Sunday, 21 September 2014

Food for the Soul



Get outside. Drink tea. Eat well. Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Walk. Stretch. Be near the beach. Music. Books. Love. Nap. Escape. Heal


Ways to unwind mindfully-
Comfort foods included! 


Life always has challenges. Sometimes your soul just needs a little healing.

My housemate can always tell when I've had a bad day because I'll be eating peanut butter straight from the jar. It's kinda weird I know.. but we all develop little habits to deal with stress and it's often food related. Such as skipping a workout to zone out in front of the TV with a block of chocolate or bag of Doritos.


It's even more important to be mindful when we are feeling like shit. Because treating our bodies badly while we are stressed is just going to create guilt and fuel more negative emotions.

Try these couple of ideas on your next blah day. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't in the mood for a workout or doing something super productive. Comfort yourself, sometimes you need it. 


Mindful comfort. 

Walk or stretch.
If I’m a bit sore or tired and my body is telling me to rest I’ve learned to skip an intense workout and go for a long walk instead. I love wandering along the beach with my dog listening to relaxing music. You’re still moving your body but having time out as well. 

I love yoga to unwind. Rather than a gym workout or bikram yoga class sometimes I like to stretch at home. I’ll set aside 15 or 20 minutes and work through an easy flow a couple of times. Remember to breathe. It helps, I promise.

Cups of tea.
It’s like getting a hug! Even if you don’t like tea just make one anyway, cradle the mug in both hands and take a big, deep breath. Keep your phone well away from you and just sip the tea. Light a nice smelling candle. Give yourself that time.

Meditate.
It’s not for everyone, but you can look up a 10 minute guided meditation and give it a shot. It will give your brain something else to think about and leaves you feeling light and fresh, like a weight has lifted off your shoulders. It’s a much more productive way to spend a few minutes rather than watching TV. 

Life coach Rachael Campbell is one of my inspirations when it comes to having a balanced and happy life.  She introduced me to an open air meditation session at Brighton Baths. It's the nicest way to round off a weekend feeling calm and focused. For more info check out 

http://brightonbathshealthclub.com.au/
http://www.rachaelcampbell.com/

Guilt free comfort foods.
 It’s so important to love and appreciate our bodies! Fuel yourself with delicious and nourishing treats instead of processed foods. These snack ideas are a different type of comfort food. Super easy to make and sweet too. Fruit has natural sugars for energy and honey and cinnamon give you that little bit of sweetness to get you through a slump.


Easy Apple- Thinly sliced apple spinkled with cinnamon- this is even yummier baked in the oven! Tastes just like apple pie!

Banana Split- Slice a banana lengthways and add natural peanut butter, some slivered almonds, chia seeds and drizzle with honey.

Honey fried bananas- Thanks to my bestie Cara for telling me about this super easy and crazy delicious treat. Simply slice up a banana and add a few teaspoons of honey to a fry pan. After a few minutes the banana will caramelize and brown a little. Awesome as a dessert!

Protein balls- For your cacao hit it’s a great idea to have some protein balls made up. I love chocolate so protein bliss balls are a great alternative to a block of Cadburys! You can add any variations you like but here is a pretty simple one that I love from Raw Blend.

Chia pudding- Put a scoop of chia seeds into a bowl and pour enough liquid over to cover completely (I use almond milk). Add some berries, raw cacao or toasted coconut and put in the fridge. Will take about an hour to set! Makes a delicious breakfast or dessert!


 
Do something that your future self will thank you for. Slow down. Eat well. Take some time for yourself. Feed your soul.









Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Keeping Busy & Staying Young


 Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.

- Buddha


Life has been really busy lately with Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, some exciting new collaborations with the awesome Cocktail Revolution team and Korial Swimwear. I've also been writing for the soon to be launched Milkshake Magazine. And most importantly I've started my new adventure with skincare and wellbeing range Jeunesse!

 I’m really excited to be involved in something I’m so passionate about. I worked as a beauty therapist for several years and my work as a model means that I am particular about anti aging and using good skin care!

For me, true passion is something I want to share with the world. The things that I truly believe can change somebody's life... 

I am so inspired by the positive feedback from my readers who have found something in my posts to help them shine a little brighter. I've had such a varied journey and I am so grateful to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with others.


It’s actually because of beauty therapy that I started out as a writer. Doing product reviews and articles about skincare and beauty advice. I got to try so many great products and even met the beauty editor of Marie Claire magazine!

Almost 2 years ago now my friend Brent Guerra (who played for Hawthorn at the time) and I got chatting about Jeunesse. About what he and Steven Baker (formally St.Kilda Football Club) were doing with the company. I was intrigued and agreed to interview the guys for an article.

The meeting was eye opening in more ways than one! It was so funny listening to their stories about transitioning from the footy field to selling skincare! My favourite story was when Brent got confused with the gel supplement and put it on his face instead of the moisturizer! Haha. That’s what you get when men try to mix in womens business! Honestly though, they were great and it was really refreshing to see these guys talking so passionately about the brand.

I was also really curious about the science behind the products. Stem cell technology wasn’t something I’d heard too much about in skincare, even though I’d worked with many leading brands in different salons.

Without going into too much boring detail, here is a brief overview of how the products work.

The scientists behind the range have developed a growth factor complex that rejuvenates skin cells at a molecular level. This stimulates new cell production for increased collagen and elastin. Your skin appears plumper and firmer-because the formula works at a cellular level, your skin literally is younger.

My love of a healthy lifestyle and fitness goes hand in hand with the Reserve supplement and AM & PM vitamins. A perfect energy and nutrition boost post workout!

It felt like the right timing for me to team up with the guys and be able to help others discover Jeunesse. It’s a perfect fit for my lifestyle and my beliefs.

To get behind a brand like this isn’t something I’ve taken lightly. It has to be a product I really believe in and have tried and tested before I recommend it to my readers, friends, clients and followers.

For more information on what else is going on check out my website and hit up the Jeunesse more info button to read some more about the products! 


http://www.missjadehunter.com/jeunesse.html 

Any questions about ordering or for a personalised assessment and explanation feel free to contact me via twitter or my website!

I also can’t wait to bring you the news from Melbourne Spring Fashion Week- As well as Nike and Lululemon having runways at the Hub it’s also been great to see so many sporty inspired designs! 

http://www.cocktailrevolution.net.au/

 http://www.korialswimwear.com.au/