the rotation to set the knee in line with the
knees, toes in line with knees. Spread ankle, in line with the second toe. Left hip toes. Firm the back leg. Find equal
weight evenly over feet. Hands in prayer, forward. Pick the front of the pelvis up and weight in both feet.
forearms parallel to earth. Press elbows reach the arms out so they’re parallel with
into knees while keeping palms together. the earth. Soften shoulders down. As a mama, writer, Play School presenter
Climb the spine taller and ground down Triangle (Trikonasana) and yoga teacher, Rachael Coopes loves
into the earth by pressing feet down and Keep the feet about one leg length apart, storytelling and yoga philosophy. A certified
crown of head up. legs extended. Heels in line. Back toes 800-hour Jivamukti teacher with more
Goddess (Uttkata konasana) turned in a little. Lift the quad muscles than 1000 hours of training and a decade
Step the feet wide, and bend knees. Set and pelvic bones up. As you take your of teaching, she currently facilitates yoga
knees over heels, and don’t let them go hand down to a block, shift your hips teacher training programs at BodyMindLife.
beyond the toes. Externally wrap thigh back. Make sure the front thigh bone She is eternally grateful to all her teachers.
bones around to set knees in line with
middle toe. Don’t arch the lower back,
lengthen the tail. Have hands on hips,
or prayer at heart centre, or arms out
to side, bending elbows in line with
shoulders, like cactus arms.
Chair pose (Uttkatasana)
Big toes touch and separate heels so that
second toe lines up with centre of heel or
feet hip width. Bend knees, hands to hips
or reach arms up, hands shoulder width
or palms connecting. Keep weight spread
across four corners of feet. Shift the shins
back trying to set knees over ankles. Pick
the frontal hip bones up and descend sit
bones to the earth.
Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1)
Set your feet up so they are a little short of
one leg length apart, hips pointing forward.
Either have heel to heel alignment, or feet
hip width apart. Front foot is in tadasana
pointing forward, back foot turning in about
45 degrees. Connect the whole sole of the
back foot to the earth. If you can’t do so, step
it forward a little or out to the side to hip
distance apart. Bend the front knee. Knee
above heel. Equal weight through both feet.
Hands to hips, or reach the arms up, palms
facing one another together or shoulder
width apart. Soften shoulders down.
Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2)
Step the feet wide, about one leg length
apart. Heels in line. Toes turned in a little.
Lift the quad muscles and pelvic bones
up. Climb the ribs up. Look at the right leg
and turn right toes out, setting right foot
parallel with the long side of the mat, wrap

62 | wellbeing.com.au
 N O
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EW K
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 Womxn
n 1 alternative to woman/women; used to reclaim
the identity of womanhood as intersectional and
not defined in relation to men.

Can you feel it? The winds of change rippling across

the world, making a home in your soul and inspiring
an uprising. Womxn are finally being heard, loud
and clear. The liberation that began so long ago has
morphed into an inclusive, diverse and intersectional
movement that starts and ends with womxn, a term
that first circulated during the second wave feminist
movement in the ’70s. We use the term “womxn” to
liberate ourselves from patriarchal restraints as well
as encompass groups that have historically been
excluded from the white feminist discourse, including
trans women and women of colour. But what does it
mean to be a womxn? It means pushing boundaries,
owning your sexuality, being brave but also being
vulnerable. It means loving fiercely, raising your voice
and smashing the patriarchy. To be a womxn is to be
loud, to unleash your power and to own your magic.
To be a womxn is to be unapologetically you.

64 | wellbeing.com.au
 Illustration creativemarket.com

wellbeing.com.au | 65
 thinkers & doers
GENEVIEVE CLAY-SMITH
Genevieve Clay-Smith
Changing hearts and minds
Genevieve Clay-Smith was just 18 when she committed to shaking up the film industry.
Now, the director advocates for people with disabilities through her award-winning films.
G
enevieve Clay-Smith
spent her childhood
ensconced in the
creative world of
Young People’s Theatre in her
home town of Cardiff, Newcastle.
When she wasn’t improvising
with her theatre buddies, she
was spending lunch breaks
immersed in writing stories —
more compelled by the worlds
she was creating on the page
than the kids playing outside.
Set on making it as an actor,
Clay-Smith delved into a Media
Arts and Production degree at
the University of Technology in
Sydney, drawn by the idea that she could
better herself as an actor from behind
the camera — it didn’t take long for her to
realise that was where she belonged.
Stars aligned
In 2008, Clay-Smith was contracted to
make a documentary for Down Syndrome
NSW. She was to follow six people with
trisomy 21 (the preferred term for people
with Down syndrome) as they pursued their
job of choice. During the 18-month-long
project, Clay-Smith witnessed the many
barriers to employment for people with
trisomy 21 and the people willing to help
them along the way.
“I started to get this sense of social
justice; that you can really make a difference
with what you have in your hands,” she says.
“People were volunteering their time to
teach someone how to cook or to advocate
for someone in their workplace so they
could get a job. They were really changing
lives. That was really impacting for me.”
During her final year of university,
Clay-Smith decided to put her growing
66 | wellbeing.com.au
Words SHEVONNE HUNT
ideas about social justice into practice
using the tools she had at her disposal:
a university education, access to camera
equipment and a love of storytelling.
The stars aligned. Actor Gerard
O’Dwyer had joined the documentary for
Down Syndrome NSW late in the program.
The first time Clay-Smith met O’Dwyer,
he launched into a soliloquy from Romeo
and Juliet. Clay-Smith was captivated;
she invited O’Dwyer to make a film with
her alongside six crew members with
disabilities. The result, Be My Brother, won
best film at Tropfest in 2009 and O’Dwyer
won best actor. The film’s success had
a huge impact on O’Dwyer and boosted
Clay-Smith’s drive to bring more diversity
to mainstream screens.
“[O’Dwyer] had been told awful
things through his childhood and young
adulthood. You wouldn’t think it now, but he
suffered from a lack of confidence on the
set of Be My Brother,” she says. “That was a
defining moment for him in his life. And
I thought I could do that again and again
and again. And how wonderful would that
be? To use my passion and transform lives
and hopefully, at some point, the
film industry as well.”
“I felt this real pang of
injustice because I began to
have my eyes opened to some
of the problems with our film
industry,” she says. “Everybody’s
stories should be told and told
authentically, not for the sake of
benefiting one film-maker at the
top of the hierarchy. It needed to
be equitable, and I realised how
it was very exclusive.”
Fork in the road
Winning Tropfest was the
beginning of a tumultuous year
for Clay-Smith. It began with a prestigious
award and a job at the ABC, but by the end
of the year she was employed as a waitress
and struggling to find work in film.
It was at this time Clay-Smith met one
of Australia’s best agents. Her advice?
Drop the ambition for making inclusive
films. “She looked at me like I had two
heads. She said that I would never have
a career in the film industry, that it just
sounded like some nice Community Arts
program,” says Clay-Smith. “She basically
said I’d be pigeonholed as the girl who only
ever makes films about Down syndrome,
that I’d never get a gig because people
don’t want to see those films. I was so
shocked and hurt by that perception, I had
a real fork in the road moment.”
Clay-Smith toyed with the idea of taking
a more traditional path to becoming
a director, but her success with Be My
Brother and her work with Down Syndrome
NSW lingered. “It gave me more purpose in
my film-making career, it started to be more
than just me wanting to be a famous film
director,” she says. “I could see that I could
wellbeing.com.au | 67
 thinkers & doers
GENEVIEVE CLAY-SMITH
“I learned a lot about being vulnerable with people. Having mentors and being very
honest and open about what was going on and not trying to be a lone soldier.”
actually make a real difference in people’s
lives through my passion for film-making.
And that was something I couldn’t ignore.”
A unique opportunity
The problem with mainstream film
and TV, says Clay-Smith, is that it’s too
homogenous. “If we’re only seeing white
people on television, the message to people
that are not white is that you don’t matter
enough to be on our screens and your
stories don’t matter. It’s very damaging.
Film-making is the industry of storytelling
and everybody needs to be heard, because
different people need to feel validated.”
Film and television offer a unique
opportunity to change hearts and minds.
For Clay-Smith, film-making is intrinsically
linked to human rights: “You get to be in
a skin of someone else for an hour when
you’re watching a film,” she says. “You get to
experience first-hand what they go through.
How can you then ignore the opportunity or
invitation to be an ally to that community
and raise your voice when the vote comes?”
If she was going to shake up the
industry, Clay-Smith knew she had to
change the way she approached not just
the story, but the process of production
68 | wellbeing.com.au
itself. Instead of a hierarchical structure
where the director is king, she envisioned
a more equitable approach where the
director is open to ideas from a diverse
crew. “It’s a really different measure of
success. It measures success from
a human perspective, and how people
are treated, how people are included, and
how people can progress their own career
pathways through being involved and
mentored,” she says. “I always argue that
you can get a great film, an incredible
award-winning film, and you can treat
people well and include people at the
same time, it’s possible to do both.”
Fuelled by the success of Be My
Brother, Clay-Smith and her producer
on the film Eleanor Winkler co-founded
Bus Stop Films. The company was to
reimagine the talents of people with
disabilities within the mainstream. “One of
the greatest stigmas that stopped people
with disability achieving in life is other
people’s low expectations of them,” she
says. “When we have low expectations of
people with disability, we rob them of their
opportunity to reach their full potential.
I’ve always said at Bus Stop Films, I have
high expectations of everybody.”
The world stage
One of Bus Stop Films’ major supporters,
member of the Arts Council of Mongolia,
Roger Perry OAM, encouraged Clay-Smith
to take the company overseas. Keen for
adventure, Clay-Smith flew to Mongolia
to better understand how the program
at Bus Stop Films could translate into
Mongolian culture.
It was clear Mongolia was 40 years
behind the Disability Rights Movement;
there was a cultural belief that parents
with children born with a disability had
done something wrong in a past life.
“I learned that [Bus Stop Films] could
really help not only people with disability
to reach their full potential and tell their
stories, but the story in and of itself could
help to impact society and what they
think of disabilities,” says Clay-Smith.
The program was a success and
ultimately led to more opportunities
overseas. Clay-Smith’s other company
Taste Creative won a contract with the
Tokyo Metropolitan Government to make
a tourism film and Clay-Smith put forward
the idea to make an inclusive film.
Shakespeare in Tokyo follows a young man
with trisomy 21 (played by Gerard O’Dwyer)
as he escapes with his brother to explore
Tokyo. The challenging part of the project,
says Clay-Smith, was convincing the client
they could make a film with an inclusive
crew: “I needed to convince them that it
wasn’t going to compromise production.
Once I’d shown them the evidence that it was
possible, they were good with it.”
Staying afloat
Bus Stop Films was in the swing of creating
beautiful, poignant films that were shaking
up the industry, but the business was built
on an entirely unsustainable, not-for-profit
model; the duo didn’t even have a business
plan in place. Clay-Smith’s vision had got
the company this far, but now they had to
fight to keep Bus Stop Films afloat.
“I can’t tell you the amount of tears I’ve
cried over Bus Stop,” says Clay-Smith. “My
biggest fear was that Bus Stop would live
and die with me. Finding a way to make it
sustainable was the biggest pressure I had
for nine years, because I knew I couldn’t
keep doing it forever. And if I’m the only
one doing it, then how can we expand the
reach of the work?”
There were endless meetings with
philanthropists and research into ways to
make the business sustainable. And, among
them, many dark nights of the soul, where
Clay-Smith questioned what it would mean
if she just stopped doing the work. “I learned
a lot about being vulnerable with people.
Having mentors and being very honest and
open about what was going on and not trying
to be a lone soldier. I learned that sharing
the burden was really important,” she says.
In the end, the National Disability
Insurance Scheme that began its
roll-out in 2016 saved the company.
It meant students could pay for their
classes at Bus Stop Films. After 10 years
of running the company, Clay-Smith was
able to step aside and pass on the reins to
a new CEO while remaining on the board.
After all, there is so much more for her
to accomplish. “My philosophy is that we’re
not just here to have a career,” she says.
“We’re here to interact with other people
and help make the world as good as it can
be for others in our sphere.”
Clay-Smith continues to be involved with
Bus Stop Films and is currently planning
long-form content with the company.
But her true legacy is the lives she has
transformed on her journey of bringing
more diversity to our screens.
Shevonne Hunt is a writer, podcast presenter
and producer. Through her daily podcast
Feed Play Love she presents stories and topics
that help parents navigate raising small
children. When she’s not chasing a story,
Shevonne loves yoga, swimming in the ocean,
good friends and laughing with her family.
wellbeing.com.au | 69
 health
FACE MASKS

Photography Getty Images

70 | wellbeing.com.au
 Face masking
up to the future
Since the first wave of COVID-19, face masks have become
an essential addition to our everyday lives and one of the
trendiest accessories in the fashion world. Here, we discover
their origins and functionality, and explore how this new
normal will evolve the once-humble face mask.
Words GEORGIA NELSON

U
p until the beginning of 2020, it
was quite unusual to see face
masks outside of the operating
rooms in a hospital — in
Western countries, at least. You might see
the odd commuter wearing one on the train
or around busy city streets during the peak
of flu season, but sightings were a rarity.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
By March 2020, shelves were cleared
of medical masks (along with almost every
non-perishable food source), healthcare
workers were reusing disposable masks
for fear of running out, and the USA was
experiencing a shortage of medical and
N95 masks due to global demand. Hospital
and research facilities worldwide reported
bulk theft of medical masks. They were the
latest health essential, and it wasn’t long
before they became a fashion accessory.
How do masks work?
Since March 2020, most of Australia has
been masking up each time we step into
crowded public spaces. But how do face
masks actually work? Well, in its most
basic form, a face mask covering the
mouth and nose blocks viral respiratory
droplets from becoming airborne. A study
in Nature Medicine found that a coronavirus
actually attaches to proteins in the nasal
passage, so covering the nose is essential
to preventing the transmission of the virus.
But there are varying types and kinds of
face masks.
Standard surgical masks are made from
bacteria-filtering fabric such as polystyrene
or polyethylene and constructed with three
or four layers including double filtration
layers as well as a nose wire to fit firmly on
the face. Respiratory N95 masks take this
model up a level, with a tight-fitting face
seal that has been found to filter out 95
per cent of the tiniest of airborne particles
including dust, mist and fumes.
You’ve no doubt been gifted or
purchased a homemade mask, but the
efficacy of these masks is highly debated.
A report by Australia’s Infection Control
Expert Group (ICEG) noted that both
homemade cloth masks and surgical
masks reduced the number of airborne
microorganisms, but the surgical masks
proved to be three times more effective
than homemade masks — although they
need to be fitted properly to work.

wellbeing.com.au | 71
 health
FACE MASKS

But fear not; the World Health

Organisation (WHO) recommends that
while medical masks should be used by
healthcare workers, people with flu-like
symptoms, those over 60 and those with
medical conditions, non-medical fabric
masks can be used by the general public.

Masks through the ages

Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the only times
we saw surgical masks were in hospitals
and doctors’ surgeries and on medical
dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy. But masks
for respiratory health date back about 2000
years to when Roman philosopher Pliny
the Elder donned a face covering made of
animal-bladder skin while crushing toxic
minerals to use for pigment in jewellery. Silk
masks were worn by the Chinese emperor’s
servants in the 13th century while they
were preparing and serving food to avoid
contamination. Even Leonardo da Vinci
masked up with a water-soaked cloth while
painting to prevent himself inhaling toxic
chemicals in the paint.
Europe’s 14th-century Black Death
epidemic sparked widespread wearing
of face coverings, and with the next
outbreak in the 17th century came the
invention of the now iconic beak mask
by a French doctor. It was believed that
diseases were spread through miasmas,
or bad smells, so the beak of the mask
was filled with fragrant herbs, spices and
dried flowers to ward off disease.
But we can credit the modern medical
mask to Malayan public-health specialist
Wu Lien-the, who developed a multilayered
mask from cotton and gauze with secure
ties when the Manchurian plague broke
out in northern China in 1911. It probably
comes as no surprise that Wu’s insistence
on wearing masks to limit contagion was
met with resistance; that is until a colleague
who refused to don a mask succumbed to
the plague.
Authorities experienced the same
resistance during the Spanish flu
pandemic in 1918–19, where masks
were enforced during the second wave
of the pandemic (déjà vu anyone?). While
some were decorating their masks with
everything from Snugglepot & Cuddlepie
to darkly comic skull and crossbones
designs, others were cutting holes in
We’ve already seen a glimpse of the future of mask design …
PPE has had a serious glow-up.
repealed less than a month later, albeit not
because of the League’s efforts.
While it took some time for us to adjust
to wearing masks every day, many countries
have been accustomed to this for decades.
In Japan, wearing a mask is essential
etiquette if you’re sick or have allergies.
And if you need to blow your nose — forget
it! Sniff as much as you like, but only pull
the tissues once you’re in a restroom. Heavy
smog and pollution in China has led to
widespread use of masks for people going
about their day-to-day lives.
Although reusable masks made from
natural fibres were the way for much of the
20th century both inside and outside of the
operating room, by the 1960s masks were
predominately disposable and made from
synthetic materials. There have been plenty
more upgrades, including N95 masks and
even masks designed for those who wear
glasses, with plenty more futuristic models
yet to be released.
But one of the most efficient designs yet
are masks to help those who are deaf and
hearing-impaired to communicate. These
masks now come in a variety of styles
and designs, all with a transparent plastic
pandemic. But while our faces are
integral in conveying our emotions, other
cues like tone of voice, hand gestures
and body language are just as important.
So while wearing a mask, you may need
to talk a little louder and slower and pay
more attention to body language to adapt
to this new norm.
Functionality or fashion
statement?
Fashion weeks around the world have
dubbed the once-humble face mask the
hottest accessory of the season. Since pop
sensation Billie Eilish rocked an embellished
mesh Gucci mask (which has been declared
completely ineffective against fending off
airborne bacteria by experts), alternative
variations of the masks have been seen on
designer runways, influencer socials and red
carpets from Sydney to Milan.
Some designers went for a low-key
approach to masks that blended in with the
sartorial flair of the season, while others
like Christian Siriano took the chance to
get political in the lead-up to the 2020 US
election, sending models down the runway of
his New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer
Photography Getty Images

their masks so they could smoke easily,
and San Francisco’s Anti-Mask League,
whose members included doctors and
city officials, was born. Much like the anti-
maskers of today, these “mask slackers”
or “Sanitary Spartacans”, as they were not-
so-fondly referred to, took to the streets to
protest the mask ordinance — which was
window over the mouth that allows one to
lip-read while the wearer is speaking.
So how do face masks affect human
communication? Well, facial gestures and
expressions make up 55 per cent of our
communication, and studies have found
that interpersonal communication was
heavily impacted during the COVID-19
show with masks stamped with “VOTE”
— and haute couture dresses to match. This
was mirrored on the streets during the Black
Lives Matter protests in the wake of George
Floyd’s death. Protesters and allies across
America donned black masks emblazoned
with the words “I CAN’T BREATHE” and the
BLM (Black Lives Matter) slogan to show

72 | wellbeing.com.au
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 health
FACE MASKS
While it took some time for us to adjust to wearing masks every
day, many countries have been accustomed to this for decades.
their support for the movement. These
masks became a staple for tennis superstar
Naomi Osaka, who regularly hit the courts
around the globe with a BLM-inspired mask.
For the majority of fashion retailers,
though, their goal was to create masks to
complement even the most luxurious of
couture — and they certainly did just that.
On a recent episode of the ABC’s The Mix,
Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan
says, “I always joke that fashion finds a way,
and in this case, fashion has found a way
to make an uncomfortable accessory as
pleasing to the eye as possible.”
Louis Vuitton’s LV Shield Visor, with an
RRP of A$1350, sold out almost as soon as it
became available in Australia. But according
to physician and journalist Dr Norman
Swan, the shield will protect the eyes but is
essentially useless at preventing the spread
of germs if not used with a filtered face
mask. So if luxury fashion is your thing, look
no further than Israeli-based brand Yvel’s
18-carat white gold mask, encrusted with
3600 diamonds and fitted with an N99 filter.
It’ll cost you a cool A$2 million — but you
can’t put a price on fashionable hygiene and
safety, right?!
In festival culture, fashion and face masks
have been synonymous for quite some
time. At music festivals such as Coachella
and the Byron Bay-based Splendour in the
Grass, facial accessories from bandanas to
bejewelled chain masks are hard to miss
among the crowds. Whether to protect one
from desert dust storms or add a statement
finish to their specifically curated outfit,
masks have certainly become a mainstay in
festival fashion.
But if you, like us, prefer a more low-
key and practical approach to masking,
74 | wellbeing.com.au
there are plenty of home-grown brands
that offer sartorially safe (and sustainably
made) masks that won’t break the bank.
Look to labels like Kloke, Clothing the Gap,
Romance Was Born, Arnhem and local
sellers on Etsy. From silk to cotton, linen
and even recycled ocean plastic, there are
plenty of affordably safe options for masks.
Future focus
While single-use surgical masks may seem
convenient at the time, they’ve already
made a huge impact on the environment.
Discarded masks are washing up on beaches
and uninhabited islands around the world.
According to a report from OceansAsia,
“From a global production projection of 52
billion masks for 2020, we estimate that 1.56
billion masks will enter our oceans in 2020,
amounting to between 4680 and 6240 metric
tonnes of plastic pollution. These masks
will take as long as 450 years to break down
and all the while serve as a source of micro
plastic and negatively impact marine wildlife
and ecosystems.”
To combat this waste, French start-up
Plaxtil has launched a mask recycling
program around the country, and has
since recycled over 100,000 masks. The
masks are quarantined for four days
before being crushed, passed through
a UV tunnel for decontamination, then
remade into COVID-19 protection
essentials including mask fasteners, door
openers and protective visors.
Belgium-based design studio
WeWantMore has also taken to refashioning
masks from previously disposable items.
The studio has been transforming pre-loved
Adidas and Nike sneakers into face masks
that offer some protection, but are primarily
designed to “highlight humanity’s ability to
adapt,” as told to Forbes by creative director
Ruud Belmans. “It merely shows how
reimagination and creativity can put
a positive twist on even the hardest of times.”
Closer to home, carbon-conscious brand
AusAir launched its filtered face mask in
2017 in response to growing concerns of air
pollutants from wildfires. These reusable
masks offer a sleek design that boasts two-
way filtration and comes with a copper carry
bag that deactivates bacteria — you can
even choose native botanical-infused filters
(maybe the beak mask inventor was onto
something after all).
So what’s next for face masks? Well,
we’ve already seen a glimpse of the future
of mask design thanks to companies like
Aõ Air and Honeywell: PPE has had
a serious glow up. Aõ Air’s Atmõs mask is
currently being developed in New Zealand
and is one of the sleekest solutions we’ve
seen, with a minimalist clear window
design that doesn’t hinder communication,
flexible fit and patented PositivAir™
technology for the cleanest, coolest
breathing experience yet.
The Xupermask, musician will.i.am’s
latest venture with Honeywell, is definitely
one to look out for. As a smart mask,
the device incorporates noise-cancelling
headphones, LED lights, a rechargeable
battery and Bluetooth capability. It’s
certainly not the most subtle of designs,
but its cutting-edge design puts it in
a category of its own. And there’s plenty
more about to hit the market: LG’s mask
with a built-in inverter fan, a full-faced
Daft Punk-esque mask from Blanc
Masks, and the Razer mask from Project
Hazel that comes with a charger equipped
with a bacteria-killing UV light.
Whether masks become the “new
normal” in a post-COVID world is yet to be
determined. But they have certainly become
a much-loved (and essential) accessory
around the world, putting creativity on
display. In Italy, engineer Mario Milanesio
added a 3D-printed respiratory valve to
his snorkelling mask; and Australia’s own
Todd McKenny’s mask brand has designed
a 3D breast mask to raise money for
breast cancer awareness. Are these masks
comfortably wearable? Debatable. But
no doubt they will go down in history and
Photography Getty Images
perhaps even be passed down the family line
as a relic of times past.
Georgia Nelson is a journalist based on the
South Coast of NSW and the features writer
at WellBeing and WILD. She has a penchant
for sustainable beauty, slow fashion and
feminist literature.
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 beauty
BEAUTY HERBS

7 herbs for your

beauty routine
Herbs are well known for their medicinal qualities, but they can
also be a valued part of your beauty routine. Discover the beauty
benefits of seven herbs: frankincense, green tea, camomile, lavender,
calendula (marigold), rosemary and turmeric.
Words EMA TAYLOR

B
efore cosmetic products existed,
many cultures around the world
utilised native herbs, oils, spices,
mud and even insects in their
beauty regimes. Cleopatra’s go-to shade
of lipstick was created from ground
carmine beetles or mud mixed with water.
Many of the herbs, spices and oils used
throughout history for beauty have stood
the test of time and are widely used in
today’s cosmetics. Want to weave a few
more natural products into your beauty
routine? Why not start with these seven?
Frankincense
Historically frankincense has been used
topically in both Chinese and Ayurvedic
cultures to help heal wounds, scars,
wrinkles and stretch marks.
In more modern times, frankincense
oil has become an increasingly popular
ingredient in skincare and other
therapeutic products, which is likely due
to this resinous plant’s anti-inflammatory
and antiseptic properties.
While the research on frankincense’s
beauty benefits is limited, a promising 2017
study showed the biological activities of
frankincense to be beneficial in treating
inflamed skin cells and encouraging the
regeneration of 17 skin protein markers
that help remodel and heal damaged
skin. It seems that Ayurvedic and Chinese
cultures intuitively knew the benefits of
Green tea
Are you someone who needs a coffee to get
you through the day? Why not try swapping
out your morning brew for green tea? While
you will still get a cognitive and energy
boost, as green tea does contain caffeine,
you won’t feel jittery or anxious as it also
contains the amino acid L-theanine which
has been associated with improvements
in mood and cognition and a reduction of
stress and anxiety-like symptoms.
Sipping this herbal tea will not only help
your mood and brain but also your skin. This
is because green tea has a high content of
protective polyphenols known as flavonoids,
Camomile can be applied
topically in a carrier cream,
sipped throughout the day as
a tea or taken as a herbal tincture.
the most active of which are catechins and
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which
function as powerful antioxidants and
possess anti-inflammatory properties,
perfect for reducing redness and irritation
of the skin. Antioxidants are one of the
body’s best defences against oxidative
stress that can cause premature ageing,
metabolic disease, cancer, drug toxicity
and degenerative disorders, so the more
an added ingredient in skincare products
for topical use.
Camomile
Camomile is one of the most ancient
medicinal herbs known to mankind and
likely one you have seen in the garden or
sipped as a tea.
Camomile contains terpenoids and
flavonoids, constituents which contribute to
its anti-inflammatory, wound-healing and
digestive carminative medicinal properties.
Research has shown that camomile’s
anti-inflammatory action in the body
is similar to that of non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs, making it the perfect
remedy for irritated, itchy, red and sore skin
conditions such as acne, dermatitis, eczema,
bites, wounds and ulcers. Camomile is very
gentle and can be used safely as a topical
agent on babies and children.
If you have sore eyes or an infection
such as conjunctivitis, dip a camomile tea
bag in boiling water, squeeze the water out,
allow to cool and apply it to the eyes. This
easy remedy can help calm inflammation
and irritation and speed up healing.
A cup of camomile tea is also the
perfect medicine if you’re experiencing
digestive discomfort such as cramping,
wind or bloating due to the herb's
carminative actions.
How to reap the benefits: Camomile can
be applied topically in a carrier cream,
Illustrations Getty Images

frankincense oil for skin health.
How to reap the benefits: It is important
to mix essential oils with a carrier oil as
they can be very harsh applied neat to the
skin and may result in a reaction. Mix a few
drops of frankincense essential oil into
a carrier oil such as jojoba or cream base
such as vitamin E.
antioxidants in your diet the better.
Additionally, EGCG has been shown
to help repair DNA damage caused by
ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, which
will help to keep your skin youthful and
protect you against skin cancers.
How to reap the benefits: Sip as a tea
throughout the day or look for green tea as
sipped throughout the day as a tea or taken
as a herbal tincture.
Lavender
One cannot help but feel relaxed and at
ease when smelling this beautiful flower.
Burning lavender essential oil around
the house, dabbing it on your wrists or

76 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 77
 beauty
BEAUTY HERBS

Calendula is the perfect

remedy for healing many skin
conditions such as eczema,
dermatitis, rashes, irritation,
insect bites, abrasions …

adding a few drops to your pillow can be

very effective in helping calm anxiety and
promote restful beauty sleep.
Not only is lavender exceptionally
soothing for the mind but it also possesses
some potent beauty benefits due to the
herb’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.
Research has shown that lavender can
encourage the healing of mouth ulcers
and canker sores when used topically
due to the herb’s anti-inflammatory
actions. Another study showed the topical
application of lavender essential oil
applied to wounds increased the number
of fibroblasts in the skin, which encourage
wound healing and collagen synthesis.
Lavender has been shown to combat
Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium
that is associated with the development of
eczema. Creating a balm with a few drops of
lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil
such as jojoba or vitamin E can be applied shown to directly inhibit Escherichia cream, or as an added ingredient in beauty
to eczema rashes to help fight bacteria and coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida products such as shampoo.
encourage healing. albicans bacteria, which are associated
One of my favourite uses for lavender with the development of eczema and Rosemary
is as an alternative to chemical insect fungal skin infections. Calendula has also Another wondrous culinary herb that
repellents as it works wonders for keeping been shown to be beneficial in speeding does far more than add flavour to meals
mosquitos away. See page 80 for a DIY up the healing of cold sores resulting from is rosemary. Rosemary is an antifungal,
insect repellent recipe. herpes simplex virus. antibacterial, antioxidant and a circulatory
How to reap the benefits: Lavender can This golden flower is one of my stimulant. The most important constituents
be applied topically mixed with a carrier favourites when it comes to making herbal of rosemary are thought to be caffeic acid
oil or diluted for an insect spray, sipped tinctures for my clients experiencing acne; and its derivative rosmarinic acid.
in a tea, taken as a herbal tincture and this is not only for its anti-inflammatory Rubbing a few drops of rosemary oil
added to a diffuser. and wound-healing properties but into the scalp daily may help stimulate
additionally for its action on the lymphatic circulation and hair growth. For this
Calendula (marigold) system. Calendula encourages “cleansing” reason, rosemary is a popular ingredient
Calendula, also known as marigold, is one of the lymphatic system, helping to move in many shampoos and conditioners for
of the happiest looking flowers you will ever lymphatic fluid and support toxin removal helping to reduce or reverse hair loss.
see. It is characterised by bright yellow- from the body. If your detoxification organs Rosemary’s antibacterial activity has
orange petals that looks like the sun. (skin, lymphatic system, liver, kidney, also been shown to fight against the
Calendula contains constituents called intestines and bowels) are compromised bacteria E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus,
polysaccharides, which allow it to possess in any way a build-up of toxins in the which have been associated with eczema
powerful anti-inflammatory and wound- body can result. The body is always and other skin infections.
Illustrations Getty Images

healing properties. Calendula is the perfect
remedy for healing many skin conditions
such as eczema, dermatitis, rashes,
irritation, insect bites, abrasions, cracked
nipples from breastfeeding, baby’s nappy
rash, bruises, boils and burns.
Calendula’s antiviral, antimicrobial
and antifungal properties have been
striving for balance so it will try and
eliminate these toxins any way it can,
often resulting in toxins being excreted by
the skin, the largest detoxification organ.
This elimination process can sometimes
manifest as acne, inflammation or eczema.
How to reap the benefits: Enjoy calendula
as an infusion, tea, tincture, ointment or
How to reap the benefits: Add the fresh herb
to meals, tincture or supplemental form,
essential oil mixed with a carrier oil or as an
ingredient in shampoos and conditioners.
Turmeric
This golden spice has been used for
thousands of years in the Vedic culture

78 | wellbeing.com.au
 beauty
BEAUTY HERBS
of India for its medicinal properties.
Turmeric is a powerful antibacterial,
antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor,
antioxidant, antiseptic, cardioprotective,
hepatoprotective, nephroprotective,
radioprotective and digestive. These
incredible actions are due to the plant’s
compounds including curcumin, volatile oil
and curcuminoids, which have been found
to have potent pharmacological properties.
Turmeric is most widely known for its use
in treating inflammation and this is due to
the active constituent curcumin. Turmeric
can be applied to the skin directly as a cream
or poultice, or for a greater therapeutic
dosage taken as a herbal tincture or
supplement to remedy inflammatory skin
conditions such as eczema, dermatitis,
psoriasis and acne.
Turmeric’s use for skin conditions is
long-standing; South Asian countries use
turmeric as an antiseptic and antibacterial
agent for cuts, burns and bruises. Indians
use turmeric to purify the blood and
remedy skin concerns and in Pakistan and
Afghanistan, turmeric is used to cleanse
wounds and stimulate their recovery by
applying it on a piece of burnt cloth that is
placed over the wound.
One of the primary causes of ageing
and damaged skin is oxidative stress.
Oxidative changes occur due to genetics,
smoking, poor dietary choices, stress,
sun damage and illness. Luckily, eating
antioxidant-rich foods such as turmeric
80 | wellbeing.com.au
DIY Natural Lavender
Insect Repellent
90mL spray bottle
30–40 drops lavender essential oil
Distilled water
Add lavender essential oil drops to an
empty spray bottle. Start with about 30
drops and continue to add depending on
how strong you want the scent to be.
Fill the bottle up with distilled water.
Twist the nozzle back on, shake and spray.
Camomile & Calendula
Healing Balm
Infused Oil
1 cup organic olive oil
¼ cup camomile flowers
¼ cup calendula flowers
Balm
¼ cup infused oil
¼ cup beeswax
There are three options detailed below
for making the infused oil for the healing
balm: solar infusion, time infusion and
heat infusion.
Infused oil using the solar method
In a clean 1-litre mason jar, combine the
oil, camomile and calendula flowers.
Place jar in the sun and shake daily for
2–4 weeks.
After infusion is complete, use a metal
strainer lined with a cheesecloth to
carefully strain out the herbs.
Infused oil using the time method
In a clean 1-litre mason jar, combine the
oil, camomile and calendula flowers.
Place jar in a cool location, such as
a cupboard or above the fridge and shake
daily for 6 weeks.
can help fight oxidative stress and improve
skin appearance, speed up wound healing
and slow the ageing process.
How to reap the benefits: Freshly
grated from the bulb, dried crushed
powdered form, tincture, supplement, as
an ingredient in many beauty products.
Ema Taylor is a naturopath, clinical
nutritionist and certified fertility awareness
educator. For more, visit emataylor.com or
@emataylornaturopathy on Instagram.
After infusion is complete, use a metal
strainer lined with a cheesecloth to
carefully strain out the herbs.
Infused oil using the heat method
Combine the oil, camomile flowers and
calendula flowers.
Add to a slow cooker or a double boiler
and simmer on low heat for several hours
until the oil takes on the scent of the
herbs and changes colour slightly.
After infusion is complete, use a metal
strainer lined with a cheesecloth to
carefully strain out the herbs.
To make the healing balm
After the oil is infused and strained,
add ¼ cup of the infused oil and the ¼
cup of beeswax to the top portion of
a double boiler.
Place water in the bottom portion of
Illustrations Getty Images
a double boiler so that the water does not
touch the bottom of the top portion.
Heat over low heat, stirring, just until
the beeswax has melted.
Pour into a jar to store.
Use balm for eczema, abrasions,
breastfeeding nipples or chapped lips.
 nutrition
INTERMITTENT FASTING
To fast or not to fast?
Intermittent fasting is making waves in the wellness world, but beyond the hype
what are the real advantages of time-restricted eating? We take a look at the
dietary method to see if it’s really all it’s cracked up to be.
T
he term “intermittent fasting” has
taken the wellness and dieting
worlds by storm. Variations
of calorie-restricted eating
and fasting windows have been rising in
popularity as both a weight-management
tool and a long-term nutrition plan.
Touted as having health benefits
ranging from weight loss to reduced
inflammation and brain protection, it is no
wonder that so many people have adopted
the intermittent fasting trend.
With a growing abundance of books,
apps, methods and even calorie-restricted
dieting kits to support the dietary method,
there is no doubt that intermittent fasting
is here to stay.
Despite its popularity, many people
are still mystified about the exact ins and
outs of the method. Whether you are an
experienced intermittent faster, have
dabbled in it or are a total novice, you might
be wondering if an eating pattern can really
live up to such impressive claims. Or could
it in fact have adverse consequences?
It’s worth noting that every person
responds differently to nutrition, and there
is never a one-size-fits-all answer.
Here, we go beyond the intermittent
fasting trend and delve deeper into the
various methods, the pros and cons and who
should steer clear of intermittent fasting.
What exactly is intermittent
fasting?
One of the most confusing aspects about
intermittent fasting (IF) is the many
different forms it can take. A popular
method is the 16:8 method, which involves
fasting for 16 hours and consuming all
meals and calories during the other eight
82 | wellbeing.com.au
Words LOLITA WALTERS
hours in a 24-hour day. This could mean
skipping breakfast, eating your first meal
around midday and ensuring your last
meal is finished by 8pm. For people who
prefer to eat breakfast, the first meal could
be consumed around 10am and dinner
finished by 6pm. During the fasting period,
water and low-calorie beverages such as
black coffee and teas without milk or sugar
added are generally allowed as they do not
interrupt the fasting state of the body. Many
people also find that this helps them feel
satiated while in their fasting window.
Intermittent fasting is less
about implementing a new
way of eating and more about
returning to the way humans
consumed food for centuries.
Other commonly practised IF methods
include the 5/2 Diet, where calorie intake is
restricted to 500 calories a day during two
days of the week and a normal healthy diet
is consumed on the remaining days. Some
prefer to implement a 24- to 36-hour fast
once a week. The Fasting Mimicking Diet,
which provides a five-day kit of nutritionally
formulated foods to achieve the same
benefits as traditional fasting, has also
recently gained popularity in the IF world.
The benefits
What do all these methods have in
common? Whichever form of IF appeals
to you, they all promise the same highly
desirable benefits, such as positively
influencing longevity, improved heart health,
weight loss and increased cellular repair
processes. Research shows that periods
of fasting can be used as an overall health
tool to improve insulin sensitivity, irregular
glucose levels, high blood pressure and
disproportionate percentages of body fat,
as well as reduce inflammation. IF has
also been positively linked to a reduction in
ectopic fat, which is the unhealthy fat that
surrounds organs, typical of type-2 diabetes.
IF is less about implementing a new
way of eating and more about returning
to the way humans consumed food for
centuries. The indulgent food culture of the
modern world has given rise to many health
complications and lifestyle diseases. As Dr
Jason Fung, a proponent of the intermittent
fasting movement, summarises in his book
The Obesity Code: “This is the ancient secret.
This is the cycle of life. Fasting follows
feasting. Feasting follows fasting. Diets
must be intermittent, not steady.”
The physiology of intermittent
fasting
If all the perks of time-restricted eating
sound almost too good to be true, a
further exploration of the physiological
mechanisms behind IF, namely ketosis
and autophagy, will help illustrate how this
dietary approach can yield such a plethora
of covetable wellness benefits.
Photography Getty Images
Ketosis
Ketosis is a natural metabolic state in
which the body produces ketone bodies
out of fat that are used as the body’s
energy source, instead of carbohydrates.
Glucose (blood sugar) from carbohydrates
is the preferred fuel source for most
cells in the body; however, by following a
wellbeing.com.au | 83
 nutrition
INTERMITTENT FASTING
high-fat, very low carbohydrate “ketogenic
diet” or through fasting, you can force
your body to switch over into ketosis.
Experts generally suggest you need to
fast for a minimum of 12 hours in order
to transition into this ketogenic metabolic
state where you begin calling on ketone
bodies (essentially molecules derived
from fat) in conjunction with free fatty
acids as the body’s primary fuel.
The presence of ketones may help to
prevent the development of many chronic
diseases through reducing oxidative stress
and inflammation. In addition, research has
shown that being in ketosis can regulate
appetite, normalise blood sugar and insulin
response and support weight loss.
Autophagy
Autophagy is a process activated further
into periods of fasting, which triggers
many of the remarkable health rewards
attributed to fasting. Although autophagy
has been on the radar since the 1960s, it
was not until recent years that scientists
have been able to study and understand it
more closely. In 2016, Dr Yoshinori Ohsumi
was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology
84 | wellbeing.com.au
and Medicine for his discoveries of the
mechanisms for autophagy.
The word itself is rooted in the Greek
words auto-, meaning “self”, and phagein,
meaning “to eat”, literally translating to
“self-eating”. The process it describes is
exactly that: an evolutionary self-preservation
mechanism where your cells self-devour
(or remove) damaged parts. It is essentially
the key way the body instigates cellular
and tissue regeneration, by cleaning out
and recycling these damaged cellular
components, such as misfolded proteins.
So what happens when your cells are
unable to initiate autophagy? It seems
to give rise to accelerated ageing and
neurodegenerative diseases. Generally,
the more we age, the more autophagy
is reduced. That’s where the longevity
aspects attributed to fasting come in.
Fasting can be used to activate a pathway
that inhibits what is called mTOR activity,
which ultimately induces a state of
autophagy. In order to achieve this result,
however, glucose levels must begin
to deplete substantially along with a
significant drop in insulin levels.
According to the limited research
available, you need to fast for at least
24 hours to experience deeper states
of autophagy. In food-deprived mice,
autophagy increases after 24 hours, with
the full effect magnified in liver and brain
cells at the 48-hour mark. In human
studies, autophagy has been detected
in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell
that helps to heal damaged tissues, an
important part of the immune response)
once 24 hours of fasting is reached.
Therefore, in order to reap the benefits
of fasting-induced autophagy, you would
need to follow one of the variations that
involves longer fasting periods.
Potential downsides
Although it would seem that IF is a holy
Photography Getty Images
grail for weight loss and wellbeing, it’s
important to explore the ways in which
it can be detrimental to health and
sustainable weight management for
some individuals. Following any form of
controlled diet can come with psychological
consequences that may create a complex
relationship with food.

Clinical nutritionist and author of The
Healthy Life Jessica Sepel believes that
fasting can cause people to feel restricted
and deprived, which can be counter-
intuitive for both physical and emotional
wellbeing. As she explains, “Dieting with
methods such as fasting often backfires
with the other extremes of overeating or
binge eating as the brain does not like to
feel restricted.” So while from a research
perspective there are clear benefits
of fasting, Sepel says it’s important to
assess whether IF is an approach that
you can healthily maintain or whether it
could in fact be encouraging an unhealthy
relationship with food and your body.
Disordered eating, even without
weight loss, has been associated with
menstrual irregularities in females and
secondary amenorrhea. Chronic dieting,
fad dieting, fasting and skipping meals
are all classified as unhealthy dieting
strategies, so it is important to assess
whether practising IF could cause some
psychological issues.
On the flip side, some individuals may find
that simply following a time-restricted eating
Practising IF as an eating pattern that includes regular, short-
term fasts has become a popular lifestyle choice, propelled
by the potential benefits such as weight loss, improved body
composition, disease prevention, longevity and overall wellbeing.
regimen allows them the freedom from other
dieting tropes such as counting calories or
avoiding and limiting certain foods, and the
pros of this may outweigh the cons.
Putting hormones in the
equation
It is also important to consider that
women and men have different bodily
operating systems, due to hormones and
composition, which can also influence
whether IF is a suitable dietary protocol
to follow. There is some evidence that IF
may not be as beneficial for women as
it is for men. One study actually showed
that blood sugar control became worse in
women after three weeks of IF, which was
not reflected in men.
Especially for women in their
reproductive years, it may be problematic
as female bodies are very sensitive to
calorie restriction. IF could potentially
result in low calorie intake due to
fasting for too long or too frequently,
in turn affecting a part of the brain
called the hypothalamus. This can
disrupt a series of hormones essential
for a healthily functioning reproductive
system, including luteinising hormone
(LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone
(FSH). If communication between these
reproductive hormones and the ovaries is
interrupted, hypothalamic amenorrhoea
(loss of menstrual periods) can ensue,
as well as irregular cycles, infertility and
lowered bone density.
Fasting and dieting in general could
also cause both physical and psychological
stress on the body, leading to a spike in
cortisol, the stress hormone. A research
study tested the hypothesis that dieting
is not effective as it raises stress and
cortisol production; it concluded that
restricting calories raised total cortisol
and simply monitoring calories increased
perceived stress. Since all hormones work
in connection to each another, this impacts
the overall working of the endocrine
system. So if you have struggled with
irregular periods, it could be a sign that IF
may not be well suited to you at this time
of your life. “People struggling with period
loss need to try to calm down the stress
response and therefore fasting would not
be ideal for their bodies,” explains Sepel.
A sustainable, balanced
approach
Practising IF as an eating pattern that
includes regular, short-term fasts has
become a popular lifestyle choice,
propelled by the potential benefits such as
weight loss, improved body composition,
disease prevention, longevity and overall
wellbeing. The research certainly supports
the positive results that fasting can have.
However, you should always seek medical
advice before starting a fasting program.
Experts generally agree that there are
some people who should not attempt
intermittent fasting, such as children, the
elderly and those with medical conditions,
nutritional deficiencies or a history of
eating disorders or who are underweight.
Other instances where IF may have
adverse consequences are when it leads to
or encourages an unhealthy relationship
with food, is practised in a way that is
unsustainable for you, or if you are a
woman — especially if you are in your
reproductive years. Unfortunately, there is
not enough research available yet to draw
any definitive conclusions; however, women
who wish to follow a time-restricted
eating lifestyle may benefit from choosing
a modified approach to traditional forms
of IF, such as shorter fasting periods (12
hours) or fewer fasting days.
We are all individual, and what works
for you may be completely different from
others’ experience. The pot of gold at the
end of the rainbow isn’t about adhering
to strict time frames and dietary rules,
it’s about feeling great, enjoying life and
thriving. Whatever tools you use to get
there, tread cautiously, make sure they
are sustainable and allow for balance in
your life.
References available on request.
Lolita Walters is an Australian freelance
journalist, editor and lifestyle writer focused on
wellness, beauty and travel. She enjoys life by
the ocean, whether she is residing in Sydney as
a North Bondi local, or is spending time at her
overseas home in beautiful Bali.
wellbeing.com.au | 85
 health
KOLOREX
Kolorex’s in-house naturopath, Chloe Chivers, shares how the brand’s female
wellbeing products are changing our approach to vaginal health.
What’s your background and
your role at Kolorex?
I am an Australian-qualified naturopath
working in-house at Kolorex. I am here to
help the team answer customer queries
about health and wellness, particularly
vaginal health. And naturally, I’m also
here to answer questions about our
Horopito-based washes and creams.
My interests lie in reproductive health,
hormones, immunity and gut health.
Through my clinical practice, I advise
clients on herbal medicine, whole-food
nutrition, menstrual cycle and fertility
awareness, and lifestyle changes.
I’m particularly passionate about
helping women increase their knowledge
of vaginal care. For example, one issue
I talk a lot about is candida — the fungal
infection more commonly known as thrush.
I see many women at my clinic who
suffer from reoccurring thrush who are
really struggling to understand what
causes it. And I love that I can help them
regain control. This can be as simple as
diet or lifestyle changes, but I also look
at what natural alternatives are available
to support them.
How did Kolorex begin?
Kolorex began in 1985 with a mission
to bring the amazing properties of the
Horopito plant to the world.
As we began developing our products,
it wasn’t long before we realised this hero
herb could be utilised to help women feel
confident and comfortable in their bodies.
We noticed ongoing poor vaginal health
was creating discomfort and relationship
issues, which was heavily impacting
women’s self-confidence.
In the decades since, Kolorex has
dedicated its time and research to fine-
tuning products that help women care for —
86 | wellbeing.com.au
Love your vagina
and love — their vaginas. We give them the
empowerment they so rightly deserve.
What are some of the health
benefits of Horopito?
Backed by 30 years of research, Horopito
is the hero herb behind the Kolorex
product range.
Hailing from New Zealand’s rainforests,
this superstar plant has long been known
in Indigenous Maori communities.
Society tends to avoid
conversations surrounding
vaginal health. For the
sake of women’s comfort,
understanding, wellbeing and
long-term health, we need to
talk more about our vaginas.
Over millions of years, the plant has
developed a unique ability for surviving in
damp, dark conditions — warding off any
unwanted microorganisms that thrive in
these environments.
Our founder, Peter Butler, stumbled
across it while researching traditional
New Zealand plants and instantly saw the
benefits it could provide for vaginal care.
How do you farm Horopito?
At Kolorex, we’re sustainability focused.
Our farm is surrounded by pristine
rainforest and from seed to plant, we use
environmentally-friendly methods for
growing, caring and harvesting our crops.
When it comes to extracting the plant’s
active ingredients, we perform ‘supercritical
carbon dioxide extraction’ — a process
that’s clean, pure and free from chemicals.
But our sustainable practices don’t
end there. We combine our Horopito extract
with hand-selected environmentally-friendly
raw ingredients to create our gentle,
soothing range of creams and washes.
Who should use Kolorex
products?
Kolorex is for those who are looking for
natural, alternative options for vaginal
care. Our creams and washes have been
developed for the sensitive skin of the vulva
and are dermatologically approved.
Containing a unique blend of aloe vera,
tea tree oil and Horopito, our pH-balanced
products soothe delicate skin and leave it
looking and feeling healthy.
Our Vaginal Care Wash is certified
natural by Eco-Cert and gentle enough to
be used every day if required.
You have a great blog post on
your website that talks about
giving vaginas a voice. Why
do we need to talk about our
vaginas more?
Society tends to avoid conversations
surrounding vaginal health. For the sake
of women’s comfort, understanding,
wellbeing and long-term health, we need
to talk more about our vaginas.
Breaking the taboo will also empower
women to be more in tune with their
bodies — and banish those feelings of
embarrassment or shame.
At Kolorex, we believe everyone has
a role to play when it comes to amplifying
and destigmatising the subject. And we’re
happy to help lead the way.
Where can we find Kolorex?
Kolorex is available in all good health stores,
pharmacies and amazon.com.au. Find your
nearest stockist at kolorex.com.au
From our bush
to yours
It’s wonderful to be a woman – except
when it isn’t. In fact, it’s downright
irritating when the sensitive skin of
the vagina feels out of balance. With
Kolorex Vaginal Care Washes and
Creams, we’ve got you covered.
Welcome to a new world
of vaginal care
s pH balanced
s Herbal formulation
s Gentle on the skin
s Soothing skincare

For sensitive areas

of your lady bits

Certified
natural

Gentle for
everyday use
Dermatologically
approved

With the power of Horopito

Available from Amazon Australia, GoVita and other leading
health stores and pharmacies.
Learn more about vaginal care and Kolorex at kolorex.com.au
 special report
CANDIDA

Conquering candida
Often referred to as thrush, infection with the
fungal foe candida is a problem that many people
face in their lifetime. Fortunately, it is possible to
beat the yeast beast by starving, slaughtering and
substituting it. In this wide-ranging report, we
answer common questions about candida
and sort the fungus from the facts.
Words CAROLINE ROBERTSON

F
ungus permeates nature with
plants, rocks and waterways all
carrying its coat. It is only when
the earth’s delicate ecosystem is
overrun with fungus that ecological mayhem
ensues. When fungi over-proliferate and
other microorganisms are outnumbered,
that is when the biosphere becomes
diseased. Consequently, fungi cause the
majority of plant diseases.
Your body also hosts healthy fungi
which work symbiotically with other
microorganisms to maintain biological
equilibrium or homeostasis. However, when
party crashers swarm your system, the
harmonious house becomes a battleground
for supremacy. The invading white fungus
Candida albicans creates casualties in the
mind and body.
Fatalities can even occur when
immunocompromised people contract
candida in the bloodstream (candidemia
or Candida sepsis). This is the fourth
most common bloodstream infection in
US hospitals, with an estimated 40 per
cent mortality rate according to Robert T
Wheeler, researcher at the Department
of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences,
Photography Getty Images

University of Maine. The Center for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
states that individuals who are at high risk
for invasive candidiasis include those with
organ transplants or diabetes, dialysis
patients, severe burns victims and those
in ICU or on mechanical ventilation longer
than three days.

88 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 89
 special report
CANDIDA
Gut guest
Healthy humans have Candida albicans in
their gastrointestinal tract to moderate
levels. Candida can colonise nearly
every human tissue including the mouth,
intestine, genito-urinary system and skin.
Candida albicans can escalate quickly
after antibiotics, chlorine in tap water,
excess sugar, high alcohol intake, oral
contraceptives, diabetes, stress and low
immunity. Obesity increases the incidence
of Candida albicans because increased
skin folds where skin touches skin
(intertriginous areas) are more likely.
Though it is the commonest cause of
genital yeast infections, Candida albicans
is not the only fungal pathogen affecting
humans. Medical mycology, the science
of pathogenic fungi, has identified
approximately 300 fungi known to be
pathogenic to humans including Candida
tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida
parapsilosis and Cryptococcus neoformans.
Over 20 types of candida can cause
infections in people; however, Candida
albicans is the most common, comprising
75 per cent of all candida infections. Human
diseases fed by fungi include athlete’s foot,
90 | wellbeing.com.au
Harvard Medical school says 75 per cent of all women are
likely to have at least one vaginal candida infection,
and up to 45 per cent have two or more.
ringworm and aspergillosis, which primarily candida infection, and up to 45 per cent have
affects the respiratory tract. two or more. It’s more common in women
Candida albicans only becomes who are diabetic or pregnant, douche
problematic when it proliferates into the frequently, are immunocompromised or
fungal infection candidiasis. Its round, reside in the tropics.
yeast-like structure can elongate into Men can also contract candidiasis
filaments called hyphae. These then on their genitals. It’s more common in
burrow into the body, causing the fungus to uncircumcised men as the yeast thrives
morph into candidiasis, or a yeast infection. under the foreskin. Symptoms may include
an itchy rash, red skin, swelling, irritation,
A pain in the pants itching around the head of the penis, curdy
Candidiasis presents in many ways, varying discharge under the foreskin, burning
from barely noticeable to unbearable. when urinating and pain during sex.
Women often experience vaginal candidiasis Candida can be contracted via oral,
with symptoms including itchy genitals or genital or dermal transmission if the host
anus, curdy discharge, burning urination is susceptible due to supressed immunity
and red raw skin around the genitals. or high levels of existing Candida albicans.
Intercourse can also be painful. The Harvard If you ever feel furry in the mouth like you
Medical School says that 75 per cent of all have cotton fluff lining your cheeks it could
women are likely to have at least one vaginal be oral thrush or candidiasis. There may
Photography Getty Images
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 special report
CANDIDA
also be white patches inside the mouth, and
on the tongue and the lips. The corners of
the mouth may be white, cracked or red.
Nails that are discoloured, brittle, weak,
splitting, thickening, separating from
the nail bed or overgrown can indicate
nail candidiasis, aka onychomycosis or
fungal paronychia. The nail bed may
also be swollen, red, peeling or itchy.
Onychomycosis occurs in 10 per cent of the
general population but is more common
in those over 60 years. It’s so frustratingly
difficult to cure that some people choose to
have their nail removed permanently.
Candida overgrowth in the gut may be
evident as bloat, flatulence, loose stools,
froth in stools, abdominal pain and a sweet
addiction. Candida esophagitis may make
swallowing difficult or painful, and it can
cause pain behind the breastbone.
Long-term candida overgrowth can
contribute to leaky gut syndrome as the
fungus infiltrates the gut lining to reach the
circulatory system. Research published in
the journal Current Opinion in Microbiology
suggests that people with irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s
disease have high levels of Candida albicans
in their stool.
Cutaneous candidiasis likes the damp,
warm regions of the skin. It tends to affect
the skin folds, groin, buttocks, under the
breasts and armpits. The rash is flat,
red and itchy and can become cracked.
Over time it may scale and flake away.
Upon examination these lesions show
yeast cells, hyphae or pseudohyphae, and
cultures are positive for candida species in
Candida albicans can escalate quickly after antibiotics,
chlorine in tap water, excess sugar, high alcohol intake,
oral contraceptives, diabetes, stress and low immunity.
92 | wellbeing.com.au
approximately 50 per cent of cases.
Candida is the most common cause of
nappy rash in infants. Cloth nappies not
washed in bleach, cornstarch talcum powder,
moderate sun exposure and nappy-free time
can prevent and ease this condition.
The plethora of general candidiasis
symptoms means that it is commonly
misunderstood or misdiagnosed. Candida
can cause or contribute to altered taste,
tiredness, abdominal pain, acne, allergies,
arthritis, bad breath, body ache, bloating,
brain fog, craving for sweets or alcohol,
canker sores, constipation, depression,
fatigue, hair loss, headaches, IBS, itchy
anus, low immunity, low libido, memory
loss, migraines, itchy eyes, PMS, recurring
infections, skin rashes, vaginal discharge,
vaginitis, white-coated tongue and
sensitivities to food or chemicals.
Alcohol and acetaldehyde are toxic
by-products of Candida albicans that
can cause symptoms similar to being
intoxicated or hung-over, according to Dr
Joseph Mercola in his free e-book Could
a Candida Infection be Sabotaging your
Health?. Acetaldehyde also reacts with the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which is why
people with yeast overgrowth can experience
mental and emotional disturbances such as
anxiety, depression, poor concentration and
a spaced-out feeling.
Candida die-off
Candida is like a greedy guest that will only
go away if you don’t feed it. When candida
dies it can release a flood of endotoxins
including uric acid and acetaldehyde.
This can cause mild to severe symptoms
depending on the person and candida load.
Candida die-off symptoms, also called
the Herxheimer reaction, often include an
aggravation of candidiasis issues.
Most commonly people will experience
allergies, body ache, brain fog, fatigue,
fever, swollen lymph nodes or glands, gas,
inflammation, intense sugar cravings and
irritability. The die-off duration depends
on the degree of infection and the host’s
immune system.
To reduce the die-off symptoms, start
on a low dose of herbs, drink plentiful
pure water, eat high fibre, have borax
baths, take probiotics, exercise gently, rest
generously and wait until the second week
to introduce small quantities of fermented
foods. A drop in blood sugar, dopamine
and serotonin may trigger temporary
tiredness and depression. Seek support
from your health care professional to
establish that this is a transient reaction
and not a candida aggravation. Often the
first 14 days are the darkest before relief
dawns on the third week.
Candidiasis causes
The modern processed diet, pharmaceutical
drugs and stressful lifestyle create a breeding
factory for candida spores. Many factors
contribute to candida excess, with the most
common cause being diet. Considering
the myriad of contributing factors it’s not
surprising candida’s on the rise.
Foods high in refined sugars,
carbohydrates or starches breed candida
to outnumber beneficial bacteria. This is
further exacerbated by antacids, antibiotics,
the contraceptive pill, corticosteroids,
chemotherapy and hormone replacement
therapy. Animal products that contain
antibiotics also encourage candida growth.
Excessive alcohol, environmental toxins
and stress increase candida by impairing
assimilation and immunity. Dentures,
frequent vaginal douching, bleached
tampons, bleached nappies and chemical
cleansers can kill beneficial bacteria
and hence promote candida. Those with
immune-suppressing diseases such as
diabetes, organ transplants and HIV infection
have an increased risk of candidiasis.
Lifestyle factors that can encourage
candida growth include hot humid weather,
Photography Getty Images
tight clothes, damp feet, poor hygiene,
pantyhose, receptive oral sex, regular
sexual intercourse and smoking.
Candida is difficult to evict once
it has set up camp in your body. As
naturopathic doctor Hulda Clark wrote in
her bestseller The Cure for All Diseases,
“Yeast is a fungus. It needs dampness
wellbeing.com.au | 93
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For more information visit www.anta.com.au or call 1800 817 577

 special report
CANDIDA

Healthy fats including avocado, butter and

Foods specifically recommended to fight fungus are coconut are allowed. Refined oils are avoided
cinnamon, coconut oil, clove, garlic, onion, seaweed, as they contain inflammatory omega-6 fatty
acids that need to be balanced with abundant
ginger, olive oil, oregano, lemon, lime, pumpkin seeds, omega-3 fatty acids.
turmeric and pau d’arco tea. Strictly forbidden foods are alcohol,
corn, sugar, fruit and processed foods.
Dairy can also aggravate candida due to its
high lactose content so may be restricted.
to survive and sugar to grow. Our can check for candida overgrowth. Stool Caffeine is avoided as it can weaken
immune system, white blood cells, is testing via microscopy and culture can the adrenals, raise blood sugar, increase
capable of eradicating yeast providing it also show Candida albicans. Patients may inflammation and lower immunity.
isn’t growing too fast. And provided the be tested for IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies Caffeine-containing coffee and cacao are
white blood cells aren’t immobilised or to candida. There is also a polymerase prone to mould and mycotoxins which can
preoccupied with something else.” chain reaction (PCR) test to check for contribute to candida’s spread through gut
Preventative measures can effectively five species of candida, stool PCR testing dysbiosis. So chocolate is off the menu.
clear candida such as popping a probiotic, and microbial organic acids testing for Though carob contains natural sugars
avoiding carbs, staying dry, dusting skin D-arabinitol. Microbiome mapping offers which trigger sugar cravings, it can be taken
folds with cornstarch, adding borax to a clear indication not only of Candida moderately in its pure form as it has xylose, a
washing and only taking medications albicans but gut health as a whole. five-carbon sugar with antifungal properties.
when essential. If gluten increases bloat, constipation,
Mould-free meals diarrhoea or pain it should be eliminated
Candida clinical tests Overcoming Candida albicans successfully as it is potentially causing gut
Combined with assessing symptoms, requires long-term commitment. The lure inflammation facilitating candida’s transit
there are various tests to diagnose for sugary foods must be managed like an through the colon.
Candida albicans overgrowth and to addiction. Initially a strict diet for a month According to thecandidadiet.com,
distinguish it from other conditions. is vital to starve the sugar-dependent vegetables to eat on the candida diet are
Investigations may involve tissue, urine, yeast. Meals can be modified according to artichokes, asparagus, bitter melon, broccoli,
blood or stool samples. An endoscopy may the individual. Foods to focus on include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower,
be suggested if oesophageal candidiasis organic protein sources, low-carbohydrate celery, cucumber, eggplant, garlic (raw),
is suspected. The health care practitioner vegetables, low-mould nuts, seeds, non- kale, onions, swedes, spinach, tomatoes
may require a swab, scrapping, biopsy glutinous wholegrains except wheat, herbs, and zucchini. The only fruits permitted are
or brushing for the test. A blood test spices and pure water. avocado, lemon, lime and olives.
Photography Getty Images

wellbeing.com.au | 95
 special report
CANDIDA
Non-glutenous grains to take are
buckwheat, millet, oat bran, quinoa, ragi
and teff. Glutenous grains to delete are
barley, oats, rye, spelt and wheat.
All cheeses are avoided but butter,
ghee, kefir and a sugar-free probiotic
yoghurt are allowed.
A very small dose of sugar-free
fermented foods such as kombucha, kimchi
and kefir can be helpful for candida as they
contain bacterial ferments that can counter
candida colonies. Zero-sugar kombucha has
an abundance of nurturing microorganisms
including Schizosaccharomyces yeast which
is antagonistic to Candida albicans. However,
too much fermented food will increase
prebiotics that can boost candida. Hence I
recommend no fermented foods for the first
two weeks of the diet and slowly introducing
them in the third week.
Sweeteners are usually avoided
including agave, aspartame, cane sugar,
corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses
and sugar. Be aware of hidden sugars in
foods that bear up to 60 names such as
dextrose, mannitol and sorbitol.
The natural sweetener xylitol has been
shown to reduce Candida albicans and oral
plaque in its pure, unadulterated form
according to research in the Journal of
Contemporary Dental Practice. It has a low
glycaemic index and low carbohydrate
content so it won’t interfere with the
probiotics or antifungals killing the candida
yeast. A 2011 study found that xylitol
reduced acetaldehyde, one of the main
by-products of candida, so it may even
inhibit candida symptoms or die-off effects.
The most mould-prone nuts to avoid
are cashews, peanuts, pistachios and
walnuts. Nuts and seeds less susceptible
96 | wellbeing.com.au
Fortunately, our planet produces abundant herbs to
eradicate Candida albicans. A qualified herbalist or
naturopath can prescribe a personalised potion
of antifungals suited to each individual.
to mould include almonds, coconut,
flaxseeds, hazelnuts, pepitas, sunflower
seeds and macadamia nuts.
As grains and nuts are very prone to
harbouring mould spores, Dr Hulda Clark
recommends boiling or baking them at
a high temperature for minutes or soaking
rinsed nuts in water and half a teaspoon
of vitamin C powder per litre of nuts.
After straining the nuts dry them in the
oven at a low heat to avoid burning them.
Adding vitamin C to cooked grains can
kill the mould. One may also add 5ml of
3 per cent food-grade hydrogen peroxide
to the soaking water, drain, rinse and eat.
Alternatively dehydrate for 24 hours at 46
degrees Celsius or until crunchy and store
them in the freezer for up to six months.
Foods specifically recommended to
fight fungus are cinnamon to balance
blood sugar, coconut oil due to its
antifungal lauric and caprylic acid, cloves,
garlic, onion, seaweed, ginger, olive
oil containing anti-candida oleuropein,
oregano, lemon, lime, pumpkin seeds,
candida-killing papaya seeds (maximum
10 seeds a day), swedes or yellow turnips,
turmeric and pau d’arco tea.
Finishing off fungus
The allopathic approach to manage
Candida albicans is generally
pharmaceutical antifungals. These may
be effective temporarily but can cause
side effects and are becoming impotent
as people develop resistance to them.
For example, about 7 per cent of all
candida blood samples tested at the
CDC are resistant to the antifungal drug
fluconazole. Pharmaceutical antifungals
come in many forms including creams,
gels, ointments, sprays, capsules, tablets,
liquids, injections or pessaries. Common
names for these medicines often end in
“ole” such as econazole and ketoconazole.
Side effects related to antifungal use
include itching, burning, redness, nausea,
rashes, anaphylactic reactions and liver
damage. Though antifungals can be
effective against candidiasis they fail to
address the underlying factors contributing
to the candida overgrowth such as diet.
Bitter-sweet remedies
Starving and killing candidiasis
simultaneously gives one better odds of
expelling it rather than just adhering to a diet
or medicine. Fortunately our planet produces
abundant herbs to eradicate Candida
albicans. A qualified herbalist or naturopath
can prescribe a personalised potion of
antifungals suited to each individual.
The antifungal task force includes
andrographis, barberry, black walnut hulls,
calendula, cinnamon, cloves, dandelion,
garlic, goldenseal, horopito, manjishta,
neem, olive leaf, oregano, Oregon grape,
shatavari, thyme, turmeric and wormwood.
While taking the herbs, thoroughly cleanse
candida from the system with high-fibre food,
a colonic irrigation or heavy magnesium
oxide once every seven to 14 days.
For vaginal candidiasis there’s a specific
protocol. Wash with Kolorex intimate wash
and apply Kolorex cream, and if thrush
persists consider using a tampon or
vaginal pessary. Inserting an unbleached
tampon dipped in sugar-free yoghurt and
Photography Getty Images
a few drops of tea tree oil for an hour once
a day can offer instant relief. One can also
make vaginal pessaries with a recipe of
shea butter, calendula and goldenseal.
Pregnant women should not insert or
apply anything genitally without medical
supervision. Avoid intercourse, wearing
underpants, tight clothes and sitting for
prolonged periods. Underpants worn
during the infection should be thrown
away along with one’s toothbrush, tongue
scraper, diaphragm and menstrual cup.
Cutaneous candidiasis responds quite
quickly with a mix of one part neem oil and
10 parts black seed oil when applied twice
a day. Moderate sun or heat lamp exposure
has also been shown to accelerate healing.
Oesophageal or oral thrush can be
eased with a sugar-free toothpaste
containing charcoal, clove, neem, tea tree
oil and coconut oil. Use a tongue scraper
every morning after brushing teeth. Gargle
with an antifungal mouthwash twice a day
and after giving oral sex. Effective
candida-killing mouthwash ingredients
include clove oil, oregano oil, neem oil and
food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Oil pulling,
also known as gandoosha in Ayurvedic
medicine, with organic coconut oil draws
bacteria and fungus from the mouth.
Replenishing supplements
Certain supplements are very helpful
in healing candidiasis. Powerful
anti-candida supplements include
grapefruit seed extract and berberine,
a bitter phytochemical found in plants
including goldenseal. Chromium, fennel
and Gymnema sylvestre can curb sugar
cravings. Certain essential oils can
combat cravings, like citrus grapefruit
and warming cinnamon.
Activated charcoal or bentonite may aid
candida evacuation. Caprylic medium-chain
fatty acid breaks down candida cell walls
and kills it with antifungal finesse. Slippery
elm and glutamine will help heal the
gastrointestinal tract lining, thus reducing
candida infiltration.
Last but not least, probiotics are vital
to repopulate the microbiome with healthy
flora. They will keep candida at bay and
improve overall immunity, assimilation and
elimination. The best probiotics to counter
candidiasis contain billions of live bacteria.
The superstars to take are Lactobacillus
acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii).
According to a study published in the
Beneficial Microbes journal, probiotics
taken with a meal or within 30 minutes of
eating survived in higher numbers than
those taken 30 minutes after a meal.
I suggest popping a probiotic directly after
dinner to optimise efficacy.
Candida case study
Karen was a 30-year-old mother of one. She
was suffering from recurrent vaginal thrush
since taking antibiotics a year previously.
The itchiness, discharge and burning
was affecting her sexual confidence and
comfort considerably. After following
a candida diet for a month and using a
neem-plus-horopito intimate wash twice
a day she started to improve. For a
fortnight Karen also took a tonic of pau
d’arco, garlic, shatavari, goldenseal and
oregano for a fortnight. Karen also took
a high-strength probiotic after dinner.
She was elated when her groin itch and
discharge cleared. She started to regain
mental clarity, energy, libido and a taste
for non-sweet foods. Karen was free of
symptoms after six weeks on the regimen.
Disclaimer
Information in this article is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease. It is advisable to consult a health
care professional for specific guidance.
If suffering symptoms, on medication,
pregnant or breastfeeding it is vital to
seek assistance from your health care
provider before embarking on a diet or
natural medicines.
Caroline Robertson is an experienced
Sydney-based naturopath and author of A
Woman’s Ayurvedic Herbal. For online or clinic
consultations seecarolinerobertson.com.au.
wellbeing.com.au | 97
 mind
BRAIN BUILDING

WellBeing brain boosters

All the evidence tells us that your brain is like a muscle: the more that you use it the better
it works. In the interest of supporting your brain and keeping it at its best, we have put
together some brain teasers, a crossword and a page for colouring, all designed to get your
brain expanding and ticking over. Pull out the section and use it at your leisure, but be
sure you do use it — your brain will be the better for it.
THE WELLBEING TEAM

Across Down
6 Japanese soy sauce (6) 1 Fruits high in potassium and
7 Scope of hereditary vitamin B6 (7) Brain teaser
dynamism (4,4) 2 Desert of southern Africa (8)
9 Mild green pepper (8) 3 Mudgee or Margaret River I’m not clothes but I cover your
10 & 8 down Cafetière (6,5) property, maybe (6) body. The more I’m used, the
11 Render motionless (8) 4 Immediately (2,1,5) thinner I grow. What am I?
12 Descend by rope (6) 5 Narcissism, pure pride (7)
13 Orca (6,5) 7 Travellers of the world (13)
18 Divine healer (6) 8 See 10 across
20 AEDT or EST, eg (4,4) 14 Food container shoved in a
22 Bath sponge (6) school bag (5,3)
23 Swiss cheese (8) 15 Cough drops (8) Riddle
24 10-sided figures (8) 16 Queens’ seats (7)
25 Meeting’s schedule (6) 17 Fencer’s warning cry (2,5) Four people arrive at a river with a
19 Cosa Nostra (5) narrow bridge that can only hold two
people at a time. It’s night-time and
Credits: bananaslayer100, Reddit, riddle.com

21 Bombay, nowadays (6)

they have one torch that has to be used
when crossing the bridge. Person A
To find out the answers, visit wellbeing.com.au/brain-booster. can cross the bridge in one minute, B
in two minutes, C in five minutes and
D in eight minutes. When two people
Illustration: Getty Images

cross the bridge together, they must

move at the slower person’s pace. Can
they all get across the bridge in 15
minutes or less?

98 | wellbeing.com.au
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 Breath
n 1 the power of breathing; life

Breath is a powerful tool. In yoga philosophy,

prana, the Sanskrit word for life force, has become
synonymous with breath because it is the physical
manifestation of our prana. When we breathe
in, we take in prana that flows through our body.
Although breath comes naturally to us, we are
able to control and improve the quality of it and,
as an extension, control the vital energy within
and around us. This is why pranayama (breath
and control) is such an essential part of daily
yoga and meditation practices. You can practise
pranayama wherever you are. In fact, try this
simple breath exercise now.
• Breathe in through the nose for four seconds
• Hold for seven
• Exhale through the mouth for eight seconds
Repeat this four times. Picture the worry, stress
and tension exiting your body with every exhale.
When your world becomes overwhelming, your
breath will be your grounding force.

Illustration creativemarket.com

100 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 101
 body
WORKOUT

Winter warmer workout

Has your body has stopped responding to your usual workout? Has your
motivation taken a nosedive in the cooler weather? Try these plyometric basics
to warm the body fast and maintain mobility during the cold months.
Words BELINDA NORTON

W
orking out in winter
poses its own set of
problems. There is
nothing like a cold,
dark morning to make your motivation
plummet, and when the mercury
drops our bodies require a little more
warming up. But winter can also
offer benefits you don’t get during the
summer: cold weather may actually
improve endurance, for example,
making it the ideal time to switch to
a heart-pumping training style.
Functional fitness training,
including some basic plyometric
exercises that build strength, power
and speed through fast, explosive
mobility movements, is the perfect
place to start for those looking for an
entry-level winter workout.
While it may sound intimidating,
this workout can help you secure the
body basics as you get acquainted with
this heart-pumping training style.
Besides increasing your power, these
rapid-fire workouts build endurance
by strengthening your muscles and Exercise notes
connective tissues. The real bonus is
these movements have been proven to How to do a burpee with correct form
help you move better in everyday life.
Plyometric training takes
advantage of a rapid cyclical
1 Start in a squat position with your knees
bent, back straight and your feet about
shoulder-width apart.
muscle action known as the
“stretch-shortening cycle”, 2 Lower your hands to the floor in front of you
so they’re just inside your feet.
whereby the muscle undergoes
an eccentric contraction, followed
by a transitional period before the
3 With your weight on your hands, kick your
feet back so you’re on your hands and toes,
and in a push-up position.
concentric contraction. This means
the muscles warm faster and
produce a productive workout in the
4 Keeping your body straight from head to
heels, do one push-up. Remember not to
let your back sag or to stick your butt in the air.
shortest amount of time.
The explosive movements stretch 5 Do a frog kick by jumping your feet back to
their starting position.
and shorten muscle fibres, which
condition your body for agility. And,
like all other forms of exercise, plyo is
6 Stand and reach your arms over your head.
Jump quickly into the air so you land back
where you started.
a great stress-reliever, body-warmer
and mood-booster — after all, you
can’t help but break a smile or laugh
7 As soon as you land with knees bent, get
into a squat position.

Plyometric training is primarily used
to increase strength and conditioning,
to enhance human neuromuscular
function and to improve mobility. Our
ageing or injured bodies often develop
a fear of these types of movements
as we train “less elegantly” compared
to our younger selves. But it’s even
more important to maintain these
movements to ensure muscle adaption,
biomechanics and strength as we
come into our later years.
The key to this workout is to
start small by incorporating basic
plyometric exercises into your usual
sweat session so that your muscles
and joints can adjust slowly without
at yourself crawling like an animal.
Plyometric training also develops
the neural and musculotendinous
systems, boosting muscle fibre
strength to create better blood flow
to muscles and ligaments. Research
shows that plyometric training is
the most potent training method for
enhancing all body performance;
regular plyometric training has the
ability to generate quick weight loss.
While plyo is often the workout
of choice for athletes who want
to get stronger and faster, the
training style can be adapted to suit
people of all fitness levels, ages
and backgrounds. The vital focus is
How to shuttle run
Begin continuous running back and forth
between two line markers at a certain pace.
Touch the line with your fingertips, switching
hands at each end.
How to curtsy lunge
1 Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and
let your arms fall at your sides.
2 Draw a semicircle with your right foot,
moving it clockwise until it crosses
behind your left foot.
3 Lunge down as deeply as possible, hovering
your knee a few centimetres off the floor.
4 Slowly return to the standing
curtsy position.

putting you at risk of injury. If you
feel any pain, I caution you to stop,
rest and adjust the alignment of the
body and try again.
Though they’re quick, plyometric
exercises require maximum force
in short bursts — think powerful
jump squats, run bursts and side
steps or slow bear crawls, and there
are plenty of reasons to give it a try.
mastering improved alignment and How to bear crawl with bent knees
functionality for a youthful mobility.
Functional plyometric combination
fitness is the number one reason my
1 Start on all fours and lift your knees so
they’re at a 90-degree angle and hovering
a couple of centimetres off the ground.
body has remained strong, resilient
and injury-free well into my 40s, but
the best thing about this workout is it
2 Move one hand and the opposite foot
forward an equal distance while staying low
to the ground.
can be done anywhere and any time.
It’s as easy as: find a court, grab your
determination and go.
3 Switch sides, moving the opposite hand
and foot. Repeat the movement while
alternating sides.

102 | wellbeing.com.au
 1 2
4 5
7 8
Ready to jump in?
This training session should be
completed first thing in the morning.
Begin by consuming a large glass of
warm water and wear warm comfortable
clothing. Find a concrete court or tennis
court or open space — I suggest walking
briskly to one in your local area.
Winter warmer workout
1 6 × 50m shuttle runs with a ground
touch at each end. Add 2 × burpee
at each end of court for those who are
“well-tuned” (take the first two easy
and focus on function).
2 10 × side squat steps (aka crab
walks) or jumps.
3 20 × speed toes tap steps (along
a line in a lateral direction). Ensure
the foot is planted on each side of the
line travelling along the line.
4 10 × paces of walking lunges (with
hands on hip or in a running style).
Ensure the knee touches the ground.
5 10 × push-ups with single straight-
arm extension on each alternate set.
6 10 × curtsy lunges with hands on
hips — see exercise notes.
7 10 ×x bear crawls (knee to elbow)
travelling or stationary — see
exercise notes.
8 10 × abdominal flutter kicks.
3
6
Though they’re quick,
plyometric exercises
require maximum force
in short bursts — think
powerful jump squats, run
bursts and side steps.
Repeat full set 3–4 times.
No equipment required other than
your determination.
Don’t forget to warm down with
stretches at home.
You may like to build this set of
plyometric activities into your usual
workout. Other common exercises include
star jumps, jump lunges and standing long
jumps, which you can add into your usual
regimen. Just remember to warm up so
your muscles are ready to support you
through the challenging moves to come.
For a full video description, see my
Instagram reels @Belinda.n.x.
Belinda Norton is health and fitness educator
and personal trainer with 23 years’ experience.
She is a published author of Fit Mama and
health writer, and shares her women’s wellness
and body alignment expertise. Belinda is
a mother of two teens, speaker and children’s
health advocate. Connect with her at
blivewear.com or Instagram @Belinda.n.x.
wellbeing.com.au | 103
 parenting
OVERINDULGENCE
Spoilt kids
We are living in an age of overindulgence, but what does this mean for our kids?
Has overindulgence become the new normal? Spoiling or overindulging a child
comes from a place of love — but kids need boundaries.
W
hen 12-year-old Hannah
spotted a pair of high heels
like her best friend at school
had, she pestered her mum
to buy them. When Di said no, as they were
too grown-up for her, Hannah told her
mum she was horrible, flicked her ponytail
over her shoulder and sashayed off to
another shop without a backward glance.
Di had just finished a double shift at work
and didn’t have the energy to fight with her
daughter, so she gave in to keep the peace.
Overindulging a child isn’t just giving
in or giving kids too much; it’s not setting
reasonable boundaries for behaviour. It’s
also overpraising a child.
For some, it’s buying every gadget, gizmo
or must-have toy or finishing a school
project because their child can’t or won’t do
it. For others, it’s not following through with
bedtime limits or simply letting a whingeing
child have their way to stop the noise.
David Bredehoft, professor emeritus,
psychology and family studies, says the
fact that the media have coined a word
“affluenza” shows that overindulgence is
indeed spreading fast. “This is testimony
to the fact that we live in an age of
overindulgence. Has overindulgence
become the new normal?”
Child-centred culture
Remember the unconditional love that you
felt when you first held your newborn? That
powerful bond to protect and to nurture
your child is innate. Your children are the
centre of your universe.
I remember when my nieces were
small, my sister said she’d crawl bloodied
and broken over shards of glass to rescue
her two daughters if their house ever
104 | wellbeing.com.au
Words CARROL BAKER
caught on fire. I never understood the
power of love a parent can have for a child,
until I became a mother myself.
But are we loving our kids too much?
To their detriment? It seems a child-
centric culture has emerged in the last
few decades. Being crazy in love with your
kids is one thing, but letting their interests
overshadow yours at every turn simply
isn’t healthy for them or for you.
Think about it for a minute. Many parents
only listen to children’s songs in the car if
the kids are there, they’ll eat at restaurants
Being crazy in love with your
kids is one thing, but letting
their interests overshadow
yours at every turn simply isn’t
healthy for them or for you.
geared for kids’ holidays exclusively at
theme-park resorts. By singularly focusing
only on the child, child-centred parenting
could reach a tipping point of overindulging,
inadvertently producing self-centred
children who might come up short on
gratitude and empathy.
It’s a difficult balancing act between
loving and spoiling, but kids need
boundaries. Overindulgent parents say
yes to almost everything a child asks
and, as a result, kids can become angry
and miserable.
Spoilt kids can grow up to be teens
and young adults with a sense of brazen
entitlement. Kids who think normal rules
or limits you or anyone else sets don’t
apply to them. Kids who always get their
way and learn that a “no” can be flipped
to a “yes” if they push hard enough might
struggle with respect for boundaries or
resort to manipulation.
Doing what comes naturally
The job of kid wrangling doesn’t come
with a rule book. Spoiling or overindulging
a child does come from a place of love.
It’s fair to say that parents are all doing
the best they can with the emotional and
financial resources they have.
Along the way, parents are bombarded
with parenting dos and don’ts: parenting
books, blogs and parenting mantras touted
by an array of experts.
Child psychologist Dr Claire Rowe says
in the last 10 to 15 years there’s been an
explosion of parenting books and advice
geared towards a parenting approach
that’s all about praise, rewards and
reinforcement. It’s pushed parents too far.
“Parenting has become an industry and,
in some ways, it’s detrimental because
parents are overthinking … ‘I can’t send my
child to the bedroom if they’ve misbehaved
or they might develop abandonment
issues,’” she says.
“We know more about children,
development and parenting than we ever
did in history, and yet children are the
most defiant, anxious and fussiest they
ever have been.”
What’s behind the
Photography Getty
overindulging?
It’s a complex problem and the solution
shouldn’t be that difficult. Just say “No”
firmly and stick to your guns. But know
that it’s not easy.
wellbeing.com.au | 105
 parenting
OVERINDULGENCE

There are many reasons parents

overindulge their child. Many dual-income
families are stressed and time-poor, and
so for some it’s easier to give in to a child’s
demands than to do battle after a long day.
Sometimes there can be a deeper
meaning behind overindulging a child
that stems from a parent’s upbringing.
Perhaps mum or dad grew up with
parents who were authoritarian and strict
with rules. Or perhaps one parent grew
up on welfare and wore hand-me-downs
and doesn’t want their child to miss out
like they felt they did.
The rise of stepfamilies and single-
parent families throws another element into
the mix. Parents can compete for a child’s
affections by overindulging their child.

The Test of Four

Not sure if you are overindulging your
child in a particular situation? Professor
David Bredehoft has done a lot of work
on the topic and suggests parents apply
what he calls “The Test of Four”.
1 Does it hinder the child from learning
his or her developmental tasks?
2 Does it use a disproportionate
amount of family resources for one or
more children?
3 Whose needs are being met? Does it
benefit the adult more than the child?
4 Does it do harm to others, society or
the planet?
These days, family life plays out on
social media. For many, that starts
a competition for which child is the best
and the brightest and who has the most.
“If, after you examine the situation and
there is a ‘yes’ answer to one or more of
the Test of Four questions, it probably is
overindulgence,” Professor Bredehoft says.
If you are overindulging your child,
Professor Bredehoft says it’s important to
not only recognise it but to concede it might
be true. “The first step is becoming aware
that you are overindulging. Own it and
choose to do things differently,” he says.
So next time you’re in a supermarket and
What parents can do to avoid
overindulging a child
Set and enforce
boundaries and limits
Your child needs to know there are
reasonable limits to what they can and
should do. And if the child knowingly
does the wrong thing, there needs to
be meaningful discipline.
Teach the value of
delayed gratification
Learning patience is an important
life skill. If your child wants a new
Xbox game, wait until the child’s
birthday or encourage them to save
their pocket money.
Let your child see
gratitude in action
Gratitude is more than saying thank you.
It’s noticing things in the world around
us, it’s being thankful for what we have
and it’s appreciating those who bring us
joy. Begin a gratitude journal for your
child and help them to write three things
a day they are grateful for and why.
The value of caring for
personal belongings
No pity parties
It’s OK to feel sad if something happens.
That’s life. If you fall, you pick yourself up
and keep going. Kids need to understand
that circumstances aren’t always in our
control either. Learning to change the
things you can and accepting those you
can’t builds resistance and tolerance,
which are both important skills to learn
in this ever-changing world.
Raising a charitable child
Talk to your child about the intrinsic
value of giving to others; share stories
of what you did as a child to help
others. Teaching children the spirit
of giving also encourages compassion
and empathy. Inspire your child to
find a charitable cause that resonates
with them and together find out
what your child can do to contribute
an act of service.
The value of chores
Kids shouldn’t get a free pass when it
comes to contributing to the running of
the house. Giving kids tasks to do boosts
their self-confidence. It teaches them
PhotographyGetty Images

your child is wailing like a cherubic banshee
because they can’t have a packet of lollies,
instead of cringing with embarrassment
behind toilet paper — take a stand.
Un-spoiling your child
It’s never too late to take steps to un-spoil
your child. Richard Bromfield, author of How
If a child knows something will be
immediately replaced if it’s broken, it
doesn’t encourage them to care for their
things. If your puppy chews a toy that
wasn’t put back in the toy box, don’t
immediately replace it.
the value of contribution to others and
makes them feel as though they are part
of the household. Don’t take over a chore
because you can do it more efficiently.
Relax, take a deep breath and pop the
kettle on for a cup of tea instead.

106 | wellbeing.com.au

to Unspoil your Child Fast, says, “Children
grow spoilt incrementally, minute by minute,
hour by hour, day by day … indulgent
parenting has taught your child to look the
other way and ignore your demands.”
Bromfield adopts a “go big or go home”
strategy. “Shock and awe them, a big and
fast action … a grand gesture that’s noisy,
strong and in your face.”
So rather than say “Don’t do that
again” if your child throws a hissy fit if
they can’t have their way, do something
that is monumental in your child’s eyes
like cancelling their friend coming for
a sleepover or a day out at a theme park.
Resist the urge to rescue your
child every time
It’s important to encourage your child
to develop a happiness mindset, but to
fully experience life we must delve into
the rainbow of emotions that makes
us human. Kids need to develop an
understanding of what different emotions
are — that everyone will feel sad,
defeated, elated, frightened and joyful
from time to time. Without experiencing
all of these things, children might not
fully realise their emotional intelligence.
When things happen in life, there will
be times when parents need to intervene
Overindulgent parents say yes
to almost everything a child
asks and, as a result, kids can
become angry and miserable.
— but not always. Jumping in to solve
conflicts in a child’s life with friends or
run-of-the-mill schoolyard squabbles
can deny your child the opportunity to
assess, to reason, to articulate, to learn
and to grow.
Kids need to understand that you don’t
always get what you want and that you
don’t always get it right. Mistakes happen.
If your child doesn’t top the class in the
exam as they’d hoped, maybe they’ll
study harder next time. Sometimes things
happen that might seem unfair, but a child
just has to accept.
Keep it real
Only offer sincere or genuine praise. Rowe
says praise should be natural, not forced,
or it won’t reflect reality for a child. “I see
in my clinic parents who narrate every
single thing a child does back to them,
such as ‘You are the best drawer’ or ‘the
best soccer player’,” she says.
Rowe says it’s important to praise the
child’s effort, not their talent or the outcome
or result. “Don’t say, ‘That’s the best
painting I’ve ever seen’; instead say ‘I love
the colours you have used’ or ‘I can see you
have put a lot of effort into that,’” she says.
Overpraise and you are potentially
setting your child up for a huge reality
check in the future. “They will believe
things will come easy for them in life …
because they are so amazing, they have
been told that their whole life,” says Rowe.
She also says sticker charts are
definitely overrated. “If a child has
sleeping problems or throws tantrums
parents use sticker charts. Sticker charts
have been a go-to for the last generation
of children but they’re still having
problems,” says Rowe.
“I’ve had a seven-year-old look me
squarely in the eye and say he decided
that eating his dinner and going to bed
when asked, just for a sticker, wasn’t
worth it,” she says.
Instead, if a child doesn’t do as
asked, there should be swift and firm
consequences that have meaning for
the child.
Carrol Baker is a freelance journalist who
writes for lifestyle and health magazines across
Australia and New Zealand.
wellbeing.com.au | 107
 home
SMALL SPACES

How to make
the most of less
Regardless of the size of your home, a sense of
spaciousness can be achieved by creating calming,
clutter-free houses that function seamlessly.
Words JESSICA BELLEF

A
ustralia is known for big things.
There’s the Big Banana in
New South Wales and the
Big Pineapple in Queensland.
Perhaps you’ve picnicked by the Big Prawn
or posed for a photo with the Big Lobster? It
seems that Australia is also recognised as
a land of supersized homes. According to
the latest data from CommSec, the average
new house built in Australia in the 2020
financial year was 235.8 square metres,
overtaking the United States and topping
the global list for the largest homes.
Amelia Lee, an Australian architect
and design educator with over 25 years
of experience, has witnessed the changing
shape of Australian homes. “Homeowners
who are building and renovating see
spaciousness as a means of achieving
luxury in their home and lifestyles,”
she explains. “And then they equate
spaciousness with meaning a design
that’s ‘bigger’ and ‘adds more space’.”
For Lee, a sense of spaciousness is
achieved by creating calming homes that
feel great and function seamlessly for their
inhabitants, regardless of the property’s
size. “By improving the convenience of
agrees with Lee’s sentiment. “Function
is fundamental,” he says. ”It’s important
to highlight that not all small spaces or
apartments are great places to live, but
a well-designed small space that gives
careful and creative consideration to spatial
design, ventilation, light and the lifestyle of
its inhabitants can be a great place to live.”
Focusing on inner-city apartment
refurbishments, Never Too Small uncovers
how small-footprint design in urban
settings can transform the way we live and
interact with our cities. “We believe more
and more people are interested in reducing
their footprint on the planet, and living in the financial burden of lost employment.
a smaller home is an obvious place to start,” Australians are beginning to understand that
says Chee. Smaller-living advocacy is the benefits to downsizing are considerable,
a personal matter for Chee, as his own financially, environmentally and personally.
home is a diminutive 40-square metre
apartment in central Melbourne. “It Affordability
has proven to be a healthier and more Australian house prices hit a record high
sustainable choice for me,” he says. “Living in January 2021. Our nation’s outstanding
closer to work (and most of what I need) mortgage debt amounts to 1.8 trillion
means less travelling and better choices for dollars, according to CoreLogic, Australia’s
transportation such as cycling or walking.” largest provider of property data. Generally
While oversized homes dominate the speaking, the larger the home, the
construction trends, many Australians are more you will pay for it. Insurance and
coming around to small-space living, by property taxes will increase as will the
Photography Getty Images

your lifestyle and ensuring your home
environment is a place that relaxes and
restores you on a daily basis, you free up
mental clutter, the biggest spaciousness
killer of all,” she says.
Colin Chee, creator and director of Never
Too Small, a popular YouTube series that
tours small homes located across the globe,
choice if not necessity. COVID-19’s waves
of effect have changed the way Australians
live. Tiny houses are gaining popularity, as
more people choose to simplify their lives
and live remotely in moveable dwellings
measuring no more than 37 square metres.
Alternatively, many singles and families are
relocating to smaller homes to mitigate
cost of upkeep and repairs. For those who
aren’t interested in the behemoth builds
dominating the suburbs, or for the savvy
shoppers wanting to live with less debt,
a smaller abode, with a price tag to scale,
is a very enticing option.
The build or renovation of a smaller-
format residence is likely to be gentler on

108 | wellbeing.com.au

There is a definite appeal in the intimacy and cosiness of a small
home, where physical proximity nurtures social interaction.
the hip pocket in comparison to a large,
sprawling project. With fewer materials
and labour required for scaled-down
construction, a little can go a long way.
“Often I see those who are choosing to build
smaller can spend their building budget on
better quality fit-outs, fixtures and finishes,
so they elevate the overall standard of their
home and their lifestyle,” says Lee. “If you
can choose quality over quantity, it really
does improve your everyday life.”
Environmentally friendly
According to the Department of the
Environment and Energy, Australian
households are directly responsible for
about 20 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse
gas emissions. Heating and cooling account
for 40 per cent of household energy use,
making it the largest energy user in the
average Australian home. With less space to
temperature-control, smaller homes are an
energy-efficient alternative.
The construction or renovation of
a petite property also treads lightly on the
environment. “The construction industry
is a huge contributor to waste and a big
user of energy,” Lee explains. “Building
materials can be highly consumptive in
energy and have huge ecological impacts
in their manufacturing. When we build
smaller, we can make a massive difference
to the environmental impact of our homes,
both in their construction and in how we
live in them.” Chee concurs, adding that
budget-limited projects benefit from a
creative approach to using sustainable
resources. “There is a tendency to
experiment with unconventional and
inexpensive building materials or reusing
or ‘upcycling’ second-hand materials to
great effect,” he suggests.
Less cleaning, more enjoying
Do you know what less house means?
Fewer surfaces to clean and tidy and more
time to spend on life-enriching activities
and moments. “Downsizing can mean
being able to afford greater luxury in your
lifestyle, and spaciousness with time and
resources to do other things you want to
do, rather than it all being invested in your
wellbeing.com.au | 109
 home
SMALL SPACES

The goal is to simplify

spaces, but not strip them
completely of the pieces that
add character and embody
your sense of style.

home,” Lee explains. There is a definite

appeal in the intimacy and cosiness of
a small home, where physical proximity
nurtures social interaction. In an oversized
house, disconnected individuals will rattle
around in the vast, vacuous spaces.

Mindful living
Through his experience documenting
compact homes across the world, Chee
has picked up on a common thread in the
small-space dwellers’ mindset. “There
are links between living in a well-designed
small apartment and the tendency to
explore a more minimalist, mindful and
even reductive lifestyle,” he explains. When
you have to reassess what best serves
your needs and lifestyle, “it can result in
a better understanding of yourself,” Chee
says. “Small-footprint living and practising
mindfulness and gratitude can work well
hand in hand. There’s less likely to be space
for excessive belongings, and only space for
those things you love and value. It can be
a road to a simpler life in that sense.”
For all the benefits small-space living
brings, it can also be rife with a cache of
frustrations and limitations, where the
balance of function and style is hard to
achieve. The goal is to simplify spaces, but
not strip them completely of the pieces that
add character and embody your sense of
style. Whether you are downsizing due to
financial necessity, a change of lifestyle or
a shift in life stage, the following three focus realistic about the purpose and importance in the way? Pull it out. You don’t have to
areas will help you create an inviting home of each item. It was the 19th-century choose smaller furniture pieces to match
that feels right and functions perfectly. designer and writer William Morris who your room’s compact proportions either
said: “Have nothing in your houses that you — avoid the dollhouse effect. The trick is to
The edit do not know to be useful or believe to be be selective with the larger hero items you
Mindfulness is key to staying on top of the beautiful.” Lee subscribes to this thought. include. Allow for one or two hero pieces
accumulation of physical objects. Most “Assessing whether the things you have and position them to create clear pathways
Australians could benefit from a good are beautiful, useful or ideally both can be and a natural flow of foot traffic.
decluttering, whether they have downsized or a good metric for what to keep and what Maximise functionality by arranging
not. A 2017 study by the Australian insurance to let go of. Aiming for as many things that the essential items first, and then think
Photography Getty Images

provider Choosi found that the average value
of Australia’s unloved clutter at home was
$6623 per household or a national total of
$59.4 billion. That’s a lot of unwanted stuff!
You don’t have to become a minimalist
and discard your possessions to live
comfortably in a compact residence.
However, you have to be discerning and
are both beautiful and useful is a great way
to reduce how much you own,” she says.
The easiest way to get started on your
decluttering mission is to define each area’s
purpose and subtract the furniture items
that have no use. Is there an armchair in
your bedroom that gathers dust? Remove
it. Got a bench seat in the hallway that gets
about the additional “beauty” elements.
Decorative layers add personality but
a petite space bulging with knick-knacks
will become overwhelming and stress-
inducing. Resist the urge to cover every
surface with stuff. The room will feel
calm and balanced if you keep some
surfaces clear and clutter-free.

110 | wellbeing.com.au
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 home
SMALL SPACES
The storage
The saying “a place for everything and
everything in its place” rings especially
true for a small home. Storage is essential
as chaos can quickly take hold when an
element of organisation is lacking. Getting
the storage right in your home will enhance
your day, reducing stress and imparting
a sense of control. “It can be a tool for
convenience that keeps you and your family
organised, and all the clutter tucked away
from view,” says Lee. “Creating storage
solutions that support your daily lifestyle and
bring order to it can do wonders to creating
spaciousness in your home and life.”
When selecting baskets, boxes and
containers, keep the material and colour
consistent to reduce visual clutter. Attach
labels to make it clear what should be
stowed where, and get all household
members, young and old, into the habit
of doing a daily collection of loose things.
Arrange your storage according to
frequency of use: position the items you
use daily in an easily accessible spot.
Look for furniture pieces with extra
storage capacities such as a coffee table
with a shelf or drawers, a gas-lift bed
that allows for stowage underneath or
a hollow ottoman with a removable lid.
Even choosing a bedside table with lots of
drawers will help you hide bits and pieces
in plain sight. The addition of floating
112 | wellbeing.com.au
shelves or wall racks will create storage
opportunities in vertical spaces.
If you are on a new-build or renovation
journey, consider customised joinery to
maximise the storage in kitchens, bathrooms
and bedrooms, as well as any spare nooks
or dead areas like underneath a staircase.
You can utilise every precious centimetre of
your home with custom storage solutions
designed to fit the most awkward spaces.
Lee offers a wise word of caution: “Be
intentional about storage design though —
otherwise, you can simply end up with more
cupboards and rooms hiding all the stuff
you’ve cluttered your home with.”
The illusion of space
The easiest way to create the illusion of
more space is to paint the walls a shade
of white and stick to light tones for the
furniture and flooring. Natural light will
bounce around the area like a ping-pong
ball, even more so if you add mirrors or
mirrored furniture. A mirror positioned
to reflect the outside view will also trick
the mind into thinking the room is larger.
“Selecting materials and finishes such as
reflective surfaces, or even a gloss paint
finish rather than a satin finish, can make
a big difference,” says Chee.
Conversely, it’s interesting to think
about how dramatic hues can affect a
room. “Many of the designs we feature on
Never Too Small have strong personalities
by virtue of bold material or colour choices
that anchor their design, which perhaps
debunks a common misconception that
small spaces can’t carry bold colours and
features,” Chee explains. For example, inky
indigo walls will create a sense of infinity,
especially when the skirting boards and
ceiling are painted the same colour. The
eye will find it hard to define where the
room’s parameters start and end.
Whether you choose a light or dark
palette, consider how contrasting colour
affects the illusion of openness and
continuation. To borrow an example from
the world of fashion, wearing a nude-
coloured high heel will give the illusion
of longer legs, whereas a dark shoe caps
off the leg length at the ankle. The same
visual perception trickery applies to our
rooms — a white ceiling against a darker
wall immediately shrinks a space because
your eye instantly perceives the room’s
size. If you have lighter walls, choose
lighter coloured furniture and joinery, and
Photography Getty Images
likewise for those who prefer to live with
darker colour palettes. Keep it consistent
and avoid stark contrast to avoid disrupting
that sense of infinity.
Jessica Bellef is a Sydney-based author
and freelance interior stylist. Find her at
jessicabellef.com or on Instagram @jessicabellef.
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 Marketplace
Welcome to WellBeing Marketplace, a new offering created by working with business partners who are
making things happen. Like a stroll through a literal marketplace, we hope this section will offer you
new ideas – all designed to help you live a better life. In this edition, you will discover ideas, tips and
tricks that will help you nurture your body and mind.

Self-care can simply

mean connecting with
someone you love

Nurture me
Take time for self-care and prioritise your wellbeing

Words LAUREN CLARKE

I
t’s never been more important to
prioritise self-care. We all walk in
different shoes, but all those shoes
trudged through the mud of 2020 and
last year’s challenges prompted even the
most mentally resilient among us to ask
some big questions.
The cooler time of year is upon us,
which makes this month the perfect time
to slow down, relax and truly nurture your
mind and body.
Photo: Annie Spratt on Unsplash
regime. What products are you using, and
do the brands you support reflect your
personal ethics and ideals?
Self-care can also include adding
extra supplements, vitamins or healing
treatments to your daily routine — all
those little things you may have been
putting off because you simply don’t feel
you have time.
A massage, a beauty treatment, a hike,
an ocean swim or a fast-paced run — all
these activities can nurture you.
Nurture me:
A challenge
Don’t simply read this article and
plan to do it another time. Act now.
Put a date in your diary for an act
of self-care, message a friend to
organise a catch-up or jump online
and book your next treatment or
appointment. It’s time for you to

Check in with your health
It’s astounding how often we put our health
last. Take a moment this month to sit and
take stock of any aches and pains plaguing
your body. Is it time to book an appointment
with your local GP? Should you treat your
tired muscles to a massage? Or stretch and
delight your limbs with a yoga class?
Perhaps nurturing yourself means
paying more attention to your beauty
Your nurturing check-in shouldn’t be thrive — you truly deserve it.
limited to the physical, either. A mental If you do decide to nurture
health check-in should be top of your yourself this season, make sure you
to-do list too. Book an appointment to let us know about it by emailing
see a therapist or a trained psychologist. wbletters@umco.com.au
Get outside and move your body and let
nature work her magic on your mood. Visit
a friend for a coffee date and smile as the
connection between you fills your emotional
well and builds your resilience.

wellbeing.com.au | 115

Making mental health a priority
Queensland Mental Health Week encourages
everyone to put their mental health first.
A
fter the challenges of 2020, many
of us are in need of some mental
TLC. Queensland Mental Health
Week is raising awareness of this
need by providing seven days of activities,
from October 9 to 17, designed to boost your
mental wellbeing.
A focus on self-care and mental health
has never been more necessary. Bushfires,
the pandemic and global civil unrest over
the last year have had a dramatic impact on
many people’s headspace. “On the positive
side, awareness of those pressures has led
to an increased focus on mental health and
wellbeing, and I expect Queensland Mental
Health Week 2021 could be bigger and
better than ever before,” says Ivan Frkovic,
Queensland Mental Health Commissioner.
The theme for the upcoming week is “take
time for mental health,” a reaction to the
volatility of the last year in which many of
us neglected our mental wellbeing.
“Mental Health Week aims to shine
a spotlight on what all of us can do to look
116 | wellbeing.com.au
MARKETPLACE
Qld Mental Health Week
Words LAUREN CLARKE
after our mental health and celebrate the
contributions of the mental health and
community sectors. Each year, we’re blown
away by the creativity and impact of events
that inspire and educate Queenslanders
across the state about mental health and
wellbeing,” Frkovic says. “Importantly, the
week helps tackle stigma surrounding mental
ill-health and prompts healthy conversations
about topics that are often considered taboo.”
Mental health for everyone
The World Health Organisation defines mental
health as “a state of well-being in which every
individual realises his or her own potential,
can cope with the normal stresses of life, can
work productively and fruitfully, and is able to
make a contribution to her or his community.”
Having mental wellbeing is more than simply
not suffering from a mental illness; it’s about
coping with the ups and downs of life in a
psychologically and emotionally healthy way.
Good mental health is for everyone and
if you feel as if you may need help — reach
Queensland Mental
Health Week
Queensland Mental Health Week
is held from October 9 to 17. It’s
easy to take part, simply visit
qldmentalhealthweek.org.au to find
information, ideas and resources for
individuals, community groups or
businesses about:
Hosting your own event
Partnering with someone to host
an event
Finding and attending someone
else’s event
Sponsoring an organisation or event
Showing your support, by sharing
messages, information and resources

out. There are many trained professionals
who would love to help you.
Some signs that may indicate you need to
speak to a mental health professional include:
• You’ve been feeling sad, down, angry,
depressed, numb or generally ‘not yourself’
all the time, for two weeks or more
• The way you are feeling is affecting your
ability to cope at work, school or in your
personal relationships.
You can start by talking to your GP,
a trusted friend or family member who is
a good listener or by calling a helpline
like Beyond Blue or Lifeline. If it’s an
emergency and you think your life or
someone else’s life is in danger, always call
Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
Walk for Awareness hosted by The
Mental Awareness Foundation
The 11th annual Walk for Mental Awareness
will be held on Sunday October 10, but this
Opposite page 2020 Walk for Awareness.
Left Photo by Patrick McGregor via
Unsplash.
Below left ‘Take time for mental health’
by Jesse James, the official artwork for
Queensland Mental Health Week 2021.
Recovered Futures Art
Exhibition hosted by Richmond
Fellowship Queensland
Art can help you explore your mental
wellbeing through a creative medium.
Queensland Mental Health Week explores
and celebrates art as a type of therapy in
the Recovered Futures Art Exhibition hosted
by Richmond Fellowship Queensland. This
event is open to entries from artists with
a lived experience of mental illness, along
with their family members, carers and
voluntary support teams.
The exhibition will be hosted in the
Toowong Room at Brisbane City Hall from
October 9 to 15, 2021.
For more information, visit rfq.com.au/
recovered-futures-art-exhibition
Queensland Mental Health Week
Achievement Awards hosted by
Open Minds
It’s time to celebrate the individuals, groups
and organisations working to reduce the
stigma and support and empower those living
with mental illness through the Queensland
Mental Health Week Achievement Awards.
This ceremony honours the dedication and
devotion of those who are dedicated to
improving mental health throughout the state.
The awards ceremony will be hosted at
the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
on Friday October 15, 2021. Tickets are on
sale from September.
For more information, visit openminds.org.au/
achievement-awards
year, you can join in from anywhere in the
country. Raise awareness for mental health For more information about mental
and join this fantastic cause either in person health and wellbeing follow the
or from a starting location near your home. links below:
A livestream opening ceremony will Queensland Mental
launch the event, honouring those who have Health Week SANE Forum:
been lost to depression and those currently qldmentalhealthweek.
struggling with mental illness. A short warm- saneforums.org
up and stretches will follow. Queensland Mental Health
From there, you can join the walk by taking Commission: qmhc.qld.gov.au
a stroll in your local area, or participating in Queensland Government’s
the 8km physical event in Brisbane, which will Dear Mind initiative:
be run at a smaller capacity than usual with mentalwellbeing.initiatives.
social distancing in mind. qld.gov.au
One of our favourite things about this Beyond Blue: beyondblue.org.au
event is its focus on togetherness. This is Lifeline: lifeline.org.au
a great opportunity to not only support a great headspace: headspace.org.au
cause, but to engage in physical activity with ADIS 24/7 alcohol and drug
family and friends and discuss mental health support: adis.health.qld.gov.au
in a supportive and welcoming environment.
For more information, visit walkforawareness.
org.au
wellbeing.com.au | 117

We speak to Americo Tognetti, the founder of Amazon Power,
about his love affair with the acai berry.
How did Amazon Power begin?
It was back in 2001 while on a business
trip when I realised the distinct lack of
acai and acai products in the Australian
market. I saw the passion that Australians
had for healthy living and found the land
Down Under to be a perfect fit for the acai
berry found in my home country of Brazil.  blood pressure and improve visual acuity.
After three years of research and hard
work, I finally introduced acai to the Australian
market in 2004. Since then, I have been
spreading the word throughout Australia and
teaching Australians how to eat and prepare
acai as the locals do in the streets of Brazil.
Amazon Power and our exclusive
supplier together are the largest buyers of
acai worldwide and, as a result, we’re able
to ensure the highest quality acai.
What are some of the health
benefits of the acai berry?
Reduces blood cholesterol level:
The acai contains Oleic (Omega 9) — a
monounsaturated essential fatty acid that
helps to lower LDL (your bad cholesterol)
while maintaining HDL (your good
cholesterol).
Helps you look younger and live
longer: With the highest concentration of
antioxidants of any berry on the planet, acai
helps reduce the signs of ageing and stress.
Purifies and detoxifies your body: The
unsaturated fatty acids in acai eliminate the
saturated fatty acids that make you feel tired
and sluggish.
Helps you stay slim and healthy: Acai
contains approximately 44.2 grams of fibre
per 100 grams of the berry. Fibre helps
118 | wellbeing.com.au
MARKETPLACE
Amazon Power
The power of acai
prevent constipation, colon cancer and
other intestinal disorders.  tub to scope it out. If you want to blend
Contains anthocyanins: Acai contains
anthocyanins that contribute to the deep
colour to the fruit. Anthocyanins have
many health benefits identified in several
studies, such as their ability to help lower
Improves your power of concentration:
Acai contains Linoleic (Omega 6) — a
polyunsaturated essential fatty acid. Your
body needs fatty acids for optimal function
of the brain and eyes while helping your
body absorb life-essential vitamins such as
Vitamin A, E, D and K.
Your acai berries are manually
harvested; why is this process
important to you?
Amazon Power strives to protect the
environment, which is why we only use
acai that has been manually harvested,
ensuring the protection of the palm trees
that the fruit grows on.  What’s next for Amazon Power?
The manual harvesting of the acai
also provides hundreds of jobs for the
Indigenous communities around Brazil and
helps minimise the human trafficking and
deforestation that these communities would
otherwise partake in to make ends meet.
For those who are new to
Amazon Power, what product
would you recommend starting
with and why?
You should pick whatever is most convenient
for you. Our product range is made with
organic premium acai. If you want a quick,
healthy snack, buy the 1kg tub or the 200g
your own acai bowl or smoothie with your
favourite fruit, buy the 200g smoothie packs
Original Acai or the 100g sachets of pure
unsweetened acai pulp. For recipe ideas,
visit amazonpower.com.au
You also offer complementary
products, such as granola and pure
pink pitaya; how do you select the
other products in your range?
The granola is handmade, double-baked
and totally vegan. It is made for acai bowls
and yoghurt toppings. The spices bring out
the acai flavour.
The pure pink pitaya is another super
fruit that makes refreshing pink bowls
and smoothies.
They are a perfect complement to acai
bowls, as you use the granola as a topping
and you can blend the pink pitaya with acai.
I want to create new products with high
nutritional value that complement the current
product range and continue to educate
people in Australia about the Amazon
rainforest’s fruit diversity and its richness.
For more information
and delicious recipes visit
amazonpower.com.au or
search @amazonpower
on social media.
 MARKETPLACE
Hart & Soul

Nurture and nourish

Eating well doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Nourishing your
body is as easy as a little bit of Hart & Soul.

A
nutritious diet should be as
much a part of nurturing your
body as exercise, but the thought
of spending hours on food prep
is often enough to put even the best-
intentioned among us off eating well. Living
a full and beautiful life doesn’t always leave
time for you to prioritise your meals.
Hart & Soul’s range of delicious,
ready-made food solutions make it easy to
stay healthy and live life to the full. Their
no-nonsense, no-nasty approach to food
means you can nourish your body without
compromising on that crazy busy life you
love so much.
Here are some of the reasons we love
Hart & Soul’s ready-made meals.
They contain supergrains
1 Hart & Soul’s ready-made meals are
jam-packed with nutritional superstars and
feature a base containing red rice, quinoa,
brown rice and chia seeds that not only taste
delicious but leave you feeling satisfied and
full of energy long after the last bite.
like to travel. Think Indian butter chicken or
dahl, Indonesian nasi goreng and Thailand’s
aromatic panang curry — yum! And all
without the cost of a plane ticket (or a
14-day quarantine period).
They cater for a variety of
3 requirements
So often ready-made meals can be
exclusive of those with special dietary
needs. Yet Hart & Soul caters for a variety
of different customers, with dairy-free,
gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options
amongst their product range.
They’re naturally good
4 When you think of ready-made meals,
the word preservatives may spring to your
mind — but not at Hart & Soul. Their range
is preservative- and GMO-free, with no
artificial flavours or colours.
For a full list of flavours, make sure you
visit the Hart & Soul website today. Buy
today to make your next mealtime easier.

2They can transport you to

another place
The flavours of the Hart & Soul ready-made
For more information visit
hartandsoul.com
meals are like a wish list of places we’d

wellbeing.com.au | 119
 MARKETPLACE
Ceres Organics

Organic flour power

Get back to basics with organic flour – the best choice for
your body and the environment.

F
lour might not be the first thing Gluten-free Buckwheat
you think about when considering Banana Pancakes
incorporating more organics into Serves 4
your life. It looks and feels very
similar to conventionally grown flour — but
looks can be deceiving. 2 cups Ceres Organics 1 tsp vanilla extract
The way flour is made has changed over Buckwheat Flour 1 tbsp maple syrup
time, as we have come to rely on the use of 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs
synthetic chemicals for mass production. ½ tsp baking soda 2 ripe bananas
It has come at a cost — to quality, human ¼ tsp salt 1 tbsp lemon juice
health and the environment, with grains 1 ½ cups plant- Ceres Organics
among the most heavily sprayed crops. based milk coconut oil, to cook
However, organic flour has not been
treated with the additives you might In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
find in conventional flours, such as Combine wet ingredients, except lemon, in
food additives to make flour appear blender or food processor.
whiter and speed up the development Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and
of proteins and glutens to get it on the fold together, then fold in the lemon juice.
shelves faster. Other treatments that Heat some oil in a large frying pan over a
may be used on conventional flours medium heat. Scoop some mixture using a
include improvers, maturing agents, large spoon into pan and spread out evenly.
anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents and Leave to gently cook until bubbles start to
nutrient enrichments. You will find none form on the outer edges. Check if underside
of these in Ceres Organics’ flours. is browned, then flip and cook for about
Organic flour may be the most basic another min, until golden on both sides.
of ingredients, but there’s real beauty in Repeat with remaining mixture.
working with the unadulterated, organic Serve warm with your favourite toppings.
form of one of the world’s oldest foods.
Which aligns with the Ceres Organics For more information including
ethos of proudly adding nothing to stockists, visit ceresorganics.com.au
organic food for 40 years.

120 | wellbeing.com.au
 Marketplace
Connect with our WellBeing Marketplace advertisers online and discover
great products and ideas to help you nurture yourself.

amazonpower.com.au Ceresorganics.com.au

qldmentalhealthweek.org.au hartandsoul.com

Illustration Getty Images

122 | wellbeing.com.au
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 planet
FOSSIL FUELS
A future
without gas?
Is a future without gas possible? As the Australian
government expands the country’s gas production, we take
a look at the real impacts of this “transition” fuel.
T
raditionally, energy generation was
solely based on the principle of
burning things, a practice that was
considered the only way to power
economic activity. Hundreds of years since
the start of the Industrial Revolution, we
are now in the throes of a major shift away
from fossil fuels towards renewable energy.
Meanwhile, the combustion of coal, gas and
oil persists, like a hangover from the past.
Natural gas, consisting of methane, is
mined both from conventional fields and
via unconventional operations targeting
coal seam gas, shale gas and tight gas (gas
trapped in rock). In Australia, the reticulated
gas grid is largely limited to metropolitan
areas, while in New Zealand it serves
population centres on the North Island. LPG
(liquefied petroleum gas) is a different fuel
largely made up of butane and propane and
is commonly used in areas that the natural
gas network does not reach. Major uses
of gas include power generation, heating,
manufacturing and as a transport fuel.
The climate impacts
As part of the urgent effort to act fast on
climate change, the world has put the
brakes on coal and is starting to also
turn its back on gas. Investment funds,
banks and insurance companies are
moving to align with the goals of the Paris
Agreement on climate change. These
include the European Investment Bank,
which will not be funding any more fossil
fuels beyond the end of 2021.
In the economics of power generation,
gas has been undercut by solar and
onshore wind power, and the business
model for gas-fired electricity is being
undermined by the increasing number
of large storage batteries that serve as
a baseload support to renewable energy.
Gas infrastructure risks becoming
a worthless “stranded asset” if current
economic trends persist.
124 | wellbeing.com.au
Words MARTIN OLIVER
The current messaging from its
promoters is for gas to be a transition
fuel in the shift from coal to renewables.
However, new infrastructure built today
will probably be around for decades,
undermining this argument. The
expected lifespan of a pipeline is 50
years, while a gas-fired power station is
expected to last about 25 years.
One proposal for dodging the climate
impacts of gas is carbon capture and
sequestration (CCS). In reality, there are
only a limited number of commercial
working examples, and carbon dioxide may
leak out via the injection pipe. Some CCS
is linked to enhanced oil recovery systems,
facilitating more oil production, and in such
cases a net carbon benefit is unclear.
Burning gas is often
considered to produce about
50 per cent less carbon than
coal, but this statistic fails
to take into account fugitive
methane emissions.
Burning gas is often considered to
produce about 50 per cent less carbon
than coal, but this statistic fails to take
into account fugitive methane emissions.
Most of these are unintentionally released
through well casings, and some are
emitted from valves and pipe fittings.
Methane has a global warming
potential (GWP) 34 times greater than
CO2 when measured over a hundred
years, but over 20 years — the timeframe
that will determine the outcome of the
climate crisis — its GWP rises to 86
times. As a percentage of the total gas
recovered, if these fugitive emissions
are over 3.2 per cent, then according
to a recent study it negates the climate
advantages of gas over coal. Any figure
above 1.4 per cent would undermine
climate arguments for swapping petrol
or diesel vehicle fuels for natural gas.
For the US, the Environmental
Protection Agency has a fugitive gas
emissions estimate of 1.4 per cent.
However, a 2018 University of Colorado
study looked thoroughly at both oil and
gas sectors and arrived at a figure of 2.3
per cent. In Australia, industry-influenced
figures for two different projects are
1.4 per cent and less than 0.5 per cent
respectively. At present, a reliable fugitive
emissions figure for the gas industry as
a whole is unavailable.
Australia, the gas giant
In 2020, Australia overtook the Arabian
Gulf state of Qatar to become the world’s
largest gas exporter. With Australia also
the world’s second-largest coal exporter,
its profligate fossil fuel production will have
a major influence on whether or not the
world succeeds in reining in climate change.
This mining is broadly supported by both
major parties, especially the LNP. In the
2019/2020 financial year, the LNP and Labor
together received a total of nearly A$700,000
(NZ$751,000) from gas companies alone.
Another concern is the employment
“revolving door” between government
and fossil fuel sector employment. In
2018, extensive research by investigative
journalist Michael West documented
more than 150 movements, in both
directions, over the previous 10 years.
Photography Getty Images
Many of these involved gas.
The government’s National COVID-19
Commission is headed by Nev Power,
who was at the time of his appointment
deputy chairman at Strike Energy, a West
Australian resources company with gas
interests. Following intense scrutiny, he
later stood down from this role with Strike.
wellbeing.com.au | 125
 planet
FOSSIL FUELS
In 2020, Australia overtook the Arabian Gulf state of Qatar
to become the world’s largest gas exporter.
Unsurprisingly, the Commission has been
pushing a gas-led economic recovery in
response to the 2020 COVID economic
shock, in place of the green recovery urged
by the UN. In August 2020, a group of 25
scientists wrote to Chief Scientist Alan
Finkel, voicing their opposition to these gas
plans on climate grounds.
Gas-related research is being carried
out by the CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social
and Environment Research Alliance
(GISERA) scientific research organisation.
With many of GISERA’s stakeholders
being gas companies, and with
government and gas industry funding, its
independence is compromised.
The share of Australia’s electricity
generation provided by gas has been steadily
dropping, from 11 per cent of eastern
Australia’s National Electricity Market in
2017 to 6.4 per cent in 2020. The rise of
renewables is a primary contributing factor.
Australian gas and the climate
Australia has set a climate target of a 26–28
per cent cut in greenhouse emissions by
2030, using 2005 as a baseline. According
to the UN Environment Programme, it is
nowhere near on course, with emissions
tracking sideways rather than downwards.
In turn, this pledge is nowhere near a fair
share of the global effort that would be
required to achieve a target of under two
degrees under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Bill Hare, head of the scientific institute
Climate Analytics, has called for the target
to be increased beyond 60 per cent.
Australia’s methane emissions are
growing quickly and the gas industry is
the main culprit. One big contributor is
Chevron’s Gorgon Project, located on
Barrow Island in Western Australia. This is
the world’s largest natural gas project and
also Western Australia’s second-largest
greenhouse gas emitter. While the project
has a carbon capture system that involves
injecting CO2 under the island, it is
currently non-operational.
According to calculations from the
group 350.org Australia, if the gas in five
new basins is extracted and burned, it
would represent three years of Australia’s
annual emissions, and also cancel out the
emissions savings from the government’s
flagship climate policies five times over.
Based on analysis by the San Francisco
126 | wellbeing.com.au
group Global Energy Monitor, Australia’s
planned A$56 billion (NZ$60 billion) of gas
pipeline infrastructure would be capable of
pumping quantities of gas equivalent to the
emissions of 33 coal-fired power stations.
In contrast to Australia, the rest of the
world is far less gung-ho about gas, and
Australia’s gas exports remain vulnerable to
shifts in other countries’ climate policies.
Gas in New Zealand
New Zealand has 15 gas fields, but
compared to Australia it is a small player
and there is no unconventional production.
In total, 76 per cent of the country’s
electricity is from renewables (most of
which is hydroelectric power) and gas
makes up 14 per cent.
Unlike Australia, New Zealand is making
a decisive move away from gas, as part
of a range of aggressive actions intended
to meet the Paris Agreement target. The
government has a goal to dramatically
curb gas use by 90 per cent by 2050 via
measures such as phasing out of gas-fired
heating and hot water. New Zealand’s
Climate Change Commission supports
an end to new homes being connected to
natural gas. In 2018, the country banned
offshore oil and gas exploration.
CSG and other
unconventional gas
Over the last decade or so, coal seam gas
(CSG) has acquired a negative reputation.
As with shale oil mining and other
types of unconventional gas, it relies
on hydraulic fracturing, also known as
fracking. In this process, after drilling,
a high-pressure mix of water, sand and
chemicals is directed at the rock to
fracture it. Issues include:
• The risk of water pollution. At an incident
in the Pilliga region of NSW, an aquifer
was contaminated with uranium by the
company Santos.
• Waste water or “produced water”,
which can contain toxic or radioactive
compounds.
• Air pollution, involving various hydrocarbon
volatile organic chemicals including
benzene, toluene and xylene. The
suspected health effects from this toxic
exposure include numbness, spasms and
twitching, as well as muscle soreness,
nose bleeds, rashes and vomiting.
Bayswater power plant in
Australia’s Upper Hunter Valley
generating electricity from fossil
fuel black coal emitting carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Noise 24/7 from facilities such as
compressor stations.
• Closer proximity to residences than
conventional gas development.
• Small, frequent earthquakes near
fracking activities in overseas countries
including the UK and the US.
• Marginal economics. CSG is more
expensive to mine than regular gas
because it requires more infrastructure.
While Australia’s only significant CSG
production area is the Darling Downs
region of Queensland, there are plans to
expand into the Pilliga, the Beetaloo Basin
in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley
in Western Australia. Victoria’s moratorium
on onshore conventional gas was lifted in
2020, but the state maintains a permanent
moratorium on CSG and fracking.
Overseas, fracking has been banned in
Scotland, Ireland, France and Bulgaria.
Activists say No
Photography Getty Images
Several Australian groups are actively
opposing new gas development and
challenging its transitional fuel narrative.
In addition to many of Australia’s
environment groups, more gas-specific
groups include Lock the Gate, the
Facebook-based NSWGasBan and Knitting
Nannas Against Gas.
 On the Far North Coast of NSW, people
power won against CSG as a result of
large marches, direct action and strategic
community-level surveys recording
massive levels of public opposition. This
culminated in a blockade at Bentley near
Lismore involving thousands of people. Gas
eventually became such a toxic cause that
local politicians were unable to remain in
power while backing it.
Individually, Australians can avoid
fossil-fuel-generated electricity,
including gas, by purchasing 100 per cent
GreenPower for a few extra cents per
kilowatt-hour. Another step is to switch your
superannuation to a fossil-fuel-free option.
In Australia, these are offered by Future
Super, Verve Super, Cruelty Free Super, WA
Super and UniSuper. In New Zealand, an
equivalent choice is KiwiSaver.
Going gas-free
As countries and smaller jurisdictions
become more serious about taking action
on climate change, there is a growing
focus on electrification as a means of
facilitating a shift to renewables. In
practice, this involves building new houses
and other buildings without any gas
infrastructure. Gas-free design is most
effective when all-electric policies are
incorporated into building codes, as has
occurred in 40 Californian municipalities
and in parts of Europe.
At an industrial level, gas is harder
to shift, given that it is widely used for
manufacturing. In particular it is a key
feedstock for making synthetic fertilisers.
The American fracking industry is linking
up with the plastics sector to supply
ethane sourced from shale gas fields,
which is converted to ethylene before being
used. This feedstock is facilitating the
manufacture of plastics at a lower cost.
Biogas derived from organic matter
such as food waste is an environmentally
sound, domestic small-scale alternative,
and home units such as the HomeBiogas
are available. Biogas is also being used at
an industrial scale too, often in farming
contexts where copious amounts of organic
waste are being generated.
While hydrogen is widely seen as
a sustainable alternative, at present nearly
all the world’s hydrogen is made from coal
and gas, and there exists a competitive
tension between the rival forces of “green”
(renewable) hydrogen and “blue” hydrogen
from a fossil-fuelled origin combined
with CCS. Australia’s hydrogen strategy
is technology-neutral, which means that
government funding could support either
of the two. New Zealand meanwhile is
favouring green hydrogen. One niche
use for hydrogen would be in green
steelmaking, as an alternative to coke
which is a coal by-product.
Structural changes needed
Given the urgency of tackling the climate
crisis, it beggars belief that countries
such as Australia are expanding their
gas production as if everything were
business as usual.
The UN has a global target of reducing
greenhouse emissions by 7.6 per cent,
year-on-year, up to 2030, in order to meet
the Paris Agreement target. This would be
a reality check, in that it would necessitate
deep structural changes to economies
and societies. It would also probably
require society-wide public backing for an
anti-consumer degrowth-oriented way
of living, in the face of the resistance and
pushback that this would certainly arouse.
Resources
Lock the Gate lockthegate.org.au
NSWGasBan facebook.com/gasban.
waterislife
Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher
based in Lismore.
wellbeing.com.au | 127
 mind
TECHNOLOGY

Photography Getty Images

128 | wellbeing.com.au
 Social media shade
We dive deep into the depths of social media to find out how it
works, why it seems like our phones can read our minds and what
we can do to stay safe on our favourite sites and apps.
Words GEORGIA NELSON

S
ocial media has come a long
way since the days of Instant
Messenger and Myspace. Facebook
has become an essential way to
keep in touch with family and reconnect
with old friends. Instagram has morphed
from a personal scrapbook to an online
hub where you can shop, communicate
and stay informed on the latest world
news. Countless protest movements have
spread like wildfire on Twitter. YouTube
has birthed a new generation of vloggers.
And TikTok, the latest social fad, has
transformed important topics, movements
and the humour of today into bite-sized
videos — as well as skyrocketing Gen Zers
to micro-fame. In fact, it’s apps like TikTok
and Instagram that govern the trends,
movements and even vernacular of modern
society. But what really lies in the shadowy
realms of these futuristic apps?
As Sandy Parakilas, a former platform
operations manager at Facebook,
explains on The Social Dilemma, “There’s
only a few people who understand how
[social media] systems work, and even
they don’t necessarily fully understand
what’s gonna happen with a particular
piece of content. So, as humans, we’ve
almost lost control over these systems
… they’re controlling us more than we’re
controlling them.”

wellbeing.com.au | 129
 mind
TECHNOLOGY
40 per cent of our waking hours [are] taken up by scrolling,
tapping and swiping on our devices.
Behind the scenes of social media
From the depths of Silicon Valley to the
device in your palm, the term “algorithm”
has no doubt echoed its way into your
mind. You probably know that these
algorithms decide pretty much everything
you see. But what actually is an algorithm
— and how does it work? In his book
The Master Algorithm, Pedro Domingos
sums it up in a single sentence: “An
algorithm is a sequence of instructions
telling a computer what to do.” Although,
social media algorithms are a little more
complex than that.
Your social media news feeds are
powered by complex computer systems
that monitor your every online move. The
computers record what you look at, how
long you look at it for, what you like, who
you follow and how many times you tap
your phone each day and analyse all the
information to deliver ads, profiles and
search suggestions on every platform.
This is how Instagram collates your
explore page; how Pinterest determines
what shows up on your home feed; and
how TikTok delivers videos to your For You
130 | wellbeing.com.au
page.The bottom line: you’re seeing what
the algorithms want you to see.
According to the Digital 2021 Australia
report conducted by We Are Social and
social media management platform
Hootsuite, Australians spend an average
of six hours and 13 minutes online each
day. That’s 40 per cent of our waking
hours taken up by scrolling, tapping and
swiping on our devices — so it’s best not
to check your screen time breakdown
if you, like me, are often glued to your
device. But surely it can’t be that hard to
keep our hands off our phones, can it?
Well, it turns out there’s a science
behind the rush you feel when you see the
likes on your post going up and up. Harvard
Medical School researcher Trevor Haynes
explains that similar dopamine levels from
gambling and taking drugs are activated
when we get a notification from Instagram,
Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat.
With the addictive elements of social
media fresh in your mind, it should come
as no surprise that the effects extend well
beyond being attached to your phone 24/7.
Recent studies show a correlation between
social media use and poor sleep, anxiety,
depression and even suicide.
But what about what we put on social
media? We spend hours curating our
Instagrams: choosing the perfect filter,
adding a witty caption, even doctoring our
photos and videos to “perfection”. And in
a world where reality is so distorted by high-
tech editing programs, how are young people
supposed to decipher the difference between
what’s real and what’s not when it comes to
social media? Influencer culture and the rise
of micro-celebrities on Instagram has seen
a surge in body dissatisfaction, especially
among young women.
Perhaps social platforms should be
forced to highlight when images have been
heavily edited. Just imagine if each time we
opened our socials, a pop-up notification
reminded us that Instagram is, in fact, a kind
of alternate reality of its own: “People on
screen are less perfect than they appear.”
The fake news era
On social media, everyone who’s anyone
can pass their opinion off as facts because
Photography Getty Images
social media has paved the way for a post-
truth world. We have the option to unfriend,
unfollow or even block people when they
post something we don’t agree with. This
means we’re able to filter our feeds until
we are in a comfortable bubble with people
who align with our views and preexisting
beliefs. Think back to Brexit, the 2016

election and even more recently Australia’s
parliamentary #MeToo. Your Facebook
and Twitter feeds were probably full of
arguments between people who held such
polarised opinions it’s almost like they were
from different planets. And if you posted
something yourself, you probably noticed
a few unfollows here and there.
The problem with this isn’t the
unfollowing itself. It’s the fact that we are
distancing ourselves so much from any
other views that we’re teetering on the
edge of mistruth ourselves. We’re lending
ourselves to confirmation bias, searching
for and interpreting information that
aligns with our own beliefs. Living in an
echo chamber with people who think
exactly like you seems unproblematic,
and, to some, may even be a perfect
world. But in reality, the division of social
media has pushed many radicalists out
of the light and into the shadows, giving
birth to keyboard warriors and cult-like
groups manifested in the depths of the
dark web on channels like 4chan and
even on Reddit.
Three are 4.2 billion social media
users worldwide: that’s more than
half the world’s population connecting
with one another through a variety
of platforms. Recent data from Pew
Research surveyed 9200 Americans
and found that 71 per cent of them get
at least some of their news from social
media platforms each week. And when
you can get headlines from your favourite
news sites, stations and publications
delivered straight to your feed, why would
you look elsewhere?
At the beginning of this year when
Facebook banned Australian news
sites, chaos erupted. The platform’s
algorithm was ruthless at culling
pages, restricting access to essential
informational services such as public
health organisations, family violence
support services and weather forecasts.
And it all came down to the now amended
and passed News Media and Digital
Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code
that came about to rebalance the power
of big tech companies and Australian
media publishers. Essentially, Google
and Facebook would have had to pay
publishers to use news content in order
to balance out the profit loss of media
outlets from advertising dollars, 80 per
cent of which were going to Google and
Facebook. This has been sorted, for
now, but there are still plenty of cons to
the new media bargaining code that will
surely coalesce as social media and our
use of it continues to grow.
4 steps to help break bad
social media habits
1 Pick up your phone with a purpose.
Ask yourself why you’re picking up your
phone: are you bored or stressed, or is
it intentional? This will help you stop
scrolling mindlessly — and help you figure
out when your habit is at its worst.
2 Set phone-free time. This will help you
avoid feeling like a zombie due to late
night scrolling. Set screen time limits on
your phone, leave it outside your bedroom
at night, and don’t pick it up until you’ve
finished your morning routine.
Culture shift
Aside from phrases like “go off” and “big
yikes” becoming a part of every teen and
20-something’s everyday vernacular,
social media has also played a major role
in huge cultural moments like #MeToo
and #BlackLivesMatter (BLM). Tarana
Burke coined the “Me Too” hashtag on
Myspace way back in 2006, and it burst
onto the mainstream in 2017, resulting
in the calling out of Hollywood hotshots
and calls for equality and justice for
oppressed women across the globe. The
BLM movement launched in 2012 after
the failure of courts to bring the shooter
of Trayvon Martin to justice, and had been
steadily building on- and offline until it
peaked in June 2020 in the wake of George
Floyd’s death, sparking global protests
and calls to action.
Although it seems like these issues
have been talked about for so long, we have
to credit social media for the immediate
and global spread of such important
issues. More recently in Australia, the
#March4Justice rallies were organised on
Facebook and Twitter in a matter of days,
with more than 100,000 women marching
across 40 cities across the country.
A sexual assault petition calling for consent
to be taught in Sydney schools was started
by Chanel Contos in February of this year
and garnered over 14,000 signatures and
2000 testimonies of sexual assault by
schoolboys in just two days. The positive
power of social media can’t be denied.
This power also translates to societal
trends and evolution, especially when
it comes to TikTok. The Gen Z-focused
platform redefined the online world, and
amid the viral dance videos and popular
“#POV” skits, we are also experiencing
a kind of revolution in which music artists
are going viral and becoming bona fide
global sensations, fans are connecting at
a level never seen before and minorities
including the LGBTQI+ community and
BIPOC creators have a safe space in which
3 Disable your app notifications. If you
don’t feel your phone buzz, or see
a notification icon every time you pick
up your phone, you’ll be less tempted to
check your socials. And therefore less
likely to end up in a scroll hole.
4 Allow yourself a set amount of free time
each day: this is your reward. You’ll begin to
feel less like you need to check your socials,
and more like you are in control of your habit.
And who knows, you may find that you want
to spend less time online and more time IRL!
they are being celebrated; all thanks to
minute-long (or less) clips that can go
viral no matter whether you have zero or
100,000 followers. The app feels more
authentic and less filtered than any other
platform — YouTube vlogs included. With
apps like this, it feels like we are able to
define what we want to see.
TikTok’s top creators Charli D’Amelio
and Addison Rae are valued at US$8
million and US$5million respectively. At the
time of writing, there are 680 million active
TikTok users. But an app of this magnitude
is bound to have plenty of issues. Amid
the #BlackLivesMatter revolution of 2020,
TikTok was caught “shadow-banning”
(suppressing or removing) a number of
pro-BLM videos deemed too political by
the platform’s algorithm. The app also
admitted to shadow-banning videos that
included the hashtags “gay”, “lesbian” and
“transgender” in Arabic, Russian, Bosnian
and Estonian. This leaves one to wonder:
in an online space that pledges liberty and
freedom, how much influence should local
governments and laws have over what
content is shown?
Perhaps the onus is on us as social
media users to demand more of our
platforms: how algorithms are used,
what content we have access to, how
the apps themselves change and grow
— the list goes on. It’s also up to us,
as individuals, to monitor our own use
of socials. Open your feed to alternate
views, even if you don’t necessarily agree.
Monitor your screen use and know when
enough is enough. Ask questions, spark
conversations, post responsibly. When
used responsibly, social media has the
ability to open up new ways of thinking
and change the world for the better.
Georgia Nelson is a journalist based on the
South Coast of NSW and the features writer
at WellBeing and WILD. She has a penchant
for sustainable beauty, slow fashion and
feminist literature.
wellbeing.com.au | 131
 travel
FLORAL FANTASIES
Floral
Fantasies
Thanks to the internet and social media, remote blooms
in farmers’ fields, gardens and the outback have become
sought-after travel destinations. We explore the best
floral sensations across the season.
Worda & Photography LINDA MOON
A
ided by the internet’s ability to
direct us anywhere at the click
of an app, we’re on the hunt for
flowers. Not a bouquet — a field.
Beyond every elbow of the New England
Highway a new vista emerges to delight
us. Green fields to infinity and lazy hills roll
away amid splashes of purple Paterson’s
curse, tractors, horses, cows and tiny
towns that pass like a gasp. A boon of our
self-guided flower trail is the joy of being
out in the country, travelling someplace
we’ve never been within our own vast land.
There’s also the smiles our money — spent
at shops, farms and on accommodation
— brings to struggling towns affected by
flood, drought and COVID-19 restrictions.
Sunflower gold
In January, a different type of gold is
emerging, luring travellers to the small
agricultural town of Quirindi. It’s deep in
the heart of the Liverpool Plains, roughly
four and a half hours’ drive northwest
of Sydney in the foothills of the Great
Dividing Range. The closest destination
to Sydney for broadacre farming, it’s
also a sunflower hotspot. Promoting
the craze — and its associated tourism
boost — Liverpool Plains council has
distributed seeds to the local community.
And preceding our visit, a sunflower
competition was judged in the proud
sunny gardens of the local towns.
With our “Sunny Side Up” map in hand
(picked up at the friendly visitors’ centre),
we’re off to search for the cheery yellow
helianthus. Our destination on the GPS
unfolds down a dirt drive into a farmer’s
paddock. Pulling up amid the other cars,
we’re revitalised by the glimmer of gold
on the horizon. Parking, we join others
132 | wellbeing.com.au
stumbling excitedly over the clods of
earth towards the sunflower crop.
Planted by generous farmer, Ian
Carter, beside his field of sorghum, it’s
a spellbinding sight worth travelling for.
Hundreds of sunny faces nod atop tall
sturdy stems creating a canvas of yellow
heads beneath the blazing blue sky. Under
the spell of their own circadian rhythms,
young sunflowers follow the trek of the sun
each day from sunrise to sunset. The more
mature flowers face eastward to attract
more pollinators. Native to North America,
they thrive in the hot, dry conditions here.
Today, it’s a stinging 35 degrees Celsius.
A windmill and red road scar the farmer’s
flat fields. Mindful of bees, burrs and biting
insects, we weave gingerly into the jungle
of towering stems alongside others with
their selfie sticks and cameras. We’ve
timed our visit well; before cockatoos who
also enjoy sunflowers! lavender, there’s plenty of room for everyone
to enjoy their own patch of purple heaven.
Lavender heaven Afterwards, we browse the farm’s
January is also the peak season for lavender-based products — essential
lavender blooms, and far away at oils, soaps, candles, hand sanitiser,
Bridestowe Lavender Estate (50 kilometres teas and more — in the on-site shop.
from Launceston) the fields have turned Bridestowe cultivates only the true
a heavenly purple. Self-proclaimed to be variety of English lavender, Lavandula
the world’s largest privately owned lavender angustifolia, considered the best for
farm, the property (at Nabowla) contains perfume and cookery.
a staggering 650,000 or so individual
lavender plants across kilometres. Wildflower magic
We wander down earth aisles through the During the dour days of winter, I’m longing
curved rows of purple spires. The endless for the radiance of blossom. While it’s still
space roams out into mauve hills in the cold in the eastern states, in the warm
distance, the clean Tassie air fresh with the grasslands of the Pilbara region in WA the
disinfectant fragrance of the flowers. Flocks floral show begins early in June.
of tourists from far and wide drift through Turning out about 10 hours of sunshine
the purple haze, taking photos and admiring a day, the Pilbara is the sunniest region in
the view, one of Tasmania’s most striking and Australia (according to WA’s Department
photographed sights. And with this much of Primary Industries and Regional

Development) and one of the country’s
hottest places.
The hardy natives here have evolved
to survive the tough conditions. While
all the states of Australia have their own
wildflowers, Western Australia boasts the
largest collection on Earth, hosting about
12,000 different species. It’s thought 60 per
cent of these are unique to the state.
In July in the Pilbara, in north of WA,
I’m being introduced to purple mulla mulla
and pink bachelor’s buttons on a tour of
wildflowers and indigenous herbs with
Josie Alec. Alec, a local traditional healer
and creative, makes her own skin-care
products and herbal remedies from plants
native to her area.
Either side of the road, seas of tough
spinifex grass blanket the ochre earth
beneath the searing blue sky. Here and
there, red Sturt’s desert pea pokes its
nose from the spiky terrain, the colours
reflecting the bright, earthy hues of
Aboriginal art. Alec says she continues
to learn from her deceased mother,
a traditional healer, whose spirit guides
her to the location of the right herbs.
Back in the 4WD, we continue on,
following the rust-red road and its skirt
of wildflowers. Alec observes there are
fewer flowers than usual, due to drier
and hotter than normal conditions. The
display is affected by temperature and
rainfall variations, and the key time to
see the wildflowers in the Pilbara is June
to August, while in the state’s south the
wildflower season peaks in early spring.
Canola country
Excitingly, spring is about to erupt all over
the nation. Next up in my diary of dates
with the country is late September, the
Bridestowe Lavender Estate
best time to see the canola of Central
West NSW in bloom.
From Sydney the main artery of
the Great Western Highway flows into
the Mid-Western Highway and into the
patchwork green and gold of canola country.
Throughout the region, which lies about four
hours west of Sydney, there are flowering
canola fields to be seen in and between
the small rural towns of Cowra, Grenfell,
Canowindra, Gooloogong, Greenethorpe,
Wattamondara, Morongla and Woodstock.
Cruising along — you need a car to travel
through the canola country — we hunt
for the best photographic opportunities.
Stopping on the roadside, there’s no one
here but passing trucks, a squawking
frog, chorusing crickets, some chuckling
kookaburras, blue wrens and other birds to
disturb my view of the golden glory. I climb
a fence (it’s important to respect the
wellbeing.com.au | 133
 travel
FLORAL FANTASIES

Borrodell Vineyard Orange,

cherry orchard in bloom

The endless space roams

out into mauve hills in the
distance, the clean Tassie air
fresh with the disinfectant
fragrance of the flowers.

farmers’ land and obey any “keep out” signs)

and aim my camera at the yellow shimmer
clothing the hills and fields lying low beneath
the sky. Before too long, I’m joined by other
travellers and their sparkling smiles and
cameras. The canola is a photographer’s
dream, and with most of us living in cities
and suburbs, it’s a novel sight.
After a few more snaps, we move on in
Canola, Cowra, NSW
search of more canola. Under the spell of
the magical, honey-scented fields, it’s easy
to lose track of time. As the day closes
with a burgundy sunset, there’s the further a period of chilling, most bulbs only grow to see the blooms en masse including
pleasure of country accommodation, local in cold climates. Tasmania and Victoria.
wines and sustenance. Travelling in the critical window for While Floriade is considered Australia’s
spring bulbs (late September to early most iconic bulb show, Tulip Top Gardens
Bulb joy October), we’re headed towards Canberra, is hardly an enigma. Today, it’s swarming
Rising from their winter dormancy, spring the bulb capital. Our destination is Tulip with visitors.
bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, bluebells Top Gardens, in Sutton, about 20 minutes Strolling along the paths we’re enthralled
and snowdrops are also among the first from Canberra, but technically within NSW. by the sight of so much bold colour. Beneath
blooms to appear in spring. Requiring There are also other temperate places the willows and flowering cherries, tulips,

134 | wellbeing.com.au

daffodils and other bulbs pop in vibrant
orange, pink, yellow, red and purple. Adding
to the pomp are pansies, a fairy floss of
ornamental fruit trees abuzz with bees and
other spring shrubs and flowers in bloom.
Accompanying all this beauty, an orchestra
plays, the strains of violins following us down
the paths. Further along, the trickle of
a stream meanders through the four-hectare
property, adding to the auditory show. We
sit on the grass to enjoy the sounds and
blossoms with a snack from the garden’s
food stall. It’s a blissful day to be alive.
Orchard paradise
For the blossom-crazy, the country has
yet another drawcard to offer. You’ll find it
in a less thought-of place: orchards. Not
all fruit trees are Insta-worthy — think
mangoes for instance! The best for showy
eye candy are grown in cold climates:
cherry, plum, pear, apple and peach — plus
almond, which thrives in hot, dry locations.
Driving out to Orange (about four hours
from Sydney past the Blue Mountains)
the countryside is dotted with the froth of
stone fruit trees in blossom. However, the
most picturesque vistas for photography lie
hidden within private orchards.
Entering the winding country drive of
Borrodell Vineyard for wine tasting, we
don’t realise we’re in for a double treat.
Along with the grapevines we pass rows
and rows of cherry adrift in clouds of
frosty pink. It’s a surreal sight that has me
releasing orgasmic sighs of delight.
After wine tasting and purchasing
delicious cherry port (produced from the
farm’s own cherries), we stroll back down
to the orchard with our cameras. A well-
kept secret, there is no one else here but
some shy kangaroos.
Linda Moon is a freelance health, travel and
lifestyle writer and a qualified naturopath
based in Katoomba, NSW.
Flower pursuits
With flowers only in bloom for a short
spell at specific points in the year, it’s
important to be strategic and plan any
trip in advance. Here are some links
and info to get you started.
See the sunflowers
The best time for viewing sunflowers is
January and March (for crops planted
September and December).
Sign up to the Liverpool Plains
Sunflower alert at visitliverpoolplains.
com.au/sunflower-alert
Other sunflower hotspots include
Nobby, Allora and Willowvale in the
fertile Southern Downs region of
South East Queensland, two hours’
drive from Brisbane.
Visit the lavender
Peak season is mid-December to
mid-January, but blooms can be seen
through to early February, depending
on seasonal conditions.
Bridestowe Lavender Estate, Tas:
bridestowelavender.com.au
Port Arthur Lavender Farm, Tas:
portarthurlavender.com.au
Warratina Lavender Farm, Yarra
Valley, Vic: warratinalavender.com.au
Red Hill Lavender Farm & Distillery,
Mornington Peninsula, Vic:
redhilllavender.com.au/lavender-fields
Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm,
Shepherds Flat, Daylesford, Vic:
lavandula.com.au
Lyndoch Lavender Farm,
Lyndoch, Barossa, SA:
lyndochlavenderfarm.com.au
Emu Bay Lavender Farm, Wisanger,
SA: emubaylavenderfarm.com
Kooroomba Vineyards and
Lavender Farm, Mt Alford, Qld:
kooroomba.com.au
Pottique Lavender Farm, Kingaroy,
Qld: lavenderfarm.net.au
Yanchep Lavender, 272 Old
Yanchep Road Carabooda WA:
yancheplavender.com.au
Nannup Lavender Farm, Carlotta,
WA: nannuplavenderfarm.com
Find the canola
In Australia canola flowers from
September until early October (it’s
harvested after the end of flowering).
The nation produces an average of three
million metric tonnes of canola
a year from southwest Western Australia
Sunflowers, Quirindi,
Liverpool Plains
through to southeast Australia and up
along northern NSW in the grain belt.
Cowra Canola, NSW:
visitcowra.com.au/canola
Riverina Canola Trail, NSW:
canolatrail.com.au
Clare Valley, SA: clarevalley.com.au
PetTeet Park, WA: petteetpark.com.au
York Canola fields, WA:
visit.york.wa.gov.au
In Victoria, canola can be seen in
and around the towns of Ballarat,
Shepparton, Windermere and
Lexton, in the Bellarine Peninsula
and elsewhere in the state.
Get your bulb fix
Tulip Top Gardens, NSW:
tuliptopgardens.com.au
Tesselaar Tulip Festival, Dandenong
Ranges, Vic: tulipfestival.com.au
Table Cape Tulip Farm, Tas:
tablecapetulipfarm.com.au
Roam the orchards
Orchard experiences open to the
public where you can see fruit trees
bloom en masse in early spring.
Roth Family Orchard in Mudgee,
NSW, takes free cherry blossom
bookings in spring: roth.net.au
Cherry Hill Orchards Wandin East,
Yarra Valley, Vic is home to over
13,000 cherry trees: cherryhill.com.au
Rayner’s Orchard, Yarra Valley
Vic — take a tractor tour:
raynersorchard.com.au
Willunga Almond Blossom
Trail, Willunga, SA:
almondblossomfestival.com.au
Where the wildflowers are
Join a tour, or use the WA Visitor
Centre’s Wildflower Tracker:
wavisitorcentre.com.au/wildflowers
Download the free WA wildflower
guide: westernaustralia.com/
wildflowers
Even more ideas
Other flower extravaganzas worth
exploring across the country include
purple jacaranda-lined streets and
water lily gardens.
Grafton Jacaranda Festival (Friday
29 October to Sunday 7 November,
2021): jacarandafestival.com
Blue Lotus Water Garden, Yarra
Valley, Vic: bluelotusfarm.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 135
 Reconnect t o Calm
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 spirit
BOOKS, FILMS & PODCASTS THAT WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE
counter
culture
Reviews by Kate Holland,
Georgia Nelson & Chloë Beckley
Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting
Your Own Destiny
SADHGURU, PENGUIN BOOKS
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the chaos of life? Packed
with ethereal wisdom and guidance, Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to
Crafting Your Own Destiny is your answer to stillness. Author
Sadhguru redefines “karma”, not as the balance of good and
bad but as action. The two-part guidebook covers the building
blocks or the “what” of karma and how to rewrite your life’s
narrative on a physical, psychological and energetic level. In the
book you’ll explore the karmic library of your past, present and
future, transform your habits into intentional action and learn to
appreciate the miracle of being a human being. Reading the guide
is a profound experience that will leave your zest for life stronger
than ever and light the way to reclaiming your true destiny. GN
138 | wellbeing.com.au
Cross My Heart
PAMELA COOK, WILDWORDS PUBLISHING
Prepare to have your heart warmed, broken and put back together
again by the end of Cross My Heart. Author Pamela Cook has
a way of perfectly capturing the beauty, devastation and healing
that comes with love. Drawing you in from the very first line, she
grabs a hold of your heart and doesn’t let it go until the very last
word. What starts as a forgotten promise to a long-lost friend
uncovers dark secrets and life-changing turns that will make or
break the novel’s main character, Tess. It’s rural fiction with a city
twist, with an explosive climax that is more relevant than ever to
today’s society. Cross My Heart is a beautifully harrowing telling
of modern life, encapsulating the gruesome reality of gendered
violence as well as the power of redemption. GN
The Healthy Skin Kitchen
KAREN FISCHER, EXISLE PUBLISHING
From eczema to rosacea, it is the season for skin flare-ups.
The Healthy Skin Kitchen by nutritionist Karen Fischer will teach
you how to treat your skin from the inside out. It’s part cookbook,
part skin bible that covers everything from your microbiome and
mindfulness rituals to food explainers and, of course, plenty of
gut- and skin-loving recipes. Fischer has a way of inspiring your
inner chef due to her no-BS approach to healthy cooking and
the beautiful recipe imagery designed to adapt to every diet. The
Healthy Skin Kitchen is set to become your go-to guide to loving,
nourishing and embracing the skin you’re in. GN

Asking For It
LOUISE O’NEILL, HACHETTE AUSTRALIA
Although everyday harassment faced by more than half the
population is at the forefront of the media, the opposite side
think catcalling and kerb-crawling are just an unfortunate and
unwanted “normal”. Sadly, the most common response still
remains to be “they were asking for it”, which is victim blaming at
its finest. In her latest book, Asking For It, author Louise O’Neill
tackles the issue of victim blaming and sexual consent in the
technological age as well as the shame and self-questioning that
often follows sexual harassment. Asking For It needs to be read
by all. The book is a powerful piece of fiction, yet for many women
it retells their truths. If there is one book you should read to put
yourself in the shoes of a victim, make it this one. CB
podcast
documentary
Birth Time
Birth Time, by Jo Hunter, Zoe Naylor and Jerusha Sutton, is
a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that needs to
be seen by all, not just by parents or care providers. The three
producers, who are also mothers, embark on a mission to find out
why an increasing number of women are emerging from their births
physically and emotionally traumatised. Beginning with a confronting
yet stunningly beautiful scene that leaves you with tears in your
eyes, Birth Time depicts how the care, connection, respect and trust
must start with the mother–baby bond. In the documentary, you’ll
learn that improving women’s experience of birth helps them set up
a stronger bond with their babies, decreases their risk of postnatal
depression and encourages them to trust their maternal instincts.
Although still in its infancy, Birth Time has forged a movement that
the producers hope will change the face of maternity care in Australia
and across the developed world. We are definitely on board! KH
Wardrobe Crisis
CLARE PRESS
Want to join the fashion revolution but not
sure where to begin? Tune into WARDROBE
CRISIS with Clare Press, a Sydney-based
journalist, author, film-maker and
presenter, for the low-down on all things
sustainability and ethics in fashion. As the
first ever sustainability editor at Vogue,
Press has plenty of insights of her own
into responsible fashion and welcomes
international guests from eco-warriors to
garment workers on the front line of fast
fashion and the founders of your favourite
eco-friendly brands to go beyond the
Western perspective of fashion as we know
it. WARDROBE CRISIS covers everything
from plastics to politics to equip you with
the education and inspiration you need to
make a real change starting with your own
wardrobe — with plenty of yarns to keep
you entertained on your daily commute. GN
wellbeing.com.au | 139
 recipes
SIMPLY FOOD

Simply Food: 80 Delicious Wholefood

Recipes for Everyday Living
By ELEANOR OZICH, PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE NZ

Images and text from Simply Food

by Eleanor Ozich. Photography by
Eleanor Ozich. Published by Penguin
Random House NZ. RRP AU$39.99.

W
holefood meets comfort
food in this exquisite
and utterly delicious
cookbook. Simply
Food is just that — the joy of an easy,
home-cooked meal made with love.
Each recipe calls for no more than 15
minutes of hands-on time and features
pantry basics to create the ultimate
lazy breakfast, Sunday roast or spread
for sunny springtime picnics: think
tray bakes, sweet treats and three-
step slow-cooker staples. Ozich’s
delightful intros and mouth-watering
photography will inject joy into every
experience. Whether you’re cooking for
two or a crowd of 20, Simply Food will
bring soulful flavour and colourful flair
to every kitchen and table.
Slow-Cooked Balsamic Beef Cheeks
Serves: 6–8
4 tbsp olive oil 2 bay leaves
4 beef cheeks (about 1.2kg total) Handful fresh thyme sprigs,
4 tbsp flour or cornflour finely chopped
1 onion, diced 2 cups beef stock
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 carrots, sliced into rounds
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying Pile the onion and garlic into the
pan over high heat. If your slow cooker slow cooker along with the remaining
has a sauté setting, you can use this. ingredients, and cook on high for 8 hours.
Dust the beef cheeks in the flour, then You’ll know it’s ready when the meat
sear on each side for about 2 mins or simply falls apart.
until nicely browned. Transfer the Serve piled on top of vegetable mash
meat to the slow cooker. or cooked grains.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the frying Tip: You can also cook this in a Dutch
pan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, oven for 3 hours in an oven preheated to
while stirring, for a few mins until the 160°C, or on the stovetop over low heat
onion starts to become translucent. for 2½ hours.

140 | wellbeing.com.au
 Poppyseed & Lemon Pancakes
Makes: 12 mini pancakes

2 cups almond milk (or milk 1 tbsp poppy seeds

of your choice) 3 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 free-range eggs Zest & juice 1 lemon
2 cups spelt flour ¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

Place all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Lightly grease a large pan and place over medium low heat.
For each pancake, pour a generous ¼ cup of batter into the pan.
You should be able to fit three at a time in the pan. As soon as little
bubbles start to appear, turn each pancake over, then continue to
cook for a further min or so on the other side until golden.
Continue with the remaining batter.
Serve the pancakes warm with your choice of toppings. We
enjoy natural Greek yoghurt, whipped cream, fruit jam, maple
syrup or a simple smear of butter.

Vegan Sticky Date Pudding with Coconut

Butterscotch Sauce
Serves 6

Sticky Date Pudding ½ tsp ground ginger

1½ cups dates, soaked in
boiling water for at
least 1 hour
1 cup plant-based milk
⅓ cup melted coconut oil
1½ cups spelt flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
Butterscotch Sauce
½ cup maple or rice malt syrup
1 cup coconut cream
¾ cup vegan spread (like an
olive oil spread)
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp sea salt (or pink
Himalayan salt)
¼ tsp ground cardamom

Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease a 20cm Bundt cake tin with
coconut oil.
Drain the dates, then place in a food processor with the remaining
date pudding ingredients, and process until well combined. Pour the
mixture into the cake tin, and spread out evenly.
Bake for 40–45 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when
inserted into the middle. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins before
carefully turning out onto a serving platter.
While the pudding is baking, you can make the sauce. Place
the syrup, coconut cream, vegan spread and spices in a small
saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, and cook,
stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon —
about 6–8 mins.
Serve the pudding warm with the butterscotch sauce poured
over the top.

wellbeing.com.au | 141
 Voice
n 1 the sound produced in a person’s larynx and
uttered through the mouth, as speech or song
2 a particular opinion or attitude expressed

We all have a voice, but not all have the means to

be heard. This distinction, between the sound we
make with our larynx and the presence of those
who will listen to it, can hardly be underplayed.
Ours is a society that champions some voices and
works to silence others. It is a great privilege to
express oneself to a receptive audience, but the
absence of such shouldn’t deter you from using
yours. As we’ve seen from the mass protests of the
last year, there is something to be said for shouting
in the streets. It gives the voiceless a means to be
heard by those who have previously turned their
heads. And while there is great power in using your
voice, there is even greater power in making room
for others to use theirs. This month, what will you
do with your voice?

Photography Getty Images

142 | wellbeing.com.au
wellbeing.com.au | 143
 road test
AT-HOME SPA
How to create an at-home spa ritual that soothes the soul and nourishes the skin.
B
athing became
a self-care
ritual for me
long before
I was pregnant with my
first baby. Now, as I sit
engulfed in warm Epsom-
salted water at 36 weeks,
I feel thankful I have this
tool up my sleeve. Easing
the tension from carrying
extra weight around the
middle, the bath makes
me feel weightless as it
relaxes my lower back
and hips. The warmth
of the water soothes my
itchy and stretched belly
skin. My baby seems to
love the bath too — from
inside the womb I feel
its tiny hands and feet
kick and play. But it’s
more than that. Bathing
offers me a moment of
stillness and solace that’s
perhaps amplified by the Easing
impending knowledge the middle, the bath makes me feel weightless as it
that soon these moments
are going to be hard to
come by. The time to
relish the stillness and be
selfish is now. And so I bath for hours and
hours, sometimes twice a day. Thankfully,
where I live gets significant rainfall every
year, so water is never scarce. I use all
my best self-care products like fancy
Epsom salts, body oils, unscented candles
for ambience and an oil burner with my
favourite essential oils. I’ve also added
a few Herbalife Nutrition products to my
beauty routine for their lasting effects.
My favourites from the range are the
Herbal Aloe Strengthening Shampoo and
Conditioner, the Line Minimizing Serum
and the Brightening Vitamin Mask.
Haircare
My pregnancy hormones have done
wonders for my hair. It’s thicker, shinier
and stronger than ever before. The
haircare range from Herbalife Nutrition
features a Herbal Aloe Strengthening
Shampoo and Conditioner. I squeeze
some of the shampoo onto my palm
and massage it into my scalp. Infused
with botanical ingredients such as aloe
144 | wellbeing.com.au
Bathing rituals
Words KATE HOLLAND
the tension from carrying extra weight around
relaxes my lower back and hips.
vera, the shampoo smells delicious.
With no added parabens, colourants and
sulphates, I know it’s a safe choice. The
shampoo includes a hydrolysed wheat
protein that helps to protect, repair
and strengthen my hair. It’s lightweight
and doesn’t feel greasy. As I rinse the
shampoo out, I give my scalp a nice
massage — another self-care ritual
I love to do in the bath. After a good rinse,
I apply another round of shampoo — just
for the scalp massage.
Next, it’s time to condition my long
locks. I squeeze a dollop of the Herbalife
Nutrition conditioner onto my palm and
begin combing it through my hair. Said to
preserve colour and reduce hair breakage
by 90 per cent, the conditioner has a
subtle smell. With no added parabens,
colourants or sulphates, I appreciate that
these products share my same values.
Using a comb, I spread the conditioner
evenly throughout my hair. I leave it in
for minutes and close my eyes. Taking
some deep breaths with my hands on
my growing belly, I feel
my baby kick with life. I
send love and health to
my baby and thank my
womb. I cannot believe I’ll
be meeting this little one
so soon. I rinse out the
conditioner and move on
to my skincare routine.
Skincare
Next, it’s time for my
skincare pampering.
The Herbalife Nutrition
Brightening Vitamin
Mask is my favourite. It’s
enriched with aloe vera,
Jeju sea salt, rice extract
and many more beautiful
botanicals. Perfect for
those looking for brighter
skin, which I always am,
the mask is easy to apply
and cooling for the face.
I simply cleanse, apply
the mask and adjust it
to fit comfortably around
the eyes and mouth then
sit back and relax for 15
minutes. Again, I take
some deep belly breaths
and let the warmth of the
bath take me to my happy place. There,
I either do some birth visualisations or
a meditation to prepare myself for the big
day. I remove the mask and gently pat my
skin. It feels soft and nourished.
Finally, I apply the Herbalife SKIN Line
Minimizing Serum. The serum is silky for
the skin and leaves me with that post-bath
glow. The serum, which can be used in the
morning and night, is said to reduce the
appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I’m
glad I’ve started using this product now as
I foresee some sleepless nights ahead.
Lying back in the tub, I take some
more deep breaths. This self-care routine
nourishes me so profoundly and is the
perfect prep for labour. I hope that in four
Photography Getty Images
or five short weeks I’ll go into my birth
with a clear and focused mind, a relaxed
body and an unwavering inner strength.
I also hope for a water birth as it’s my
happy place.
For more, visit herbalife.com.au.
Always read the label — use only as directed.

The healing power of natural health
Naturopath Lexie McPhee shares her journey through the world of
natural health and how her time at Endeavour College helped shape her
perspective on self-care and make her career dream a reality.
Do you a recall the moment you were
first interested in natural health?
My interest in natural health began
when I started to apply my love of nature
to my fascination with biology and
human health. It made sense to me that
everything we need as humans to be
healthy already existed in nature. I spent
a lot of times outdoors as a child, which
helped me develop an appreciation
for the inherent wisdom of the natural
world. I was also lucky that healthy food
was always a priority for my family, which
really set the tone for my interest in food
and nutrition. I felt a real pull to learn
more, especially about plant medicine
— herbs can be very alluring in that way.
What did you study at Endeavour?
I studied a Bachelor of Health Science in
Naturopathy at the Melbourne Campus.
Why did you study at Endeavour?
I attended the open days at a couple
of different universities but chose
Endeavour for the friendly, welcoming
and warm atmosphere I felt as soon as
I walked in. I liked that it was a small
campus and I could tell that there was
a great dynamic between students and
lecturers — something that was missing
at the much larger universities.
What did you love about your degree?
I loved the courses in herbal medicine and
nutrition the most. I especially loved the
small class sizes and the clinical experience
that the lecturers shared. It made me really
excited to get practising as a naturopath!
Their professional knowledge added a lot
more than just learning the theory alone.
Discussions were encouraged and I really got
to know my classmates and lecturers.
Did you face any challenges while studying
and how did you overcome them?
Studying a Bachelor of Health Science
is a marathon event. It took me more than
five years to complete the degree. As many
graduates will attest, it is usually the juggle
of classes, assignments, part-time jobs
and attempting to maintain a semblance
of a social life that is the hard part! I had
to really prioritise what was important to
me. As a recovering perfectionist, I learned
that it is much better to get everything
done and submitted rather than agonise
over perfecting one assignment to the
detriment of the others. I also realised the
importance of taking care of myself first
and then my studies. This gave me the
energy to apply to my course work.
What are three tips you would give
someone looking to start a career in
natural health?
1. If you hear the call, follow it! I hear
a lot from potential students about the
fear that you can’t make a career or an
income out of natural health. This is
old news. The natural health industry is
booming and will continue to grow.
2. Ask for help when you need it, whether
that is from lecturers or from your loved
holistic journey
ENDEAVOUR COLLEGE
ones during exam time. People love
to help but they can’t read your mind,
so just ask.
3. Keep an open mind about your
future. There are so many options and
opportunities out there. Your career can
look however you want it to. It doesn’t
have to be limited to clinical practice if
you find that is not your passion.
What does your career in natural
health look like now?
I have my own practice called
Naturopathy with Lexie. I support
women with acne towards clearer
skin so that they can reclaim their
self-confidence and love what they
see in the mirror. I run my practice
completely online, which has given
me the location independence to take
my work anywhere. This has been
a huge goal of mine, and last year
I was able to move to a beautiful
seaside town without disturbing my
work life. Working online also means
I am able to help clients all over
the country and even overseas, with the
flexibility of working for myself from home.
What’s next for you?
Right now, I am focused on building my
practice through Instagram @clearskin.
withlexie as well as continuing my
education. I plan on completing some
postgraduate study and heading for
sunnier weather come winter. I am
also working on an online course for
students and graduates who would like to
learn more about treating acne through
naturopathy. Keep up to date via my
website lexiemcphee.com.
Endeavour College of Natural Health is
the leader in natural health education and
produces the experts that keep the world
well. Offering courses in naturopathy,
nutrition, acupuncture, complementary
medicine, massage and more, Endeavour
allows you to discover a career in a thriving
industry. For more, visit endeavour.edu.au
wellbeing.com.au | 145
 column
NATURAL BEAUTY
Essential fatty acids to enjoy and avoid
E
ssential fatty acids are fatty acids that the
human body cannot make and therefore must
be obtained from the food you eat. Essential
fatty acids include linoleic acid (omega-6
group) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 group) and
EMA TAYLOR play an important role in the body’s structural and
is a naturopath, clinical metabolic functions. These functions include brain
nutritionist and certified and nervous system health, hormone production,
fertility awareness cardiovascular health and skin integrity, and support
educator. For more, visit the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K)
emataylor.com or and fat-soluble biologically active compounds.
@emataylornaturopathy
Restricting healthy fats can result in a myriad
of imbalances in your health such as dry, scaly
on Instagram
skin rashes, eczema, dermatitis, hair loss, hair
pigmentation, poor wound healing, growth restrictions
in children and increased susceptibility to infection.
More and more people are realising that low-fat
diets aren’t health-promoting. Enjoying healthy
fats in your diet is crucial for feeling, functioning
and looking your best.
Great sources
of omega-3 The benefits of omega-3, 6, 7 and 9
Omega-3s are critical for the skin’s function and
fatty acids are appearance and have been shown to reduce the
wild-caught occurrence of acne, reduce inflammation, support
wound healing and even attenuate UV-induced skin
oily fish such as ageing and damage. They also encourage short-chain
sardines, salmon, fatty acid production in the digestive system, which
herring, tuna and strengthens the gut lining and provides a source
of food to stomach cells. They’ve been shown to
mackerel … promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and
have an anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive
tract, too. Finally, they play a role in the function of
the brain–gut axis, which supports a balanced mood.
Omega-6s play a critical role in skin appearance,
texture and function. They’re fundamental for the
skin’s structural integrity and barrier function, and
also help to reduce inflammation and skin sensitivity.
Omega-7s have been found to reduce skin
hyperpigmentation and improve the hydration and
structure of the mucous membranes that reside in
the skin and digestive tract. They also help to relieve
ulcers and gastritis. And finally, omega-9s boast
anti-inflammatory benefits.
Of course, not all fats are created equal. Which
fats should you avoid, and which are essential to
human health? Take a look.
Here are a few ways to improve your
ability to digest healthy fats
Take digestive enzymes, particularly lipase, which helps break down fat.
Slow down your eating and chew your food properly.
Eat in a relaxed manner to encourage correct digestion.
Support your liver and gall bladder function to support fat digestion.
Reduce alcohol and increase bitter foods such as rocket, dandelion
greens, apple-cider vinegar and dandelion root tea.
Ensure you’re getting individualised care from your health practitioner.
146 | wellbeing.com.au
Fats to avoid
Trans-fatty acids are
detrimental to human
health as they increase LDL or “bad” cholesterol
and decrease HDL or “good” cholesterol in the body,
which increases the risk of heart disease and ill
health. Trans fats are found in fried and processed
foods, margarines and baked goods such as
cakes, cookies and pies and microwave popcorn.
Fats to enjoy
Saturated fats are able to be synthesised by the
body so should be enjoyed in moderation in your
diet. Overconsumption of saturated fats can tip your
cholesterol levels to being LDL-dominant as they
primarily come from animal products. Saturated fats
include meat, chicken, milk, cream, butter, cheese
and coconut oil.
Essential fatty acids, as you now know, are
essential to human health; the goal, however, is to
have higher levels of omega-3s to 6s in your diet.
Unfortunately, in most western diets food choices
tend to be higher in omega-6s.
When eaten in excess, omega-6s can contribute
to weight gain and imbalanced hormones and
blood glucose levels. Omega-6s are found in red
meat, corn, canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oils
and processed foods.
Omega-3s should make up the majority of fat
in your diet. Great sources of omega-3 fatty acids
are wild-caught oily fish such as sardines, salmon,
herring, tuna and mackerel, walnuts, avocados,
flaxseeds, chia seeds and olive oil. One of the most
researched health-promoting diets for longevity is
the Mediterranean diet, which is high in essential
fatty acids, vegetables, herbs, nuts, good-quality
grains and lean protein such as fish and poultry.
Have trouble digesting fats?
Some people have a hard time digesting even the
healthiest of fats and may experience steatorrhea
(fatty, oily, pale stools), nausea, constipation,
diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating after a high-
fat meal. If you are concerned, I recommend having
Illustration Getty Images
proper testing to assess how well you are absorbing
fats. This can be done through a stool test from your
naturopath or doctor.
By increasing the intake of essential fatty acids
in your diet you can help keep disease at bay,
improve your mental and physical performance,
support a healthy body composition and boost your
skin’s glow from the inside out.
 column
QUICK KITCHEN

How to repurpose your food

D
oes this sound familiar? Whenever I have leftover chicken, I’ll throw it into
Sunday: This week, I’ll finally eat my slow cooker with celery, carrots and spices to make
healthily! I’ve just done a grocery shop so a broth. Then depending on the week, I’ll either portion
I’ll make delicious and nourishing dinners it out into containers and keep it in the freezer or just
every night with fresh produce, create vegetable- store it away in the fridge and drink it as is.
filled lunches every day, and I know that I’ll feel Family pizza: Why not turn your leftover eggplant, LEE HOLMES
amazing, have so much energy and, suddenly, my wrap, sweet potato or mushroom top into a pizza runs Supercharged
skin and life will be problem-free. base? I love spreading tomato sauce over any of Food and recently
Ideal you on a Monday evening: I’ve just come these vegetables, adding veg, some cheese and released her book
across a recipe for Immune-boosting Frittata in protein and baking it in the oven for 10–12 minutes. Supercharge Your
EatWell magazine issue 31, I’ll make that with dinner Stir-fry: Whenever I make a stir-fry for dinner, Life. Visit her blog at
and then make tea-poached chicken with green I always tell myself to do it more often because superchargedfood.com
beans from the same issue for tomorrow’s lunch. it’s just so quick and easy. Making a stir-fry with
for cooking inspiration,
Real you on a Monday evening: You’re tidying up the leftovers is one of the simplest things you can do
recipes and tips.
dinner you made and the last thing you feel like doing is and is perfect for lazier nights.
making a whole dish for lunch tomorrow. Smoothies: My favourite smoothies always happen
Tuesday night: Takeaways it is. when I just randomly throw fruit, leafy greens or chia
Do you have good intentions to cook and use all of seeds with water or milk into the blender and watch
the food you buy in a week, then find it’s Friday night a smoothie swirl to life. Cooking, eating
and you’ve had takeaway every night that week? If Wraps: To make a delicious homemade wrap, use healthily and not
so, you’re not alone. But let’s get one thing straight: either a leftover wrap, nori or lettuce leaf and fill it
cooking, eating healthily and not wasting produce with leftover veggies, protein and a homemade sauce.
wasting produce
doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Banana bread: Stop throwing good ripe bananas in doesn’t have to
Let’s go through some tips to understand how the bin! When my bananas start to brown, I’ll use
be complicated
to use and store leftovers. them in banana bread or peel and store in a glass
1 Plan your meals. I know it may sound a little dull container in the freezer to use for future banana or expensive.
or like it takes effort, but think about what you want bread or banana-based smoothies.
to eat at the start of the week. Then think about how Pesto: You can make pesto with literally any dark green
you can use those leftovers. It’s a time and budget vegetable or herb you have: coriander, kale, basil or
saver in the long run. For example, if you prepare mint. Just blend up your herbs, olive oil, lemon juice,
double the vegetables you need for dinner, you’ll then garlic and some salt and pepper. I use pesto as a dip
be able to eat them for lunch the next day or cook or add it to my pasta, salad or protein of choice.
them in a soup another night.
2 Store food in clear glass containers. Using
a glass storage container makes it easier to see
what’s inside, so you’ll be more likely to use the Vegan Roasted Sweet Potato
food you already have. with Basil Pesto & Chopped Salad
3 If you’re freezing foods, use a ziplock bag and put the Serves 2
date on a piece of tape so you know when it was made.
4 Before you serve dinner, put some away in a container 1 sweet potato, halved Basil Pesto (makes 1 jar) Chopped Salad
for lunch the next day. We often just eat what’s in front lengthwise 2 cups packed basil leaves 2 cups leafy greens
of us, so if you put some away beforehand you’re more 2 tbsp olive oil + extra 1 cup pine nuts 1 cucumber, cubed
likely to be left with enough food for leftovers. for dressing salad (or use 2 cloves garlic Handful cherry
olive oil spray) 1 tbsp lemon juice tomatoes, halved
How to repurpose your food Pinch sea salt + a small bit of zest 4 baby capsicum
Homemade stock: Instead of throwing away perfect 3 tbsp nutritional (optional), chopped
vegetable scraps like the ends of onions or a tomato yeast flakes into cubes
core, stow them away for delicious homemade ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt Handful seeds (pepitas
vegetable stock. Keep a stock container in the freezer ⅓ cup olive oil or sunflower seeds)
and add to it to use in future recipes.
Soup: Soup is an excellent way to use up leftover Pre-heat oven to 185ºC. To make the basil Place leafy greens in
vegetables. Whether you have leftover carrot, potato, Place sweet potato on pesto, place basil in food a bowl and add remaining
tomato or greens, throw them all into your next soup. the baking tray, drizzle or processor and process. salad ingredients,
Baked vegetable bowl: While this one sounds a little spray with olive oil and Add nuts, garlic, sprinkle with seeds and
Photography Lee Holmes

fancy, it’s just a bowl filled with deliciously nourishing sprinkle with sea salt. lemon and nutritional add a drizzle of olive oil
ingredients you have lying around. These flawless Place in the oven for yeast flakes and salt and lemon if preferred.
bowls are bouncing with whatever vegetables you 45 mins or until tender. and pulse. Serve together and
have left over, any protein you like, grains, greens, Halfway through Slowly drizzle in olive store the leftovers for
nuts and seeds. Everything and anything goes. cooking, use a fork to oil until consistency is lunch the next day.
Bone broth: If you’ve roasted an entire chicken, make grooves along the as you like it. Add more
turkey, pork, lamb or fish and have too much left sweet potato. olive oil if necessary.
over, why not cook it into a warming broth?

wellbeing.com.au | 147
 column
DIGGING IN
JACKIE FRENCH
is the author of The Chook
Book (Aird Books). Her
oldest chook, Gertie, is
now 17. Although Gertie’s
sisters have all long since
fallen off the perch, Gertie
still lays extremely large
brown eggs most days of
the year. Get in touch with
Jackie via facebook.com/
authorjackiefrench,
twitter.com/jackie_ french_
and instagram.com/
jackie_ french_.
A vegetable
garden can start
producing in six
weeks, with young
greens for salads,
stir-fries, stews
and soups.
148 | wellbeing.com.au
Sharing a backyard farm
I
n the past year of bushfires, floods and
lockdown there’s been a resurgence in making
homes the place where you can grow real
tomatoes, pick your own salads or sniff the
herbs outside your kitchen.
Even a studio unit can become a “home farm” if
you’re prepared to put in the infrastructure. Green
walls can give any home self-sufficiency in salad veg
and greens as well as flowers and herbs. Grow lights
mean that you don’t even need sunlight to garden.
The heating that keeps you warm in winter will keep
your basil and beans and cucumbers growing, too.
You need money for both. Enough grow lights for
a decent crop will cost a thousand dollars or more.
Green walls need good engineering or you may have
floors or ceilings collapsing from their weight or
damp rot. Nonetheless, canny growers can grow
a surprising amount in recycled bathtubs, home-
made hanging baskets or giant pots made from old
tin cans, possibly painted in bright hues.
Others are taking over neglected gardens. Most
Australian gardens are pretty much ignored, planted
out with shrubs and a lawn that becomes a chore to
mow. Now, the young and energetic who can’t afford
their own garden and the retired and experienced who
have downsized but miss having their fingers in the soil
are spearheading a movement to turn waste space into
small urban farms. Sometimes this is a part of a group
movement sharing expertise and tools. More often,
however, it’s neighbours or friends joining to transform
a “too big to bother with” space into a garden and
a share of the produce. And often companionship, too.
How to begin? Ask around. Put up a notice on the
front gate saying “Garden to share” or pop a note in
the neighbouring letterboxes.
Just like online dating, keep it at arm’s length to
begin with. Start with letters, emails or texts. Again,
just like online dating, be very sure of what both
sides expect. Put it in writing so there’s no confusion.
I’d suggest a six-month trial to make sure both sides
are happy with no recriminations if things end then.
This means that the first crops may just be beds of
fast-growing annuals, veggies and flowers rather
than berries or fruit trees.
Things to include when sharing a garden
1. Length of tenure. It can take three years for
a good crop of asparagus and five years for fruit
trees to crop. Even if you both intend a long-term
commitment, job and family changes can mean that
one side of the partnership needs to move. Be open
about the possibility.
2. What happens if we terminate? Hopefully there’ll be
enough notice on both sides for the current crop to be
harvested, but what if the garden owner is left with a
backyard of garden beds that need weeding, mulching
and picking or they’ll become a pest-breeding mess?
Possibly a “termination bond” might be agreed to
pay someone to put the garden into a “well-mulched
sleep” state till another sharecropper can be found, or
to compensate the gardeners for the crops they’ll lose
if they can’t access the garden.
3. Who pays for what? I’d suggest that the owner of
the land pays for anything that will stay on the property
like fruit trees or vines, permanent herbs like lavender,
rosemary and thyme, taps, chook sheds and tanks. The
gardeners pay for seeds, fertiliser and seedlings.
4. Garden design. This is where things can go badly
wrong. My ideal garden is a sprawl of flowers and veg
with mulch between — anathema to those who like
neat, straight, raised beds (pests like neat, raised,
straight garden beds too). Talk about the kind of
gardens you love and expect and be frank. Gardens
need a lot of love and work, and it would be a tragedy
to waste one when it’s not a love the owner shares.
5. Sharing the crop. This is also worth clarifying right
from the start. Can the garden owner go and pick,
pluck and collect the eggs as they wish, or will they
be given a box of produce on the back steps once or
twice a week? Will it be 50/50 or 60/40?
6. What tomatoes do you like best? If you can get
this right, you are possibly on the path to paradise.
Do you both love deep-ridged, old-fashioned cooking
tomatoes that don’t slice neatly but burst with flavour?
Are you a potato eater who will delight in a King
Edward or pot of Purple Congos? Do you use parsley
or coriander? Are peas your passion? This is one area
where you don’t need to agree, just to compromise.
Grow a few favourites for their delight alone. Be sure
to have a willingness to try new vegetables, new
varieties and new tastes. Have you ever tried oca?
Jerusalem artichokes? Tiny chokos? How about having
a go at your first half dozen jars of tomato kasundi?
A vegetable garden can start producing in six
weeks, with young greens for salads, stir-fries, stews
and soups. In three months, you may have peas or
potatoes, beans and corn. Within a year, a backyard
— or even the front garden — can easily supply
two households with veg, eggs and small fruit like
Illustration Getty Images
strawberries, rhubarb, tamarillos, cape gooseberries
and much more. Flowers like sweet peas, sunflowers
or zinnias delight the eye and soul for those who can
see them through the window, but also give a plentiful
supply to pick to brighten another home.
And if it doesn’t work exactly as you planned?
There’ll still have been joy and hands in the earth and
more greenery given to the planet.

CBD, PEA and LDN
D
iet, herbs, acupuncture and lifestyle will
always be a part of integrative veterinary
care, but three newer treatments are
PEA (palmitoylethanolamide), low-dose
naltrexone and cannabis oil.
CBD
CBD stands for cannabidiol, and refers to one of the
well-known phytocannabinoid compounds produced
by the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa),the other
being delta-9-tetracannabidiol or THC. In fact,
Cannabis sativa produces a number of biologically
active substances including phytocannabinoids,
terpenoids and flavonoids.
In general there are three types of cannabis:
industrial hemp used for fibres, medicinal cannabis
and marijuana. The last contains less than 0.3 per
cent of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC.
Is it legal to prescribe medicinal cannabis for pets?
Until recently this was a grey area. Strictly speaking,
vets in NSW were not able to dispense or prescribe
cannabis for medicinal use in pets. However, since
so many pet carers presented with products sourced
online, or simply wanting information, we had to
educate ourselves.
The NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board has
mandated that registered vets may prescribe medical
cannabis (<0.3 per cent THC) via a prescription to an
accredited compounding pharmacist, but only where a
suitable registered veterinary product is not available.
This is a fairly broad definition of prescribing,
which brings us back to how CBD works and when
it would be useful. What we understand is that
the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is made up of
receptors, neurotransmitters and enzymes, and
functions to maintain homeostasis. It affects immune
function, inflammation, memory responses, sleep,
appetite and stress. The main receptors researched
are CB1, found mainly in nervous tissue, and CB2,
found mainly in immune tissues. Phytocannabinoids
bind the cannabinoid receptors, and effect a response.
CBD is commonly prescribed for support for
osteoarthritis and seizures in dogs. A 2018 study
showed CBD reduced pain in dogs with osteoarthritis.
Studies have also shown reduced seizure frequency
in dogs on CBD. Anecdotally, improvements are seen
in dogs with irritable bowel disease (IBD), anxiety,
degenerative myelopathy and some types of cancer.
A wide range of doses have been used in dogs and
cats. I have observed that some respond to low doses,
but others need much higher doses. This may be due
to something called the “ECS tone”, referring to the
amounts of cannabinoid receptors and endogenous
cannabinoids in an individual.
Photography Getty Images
Low-THC CBD seems safe in pets. There are some
potential herb–drug interactions — we avoid tramadol
and some antibiotics, and there may be additive effects,
for example behaviour medication effects may be
increased. As long as doses are increased slowly, then
CBD seems to be a relatively safe and effective addition.
Care must be taken if purchasing online, which
I don’t recommend, unless you have seen an
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PET CARE
Independent Standardisation Certificate showing the
CBD and THC content. Full-spectrum whole-plant
products have the added benefit of the “entourage
effect” of the terpenes and flavonoids.
PEA KAREN
PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) is a long chain fatty acid GOLDRICK
— another endogenous compound which isn’t a true is a holistic
cannabinoid but can bind some cannabinoid receptors. veterinarian at All
PEA has been studied for its pain-relieving, anti- Natural Vet Care,
epileptic and anti-inflammatory effects. Russell Lea, Sydney.
PEA has been isolated from soybean lecithin, T: 02 9712 5844
egg yolk and peanut meal. Some PEA supplements W: naturalvet.com.au.
are derived from palm oil. PEA is classified
by the TGA as a food supplement, so no
prescription is required.
There is some science showing
that PEA works for pets. A study in
cats showed improved symptoms
of an immune condition called
eosinophilic granuloma complex
(an inflammatory skin problem)
after one month’s treatment at
10mg/kg. Another study in rats
with experimentally induced
arthritis showed that PEA plus
quercetin was as effective as
meloxicam (a NSAID) in improving
mobility. PEA can reduce kidney
deterioration in rats. Other reported
benefits in people include treating asthma,
depression, cystitis and allergic skin disease.
Safety studies have shown no adverse effects,
although nausea and reflux have been reported. PEA A 2018 study
can be used safely with conventional medications.
showed CBD
LDN reduced pain
Naltrexone is classed as an opioid antagonist, and is
used in people to manage drug and alcohol abuse. At
in dogs with
lower doses (low-dose naltrexone or LDN) it may have osteoarthritis.
different effects, including immune-modulating and
neuroprotective effects. This is known as the hormetic
principle, where pharmacologic chemicals will have
different effects at different doses.
Clinical trials in people have shown benefits in
treatment of fibromyalgia, MS, Crohn’s disease,
cancer and other pain syndromes. The way LDN
works is incompletely understood. It blocks toll-like
receptors (TLRs) which are implicated in inflammation.
Responses include improved quality of life and reduced
pain. A cancer trial in patients with pancreatic cancer
showed long survival in two patients taking
a combination of LDN and alpha-lipoiic acid. A study
in 2018 showed improved survival and reduced side
effects in dogs with cancer treated with carboplatin
plus LDN, compared to chemotherapy alone.
In my own clinical practice, I have included LDN
as part of an integrated approach to co-cancer care,
allergic skin disease and IBD. Although it is hard to see
a specific benefit of LDN, because most patients are on
a combination of support, it is well tolerated.
References available on request
wellbeing.com.au | 149
 column
AGEING WELL
Making SENS
“E
very generation throws a hero up the
pop charts,” the ageless Paul Simon
once intoned, and when it comes to
gurus one figure that bestrides the
pinnacle of the anti-ageing movement’s totem pole
DR MICHAEL is Aubrey de Grey. He is the chief helmsman of the
ELSTEIN Methuselah Foundation, an organisation that oversees
is a Sydney-based worldwide research attempting to germinate science-
anti-ageing based technologies that aspire to halting and even
physician and reversing ageing. His plan for terminating ageing
writer. He is the is framed by a rather quaint acronym called SENS,
author of three books which stands for Strategies for Engineered Negligible
including his latest, Senescence. This appears to mean allowing your body
to get a little bit older but not a lot. Like the Seven
The Wellness Guide
to Preventing the
Wonders of the World or habits of highly effective
people, de Grey has fashioned seven magnificent
Diseases of Ageing.
albeit slightly otherworldly designs for beating ageing.
He has also designed
Spoiler alert: his proposals aren’t for the faint-hearted.
the app The Diet It’s not about upscaled starvation diets, taking new
Guide to Ageing unknown magical antioxidants or becoming a triathlete
Prevention. with an additional mountaineering leg. To follow his
blueprint we might need to reconstitute our DNA with
unheralded software. Here’s what he’s suggesting.
1 Replace damaged mitochondria
with backup copies
Mitochondria are our cellular batteries which wither
SENS … stands with ageing. Rather than ambulate with a spring in
for Strategies their step, this leads to our cells spluttering around
for Engineered on a walking frame. Because we have thought
that the paramount reason for this is a relentless
Negligible free radical assault which can only be quelled
Senescence. with superhuman antioxidants, many of us have
resorted to wolfing down copious handfuls of these
substances in the hope that they will repel this
insurgency and maintain vibrant mitochondria.
“Dream on,” asserts de Grey. He indicates that
the research supporting this approach has been
disappointing. In fact we need free radicals to prime
our inbuilt antioxidant defences and activate our
immune systems. Nuking them out of existence
might be counterproductive. His solution is far more
substantial, maybe a touch less practical. All we need
to do is copy undamaged mitochondrial DNA to the
nucleus of our cells before free radicals commence
their bombardment and then export them back once
the mitochondria have become unhinged. Scientists
at the University of Virginia in the USA have already
used gene technology to manufacture complete
copies of the entire mitochondrial DNA. A team of
research wizards from the Department of Neurology
at Columbia University have gone one step further,
exporting this genetic information to defective
mitochondria, which then rejuvenate to function
effectively. Stand by to recalibrate, readers.
2 Remove intracellular waste products
The accumulation of cellular junk is another ageing
promoter and partly the reason for the development
of heart disease and Alzheimer’s dementia. Rather
than go to bed earlier which would help us to sleep
all this debris away or starve ourselves more which
150 | wellbeing.com.au
would ramp up elimination, de Grey proposes a more
overarching remedy. Identify the soil bacteria that
mop up our undegraded junk after we have died, find
the enzymes that facilitate this process and then
deliver those enzymes to the components of our cells
that can utilise them to break down and eradicate
cellular garbage. Or simply use gene therapy to
instruct our DNA to make those enzymes if you don’t
want to get your hands dirty.
3 Put an end to extracellular waste
The glucose or sugar that courses through our
veins providing us with so much energy also has the
capacity to sugar-coat or caramelise our proteins,
which then deactivates the enzymes that make our
cells operate and denature our DNA. Rather than go
on low-carbohydrate diets which would increase the
production of a chemical called methylgloxal and make
more caramel, de Grey encourages us to let these
sugared-up proteins accumulate en masse and then
incinerate them to oblivion with a compound that most
of us have never heard of called N-phenacylthiazolium
or other equally unpronounceable like-minded
substances germinating in laboratories as you are
reading this article.
4 Target distorted protein
Disfigured proteins, the kind that make theʫ-amyloid
entities plausibly responsible for triggering
Alzheimer’s dementia, have become the bugbear of
research scientists around the world, as we appear to
be nowhere closer to finding the cure for this brain-
destroying Voldemort. Although this has already been
unsuccessfully trialled, repurposed vaccines might
offer some hope of uncoiling these proteins but these
experiments have yet to commence.
5 Rejuvenate with stem cells
Instead of using the stem cells of embryos, we can
embrace our own stimulated growth factors to recreate
any part of our body that has become decrepit.
6 Switch off telomerase
With ageing, telomeres at the end of chromosomes
become frayed and this puts an end to cellular
replication. Rather than reinstate this process which
can help bad actors like cancer cells to multiply,
de Grey proposes that we completely delete the
enzyme that facilitates this (called telomerase) and
rely on stem cells to repopulate our ailing bodies.
Illustration Getty Images
7 Reignite a weakening immune system
My immune-boosting magnum opus Immune
Apocalypse can be enhanced by immune-
stimulating gene therapy.
“Ground control to Major Tom,” a ride with
Aubrey de Grey might indeed find us floating “far
from the world.”

Common skin cancers
A
lovely young woman came to my clinic
with a medically diagnosed basal cell
carcinoma (BCC) on her face. These types
of skin cancers are not nearly as virulent
as melanomas and usually do not spread beyond the
immediate area, and often, if they grow, they do so
very slowly. Her doctor suggested it be cut out, but
she was concerned this would leave a noticeable
scar on her face, so she was looking to see if there
were any alternatives to treating it — hoping to try
and avoid the surgical procedure.
There has been some research in recent years
studying herbal and nutritional medicines for reducing
or removing these mild cancers, although this may
take some considerable period of time before being
successful and needs to be monitored regularly.
There is some debate about the effect of sun on
instigating BCCs, as there are multiple factors that can
increase susceptibility, such as low antioxidants and
environmental exposure to a variety of compounds.
Excess sunlight is immunosuppressive and generates
increased oxidation and DNA damage. Some
prescribed medications can also exacerbate this effect,
such as statin drugs and some anti-inflammatories.
However, discussing sun protection is always
important in skin cancer. She used to go in the sun
a lot as a teenager, but these days generally avoided
it, especially during the middle of the day. The
research does show that commercial sunscreens
are not as effective protection against BCCs as
against other skin cancers.
I suggested that she exercise early in the
morning or late afternoon when sun damage is
much less likely, and to do so without sunscreens
or sunglasses. If she is exposed to the sun during
the day, I suggested she should wear loose clothing,
use a zinc-based rather than titanium antioxidant
herb cream formula for sun protection, and to
always wear a lovely but protective hat. The ideal
sunscreen needs to protect against both UVA
and UVB radiation, and should contain natural
antioxidant ingredients that will stimulate DNA
repair, as well as being safe and stable.
There is always the dilemma about having enough
sun exposure to maintain adequate vitamin D levels
but not so much that the skin is damaged — and
vitamin D is one of the main protective nutrients
for skin cancer prevention. Some sun protection
creams can also reduce the body’s ability to absorb
vitamin D, which needs to be considered when
recommending them. The patient’s vitamin D level
was measured at 50, which from a health perspective
is too low (medical normal is between 50 and 140)
as the level for optimal health is considered to be
Illustrations Getty Images
about 100. It is also important to take vitamin K2 with
vitamin D to prevent toxicity, often manifesting as
over-calcification. I therefore prescribed a vitamin D3
plus K2 supplement to increase her levels.
We found significant digestive problems that
needed improvement before the skin treatment
was likely to be successful. If nutrients are being
prescribed the digestive system has to be functioning
column
CLINICAL CASEBOOK
optimally as, if supplements are to be effective, they
have to be digested and metabolised effectively.
Interestingly, the gut, brain and skin have a common
embryonic origin, so these systems are interactive
and all need to be healthy for optimal results.
Skin damage resulting in various cancers is largely KAREN
a process of the sun causing oxidative damage, so BRIDGMAN
antioxidants are a critical part of the recommendations. is a holistic practitioner
I recommended vitamin E twice a day, which is a higher at Lotus Health and
dose than normal, along with up to 4gm of vitamin Lotus Dental in
C per day, organic selenium, zinc and fish oil. Neutral Bay.
Herbally I encouraged her to drink organic green
tea frequently and to take Silybum marianum
(St Mary’s thistle) and curcumin (turmeric)
daily. Synergistic with these herbs are
quercetin, grapeseed extract and
resveratrol, so supplements
of these polyphenols were
added as well.
To improve
digestive function we
checked her diet
and suggested she
avoid wheat, dairy
and sugar and to
focus on organically
grown foods. She
had an extensive
history of antibiotic
prescriptions, and this
was considered a major
factor in her digestive
problems. I recommended
organic coconut kefir for the
regular ingestion of probiotics,
and encouraged a selection of
prebiotic foods to help feed the probiotic
foods. I recommended a probiotic formula lactoferrin
plus SB as well, as this probiotic is important in Skin damage
regulating microbiome damage from antibiotics.
To assist with protein digestion and reduce
resulting in
inflammation I also recommended a specific protein- various cancers is
digesting enzyme at the end of each main meal. largely a process
As well as these recommendations, I made up
a herbal cream for her to apply frequently. This of the sun causing
contained the herbs bloodroot, calendula, celandine oxidative damage,
and turmeric along with iodine, selenium and zinc
drops mixed in a vitamin E base. Topical applications
so antioxidants
can speed the rate of healing significantly as they are a critical
target the specific area more effectively. part of the
Over the next several months, her digestion
improved, as did her overall feeling of wellness, but recommendations.
the BCC was persistent and showed little sign of
change. So we adjusted the program, increasing the
antioxidant doses and adding in lutein and zeaxanthin
as well. While it was still very slow going, gradually
the BCC started to shrink. She is still continuing with
this program as she is still very motivated to avoid
surgery if she can. Her GP is monitoring her progress,
and while he would have preferred to remove the BCC,
he is happy there is some progress and will continue
to monitor her as well.
wellbeing.com.au | 151
 column
JULY & AUGUST 2021

CHRISTINE BROADBENT
loves astrology for its healing focus
and timing insights. She offers
consultations, mentoring and teaching.
In-person readings are available in
Auckland, plus phone or Skype sessions
are available anywhere. For
Christine’s schedule and retreat
information, please contact
christine@astrologyspot.com.au. For
more, visit astrologyspot.com.au.
Cancer
As we segue into early July, Sun in
Cancer forms an alliance with awakener Uranus,
which excites a change-orientation. Yet July 9–10
is not a time to rattle the status quo but to turn
inwardly for the special kind of nourishment
that can only happen when New Moon falls in its
own sign of Cancer. Ego battles would defeat the
potential of this time and, on July 12, intuitive
wisdom sheds light on problems. July 15–20 is
empowering while firm action brings you its best
results from August 12–22.
Virgo
Regular routines, rituals and concrete tasks
plus the harvest they can bring all suit you well.
These are supported by the fertile water/earth dance
of July 5–6, 9–11 and 13–20. When relationship
planet Venus transits Virgo from July 22 to August
15, healing routines can be effective. Venus helps
health-supporting changes on August 3 in the midst
of the challenges of August 2–10. Then Venus and
crescent Moon align in Virgo on August 11, when an
evening ritual will realign your energies. A contented
rhythm re-emerges around August 20 leading
towards a productive new Virgo cycle.
Leo
Lover Venus is now in Leo and life has
many sweet touches. You are being challenged
by this Aquarius year and may feel pressured
July 1–4 or 7–9. When Venus expands to include
Moon and Mars on July 12–13, check out this
gorgeous line-up right after sunset and recognise
the creative idea that is ready to pop. Your mana
builds up from July 23, boosted by a Full Moon
and is strongest around July 31. Be patient with
disruption from August 4–8’s New Moon in Leo
since August 20–22 illuminates your new path.
Libra
Holding a balance can be hard, and July
1, 4 and 7–9 could demonstrate this. Yet this solar
cycle illuminates your vocation, while Venus builds
alliances from July 11–13 that supports team
building and networking. If you use extra caution
on those earlier dates and keep a low profile on
July 18 this can be a very productive month, with
cooperative efforts rewarded. While August 2–7
may turn things on their head, August 8’s New
Moon begins a lunar cycle that will gradually carry
your goals forward. Venus returns to Libra on
August 16 beginning an opportune two weeks.

Scorpio Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius

Challenges from an
Aquarius year may briefly rear
their head on July 1, 4, 7 and
9 so keep full attention on what
really matters. Trusting others
and acting upon clear insights
restores your flow. Hunches are
worth a second glance with July
10’s New Moon in Cancer, when
a spiritual and knowledge-
hungry urge demands attention.
Assisted by Venus on July 13
and energised by July 23’s new
solar cycle, your commitment
to responsibilities carries you
through challenges of August
2–7. Late August’s safe harbour
recharges you.
The demands upon
Sagittarius can often be
polarising, and it is only when
you reconcile these opposites
that life flows smoothly. Mental
flexibility is needed when the
challenges of 2021 recur on July
1, 6–9 and 28–30, and August
2, 4 and 7. Your strengths of
a friendly heart and inclusiveness
are natural protections. July
23’s new Leo cycle stirs creative
fire in you, with July 31, August
1 and 16–23 most newsworthy.
Two Full Moons on July 24 and
August 22 illuminate the high
potential of this time and the
importance of family.
Since late June, life
has been busy and, in early
July, you can waste large
amounts of energy if you
take on too much. Beware of
making financial decisions in
the first week of either July or
August when tensions could
muddy the waters. Yet these
months are decisive. After
July 10’s New Moon, goals
clarify and teamwork picks
up pace between July 13–22.
July 26 and August 2–7 could
see old challenging issues
surface, so your best timing
for important events or moves
is between August 12–27.
Two Full Moons in
Aquarius begin and end the
solar cycle of Leo, your partner
sign. These mark significant
realisation points for you in
an Aquarius year. The first
Full Moon of July 24 reignites
your mid-July insights into the
significant people in your life and
into financial agreements. With
Jupiter returning to Aquarius
on July 28, then polarised by
Mars on July 30, any incipient
problem with someone close has
become visible. An enterprising
idea can show its shadow side
now and adjustments that can
be made are best done quickly.

Pisces Aries Taurus Gemini

Mutable Pisces knows
how to flow between alternative
points of view; this will be
useful in early July. Guard
your peace and wellbeing by
taking a neutral stance if there
are conflicts around you. Your
ability to magic unique solutions
out of fraught situations is
particularly useful as is Jupiter’s
presence in Pisces until July
30. August 2–7 could drag back
old conflicts and hard Neptune
aspects on August 10 but stay
well out of it. Earthy harmonies
from August 20–27 offer the
grounding you need to generate
a greater ease that helps all.
While Aries may be quick
to fire up, the child of Mars
is also quick to move on. Yet
July starts with a challenging
polarity between Mars and
Saturn and ends with Mars
opposing Jupiter. A quick Aries
shift to positive emotions can
save you from self-sabotage
on July 1–4 and help you bring
an enterprising idea to fruition
from July 24–31. Be mindful
of control and don’t lock
indignant words into text or
email format. Mars then moves
into cautious Virgo, and August
1, 3 and 22–27 are designed for
easy success.
July settles you with
a comforting sense of security
on the home front. If July 4,
7 or 9 seem to reverse your
expectations, a return to healthy
routines is the answer. Likely,
late August will remedy things.
Leo time starts and ends with
Full Moons, so both July 24 and
August 22’s Full Moons illuminate
your career choices. Since this
solar cycle is all about family
for Taurus, getting the balance
right between home and work
is important. The unpredictable
currents of early August may
create uncertainty but August
20–27 makes decisions easy.
Your sense of humour can
resolve tricky situations and put
people at ease, also easing that
Gemini restlessness and anxiety
that can zap your energy. With the
karmic North Node in Gemini this
year, genuine and timely shifts
are well supported. Since July 1–4
can provoke anxiety, try laughing
at yourself. The Nodal harmonies
of July 5, 13–18 and 31 can help
you consolidate this technique,
while fortunate Jupiter in your
vocational sign is an excellent
boost. The Leo period starting
July 23 accents your creativity
and August 22’s Full Moon
highlights a satisfying week.

152 | wellbeing.com.au

Journey to parenthood
One reader shares her journey from never wanting
children to having two kids she adores.
Words ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ
A
t the young age of 15 I decided
that I didn’t want kids. That
decision is incredibly difficult to
think about some days as
I look at my three-year-old daughter and
feel my unborn son growing inside my
womb. I always related well to children;
I am goofy and have a kid-like imagination
during play time. It wasn’t until I met my
husband during my military service and
met his large family that my viewpoint on
having kids and raising a family began to
change. Slowly, over time, I realised that
I am not bound to my 15-year-old way of
thinking. By choosing to have kids and
raise a family with my best friend I had to
mentally accept that I was not abandoning
years of self-programming. Through the
excitement of pregnancy with my daughter,
I remembered wondering what others
who knew me for so many years would
think. After all, I very publicly shared with
everyone in my circle over the years that
having kids was not in my playbook. Would
it make me look unreliable? Would I seem
unsure of myself? I knew I was growing
physically, then 23 years old, but I severely
underestimated the social changes it
would send me through over the course of
nine months. Here’s what I have learned
from my planned pregnancy, and here’s
what I take away today at 26 years old with
a new baby on the way.
It is okay to grow
Not only did I have to let go of my ego and
the fear of gaining weight, but I came to the
strong realisation that we all evolve over
time. Sometimes the journey of evolution
leaves you looking completely opposite of
your original intent, and that’s OK. I am
a product of my experiences and, at 15
years old, I hadn’t met someone that I loved
enough to make a family with. At 21 years
old, I navigated a toxic relationship and left
the relationship more convinced that I would
never procreate. Fortunately, only a short
time later, I met someone who would allow
me the healing and experimentation I needed
to eventually decide that I am capable of
making a human — and that I would enjoy it.
Parenting looks different for
everyone
I grew up in a home that ended in divorce.
More than once. As a matter of fact, my
mum divorced three times. I don’t consider
myself a victim in this. Actually, I have more
compassion for my mum than ever, watching
her learn and grow. It taught me a lot about
love, and it continues to inspire me today.
She is happily married with an amazing
man, who I am glad to call a father in so
many ways. My husband’s parents, however,
are much older and have been married
for decades. They share six kids together
and had a mostly stable upbringing. This
undoubtedly is a factor that enabled my
husband to be open to the idea of kids and
allowed me a space to feel more comfortable
exploring the idea of a family. Raising my own
daughter has looked much different from
what it did for me and my mum. This has
allowed me to understand that parenting,
and the choices we make, are fluid. If I mess
up today, I am not bound by those mishaps. If
I am short-tempered or if I feel unwell, I can
communicate this with my daughter and rely
on my humanity to show her that I do care,
but that I need a break too. My daughter
and I have navigated our emotions together;
we have cried and laughed together, and
we have learned how to live in this family
together. It has been an amazing experience.
column
REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE
I met someone who would
allow me the healing and
experimentation I needed to
eventually decide that I am
capable of making a human
— and that I would enjoy it.
Be you
As a young woman who experienced
several unfortunate incidents with sexual
assault and stigmatised culture, I found it
incredibly eye-opening to the way I would
raise my daughter. The way I parent with
my husband is evolving still. In the last
few years, I realised that it’s important
my daughter understands that her voice
matters. It is important for her space to
feel protected, and if she does not want
physical contact, her “No” means no —
even with friends and family. I do not force
her to hug and kiss me, or anyone else. If
she is upset, I do not shame her for feeling
her emotions, and instead I do my best to
help her navigate those emotions. I ask
her questions like, “Can you tell me why
you are upset?” At just three years old, she
is able to tell me when her feelings are
hurt and I am able to reassure her that
I am here to protect her and not to make
her feel bad. I am learning new ways to
explain to her why my “No” matters and
share with her that my intention is never to
control her. Kids need to feel autonomous
and independent; it’s how they best learn
about their environment. As she gets
older it’s my hope that she will have the
confidence to navigate this world with
a strong voice, knowing that ultimately her
parents will be the ones to scoop her up
and love her unconditionally.
This is my encouragement to you.
Being a parent undoubtedly challenges us
in every way, but as I speak up about my
experiences and my journey, I am finding
that more women experience the same
feelings, the same anxiety and the same
unknowns. You are allowed to change,
evolve and relearn what parenting is for
you. Do not be ashamed — be empowered
and know that you are already doing your
best and that is all you need to do.
After graduating in 2012, Ashley Rodriguez
went to college for two years to pursue
entrepreneurship before joining the military
at age 20. Now a veteran, she reflects on how
much her values have shifted based on her
experiences. Rodriguez, a business owner
and young mother of two, continues to seek
self-growth and nurture important friendships
while enjoying her family life. For more, visit
ashleymrodriguez.com
wellbeing.com.au | 153

SupaGarlic
Garlic is arguably the “original superfood” with
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LAMAV Organic BB Cream
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154 | wellbeing.com.au
Happy Breast Balm
This beautifully presented Breast Care Kit
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Manuka honey is antibacterial and renowned
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wellbeing.com.au | 155

Wotnot SPF 30 Anti-Aging Facial
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156 | wellbeing.com.au
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Now that the weather is cooling, it’s time to
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Smitten Wool Fleece Leggings
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wellbeing.com.au | 157
 education focus
NATURE CARE COLLEGE
Explore what it means to be well
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158 | wellbeing.com.au
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is an approved education provider for its
Advanced Diploma Practitioner courses
with the Australian Traditional Medicine
Society (ATMS).
Flexible study options — learn
anywhere at any time
Nature Care’s flexible study options
include learning from anywhere at any
time. Enjoy the ease of attending classes
live in an online virtual classroom or
watch the recording at your leisure in line
with your own weekly study schedule.
Learn from passionate, experienced
educators
You will receive enormous benefit in
your learning experience from a range of
successful and skilled practitioners who
Cultivate your mind and
uncover nature’s remedies
with one of Nature Care’s
inspiring courses.
make it their purpose to pass on their
knowledge and extensive clinical experience
while inspiring you with their passion.
In-house or external practical clinical
training
The choice is yours! In the Nature Care
Virtual Wellness Centre, students apply their
learning by treating members of the public
under the mentorship and expertise of
clinical practitioners. Students also have the
choice of completing their practical training
externally with an approved practitioner.
This flexibility provides students with a wide
range of clinical experiences and ensures
that Nature Care students graduate as
confident, work-ready practitioners.
Quality education with great-value courses
The college’s quality education, holistic
curriculum and experienced educators
are complemented by great-value
courses to support people in transitioning
into work they love. In addition to
attractive course costs that are the most
affordable in the industry, Nature Care
offers a range of payment plan options to
suit every budget.
Explore what it means to be
well and find out more
For an additional window into the world
of opportunity available at Nature Care,
visit naturecare.com.au. When you make
the choice to study with Nature Care, you
will be joining a unique community of
like-minded people committed to holistic
health and wellbeing.
Testimonials
“For anyone passionate about a career in
health and wellness, Nature Care College
provides a firm foundation to springboard
into your chosen field. The college’s tangible
approach and holistic courses are not only
inspiring and refreshing, but also contribute
to making the world a happier and healthier
place.” ~ Lee Holmes, Supercharged Foods
Connect with Nature Care College today.
T: 02 8423 8333
E: info@naturecare.com.au
W: naturecare.com.au and
naturecare.com.au/courses
 WellBeing Astrology 2020
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 community
YOUR WELLNESS GUIDE
What’s in season
this winter
Winter
Fruit Apples (Fuji, Gala, Golden
Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonagold,
Jonathan, Lady Williams, Pink
Lady, Red Delicious, Sundowner),
banana, breadfruit, cumquat, custard
apple, fig, grapes (Muscat, Purple
Cornichon, Sultana, Waltham Cross),
grapefruit, guava, kiwifruit, lemon,
lime, mandarin (Imperial), melons
(honeydew, rockmelon), nashi, orange
(Valencia), papaya, passionfruit, pears
(Beurre Bosc, Howell, Josephine,
Packham, Red Sensation, Williams),
persimmon, pineapple, plum, pomelo,
pomegranate, quince, rambutan,
raspberry, rhubarb, tamarillo, tangelo.
Vegetables Asian greens (buk choy, choy
sum, gai lan, wombok), avocado, beans
our #inspo
160 | wellbeing.com.au
(butter, green, snake), beetroot, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicum,
carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chilli,
Illustrations Getty Images
cucumber, daikon, eggplant, Jerusalem
artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, field
mushroom, okra, olive, onions (brown,
red and spring), parsnip, peas, potato,
pumpkin, shallot, silver beet, spinach,
squash, swede, sweet corn, sweet potato,
taro, tomato, turnip, witlof, zucchini.
Far left Editor Kate recently spent the
weekend at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
celebrating her “babymoon” — one final
getaway before her little one is due!
Left We headed off to explore the
picturesque Honeymoon Bay and packed
a whole lot of adventure — snorkelling,
hiking, camping — into 24 hours.
Below We’ve been knocking off work early
to admire the stunning winter sunsets as it
sparkles across the sky.
 Inspiring activities
• Fire up the oven and put your baking skills to the test. Winter
weather calls for comfort food, and there are so many
delicious and nutritious goodies to bake up: think sticky date
pudding, apple scrolls, a delicious fruit crumble or even
a simple baked oatmeal for a brekkie treat. Anything baked
with love is bound to be enjoyed by all!
• Now is the perfect time to get your hands dirty and get
gardening. Sharpen up your secateurs and prune your
blooms. Sow seeds and bulbs of your favourite flowers
and veggies and watch them grow. And don’t forget to
feed your fruit trees and flowering plants in the lead-up to
spring for an abundant season ahead.
• Transform your bedroom into a sanctuary. Add some fairy
lights, spritz a calming scent, pick up a shag rug or repaint
your walls to a colour that soothes you. Your room should be
a safe, cosy place to retire to at the end of each day. Leave your
work and devices at the door, and feel the worry fade away and
the calm set in as you enter your new uplifting space.
Illustration Tams at Soul Stories: soul-stories.com
Self-care
• Take time for yourself offline and away from screens: swap
socials for board games, Netflix for a bushwalk and
non-stop scrolling for a chat with a friend. These simple
swaps will help you stay in the present rather than
mindlessly staring at your device and provide a mindful
approach to each day, moment and breath.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Taking five minutes at the end of
your day to write down a few things you are thankful for can
help you focus on the positive things in life that bring you joy
and calm. It can be something as small as a warm cup of
tea or the beauty of the sunrise — anything that offers a new
perspective and reminds you that everyday happenings can
leave a lasting impact.
• Move your body from the moment you wake up. Take in the
warmth and sunlight of your room and add some time for
morning stretches. There are plenty of in-bed stretches and
gentle twists you can do to get in tune with your body and
welcome the wintry day with a smile.

Above Georgia tried her

hand at pottery and crafted
her favourite new hug-mug,
perfect for sipping winter
warmers. Here’s her
masterpiece.
Right Our features writer
Georgia got back to her
activist roots and joined the
hundreds of thousands of
women fighting for equality
and justice around Australia
in the #March4Justice.

wellbeing.com.au | 161
 “The best and most beautiful things
in the world cannot be sÖn or
even touched — they must be
felt with the heart.”
~ Helen Keller

WellBeing Issue 193 is published by Universal WellBeing Pty Ltd, Unit 5, 6-8
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