How I became a Meditation Convert
By Jean Flynn on
I can’t open a magazine or look at a blog these days without reading an article about mindfulness and meditation. Though neither are new ideas – Hindus have been practising these calming techniques for thousands of years – both have recently hit the mainstream and are now popular with the over-worked and ultra-frazzled. Being busy is out and deep breathing is in. Goodbye multi-tasking, hello relaxation.
I never thought I was the meditating type. It sounded very nice and everything, but – like yoga, paleo and Zumba, – just not for me. My favourite relaxation activity involved a couch, a television and a block of chocolate.
But then my eight-year-old daughter started waking up three or four times every night, terrified and unable to get...
Managing your daily life stressors without smashing the booze
By Jaye Hoelscher on
One of the first things so many of us hear ourselves saying is: “I need a drink!” And when we get that first bevvy into us, there is this real feeling of “aahhhhhh”. A chance to breathe, relax and let go of the day’s stressors. That sigh –
that deep breathing – is something we clearly don’t need alcohol for – it’s just often we go until the end of a long day without ever taking a deep breath and allowing ourselves a moment to be still.
Breathing via different channels in the body, physiologically counteracts our stress response and begins processes to ease the nervous...
Healthy Eating on the Go
By Zoe Bingley-Pullin on
Healthy eating can be tricky to maintain. While we may eat balanced meals at home, upholding the standard can be hard when we are out on weekends or during a busy work week.
It is easy to be tempted by the cheap and nutritionally empty food when we are busy and on-the-run. “Fast food” is quick, effortless and hard to resist, especially when in the company of someone who is not health-conscious.
However, the problem with fast food chains is that they promote overeating. This prevents you from digesting your food properly and is generally an unhealthy way of living.
While it is unrealistic to stick to a strict diet all of the time, it’s important to take note of exactly what we are putting into our bodies, and choose the best options...
Motivation to Exercise
By James Anderson on
This whole “exercise thing” can be so annoying. From finding the time to finding the motivation, exercise – can be a real bitch.
We both know it’s good for us, so why is it so difficult to stay on top of?
Well, I think there are 3 main problems.
Problem #1 - It’s painful.
We’re genetically wired to try and achieve pleasure whilst avoiding pain. We create a “pleasure hierarchy” for ourselves, putting the most important things first and everything else, well, who cares.
After all, which would give you more pleasure?
Staying in your warm bed on a cold winters morning or doing burpees at 6am?
So how do we overcome this?
Solution - Set goals.
Create an inspiring vision that allows you to rise above “the workout” and able to see the bigger,...
Making Food Your Friend
By Leanne Hall on
If you are like most people, you find it impossible to keep up to date with the latest diet “fad”. From the Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet, and more recently the Paleo diet, intermittent fasting diets, and the latest “body transformation” web based programs. All have one thing in common: they promise weight loss…..FAST!
It’s not rocket science, restricting your food intake will make you lose weight. However, keeping it off is where the overwhelming majority of these programs receive an epic…..you guessed it….. FAIL!
So why is this the case, and what can you do instead?
Well, it all starts by taking a long hard look at your relationship with food. Right from when we were kids, we began categorising food as “bad” or “good”...
Avocado and carob tart
By Golden Door on
Serves 8-10
2/3 cup raw almonds
8 medjool dates, pitted
Finley grated zest and juice of mandarin
Filling
2 avocados
3 tbls carob powder
3 tbls coconut sugar
1 1/2 tbls coconut oil
3-4 drops vanilla extract
1 tsp maca powder
To serve
250g fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries and strawberries
Line a 25cm spring form cake tin with cling wrap. To make the base, grind the almonds and dates together in a food processor until well combined, almost to a paste. Add mandarin zest and juice and process until it forms a soft dough. Place mixture into lined tin and press to cover base.
To make the filling place all filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until silky smooth. Spoon on top of the base and smooth out.
Freeze...
SodaStream Long Island Ice Tea
By SodaStream on
- 1.8 Litres hot black tea
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3-2/3 cup sugar (optional)
- 900g hulled strawberries
- Rosemary, lemon
- Sodastream sparkling water
Fill a SodaStream 1 Litre Carbonating Bottle with tap water and chill. Carbonate the SodaStream bottle. Pour the tea into a ceramic or glass mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice. Stir through. Test to see if it requires additional sweetening and add sugar according to taste. Set aside to cool.
Puree the strawberries. Push the puree through a fine-sieve to remove pips, etc. Press on the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon.
Once the tea has cooled, add the puree and mix through thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour to chill.
Add strawberry iced tea mix to glass,...
Sodastream Footy Cooler
By SodaStream on
1 passionfruit
lime (cut into quarters)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Sodastream sparkling water
Ice
Fill a SodaStream 1 Litre Carbonating Bottle with tap water and chill. Carbonate the SodaStream bottle. Combine the juice of half a lime and brown sugar in the bottom of a tall glass. Add pulp of a passionfruit. Fill glass with ice, top with sparkling water and stir well.
SodaStream Moscow Mule
By SodaStream on
30ml Freshly squeezed lime juice
10ml Pure Maple syrup
3 Dashes Angostura bitters
Extra Fizzy SodaStream Ginger Beer flavoured sparkling water
Lime slice
Pour lime juice and maple syrup over ice in large tumbler
Top Up with SodaStream Ginger Beer flavoured sparkling water & add dashed of bitters & a lime slice to garnish