Let go

Hello beauties!

We got a MASSIVE delivery of 28 new Butter London nail polishes on Friday!! Everything from creamy apricot (Kerfuffle) to electric purple (Indigo Punk) to baby blue (Poole) to multi coloured sparkles (Lovely Jubbley)! 

We also stock their acetone-free nail polish removers, base coat, top coat, cuticle oil and nail fertiliser! The RRP is $22.95 but Essential Health sells them for $16.95!!

A safer choice when painting your little ones nails (as well as your own)! Plus is not tested on animals, and contains no formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phtalate!

Come in and have a play!! 

Really focus on *LETTING GO* this weekend. Let go of the people and scenarios this week that didn’t serve your life in a positive way and show gratitude for the ones that did. Because all that exists right now and the only thing you have control over is the present moment.

 Inhale slowly. Exhaaaale deeply and let it all go.

Top 5 Things I LOVED This Wk:

1. Following Lonely Planet on Instagram.
2. Diving fully clothed into the ocean at 6pm after a sweaty workout.
3. Flicking back through the history on the pedometer on my iPod and seeing one walk that I apparently did back in 1970...? Didn’t know many iPods were around back then...
4. Going on an adventure with my husband on our paddle boards. We strapped a picnic basket and fishing rod to the front of the board and stopped half way at our own little private beach eating apples and some gluten-free muffins I baked.
5. Something For Kate’s cover of Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris and Florence. Actually, Elmo could probably sing that song and I’d still love it.

Emma the Naturopath xx

PS. My husband and I were chatting today (while paddling down the river over MASSIVE sting rays) about how much we love experiencing new places. One of my favourite sayings is “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten”.

It’s applicable to many aspects of life. I see it frequently as a naturopath: people want to lose 10 kilos but are not willing to improve their diet and lifestyle. Or on the weekends if you just keep going to the same beaches, cafes, etc you can miss out on new experiences, opportunities and inspiration.

This week have a go at pushing the boundaries and inviting adventure into your daily life.

Lots of new Earth Lust stainless steels water bottles arriving this week!

Top Five Things I LOVED This Wk:
1. A rainy afternoon making raw vegan choc mint bounty! I’ll put the recipe up this week!
2. Those nose pore strips. Am I the only one fascinated by these?
3. My new definition of heaven: floating down a river on our stand up paddle boards at high tide, looking meters down below through the turquoise water. Fish darting everywhere. Not another soul in sight.
4. Flipping channels last night to find Dirty Dancing!
5. Eating dinner in the bath while watching a DVD. I love my life!!

Emma the Naturopath xx

PS.
“Great minds discuss ideas.
Average minds discuss events.
Small minds discuss people” –Eleanor Roosevelt

Watch your words this week.

*RAW VEGAN CHOC MINT BOUNTY BARS*

These little pups are soooo wonderful! I whipped up a batch over the wkend and every time we took a bite of one, one of us would exclaim rather loudly "these things are fricken mental!!"

INGREDIENTS

Filling
1 cup of organic dates soaked for 20 mins in 1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups of desiccated coconut
¼ cup melted coconut oil
3 tbs cashews (or macadamias)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Choc Coating
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup cacao powder
¼ cup agave syrup
Pinch salt
(I also added a tsp of mint essence!)

DIRECTIONS

Filling
*Blend dates and water to make a paste
*Add the rest of the ingredients and process until well combined
*Shape the mixture into desired shapes (I used a heart shaped ice cube tray as well as a few "traditional" bounty shapes)
*Place in the fridge for about 2 hours to set

Chocolate Coating
*Mix all ingredients together

Assembly
*Place the firm coconut shape on a fork and place in the chocolate mix
*Remove from the chocolate and place on grease proof paper
*Place in fridge until the chocolate has set. Store in the fridge.

So fricken mental!!

Emma the Naturopath xx

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Boulevard Arcade (opp. Blush), Coffs Mall
0266 514 533

Butter me up buttercup

*RECHARGE*

As a naturopath it's one of my top priorities to invest time in giving back to myself so that I can continue to give good quality energy to my clients and customers. I'm very mindful of maintaining this balance to prevent burning out.

There are lots of things that help me to convalesce:

-fairy light baths

-sunshine on my skin

-being submerged in salt water

-cooking

-cuddles

-beach walking

-reflexology with Trista

-pottering around in my garden

-chit chatting with friends

-meditating

But above all else, nothing brings me home to myself more than yoga. 

I went to Jasmine List's lunch time yoga class today. It's a beautiful heart centered vinyasa flow class that's gentle and nourishing. I encourage anyone who needs to take some time out to focus on their breath and melt tension in their body to come along and recharge your batteries. Check out her Facebook page One Conscious Breath Yoga. 

When was the last time you invested some energy in *YOURSELF*?

*SUGAR FREE ANZACS*

I’m off to B Bay this wkend for my husband’s graduation ceremony for his Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology. Not just a pretty face that husband of mine!

 So I whipped up a batch of Anzac bickies based on Sarah Wilson’s ‘I Quit Sugar’ recipe.

WHAT YOU NEED:

3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour

1/3 cup Xylitol

3/4 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100g salted butter

2 Tbsp rice malt syrup (I bought an organic one from the health food section of the supermarket

1/2 tsp bicarb soda dissolved in 1 tbls boiling water

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven to 180C. Mix the flour, xylitol, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon and oats in a bowl. Melt the butter and rice malt syrup together in a small saucepan on the stove. When it starts to bubble gently, stir through the bicarb soda. Add the lot to the bowl and stir to combine. Roll heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls and flatten on a tray lined with baking paper or greased with coconut oil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

For gluten-free version: replace the flour with a combo of quinoa and rice flour and replace the oats with 1/2 cup almond meal.

Too easy. Now I need to make sure we don’t eat them all by the time we get to Grafton.

Top 5 Things I LOVED This Wk:

1. A convoy of vintage Kombi’s as we were driving through Bangalow. Honestly there were over 20 vans!

2. Trying not to cry when they called my husband’s name at his graduation from his Master’s degree.

3. Raw vegan choc mint cheesecake and super food smoothies from Naked Treaties. I ordered the’ I Follow My Bliss’ smoothie (and it was delicious!).

4. Eating organic dried figs while sitting at the Pass knitting my red scarf. Hands down my favourite place to watch the sunset.

5. Salted caramel peanut gelato from Bella Rosa.

PS. Spoil YOURSELF this wk!  Take yourself out to breakfast with a new magazine then order an extra pot of tea, buy a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and put them in a vase on your bedside, get your eyelashes tinted, eat good quality dark chocolate in the bath, get your hair done (not because it needs a cut, just because it’s nice to be pampered). Guilt is an unnecessary feeling! Savour it! Be indulgent!  

*THE ESSENTIALS*

A grandma bought herself a bottle of Butter London in Jaffa today (hot neon orange). Made my day. 

Guess how many Butter London nail polish shades we have in store at the moment. THIRTY!!! I kid you not! We also stock their acetone-free removers, base coats, top coats, nail fertilisers and cuticle oils.

There’s a little something for everyone. We’ve got some demure, more classy shades like Tea With The Queen and Kerfuffle. But if you’re after a bit more wildness in your life try Disco Biscuit, Cake Hole or Tart With A Heart.

Butter London is the only nail polish brand that I will happily stock in my shop.  Guaranteed the best price in town. $16.95 instead of $24.95. Boom.

The perfect Mothers Day treat!!

*FLASH BACK*

I was reminded today of this post I did last November... Exactly 6 months ago today actually!

I was just out playing in my vegie patch. Watering my baby zucchinis, admiring my abundance of mint and picking chamomile flowers to dry and make into tea. 

As I was pruning back my lavender bush to its bare bones, I thought to myself how amazing it is that you can cut off parts of a plant that are no longer flourishing, knowing too well that it will grow back stronger and healthier than before.

I always tell my clients that our bodies are like plants. If you break your bone, it will grow back stronger. If you have a broken heart or spirit, you will learn the lesson and move forward in life to become a better version of yourself.

So treat yourself like a plant today. Give yourself fresh water, liquid nourishment (fresh juices and smoothies), plenty of sunshine (vitamin D) and shelter (a loving home). And rest assured that if there is a particular part of your personality that no longer serves you in a positive way, it's never too late to change.

Have a gorgeous day!

Emma the Naturopath xx

PS. Come say hi over at our Facebook page: Essential Health Coffs!

Butter London, back bends & coconut oil

New Butter London has arrived!

So many deliveries are arriving every day in the shop! It's like, well... CHRISTMAS!

Yesterday we unpacked a whole plethora of wild new nail polishes by Butter London! With names like Trout Pout, Disco Biscuit, Come To Bed Red, Slapper, No

 More Waity Katie and Cheeky Chops as well as acetone-free polish removers, base coats and top coats!

Butter London lacquers don't contain the 3 main chemicals that other polishes do that are attributed to cancer formation. Guess what? Our price is only $16.95 a bottle! We dare you to find a better price!

Top 5 Things I LOVED This Wk:

Well this weekend wasn’t like any other. I took myself to a Hatha yoga retreat a couple of hours away in the hinterland. Possibly the third best decision I’ve ever made (after marrying my husband and studying 

naturopathy).

I had some big realisations and I’m so excited to share with you my insights and experiences at a later date. I’ve actually taken tomorrow off work to just reflect and absorb everything.

So this week is a very special ‘Top 5’.

1. Doing pranayama in the shala at 5:30 each morning watching the mist roll through the valley like waves.
2. Unbelievably delicious vegan food cooked with love by a gorgeous Ayurvedic chef.
3. Sitting on a couch in front of the fire while sharing laughter, stories and homemade chai with new friends.
4. A mindfulness meditation in the middle of a rainforest with our eyes closed. Raindrops were falling through the canopy and birds were singing their tunes.
5. Walking through the heavy rain after a 2hr asana session back up to the farm house to find a bubbling pot of pumpkin soup and a roaring fire.

Enjoy your week everyone. Turn the TV off this week and pick up a book instead.

Dear coconut oil,

I love you.

Emma the Naturopath xx

My latest post for ST Surf Images

http://www.stsurfimages.com/featured/crazy-as-a-coconut/

Nailpolish, toothbrushes and e-string bags -oh my!

Tis the season at Essential Health...

Butter London nailpolish

Butter London believe in colour, not carcinogens, which is why they have created a complete range of hand and nail care products without the three chemical nasties formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP. There's a tonne of nail colours to choose from including Come to Bed Red, Diamond Geezer, Frilly Knickers, Scoundrel, Saucy Jack, Snog, The Full Monty and La Moss. We also stock their acetone-free nailpolish remover.

Bamboo toothbrushes

If pandas brushed their teeth, they'd choose these bamboo toothbrushes. You should too because they are biodegradable, environmentally sustainable, and only $2.95... In Australia, over 30 million toothbrushes are used and disposed of each year, amounting to approximately 1000 tonnes of landfill each year. The plastic they’re made of won’t break down in our lifetime. Nor within the lifetime of our children. No thankyou.

E-string bags

Yoga bag, gym bag, shopping bag, market bag, work bag, beach bag... The list goes on. Made from 100% cotton, available in eight pretty colours and with short or long handles. They're $3.95 each or 3 for $10. Bargain.

Burt's Bees giftpacks

Burt's Bees carfully create their beautiful products using ingredients that are the best nature has to offer. These great little packs include milk and honey body lotion, aloe and buttermilk body lotion, almond milk and beeswax hand cream, beeswax and banana handcream, miracle salve, lemon butter cuticle balm, honey lipbalm and peppermint foot cream. All for $24.95! We'd like to know how do they fit it all in there?

Stuff those stockings!