Counting whales.

One of my favourite quotes is by Beverly Sills –“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

This rings true for any student who’s studied into the early hours of the morning, any runner who’s trained for a marathon or a new mum with a baby in her arms.

Much like my newly retired parents, who worked insanely hard in their successful businesses and are now reaping the rewards by travelling the world.

I received a one line email from my Father Bear yesterday (a man of many words): "Where are we? Doesn't matter. Some people count sheep. We count whales". With the above photo of my mum attached.

There are no quick fixes for a worthwhile goal. No fast forward buttons for the challenging parts of life. Do the hard yards and you'll be counting whales in no time.

The hydration situation.

Did you know that I can read minds? It’s true! When I ask my customers and clients how much water they drink, I know what they will answer before they even open their mouths: “Not enough”.

About 8 out of 10 people tell me this. We really take it for granted how privileged we are to have fresh, running water in this country!

Dehydration is recognised by the body as an emergency situation! Alarm bells start going off and vital organs (heart, brain, kidneys and liver) steal water from other organs/body processes to keep the body functioning. For example, the brain might be running low of fluid, so the moisture from faeces in the large intestine will be reabsorbed into the bloodstream This causes constipation because the stool has become hard and difficult to pass. Constipation can lead to feeling tired and toxic, acne, haemorrhoids, etc. Not a very pleasant domino effect.

I’m reading this epic book by Don Chisholm at the moment called “Have you got the guts to be really healthy?” which talks about the importance of hydration and how the majority of health concerns can be greatly alleviated by simply drinking water.

Dehydration causes headaches, fuzzy thinking, constipation, dry skin, high blood pressure, stiff joints, gout, urinary tract infections, low energy and muscle cramps -just to name a few!

Figure out what works for you when it comes to drinking water. Ever since buying the beautiful blue glass bottle that sits on my desk I have increased my water intake three fold. Once you start thinking clearer, your skin starts glowing and you have wild amounts of energy –you’ll never go back.

“You may not be ill; you may just be thirsty”-Don Chisholm

Click here for more Essential Health goodness on water!

Move it and lose it.

Ahhh, the weather is warming up! What does that mean? Dresses without tights, no more cardigans and bikini shopping! Don't you just love those change rooms with the mirrors from all angles...

Needless to say we've had an influx of hopeful (and slightly deluded) customers coming into the shop lately looking for a vitamin that will instantly burn fat and melt away cellulite... I then proceed to hand them timetables and contact details for yoga classes, gyms, personal trainers, boot camps and pilates studios in the area (much to their disgust). How is all that mashed potato and apple pie with extra custard tasting now?

Dust off your runners, grab a friend and work that booty because actions speak louder than words.

And remember, sweat is fat crying!

Be brave like a lion.

"Do one thing every day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Smart lady.

Expand your world.

Wanderlust: a strong desire to wander, travel and explore the world.

New York City



Yucatan, Mexico



Lagos, Portugal




Thors Well, Oregon

Rio de Janerio, Brazil

Pamukale, Turkey

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page" -Saint Augustine

Click here for more travel indulgence and learning to let go of material possessions

Loco for coco.

What gets your creative juices flowing?

Some people paint
Some people sew
Some people take photos
Some people design outfits
Some people style hair
Some people draw lines with their surfboards on the face of waves

Some people make shapes with their bodies on a yoga mat...

Me? Well I make smoothies!

I’m an absolute fiend for coconut water! If I’m in Byron for the weekend I’ll take a stash from the shop up with me to feed my habit.

So here’s my latest smoothie which is keeping me happy and healthy:

Throw in a blender:

300ml of coconut water
A piece of watermelon
A piece of pineapple (awesome way to get your digestive enzymes going in the morning)
4 strawberries (vitamin C)
1 teaspoon of spirulina (58 times richer in iron than spinach)
1 Tbsp of LSA (fibre and good oils)
And now for the key ingredient.... mint leaves! (great for bloating)

Don’t even talk to me until you’ve tried this smoothie because it’s THAT good!

The benefits of coconut water are pretty amazing. Coconut water is the clear fluid found inside baby green coconuts that tastes lovely and sweet. It’s a natural isotonic beverage which replaces electrolytes (eg. calcium, potassium and magnesium) when your body loses fluid. Yet has nowhere near as much sugar, sodium and artificial colours, flavours and god knows what, as sports drinks. So therefore it’s perfect for after fevers, post-work out, bouts of diarrhoea or a spew after a big night –charming.

Coconut water also has countless other positive benefits on the body which I’ll expand on another time. But here’s a little coconut fact for you:

In the 1500s, explorers thought that the markings on coconuts looked like eyes so aptly named it a “coco” nut which comes from the Spanish word meaning “monkey face”. You'll be happy you read that when the question comes up at your next trivia night down at the local pub.

Click here for some more Essential Health coconutty goodness!

xx.

We accept the love we think we deserve.