Category: HEALTH & FITNESS

A nourishing, overnight hand mask that works its magic while you sleep

Herbs and Heart

With all the handwashing and sanitising we’re doing these days, it’s no wonder your poor old hands are feeling somewhat dry, sore and damaged. While alcohol-based sanitisers are great for eliminating germs, it’s also stripping natural oils from your skin, so you need to make sure you restore all that moisture to prevent developing dermatitis or other pesky skin irritations.  Natural skincare brand, Herbs + Heart have just launched the ultimate hand care product to combat dry skin! Their After-Sanitiser Overnight Hand Mask (RRP $24) is an effective treatment for over-cleansed and under-nourished hands. It’s ten times richer than hand lotion and designed to use at night and work its magic while you sleep.   Simply apply the mask to your hands just before you go to bed, ensuring your skin is hydrated and ready to face further handwashing and sanitisation the following day.  For the ultimate deep hydration treatment, pop on Herbs + Heart’s Cotton Overnight Gloves (RRP $5) after massaging your hands with the creamy mask and allow your hands to repair whilst you snooze.  The After-Sanitiser Overnight Hand Mask is manufactured in Australia with locally sourced ingredients and is naturally formulated with mango butter and hemp seed oil. It also contains a powerful combination of vitamins A, C and E, as well as omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9.  Take a look at the full range of products from Herbs + Heart here. 

Good self-care starts with locally made, ethical and sustainable brand ‘Peggy Sue’

Peggy Sue Lip Care

There’s so much to love about organic skincare brand Peggy Sue. Sustainable, ethical, natural, Australian made and owned – it ticks all the boxes for those seeking a more eco-friendly, plant-based alternative without the inflated price tag.  The gorgeous Peggy Sue range is paraben-free, petroleum-free, sulphate-free, palm oil-free, silicone-free and has no artificial colours or fragrances. No nasties, just the really good stuff! Based on the NSW South Coast, Peggy Sue founders Alysha and Shanah created their beautiful brand to help us ‘slow things down with meaningful moments of self-care’, while caring for the earth together. And when coping with adversity like many of us have over the last six months during the health crisis, it’s more important than ever that we continue to care for those around us and more importantly, ourselves.  Self-care matters, so what better way to take care of yourself than by adopting a daily ‘me time’ regime, using quality products that enhance your mental and physical well-being and knowing that you’re doing it responsibly. Go you!  Pucker up, Sugar Lips! 95% of Peggy Sue’s range can be refilled, which reduces their carbon footprint and breaks the consume-and-discard cycle. Take for example the organic Lip Conditioner (RRP $14) that is housed in a gorgeous bamboo twist tube. Once you’re down to your last few applications, jump online and simply re-order a refill for $12.  The key ingredients in the Lip Conditioner are organic beeswax, organic shea butter, fractionated coconut oil, organic olive oil, natural vitamin E and vanilla oil.  If you… Read More

Not all hand sanitisers are created equal, which is why you need La Clinica sani in your life

La Clinica sanitiser

An effective hand sanitiser (one formulated to the Centre of Disease Control guidelines for the response of COVID-19) is going to be your best friend for the foreseeable future, so you’ll want to choose one that’s gentle on your skin and doesn’t smell like a hospital.  With so many variations of sani out there, it’s worth noting the gold standard is a sanitiser with at least 60 – 80 percent alcohol, as this is the percentage level required to kill the virus. Sanitisers with less than 60 percent alcohol are not as effective at killing germs outright. Enter La Clinica, a 100% Australian owned and operated skin care manufacturer located in Melbourne, who have created an all-purpose hand sanitiser made with lemon oil, echinacea extract, panthenol and alcohol (70%v/v). Made in Australia, it has antibacterial protection to kill 99.9% germs quickly and 96.5% of the ingredients are Australian. We love that it’s locally made.  The sani comes in a gel and spray version. For the handbag or backpack, you’ll want to throw in the cute 100ml ‘All-purpose hand sanitiser spray’ (RRP $9.99) for when you’re out and about. And the elegantly packaged 500ml ‘All-purpose hand sanitiser gel’ (RRP $19.99) won’t look out of place, strategically positioned at the entrance of your home or office. 

Forget Friday, I’ve got Monday Distillery on my mind…

Monday Distillery

With Monday Distillery launching their sophisticated, non-alcoholic beverage range in time for Dry July, there’s no need to feel guilty any longer about enjoying a refreshing G&T on a school night. Gone are the days when you have to wait for Friday (virtual) drinks to quench your thirst with your favourite G&T bursting with refreshing botanicals.  With many discovering healthy alternatives during iso and turning to non-alcohol alternatives, Monday Distillery’s offerings have come at a very good time. With fun choices such as the G&T Classic mix with rosemary, seasalt and other botanicals and the G&T Exotic Spice mix with selected spice and botanicals, what’s not to love!  There are no artificial additives or flavours in the G&T range, and it’s also sugar and gluten-free. Refreshingly carbonated, Monday Distillery is naturally sweetened with stevia and has subtle hints of natural bitters such as quinine and cinchona bark.  Beautifully presented, the four-pack gift box also makes a great gift idea for your health conscious friends and family members. When organising a gathering at yours, it’s also a nice offering for the designated drivers who are yearning for a chilled, G&T in an old fashioned crystal glass with a sprig of rosemary. How very civilised!  If you’re more of a whiskey or vodka type looking for an alcohol-free alternative, the good news, it’s in the pipeline, with ‘whiskey without the wobbles’ and ‘vodka without the vengeance’ coming soon. Watch this space! A full list of Monday Distillery stockists can be found here.  Cheers!

Crank up your day in iso with a cold press coffee infused with superfoods

Cold press coffee

Yes, the world is strange place right now and we’re all looking at ways to stay healthy and mentally focussed during this health emergency. And who would’ve thought cold press coffee in a can is one way of achieving this? You can get your morning coffee hit while taking in some next level superfoods. So, what’s so special about BeforeYouSpeak Cold Press High Performance Coffee? It’s 100% natural, vegan friendly, paleo friendly, keto friendly, dairy free, gluten free and there are no artificial sweeteners.  This ready-to-drink, single original Columbian coffee is infused with all the good stuff, like MCT oil, turmeric, Siberian ginseng, green coffee bean and black pepper extract The good people at BeforeYouSpeak brew their ready-to-drink coffee using a cold press technology, which is different to cold brew. When compared to other brewing methods, cold press coffee yields a greater number of compounds in the liquid concentrate, meaning there is an explosion of flavour whilst having unparalleled smoothness.  So, while we’re all in iso and thinking of ways to cheer ourselves up, why not treat yourself to coffee that can be delivered to your home! Hop online and order a batch of cold press coffee – you know the best part is when the delivery guy knocks on the door with your goodies in hand! 

Hustle Boxing Sydney – the fitness studio for the everyday hustler

Hustle boxing

Hustle Boxing is new to Sydney, encouraging quality routines for the slightly nervous, right in the middle of Sydney’s LA-style exercise hub in Potts Point. The product of Simon Maree and Tim McGann, it’s all about technical boxing meets full-body conditioning where you’ll “build a boxer’s body with a champion’s mindset”, as they say. With six different class styles inspired by the likes of Jagger, Beyonce, Michael Jordan and Adriana Lima, it’s the kind of place you to go see, be seen, break a sweat and try your hand at something with some gloves in an environment purposed to inspire confidence and encourage getting involved! The near-dark room feels like you’ve travelled to an underground club in New York and is split in two for your 50-60 minute sweat session. First up, floor work using Y-bells, resistance bands and bodyweight exercises to tone and strengthen then boxing using state-of-the-art aqua bags for cardio and endurance.  When the music starts it’s just you and the bag with lots of personal space you push yourself to new limits with the support of your trainers. Hustle aims to ‘help you challenge your muscles and mind – and win’. The schmick facilities include an open plan Scandi feel reception, Dyson hairdryers in the bathroom and they supply everything even a glove dryer so there’s no need for sweaty gloves and old ratty wraps.  Hustle Boxing is located at 176 Victoria Street Potts Point, pricing starts from $35 for a casual class and $70 per week. 

Top tips to boost energy according to pharmacist and herbalist Gerald Quigley

Running

In the nutrition world, there has been a growing discussion and movement towards ‘plant forward’ or ‘plant-based’ diets—including the many environmental and health benefits involved in ramping up your veggie intake. With only 4% of Australians who eat their recommended amount of vegetables each day[i] (5-6 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit [ii]), it’s no wonder such conversations are taking place. This National Nutrition Week 2019—Nutrition Australia has made it their mission to encourage healthy eating by educating consumers on how to try for five servings of vegetables each day. This includes learning about food waste management and breaking stereotypical vegetable consumption habits[iii]. Here to explain how we can all get more out of our vegies is Gerald Quigley—who is a Leading Pharmacist and Community Herbalist. Gerald is well known for his unique view of health from a holistic perspective, and is passionate about promoting healthy eating that starts at home and can extend to additional energy boosting ingredients through supplementation.   1 Embrace ‘ugly’ vegetables It is estimated that 20 to 30 percent of fresh fruit and vegetables in Australia are deemed as ‘waste’ before it even leaves the farm due to imperfections[iv].  If you’d like to save money – and the planet – investigate some of many options now available to purchase ‘ugly’ or ‘discarded’ fruit and veg. Grocery stores, online food delivery companies, and even people growing their own vegetables are embracing ugly vegetables, since they are equally as nutritious, more economical and better for the environment[v]. 2. When vegies start to… Read More

The Fitbit Versa 2: A new watch, only this time, with Alexa

Fitbit Versa 2

What’s the time? What was my sleep score last night? What’s the weather doing today, Alexa? No, we’re not talking to a smart home hub. We’re actually playing with the new offering from FitBit, the Versa 2 Health and Fitness Watch.  Loaded with features such as Amazon Alexa, 24/7 heart rate tracking, a sophisticated sleep tracker, on-screen workouts and smartphone notifications, Versa 2 is an affordable smartwatch with looks to boot. It’s elegantly curved with a new AMOLED screen and an anodised aluminium finish. Unlike its predecessor, Versa 2 has an always-on display. Just remember though, if you select this option, you will chew through your battery life a lot quicker.  Speaking of battery life, one of the most impressive specs about Versa 2 is the 5+ day battery life (which varies with use, as we mentioned earlier with the always-on display). This is a significant point of difference when comparing battery life with the Series 5 Apple Watch which only offers 18 hours before requiring a recharge. The Versa 2 extended battery life allows you to wear the smartwatch while you sleep, if you’re interested in monitoring your sleep pattern. Each night, Versa 2 will track your light, deep and REM sleep and after it learns your sleep patterns, it will provide you with a personalised sleep score.  With the newly integrated microphone and Alexa function, you can ask Alexa a question, but unlike a home hub, she won’t talk back to you (which probably isn’t a bad thing, right)? She only responds via… Read More

MPower your workouts with this bespoke Bondi Pilates studio

Pilates 1

Pilates not only strengthens your core but it is one of the best all-body workouts). The pilates industry in Australia is extremely competitive, so just how does one stand out? The team at MPower have it figured out, they have taken “small group classes” to the next level, allowing just six participants per class. With 11 class styles, there’s something for everyone, so take your pick from three main genres.  1/ Spring Using next-gen technology spring is a new style of pilates. Using a springboard and horse the class keeps you moving and easily tailors specific muscle groups.  2/ Reformer Sydneysiders favourite workout style right now, reformer will get your blood pulsing and your muscles pumping. If you want to dive in headfirst try Dynamic Reformer to test out one of their spring sessions.  3/ Mat Don’t be fooled even with minimal equipment mat pilates will have you feeling the burn in minutes.  With a plethora of experience between them, MPower co-founders Michelle Koton and Peter Green wanted to create a space for “like-minded people of all ages and stages can feel comfortable, welcome, stimulated, motivated, empowered and better.” If you are returning from an injury or just looking for some even more personalised assistance MPower offer one-on-one classes.

Significant health rules every couple must know

Couple

There’s nothing better than finding that person who makes you swoon. Without saying a word, they make you feel like the most beautiful person in the world. However, as time goes by and you settle into being a couple, it’s not uncommon for one or both of you to let your physical appearance slip a bit. While gaining a pound or two is nothing to worry about, choosing your couch over the gym more often than not is another story. Whether you’re already married or in a domestic partnership, you owe it to the both of you to stay healthy and fit. Below are ways to you and your better half can boost your health factor together: Hit the Gym When you’re single, you went to the gym daily and made sure you walked over 10,000 a day. But when you meet your main squeeze, the only thing you want to do is cuddle on the couch and watch Netflix. Over time, not only do the pounds creep up, but you’re also developing an unhealthy lifestyle. Make a point to get active at least four to five times a week. As a couple, you can go biking, running or even take a Zumba class. Mediate Together There’s no other way to say but to just say it: Stress kills. If you or your love are under constant stress, it can negatively impact your relationship. The best way to keep your relationship moving in the right direction is by finding ways to decompress. 61% of the… Read More