Some great health reasons to keep on enjoying dark chocolate! Check out the great recipes at the end of the article too, especially the Black Bean Chili with Chocolate and Coconut!
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Disclaimer: This is my personal experience and not professional medical advice. Essential oils are powerful and you may experience some mild discomfort as you start applying them for Tinnitus. As an example, when I started this protocol for a client, she experienced dizziness and a feeling of being light headed. That happened following the first few applications and did not last for too long but it was noticeable enough that she would refrain from driving for a few hours. This disappeared after a few days. Oils I recommend: Helichrysum, Basil, Geranium and True Lavender. Blending ratio: 1-1-1-1 Protocol: Mix 1 drop of each and apply on temples (avoid the eye area), upper part of the forehead, back of neck, behind and around the ears and on the ear lobes. Wiggle the ear lobes about a dozen times. Massage/visualisation The visualisation works along the essential nature of the oil (quantum aspect of modern aromatherapy). Take a deep breath and bring your attention in the area of your heart; ask your heart's intelligence to work with the energy/frequency/intelligence/consciousness of the oils. Place one hand on each side of your head and imagine a thread of light beaming out of each palm. Cup both hands with some pressure then release the pressure (I hope that makes sense, otherwise I'll do a video to demonstrate). Imagine you are moving energy back and forth through your head, from one ear to the other. Imagine the light from the right hand bouncing off the left hand and vice versa. Finish by leaving both hands cupped over your ears and take 3 deep breathes. Repeat 3 times per day, each day Oil quality (super important): For Tinnitus and every condition that compromise quality of life, I have chosen to work with Ameo essential oils; why these oils particularly? Because I appreciate the fact that I can go on line at any time and check the quality control tests done on the very batch I am holding in my hand. Not only the purity tests (whether the oil is certified organic or not) but also and foremost, cell permeability. If you want to see what I mean, watch here how True Lavender works. http://www.ameodifference.com/ameo-difference/18592 - This is the actual batch number on the label of the bottle I am currently using. I find this fascinating. That is the oil I chose but it does not mean you cannot use other oils; with regards to cell permeability, I am quite confident that it is a function of most oils sold under a therapeutic grade label. Ameo seems to be the only brand able to substantiate their claims in such an accessible way, but that does not mean other oils do not work in the same way. For oils that are blended based on DNA matching between the oil genome and the human genome, this would be different though. My other favourites are Pranarom and Osmebiose (French Laboratories) scientific aromatherapy. If you suffer from Tinnitus to the point it is getting in the way of you enjoying life more fully, I can only suggest you to try this strategy for yourself. Trust your intuition and let it be your guide as you imagine healing light carrying the quantum messengers that are the volatile aspects of the oils. Lastly, be patient. Initial improvement came after a couple of weeks of daily discipline with application. Three months down the road however, my client's whistling has faded to the point where it is very bearable particularly during the day. At night she still notices it but it no longer keeps her awake. Heartfelt wishes, Ingrid Email: ingrid@organicbeautytrends.com.au October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This Breast Cancer Awareness Infographic will give you some quick statistics about breast cancer. For more detailed information please read on through to USANA's post for tips on how to keep on top of your breast health.
Remember to always choose toxic free beauty products. A brilliant initiative by O Bar & Dining’s chef-come-healthy eating advocate Michael Moore, is set to position O as the place to drink cocktails this summer. Inspired by the growing movement towards eating and drinking all-natural, and consuming less sugar, Michael Moore and his in-tune bar crew, have developed a range of cocktails which will make their debut on the menu at O Bar this spring. Aptly named Healthy Culture, Green Fingers, Trail Mix and the likes, the range of new cocktails use a selection of natural ingredients, sugar alternatives and ripe seasonal produce, raising the bar not only at O, but amongst its peers. At O, the Bar team work in tandem with Michael and the kitchen crew; together they scour the markets to source seasonal, new and interesting ingredients, then create drinks by the same process that the chefs use to create new dishes. They taste, smell, blend ingredients, referencing both traditional and contemporary flavour pairings. “If you’re familiar with my Healthy Eating Philosophy which I’ve practiced for years, this is me taking it one step further. Cocktails focused on season, inspired by health, sourced from nature. Or we could say barman, chef and producer driven cocktails?” jests Chef/Owner Michael Moore of his healthy eating-come-drinking philosophy. At the heart of O, there’s a very special food story. Drawing inspiration from the healthy eating philosophy in chef/owner Michael Moore’s best selling cookbook series Blood Sugar, menus combine the sensory high of fine dining with healthy influences from Michael’s personal experience as a diabetic. It’s a unique, unexpected food journey that never compromises on flavour, integrity and enjoyment. O Bar’s Market Fresh Natural Cocktails Focused on season, inspired by health, sourced from nature Barman, chef and producer driven cocktails Healthy Culture Sweet ripe Melon – Fennel Tips Fairtrade quinoa vodka, woodland honey, wild lime kombucha The Sprouting Lychee - Lemon Myrtle Cazadores tequila, Spanish bitters, sweet lemon, nettle tea syrup, basil seed Vitality Fresh Passionfruit - Tangello Juice Grey Goose l’orange, camomile blossom, orgeat, raw almond, dandelion bitters Green Fingers Crisp green Apple - Cardamom spice Mezcal, yuzu citrus marmalade, white pepper, agave nectar Seeds in Spring Blackberry Jam - Wattle Seed Shiraz barrel gin, pepperberry, organic barley malt, lime Trail Mix Pistachio Crème - Toasted Almond Honey bourbon, turkish dates, nutmeg, ginger & clove bitters, walnut liqueur Japan in Bloom Pomegranate - Ruby Grapefruit Kakubin Japanese Whisky, blossom water, wild rose, peychaud bitters Scarlet Rose Iced Tea Roasted Strawberries - Plum Nectar Peppered white rum, lemon, rose syrup, sisho leaf, rooibos iced tea Black Cherry Tree Sweet Cherry - French Vanilla Barrel blended rum, scorched agave, black barley miso, fragrant spices O Bar and Dining; where eating, drinking and beautiful views combine for the ultimate sensory high. Perched on the 47th floor of the iconic Australia Square; O Bar is a place high above the ordinary, with food at its heart and Sydney at its feet. O Bar and Dining’s unique circular space features a buzzing central lobby bar, revolving level lounge bar, restaurant and private dining room. O Bar and Dining is open seven nights per week from 5pm and for lunch Wednesday-Friday from 12pm. For reservations, call O Bar and Dining on (02) 9247 9777, email reservations@obardining.com.au or make an online booking via www.obardining.com.au. Address: Level 47, Australia Square, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
This post has been contributed by Laura. So many people jeopardise their hearing each day, and don’t even know that they are doing it. Keeping our hearing healthy for as long as possible is the key to a high quality of life. You don’t realise how much losing your hearing will affect you until it’s already happened! If you want to take better care of your hearing, then read on: Don’t Put Things In Your Ear There aren’t that many things you’d think you’d put in your ear, but you never know. Be careful about the things you put near your ear. As a general rule, some people say that if it’s smaller than your elbow, don’t do it! That includes using cotton buds. Many people use cotton buds to clean out their ears, but you run the risk of pushing it too far. It can even push the wax further down your ear if you’re not careful. If you feel you have an excess of wax in your ears, see a professional. There are other home remedies though, as long as you’re sensible. It can be tempting to put a cotton bud in your ear every time you see one, but don’t do it! Loud Noises Many of us are exposed to loud noises each day without even realizing it. Sound is measured in decibels, and we are exposed to a high level of decibels each day, much of it not even our fault. Things like whispering, a regular conversation, and using the vacuum cleaner are OK. However, the lawnmower, music, and even getting on a flight could be too loud! These things are often a high number of decibels, which can affect the hearing if exposed to them for a long period of time. Be aware of how much time you’re spending in these environments and protect yourself accordingly. Even loud traffic can sometimes be a dangerous level. You can’t always help being in a noisy environment, but when you can, make sure you protect yourself. Take a break from loud music, and consider taking ear plugs to a rock concert. Even loud movies can impact hearing. Protect Hearing Where Possible If you can, protect your hearing where possible. It isn’t difficult to use a couple of earplugs when you get on a flight. If you’re working in a noisy environment constantly, then wearing hearing protection is imperative to your hearing health. It may be hard to get into the habit at first, but you’ll be glad you did. Watch Out For Medicines And Drugs That Can Affect Hearing Certain medicines and drugs can actually have an adverse effect on your hearing, so make sure you do your research before taking anything that could do this. You should know the full risks of any medicines and drugs you take anyway! With that in mind, certain supplements and vitamins can actually help to keep your hearing healthy. Healthy Diet And Exercise
When it comes to keeping any part of yourself healthy, nothing much can beat a healthy diet and exercise. When you’re moving and eating right, your body is stronger and more immune to any issues. There are even certain exercises you can do for your hearing, such as gentle neck rolls. In regards to food, you must eat a diet full of healthy vegetables. Here are some foods that are amazing for hearing health:
Any food that is rich in potassium is great for hearing health, so make sure you’re getting lots of this if you’re concerned about your hearing. These foods are especially helpful in old age. Time In Silence Hardly any of us take the time to sit in silence and enjoy it. Some people think of silence as boring or pointless. However, silence can not only be an amazing way for your hearing to recover, but important for total mind and body wellness. Some call it meditation, but you don’t have to call it that. By simply sitting in silence and just focusing on nothing for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, you’ll notice huge changes in your life. Your hearing will improve, you’ll feel happier, less stressed, and you might even discover answers to certain problems you’ve had for a while. Start off really small with this so you get into the habit of doing it each day. The morning, away from your bed is a great time to do it, but you can also do it after you’ve listened to music for a while or spent time in a loud environment. When To Have Your Hearing Checked Out Knowing when to have your hearing checked out is important. Don’t leave it for too long if you’re experiencing changes or problems! If you’re experiencing pain, then you should get to a doctor as soon as possible. If you’re constantly suffering bouts of tinnitus, dull hearing, or anything that is a cause for concern, make sure you get an appointment ASAP. Even if there’s nothing seemingly wrong with your hearing, having an appointment once a year could be a good idea. This way, you’ll stay on top of any problems or potential problems. A good idea if your job requires you to work in noisy environments. Don’t panic if you do have a hearing problem. There are many advanced solutions these days that can help you to enjoy the hearing quality you’re used to. Things like implants to help with hearing are available, and many are barely noticeable. There will be a solution to suit you, so just get to your appointment as soon as possible and discuss your needs. Hopefully, this guide has given you a good idea of what you need to do for healthy hearing. Don’t neglect your hearing because you think nothing will ever happen to you. You should enjoy your life, but be sensible at the same time to ensure you stay as healthy as possible. Do you have tips, tricks, or info of your own? Leave a comment below. Come back soon! Stress and anxiety are some of the worst health problems we have to face, but yet so common. The problem is we don’t take the time to sit down, relax and slow our minds down. We work all day, come home, make dinner, make sure everyone else is happy and very often forget that we need to take care of ourselves. Massage therapy is my number one therapy when it comes to helping me unwind. Just to sit back, feel my muscles being massaged and warmed up and taking my mind off everything else for a while. Shiatsu massage therapy is an effective way to relieve tired, aching and tense muscles and help your worries drift away. It is a Japanese massage technique where the focus is on the pressure points in your body. I have had a shiatsu massage by a therapist and I think it’s one of the most powerful ways of bringing harmony back into your body and mind. The problem with having a massage by a therapist is that it’s very expensive if you want to keep up with it regularly. This is where a shiatsu massage pillow will come in very handy. As long as you purchase the right type of massage pillow with enough power to get into those tense muscles, such as the Infrared Heating Shiatsu Massage Cushion, you’ll be doing your body a huge favour, as tense muscles can lead to all types of health problems. Shiatsu massage applies deep pressure to your pressure points, so the massage pillow you buy really needs to be able to press in deeply to your muscles to relieve tension and balance the meridians in your body. My main issues are lower back pain and tight neck and shoulders, so this is where I wanted to put the shiatsu pillow to the test. The first night I tried out my pillow I sat on the couch, plugged it in, placed the pillow behind my lower back and felt like I was in heaven. The heads in the pillow had just the right pressure to get into my lower back tension and when the pillow heated up I felt like purring like a cat. Heat in massage therapy is very effective and soothing. Next I tried it on my shoulders and neck, wow, this pillow really gets into the sore spots at the base of my skull, usually only a therapist can find these, I can never manage to find them myself. It kneaded through the knots in my neck. I always have one shoulder blade which becomes quite sore, so I placed the pillow on that area, sat back and let the tension melt away. I also tried the pillow on my calves, as I had very sore muscles after attempting a long walk which was beyond my fitness level. I sat on the bed, placed the pillow under my hamstrings and the pillow gently massaged and eased my sore muscles. The pillow stimulates the acupuncture points, which can help strengthen the immune system and eliminate toxins. The infrared heat stimulates blood flow and is just so relaxing. Very good for strained and tired muscles. It’s ergonomic design is made with high quality materials and an overheat safety protection. It has four rollers to get into all those tights spots and pressure points. I wish I had purchased one of these pillows years ago, I always looked at them in the stores and wondered how effective they would really be, but now I’ve tried it I’m addicted. What I like about this particular pillow is it’s handy to carry around with you, especially if travelling. This would be so good for long road trips, there is a strap on the back of the pillow, so you can place it over the back of the car seat and it will be held in place. Many people also don’t really like visiting a massage therapist , they can find it a bit daunting, so having a massage pillow to use in the privacy of your own home would make such a difference. You can use it on your neck, abdomen, calf, lower back, upper back, thigh. It comes with a power adapter and a car adaptor plug, so can be used at home, car or in the office. Just sit back on the couch, bed or place it on the back of the chair. My favourite time when using this massager is when I come home from work, it relaxes me almost instantly and works on tight muscles from sitting at a desk looking at a computer for too long. Also helps with my tension headaches and to relieve anxiety.
Your perfect massage pillow awaits you at Crazy Sales.
Dr. Michael Greger MD discusses which wine can help lower breast cancer risk.
Melbourne-based wellness company, Heal’r.com.au, are set to spice up the market with the introduction of the first organic turmeric spice blend with dandelion root.
The spice blend, known as Root’d by Heal’r.com.au, balances taste with health, for a delicious blend of seven certified organic herbs and spices. The blend contains turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, coconut sugar, dandelion root and chicory root. The benefits of Root’d are vast and varied. Root’d can improve your gut health, bloating, skin disorders, heart disease, arthritis, inflammation, infections and liver detoxification, to name a few. Turmeric, ginger, dandelion root and black pepper have been proven to have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. The unique addition of dandelion root increases liver function and digestion. Created to encourage, inspire and educate, Heal’r.com.au began as a discussion between professionals and clients who spent years seeking answers to their own health questions. It quickly evolved into a company that is passionate about providing a point of difference in the health and wellness industry. Co-founder Tanya Lee is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalist in Naturopathy, a Clinical Pilates Practitioner, Personal Trainer, Kinesiologist and Reiki Therapist who is excited to improve the health of others through Heal’r.com.au: “After years of having my own health issues, and undertaking numerous courses in order to learn about health and wellbeing, I collaborated with Heal’r.com.au to create a health resource of real stories and professional experience. We want to assist others through their journey with mindfulness. We want to help them discover the heal’r within.” The point of difference of Heal’r.com.au is the underlying philosophy of the company; that a complete picture of health is made up of four components: Nutritional, Emotional, Physical and Optimal. Often too much emphasis is placed on one of these components, however Heal’r inspires others to see that no one element is more important than another. All four must be equally balanced to achieve consistent health and wellbeing. Root’d by Heal’r.com.au is made from 100% raw, certified organic ingredients which means no nasties, pesticides, artificial flavours or colours. The product is free of gluten, dairy, nuts, refined sugars and caffeine. It is also vegan and paleo friendly. Prices start from $13.95 including free shipping in Australia. For more information visit: http://www.healr.com.au/ There’s a lot of change happening in the world of food home delivery – and it’s not just a greater volume of restaurants and faster delivery times. From combined gluten-free-and-vegan dishes on demand through to more obscure food trends, cooking methods and flavours, Australians can now get just about any kind of diet or food craze catered for, straight to their front door. Having analysed its 7500 restaurants across Australia, online food delivery platform Menulog.com.au has curated seven of the latest trends you should know about, and where to get your fix. 1. Gluten free ITALIAN
Yes, it’s not an oxymoron, it exists. You don’t have to go without Italian food just because you have a gluten-free diet. There are more and more places offering gluten-free dough with all your favourite toppings and in some cases, gluten-free pasta to boot. Mama mia! Try Frankie’s Pizza in Victoria’s Ascot Vale for their amazing gluten-free pizzas, and Mario Brothers in Sydney’s Crows Nest for gluten-free pasta and pizza options. 2. Water sautéing Adding oil to a stir-fry does not have to be obligatory – in fact there have been studies that have found that exposing oils to high heat can result in the production of oxidized compounds and free radicals detrimental to your health. Water sautéing is a cooking method that retains the flavour of sautéed vegetables without using heated oils. You can always drizzle your favourite oil on top once cooked. Try B Thai Cuisine in Sydney’s Darlinghurst for your favourite ginger chicken or beef chilli basil stir-fry, all sautéed in – you guessed it – water. 3. GF, VEG, DF, EF Meat free Mondays just got a whole lot fancier, with more and more carnivores turning meat down in favour of dishes that are all GF, VEG, DF, and EF (gluten-free, vegan, dairy free and egg-free). From gluten-free base pizzas with dairy-free cheese, to vegetarian American-style burger and hot dog bars, there’s vegie versions of your favourites popping up all over the country. Several restaurants in Sydney have recently gone 100% vegetarian or vegan over the past 6 months too, including Gigis in Newtown, Yellow in Potts Point, and Gelato Blue in Newtown. Try Manoosh Pizzeria in Enmore Sydney for their gluten-free Vegan Paradise pizza, or Ayla’s Café in Adelaide for a host of vegie dishes from the famous ‘a-Not-Dog’ to vegan burgers and raw vegan cheesecake. 4. Matcha One of the biggest trends of 2016 was matcha, literally meaning ‘powdered tea.’ Matcha is the superfood of superfoods, a powerhouse of anti-oxidants, and it’s now available home delivered. Best incorporated into sweets or drinks, you can even get matcha green tea crepes, and Matcha thickshakes. Try Yummy Puff café in Melbourne’s Green Tea crepe cake with slow cooked red beans and mini mocha with its Green Tea Milk Tea, made with Taiwanese High Mountain and Japanese green tea, vanilla ice cream and slow cooked red beans. Micky’s in Paddington, Sydney, also offers a Green Matcha thickshake. 5. Souping Souping is the new juicing – a popular health choice. The appeal of souping is easy detoxing, as soups don't strip fibre off your drinks, so they're filling as they are nutritious. The secret to good soup is a good stock, or broth. Try The Grazery in Mentone, Victoria, for its 48-hour cooked Bone Broth, popularised by Pete Evans and Paleo crusaders. Or for something more fragrant, Kushi Q in Brisbane’s St Lucia offers the tastiest vegetable and fired tofu ramen soup. 6. Raw desserts The raw food craze sees no signs of waning. Raw food is replacing baked cakes in the dessert category in a big way. Primarily, we are seeing sweet dishes made from nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables that are uncooked, and not heated above 46 degrees c. But is it almost too good to be true – a thick slice of cheesecake, a slab of creamy chocolate or an oozy piece of caramel slice, minus the sugar, dairy and gluten? The Grazery in Mentone, Victoria, offers everything from raw cheesecake to a raw caramel slice and raw cacao walnut cookies, but also try Zen House in Adelaide for its vegan raw chocolate cake. 7. Miso caramel We’re not talking miso soup, we’re talking miso caramel flavour. A whole new level of salted caramel, it’s sweet but savory, and is the perfect ice cream flavour, and it can be delivered to your front door. Watch out for miso caramel flavoured dishes such as Sake in Double Bay’s caramelised miso cod, or straight up in a Miso Caramel milkshake with vanilla ice cream from The Milk Bar in Sydney’s Redfern. Menulog.com.au is Australia’s most delicious app and ordering platform for takeaway meals, from discovery through to delivery. With its 7500 restaurant partners, Menulog brings more than 130 cuisines to your front door in an experience that is effortless, filled with the delight of food, and made for you individually every time, everywhere. This post has been contributed by Sheila Zhou. Hormones are chemicals secreted by glands that relay signals from cell to cell, and they play a vital role in triggering how your body is feeling and functioning. Hormones affect different organs and are responsible for causing physical symptoms and altering your mood, metabolism, reproduction, energy levels and physical appearance. The human body consists of various types of hormones but for women the main sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone. Studies prove that women experience hormonal ups and downs at every age and stage of their lives. These fluctuations vary from pre-menstrual i.e. premenstrual syndrome (PMS), peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms. Although all females have the same hormones, the experiences when it comes to symptoms can vary from person to person. According to Sheila Zhou, expert Scientist at USANA Health Sciences, leading producer of high quality supplements, “Hormones for women during their menstrual cycle can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Too little or too much can affect your skin tone and weight, or make you feel extremely irritable and tired.” These experiences of hormonal fluctuations can be challenging to deal with. To avoid them, Ms. Zhou shares her expert recommendations for balancing your hormones naturally: 1. Have a nutrient rich diet At any stage of your life eating well-balanced meals is important for good health. In order to achieve optimal nutrition, your diet needs to consist of a balance between clean proteins (beans, seeds, wild caught fish), healthy fats (coconut oil, avocado), antioxidant rich vegetables (broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes) and healing spices and herbs (cinnamon, turmeric). Sometimes, despite having a rich nutritional diet, your body can feel far from optimum, and that is when the benefits of taking health supplements come in. Some natural botanic extracts such as soy isoflavones, black cohosh, dong quai, licorice and chasteberry help support women’s health during menopause, providing relief from a variety of menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes. Soy isoflavones has also been shown to support bone health in menopausal women. 2. Avoid or limit the use of endocrine disrupting chemicals and opt to use natural skincare Endocrine disrupting chemicals are unnatural chemicals found in man-made products, such as plastics, toxic household cleaning products and pesticides. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are extremely harmful to your body because they alter your balance of hormones, therefore triggering changes in the way it functions. Avoiding or limiting your use of household products with these chemicals will prevent these harmful toxins from entering your system. Even though you don’t ‘consume’ these chemicals, endocrine disrupting chemicals can be absorbed through your skin, meaning you are exposed when any of these products come in contact with your body. By opting for preservative-free skincare and hair products such as USANA Sense range of products, you are eliminating the risk of disrupting the amount and type of hormones being produced. As you age, many females tend to use more anti-aging beauty products to iron out all facial imperfections. The downside to using anti-aging cosmetics is that some beauty products contain harmful chemicals. Instead of going to the cosmetic aisle however, try taking grape seed extract supplement instead to achieve that healthy age-less glow. Proanthocyanidins in grape seed extract not only helps with improving skin-aging appearance but assists in overall cardiovascular health as well. 3. Get more sleep and interval exercise Regulating a sleep cycle at 7-9 hours a day is essential for hormonal control, especially as cortisol (the stress hormone) is regulated at night. Cortisol helps your body respond to stress appropriately and prevents your body from getting sick. When your body is alert your cortisol levels increase. Sleep deprivation also increases the level of cortisol in your body and makes you more prone to developing diabetes or obesity.So getting adequate amounts of sleep prevents fluctuations in hormones and prevents your cortisol levels from increasing too drastically. Getting more exercise is another significant way to balance our hormones naturally. Interval exercise releases hormones needed by the body, reduces stress levels, enhances immune system and regulates metabolic function. To view the full range of USANA Health Sciences nutritional, weight management and personal care products visit www.usana.com. USANA Health Sciences was founded in 1992 in the United States by microbiologist and immunologist, Dr Myron Wentz. The products are backed by an accredited team of scientific experts and USANA has been awarded a 5-star rating for its nutritional products – the highest of any available in Australia in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements (4th Ed) by Lyle McWilliam, an independent Canadian biochemist. |
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