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. 

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

Upton's Naturals have done it again (read my previous review here). But this time they've made it even simpler and quicker to eat 100% vegan, real, whole ingredients...already made into a real meal!

Without dehydrating or adding loads of chemicals and extra preservatives, Upton’s Naturals have managed to make two beautiful Thai inspired curries with real, fresh and vegan-friendly ingredients.

The benefit of these two healthy meal kits is that they're not only delicious but super simple to get on the table. With a busy schedule or after a long day of work, sometimes it's hard to find the energy and time to create a whole meal from scratch. With Upton’s Naturals kits on hand, lunch or dinner can be ready within minutes!

First new addition to the menu is a massaman curry. While it's based on an authentic Thai recipe, it doesn’t make use of any animal products. Instead, the curry is made with coconut milk, tofu, and vegetables like carrot, green beans and potato served with rich purple rice.

The Thai curry noodle dish is great for a quick and healthy work break lunch that isn’t from the cafeteria. This noodle curry includes winged beans which are rich not only in protein but also in antioxidants like tocopherols that help the body use vitamin A.

Cooking each of these curries on the stove top only takes about 3-5 minutes and leaves an aromatic hint of flavours like lemongrass, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, and star anise drifting through the kitchen!

With meals priced from only $8.95, Upton’s Naturals offer cost-effective convenience without the processed, pre-made junk from a convenience store.

Just simple, real food made into real meals.

Visit Upton's Naturals or follow them on Twitter,  facebook and instagram.

There’s only a fine line between youthful and ageing skin…

If you’re looking for an Australian-made product that’s full of superfoods to support healthy ageing, liver and gut health, or to strengthen your hair, skin and nails, you’ve come to the right place.

Vita-Sol, created by leading Australian nutritional experts, is here and it’s extraordinary. Using only the highest quality ingredients from around the globe, these blends are here to help you look and feel amazing from the inside out. Each powder contains a high source of vitamins, minerals and herbs to support healthy living and wellbeing. All the products are vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free, so perfect for any dietary requirements. Every product has been tested for toxic heavy metal safety and contains no synthetic ingredients.

Vita-Sol have three different types of Wholefood products.

Infinity Wholefood is full of organic superfoods to support cells for healthy ageing. It protects the skin from damage and is definitely my favourite one because we all know there’s only a fine line between youthful skin and ageing skin.

Purity Wholefood is perfect for supporting liver and gut, including organic alkaline greens and sprout blends to strengthen liver function. The blend is so well-balanced that it nutritionally supports and assists in the getting rid of skin conditions such as acne, eczema and hormonal pigmentation.

Flexibility Wholefood is a multi-action formula and deliciously warming mineral spice blend to support the health of your joints as well as skin, hair and nails. It’s nutritionally-dense and packed with antioxidants to provide the ultimate support for your insides and get your outsides glowing too.

To find out more about these beautiful products, click this link here.

I think we can all agree that different foods and ingredients have different impacts on our bodies. Foods like bananas provide us with carbs, potassium and vitamin B6 that all work towards boosting our energy levels and putting a spring in our step. But, while other ingredients like caffeine seem to offer the same energy benefit, they actually end up causing stress to the body and hormones.

While we may be familiar with which ingredients and foods are best to help our insides function ideally, sometimes it is easy to forget to give the outside of our bodies the same care.

A lot of skin care products available are made up of chemicals, pesticides, synthetic colours, and fragrances that eventually age and damage our skin. If we look after the inside of our bodies by steering clear of processed ingredients, alcohol, sugars and junk food, shouldn’t we do the same for our skin?

We should love AND take care of the skin we're in, so it only makes sense to use natural skincare choices.  ACURE Organics is a family owned company founded on sustainable principles to provide the highest quality natural and certified organic personal care. They only offer products that have pure, simple and effective ingredients in order to help your skin and hair perform at its best.

One of my favourite products is their all-in-one Flower Balm. It is an absolute essential that easily fits into a purse or tote and can be used anytime on any area that needs a little extra moisturising. With organic argan and borage oils, this balm is soothing, calming and protective for the skin. Perfect for these cooler winter days that leave us chapping at the lips and drying out in the wind.

ACURE organic products are 100% vegan and free from parabens, sulfates, silicone, harmful preservatives and nasty chemicals. While they keep out all the bad stuff, what I really love about their beautiful range of products is that they are full of amazing goodness. They're made with pure essential oils and plant-based natural ingredients like aloe vera, argan, rosehip, pomegranate and more. This means they’re high in antioxidants to protect our skin from damage and premature ageing.

Their face mask from the Radically Rejuvenating range is made with a blend of ingredients like moroccan red clay and marshmallow root which are formulated to help your skin become livelier at any age. I know what you’re thinking...there must be a catch though, right? Organic skincare that is based on natural plant science helping your skin to stay youthful...must be some sort of sorcery or at the very least probably way, way out of your price range.

Well, unlike other skin care brands that promise flawless and ageless skin with a wave of a wand and half your life savings, ACURE is actually affordable and super reasonable with their prices. You can get biocellulose face masks from $5.99, fragrance-free body lotion from $8.99 and rejuvenating eye cream from $16.99!

If you’re not already buzzing to buy all their goodies, just wait until you get a whiff of them. From naturally scented coconut towelettes to floral and fruity balms, ACURE’s range will leave you like a bee to a flower...with healthy, wholesome skin and some change left in your pocket!

My hemp...my hemp, my hemp, my hemp...my lovely little hemp,

On my salad or in my smoothie, check it out!

While hemp seeds may not be the black eyed peas, they sure do have a lot to sing about. Ok, ok enough of that. I don’t mean to drive you (or the brothers) crazy, but I’m still a little shell-shocked at how such a little seed can carry so many benefits!

Hemp is no doubt a supercharged plant. It has an abundance of uses including food for humans and animals, clothing, skin care, construction material, plastic alternatives and more.

As a food alone, hemp seeds can be used in a variety of ways and offer us a lot of nutritional value. With endless possibilities, they can be eaten with salads, cereal, smoothies, porridge, eggs and more. These versatile super seeds are rich in fatty acids and protein. They include all 10 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce naturally and are necessary for robust health.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods appreciate the power of this amazing plant and aim to sustainably bring the highest quality hemp seeds from the field to your table. From shelled hemp seeds to hemp protein and hemp oil to hemp milk, they offer a huge range of delicious and nutritious edible hemp products.

Their shelled hemp seeds or Hemp Hearts are ready to eat straight out of the packet and have a yummy nutty flavour. Although they are little, they have 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omega-3 and omega-6 per 30g serving (which is more than an equivalent serving of flax or chia).

It doesn’t matter if you’re a savoury person or have a sweet tooth, Manitoba Harvest offer their Hemp Heart Toppers in a range of flavours. Their coconut and cocoa mix is delicious sprinkled on top of yoghurt for a healthy dessert. While the onion, garlic and rosemary mix works really well on top of eggs for brekky or homemade soup for lunch!

Since these super seeds tasted so great on food, I wanted to see if they worked well in drinks too. I tried the natural Hemp Hearts in a golden gut latte...both me and my tummy were delighted at the outcome! (I’ll post the recipe below so you can try it too.)

Whether it’s after a workout or #meatlessmondays, for those needing that extra protein boost Manitoba Harvest have specifically formulated protein powders that are completely plant-based. There’s no more need for the tummy turning whey and soy protein powders. By simply adding a serving of their Hemp Protein or Hemp Protein Smoothie into water or a drink of your choice, you can get up to 20 grams of protein without causing any trouble to your tummy.

With such a diverse and delicious range of edible hemp products, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods are great at empowering such a little seed to shine so bright and become more accessible in the mainstream food world.

Golden Gut Hemp Latte (Serves 2-3)

• ¾ cup natural Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts
• 2 tablespoons Golden Gut Blend
• 3 cups of coconut milk or milk of your choice
• 2 tablespoons raw honey

Method:

• Gently heat milk of your choice in a small saucepan on the stove
• Blend the Hemp Hearts into a fine powder
• Once the liquid is warm, add the powder and Golden Gut blend and honey and bring to a gentle boil
• Simmer for 3-5 minutes and serve in your favourite mug while hot!

Move over vegemite...there’s a new savoury spread taking over the shelf!

Jo & Co Foods is a healthy food company dedicated to producing food that tastes delicious and is also good for you and your gut.

They have a specially created B-Mite savoury spread which is crafted from natural and certified organic ingredients. Made with 7 naturally occurring B vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3, amino acids and peptides, the spread works to help convert our food into fuel, enabling us to stay energized throughout the day.

BMITE is a blend of naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3, amino acids & peptides providing you with instant energy & mental alertness. These help to provide you with immune system, digestive system, and cardiovascular support.

This dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan-friendly spread is filled with delicious ingredients including organic sesame seeds, organic tamari (soy), nutritional yeast flakes, organic coconut cream, organic maple syrup, garlic, pineapple and ginger spices.

It is absolutely delicious as a spread on toast, in a sandwich, served with crackers and avocado, or to add an umami flavour hit to savoury dishes or sauces.

Since BMITE contains certified organic ingredients, it ensures the quality of nutrition and the protection your gut microbiome remains supported for the health of mind and body.

A healthy alternative to store bought vegemite is now here! With ingredients crafted by nature, you'll love the health benefits in a tasty snack without all the effort!

Find out more about this delicious and healthy spread here and follow them on instagram here.

If you’re all inked up and looking for an all-natural tattoo cream, you’ve come to the right place.

SK!N Tattoo cream is a premium tattoo aftercare cream that won’t leave your skin feeling greasy and is easy to apply. It’s vegan, alcohol-free and Australian-made by a naturopath.

The reason I love the look of SK!N is that I'm constantly asked by people what I recommend they put on their skin instead of chemically laden creams.  You know the ones that just sit on the skin's surface that have a bunch of not so nice ingredients that are being absorbed into your body transdermally?  In my opinion I always recommend trying a product that uses natural ingredients to soothe and heal.  People who have had microblading (semi permanenent eyebrow tattooing) are also benefitting from this luscious cream, using it particularly to help speed up the aftercare process.

This cream uses only naturally selected oils and herbs to soothe and soften the skin. It includes a combination of Vitamin E, shea butter, sweet almond oil as well as arnica and licorice root which are two herbs used for bruising and skin conditions – making it the ultimate after-tattoo care. Pop

It’s suitable for all skin-types and is of the greatest quality to truly soothe the skin.

SK!N Tattoo cream is also recommended as a daily moisturiser to keep ink looking fresh.

I interviewed the founder of the brand recently and here's what he had to say...

1. What inspired you to create SK!N?

I felt there was a real need in the market for premium natural tattoo aftercare. A product suitable for all skin types that people could use to soothe the skin after tattooing and for ongoing use as a tattoo moisturiser. People spend hundreds of dollars getting tattoos and very little time and effort looking after their precious ink afterwards.

2. What are your top tips for caring for tattoos?

a. Apply SK!N Tattoo cream to fresh ink three times daily until any redness and scabs
subside then once daily until finished. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional
b. SK!N Tattoo cream is recommended daily to nourish and moisturise your tattoo
c. Apply sunscreen to your tattoo with a minimum of 30+ SPF when going outdoors

3. How does naturopathy help when creating a skin care product?

My study of health science, herbal medicine and nutrition helped me formulate a product with the right ingredients to soothe the skin after tattooing. SK!N is the only aftercare product on the market that contains arnica and licorice root, two herbs traditionally used for bruising and skin conditions.

4. What is the formulation of the product?

Caprylic Acid Triglyceride from sustainably sourced Palm Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Olive Oil, Natural Vitamin E, Arnica and Licorice Root.

5. Why is it important to look after your skin?

The skin is the largest organ in the body that contains living and breathing tissue that renews itself every 27 days.

6. What is the most critical time frame for a tattoo?

Within 48 hours of getting a tattoo.

If you want to check out more, be sure to look at their website here and follow them on instagram here.

Do you ever get to 3pm and realise you've forgotten to eat the whole day? You’ve been so busy working and keeping on top of things you’ve forgotten to eat!

Perhaps you’re tired of always being tired?

Or maybe you’re fed up with another fad diet that just never seems to work and leaves you tired and starving?

Welcome to The Good Sort.

The Good Sort Go-to-Meals offer a delicious and natural range of food options and snacks for busy people on the go. They’re clean, natural and full of the good stuff. Just think of them as your go-to fulfilling fast food that provides the ultimate nourishing meal for when you’re on the move and don't want to be taking hundreds of supplements that just burn a hole in your pocket.

While this wonderful go to meal provides so much and more, one thing it’s not is another boring weight-loss drink with questionable ingredients. The Good Sort is for those of you who want to feel your best, improve your energy and be fuelled with natural, good-for-your gut ingredients. If that sounds like you, The Good Sort is the perfect choice. It’s nothing but the good stuff to nourish you from the inside out.

The Good Sort meal and snack replacements are convenient and easy to use. What’s so fantastic about them is that they come in single-serve packs for lasting freshness and ease of use. The Good Sort includes scientifically proven, organic vitamins and minerals alongside quality ingredients that target specific short-term and long-term health benefits for women.

The Good Sort uses Ganeden BC³⁰, a probiotic that has a stable, exceptional shelf life and better digestive transit than others. It helps support your digestive system and improve your immunity. The nutrients are quickly absorbed so you can feel instantly energised and satisfied.

The Good Sort products aren't just tasty and nutritious, they’re also individualised to your own personal needs. You’ll see a big improvement in different areas of your life such as digestion, energy and even an improvement in your hair, skin and nails.

This wonderful 100% natural go-to-meal comes in eight different delicious flavours to fit your mood with both dairy and plant-based options for those who are dairy free.

The dairy protein is great for any time of the day, especially when you need a boost. All of the sachets are perforated, meaning you can easily choose between having a shake as a full meal or a quick snack while still enjoying the same benefits. Dairy Protein Shake Flavours include Banana, Chocolate, Vanilla, Coffee and Strawberry. You might like to also mix and match flavours; banana and chocolate make a really tasty combination.

The plant-based protein contains a complete protein blend to help sustain your energy and keep you nourished and happy. It's great for supercharging your morning routine - just simply blend with 250 ml of your choice of milk, cold water or coconut water and you're sorted! Plant Protein Shake Flavours include Naked, Cocoa and Wildberry. I always use the Naked version when travelling as I find it so convenient to use when I can't find healthy options.

These wonderful nutritional meal replacements are truly one-of-a-kind. It's time to say goodbye to the 'hangry's' for good with The Good Sort and hello to natural nutrition made simple.

Read more about The Good Sort.

Follow The Good Sort on Instagram here: @thegoodsortofficial

Check them out on Facebook on this link here.

Vetivert & Co is a natural skincare brand based in the U.K. that uses the potent healing power of plants to provide visible skin transformation. The beautiful fragrances stimulate the senses by combining food-grade oils, rare plant extracts and the finest essential oils to create products that deeply nourish the skin.

Vetivert & Co hand-make their products out of cold-pressed, natural and organic plants to provide skin with maximum nutrition. They’re a brand committed to creating lovingly crafted botanically-powered skincare products that beautify the skin and relax the mind. 

They have a mix of organic face oils, rosehip oil, and hand and body washes for your ultimate DIY spa day!

Their face oils use a base of Organic Rosehip Oil, which is a powerful, regenerative oil packed full of naturally-occurring antioxidants and vitamins for all skin types. In fact, I use Rosehip Oil every single day. Their Organic Rosehip Oil is extremely rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C known to regenerate and resurface skin and boost collagen production. They extract it from the fruit and seed of the Rosehip for maximum potency. It has a delicate scent but is absolutely bouncing with nutritional properties.  Rosehip oil has been shown to helps in cases of hyper-pigmentation, fine lines, skin dryness and oil production imbalances.

Their Balance Face Oil is a combination of mattifying oils for oily and acne-prone skin. It combines beautiful Rosehip and Grapseed oil with Tamanu oil, a South American fruit oil known to aid in the healing of acne scars and marks. Balance also contains Olive Squalane which is known to boost moisture levels in skin, as well as, lavender, tea tree and rosemary oils which all contain antibacterial properties to prevent further breakouts. The citrus smells hit you instantly and you seriously have to fight yourself from eating it… okay, maybe that’s just me.

Their luxurious hand and body washes are enriched with avocado and Jojoba oils and an exquisite blend of essential oils, safflower, Rosehip and dead sea salt minerals for the ultimate skin transformation. 

If you want to find out more about the amazing Vetivert & Co check out their website here.

Are you ready to make healthy easy again?

Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place!

Luke Hines is a passionate cook and health foodie. Dubbed Australia’s ‘Clean Living Expert’, Luke creates real fuss-free recipes that look and taste amazing. All of Luke’s recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free.

Luke’s latest book, Healthy Made Easy, shows you how healthy food can be incredibly simple to make and taste damn delicious too. Every recipe is filled with sustainable protein, fresh fruit and vegetables that’ll help you thrive and flourish, rather than feel restricted, hungry and bored. Say goodbye to those celery sticks and say hello to over 140 fast and delicious recipes.

The 'Gaytime' Cake

Healthy Made Easy focuses on finding tantalizingly tasty, healthy substitutions for your favourite old-school meals and snacks that’ll help boost your energy and make you feel happier and healthier more than ever before. PSA: this is also how being around Luke makes you feel!

If you’re ready to transform your life, regardless of how busy you are or your kitchen experience (I know, we can’t all cook for a living!), Healthy Made Easy is the book for you. t’s a great gift to your favourite chef in your life! You can find other presents for your favourite chef friends here. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about Luke and his delicious new book, read our interview below! Oh, and don’t forget his Coconut and Blueberry Loaf recipe - it's a real winner.

• Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started?

Having grown up struggling with my weight all throughout my teens, but not being overly sporty, I completed my high school years knowing I had to do something about my health, but what? I fell in love with the gym, but more so, I actually LOVED being in the kitchen! Fast-track 10 years of my life and I become a Personal Trainer with a specific focus on eating clean. Then a little show called My Kitchen Rules changed my life in 2013 and made food my full-time gig. Now, I spend my years writing recipes, sharing my books with the world, and hopefully inspiring others to know that healthy cooking is super easy, fun and really delicious!

• I love your Facebook Live Cooking Videos; they’re always hilarious and everything you make is drool-worthy! What made you start them?

They sort of just accidentally happened! I first started filming videos and them editing them, and this proved time-consuming and I often felt a little unnatural when doing certain parts of the recipe over and over for the perfect shot. I decided I was better live as I was less nervous (go figure) and it actually showcases what cooking is like for everyone else at home. No staged, not faked and anything can happen! I realised people really resonated with the fact that not everything always works out, and thats ok! Its about having fun and simply using real food ingredients!

Surf-Chilled Coconut Ocean Trout

• Do you subscribe to a food or wellness philosophy?

I did spend a period of time where I was fairly strict Paleo, I think energetically at that time I needed the structure that it came with to get my health on track, but asking me now I am more a flexitarian, making sure that life always comes first. What I mean by that is that I try to eat clean, which to me is the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and limit anything that could cause harm or inflammation, but never let the way I eat dictate my adventures in life as experiences should always come first. That means when I am in Italy, it's all about pizza and pasta, mindfully, in moderation! I don’t think we should ever restrict, just do the best you can when possible and in routine, and relax and don’t be hard on yourself if things don’t always go to plan!

• What are your top 3 cooking staples? 

Eggs! Perfect for cakes, oh and breakfast! They are a true superfood in so many ways, and the real versatile hero for the kitchen!

Cauliflower! From rice to a pizza base, these babies are the bomb! What's not to love also about a simple slow roasted cauliflower in coconut oil or ghee! YUM!

Raw Cacao! Perhaps its the magnesium, or maybe she’s born with it, but I am obsessed with raw cacao! Added to my morning coffee, in a healthy raw chocolate slab, or in a delightedly chilli mole mince! Healthy and delicious, what more can you ask for?

• If you could cook a meal for one person(apart from me ha!), who would it be and what would you make?

I’d actually love to cook for Stephen Spielberg! I am a massive movie addict, and I just LOVE his films, especially Jurassic Park, it still holds up today as one of the most magical pieces of cinematic work and it's almost 30 years old!  I'd ask for all the behind the scenes ‘how was that made’ type stuff! Plus, he might cast me in his next movie about a humble chef from Australia being kidnapped by pirates at sea.  

• What are your top tips for people who are trying to live a healthier life?

First and foremost you have to be kind to yourself! Any physical and emotional transformation for the better, requires us to love our selves and be comfortable in the now, so we can let go of stress and allow ourselves to move into our next phase of health. Then, I would say, small, easy, incremental steps each day that add up to long term sustainable change. Progress over a long period of time is better than rushing and burning out.

•  Tell us about Healthy Made Easy?

Healthy Made Easy was born from all the amazing feedback from the book that came before, Eat Clean. Anytime I asked anyone what their favourite thing about Eat Clean was, the answer was the same, EASY but still delicious recipes. I spoke to my publisher and I said, how about we give them more recipes, that are quicker, easier and easier than ever before, in the hope that we could eliminate the stress and time that some people think comes with cooking your own nutritious food. As health authors, we often hear people say that eating well can be costly, confusing and take too long, it's time to turn this myth on its head!

 - What’s your favourite recipe from Healthy Made Easy?

Oh, this is like having to pick a favourite child! Ok, so, I will give you my favourite sweet and my favourite savoury! My favourite savoury is the Bangkok Beef Cheeks due to their delightful curry sauce and use of one of my favourite cuts of meat! And as for dessert, I can’t go past the Easy As Lemon Slice! It is so simple and delicious!

Wow thanks Luke and thank you for the wonderful recipe you are sharing with us today 🙂

Coconut and Blueberry Loaf - Makes 1 loaf 

I love this loaf as a slightly sweeter more decadent start to my day. Inspired by the traditional banana bread, the coconut and blueberries are a wonderful flavour combination. Enjoyed fresh out of the oven or toasted in a pan with some coconut oil until crispy, this is epic when lathered with the coconut frosting and drizzled with honey.

Ingredients: 

• 200g desiccated or shredded coconut, plus a few extra to garnish the top
• 6 free range eggs
• 1 large very ripe banana, mashed
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fresh vanilla bean
• 1 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, plus a few extra to garnish the top
• Vanilla coconut cream, to top
• 1 tablespoon honey, to drizzle

Directions:

• Get started by preheating your oven to 180 degrees and lining a 450gram loaf or bread tin with baking paper. In a good-quality powerful food processor, blitz the desiccated coconut until it forms a crumbly flour-like consistency. Be mindful not to over-process it, as it will turn into coconut butter.
• Either by hand or using a hand held mixer, beat the eggs, maple syrup and vanilla bean for a few minutes until well combined. Now add in the mashed banana and stir to combine.
• Fold the coconut flour mixture you’ve made into the wet mixture, then gently fold through the frozen blueberries. Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and top the batter with extra blueberries and shredded coconut.
• Bake at 180C for 45 mins. Remove from the oven, turn onto a wire rack if you’ve got one and allow it to cool if you are patient.
• Enjoy it immediately with a generous lather of vanilla coconut frosting and drizzled with honey or your favourite topping. Store in an air-tight container in the pantry or fridge.

Health Tip: This delicious breakfast bread is also great with a slathering of butter or coconut oil. 

Note: Last up to 7 days in fridge.

Ready for a riddle?

What’s got all three Omega fatty acids, comes in three different forms, often feels misunderstood and is sure to put a smile on your dial?

Hemp seeds, of course.

Hemp food holds a wonderful source of nutrients that can be used as a healthy snack, added to salads, smoothies, granolas and more.

Thompson’s have just released their line of Hemp Products and I’m so excited to share them with you.

The line includes hemp seeds, hemp wholefood powder (chocolate & unflavoured) and hemp seed oil (for all your salad dressing dreams).

Hemp seeds are a plant-based protein that contains amino acids, including the essential amino acids that our bodies are unable to produce naturally. That’s pretty good when it comes to plant-based protein! Hemp seeds are also rich in essential fatty acids. It’s also high in dietary fibre which means it’s great for supporting the digestive system, keeping it regular. 

For all my sniffle buddies out there, Thompson's Hemp Products are low allergy and suitable for vegans, meat-eater’s, Keto and Paleo enthusiasts, dairy-free and glutards alike.

Let’s start with the seeds. Thompson’s Hemp Seeds are the most nutritious part of the hemp plant. They naturally contain a whole load of essential fatty acids, protein and fibre, and can boost energy. You can sprinkle them on top of soups, salads, smoothies, curries and all your favourite dishes. The seeds are available in a 225g (RRP $15.45) and 450g (RRP $27.25) pack and serving size is 15g per day (1 heaped tablespoon). 


Throw out your tummy-troubling whey and soy protein powders and say hello to hemp-y goodness.  Thompson’s Hemp Wholefood Powder is rich in both plant-based protein and dietary fibre. It comes in two flavours – chocolate and natural so, you can pick whichever one suits your taste buds. If you’re anything like me though, you’ll choose chocolate. Chocolate always wins. Always. I love adding Thompson's Hemp Wholefood Powder  to my smoothies, breakfast bowls and baking (or raw-ing… you know, raw dessert making). The powder is available in a 450g standing pouch in chocolate (RRP $32.95) and unflavoured (RRP $29.95). Serving size is 30g a day. 


If you’re looking for a new salad dressing, you may want to add some Thompson’s Hemp Seed Oil drizzle to your life. It’s extremely rich in essential fatty acids (79% Omega 3 & 6) and has a delicious nutty flavour so it works well with everything. Thompson's Hemp Seed Oil can be drizzled onto your favourite salads, stir-fries, used to coat veggies after oven roasting and can even be added to your own home-made dips!  It comes in a 200mL bottle (RRP $18.15) and serving size is 10mL per day. 


Thompson’s Hemp Products are now available at pharmacies and health food stores! I’ve been waiting for the day that this nutrient-dense food would be available to the public and now it’s finally here. Oh, no, I’m not crying… something just flew into my eye. I promise.

If you're looking for more ways to add hemp to your life, be sure to check out their Instagram and Facebook pages too!