Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Mineral Makeup: Methods of Use – Foundation

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

The three methods below are the ones we’ve found the be the most effective, however there are an infinite number of ways mineral foundation can be applied and we encourage you to experiment and find the way that’s best for you. Each method below can be combined with the others to give you the look and coverage you want.

As a powder – with a kabuki brush

A kabuki brush provides a quick, even layer of powder to the face as well as stimulating the skin. Powder applied with the kabuki brush can be used on a bare face or over crème foundation to even tone and provide more coverage. Use the kabuki brush by swirling it in powder added to the lid of the foundation pot , tapping the brush on the side to remove excess powder, holding the brush upright and tapping the handle on a surface to sink the powder into the fibres, then applying to the face by pressing down and moving in broad circular motions.

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Mineral foundation powder can be used in many ways.

 As a powder – with a cosmetic sponge or eye shadow brush

A latex or other cosmetic sponge is used to apply concentrated, even layers of powder to the skin. A sponge can be used in place of a kabuki brush and is particularly good at covering blemishes when applied directly to the site. Just dab the sponge into some powder placed into the lid of the foundation pot and apply in gentle strokes.

This method of application is great used over the crème application below to effectively cover widespread or obvious blemishes.

An eye shadow brush dipped in foundation powder acts as an effective replacement for concealer to hide blemishes. Simply dab brush into the powder and apply directly to blemishes and areas such as under the eye and the side of the nose to minimise shadows.

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Vegan cosmetics brushes, an ethical alternative to animal hair brushes.

 

As a tinted moisturiser or crème foundation

Mineral foundation powder can be mixed with your favourite moisturiser to create a tinted moisturiser or crème foundation. The degree of cover this crème blend provides depends on the amount of foundation powder added. A small amount of powder to moisturiser makes a tinted moisturiser that evens out skin tone and colour. More powder gives a liquid/crème foundation which covers blemishes as well as evening out skin tone. Apply the crème with your fingertips or a sponge in gentle strokes.

The crème application can be used alone or underneath powder for a flawless matt finish.

Use your favourite moisturiser to create a creme foiundation.

Use your favourite moisturiser to create a creme foiundation.

For dry, flaky or mature skin –

The crème application method (either underneath powder or alone) is especially suitable as the moisture evens out the application, minimises flakiness and plumps up the skin.

Applying a primer or moisturiser before foundation application will also assist in the appearance of skin texture.

For oily skin –

Apply powder foundation in layers to achieve the cover you require, then apply a setting powder over the top to control oily skin and minimise large pores. Setting powder can also be mixed in equal parts with foundation and applied to the face as normal for a medium to light oil controlling coverage.

 

 

The next instalment of our mineral cosmetics series will cover application techniques for the eyes.

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Mineral Makeup: The Face of Natural Beauty

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

 

What is Mineral Makeup?

Mineral makeup is made of naturally occurring minerals and pigments sourced from nature and the Earth itself. Quality mineral makeup ranges contain only natural, low allergenic ingredients with no synthetic chemicals or harsh natural substances such as talc, bismuth or parabens.

Why is Mineral Makeup Better for Us than Conventional Cosmetics?

We have evolved for millions of years alongside minerals and natural substances, so much so that our skin considers these substances its ‘old friends’. In comparison, synthetic chemicals have been created in a laboratory, and mostly in the last 50-60 years. As our skin has never encountered these chemicals before, they can often be seen by the skin and our own immune system as ‘strangers’ and provoke reactions ranging from mild acne, roughening in patches, blemishes and tired looking skin to more serious reactions that can affect our overall health.

Imagine smearing a cocktail of these synthetic chemicals on your face, everyday for months, years, decades. That’s exactly what we do when we apply conventional makeup. Our skin must deal with these ‘strangers’ on a daily basis, and over the years the cumulative effects can leave our skin looking lifeless and prematurely aged.

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Natural mineral cosmetics, healthy and beautiful.

 

When we switch to natural mineral cosmetics, our skin literally breathes a sigh of relief as the stress of dealing with synthetic chemicals is lifted and it can begin to heal itself of the many conditions we’ve never realised were caused by our toxic makeup.

The results are often more vibrant skin, less acne, rough patches and blemishes and generally healthier skin, which in turn allows us to be healthier.

What about Colour Range and Staying Power?

A good quality mineral makeup range will be competitive with conventional brands of cosmetics in colour range and staying power. The colour range can be mellow and natural, or glam and dramatic, it’s all in the application!

The unique properties of mineral makeup allow it to blend together with other products without reacting. Layering, wetting powders with moisturiser, water, balms or oils and applying with different applicators provide infinite ways of using mineral makeup and achieving the desired effects. It’s all up to you and your imagination!

What about Cost?

Often better quality products are more expensive than inferior ones, but we get what we pay for, and with cheaper cosmetics this often means a bunch of synthetic fragrances, colours, preservatives and other harmful chemicals that stress our skin and make us unhealthier.

You can reduce the amount you spend on mineral makeup by buying local brands (less transport costs and no import tax) and using applicators that don’t waste the product. If you value your beauty and health, it’s a good idea to switch to natural beauty enhancers that don’t stress, clog or harm your precious skin.

Where can I get Mineral Makeup?

These days mineral cosmetic products can be found in a wide range of places including beauty salons and day spas, chemists, health stores, department stores, and online. We sell an Australian made mineral cosmetics range called Inika*.

When choosing a mineral cosmetics brand, it’s important to keep in mind the fact that not all mineral cosmetic ranges are created equal. We recommend steering well clear of big name conventional makeup brands that have brought out mineral cosmetic lines. From experience we’ve found most of these still contain some unwanted synthetic ingredients and harmful natural ones as well.

A good quality mineral cosmetics range should be:

  • All natural (no synthetics)
  • Free of ‘nasties’ like talc, bismuth oxychloride and parabens
  • Low allergenic
  • Certified Cruelty Free (see your local no test list)**
  • Vegan (contain no animal products, including the brushes. This also helps with ensuring the low allergy status)

*We recommend you buy a locally made cosmetics range to support local business and to decrease the environmental impact of the products (less shipping means less impact). Check out the local brands where you live. Here in Australia, as well as Inika cosmetics, we also recommend Pure Gaisha, and Musq.

**For your local no test list, see the relevant website: (Australia) www.ccf.org.au, (International) www.leapingbunny.org.

Our next several blogs will cover some of the many application techniques for natural mineral cosmetics including handy tricks on how to use a single product in many ways. Stay tuned!

Posted in Beauty, Health | 3 Comments »

The Amazing Green Smoothie!

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

 

Do you get your day’s worth of greens?

Greens are packed with a huge array of valuable nutrients; cancer fighting and youth retaining antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and a host of other unnamed compounds that greatly benefit the body. Green smoothies are a quick, tasty and effective way to eat your day’s worth of greens, especially if you are time poor.

The story behind the modern green smoothie movement is an interesting one. Victoria Boutenko has authored a very inspiring and informative book called Green For Life, which documents her discovery of the amazing healing benefits of this nutritious drink. We can’t recommend this book highly enough!

The smoothie recipe below has been specifically designed for first timers and children. Many kids will enjoy the mild taste of this nutrient packed smoothie. Now they can drink their much needed greens instead of sitting down at the table, whinging endlessly through a mouthful of broccoli (we did too, don’t deny it!). We encourage you to experiment with different smoothie recipes to find the ones that you like best. For enhanced health, we recommend drinking a green smoothie a day. Once you start on your smoothie journey, watch out for some amazing benefits such as softer, clearer skin, more energy, stronger and faster growing nails, better moods and a host of other mind blowing health boosts.

This recipe includes avocado, banana, and fresh squeezed orange juice. The avocado and banana add a creaminess and mask the taste of the greens, and the fresh squeezed orange juice adds extra vitamin C, which aids in the absorption of the iron in the greens.

Ingredients:

Three handfuls of greens (baby spinach, kale, nettle etc. or other dark leafy that is not too bitter or hot). You can also add less greens and more fruit if starting out on green smoothies.

Mint to taste

2 ripe bananas

Half an avocado (optional, a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats)

The juice of two fresh squeezed oranges

Water if needed

Method:

Place the greens and mint into a blender and add enough water so that they can be blended thoroughly (sometimes up to half the volume of the greens depending on the capacity of the blender).

Blend thoroughly. Add the banana, avocado and orange juice and continue blending.

Serve fresh!

You can also keep this in a jug in the fridge for a day or so. It’s great as a breakfast smoothie.

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Above: A green smoothie demonstration for curious onlookers at World Vegan Day 2008.

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Posted in Health, Raw Food Recipes, Recipes | 4 Comments »

Growing Food the Really Lazy Way (and we mean REALLY lazy!)

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

With food a major environmental, health and economic focus, Meg and Jeff figured it was time to show everyone that really lazy people can grow food too.

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Oregano, perfect for pizza!

Some of us just aren’t made of garden growing stuff. No, really.

There are people who bleat on about being a terrible gardener, and then show you their lusciously green backyard jungle filled with everything edible under the sun. We are not these people. We really suck when it comes to getting green things to grow (or in Meg’s case, even stay alive). But we realise the importance and the satisfaction of growing, eating and enjoying backyard food. So it’s time for us lazy people to stand up and be counted among those who make the tiniest effort to produce their own tasty things.

Here’s what we’ve found we can do with minimal initial effort and very little ongoing work.

Grow herbs and other easy green plants: Many of these leafy babies pretty much grow themselves. Some great plants to start with include parsley, mint, basil, rosemary and kale. They are tough, opportunistic and produce heaps of leaves. Best of all they can be grown in pots, which means you don’t have to establish a garden and if you rent, you take your garden with you. Harvesting is simple, you pick fresh any time you need it!

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From top left, basil, red russian kale, spring onions and sage.

 

Grow fruit trees: Imagine if everyone planted fruit trees in back yards. Even if you rent, plant a hardy fruit tree like an orange, lemon, apple, apricot, plum or almond tree. You might not be around to enjoy the benefits of the fruit, but the next renter will, and if we all did it, we might move on to a place with an established tree that produces a bounty of food. You can even grow many types fruit bearing trees in pots, especially dwarf varieties. Fruit trees are another plant that pretty much grow themselves.

Sprout: If you buy a professional sprouter, the savings from sprouting your own quickly negate the cost of buying one. Sprouts are brilliant lazy people food, all you have to do is put the seeds or grains into the sprouter, pour water over them and do this once a day until they are sprouted (usually between 3-5 days). Endless healthy sprouts for salads, sandwiches, stirfrys, sprouted grain breads and lots more. The great thing about sprouting is that you don’t need a back yard (or even a patio) as it’s all done indoors, at any time of the year. Sprouting in jars with cloth over the top of them can be done, but us extra lazy people would rather the simplicity of the sprouter someone else has made for us.

Move to a place with established food plants: In Meg’s back yard there is a lemon tree and an abundance of mint. In the front yard there is a loquat tree and a beautiful grape vine currently laden with juicy delicious grapes. How much work for all this? None! It was all there when she moved in.

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Delicious home grown red grapes, high in the life prolonging chemical resveratrol.

 

Grow lots of one thing and swap it for other stuff: Can’t be bothered to grow lots of different things? Grow a bunch of one fruit, herb or vegetable and then swap it at your local produce swap group, with friends and family, neighbours or workmates. Lemon trees and mint plants are immensely helpful with this tactic, they produce far more than the average household needs, so you can look like an urban farmer when you bring loads of stuff to swap and in return get tasty home grown food you didn’t lift a finger to grow. Win! Sometimes local fruit stores take home grown produce in return for other fresh food, you can only try!

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More mint than you could poke a stick at!

 

Volunteer at a community garden in exchange for produce: If the thought of doing ANYTHING to set up your own patch sends cold shivers down your spine, you could always search out a community garden in your local area and sign up for volunteer sessions there. Many community gardens exchange produce in return for volunteer time, so you don’t even need to own a garden to get the fresh stuff!

These minimal efforts bring a wondrous bounty of life giving fresh produce, are more environmentally sensible than buying all our food from far flung destinations and home grown edibles are generally tastier and contain more vitamins and minerals than conventional mass produced foods.

They say necessity is the mother of invention, well we reckon laziness is the mother of the easy way to do things. Much smarter… now get back to the couch! :)

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Posted in Environment, Health | 2 Comments »

Fresh Tomato Soup

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

This recipe is a unique take on the traditional tomato soup. You’ll be amazed at the flavours bursting out of this dish. Fresh, organic, vine ripened tomatoes are best, they make a world of difference. Combine them with the fresh basil and spring onion and a delicious, nutrient rich tomato soup is the result. You don’t need any fancy equipment, not even a blender, just a good knife and a chopping board. Serves 1.

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Ingredients

4- 5 large tomatoes finely chopped

1 spring onion finely chopped

6 large basil leaves finely chopped

2 pinches of unrefined salt (or to taste)

1 tablespoon of cold pressed vegetable oil (olive or sesame work really well)

1/2 a cup of water

Method

Place the finely chopped tomatoes, spring onion, and basil leaves into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt and pour the oil over the ingredients, mix thoroughly. Pour water in and mix again.

Let the bowl stand for around half an hour at room temperature to allow juices to soak out and flavours to infuse.

Take the contents of the bowl and pour it gently through a strainer so the liquid strains into a serving bowl. Press the tomato pieces gently with a spoon to squeeze the juice out. If desired, place some of the solid pieces into the soup and add a little more water. Decorate with chopped parsley and/or a swirl of nut cream. The remaining tomato pieces can be used as a salsa or blended up and served as a thicker soup or a sauce.

Variations: For extra zing, place a half a clove of crushed garlic into the mixture as it stands.

Enjoy your delicious fresh tomato soup!

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Soup and salsa.

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Salsa, perfect for tacos or crackers.

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Decadent Chocolate Coconut Bounty Cake

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

This is one of Meg’s most popular recipes. A rich, decadent chocolate fudge cake with layers of sweet coconut, like the inside of a Bounty bar. The best thing is there’s no special equipment except for a food processor needed. And yes, this cake is raw… no baking required!

Chocolate cake

Raw chocolate cake... mmmmm.

Ingredients

Chocolate fudge layer

3 cups of walnuts

3 cups of medjool dates (pitted)

4 heaped tablespoons of raw cacao powder

2 tablespoons of maca powder (optional)

Coconut Ice Layer

3 cups of organic desiccated coconut

½ cup of coconut oil

½ cup of agave nectar or other raw sweetener

enough water to ‘wet’ the coconut

pinch of fine ground celtic salt

Chocolate frosting

1 cup of coconut oil

½ cup of raw cacao powder

½ cup of agave nectar or soaked, blended medjool dates

Equipment

You will need…

A food processor

A springform pan (or other slice pan lined with baking paper)

Something to smooth down cake layers (the back of a spoon or a spatula)

Baking (or greaseproof) paper

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Method

To make the chocolate fudge layer, place the walnuts into the food processor, then the dates. Blend into a crumbly mixture. Stop blender and add cacao and maca powders using a spoon to mix the powders into the walnut/date mixture. Blend again. The fudge mixture is ready when it’s doughy and all the walnut pieces have been completely blended in.

Take approximately 1/3 of this mixture and press it into a layer in the springform pan to form the bottom layer of the cake. Set the rest of the mixture aside at room temperature.

To make the coconut ice layer, place the desiccated coconut into a large mixing bowl and drip enough water in so that when it is stirred in, the coconut is slightly wetted and becomes a little fluffier. Add the coconut oil (if room temp is cold and oil is solid, sit container in a bowl of warm water until oil is liquid or semi liquid). Add the pinch of salt and sweetener and stir thoroughly.

Place spoonfuls of the coconut mixture onto the fudge layer in the springform pan, smoothing it down with a spatula or the back of a spoon until it is an even layer.

Next comes another layer of fudge, but this must be rolled to an even, flat layer before placing on top of the coconut ice layer.

Take two square sheets of baking paper (at least the diameter of the springform pan) and place another third of the fudge mixture onto the bottom layer of baking paper. Place the second layer of baking paper on top of the fudge and using a rolling pin, roll the mixture out till it’s flat, roughly circular, and the same size as the springform pan. Take the rolled fudge layer and place gently onto the coconut layer, pressing down to set it in its place. Take a knife and cut round the edges to remove excess fudge. Add another layer of coconut ice (repeat as before) and then a final layer of fudge (repeat as before with rolling pin and baking paper).

Note: You can add as many layers as you like to achieve the required height. You could also stop at a coconut layer, though this may make it harder to frost the cake.

When finished, place the cake in the fridge.

To make the chocolate frosting, place the liquid or semi liquid coconut oil into a bowl and add the cacao powder. Stir thoroughly until all cacao powder is mixed in and the mixture is smooth and lump free. Add the agave nectar or soaked blended dates while stirring until fully blended.

Take cake from fridge (by now it should be slightly harder and easier to handle) and take it out of springform pan. Place onto a decorative plate and frost with the chocolate frosting.

Decorate with fresh fruits such as strawberries raspberries or mangoes, desiccated coconut, fresh coconut shavings or fresh flowers and place into fridge until required.

Enjoy!

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Your Beauty Regime, Inside or Outside.

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

 

Meg dips her toe into the sticky secrets of skincare to remind us that beauty is much more than skin deep, it’s body deep… read on for an explanation…

I watched Janey* eat her fast food lunch of cheese covered pizza as she told me about her skin care routine. She’d recently bought a pot of high end beauty crème (they don’t seem to merely call it moisturiser these days) with some fantastic active ingredient or other (didn’t catch that either, I was mesmerised by the cheese dangling off the oily pizza slice).

When I’d managed to return to my senses, I couldn’t help but wonder how it is that many people completely disregard what they put into their mouths as being any factor in determining how healthy and beautiful their skin is. To me this seems akin to putting kerosene in the gas tank of a luxury car, polishing the duco with the best grade wax available and expecting everything to be fine and dandy. Then I remembered that I too had once been one of these people, obliviously shoving anything and everything into my mouth then buying all manner of skincare products that promised beauty redemption in a pot, dispenser, gel or mask. In this day and age, it’s the way most of us have come to view beauty.IMG_0047 by Yi Lingg.

Skincare companies know our deepest insecurities and they tailor their products and promises accordingly. Specifically, they strive to appeal to our deep seated yearning to possess more vibrant, younger looking skin, be more beautiful, have more confidence, be a better person.

Wait… did I just type that last bit?

Yes, unfortunately I did. Many women somehow (often unconsciously) seem to think that becoming a better, more worthy person can be achieved by buying this product, or slapping that product onto our faces. But that’s another story; let’s get back to Janey and her pizza.

The simple fact of the matter is, we are what we eat. And if our face is made of pizza, chocolate biscuits, fried food and other processed horrors, can we really expect that it will look its very best? Do we really imagine that some cream or treatment (no matter how much is promised by the brand) is going to make all our skin and beauty problems disappear with a simple, topical application?

I’d like to say no, that this a ridiculous assumption. We are smart enough to understand basic nutrition, savvy enough to get the luxury car/kerosene analogy and not silly enough to fall for the siren’s lure of the cosmetics counter as a means of beauty salvation. However, there seems to be some kind of unbridgeable divide for many between what we rationally know and what we actually do.

The real truth is that vibrant skin and genuine beauty are gained from eating healthy foods. When we provide ourselves with the right nutrients, minerals and vitamins, and stop putting so much junk into our bodies, we allow our skin to naturally do what all those supposed miracle products are meant to achieve.

Acne, dryness, premature ageing, skin allergies and a multitude of other dermatological conditions can be managed effectively by developing a beauty routine for the inside of our bodies. Fresh fruit, vegetable and green juices daily are a great place to start. They deliver hydration and a huge boost of nutrients to the body quickly and effectively.

By all means continue with the outside beauty regime, everything helps, but if you are ever tempted to start relying on the outside stuff as your sole skincare effort, remember the old luxury car analogy and take another look at what you are eating.

Beauty doesn’t come in a pot, it comes packaged in a green leaf, a tasty fruit, fresh colourful veg. It is contained in mineral rich wholefoods and vitamin packed natural foods. What we put in our mouths has far more amazing and longer lasting effects than what we slap onto our faces. We just have to convince that silly, irrational part of our brain that refuses to believe this.

*Not her real name, we’re not that mean.

We’ll be covering natural skincare in a five part series in future instalments of this blog. We’ll show you some amazingly effective natural skincare tricks and treatments, developed for both the inside and outside of the body. Hopefully we’ll manage to convince you that spending hundreds of dollars on skincare is completely unnecessary and not worth it. Take THAT unmentionable multi-million dollar beauty product empires!

Photo by Yi Lingg

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Posted in Beauty, Health | 5 Comments »

Holiday Relaxation? It’s a State of Mind.

Monday, March 9th, 2009

Can you retain that holiday feeling while on the job?

You know the feeling; complete and total stress free relaxation that makes you blissfully happy. It’s probably the most precious gift we receive from our holiday adventures.

Studies are now providing us with a mounting pile of evidence to suggest that this relaxed state of mind not only makes us happier, it also makes us healthier.

Compare the state of mind we often feel on holiday to the mental state we endure during the rest of our life. What if we Sprouted coconut could cultivate that holiday feeling and be more of our relaxed happy selves even when we have to work, go to school, clean the house, deal with people we’d rather not or put up with the general drudgery of life?

We know it sounds pretty far fetched, but have you ever noticed those people who seem to be smiling and genuinely happy no matter what their life circumstances are? We have, and we definitely want the goods. Doing some research of our own we’ve come up with some of the things these happy people tend to do which may help them maintain this state of contentedness. We’ve also added some of the things we find really pack a punch when it comes to keeping us from the jaws of the stress monster.

1. Make time for meditation: Even if it’s just five minutes a day to perform some kind of meditation exercise. Listen to a meditation podcast on the bus or train, take time from your lunch for a quick walk in the sunshine, concentrating on your breathing while you walk. Stretch out on the lawn, do some yoga poses, anything that takes your mind away from the here and now and concentrates it on your inner self, or on a positive side of the outside environment.

2. Get out of the city on your weekend: Take a day trip to a country town (or to the city if you live in the country). Break out of the habit of spending time in the house where problems like housework or bills continually confront you. This is possible even on a budget, take public transport, pack a picnic lunch and simply enjoy some different scenery.

3. Spend time with people who give you energy: Everyone has at least someone they know who is a ‘drainer’, a person who saps us of energy and takes significant effort to be around. If possible, try to minimise time with these sorts of people.  Identify those types that do the opposite, people who give you energy and bolster your mood, leaving you with a higher state of happiness. If you can’t identify any of these energy givers within your current circle of friends, maybe it’s time to cultivate some new friendships. Positive energy givers are precious, treat them accordingly.

4. Go to the beach: Even if it’s cold and you can’t swim, the beach has so many plusses it’s well worth the trip. The soft shush of the waves can prove to be an effective calming aid. The distant horizon comes as a pleasant change to our normally wall and building enclosed vision and often helps open and clear our minds of clutter. Walking barefoot on the sand is another one of life’s little pleasures.

5. Get some exercise: Yes we know everyone bugs you about it, but exercise has so many positive effects it’d be a shame not to include it on this list. Exercise has proven to be an effective agent against both stress and depression, helping your mind create that desired positive state. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean airing out the gym wear and running endless stationary miles on a treadmill. Run around with kids, walk or ride to work, do some light yoga or pilates, heck have some sex! Yes, even sex is a form of exercise and has the added benefit of really ramping up the happy hormones.

6. Eat healthily: Uh huh, we are again battering you about the head with what you aDSC_0102lready know, but again the benefits are so pronounced it would be a crime not to give you one extra head whack. Also, did you know that people who eat significant amounts of fresh, uncooked fruits, vegetables and greens consistently report a higher level of happiness with fewer mood swings than those who don’t? Eat your fresh fruit and veg, it will help your state of mind as well as your state of body.

7. Put things into perspective: Look around you, do you or those you care for go hungry on a daily basis? Are you dodging bullets or living in a warzone? Can you speak freely without risk of harm or a jail sentence? Are your loved ones safe? Questions like these really put our problems into perspective. Chances are you’re like us and none of the above problems apply to you. We are the fortunate ones. Now go back to your problems and compare them to what many others have to endure. It might take the edge off some of your worry.

8. Give to the community: We are social creatures, we gain pleasure from cooperating, helping those in our community and being active members of social networks. If you have a little time, consider what you are passionate about and find a community group with the same focus. Often when we assist causes closest to our heart, a deep satisfaction is gained from the process. We also get to meet like minded people, some of whom may turn out to be those new energy giving friends (see point #3).

9. Get some green: Look at the picture to the right. Now sit there and imagine you are immersed in such a forest with the DSC_0169smell of the trees and soil, and the gentle sounds of the animals. Feeling more relaxed? We have evolved to perceive green as a restful and relaxing colour. To our distant ancestors it meant safety, shelter and food, and we haven’t forgotten this. If time and budget permit, get out and get some regular green exposure, the greener and more pristine the forest the better. Even a walk in the park does the mind good. Pictures of forests and actual plants in the home or the workplace also help calm and soothe a stressed mind.

10. Take advantage of the power of smell: The art of aromatherapy extends its roots back thousands of years. Through trial and error, practitioners have discovered that certain scents calm, soothe and relax, while others invigorate and enliven. Smell can also be a key to unlocking memories and emotions deep in our minds. Lemons may remind us of happy sunny days when mum made us fresh lemonade, or lavender may conjure up fond memories of a favourite aunt. If you need a soothing scent, dab lavender, chDSC_0122amomile, ylang ylang or sandalwood onto your pulse points or drop some into an oil burner for a fragrant environment. If you need a pick me up, try lemon, ginger, pine or peppermint using either of the above methods.

The list above includes just some of the steps we can take to bring us closer to that relaxed happiness we feel while on holiday. We’re sure you can add to it by thinking about the things that make you happy. How do you manage your stress? Tell us your secrets in the comments section below.

Photos by Jefah

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First Blog! Cape Tribulation, a tropical paradise

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

DSC_0226This is our first official Vegan Revolution blog, so we figured we’d start off with a bang. The bang is tropical far north Queensland at the beginning of the rainy season. Meg and her partner went ‘bush’ so to speak for their holiday and encountered a life far removed from urban Melbourne.

Cape Tribulation is a remotish area about 140 km north of Cairns, hot steamy jungle, tropical fruits, cassowaries and the ever present danger  of crocodiles. All in all a rather wonderful place so far removed from Melbourne you may as well be in another country. Here coconut trees grow like the weeds they are, and harvesting fresh coconuts is a matter of taking a walk along one of the breathtaking beaches.

This is the reason for our two week January absence from Queen Victoria Market.

We were met with disbelief as we mentioned we were heading up to Cape Tribulation for two weeks. The hotel manager in Cairns called us ‘brave’, the bus driver to the Cape exlaimed ‘two whole WEEKS?’. Even the locals at ‘Cape Trib’ seemed impressed with our marathon stay. Seems that people spend a night or two here at most.

This time of the year is the off season, and not just because of the regular rain. It’s jelly season, and those crystal blue ocean waters are filled with stinging Urukandji jellyfish and completely off limits.   Urukandji Jellies deliver a sting that can cause severe pain, swelling and a number of very serious conditions, no thank you! Not to worry though, it made the discovery of the crocodile free waterholes all the more satisfying.

One of the highlights of the trip for foodies such as ourselves was the exotic fruit farm. Digby, a deeply tanned and bearded earthy type and his wise cracking wife DSC_0064Alison own a tropical fruit farm on the Cape which grows around 150 -200 types of tropical fruits from across the globe. At any one time there are around ten different fruits in season which can be sampled on the daily fruit tasting tours held at 2pm.

Delicacies such as Jackfruit, Rollinia, Soursop, Salak, Mamey Sapote, the native Davidson’s Plum and a host of other lovelies are rarely if ever found in fruit stores or supermarkets. For those that lust after the stinkbomb fruit Durian, this is is also grown at the farm. Meg thinks it smells like a gas leak and tastes approximately the same. Digby our accomodating host thinks it’s the tastiest fruit of all the ones they grow. Wonders will never cease.

Check out their website below for lots of great photos and interesting information:

www.capetrib.com.au

We missed the season for this little beauty below, something that Meg is particularly sad about. One taste of the Miracle Fruit and your sour taste buds are tricked into becoming sweet tasting ones and a lemon suddenly becomes as sweet as an orange. Must be an experience and a half!

Miracle Fruit

Here’s a great story on the Miracle Fruit tasting parties sweeping America:

G Living Article

We were lucky enough to buy some freshly harvested bananas and Rollinia from the farm. Very occasionally they have excess fruit and offer it to the tour people. We ate the Rollinia (a relative of the custard apple with a flesh that is sweeter, creamier and more custard-like) for breakfast with fresh made coconut milk, chopped dates and cinnamon. You’d be hard pressed to find a more delicious, healthy and satisfying morning meal.

The coconut milk we made daily from beach harvested coconuts. The simple recipe is outlined below.

Coconut Milk

Ingredients/equipment:

Meat from one mature brown coconut

1 cup of water, or enough to just cover the coconut meat in the blender

Large piece of cotton/muslin cloth or a cotton pillowslip

Method:

Slice brown skin off the coconut meat and chop into manageable pieces for your blender. Place the coconut meat into the blender.

Pour the water until it just covers the coconut. Blend until all the coconut pieces have been reduced to pulp.

Place the cloth or pillowslip into a jug, with the excess cloth smoothed over the rim in order to leave a cloth well.

Pour the coconut pulp into the cloth, lift the edges and strain the milk from the pulp into the jug.

You now have fresh creamy coconut milk! Store the coDSC_0285conut milk in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Sweetener can be added at the blending stage if desired.

Fresh coconut milk can be used in smoothies, on cereal, in ice creams or milky icy poles and in savoury dishes such as salad dressings or sauces.

The leftover pulp can be used in cakes, breads and biscuits or dried and used in any way that desiccated coconut is. The wet pulp can also be frozen until required.

That’s enough of Cape Tribulation for today, stay tuned to our blog and Youtube channel (HealthyandBeautiful). We will be offering you a host of natural health and beauty tips as well as delicious fresh food recipes and the lowdown on a bunch of interesting destinations.

All the best in health!

Meg and Jeff.

Photos by Jefah

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