Welcoming Arie: my birth story, plus a mummy friendly recipe

Dear readers,

I'm ever so sorry for my lack of blogging as of late. Its been a crazy couple of months. Almost 4 weeks ago I gave birth to the most beautiful little boy. His name is Arie Flynn Lowe; he arrived into the world at 8.27am on the 25th July, all 8 pound 12 ounces of him, after an intense and amazing 4.5 hour labour.

I have to share my story; because I reckon it's pretty cool.

My supposed due date was the 15th July, and a day or so prior to this my midwife found that I was about 3cm dilated. We concluded that the baby shouldn't be too far off......or so we thought.

At 41 weeks Arie still hadn't arrived but my cervix was looking very favourable; now around 4cm dilated; but still, no baby. An induction date had been booked in for 40 weeks plus 10 days, so by now I was a little bit frightened because I really desired to go into labour naturally. This was a really testing time for me because I had to make peace with the fact that things mightn't go exactly the way I wanted.  I had done everything I could to ensure I looked after myself during pregnancy in an effort to ensure a natural birth and a healthy baby: regular exercise, sunshine, relaxation, weekly chiropractic adjustments, wholefood supplements, superfoods, eliminating harmful chemicals from my entire household and skincare, organic produce, etc etc etc.

I came to the conclusion that even though I'd done all these things, I had to be prepared to surrender the things I couldn't control. There was never going to be any guarantee that things would turn out exactly as I wanted as a result of all my control freak efforts. I decided to continue to believe that my birth would be an amazing experience, regardless of the things I couldn't control; even if I had to be induced, or face other interventions that I was frightened of.

I didn't get much sleep in the night of the 24th, thinking I would be getting induced at 7.30am the next morning. But at 4am I noticed some interesting feelings happening inside me. I'd had a few twinges throughout the prior two weeks, so I didn't want to get my hopes up; but these ones were rhythmic and more intense. We called my midwife at 4.30 to tell her what was happening and she told us to ride it out until things became more consistent and call her if my waters broke.

My labour was very hectic. Very irregular, unpredictable contractions with no rest in between. After 2 hours of active labour I was absolutely exhausted! I felt I had run a marathon and the contractions were getting more intense, but I didn't feel I had the energy to endure them. Grant noticed my exhausted delirium and forced me to drink coconut water for electrolytes to see me through. We thought there was going to be many many hours more of this to go through; and at the pinnacle of my exhaustion I insisted that Grant should call the midwife because I wanted to get an epidural. Little did I know I was in transition!

After a couple of hours standing and bending over the bathroom sink and straddling the lounge, and tapping my feet around the house like a crazy woman, I had reached my limit, so I hobbled and threw myself onto our bed. My waters broke as soon as I got on the bed and the pushing contractions started! It was an amazing feeling looking back... my whole body had taken over and was pushing Arie out. I had absolutely no control over what my body was doing. During the pushes I remember making some pretty crazy noises. I think I sounded like a cow! Grant called the midwife and she heard my noises, then told Grant to quickly get me to the hospital and she would be on her way.

Grant somehow managed to get me in the shower. I was on all fours, on the floor of the shower continuing to push. I thought I was going to give birth in the tub! I couldn't for the life of me move from this position, so Grant, in an absolute panic; cleaned me up, threw a big tent-like dress over me (no undies underneath- no time for that!), packed the car and dragged me down three flights of stairs while I was still having pushing contractions. He managed to strap me into the car, and hastily drove me up the road to the hospital. The security guard and Grant slowly dragged me into the hospital (I was still having pushing contractions every few steps), and a midwife on duty managed to get me straddling backwards on a wheelchair so they could transport me to the birthing unit.

One hour of pushing later, and Arie was born from a standing position at 8.27am. There was very minimal tearing that needed no stitches, the placenta was birthed naturally and Arie literally leaped up to the breast and fed for an hour.  By 12.30 we were back home. It was a crazy whirlwind, and a beautiful birth experience.

Birth, for me, was nothing that I thought. Pain, in the conventional sense is not the word I would use to describe it. It was more like hard work. The hardest thing I have ever physically done, but also the most exciting and amazing thing I have ever done. My experience of pushing was a brilliant one, as I was able to rest between contractions (unlike my labour), and I knew that the finish line was in sight. Feeling his head come out was the best part! I still can't believe the design of a woman's body and it's seemingly impossible capabilities.

My relationship with my body has completely changed as a result of giving birth. It's not the same as it used to be; my tummy is etched deeply with stretch marks. My boobs are the biggest they've ever been (can't really complain about that, but they do HURT!), and my abs are non-existent. Yet I have so much respect for this amazing machine that is my body. It was the home and nurturing space to a big baby boy. And he is still living solely off my body through breast feeding. Its mind blowing. I now want to nurture and take care of my body to the best of my ability because it is what will benefit Arie's health; and if I'm healthy, I have the capacity to be the kind of mum I want to be.

On that note, the following recipe is a tribute to a new season of motherhood. Its full of all things awesome for a new mum, and are super easy and convenient to put together.

I've been doing a bit of research on foods that are great for mums who breastfeed, and read about a 1999 study published in Lipids that indicated the importance of nutrition for quality breast milk; that women who don't eat enough quality saturated and unsaturated fat produce milk that may only be 2% fat, where women who had adequate levels of good quality fat could produce milk up to 9% fat (as much as table cream); resulting in higher IQ levels, and a decrease in neurological problems and failure to thrive in babies.

No wonder I've been craving fat so much!

Anyway, this recipe  has a few ingredients known to be wonderful for breastfeeding mummies. The info comes from a great book called Mother Food for Breastfeeding Mothers: Foods and herbs that promote milk production and a mothers health by Hilary Jacobson. But don't worry If you aren't a breastfeeding mumma! Grant also thoroughly enjoyed these delicious treats! Arie seems to be loving the results too! They contain some known lactogenic (foods that induce milk secretion) including;

Turmeric: Increases milk supply and acts as an anti-inflammatory and natural antibiotic; preventing mastitis. It's been found to be useful in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for intestinal diseases; and therefore may be helpful for breastfeeding mothers with colicky babies to produce milk with fewer triggers for colick.

Ginger: Said to help stimulate the let down reflex, and calms digestive problems that may come to some women after giving birth.

Macadamia's: Support milk supply. Nut's in general are considered as lactogenic foods due to their high levels of minerals and health promoting fats. Macadamias in particular are full of potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, selenium, zinc, copper and iron.

Coconut: Full of the quality saturated fats required for fattier, more nutritious breast milk. It is said that eating high quality saturated fats from organic, grass fed butter, grass fed meats and cold pressed organic coconut oil and other coconut products are the best way to increase the saturated fat content of breast milk. Coconut products are high in lauric acid (interestingly, this is an important component of breast milk); a fatty acid with significant antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and immune boosting properties.

Medjool Dates: Believed to contain elements that assist in alleviating depression in mothers and enriching breast milk with elements needed to make children resistant to disease. Supports thyroid function which can be compromised after giving birth; resulting in low milk supply.

Sunflower seeds: known in Aryuvedic medicine to promote breast milk production. Sunflower seeds contain an array of trace minerals important for breastfeeding mums. They also supply a healthy balance of protein and plant based fats. Also high in zinc; required for the development of a babies brain. Zinc is needed during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Raw gingerbread truffle balls

Ingredients:

1 cup desiccated coconut, plus extra for rolling
1 1/4 cup macadamias
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
8-10 medjool dates, seeds removed (depending on how sweet you wanna go)
1 TBSP finely grated, fresh ginger root
1 tsp finely grated, fresh turmeric (For Wollongong people, you can get this from the Friday markets from Rita's veggie stand)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean scraped
1 pinch sea salt (I like Celtic or Himalayan; lots of healthy trace minerals)

Method:

1. Throw all the ingredients except for the dates into a food processor and blitz until finely crumbed
2. Add your dates and blitz again until finely crumbed
3. Use your hands to form the mixture into bite sized balls and roll in coconut. Store in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Love Jess & Arie

Gluten free apple and chia breakfast crumble

 I love to start my day with awesomeness. When I kick my morning off with awesome things, I find that the vibe tends to flow on throughout lunchtime, and into the night. 

For me, food is one of the best avenues for setting a day up for success. Eating a delicious, nutrient packed breakfast clears my head, gives me energy, and helps my body and mind to perform at it's best. A good morning routine; including a good breakky is a capacity and potential booster. Not just in the way it physically fuels the body; but I think that taking the time to really nourish and honor yourself and prepare something healthy and special does something in your mindset. It's as if you are affirming that you are valuable. 

 I'm normally a superfood smoothie kind of girl; because I love to pack in as many vitamins and minerals and good fats into my breakfast as possible. But as the chill of winter is beginning to really get to me, I've decided to switch to a morning green juice to hydrate my body and fill my bloodstream with a quick hit of living nutrients,  followed with something warm, comforting, and satiating.

For most of my young adult life I've been obsessed with oat porridge. When Grant and I first started dating I used to invite him over every morning for a breakfast of oats cooked on the stovetop with cinnamon, brazil nuts and raw honey. We would eat this every single day. 

Sadly, I've noticed in the last couple of years that oats aren't agreeing with me. In fact, anything gluten-y leaves me feeling lethargic, and feels as though its sitting in my stomach for way too long. I've tried soaking the oats overnight and slightly fermenting them to get a bit of pre-digestion going, but still; it's not serving me that well. It's certainly not something I can begin every day with anymore. So I've listened to my body, but found myself in a little conundrum: I don't know what to have for breakfast! 

I've had to get creative and have started making 'porridge' out of other gluten free grains. Unfortunately the beloved quinoa that's ever so popular at the moment gives me a burning sensation in my stomach, so I can't jump on that train either (woe is me). But leftover brown rice has been a winner! I've read that combining brown rice with nuts and seeds increases the absorption of protein and supplies more of the amino acids needed, and am finding this keeps me full, but not weighed down; right through to lunch. I'll post this recipe soon! I'm on a mission to find a range of new, delicious, easy, gluten free, nutrient packed breakfast ideas and would love to take you on the journey.

Yesterday morning; I came up with a pretty spectacular gluten free wintry breakfast idea. I'm a big lover of stewed fruits, and got some gorgeous pesticide free granny smith apples at the farmers markets on Friday, so I thought.. maybe I could have a 'healthy' apple crumble for breakfast! Why not? 

I've added chia seeds into the mix because they are just such a fabulous ingredient. They are flavourless, and their gel-like texture fits the crumble well. They are also high in protein and minerals such as manganese, phosphorous and calcium, and their gelatinous exterior is known to bind to toxins and remove them from the digestive tract. I learnt this from Foodmatters and Hungry for Change: If you haven't watched these films, you HAVE to! They will make you excited about filling your body with wonderful food, and honoring this amazing body that we have!

       Gluten free apple and chia 

      breakfast crumble (serves 1)

Stewed apple & chia

• 1 granny smith apple; halved and sliced
• 2 dessert spoons chia seeds soaked in 1/3 cup water for 5 mins (you’ll need to stir these throughout the soaking process or you’ll get a layer of hard chia seeds on top)
• A few TBSP water
• ½ vanilla bean split down the middle (not necessary, but delish!)

Crumble topping

•     1 handful cashews
•     1 handful shredded coconut (check for preservatives; they love to sneak them in)
•     ½ tsp cinnamon 
•     1 medjool date 
•     1 TBSP butter, chopped into cubes
•     pinch of Celtic/Himalayan salt

Method: 

1.  Set oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Place your apple, water and vanilla bean in a sauce pan (covered) on medium-high heat. Turn down to a simmer once it has boiled, and add more water if evaporated. 
3. Meanwhile, throw all your crumble ingredients into a blender/food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles rough, crumbly crumbs and the flavours look as though they have combined.      
4. When apple looks to be softened, scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and stir in. Discard the vanilla pod.   
5. Add your soaked chia to the apple mix, and stir to heat through. 
6. Pour apple and chia mix into a ramekin/ small oven safe dish.   Add your crumble mixture to the top.    
7. Bake in the oven for approx 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown (watch it doesn’t burn).

Done! Serve as is, or with some full fat organic yogurt or coconut cream.

Tips for shopping organic on a budget: Part 2

I've been so delighted with the responses I've had to my first 'Tips for shopping organic on a budget' post. I didn't realise that this info would be as helpful to readers as it has been; and I'm SO glad that it is! I actually ran into someone at the markets the Friday after I posted it; who informed me that they were inspired to get to there and scope out the chemical free produce because of what I'd written. I was so flattered and stoked that she was now able to take part in the joy of farmers market shopping! Market day is my favourite day!

The 'part one' blog page has been by far the most viewed; and that gives me a little insight into what information people are actually seeking. It seems that people everywhere are becoming more and more insightful regarding the importance of eating additive and pesticide free, and as close to nature as possible; but just don't know how to make the practical shift. 

I think I might continue on this topic as I learn and grow in it. I'm due to have my first bubba in 3 weeks, so with my income gone, and new priorities thrown into the works; it will be interesting to see how I manage to still prioritise 'real eating'. But I'm determined! 

Anyhoo, here are some more tips that Grant & I have learnt along the way that have helped us to continue investing into the best quality food we can get our hands on. 

6. Join a food coop

I honestly don't know what I'd do without my food coop. I first encountered the benefits of these nifty little institutions when I was at uni. There was a little coop called 'Happy Bellies' that used to sell bulk organic items like nuts, carob buds (that I used to demolish regularly between classes. Went a bit overboard on those badboys), oats, flours, unsulfured dried fruits, gluten free pasta's etc. I joined up as a volunteer, which meant that I got a nice discount on all their bulk foods. I only had to volunteer for a couple of hours once a month. 

The beauty of coops, is that no one owns them. Rather; they are collectively owned by members, and managed completely by a team of volunteers. Food coops are usually started up by people in the community who want better access to cheaper, better quality food. With no 'owner', there is no profit for anyone, and there's no wages to be paid. All the money circulates back into the business. This means that organic items are often significantly cheaper than what you can find in health food stores or at the supermarket, because nobody is skimming a profit off the top.

For example; just one single non organic vanilla bean costs around $5 in a conventional supermarket. At my food coop, I pick them up organic for 90c each! That's more than a 500% difference! I would normally never buy vanilla beans, but because they're so cheap I get them all the time and use them to flavour smoothies, porridge's and desserts. 

Grant and I pay a yearly membership of around $25 to our food coop (Flame tree food coop in Thirroul), which gives us a 10% discount. Alternatively we could receive a 25% discount if we volunteered 8 hours per month, but haven't been able to commit to that as yet. We shop weekly and spend about $30. We usually buy dried organic goods such as beans, brown rice, lentils, buckwheat/brown rice/spelt or rye flours for baking or making pancakes, raw organic coconut oil, local honey, cacao powder, medjool dates, rapadura or coconut sugar, shredded coconut, tahini, spices, toothpaste, and chemical free household cleaning products like liquid castille soap, washing powder and bi carb soda. 

Each week after I have done my meal plan and figured out what I'll need to cook with (see part one of 'shopping organic on a budget), I write a list of exactly what I'll need. At the coop, you don't pay for packaging if you bring your own jars and paper bags, and you can buy exactly the amount that you need; because you always pay by weight. This is a much better arrangement than most health food stores, because you only pay for what you need, and aren't 'punished' for purchasing smaller amounts. 

Unfortunately, from my experience, the 'cold section' including local and organic dairy products are quite expensive, so we stick to the dried goods. You can often pick up local organic veggies and these vary in price, but I find my local farmers market to be much cheaper. However you can often get freebies, or 'pay by donation' items like fresh herbs, bay leaves, chilli's and macadamias, which i snap up when I have the opportunity.

7. When buying animal products; go for quality rather than quantity

This will be a bit lengthy; but bear with me. I'm passionate about this one. I've never been a massive meat eater. But I do find that my body thrives when I eat some good quality red meat once or twice a week. I also love my eggs and full fat butter. I'm not big on the dairy either, but Grant loves his yogurt, and we'll eat cheese or cream every now and again. 

Much to my dismay, i've learnt that if you want to get good quality animal products; you have to pay for it. And when I think about it, its fair enough. If an animal has died to exist on my plate, I want to know that it's had a good life and has been treated humanely; with access to sunlight, pastures, and has lived healthy and happy. Sadly, it's much cheaper and convenient for big corporations and mass scale farmers to do things the unnatural way.

I think that author and wellness advocate Jordan Rubin nails it when he states "when it comes to food, it's true that 'you are what you eat', but when it comes to animal foods specifically;  'you are what they ate'". 

Unfortunately mass produced, cheap meat is cheap for a reason; because the animals have been fed cheap, often genetically modified grain. To manage the health problems that are caused by this unnatural modern farming practice, the animals are pumped with antibiotics. Some are pumped with synthetic hormones and often; if they even have access to green pastures, they are sprayed with pesticides. This all comes through into our bodies when we eat/drink from the animal; which can cause antibiotic resistance and other health problems. 

Studies show that grain fed meat is also significantly lower in essential fatty acids and omega 3's that are vital to good health. Grass fed and finished meat; including the fat marbled throughout it actually contains significant health benefits, and is much better for us than grain fed meat because ruminant animals are designed to eat green pastures (free from pesticides); not grain. 

Same goes for dairy: mass produced dairy often contains antibiotics, and is pasteurised, homogenised, skimmed and trimmed beyond anything that you could call 'real dairy'. As a woman who is about to start breast feeding an infant, I've been learning about the amazing complexities of breast milk, as well as the importance of good nutrition, and avoiding certain foods when breastfeeding as it goes through to the baby; affecting their gut flora and immunity. Why don't we think this way about our dairy consumption? If the animal has eaten a poor diet, has had high stress, and been fed or pumped full of chemicals and antibiotics, then it isn't rocket science to know that we are consuming this in the milk. 

Conventional dairy is also commonly riddled with additives and preservatives. Yogurts are set in plastic containers at high temperatures (leeching BPA into the yogurt), and the removal of fat is usually always made up for in added refined sugars and fake fruit. Not for me. I'm willing to pay good money for full fat, unhomogenised, organic, traditionally cultured, grass fed and finished butter, yogurt, milk and cheese. It's not always easy to find, but when you can get your hands on the stuff the taste is second to none; and you don't need much to feel satisfied. In my opinion, it's worth the investment; even on a budget.

The bottom line is; purchasing high quality grass fed and finished, organic, free range, antibiotic, pesticide and hormone free animal products is totally worth it. However to save $$$, Grant & I have decided to go for quality rather that quantity. Eating smaller quantities of the best quality animal products we can find, and consuming more plant foods saves us heaps of money, and has benefited our health immensely.

8. Slow cook cheaper, tougher cuts of high quality meat

If you're gonna fork out the $$$ for really good meat, it may mean you have to downgrade from you're regular rib eye or lamb cutty. These tender, juicy cuts are amazing for special occasions, but if you're on a limited budget you'll blow it all on meat if you're getting the primo cuts all the time. 

I write regularly for an amazing butchery in Thirroul called Harvey's Butchery. I remember having a conversation with Darryn Harvey (the owner and head butcher) when I first started writing for him about the problem many of us have with investing into quality meat. He gave some really good practical advice that I've found to be so helpful for the budget: When buying high quality meat, go for the cheaper cuts like chuck, rump or blade steaks, or for lamb; forequarter chops, shoulder, or rosettes (neck). Chat to your butcher about your options. While these cuts are often tougher; they are full of flavour, and when slow cooked, will provide a killer meal.

Slow cooking in general saves a lot of money. You can throw in smaller amounts of these cheaper cuts of meat, and heaps of veggies with stock, fresh or dried herbs and spices to come out with a giant, beautiful, hearty meal that will cost you next to nothing per serve.

9. Do more DIY in the kitchen

If you have some extra time, it pays to make your own salad dressings, condiments, and all those little things you buy from the supermarket that you really don't need to. I make my own almond, coconut and cashew milks, salad dressings, pesto's, dips, salsa's, chilli pastes, granola, cakes, breads, chocolate, 'ice cream' (avocado, raw cacao, soaked cashews and dates blended then frozen), desserts, curry pastes, stocks, deodorant, all purpose house cleaner, body moisturisers (i just use olive and coconut oil sometimes mixed with lavender or other essential oils), face masks, and heaps of other things. This might sound like a pain in the bum to many, but honestly, it's just become such a normal part of my day that I don't even notice. I'm on autopilot with most of these recipes and don't even need to think about it anymore. 

We don't buy 'instant' rice or anything like that anymore. Nothing pre-made. Nor do we buy tinned beans; because its MUCH cheaper to cook them yourself, and you avoid toxic BPA that comes from the plastic tin lining. The night before I need rice, beans or lentils, I soak them in filtered water, sea salt and a little apple cider vinegar to remove phytic acid (which blocks nutrient absorption and has a negative affect on digestion), and in the morning, or the next day I'll cook them as needed. Sometimes I'll cook up a huge batch of beans or lentils then freeze them for later use in meals. This is a great way to bulk up salads and get a cheap organic meal anytime of the week.

DIY is becoming super trendy, and it saves a heck of a lot of money! It's also much better for the planet as you avoid purchasing excess packaging, and you'll know exactly what goes into your food because you have made it all yourself. Many convenience items like seasoning mixes are full of terrible additives, so DIY is a much healthier option!

If any of this info has helped you, inspired you, or provoked some thoughts in you; please comment below. I'd LOVE to respond. And if you did enjoy it, please bomb social media with this post ;).

Jess

Where does beauty come from?

Image from Pinterest

I find the concept of beauty to be so interesting. It's something I see as a huge wrestle for women; particularly young women; but I think it's safe to say that in the world we live in, beauty is something that most females are attempting to attain in some form or another. 

When I reflect back to my teenage years; all I wanted to be, deep down; was a girl who was beautiful. But I was caught up in the pressures of mainstream media and was obsessed about the way I looked. I would never admit it to my friends; but I was disastrously insecure. I equated my value with the way I presented myself; therefore makeup, exercise, and anything that could lift me to the standard I saw in magazines would govern all the choices I made. Being beautiful (the 'beautiful' that I was bombarded with on music video's, Dolly magazines etc) was my priority. Anything that threatened my sense of physical beauty (my idea of value) would set me off on an obsessive hunt to 'fix' myself; I needed to figure out a way to have better skin, better hair, skinnier legs, because then, when I attained those things, I would feel valuable. But I never got there, really.

 I didn't understand this at the time, but looking back, I was caught up in a lose lose situation, and was building my life on an incredibly unhealthy foundation. My sense of value was dictated by the competition presented to me in the media. As styles and trends changed, so did I. Tossed back and forth, and back and forth; I never had peace about just being myself. Ironically I think this lifestyle; this lack of a solid foundation for my value did more harm than good for me on a physical level anyway. Stress was a manifestation of my inner instability, and we all know what stress does to our physical bodies! 

I realize now that the beauty I was trying to attain was empty, lifeless, and void of joy, but at the time it was a powerful vortex. I mentor teenage girls, and also witness this phenomenon as I teach them in the classroom. I can so clearly see this same pattern of insecurity in them. It's not always blatant, but it's there. It's rare to find a teenage girl who has a clear sense of value. This annoys me so much. It makes me so angry that a young woman's sense of value is so unstable that it leads her to make choices, and to reflect behaviour that tears their community down around them. This is where all the competition comes from amongst women. Instead of being cheerleaders for one another, we become gossipers, humiliators and bullies; not always actively, but passively as well. And at the end of the day, this kind of unstable, insecure foundation oozes ugliness. I am so highly convinced that basing our value and beauty on our physicality; as dictated by the world we live in, is a one way road to becoming exactly the opposite of what we sought to attain in the first place. 

So where does beauty come from? I certainly agree with the cliche that 'beauty comes from the inside', but I think it's so much more than that. Something that I've noticed in the media, and particularly in the 'wellness blogosphere' is a shift from the idea of chasing superficial beauty as we conventionally see it. Rather than presenting messages that suck women onto the physical beauty train; newer messages are emerging about 'self love'. The idea of 'loving yourself' seems to be everywhere at the moment; promoting 'acts of self love' and 'affirmations' that aim to give women a sense of value outside of superficial physical beauty. But is this really helping? Is it just another trap? I can't help but think that a constant focus on self is just another black hole. To be honest, I've been down this path and think it's also a lonely, empty place. There is only so much 'self convincing' we can do in our own human strength. Do I really need to focus on myself, and acts of self love in order to convince myself I am valuable and beautiful? And if beauty is connected to 'self', how does that benefit others? What's the point?

What if beauty doesn't come from self at all, but manifests out of a selfless heart? I know for myself, I gain more purpose, joy, freedom and am more at peace with myself when I am outward focused rather than when I am constantly inward focused. And interestingly, I somehow look  and feel better as a natural result; with no effort at all!

It seems to me that the message that claims that 'loving yourself is required so then you can love others' is flawed. Because I personally find that when I'm focused on others first, I am never left questioning my value or how beautiful I am. It doesn't take up all of my focus anymore. This is a culture that I don't see in the generation of high school girls I'm teaching and mentoring. It wasn't present in my own high school community, and it's not common amongst women at all from what I've observed. And sadly, based on the messages society is presenting about feminine beauty, I am not sure that the future is looking bright for our younger generations of women. The culture I'm talking about is very rare, but when I see it in a person, I am overwhelmed. 

There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is genuinely outward focused, who extends her hands to the needy, who selflessly and genuinely loves all the people she comes into contact with. I'm talking about women with strength, with dignity, and a purpose that extends far beyond 'loving themselves'.  I'm not saying that makeup, pampering and all that stuff isn't part of it; but rather than being something that is a precursor to beauty; or something that we need to do to convince ourselves we are beautiful; these things are just an expression of a much larger value that we have for ourselves; because we understand that the world needs us. All the physical stuff; fashion, makeup, whatever it is we do to look pretty, or take care of ourselves; these are then just things that we do because we enjoy them, and because they are good for us, not because we 'need them' to prove ourselves to ourselves, or to the world.

I hope that if my baby is a girl (we don't know yet, and I honestly would be stoked with boy, or girl), she will never get caught up in the superficial beauty trap, or even the 'self love' trap. I hope her eyes will be focused upward and outward; and that her vision for helping others will bring her such a sense of security, such an understanding of her value and purpose on this earth, that it will naturally overflow into physical beauty; and she wont feel the need to question it. I honestly believe that having this kind of foundation as a woman manifests physically. I think this is where beauty comes from.

Please share your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think about this!

Tips for shopping organic on a budget: Part 1

I'm not going to deny that the way I eat comes at a cost. Buying organic and chemical free produce, superfoods, and all the healthy goodies I have regularly stocked in my household costs me both money and time. But in the long-term, this is an investment I am willing to make for my health, the health of my growing baby,  my husband, and my environment. I believe that investing into top quality produce that is free from additives and pesticides, as well as those extra nutritional boosts through purchasing superfoods is going to pay off in the long run. If you are reluctant to enter the journey of organic living, particularly in the area of food; which lets face it, is a big chunk of money out of our week; then consider some of these tips that can help you prioritise and invest into the best quality food you possibly can within the frame of a tight budget:

1. Plan baby plan!

Having a meal plan for the week, and a matching shopping list is probably one of the most important things you can do for your wallet. Every week I sit down with my favourite recipe books/blogs, a pen and paper, and my schedule for the week ahead, and plan what we will need to buy within the boundaries of our budget. It's so important to look at the bigger picture of your week and ask the question: what nights will I be home this week and need a meal for dinner? What nights do I have time to cook a meal, and if not, what can I whip up quickly that will fill my body with nutrients and satisfy me?

Grant and I focus all our weekly shopping list around breakfasts, dinners, salads and fresh juices. We aren't big snackers, and lunches are usually just some leftovers from dinner the night before with a salad of seasonal raw veg. Breakfast is always a superfood smoothie or porridge, so we know we need to  keep stocked up on our basic smoothie ingredients, as well as oats, and nuts for nut milk. We also know we need to be stocked up on heaps of raw veg for juices, as well as fresh organic greens and salad ingredients like spinach, kale, cabbage and lettuces because we demolish them with lunch and dinner every day.

For dinners, I will always go by a recipe and write the exact ingredients I need to make them. When taking all the food we will need for the week into account, I will then write a specific list, and what shops/markets i'll need to go to in order to find them. Having my lists minimises impulse buys, and saves loads of time wandering aimlessly around the supermarket. It eliminates the need for last minute shopping trips, and it ensures that you actually eat everything you buy. No more waste putrefying at the bottom of the fridge, so its more bang for your buck.

2. Go by the clean fifteen and the dirty dozen

Organic produce can be very expensive. But in my eyes, its totally worth it to avoid pesticide residues wherever possible. The environmental working group has conducted extensive research into the particular fruit and veggies that carry the most pesticide residues and chemicals as a result of modern day, mass scale farming. Through all their research they have published the 'clean fifteen' and the 'dirty dozen'. The dirty dozen are the ones you definitely don't want to buy non-organic as they are going to contain the highest concentration of pesticides, where as the clean fifteen include fruit and veg that are the safest of the non-organic produce in terms of these undesirable toxins. Click here to see the EWGs website and to familiarise yourself with this simple, practical source. I will buy a majority of our produce organic and chemical free wherever I can, but if my wallet is seriously restricting me I'll just purchase non organic produce according to the clean fifteen guidelines. For example; I will never buy potatoes or spinach unless it's organic, because I know through the work of the EWG that it's not worth it for my health. But papaya's and avocados (my favourite food that can often cost a mint) I feel much better purchasing non organic if I don't have the cash.

3. Find your local farmers market 

Farmers markets are the bomb. Unlike supermarkets, you get to deal directly with the farmer. You can ask them questions about their produce and they can tell you the answer straight up, and are often more that happy to be honest about it. For example; my veggie lady Rita sells beautiful, affordable, chemical free produce straight from her farm that's only an hour from my house. It's not certified organic but I know she doesn't use any pesticides or chemicals whatsoever; which is good enough for me. However, some of her produce isn't chemical free, and she is honest with me about that. She knows I like the chemical free stuff and the organic stuff, so she is more than happy to distinguish for me each week what is or isn't chemical free. She has also given me her number and I can pre-order organic veg for her to bring down especially for me if I want something specific. This would never happen at the big supermarket.
Farmers will often throw in little extra freebies as you get to know them and build relationship with them too. The amount of times I've come home with a random giant organic prickly Asian cucumber for my juicer, or an extra bunch of chard for my salads, I can't even count.
Pasture raised eggs often accompany farmers stalls and go for so much cheaper than the ones you can buy in store, and I buy giant wild lemons for 30c each, and bag fulls of wild foraged saffron milk cap mushrooms for pennies. It's awesome! The variety, quality and price at farmers markets will beat the supermarkets every time.

4. Work with the seasons

When you understand whats in season, you'll save a lot of cash. Learning to buy what is seasonal allows you to meal plan and experiment with what your local area has on offer at specific times of the year; making food a much more enjoyable and cheaper experience.When I go to farmers markets, there are always some items that were $5 a kilo a few months ago, and are now $10 a kilo; because they are coming out of season. Load up on the seasonal veg, and avoid the stuff that's out of season and you will find that you will be able to buy much more with your money. Plan your meals based around the cheapest seasonal stuff and you have a recipe for both health, and money saving. Here is a great resource to see what is in season in the NSW area for each month. For the coming month of June; I'll be loading up and planning my meals on root vegetables like pumpkin, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes and kohlrabi! Yum! Sustainable Table is another brilliant group working to promote seasonal and ethical eating. This resource covers fruit, veg, and seafood.

5. Buy in bulk

While my husband Grant has a stable full time job, I'm a casual teacher and freelance writer; so the nature of my work means that some weeks we have extra cash, and some weeks we don't. In the weeks that I have extra money I will often prepare for the weeks ahead that I know I wont. I invest into a few specific superfoods for smoothies and wholefood supplements. My organic green powder, colloidal minerals, Inca Inchi oil (for essential fatty acids) and probiotic powders cost me a fair amount of money. So to save shipping costs, and prepare for the fact that I'm going to be out of work when my baby comes along in 7 weeks; I've invested into a hefty supply of these things that are important to me and my health; while I have extra money. Buying superfoods in bulk online will often save you money through shipping (often they will get rid of shipping costs if you spend a certain amount), and they are just cheaper in larger quantities. Keep your eyes out for sales on your favourite healthy (but expensive) staples. Loving earth is a website that I purchase many of my organic smoothie ingredients from, and they sell things in bulk, and often have sales during different months; so I'll stock up when things are cheapest.

When you have extra money it's also good to stock up on non-perishable organic staples like lentils, beans, brown rice, raw honey, oats, nuts, seeds and cold pressed plant oils that you know you can use to form a range of meals. This saves lots of time and money, as it influences future meal planning and takes that extra load off the grocery bill during weeks when things are tight.



These are just a few things I do to minimise the cost of buying quality foods. There are hundreds of other pieces of advice I could add, but I don't want this blog post to become a novel! I will have to do a follow up post in future. If you want to know more, or have any specific questions, please ask in the comments section and I'll be more than happy to help!

Smoothies and veggie juices. Get em intaya!

image from Pinterest via redbookmag.com

Smoothies and juices. I flippin LOVE em. They have completely revolutionised the way I approach my health and wellbeing. 

I used to be an avid juice lover, but in the last year I've jumped on the smoothie bandwagon and wont go back. In fact, the cheapo blender Grant and I got when we were first married almost two years ago has copped such a thrashing in the past year that the bottom of it has disintegrated, and yesterday we made our last smoothie in it (with liquid pouring out the sides during the blending process!). Now we have a brand spanker. Unfortunately I couldn't afford the Vitamix, but our new Breville is better than our last piece of junk we had. Yay!

 Mind you, I still love my veggie juices as well, and drink them regularly. But for breakky, its a power packed smoothie 5 out of 7 days. Incorporating both juices and smoothies into your routine is the perfect way to pack shiploads of amazing nutrients into your day. If you use the right ingredients, you'll notice that over time you'll have significantly more energy, your immune system will be boosted, your skin will glow, your pimples or wounds will heal faster, you'll be more resilient to the effects of stress, you'll sleep better, and your digestion will improve. These are some of the things that I personally noticed when I swapped my regular gluten filled, heavy breakfast with a superfood packed smoothie, as well as drinking fresh veggie juices throughout the afternoon whenever I have the chance.

So whats the difference between juices and smoothies?

Raw juicing

Raw juicing is incredibly important to me to maintain optimum health. It's something that pretty much saved me during a time when my body was so completely depleted of nutrients and exhausted during my years working late nights in bars, pushing myself at uni and dealing with insomnia and anxiety.

Juicing veggies is wonderful because it removes the fibre, and allows you to consume the goodness of huge amounts of veg in seconds. Some people hate on this 'fibre removing' truth of juicing, because fibre is good, right? Yes. fibre is brilliant! But it also blocks the potential for the maximum amount of vitamins to be absorbed from the veggies. When you juice, the indigestible fibre is removed, allowing the body to recieve a potent hit of nutrients, with very little digestive effort. The amount of bio available nutrients is significantly increased compared to eating the veggies whole. Drinking a glass of green juice will give you a potent, quickly absorbed hit of goodness. It's natures perfect energy drink; quickly making its way into the bloodstream. 

image from Pinterest via http://www.staceyspaleokitchen.com

I love the way a juice can make me feel instantly uplifted. I volunteer as a youth leader every Friday night. I'm also a high school teacher. After a big long day teaching teenagers, sometimes making my way to a 5 hour stint at youth is hard, to say the least. When I'm feeling especially tired, I'll smash a big veggie juice, and it gives me instant energy. Juicing helps my physical energy levels and improves my mood, and I find my capacity to do those weekly volunteer hours is much easier when I fill my body with goodness through juicing.

When I juice; because the nutrients are so available to the body through the removal of fibre, unfortunately pesticide residues are also made more available to your bloodstream. If pesticides are designed to kill and deter bugs, I figure they aren't doing my body much good either, so I make sure to invest into fresh, chemical free farmers market produce, or certified organic produce wherever possible. I never juice non organic supermarket veg. My fave juice combinations are either kale, celery, cucumber, Swiss chard, parsley, coriander, lemon and ginger for a green juice (green juices are great at the end of the day and are very calming on the nervous system); or beetroot, carrot, celery, ginger and lemon. If the flavour is too intense for you, add more lemon, or add a little organic apple to take the edge off.

Smoothies

Smoothies, on the other hand, are a fab way to get a 'meal in a glass'. Depending on the type of smoothie you make, it can be packed full of quality protein, fats, fibre, carbs and nutrients to fill you up, boost your energy and get you through your morning. Blending allows bulky ingredients like nuts to be liquefied; making the whole thing easier on your digestive system. When I started consuming smoothies, I found I could go for a run or a swim very soon after, whereas eating my normal giant porridge with nuts would require more digestion time. The result of having smoothies instead of toast and eggs, or porridge every day has meant that I have less bloating, less of that 'sluggish' or tired feeling that comes with eating gluten-y meals, and I just feel much more pepped up. 

The mistake people often make with smoothies is that they fill them with 'energy sapping' ingredients. To me, 'energy sappers' include anything that is processed (hello protein powders), high in sugar (too much fruit), or anything that is labelled as 'low fat'; because from what I've observed; 'low fat' foods are often nutritionally void and are often loaded with additives, cheap salt and sugar to make up for the removal of the fat. Instead, I like to fill my smoothies with good saturated fats for energy; like cold pressed organic coconut oil which is high in lauric acid, is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and although it's a 'saturated fat', it's plant based, and high in unique medium-chain triglycerides which supply the body with a powerful, well utilised source of energy. 

I also love to include different superfoods in my smoothies, to maximise and supercharge my breakfast. These foods and powders contain significant quantities of vital nutrients that aren't otherwise found in the standard Aussie diet. Here's the smoothie my husband and I have every morning at the moment:

Grant and Jess's superfood smoothie!

Ingredients (always opt for organic and local ingredients wherever possible):

- 1 large handful of cashew nuts
- 3 dessert spoons of chia seeds soaked in triple the amount of water for 5-10 mins ( I do this in a cup and make sure i stir them regularly to stop them clumping)
- 1 big dessert spoon of virgin cold pressed coconut oil (get a good quality one without the yucky rancid aftertaste. My fave brands are Indah and Absolute Organic).
- 1 Tsp Camu Camu powder
- 2 Tsp Bee Pollen
- 2 Tsp Maca
- 2 big dessert spoons of raw organic Cacao powder
- 1 big dessert spoon of raw unpasteurised organic honey (you can find this at farmers markets, and is more expensive in organic shops. My parents ship it to me from Crescent Head, as its the honey I've been eating since I was a kid and we get it straight from the bee keeper for $6 a kilo)
- 1- 1.5 cups of purified water or homemade almond/ nut milk
- 2 good hand fulls of frozen mixed berries
- half a tray of ice cubes.

Method:

add all ingredients minus the ice and berries to the blender. blend until completely liquefied. Then add your berries and blend until liquefied. Last, add your ice and blend until crushed. Add more liquid if needed, or to your desired consistency.


Keep in mind, we have worked our way up to accumulating all these superfoods. They are a little expensive, but I consider them an investment into my health; particularly while I'm pregnant as my body is in need of many more nutrients than normal. For me, buying high quality foods such as these is a form of health insurance. However you can just base your smoothies on the cacao and berries, and add some extras in. Acai Berry is another of my favourites and tastes delicious!

Another way I pack nutrients into my day is to consume a mixture of 1tsp raw organic green powder, 1tsp colloidal minerals and 1tsp whole food sourced probiotic powder in a big  glass of filtered water. I do this every single day instead of taking a multi vitamin; as it all comes from real food sources. I buy these products from Cyndi O'Meara's website 'changing habits' as I trust her standards for creating health 'supplements' and have noticed an amazing increase in energy, as well as an improvement in my digestive health since taking them. You can also use these to increase the nutrition of your smoothies or juices.

Are you into juices, smoothies or superfoods? How do you cram nutrients into your day?

Four faves: Things that are exciting me right now.

Image from Pinterest

This little segment of my blog is something I plan to continue and repeat. It's a brief collaboration of a few of my favourite things at any given time of my life.... all the things that I'm particularly excited about.

For those of you who don't know me very well, you will need to be informed about my incredible fascination with different foodie trends, superfoods, recipes, books, styles of exercise, as well as a heap of other random stuff. I'm quite a 'phasey' person, I guess you could say. This is how my hubby Grant describes me, and he knows me better than anyone else. When I get excited about something I'll take hold of it with both hands and run with it at full speed.... for a period of time. I'll scream my periodic fascinations from the rooftops. Then I get excited about something else, and I repeat the process with a new found mini-passion.

This is partly why I started the blog. Because, much to my delight, I've found people to be blessed and educated through this seemingly psychotic practice of mine. I used to think of this "phasey-ness" as a negative personality trait, but I don't view it that way any more ( I might just qualify that when it comes to the big important stuff; like relationships and values, I am not so "phasey" and like to think that I'm significantly more solid in those areas). With the birth of this blog I now have a space to rave about all the new things I'm learning about and particular foods, or healthy lifestyle choices I'm incorporating into my life, and everyone else can have the opportunity to share in my enthusiasm. As it has been the case in my experience, perhaps my little passions can impart some kind of puzzle piece into the big picture of your life; making it sweeter.

Take from it what you like of course. Some of it you may desire to incorporate certain things into your own lifestyle, and some of it you may find to be genuine lunacy. Some of it may be helpful to a friend or family member and you may want to forward it onto them. I've personally found these kind of blog posts from other bloggers to set me off on a journey of self education, and I think that's the stuff that is incredibly life changing. I'm simply planting seeds for you. You can water them or not.

Please leave comments on these posts. I really want to make this space interactive, and would love to discuss, respond, encourage, and help anyone who has any questions regarding my content!

Anyway. Into the blogpost we go. 5 of my fave things at the moment are...

1. Cyndi O'Meara

This woman is a legend. She is a highly educated Australian nutritionist and researcher who tackles a range of controversial health topics; particularly the ones that are drummed into us through the mainstream media. She debunks the myths, and supplies solid evidence and easy-to-understand scientific explanations as to why many of the common 'health' practices we are blindly following are actually causing us harm.

Because of Cyndi's amazing information I have changed my views on saturated fats. I eat butter with a smile, and steer clear of margarine at all costs. I also understand that the idea that heart disease is caused by saturated fats is incredibly limited, as is the cholesterol-saturated fat link. I see the value of high quality saturated fats in my diet and have reaped the benefits of this change.

I have also learnt a lot about supplements, medicines, food additives, and all the loopholes that the food industry takes in regards to food labelling, and how this affects my health.

Listen to her podcasts on itunes or podbay if you have an android. Just type in 'Up for a chat', or click here and you will find heaps of them!

Read her book "Changing Habits Changing Lives". It's full of life changing health info that is easy to understand and highly practical.

You can also visit her website, or facebook page to learn more about her and what she's up to.

2. Spicy beetroot dip

I cant get enough of homemade dips. I make a batch every week in my food processor. Right now I'm especially enjoying homemade guacamole, salsa, pesto and this bloomin' brilliant beetroot dip!

Ingredients:

-4 medium sized beetroot; peeled, shopped into cubes and roasted at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 mins or until soft. (use organic, extra virgin coconut oil as the oil if possible)
-3 TBSP EV olive oil
-A few big dessert spoons of organic full fat, good quality yogurt.
-2-3 cloves garlic
-2 TBSP lemon juice
-1/2 tsp of cumin, or cumin seeds
-1/2 tsp ground coriander
-1/2 tsp paprika
-Celtic/Himalayan sea salt to taste

Method: 

throw it all in the food processor and blend well, or to your desired chunkiness. Serve with raw veggie sticks, on homemade bread, or just eat it with a spoon! Its amazing!

3. TED

I'm in love with TED talks. I listen to them weekly and feel that they enlarge my thinking, my perspective and my view of the world tremendously. I think everyone would benefit by listening to all the different conference talks that TED share. Even though many of them aren't directly relevant to my live, I find myself excited, refreshed, creatively stirred and challenged by many of the things I hear. They're great conversation starters! I listen to them on my phone while I do boring housework, or when I'm exercising.

Here's one of my favourites! Its by 'guerilla gardener' Ron Finley from LA. His work in the community is inspiring and he's seriously hilarious.

4. Bee Pollen

My hubby bought me some of this stuff after hearing me talk about wanting to buy it for months. Every few weeks I like to invest into a new superfood that I haven't tried before. I'm not a huge fan of supplements (listen to Cyndi O'Meara's 'Up for a chat' podcast on supplements and you'll know why) and prefer to get my nutrients from food sources wherever possible. Including foods like bee pollen, camu camu, maqui, spirulina, chlorella, chia, maca, cacao, amongst others is how I like to get my supercharged nutritional hit in a way that is easily recognised by the body; in real food form.

Bee pollen is a highly absorbable protein that is rich in vitamins, amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, enzymes and several micronutrients that are important for vibrant health. It's pretty much a complete food. It's really high in B complex vitamins that are required during times of stress, and for promoting energy. I like to add a teaspoon or two to smoothies, and its also great sprinkled on your morning porridge or muesli.