by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 26, 2017 | Food, Yoga
Hello! It’s been a little while between green drinks, I’ve been busy working on Wellness WA’s new look & layout, plus hitting up LOADS of cool new (and old favourite) wellness options that are popping up around Perth.
Coming right up are 4 things that I have been LOVING lately.
♥ Spray-On Aloe Vera
Being ultra fair skinned, I was raised to fear the sun above all else. I’ve now arrived at the age of 32 with zero tan to speak of, a bunch of freckles & am often mistaken for 8-10 years younger (thanks, kind pals!). While I can’t necessarily put the last one down to just hiding from the sun – #babyfacegenetics – there’s a lot to be said for maximising your pre & post-sun exposure routines to prevent skin damage. I recently wrote an article on what I recommend pre-beach, which can be applied to any sunshiny activity.
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Post-sun, and particularly if I happen to get slightly more pink than expected, the best bets I’ve found are: 1) A cold shower for as long as possible to counteract the burn, similar to if you burn yourself in any other way! 5 minutes plus is recommended to take some of the heat out. 2) Two to three cups of green tea to boost antioxidants. I’m not a medical professional but the personal research I’ve done on antioxidants is enough to make this a consistent habit for me. 3) Aloe Vera! It’s known as the “burn plant” for a reason. Applying aloe ASAP after sun exposure promotes skin healing & relieves stinging and itching, my current favourite is this Surf Life Saving spray on mist which makes applying it a breeze. I spray it on every couple of hours and before bed + after my shower in the morning if I’ve been burnt and it really does the trick!
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♥ Homemade Healthy Choc Smoothies!
Due to an upcoming retreat (hellooooo Sri Lanka!), I’ve been trying to save some money by making more smoothies at home, and saving brunch splurges for things that there’s no way I’d ever be able to make at home (cue, Flora & Fauna). With this in mind I set out to create my own version of a cacao, banana & peanut butter smoothie – the bonus being I can use all my favourite brands, additional supplements & get it tasting exactly how I like it.
After many trials I’ve come up with my favourite recipe, give it a whirl! It gets my morning started in the best possible way, after this I’m loving life, full of energy and prepared for whatever the day throws at me.
Choc Bliss Morning Smoothie
♥ 1 x cup of frozen banana chunks (if you’re lazy like me, Creative Gourmet now sells packets of pre-chopped, frozen banana at Woolies & Coles – life changing!)
♥ 1-1.5 x cups of coconut water (depending on how thick you want it… 1 cup is more of an icecream texture, 1.5 cups is a smoothie texture)
♥ 1-2 x tsp cacao, or more if you prefer. I like a gentle buzz.
♥ 1/2-1 x tsp peanut butter, I use Mother Earth Smooth variety
♥ 1/2 x tsp local honey
OPTIONAL!
♥ 1/2 x tsp organic sesame seeds
♥ 1/4 x tsp ground vanilla
♥ 1/2 x sachet of Juice Plus chocolate protein powder, or other protein powder
♥ Quick grind of himalayan pink salt
Method: Place ingredients in blender in above order and blitz on high + pulse for 30 seconds. I use a Froothie which is similar to a Vitamix and it works really well, but any high-speed blender will work.
Makes 1.5 – 2 cups depending on how much liquid you use, and will put you in the best mood for the rest of the day. Let me know what you think if you try it!
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Twisting Peacock Yoga Studio, Osborne Park
My latest obsession. The yin classes at Twisting Peacock are out of this world, and SOMETIMES a tiny hound called Potato pitter patters around as well! #mustlovedogs obviously, which I do with all my heart. The studio owner and totally lovely human babe, Melissa Howard, exudes ease & grace, and her classes are an incredible mix of soulful yogic philosophy interwoven with meditation, restoration and thoughtful sequencing. I leave every class on a high. The other teachers are fantastic as well and I can’t wait to explore more of the classes & very well-priced events that they run regularly.
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Z’kin Brightening & Hydrating Masque
One for the chocolate lovers. This Zkin masque smells EXACTLY like chocolate mousse/chico baby lollies and it’s taken everything in my power to not squeeze the tube directly into my mouth. This has become my go-to mask pre-event or if my skin just needs a little boost. I haven’t found it to make much difference on small pimples, but it’s not really designed for that – so I spread this over my entire face but skip any areas with a pimple, where I’ll apply a separate mask which is specifically designed to dry those out. I’d suggest using this one anytime you feel a choccy craving coming on, but want to brighten your skin whilst indulging – delicious.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments below! x
Be well,
Annette
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Oct 17, 2016 | Alternative Therapy, Exercise, Inner City, Interviews, Yoga
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m the manager & resident yoga instructor at COMO Shambhala Urban
Escape. I was first introduced to yoga when i was 16 as method of coping with stress and anxiety. I credit the practice for providing a close-knit community, support and guidance that I so desperately needed, something I’m now recreating with COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, Perth’s urban wellness center in the heart of Perth CBD.
I have practiced yoga for more than a decade, and have completed my Level 1 (350 hour) Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda teacher training with Tamara Yoga, in Western Australia. I have also trained with internationally renowned yoga teachers; Sarah Platt Finger, Alan Finger, Seane Corn & Simon Borg-Olivier.
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine! What are your non-negotiables for looking and feeling your best?.
Self-practice! I can not walk out the door without doing my own practice. I HAVE to check in with myself every morning and every night! I’m also a bit of an obsessive shower-er, I have been known to have 4 showers a day… some may call that OCD…
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
Hair cut!! I started going grey at 24 (eek!) and I cut my hair every 8 weeks.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Alicia from Baseline Hairdressing in Subiaco, she’s the bomb!
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Massaging sesame oil all over my body.. it’s whacky but it’s incredibly nourishing & calming and a fantastic remedy for anxious or ‘Vata’ types.
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Bare Minerals Powder, Nars Laguna Bronzer and toothpaste.
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?
You wouldn’t believe it but i have never done Jacobs Ladder… I seriously have to get there!! Otherwise Indoor Cycling scares the CRAP out of me but I’m game. Also, I’m rather curious about this new buzz on pole dancing!
♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you – brekky, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks – the works!
Oh gosh, I’m really quite simple. I’ll have a smoothie and a cup of tea before I head out the door. Lunch is generally eggs in some form either on a salad or on toast with avocado and vegemite and dinner is greens with tempeh, salmon or roasted vegetables with some sort of tahini apple cider vinegar. I kind of do things on repeat…
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♥ How do you like to get your body moving? Describe your weekly fitness routine.
Yoga yoga yoga! And a walk once or twice a week. I am also occasionally dragged to a cardio session with friends… kicking and screaming though!
♥ Reece Carter (The Herb Nerd!) Dose Vitality Tonic!
♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, we’d love to hear about it!
I am always trying out weird and wonderful things. I get a remedial massage once a month from Louise @ Resolve Remedial Massage in Claremont, I went through a stage of getting bowen therapy, acupuncture and reiki once a week, I practice a lot of Tantra and I take 5ml of Reece Carter’s Dose Vitality Tonic once a day. Also.. chocolate!! LOTS OF IT! Is that a supplement? (ED: Yes.)
♥ You’ve got a big event in 7 days time that you need to look incredible for. What’s your plan of attack to look & feel your absolute best?
Sleep, meditation, yoga, water and clean eating. That’s it. Not complicated. Straight to the point and very
manageable. I’m not one for big diets or restrictions. These are my non- negotiable and they work.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress? Yoga, Meditation and my body coated in sesame oil with a cup of tea and a good book. I’m currently reading: Relax & Renew, Tantra: The Path of Ecstacy & The Girls.
♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great nights sleep?
I sleep 8 hours a night… without fail. I will always have a shower before bed and brush my teeth. Reading a book with a cup of peppermint tea & dark chocolate is a pretty common practice too.
♥ And lastly… do you have any top secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Be authentic!! Always be yourself. Trying to be something or someone else will only create suffering which in turn will leave you feeling unfulfilled. Being you, being bold and being brave will always reward you! And then of course.. yoga, water, meditation, self-reflection and lots of self care will help you along.
You can find Steph @ Como Shambhala Urban Retreat Perth:
1 Cathedral Avenue, Perth
Website: www.comoshambhala.com/perth/classes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/comoshambhalaperth
Instagram: @comoshambhalaperth
If you have any questions for Steph please leave them in the comments below so she can reply! 🙂
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Nov 21, 2015 | Exercise, Inner City, Yoga
Lately things have felt a little crazy. Despite selling my shares in the business that I worked on 24/7 for over 2 &a a 1/2 years, life has quickly filled up with all kinds of work and activities. From working full-time at lululemon, to yoga teacher training and the subsequent commitment to attending 5 yoga classes per week (!!!), some freelance marketing work & trying to squeeze in glasses of wine with friends alongside binge watching Game of Thrones (5 years late to that party) – I am left pretty exhausted at the end of each day.
Today I wanted to share with you one of my favourite styles of yoga (and places to practice) that I find really nourish, relax & calm my nervous system when things are getting a bit too cray cray – Yin Yoga!
The classes I find myself getting to most often at the moment are at The Yoga Space (since this is where I’m doing teacher training) and the yin classes are held at 7pm on both Thursday and Sunday evenings.
Each class is lit with candles to help you slip into a deep state of stretchy relaxation, run for 75-90 minutes and are taught by expert yoga teachers with loads of experience in gently guiding you towards calmness and a (at least partially) switched off brain.
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Yin yoga is different to regular vinyasa/hatha yoga in that each pose is designed to release tension in the fascia and joints, rather than the muscles, and the poses are held for anywhere from 3-5 minutes. Props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks & cushions are also used to help the body get into position – although this is a quiet/slow practice, it can still be challenging as the body is being asked to relax into areas that it normally doesn’t. The teachers can help you with any poses that you find tricky, and you may even end up with 2-3 bolsters, 3 blocks and a cushion supporting you!
Over the course of the class you will take part in many different stretches & held positions, all while breathing deeply and doing your best to concentrate on the present moment, which is easier said than done on some days, and the class ends with an extra long Savasana (resting pose) …bliss.
Make sure you drive home safely afterwards as you’ll more than likely want to jump straight into bed as soon as you’re done, and did I mention that yin yoga can help you get an AMAZING nights rest? Well it can! I always sleep like a baby post-yin, sweet dreams, zzz!
Cost: $20 casual class
Where: The Yoga Space, West Perth
When: Thursday & Sunday @ 7pm
Be well,
Annette xo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jan 17, 2012 | Exercise, Reviews, Western Suburbs, Yoga
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I’m a lazy, overweight exercise-avoider. I have no excuse beyond a crippling dependence on cake, and in the last year, I’ve been doing my best to try to get on top of this situation. There have been ups, there have been downs, but having recently started attending Tamara Yoga, I’m starting to feel a lot more optimistic about my rocky road to (relative) health and fitness.
Firstly, all credit to my younger sister, who after my unsuccessful week-long attempt at finding a yoga class that worked with my work schedule piped up and suggested I attend Tamara Yoga. It’s obscenely close to where I live, parking is ample and free and their schedule is so insanely varied (7.00am on a Saturday morning, anyone? How about 6.00am on Cottesloe beach?) that you’d have to be truly unlucky to not have something you could attend.
The format is thusly – some classes are fixed, some allow a rock-up-and-pay arrangement. I signed myself up for a six-week beginners course, which locked me in for that amount of time, and meant that each class built on what was learned the week beforehand. They’re wonderfully flexible with this arrangement – I came waltzing in at the week two point, and they altered the fee to reflect the five-week duration. My instructor – the effervescent Carol – quizzed me a bit on my relative level of familiarity and kept an eye on me to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.
This Buddha greets you in the foyer @ Tamara Yoga
The other option – pay as you go – means that for certain classes you can just turn up and hope it’s not horribly packed (this hasn’t happened – yet). I chose to attend a Vinyasa class at 7.00am on a Saturday morning (yes – this was extremely strange and overeager), which worryingly specified neither all levels or beginners, as many classes do. This instructor (I didn’t catch her name, but the website makes me think Helen), just like Carol, checked on what I knew and what I didn’t and came by to adjust me occasionally. Whilst it was a more advanced class than I strictly speaking should have been attending, every pose and movement had a lesser-powered option, and she was careful to specify easier variations of every motion. It was incredibly inclusive, and very considerate, and impressed the crap out of me.
♥ A class in action
But how are the classes themselves? The key word is relaxed. It’s a very informal, almost chatty format, more educational than you might expect and the wind down, meditation portion at the end (savasana) is complete bliss. The day after my first class I felt less stiff, more limber and more – centred, I suppose? And I don’t resent going at all, like I do gymming, or any other kind of exercise. I actually find myself poring over the schedule and trying to find drop-in classes I can wedge myself into – voluntarily. As in, with no one making me. This is a big deal, kids. As an additional level of awesome they provide everything – mats, blocks, straps, all manner of things. And you can buy rather wonderful yoga equipment there. I’m tempted. Watch this space.
So ultimately I’m really happy with Tamara Yoga. It’s wonderfully informal (which I love) with a great assortment of classes and highly skilled, friendly staff. It is the ultimate in non-intimidating Yoga. Very recommended!
Have you been to Tamara Yoga before? Have a penchant for cake? Lets chat below!
Email: info@tamarayoga.com
Web: https://tamarayoga.com/
Phone: 9385 2242
Tamara Yoga Classes held at The Luck Now Centre
UPSTAIRS 10/24 St Quentin Avenue Claremont Perth Western Australia
Enter via laneway off St Quentin’s Avenue across from Claremont Quarter
Review by Suzanne: she is allergic to exercise, and can only be cured with cake.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 29, 2011 | Other, Products
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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! I hope you had an amazing time with family, friends or yourself, and that your wellbeing hasn’t suffered toooo much over the silly season 🙂
♥ Outdoor Cinema Picnics
Behold above, a little picnic feast that I took to go and see Crazy, Stupid, Love (Ryan Gosling anyone?) at the Moonlight Cinemas in Kings Park.
It’s such a gorgeous setup, all nature-y and very relaxing, hopefully I can get down there again sometime soon. The picnic feast included: pikelets with preservative free jam, pitted kalamata olives, fruit salad, raw apple juice (the BEST!) and my friend brought along banana bread, water crackers and apricots and cream cheese salad. Love me a healthy feast 🙂
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♥ Christmas (and amazing Christmas candles!)
I wish I’d written about this gorgeous festive scented candle prior to Christmas so everyone could have run out and picked one up!
The White Christmas Candle by Palm Beach Collection smells in-cred-ible and I’ve been burning it non-stop since December 1. It’s a soy candle scented with orange, cinnamon and clove, with 80 hours burn-time and is guaranteed to melt the heart of even the most hardened grinch. Pictured above lighting up our $5 tree! The candle retails for $37.95.
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♥ Presents!
While giving presents is better than getting… getting is still pretty good! This Xmas I swooped a lot of awesome goodies, including:
♥ Super-cute brown vegan-leather bag with bow! I’m going to be rocking this hard next year when I go to school, it’s perfect for carrying a few books! From Herbivore Clothing (I don’t think they stock it anymore, but it’s a fantastic website for vegan goods)
♥ The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
– I’ve wanted to read this for a while now, it’s all about neuroplasticity and how the brain can change at any time to overcome previous limitations, such as depression, anxiety, and even strokes.
♥ 12 Month Frankie Magazine Subscription – yay! I will be knowledgeable on all things indie & cute for the next year.
♥ Organic chocolate covered macadamias.
♥ $60 voucher for Bodhi J Day Spa – this will be going towards a much needed massage 🙂
♥ Money towards a term worth of yoga classes.
♥ Oil burner + ‘study’ oil which I’ll need for next year!
♥ Some jewellery with stones that are useful for focusing on study. (not pictured)
♥ 2 different caffeine free teas and a really cute floral mug to drink them from!
♥ An Endota ‘Massage Magic’ value pack (thanks Endota!)
♥ A book on smoothies and juices (not pictured)
♥ A copy of Russh magazine (not pictured)
♥ Kit Cosmetics Cheek & Lip Tint (not pictured)
So I think it’s fair to say I cleaned up! Lots of wellness goodies in there too so I’m very pleased 🙂 I also gave some great gifts which were received with smiles and hugs, which was the best!
What did you get/give for christmas? Share your highlights below!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
