Month: June 2018

How to find Yourself?

Most of us have found ourselves at times wondering what happened. Where we just wonder which way to go, feeling lost and confused. Most of us have also felt depressed at times, almost like a part of themselves was missing. We wonder how we lost ourselves and how to feel like ourselves again.

Those feelings stem from our expectations from what our life should be like. Perhaps we have pictured our lives to be married and in the most loving relationship with kids happily ever after. If we then have worked ourselves up the corporate ladder and are living on our own, we often find ourselves feeling unhappy and depressed.

Our expectation, also called our blueprint, paints the picture of what we imagine our lives to be like and can cover all areas of life. As soon as our current situation does not meet the criteria of our blueprint we will find ourselves feeling confused and like something is missing. Perhaps we even feel like we do not know what decision to make or what path to take next.

But how do we find ourselves again and turn things around? First of all we can take the route the majority will take which is to blame someone else for their life or their current situation. However according to Tony Robbins this is like we are drinking our own poison and expecting our enemy to die. It does not make sense and will not make us feel better.

So the only two viable options are to first of all change our blueprint of what our life should be like or work on our life. If we go back to being married happily ever after with kids then perhaps we need to dig deeper to discover the core feeling that we want to feel. Any of our expectations are based on feelings that we want to feel. In this case perhaps we are seeking unconditional love. When we decide to look further we might discover that we already have unconditional love but in a different form. From here we can change our blueprint.

The second option is to work on our life. If we aren’t happy with our body or our health then we can decide to work on it. We can choose to have a workout plan and work on our bodies. We can pursue to eat healthier or we may choose to work on self love. These options are about taking responsibility of our lives and going deeper. This path is not easy and there may be a bumpy road ahead but our happiness may well make it worth while.

 

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The Secret Components of Goji Berries

When I first heard about Li Ching Yuen, a Chinese Herbalist, that had lived to the age of 256, I was intrigued. I am always interested in the secrets of people that live well beyond the standard and love studying their lifestyle.

Li’s favourite herbs were the following

  • Reishi mushrooms
  • Goji berries
  • Ginseng
  • He Shou Wu
  • Gota Kola

Goji berries, which are also known as Wolfberries have been used by the Chinese for thousands of years. The little powerhouses of nutrition have also been attributed to being some of the longevity secrets of the Chinese and help support kidney health, blood health, liver health and lung health.

Let’s dive deeper and let’s look into some of the components or nutritional facts that that gives Goji berries its health promoting and immune boosting properties:

Polysaccharides – a long chain sugar molecule and primary source of fibre in the intestinal system that

  • helps to enhance mineral uptake
  • helps to stimulate the immune system
  • helps to stabilise the blood glucose levels
  • helps to promote colon health
  • offers antioxidant protection

Zeaxanthin – a fat soluble pigment and antioxidant from the carotenoid family that

  • supports the immune system
  • helps to protect eye health

Beta-carotene – an orange pigment that is important for the synthesis of vitamin A and that

  • supports eye health
  • supports cell structure
  • supports healthy bones and teeth
  • supports healthy looking skin

Plus Goji berries are a complete source of protein! These berries are truly little nutritional powerhouses that anyone can benefit from.

Two easy ways to take Goji Berries every day

  1. Eat a small hand of goji berries every single day to support your health.
  2. Drink 60ml of NingXia Red daily, which is my favourite drink that contains goji berries (if you decide to use the link below, I thank you for supporting this blog) www.worldofoils.com.au

nxr-glass-and-fruit

On the Rose Trail at Yanchep National Park

Some days are about gratitude for the small things in life. Even though it is currently winter in Perth Western Australia, we were lucky enough to enjoy another 20 degree day.

What a better way to get outdoors than to explore a never before discovered trail; the Rose Trail in Yanchep National Park.

We spotted a few roses and wildflowers along the way while we listened to the sounds of the black cockatoos in the distance. Throughout our 3.5 hour hike we only saw one more person that was hiking.

A fair bit of wildlife was out enjoying the weather too such as a few kangaroos, a legless lizard and a brown snake we spotted on our way back. I was happy that the snake was rather small. We decidedto throw a few rocks next to her to help her gently continue into the Bush.

It seems to always amaze me how the vegetation continues to change in the outback. As we returned home I felt happy and grateful for our nice hike.

A Walk in Nature, Walks the Soul back Home

We all too well know the impacts a crazy week at work can have on us. In today’s world pressures are increasing and it seems to be expected to accomplish more in less time.

All the more important become strategies that help us to look after ourselves. The believe has been around for long enough that taking time for yourself is perceived to be lazy or selfish by many.

Yet those people that do know that they need time to balance themselves out and look after their needs in many cases are healthier and happier. This type of practice does not have to be fancy or hard.

It could be as easy as taking a long walk in nature. Have you ever noticed how you feel when you spend time in nature? Many believe that it helps to return our body to balance and support our health. Some believe that is helps to bring out more positive emotions.

On a personal note when I experienced a complete burn out a few years back I spend lot of time in nature and it helped me cope. My walk was what I looked forward to every single day and I still continue walks almost daily.

Last weekend my husband and I went for a roughly 12km hike on the ghosthouse trail at Yanchep National Park. I was quite amazed on how the landscapes kept changing. And after our achievement we had the best night’s sleep.

As always I would recommend to try out spending time in nature for yourself and see whether it works for you and how time in nature makes you feel.

Easy Thermomix Flatbreads

Last night I made some incredible flat breads that I filled with homemade falafels, tahini sauce, avocado and lettuce. To say they turned out tasty is an understatement. They were a dream come true.

To be honest when I first read that they would be baked in the oven for 4 minutes I was rather skeptical but the texture was perfect and they also did not break after we stuffed them really well with all the goodies that made up the filling.

I am a pioneer when it comes to the kitchen and rarely do I make the same recipes very often. Apart from of course my favourite smoothie recipes or hummus. I don’t think I could ever get an overdose of hummus plus I need to ensure that I do not suffer from a protein deficiency as a vegan 😉

Let’s get to the flat bread recipe

  • 180g water
  • 1 tsp dried yeast
  • 260g flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • oil

  1. Add the water and the yeast to the mixing bowl.
  2. Heat for 2 minutes on 37 degrees speed 1.
  3. Add flour and salt and mix for 1 minute on speed kneading.
  4. On a floured surface divide the dough into 8 balls.
  5. Brush the dough balls lightly with oil.
  6. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
  8. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  9. Roll out each ball of dough into 12-15cm rounds.
  10. Be careful to ensure no holes appear in the dough.
  11. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 4 minutes in the oven.
  13. Leave to cool and enjoy with your favourite topping or filling.

Please let me know how you go with this recipe and what your favourite filling is.

 

falafel 2

3 Easy Things to Do from Today for More Energy

We all too well know those mornings when we hardly hear the alarm in the morning and would rather stay in bed. When it seems to be a drag to pull our bodies together and take that first step out of bed. And those mornings where the warm and super soft blanket seems to swallow us and somehow holds us captive.

Other days we find ourselves hitting a low in the afternoon. I am sure we all know that afternoon slump that can strike anywhere after lunch. Those slumps where the brain cells seem to shut down like a computer does. With a long to do list ahead of us while we are struggling to restart that computer.

Or we know those times when we come home, perhaps after a day at work, and we have the best of intentions to get some things done before we snuggle into our warm cozy bed. Those nights where all you want to do is to relax onto the couch with a blanket and a hot chocolate.

Today I am sharing 3 easy things that you can start implementing today for more energy and vibrancy:

  1. Start your day with lemon water. If you haven’t heard of lemon water, it basically involves filling up a jar with 500ml of water and the juice of half a lemon. If you like you can also sweeten it with some maple syrup or some honey. During the night the body cleanses. If you have lemon water you assist this process in the morning so that it can continue with this process until you have breakfast.
  2. Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day. This may sound like a lot, but once you note down some ideas on what you can easily incorporate, it may be more achievable than you think. For example I love to go for a walk during  my lunch break. There is more than one benefit to a lunch time walk. I get fresh air but I also get exercise. I also find that this helps me to stay more alert in the afternoon.
  3. Get sufficient sleep. This is so important and most of us don’t even realise how crucial sleep is to our productivity and our energy throughout the day. It may take some experimenting to find out how many hours of sleep that you do need. Sleep is when the magic and recovery happens. I can certainly tell when I do not get sufficient sleep. Have you ever heard the saying that we speed up by slowing down?

What practices do you currently have that help you  have more energy throughout the day? Please share them in the comments below.