A season of hope

So I meet a lady today - a new lady - I had a new experience, I went to "counseling".  Now this is something that I think that every American does - goes to see a 'shrink'...I didn't feel like she was a shrink, rather more just a really nice lady to talk to.  Its something that I have always thought would be a good thing to do - as often, ones friends get sick of hearing about the same thing!  So off I went...feeling slightly nervous.
It turned out to be quite fine actually - I didn't cry - happy about that. I felt like I was droning on and thought my voice sounded quite mono-tone...I don't normally talk that much, I prefer to listen.
But she left me with some wonderful words..."This is a season of hope and an extremely exciting time of your life".  I needed to hear that - I needed reassurance that life wasn't that hard and that there are blessings in so many things, even if we can't see them.
So, re booked for next week.  Will see what comes out then!

My question to you, is, what is your picture or image of hope?
These are mine...

Chlorine - are you good for me?

As part of our fitness, eat right plight, I have joined the local swimming pool.  I was once a very strong swimmer, synchronized swimmer and water polo player - now, I am slightly rounded and unable to sink.
So off to pools I went - I have missed it over the years, and have always enjoyed the feeling of my body in the water.  I have been surprised at how many lengths I do and I must say, I do pop out the odd synchro move just for fun (I am a judge for the Bay and I help coach, so I need to remember just how hard it is!!).
But - my skin is suffering.  I get out of the pool and feel very tight all over.  I think my nose is even peeling - it concerns me how much chlorine they stick in the pools.  
So - is there anything good in chlorine???  
Chlorine is typical of a number of nutrients, harmful in some forms and doses but essential for life in others.  We get our dietary needs from common salt, so providing our salt intake is correct, then our chlorine intake should be adequate.
The role of chlorine in our body is:
Assists in the digestion of food
Helps maintain health of our lymph system
Helps maintain correct acidity of our blood
Helps maintain correct action of the liver

The role for my skin..?  NOTHING! Its' fine internally but not externally.  No matter how much I soak my skin or cover it in lotion - the smell is still there lingering...drying me out.  I refuse to use soap or anything with SLS in it, so it's left resting on my skin all day.  But, the swimming - at this stage - is worth it (swimmers bodies are quite lovely) and i will continue to soak my face and lather my body in O'la Tropical Organics on my way to a fitter, tighter me!

Oats...Horse food!?

 

Oats - common horse food or 'fodder' but it is one of my favorite foods and something that I eat everyday without fail.  There is something about hot porridge in the Winter and bircher in the Summer.  

Now, horse food or not, oats are FULL of goodness and nutrients!  Something our Grandmothers may not have told us, but we were made to eat them anyway.

Oats are rich in Thiamine (B1), Iron and dietary fiber. Fiber is useful in dropping cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.  Whole oats are also the only source of an anti-oxidant compounds called avenathramides which help to protect the circulatory system.  They also help to control blood sugar levels and may even help to stimulate the immune system to fight off bacterial infections.

So - old fashioned, or not - this little beauty of a food source is one for everyone of every age, shape and size!  

We recommend soaking your oats anything from 10 mins to overnight - this helps to release the goodness out of the oats, and makes it easier for the stomach to break down.  Don't add sugar folks - if anything at all, add honey.  

I often have mine with a couple pieces of seasonal fruit and of course a 1TBS of Bestow Beauty oil (www.bestowbeauty.co.nz) - YUMMY!  It fills me, gives me energy and keeps me going throughout the morning.

Going back to toast or muesli now for breakfast, is something that I cannot see happening!!

Eat oats and enjoy!

Just a thought or two

Having being away for a week, in the wonderful capital of New Zealand - Wellington - I have come home missing my family who live there but also feeling like I ate my way thru most of the city...and, admittedly, had a 'few' wines as well.  
Lets face it - now I am back at square one in the attempt of a better me.
But back into it today - brown rice and tuna for lunch, and my carrot for afternoon tea.  Boring you might say?  Maybe, but I love eating food like this.  There is something wonderful about raw, unprocessed food that i enjoy.  I know that's so good for me and my body loves the nutrients that comes with 'raw'.  For those of you who are interested - I challenge you to watch a documentary, called FOOD MATTERS.  It is fantastic and has changed the way I think about food and life.  They also have a wonderful website (www.foodmatters.tv)which I highly recommend you take a look around - we have learnt so much from their posts and updates.


So - onwards and upwards.  We can't get down and sad about our food mistakes and days where we haven't exercised.  We must pick up our feet and push on thru the hard days!  We will succeed!

Tomorrow I walk

I will walk hard

I will walk up

And I will enjoy it!

Sore Muscles...?

My husband and I have started a fitness/weight loss 'thing' and we have been exercising HARD for the past 2 weeks.  Sweating it out, walking up the mount, jogging around it and pumping weights.  Today - i am sore.  Sore even in places that I haven't actually exercised - my legs hurt, my feet hurt, my back is aching - its all on!  Then we go to weigh ourselves this morning, and we have both put on 300gm!!!  What's that about??? And then our senior beauty therapist let me in on a little secret....
You get better results in weight loss and building muscle if you 'go hard' every second day - not every day.  Muscles get sore because of the tearing and rebuilding they go thru to get stronger and the increase in weight is due to the build up of lactic acid in the muscles.  This releases itself over several days and then eventually, the weight loss will show on the scales. Remembering that muscle weighs more than fat.
So maybe next week we will be slim and fabulous and hopefully not sore?  Will we be fabulous before summer really sets in?  Maybe, hopefully - but i know that having a spray tan this evening will make me feel AT least 5 kilos lighter!!  (Did i mention that Refresh does the best Spray tans ever?!).  

O'la Tropical Organics

Ah - the Islands of Hawai'i...my favourite.  Having spent 6 months living on the big Island of Hawaii - i have never forgotten its smell, its beauty, its amazing way of making you feel beautiful.  I have never been to Paris, but I have to say, I believe that Hawai'i is one of the most romantic places in the world.

Having this love for the islands, I wanted to bring some of the passion and fragrance here to Refresh Beauty Therapy - so, we found O'la Tropical Organics - made on the big island from all natural ingredients.  Here is why we like them:

* They use only ingredients that can be found in Hawai'i. 

* They make our own hydrosols ("soul" of the plant) infusing locally grown and wild crafted botanicals in an ancient copper distilling processes. 

* They buy from and support our local farmers using all natural and organic ingredients whenever possible. 

* They value the ancient wisdom passed down by our elders and we handcraft everything with reverence and respect. All the botanicals, fruit, sea elements and oils they use for a reason and because they have a connection that is valued by the Hawaiian elders. Hawai'i gives the products a resonance and a vibration that are palpable and makes our body products feel alive and fresh. 

Sounds interesting?

We stock Vanilla Ginger, Passionfruit Citrus and Coconut Lemongrass.  For summer, we will be stock Paradise Plumeria and Mango Grove - FUN!!  Come in and see us and experience the fragrance of the islands.

Mount Maunganui

Main Mount Beach

Ah - the beautiful Mount!  What a wonderful place to live.  As I am originally from Wellington, but had spent some time in the islands of Hawaii - this was the closest I could get to that wonderful beach lifestyle.  With our warmer weather - sunnier days and white sand beaches, why wouldn't you live here?  

Over the past 12 years, I have watched the city grow up and out.  More people, bigger roads and lots of wonderful shops, cafes and restuarants.  I do believe that we have a lot more growing to do but I hope that we won't lose the realness of what we were - a little beach side town that boasts of beautiful summers and wonderful holidays.

If you haven't yet visited Mount Maunganui in the sunny Bay of Plenty - then where are you! You have to come and walk around the mount, have a coffee at the wonderful Deck Chair cafe or even a real Italian Gelato from Monte Gelato and of course - a facial at Refresh Beauty Therapy!