If you’re trying to hop aboard the plastic-free train, Family Hub Organics is your next stop!

Family Hub Organics is a family-run business from Perth in Western Australia, a place where I grew up and love to visit. They hand-craft a range of products that make sustainable and conscious living easy and affordable. This includes Beeswax and Vegan Food Wraps, organic soaps and body products, organic lip and perfume balms and all-natural laundry cleaners suitable for very sensitive skin. Literally a sensitive person's salvation!

In fact, their slogan is: Simple. Natural. Ethical. If that’s not something you want to get on board with, I don’t know what is. All of the ingredients they use are sourced ethically, as they don’t support environmental devastation, slave or child labour situations or poor working conditions.

Their Vegan Food Wraps, made of all-natural ingredients, are definitely what sold me. Next time you’re wrapping up an avocado, you’ve got to try it - aren't they the cutest? They’re made of vegetable wax, tree gum and jojoba oil and yet, are a fabric-base. These wraps are reusable, washable and even compostable but they last up to 12 months if you give them proper care.

They’re an amazing alternative to single-use glad wrap; something I would love to see phased out of our kitchens.

If you’re keen to save money, and save the environment while you’re at it too, these wraps are your new go-to! They even make for the perfect gift.

Get ready to avoid food waste, reduce your carbon footprint and add some colour to your kitchen. I’ve received the Vegan Food Wraps – Starter Set which includes two pieces that are 1 x 23cm x 23cm wrap, 1 x 30cm x 30cm wrap at only RRP $24.95.

I absolutely love them and can't wait to buy more! 

Have you ever used food wraps? What do you think of them?  Feel free to let me know in the comments section below.

Lee xo 

Do you know what’s absolutely fiiiiine?

Fine cold-pressed, high-quality oils by Proteco; they’re oh so dreamy!

So, what makes Proteco oil’s so fine?

Proteco is the leader of cold-pressed oils in Australia and uses only the greatest, freshest Australian produce.

Proteco have a diverse range of products that can be used in a multitude of ways – it can take you from your morning skincare routine all the way to your stir-fry for dinner; because after all, you are what you eat.

The advanced extraction and filtration technology they use (I know, sounds fancy already!), ensures that every single product is of a high quality and consistency. Proteco practice cold-pressing their products, which means that they press fruits or seeds with a modern steel process so that they’re not refined or stripped of their natural oils, antioxidants, vitamins and flavour. Unlike many pressed oils, Proteco don’t use chemicals or extra solvents, so you can be sure that all of the raw materials, aromas and nutritional values are preserved, just the way we like it!

Who needs a house when you can have the flesh of real avocados pressed into an oil instead? I’m obsessed with Pressed Purity’s Avocado Oil. Avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. This oil is particularly nutrient-rich and versatile; it’s probably in that natural moisturiser you were applying earlier today! Personally, I love using avocado oil in my salad dressing, but it’s also delicious drizzled into stir fries and soups. If you’re all for avocado on the skin, it’s an amazing moisturiser to calm down itchy skin and replenish dry and chapped skin! Avo look at that! RRP $12.95 for 250ml.

Are you ever frying up fish or marinating your proteins and wanting to take it to the next level? Cue: Macadamia Oil! Macadamia oil is fast becoming a favourite cooking oil because of its nutty flavours and high tolerance to heat. I love it in my baking but it’s also seriously amazing for nourishing dry skin.  RRP $7.95 at 250ml.

And finally, let’s talk about hemp, baby! Hemp seed oil has all of the incredible properties that you’ve heard about hemp, but this time, it’s grown with organic farming practices. Hemp makes for the perfect oil as it contains a perfectly balanced ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which is required for optimal nutrition! If you’re looking to boost your immunity, brighten up your skin, boost your hair and strengthen your nails, hemp is where it’s at. Oh, and if you’re worried about hemp being related to cannabis, don’t worry, unlike its sketchy brother, Hemp seed oil contains no THC so it’s a family-friendly oil! RRP $16.95 at 250ml.

Have you tried these oils? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Lee 🙂

All the gassy ladies,

All the gassy ladies,

All the gassy ladies,

Now put your hands up!

Have you ever felt, after eating a big dinner, like you’re carrying a food baby that’s due any minute?

Has a muffin break at your desk had you fall straight into a food-induced coma?

Do mysterious tummy aches and pains bother you after a particular meal?

If you’ve ticked yes and you’re tired of constantly feeling gassy, bloated and like your tummy is on the constant gurgle, I have some news for you.

One of the common signs of poor gut health and digestion is bloating, noticeably after meals. If you experience bloating on a regular basis and feel like it is out of hand, it could be a sign that something else is going on. Being bloated is not the same as carrying an extra tyre around your middle or being overweight.

Being bloated is most often a result of gas and wind trapped in your digestive system, which makes your stomach protrude, your waistband become tighter and your digestion sluggish. This can arise due to inadequate protein digestion, where some foods remain in the gut and start to ferment, or an inability to fully break down sugars and other carbohydrates if you’re lacking in digestive enzymes, or imbalances in gut bacteria.

There are many different reasons why your tummy is playing up — it could be related to a food allergy or intolerance, irregular bowel movements, overconsumption of inflammatory foods or artificial sweeteners, too much alcohol, certain medications, hormonal imbalances, indigestion, leaky gut, microbiome imbalances, or gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

IBS is common; research shows it affects around one-third of us, and despite almost 75 per cent of sufferers saying it severely impacts their work, relationships and sex lives, 60 per cent of those have never sought professional help due to embarrassment.

If you’re keen to get to the bottom of things (pun intended!), taking a clinically-proven probiotic can help improve your gut health, reduce your gas, bloating and tummy rumbling (the troubling threesome).

Bioxyne today has announced the results from its clinical trial into the effects of taking progastrim a daily probiotic supplement containing the bacteria strain Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-003, with participants who consumed the probiotic reporting a consistent reduction in gas and bloating compared to those on placebo. Interestingly, women appeared to benefit more from taking the probiotic than men. (more…)

If you’ve been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), you’re not alone. Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, form part of a group of digestive diseases under the umbrella term IBD, and are common and chronic conditions of the small and/or large intestine. Whilst some people can be genetically predisposed to IBD, it can also be linked to a traumatic experience, inflammation and poor immunity.

The goal of inflammatory bowel disease treatment is to help to lower the inflammation that can trigger your signs and symptoms. By lowering inflammation this can lead to relief from symptoms and also help you to get into long-term remission and reduce flare ups.

Let’s talk about some of the main things you can do to keep on top of your IBD and reduce flare-ups. First of all, it’s vital to look after your gut health and stay hydrated, as your gut is central to your overall health and energy levels.

When it comes to eating, one of the easiest places to start to show your gut some love is by reducing foods that can contribute to inflammation.  These foods can be anything from processed foods and additives to heavily refined foods like bread and pasta. Also when having a flare up, be mindful of raw seeds, excessive fibre, nuts, vegetable and fruit skins, artificial ingredients and coffee and alcohol.

(more…)

Are you looking to become a pro of the biotic?

Well first up, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, one between us pro's. Not everyone necessarily needs to take a probiotic supplement. Sometimes, just a spoon full of Sauerkraut keeps the good gut microbes satisfied.

If you’re reading this and you’ve never really understood probiotics, I’ll start from the beginning.

Our gut microbiome is made up of a community of bacteria that’s responsible for far more than our digestive health. The health of our gut can impact our immune system, sleep, hormones, energy levels, weight, skin and more.

A healthy microbiome involves a great number of probiotics, known as our friendly bacteria, and a smaller number of pathogenic bacteria. To keep our guts flourishing, probiotics are necessary to help the growth of the good bacteria within your gut.

To replenish your strains of good bacteria, try consuming a small amount of probiotic-rich foods at least a few times each week. Personally, I take a probiotic supplement daily and consume a range of prebiotic and probiotic foods to widen the diversity. 

However, some sensitive tummies can suffer from gas and bloating when consuming probiotic-rich foods initially. It’s best to start slowly with a teaspoon and build up from there.

Below are my top six probiotic-rich foods and their benefits. By including a range of the following ingredients into your daily meal rotation, you'll be helping contribute to a thriving digestive system that will benefit the wellbeing of your entire body!

Sauerkraut is finely cut cabbage that’s been fermented, making it more nutritious than its raw variety. It can help improve digestive health and even contains high levels of iron which is great for boosting energy. Although, be mindful of the salt!

Sauerkraut can be high in sodium, so be wary when choosing store-bought varieties. Look for sauerkraut that's in the fridge at your local deli or health food store, as those kept at room temperature often contain additives and preservatives that can cause more harm than good. I love to top off my salads, such as my Bohemian Baked Vegetable Bowl, with a spoon of sauerkraut. I've included my cultured vegetable recipe below for you to try your hand at too! 

When you were a kid, did you ever enjoy drinkable yoghurt?. Nowadays, a handy drinkable yoghurt to try is kefir, a thick, nutrient-dense and deliciously creamy fermented milk product that can help support immunity, enhance detoxification and of course, reduce digestive issues.

It’s made using kefir grains that help grow live bacteria and yeast cultures. You can find it in a dairy form or, if you avoid milk, there are some vegan varieties available. How to have it? You can drink it straight, add it to smoothies, whip it up like cream cheese or use it as a dressing.

You may have heard of ‘superfood’ green powders that include vegetables from the sea and algae. While that may sound a little bit off-putting, do not be turned off by the sea! Chlorella and spirulina are not just for the lovable grass-chewing hippies. They can act as wonderful probiotics that provide a nutrient-boost with every spoonful. These green powders are made of nutrient-dense organisms found in salt water. Spirulina is comprised of more than 70 per cent protein, as well as vitamin E, chlorophyll and fatty acids. While, chlorella is a green microalgae that’s rich in chlorophyll, protein and carotenoids. Chlorophyll is a probiotic that’s seriously powerful for the gut. You can mix green powders into a glass of water or, add them to your smoothie, like my Berry and Avocado Smoothie Bowl and you won’t even know that they’re there!

Kimchi is traditionally a Korean fermented vegetable that’s made with a mix of veggies including cabbage with seasonings such as chilli, garlic, turmeric and ginger. This antioxidant-rich mix contains bacteria to aid digestive and immune health. Kimchi is rich in digestive enzymes, making it the perfect fix for a sluggish digestive system. You can use it to add a kick to your seasonings or on its own but use it sparingly as you may run the risk of burning your mouth!

Move aside regular pickles, we’re talking about the real dill! Pickles that have been lacto-fermented (i.e. fermented in salty water, not vinegar), are bouncing with probiotics and full of live bacteria. They’re best served organic and locally made, if possible. Feel free to include them in your sandwiches, toss them through your salads, or serve them next to my Turmeric Scrambled Eggs.

I couldn’t write about probiotics without including yoghurt. Both Greek yoghurt and most coconut yoghurts contain a probiotic known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus which helps show pure love to your gut. Biodynamic organic yoghurt (dairy or plant-based) is where it's at! Be sure to read the labels and watch out for any high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners and flavours added to it. Also, look for “live and active cultures” – this is what you’re after. The probiotics within yoghurt help quickly build up healthy microbes in the gut lining which helps increase the absorption of food and reduce bad bacteria. You can try your hand at making your own Coconut Frozen Yo-Gut here. 

While you wouldn’t usually think of Apple Cider Vinegar as a probiotic, it actually has probiotic enzymes that help balance gut bacteria, helping improve nutrient assimilation and balancing pH levels. It’s also seriously good for our overall wellbeing – in fact, it’s one of the first things I pop out of my cupboard when I feel a cold or flu coming on.  ACV is one of the star ingredients in my Apple Cider Gumhttps://www.superchargedfood.com/my Bears. Yes, I said gummy bears. However, if you’re not into all things tasty, delicious and chewable (but seriously, who isn’t?), you can also drizzle some over your salads like I’ve done here.

If you want to try out fermenting for yourself, I've included my Fermented Vegetable recipe for you below! Once you get to learn the process, fermenting can be lots of fun. Start by choosing vegetables you’re familiar with, so it doesn’t feel intimidating. Fermented vegetables can be served as a side dish — just start with a small amount, such as a teaspoonful, and work your way up.

Also just a final tip if you’re not absorbing your food well or have a sluggish digestion cleaning it first with Love Your Gut Powder can help! You can find the powder over here www.superchargeyourgut.com

Besides classic adolescent mood swings, menstruation and menopause, how much do you actually know about hormones?

Well, as it turns out, there’s a lot more to hormones than meets the eye. Period. (sorry, I promise I won’t make any more hormone jokes). Hormones play a crucial role throughout the body, every single day. 

Hormones control our sleep, our immune system and even our libido! (Hot flush alert!)

Are you ready to control those hormones for good?

If this sounds like you, Michelle Chevalley Hedge from A Healthy View and Jennifer Flemming have released their latest book The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet, and I highly recommend it!

The extremely knowledgeable Michelle Chevalley Hedge is an American nutritionist, health writer, presenter and a close friend of mine. She created The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet to help you uncover what your hormones are actually trying to tell you! 

The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet offers a four-week nutritional plan that encompasses both lifestyle and nutritional changes to help bring your life, and your hormones, back into balance. If you’re looking to start your hormone-healing journey but you’re not even sure where to begin, Michelle shares countless stories to help you understand just how hormone imbalances can manifest throughout your life and how it’s something every single one of us can experience.

For example, if you’re someone who experiences high stress, your cortisol levels could be through the roof, if you have metabolism issues, you may want to check your thyroid and if you suffer from anxiety, it’s time to up that serotonin!

The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet will show you how to find balance in your life through delicious recipes and simple lifestyle tips for lasting changes. I love the little informative tid-bits she includes throughout the book, discussing things like the fat vs. skim debate and the importance of sleep!

Enjoy my interview with Michelle and don't forget to check out her delicious recipe for her Brussel Sprouts Chicken Caesar Salad (um... yum!) below.

- Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started your health journey?

I have always been interested in food - madly interested. My mum is Italian, with 5 sisters, so I grew up in a home where ‘food is love’.  I thought I would go into medicine and health as a career but as life has it, I ended up getting a scholarship to a business school and a fellowship for a Masters in Computers.  This landed me a career in education and marketing for Microsoft here in Australia 26 years ago.  I often tell people  how I came here to speak at a conference, and fell in love with a man and a country - in 24 hours!!!

While I was working at Microsoft, like most time-poor working people, my physical and mental health began to suffer.  My moods, brain clarity, energy, and sleep was unbalanced, not to mention my weight would fluctuate 2-3 kilos a week  due to my stress hormone, cortisol being overloaded.  In retrospect, I am so lucky to have that career, as now as a nutritionist I can say to most super busy time poor people….’I get you! I truly understand wanting to get healthy without an extreme approach!'

- Do you subscribe to a food or wellness philosophy?

I like ‘a healthy view’, not an extreme one.  I educate our clients on how food needs to be tasty, easy and affordable.  If it is not, then it is not in our books, plans or cleanse programs.  I believe in eating as much real food as possible and when we are not that is ok, but make a conscious, mindful choice.  For example, if you are going to have a couple of Friday night champagnes then perhaps that day you don't have sushi rice with your meal because you know you're going to have a fair bit of sugar from your champagne. 

- What are your top 3 cooking staples? 

Oh, that is difficult to limit to three!  Food-wise… it would be flaxseeds, avocado, and eggs.  I could live on those three yummy things to keep me satiated and my bowels moving!  Equipment wise… it would be a NutriBullet, case iron fry pan, tea pot.

- If you could cook a meal for one person, what would you make?

I love eggs, poached, boiled, or scramble for breakfast or lunch with wild flavours added but I will tell you my favourite, easy, peasy dinner.

A piece of fish rubbed with some moroccan season and oil to marinate in the fridge before I leave for work.  Arrive home and chop a sweet potato in small chucks ( smaller chucks means less cooking time) and toss in boiling water for about 15 minutes.  Drain and mash, adding some olive oil, salt and pepper. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, I decide if I'll bake this fish or pop on the BBQ for only 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  I'll use any veggie I have, often broccoli, cauliflower or green beans.  Toss them in oil and a tiny bit of preserved lemon, finely chopped.  Place the veggies alongside the fish either in the oven at 200 degrees or the BBQ for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked.

Lay the sweet potato mash on a white plate.  Place the fish on top and pop the veggies alongside.  Yum!

- How do you know if your hormones are out of whack?

Do you ever wake up tired after 8 hours of sleep? Do you have trouble losing weight or maintaining weight despite eating like a bird?  Do you go to bed exhausted but lie there - tired but wired?  Is your weight going straight to your tummy?  Are you hungry all the time? Are you moody, anxious or depressed and cannot understand why?

These are just a few of the signs that something is hormonally out of balance.  

It could be that you are on cortisol overload from food and life stresses.  It could be a sluggish thyroid hormone hijacking your weight.  Perhaps it is your insulin levels, creating high testosterone levels and cascading into PCOS.  Or oestrogen excess and heavy periods or cystic breasts?  Our humble hormones have a lot to answer for. 

 - What are your top tips for people who are trying to balance their hormones?

Take 4 weeks out of your life and eat clean, real food that is low sugar, no gluten and low dairy.  Make sure you have someone or a book to guide you and provide you with easy recipes that taste delicious.  If your food is tasty and satiating, then it is repeatable and becomes a habit and will most likely continue beyond the 4 weeks because it's easy to follow. 

- I'm in menopause, what foods do you suggest for people like me?

I love talking about menopause, but this book is for men and women of all ages not just with menopause hormone issues.  But since we are on this hot topic let me say that doing our 4-week rebalance that is included in the book will bring back you energy, shine, and perhaps even your libido.   The 4-week program is designed to get your liver clean, tummy flat, digestion working and brain firing.  We do that with recipes that are nutritionally dense, high in fibre, with good fats and quality proteins. 

- What inspired you to write your latest book, The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet?

In our clinical practice, A Healthy View and at our corporate speaking engagements, we were seeing an alarming number of people who were angry with themselves for lack of willpower and self-discipline.  I want people to stop beating themselves up and start looking beneath the surface of weight gain, exhaustion, belly back, fat and muffin tops!  I want people to start exploring if their fat storage hormone, insulin, is out.  I would like people to explore if their stress hormone, cortisol, is keeping weight on their belly or perhaps it’s an undiagnosed, sluggish thyroid hormone.  People who are suffering from PMT, fibroid and fertility issues - could it be that your oestrogen is out of whack? Men who are exhausted and gaining a ‘dad bod’ need to know what is going on with their bodies, brains and hormones and its connection to food.

- Tell us about The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet?

It is a 4-week, step by step recipe and lifestyle program to rebalance your hormones.  It starts off in Part I with real people, sharing their true experiences of PCOS, exhaustion, brain fog, lack of libido, and anxiety.  Those clients then go on to explain how the 4 week hormone rebalance has become part of their life because it is so easy.  It includes delicious recipes in a food combining way. 

 - What’s your favourite recipe from The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet?

Brussel Sprout Caesar Salad. "Lock up your Brussels Sprouts"…as Lee says!  This dish is scrumptious and nutritious.  I love the flavour of the dressing and I am in a race to out caesar my Italian mum in New York.   She is hands down the queen of caesar dressing.  The added benefit of Brussel sprouts being liver cleansing just takes this dish to the next level.

For more information, check it out here. 

Warm Brussels Sprouts Chicken Caesar Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 x 150 g skinless chicken breast fillets
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g brussel sprouts, thinly sliced
• chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed
• Sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper (optional) 

Method:

• To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, tamari and capers in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and season if required
• Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic dish, then pour half the dressing evenly over the top. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes (though if you can, prepare this in the morning or even the night before so it's had plenty of time to marinate). The dressing will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator
• Preheat the oven to 180°C
• Transfer the chicken breasts to a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Alternatively, cook them on the barbecue
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the sprouts and sauté for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Toss the remaining dressing through the sprouts.
• Slice the chicken and scatter over the top, then garnish with flat-leaf parsley and serve