4 Small Changes for a Happier, Healthier You

With so many wellness pros around the world, we chatted to one special woman, Pazit Barak, who helps people from around the world enhance their health and wellbeing at her retreats in Cambodia. Here are her top wellness tips.

Tips for a Healthy New Year with Pazit Barak

Long working hours, lunch on the go and minimal sleep has become a normal way of life in today’s western society. Balancing work, family and friends as well as finding time for ourselves seems almost impossible.  However, finding time for ourselves is vital, yet somehow we put it on the back burner behind looking after everyone else. As Eleanor Brownn once said “Self-care is not selfish, you cannot serve from an empty vessel.”

When we push ourselves to the limit on a daily basis we slowly become more and more drained. We start getting aching, lethargic, can develop skin problems, anxiety and even depression.

For most of us, a demanding lifestyle is unavoidable, but the good thing is that we don’t have to change our lives completely to improve it. If you can make the time, signing up for a yoga and meditation retreat is a great way to reset and re-balance. However, the following small changes take up little time, can be integrated into your daily life and are guaranteed to result in a happier, healthier and more positive you.

 1.     Regulate your sleeping pattern

In Chinese medicine and throughout the practice of yoga we are taught that our bodies are at one with the universe and flow to the same natural rhythm. It is believed that when we fall out of sync with the universe and become disconnected that our energy levels drop. With this in mind, it is recommended that to shine our brightest we should rise just before the sun and sleep when it sets or no later than 10pm.

In Ayruvedic medicine it is understood that before sunrise the hours are governed by air and space, making us feel lighter and providing us with support for the day. After sunrise the hours are run by water and earth making us feel heavier and less energised.

Eight hours of sleep in total works out perfectly. If you do not feel like this is possible in one go, take an hour and a half nap in the day if you can, no more and no less. This is a full sleep cycle and will leave you feeling rejuvenated.

2. Exercise for 5 minutes a day

You’re probably wondering how 5 minutes of exercise a day could possibly make a difference, but trust us, it does. Whether you, walk, skip, stretch or practice yoga they are all great. Just make sure you are consistent and you will see a shift in how you feel both mentally and physically.

By being active each day, even for such a short amount of time, you will improve your overall fitness including cardiovascular health, burn off stress resulting in an elevated mood and even increase brain power. Make sure to pay attention to your breath for a more powerful practice and a deeper connection between the body and mind.

3.) Practice self-love

Every day we are mindful about how we treat others and try to always consider the outcome of our actions but, sadly, we do not tend to behave the same way when it comes to how we treat ourselves.

Today, in the West especially, we are constantly working towards the next achievement, living in competition with others and ourselves. Whether it’s a higher paid salary, a bigger house or a new car. The list goes on. We rarely, if ever, take the time to sit back and realise what we already have and how much we have already achieved.

Take a few minutes each day, at the same time if you can, to write down five amazing things about yourself. It can be anything from you inherent strengths to something wonderful you’ve achieved. Write it down, reflect on it and appreciate how great you are.

4.) Spend 20 minutes in nature

The setting of Aprivé Wellness' January Retreat

It doesn’t have to be in the up a mountain or on a tropical beach, it can simply be your garden or the nearest park. We spend so much time in offices, houses, shops and transport we can forget how beautiful nature can be and how embracing it can benefit us.

Trees and plants are our best friends, our life source. Being amongst them cleanses our system as well as our soul. Venturing out barefoot can also help ground you as well as allow your body to absorb minerals from the earth. So get out there, connect with the universe and feel free!

We know this may not be easy to start with but give it a go for a few weeks and see how you feel. Fully embrace each change. Be consistent but if you do miss one, don’t be hard on yourself. You will still see change. You will still feel the difference. If you punish yourself you will only feel tension. Simply learn from it and change it for the next time.

By being mindful of your surroundings, taking time for yourself and being proud of who you are, you’ll feel lighter, happier and stronger. As Buddha once said “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”.

About the author - Pazit

Pazit is a yoga and meditation practitioner and teacher as well as holistic healing therapist. She specializes in Reiki, Pranic healing and Reflexology. She is also a theatre coach and life coach at Vagabond Temple Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Cambodia.

www.vagabondtemple.com

info@vagabondtemple.com

3 Tips to Eat Yourself Healthy & More with Niki Bezzant

With so many conflicting ideas about healthy eating clogging up the internet, it can be hard to know what to trust. So! We spoke to Niki Bezzant, Editor-in-Chief of the NZ Healthy Food Guide to help you discover the 3 ways to eat yourself healthy, plus other handy tips.

1. What first made you interested in healthy food?

I’ve been interested in food all my life and have always been a cook. I cook because I love to eat! I love flavour.

2. What does healthy eating mean to you?

Healthy eating means eating what makes me happy, and listening to my body. That means eating with awareness and pleasure, as well as giving my body what it needs to feel good. I don’t believe in deprivation or denial or guilt in association with any food.  

3. What's your favourite meal of all time?

Roast chicken, roast potatoes and green veggies, with beautiful home-made gravy. Can’t beat it. 

4. What's the best thing about New Zealand produce?

We have an incredible natural environment here which produces incredible seasonal produce. I love coming up with new things to do with our beautiful seasonal vegetables.

5. What are you 3 top tips for healthy eating?

1. Don’t diet!

2. Cook as much as you can.

3. If in doubt, add vegetables.

6. What's your favourite treat for summer?

I love beautifully-prepared sashimi. Especially when it comes with a glass of champagne. 

See? Even the healthiest people understand balance is key. To learn more from Niki, check out her TedX talk below.

To get easy ways to sleep, move and eat yourself to a healthier 2017, get our free digital wellness guide below.

Why Naps are Amazing

Celebrating National Stress Awareness Day

Stress is one of the leading health issues that increases your risk of chronic illness, plus decreases your enjoyment of the wonderful things around you. So! To help you learn about stress management, here's a handy infographic by the lovely people at Casper, creators of the mattress that lets you sleep cooler, on how naps can help decrease your stress levels.

To learn more about how stress can make you age faster and impact your health, click here.

What should you eat everyday? Plus Other Women’s Health Wisdom

With Kate Callaghan, The Holistic Nutritionist

Kate Callaghan, an Australian nutritionist now based in Wanaka NZ, has just released a new book, and holey moley it is a goodie. Kate attended one of our wellness retreats in January 2016, and now we just can't get enough of this amazing wellness pro. Not only is Kate inspiring with her wealth of knowledge around women's health, nutrition and how diet can affect fertility, but she's also managing a hugely successful business with a little baby in tow! 

Kate's new book “Holistic Nutrition: Eat Well, Train Smart & Be Kind to Your Body” is an all encompassing health “bible” to help women find hormone balance and optimal health and happiness through simple strategies around food, movement, stress management and self-love.

We chatted to Kate to get highlights from her book plus learn which food women should eat every single day.

How does nutrition affect hormone balance in women?

The foods we eat provide the building blocks of our hormones, especially fats and proteins. Without adequate good quality food, there won’t be enough starting materials to make all of the lovely hormones to make us feel awesome!

Also – the foods we eat can have a powerful influence on our gut bacteria and overall gut health. Optimal gut health is essential for hormone balance so if this system is out of whack, so with your hormones. 

Finally – our liver is our main detoxifying organ. One of its roles is to process “used up” hormones and package them up for elimination (via the gut). Your liver needs good quality nutrition all of the time (detoxification is an ongoing process, not just a one-off when you decide to do a “cleanse”) in order for complete and efficient detoxification and hormone metabolism. Avoiding “liver loaders” such as alcohol, unnecessary medications, sugar and excess caffeine, can really help with detoxification and hormone balance. 

What is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, and how did you start working in this area?

Hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), in simple terms, is when your brain stops communicating to your ovaries, which results in a lack of sex hormones being produced. This leads to menstruation and ovulation ceasing. The consequences of this are infertility (which is the obvious one), but also loss of bone density, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, poor immunity, low libido, fatigue, and dull and lifeless skin and hair (among other things). 

HA is caused by the following (and it doesn’t have to be all of them):

• Not eating enough for your activity levels

• Exercising too much

• Insufficient body fat levels

• Rapid weight loss

• Excess psychological stress

• The oral contraceptive pill (post-pill amenorrhea)

I chose to write an e-book (and now e-course) on this topic, as it was something I went through myself. I was doing too much exercise, I wasn’t eating enough (despite eating really good quality food), I was letting stress get the better of me, and I didn’t have enough body fat for optimal hormone balance.

All of this contributed to me being infertile. I was told I wouldn’t be able to fall pregnant naturally, which I wasn’t willing to accept, so I sought about healing my fertility with food and lifestyle, and managed to conceive naturally! I have since realised that there are many women, like me, suffering from this condition, with little information around on how to heal from it. I created these resources so these women would be able to have options in the healing process. 

Can what you eat help you get pregnant? How?

Yes! There are many things you can eat to change your fertility, here are a few:

1. Eating a lot of really good quality food, to provide your body with adequate nutrients for hormone balance, and to send the signal of “energy abundance” to your brain, so it knows that reproduction is safe and viable (i.e. you’re not in a famine where mum’s or bub’s life could potentially be at risk)

2. Stress management – DAILY – as stress hormones increase, sex hormones decrease, and your brain goes into “fight or flight” mode. For conception, we want abundant sex hormones and we want to be in “rest, digest and reproduce” mode

3. Sex – all the time! I probably don’t need to explain how this helps someone get pregnant….? If there are issues with sperm quality or quantity, have sex every other day, rather than every day. 

If you’re having issues falling pregnant, seek out a health practitioner rather than trying to self-diagnose with Dr Google!

What are your 3 must-do's for anyone looking to start their journey towards better health?

1. Prioritise sleep and stress management

2. Eat good quality food most of the time, but don’t beat yourself up if you have something “not so healthy” on the odd occasion. It’s more about what you do every day, rather than every now and then

3. Mix up your exercise – rather than pushing yourself with cardio or intense weights sessions every day, mix them up with relaxing and rejuvenating activity such as yoga, walking in nature, tai chi and play! Your body and mind will thank you for it 

Why do you think healthy food has started dominating social media in the western world?

Because more people are becoming aware that “food is medicine” – what we eat has a powerful influence over how we look, feel, think and behave. Also – there are so many amazing food bloggers around now, who are making incredible recipes, incorporating healthy food, that taste delicious!

If it was up to you, what's one thing every woman would eat everyday.

Fermented foods – sauerkraut, kombucha, full fat yoghurt, beet kvass – all of these are wonderful for nourishing a healthy digestive system, which has a flow-on effect of improving overall health and wellbeing. All disease begins in the gut, haven’t you heard? 

A Bit about Kate

Kate demystifies the science behind female hormones and how they are affected by diet, exercise and stress. She explains why low-carb diets can sometimes hinder, rather than help, most women achieve optimum health, and she offers many alternatives on how to eat and exercise instead. 

The book offers solutions to very common problems, such as how to improve fertility, how to lose excess body fat, build muscle, reduce bloating, sleep better, increase energy and not worry all the time about what to eat. Best of all, she outlines ways women can help nourish their bodies to not only look good, but also feel confident and beautiful in their own skin.

You can get Kate's book at:

http://www.theholisticnutritionist.com/products/holistic-nutrition-eat-well-train-smart-kind-body/

5 Best Activewear Pieces for Spring 2016

Because who doesn't love stylish activewear, right? Having beautiful, well-fitting and comfortable activewear is a key motivator for many women to get outside, to the gym or the studio for a workout. At Aprivé Wellness, we're no different, and we love some great stretchy pants and comfy singlets. With so many brands out there though, it's hard to find the best pieces for your collection. So here are our top picks for 2016.

1. Best leggings - Lorna Jane

Tried and tested against so many other brands, we absolutely LOVE my Lorna Jane leggings. The main reason is the fabric which is far more breathable than another brand that starts with L....and it feels more natural on your skin. We bought one of the styles with the ventilation panels which keep out legs cool. 

Pic from Lorna Jane Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornajaneactive

2. Best Crop Top - Ivy Park (Beyoncé's line)

It's not secret one of our favourite taglines to get more done is "You have as many hours in a day as Beyoncé." But it's not just being a fan that gave Ivy Park the top pick for crop tops. The hip-hop-inspired activewear range is perfect for everyone dancers to gym bunnies to yoga fans. We love that attitude it has, and, yes, we love that it's made by Queen B.

3. Best Singlet/ Tank Top - Michi NY

We find ourselves in our activewear for a whole day after teaching Pilates, so we're fans of clean lines and a modern style (not just a baggy old tee, not that there's anything wrong with soft tees for workouts!) Michi NY has super modern, almost futuristic activewear, and their tank tops are ultra flattering. Love.

Plus - The Michi Instagram feed is a dream! https://www.instagram.com/michi_ny

4. Best SUP one piece - The Upside

Summer's nearly here! That means time to SUP. If you're fair like us, you need something with good coverage, but that's not too hot. We love the tanks and leggings from The Upside, but this onesie is the ultimate for summer. Not to justify the purchase according to how many days one goes supping....hmmm....

Also loving their new pineapple-themed range for summer https://www.instagram.com/the_upside/

5. Best Warm Layer - Cotton On Body

Activewear doesn't have to break the bank, and with new sporty collections by J Crew, and Aussie and Kiwi local options like Target and Cotton On Body, there are plenty of affordable brands to choose from. For a chilly stroll, hike or a dash to the gym on a windy summer day, we love a simple grey hoodie. Plus! You can keep it for winter and wear it under your leather jacket, paired with leggings for a super stylish activewear look (or great comfy plane attire!)

What's your favourite piece of activewear?

Liver Detox, Self Worth & Taking the Food Out of Junk Food

Dr Libby's Surviving to Thriving Workshop

The other night I went to an incredible workshops with Dr Libby Weaver, biochemist extraordinaire and wellness advocate. Much like Aprivé Wellness, Dr Libby blends scientific evidence with fun stories and meaningful wellbeing tips to help women live their best lives. 

Last night's workshop focused around women in particular, and featured everything from the importance of liver health to the danger of oestrogen dominance. Most interestingly, Dr Libby answered her own question:

"Why do we do what we do when we know what we know?"

I learned the answer during the workshop, and here are other things I learned.

1. People and the decisions they make are healthy, not food itself

Dr Libby points out food (whole, real food that is) is just food, it's your choices that determine health. She's also keen to remind everyone that junk food isn't food. It's just junk. 

2. Nutrition is vital for the biochemical reactions that drive everything in your body

To convert one chemical into another, which the body can use, we need nutrients. Nutrients are what we get from real food. Take broccoli for example: Broccoli is broken down into a special kind of medium, which also helps your liver process oestrogen. Without broccoli, this reaction is stalled. Why don't you want to much oestrogen? Read on....

3. Your liver needs a cleanse. Trust me.

Liver cleansing and beetroot juices have been around for ages, but apart from helping recover from a champagne binge, no one is really sure why livers need cleansing. 

Alcohol isn't the main reason your liver needs cleansing. Fat and oestrogen is.

In the old days, alcohol was the main reason livers developed fatty liver disease. Now though, it's occurring in many women, even children. What does this mean?

 It means there is less viable liver able to process the incoming fats, cholesterol, oestrogen and alcohol, so it's working at lower capacity and is overloaded. Uh oh...

What happens when you liver is overloaded?

First up, think of the liver as a 2-phase funnel. Dr Libby uses her arm to depict a liver. Imagine your forearm is the input, where trans-fats, alcohol, cholesterol and oestrogen come in. At the wrist is phase one, where every substance undergoes a change, call it A1. After A1, imagine your palm is phase 2, where the changed substance A1 chooses a pathway down one of your fingertips, one of 5 different pathways.

Nodding our heads at the workshop, Dr Libby went on, explaining what happens when the liver is backed up. After a substance comes into the liver and undergoes a change (becomes A1) sometimes there's too much traffic for it to filter down one of the five pathways. So! It sneaks out a trap door and gets back into the blood stream.

Our body isn't skilled at processing these altered substances (A1) and a good example is oestrogen. After it become altered, if it is forced to sneak out the trapdoor, the altered oestrogen enters the blood stream. Unfortunately it can't be processed, and has been linked to oestrogen-dominant cancers like some breast cancers. Not good.

How do you cleanse the liver?

You need to free up the traffic that's blocking those five pathways.

1. Decrease cholesterol, alcohol and trans fats to slow down the flow of substances coming into the liver.

2. Decrease your oestrogen levels. How? Decrease your stress levels; this helps increase your progesterone levels which is your body's anti-anxiety hormone. When progesterone levels increase, oestrogen decreases and they level out. This means there's less oestrogen flooding into the liver, and none has to sneak out the trap door!

Thinking of the info I learned from Dr Libby!

4 Wellness Tips I Learned from Dr Libby

1. Eat Greens Everyday

Dr Libby has a green juice every morning, and finds it the easiest way to increase her veggie intake.

2. Say "No" Without feeling guilty

Seeing hundreds of women every year at her Beautiful You Weekends, Dr Libby encounters so many women who feel overwhelmed, flustered and stressed, but who wear a mask of serenity to hide it all. Her antidote is to get you to say 'no' more often. Not a guilty no, where you beat yourself up for not being able to help a friend, attend a seminar or walk someone's dog, but a content, strong 'NO!' Give it a try.

3. Listen to your body. She knows best

For the first time, Dr Libby shared her own personal story in this seminar about a battle with gluten intolerance where she lost excessive weight, and was very ill. She says she didn't go to the doctor for four whole months, but if she'd listened to her body, she would have gone earlier. Libby wants you to listen to your body, and trust your intuition as it is almost always right about what you need to look after yourself.

4. if you don't value yourself - you won't look after yourself

This was the most profound part of the workshop for me. As a wellness consultant, I chat with women about habit change and many do incredibly well. But this fact is absolutely true, and I had never thought of it so clearly.

Everyone knows what they should to do look after themselves, so why don't they do it? Because they don't think they deserve to be their best selves. If you truly believe you are precious, and valuable, and special, you're more likely to treat yourself to the best gift - health. If you're not sure how to start valuing yourself, come to one of our retreats. It's the perfect place to start!

Dr Libby is a truly brilliant speaker, and the other night's workshops was no exception. She truly listens to women, and looks at what she can do to help you have more energy and be your best self. I feel so privileged to have attended this event for Aprivé Wellness and our Health & Wellness blog for Queenstown.com. Thank you Dr Libby! Amazing as always.