The Thank-God-I-Made-It-Through-November Smoothie.

Sometimes we get so caught up in moving from one obstacle/job/day to the next that we stop to forget to acknowledge our achievements. It could be handing in your final uni assessment or cleaning the whole house from top to bottom. The moral of the story is to take a moment to celebrate YOU!

November was a bloody big month for me. I’ve been working extra hours in the shop, seeing an influx of new clients in the clinic, planning our ‘Big Day’, preparing a car to be sold, plus pilates, Momentum group fitness classes and everything else life had in store! With thanks to my now shrivelled up adrenal glands, I made it to December!

Needless to say, my smoothie today is the Thank God I Made It Through November Smoothie! Dedicated to my adrenals.

Whiz up in a blender:

300ml coconut water
1 heaped tsp of spirulina powder (high in chlorophyll which alkalises the blood)
1 tsp of BioCeuticals Silica liquid (essential for lovely skin and tastes like lemonade icy poles! $24.95 for 500ml)
1 Tbsp chia seeds (for fibre)
½ a banana
A handful of watermelon
A handful of frozen blackberries
A sprig of fresh mint out of the garden

Add a little cocktail umbrella because you deserve it!

Now bring on December!! xx

Book worm.

Sup nerds. Out of all my orders that I place, I get the most excited when a delivery from Brumby Books arrives at our door! Four in particular are pretty special.

Firstly there's the Louise L Hay 'I Can Do It' 2012 desk calendar. Each day that you peel off has a new affirmation ready and waiting to inspire you. On my bday next year on Feb 2nd (yay for Aquarians!) the affirmation says "I really enjoy the present. Every moment today is special, and I choose to celebrate it". And celebrate I shall ;)

I'm a bit of a frother for Janella Purcell. She's a super qualified lady who's books don't seem to have any ego about them. The book is alphabeticalised by foods and disease states so you can see what foods to avoid, increase and herbal medicines to take too. How convenient...

Do your kiddies have eczema, anxiety, catch every cold that goes around, poor concentration, chronically snotty, bad sleep patterns or restlessness? Don't just blame it on the age they're at. Sue Dengate is the goddess of kids health and I wish this book belonged on EVERY parents bedside table. It talks about the link between childrens behaviour and the foods they eat. The foods aren't just red cordial and Twisties, it's the naughty things that are "hidden" in rice crackers, vegemite, cheese, juice, etc. It's an eye opener to say the least.

Spilt hair dye on your bathroom bench top? Deoderant stains on your red leather jacket? Did your cat drink green food colouring and then peed on your oatmeal-coloured sisal carpet? (These are all REAL questions in the book). Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming will be at your rescue! And just for the record, spiders hate lemon oil, mozzies are not fans of lavender oil and peppermint oil deters ants!

So come in and got your nose in our books!!

Tree hugger.

I have a deep fetish for biophilia. Sounds creepy right? Well it’s not, you sick puppies.

Biophillia is a term that refers to the healing power we experience from nature. This is due to our innate connection to the outside world. There have been countless studies conducted to reveal the rapid improvement of hospital patients who have a view of a garden or who are able to sit outside in the sun compared to those who did not get the privilege.

My Mr and I went to Bunnings on the weekend and came home with a big bag of organic potting mix as well as coriander, cherry toms, mint and sweet basil seedlings.

After a long day of fluorescent lighting, air-con, a constantly ringing phone and racking my brain with correct products for the appropriate conditions, I felt instantly revitalised and grounded after getting some dirt under my fingernails.

So try to sit in a park on your lunchbreak rather than checking your emails, feel the sand between your toes after work and enjoy a leisurely walk over a headland rather than on the treadmill. You’ll feel better for it.

Spring fling.

Are you guys and girls loving Spring? Me too. I constantly stop in my tracks admiring stunning trees in full bloom, the seductive scent of jasmine floats through the air and nothing improves your quality of life like a stroll on the beach at 6pm after work.

Springtime is all about new beginnings and we start to feel and eat lighter after the slower, heavier months of winter. I frequently flick through my copy of Eating for the Seasons by naturopath Janella Purcell and have made a conscious effort this year to eat and live more seasonally.

As tempting as it is when you catch a waft of mangoes at the supermarket, it’s best to be patient and wait til they are at their peak of ripeness in summer.

When in the kitchen, aim for lightly stir-fried vegies (that still have some crunch to them) and fresh, leafy salads. Feast on green vegies that act as beautiful blood cleansers: green peas, cabbage, green beans, asparagus, bok choy, lettuce, spinach, watercress and silverbeet!

Your liver and gallbladder are more sensitive during spring so be kind to it by cutting back on oils and alcohol and dose up on bitter foods like chamomile, rye and rocket.

The emotions stored in the liver are anger, resentment, irritability and frustration. So think about whom you need to forgive and any grudges that you are hanging onto. And once you’ve done that, get outside and have a play in the garden!