WellBeing

Encourage at least one person a day. Even a genuine compliment to a stranger at the supermarket on their outfit or style makes a huge difference to them. We’re so used to negativity so be the positive voice. After all, everyone is human. @rosebrio1 I

COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON In a recent study, one group of subjects sampled decaffeinated coffee with 200 milligrams of caffeine added in a laboratory setting, making a strong cup of coffee. The stimulant was added to make that group’s coffee consisten

COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON For this study, subjects were surveyed about their level of “appearance self-esteem”. They then evaluated clothing such as bikinis and dresses on a series of store mannequins. People who reported lower self-esteem were more l

Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN As members of the squash family (sometimes referred to as “winter squash”), pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence of pumpkin seeds, found in Mexico, dated from 7000–5500

Words EMMA HIGGINSON Again and again, fad diets have been proved unsuccessful. Diets focus on calorie restriction and the elimination of certain foods and generally do not take into account the dieter’s ability to exercise self-control or regulate th

I was just standing there, minding my own business employing what I thought was a carelessly attractive stance, when one daughter piped up, “Dad, just do it!” I was momentarily thrown because, to the best of my knowledge, I wasn’t meant to be doing a

COMPILED BY TERRY ROBSON For this study, researchers looked at the locations of 1.5 billion lightning strikes from 2005 to 2016 and found nearly twice as many lightning strikes, on average, over major routes that ships take across the northern Indian

Words DANIELLE KIRK Every morning for the past month, I’ve been inhaling love, security and joy and exhaling love, security and joy. I plop myself down on a meditation cushion, post-yoga and precoffee, look at an amateur illustration of a tree and fo

I started this job with the intention to never leave. What could possibly be better, I thought, than helping to synthesise empirical research and traditional wisdom and presenting it in a tactile, accessible format to an expanding circle of smart peo

Words VERONICA JOSEPH Have you ever had a feeling in your bones that you just knew a person or a situation wasn’t quite right, or felt an overwhelming impulse to take a certain direction in life that just felt meant to be? We humans are naturally ver

Words DR KAREN BRIDGMAN Also known as Queen of the Meadow, meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is a perennial herb in the rose family. A native of Europe and the Middle East, it has creamy-white flowers with a strong, sweet smell and grows in damp area

Words MARTIN OLIVER As the world’s driest inhabited continent, Australia has frequently experienced issues with water. Often, it’s extremes that are involved, whether floods or, most commonly, a state of drought. Between 2001 and 2009, what’s known a

How did the Refugee Yoga Project come to life in Australia? During my time living in London, I worked with the Hackney Yoga Project (now called Ourmala), which was hosting weekly yoga classes for asylum-seeking and refugee women. I felt inspired by t

Some information about carbohydrates, at last! I grew up on bread and, although it is often used as a staple, it’s great to hear such carbohydrates are overrated. I loved Pete Evans’ piece on low-carb living (issue #170); it included great ideas abou

Words LISA GUY Ayurveda is an ancient medical tradition native to India that’s thought to be more than 5000 years old. Ayurveda, which translates from Sanskrit to “the science of life”, is a system of natural medicine that promotes a healthy mind and

A.Vogel Herbamare is a herbal seasoning salt prepared from a combination of 12 fresh, organically grown herbs and vegetables made according to the original formula of the famous Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel. The fresh ingredients are combined with n

Words LINDA MOON The horizon is seared with a terracotta sunset as we fly into Karratha, portal to the Pilbara. Here, at the far north-western edge of Western Australia, the Indian Ocean laps sparkling at the coastline. Trailing inland into the Great

Ryan Stafford Age: 11 T: +61 405 277 612 (Ryan’s mother, Angela Stafford) W: splatteringsart.com.au The artworks that I create, especially my eagles, were inspired by what I interpret as my totem. They also show what I love about nature. I like to ei

KAREN GOLDRICKis a holistic veterinarian at All Natural Vet Care, Russell Lea, Sydney. T: +61 2 9712 5844 W: naturalvet.com.au They may have days when their appetite is low and belly gurgly; when they eat and regurgitate grass and mucus on your carpe

Olieve & Olie has taken things to the next level with a beautiful range of olive oil body products. Handmade on the stunning Mornington Peninsula, the range includes body moisturisers, bar soaps, salt scrubs and lip balms. Each product has been handc

Meet Brush for Change, the eco-friendly toothbrush that gives back. For each fourpack of toothbrushes you purchase, two toothbrushes and AU$2 will be donated to charity. You can help make a difference in more ways than one. RRP AU$21.95, including po

Words AMY TAYLOR-KABBAZ No one can deny Tracey Spicer has guts. If you were one of the 1.5 million viewers who watched her in her nowfamous TEDx talk in 2013 ceremoniously remove all her makeup, kick off her high heels and strip off the tight-fitting

JAN MCLEODis a highly respected coach, mentor, speaker and consultant, and a specialist in the areas of high performance, wellbeing, nutrition and change strategy in the workplace. W: thecapacity equation.com.au, madforhealth.com.au The holiday seaso

Words & photography BEVERLEY HADGRAFT “This moment right now is the youngest we’ll be for the rest of our lives. How we live now is important.” There are two types of happiness. There’s hedonic happiness, fun but fleeting, the kind that comes from bu

Start the New Year with a retreat at Byron Yoga Centre. Choose an eight-, five- or three-day program. The affordable packages include delicious vegetarian meals and a flexible program of yoga classes, wellness sessions and massage treatments. Enjoy t

Words CHRISTINE BROADBENT In 2018, the planets Saturn and Pluto beam a spotlight on your vocational goals, which keep developing until April 2020. Your mind is alive with possibilities for investment and enterprise from the alignment of Mars with exp

March is cherry blossom time and everywhere is booked out months in advance, so you may have to stay in nearby Osaka — only half an hour on the bullet train. The city is also popular in autumn when it’s resplendent in red and gold maple leaves. Winte

Words KYLIE TERRALUNA Summer. What’s not to love? The salt, sand and sun-bleached, lazy days to soak it all in. Yet not everyone experiences summer that way. For some, summer inflames, is drying and brings irritability, impatience and sunburn. Then t

DR MICHAEL ELSTEINis a Sydney-based anti-ageing physician and writer. He is the author of three books, including his latest, The Wellness Guide to Preventing the Diseases of Ageing. He has also designed the app The Diet Guide to Ageing Prevention. Ni

CARLA OATESis a natural beauty expert and the author of Feeding Your Skin. When you feel happy and content, you exude a radiance and beauty that no amount of cosmetics can match. You also tend not to sweat the small stuff so much. So how can you get

Words ROY STEVENSON We all love to exercise outdoors when the sun is shining. Exercise enhances oxygen flow to the skin, flushes out impurities from its surface and promotes production of oil, the skin’s natural moisturiser. For good health, we need

KAREN BRIDGMANis a holistic practitioner at Australian Biologics, Sydney, and Pymble Grove Health Centre, Gordon. Clinically, many people in Australia react to the consumption of wheat but are not coeliac. This seems more an intolerance than an aller

Words STEPHANIE OSFIELD Your body’s muscular system is an important network of soft, elastic tissue. From larger muscles such as the quadriceps in your thighs to smaller muscles including the orbicularis oris in your lips, your muscles have many func

Reviews by Kate Duncan, Danielle Kirk and Chris Staff ord Directed by JEFFREY WALKER Starring OSAMAH SAMI, HELANA SAWIRES, DON HANY Directed by NICOLE LUCAS HAIMES Starring BRIAN KNOX, BRIAN CARAKER, SHARI MCCULLOUGH Aussie multi-culti comedy has bee

LEE HOLMESruns Supercharged Food and recently released her newest book, Fast Your Way to Wellness. Visit her blog at superchargedfood.com for more cooking inspiration, recipes and tips. It’s time to embrace the feeling of sun-kissed skin and ocean sw

Do you know what you value in life? Your values represent the truth of who you are. They reflect what matters to you, what you stand for and what gives you a sense of purpose. Your values are principles that guide your behaviour in both professional

CHRISTINE BROADBENTis a consulting astrologer and teacher with 30 years’ experience who offers workshops and personal readings in Australia and NZ. E: christine@astrologyspot.com.au T: +61 402 664 101 or +64 214 10126. Workshops in Sydney: Feb 4 & 25

Words LIZ McLARDY “We are what we repeatedly do.” ~ Aristotle When you think about rituals, what comes to mind? Chanting, peace offerings to exotic gods, weddings, full moon celebrations? Many of us think of something connected to religion. While thi

Words CARROL BAKER For the third night in a week, Maryanne was woken by her son Jonas crying out in the dead of night. Her usually active, bright and bubbly eight-year-old was complaining of recurrent pain in his leg muscles that seemed to go on for

ALEXX STUARTis an educator passionate in the space she calls “living a low-tox life”. Through her speaking, workshops, e-courses and online community, she helps people make the best new choices for themselves, their families and the planet. W: lowtox

Be warned: the following recipes are not raw, they’re not vegan and they’re not even all free of gluten, sugar or refined carbs. How, we hear you exclaim, can they be healthy?! Good nutrition, you see, isn’t necessarily determined by what diet is tre

Words CATRIONA POLLARD We live such hectic lives and I believe it’s important to explore different ways to help us slow down and quiet the mind. A few years ago, I realised that the hectic lifestyle I was living and the intense pressure of running a

Words PETE EVANS There’s nothing like an end-ofyear celebration, especially one that looks after every part of you: heart, soul, body, mind and health. Whether it’s baking gifts for the neighbours or getting the kids to help with glazing the ham, I l

Words SONIA ZADRO Imagine being covered by a large filter so that part of your immediate experience is completely blocked from your awareness while other parts are exaggerated or highlighted by the filter. It may sound a bit like something from a sci

JACKIE FRENCHis 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

Words MEENA AZZOLLINI Computer and video games have earned a bad rap over the course of the industry’s growth. From its beginning in the early 1970s to the multibillion-dollar industry it is today, gaming has been described as mindless and a waste of

Whether you’re a newly qualified health coach or a health and wellness professional wanting to set yourself apart from the pack, your career journey should be a life-changing and positive experience, for you as well as your clients. Yet, even with th

Words MARIE ROWLAND A sense of belonging is critical to your wellbeing and personal safety. Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher wrongly celebrated for being a bon vivant and gastronome, was actually a man of simple tastes. Like all of us, he soug