BAKED CAPSICUMS

For the longest time I have had the silliest fear of carbs. When I was 19 and had just started running, thinking carefully about what I put into my body and just how important it was to eat to nourish and to fuel, I also lost roughly 12 kilos in the space of less than a year. I was energised and empowered, but also somewhat anxious and addicted to the feeling of being the girl who’d transformed her appearance and whose collarbones now protruded with the confidence of a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go out and get it.

I associated carbs with weight gain. I associated them with bloating and pain, particularly because I’d had such a strange up and down relationship with gluten. Whole grains sometimes seemed ok, but i’d find myself so hungry after restricting all kinds of food groups that I’d semi-frequently find myself eating granola straight from the jar at midnight to the point of feeling sick.

In the four to five years that have passed I have done a lot of work (psychologists not withstanding) to build a more balanced approach to food and a healthy mindset around eating. What I realised was that I was letting anxiety around food consume me - it was occupying my thoughts, shaping my plans around how I could spend my day / who I could be with. The fear begins to define you. What I learnt was, in the long term, it is absolutely not worth it.

I still don’t often cook rice. On this journey to navigate my chronic fatigue / autoimmune reactions I’ve found that avoiding grains for the most part keeps me from feeling foggy headed / bloated / sluggish. I’ll have corn or rice or gluten free bread or pasta maybe once a fortnight. That is absolutely not to say that dropping grains from the diet will help everyone with autoimmune struggles. The critical thing is learning to listen to your body and work alongside health practitioners to work out what will help your body shift from stress and inflammation to health and homeostasis (balance).

These baked capsicums have become a quick and easy staple for me. I’ve learned that life is to short not to enjoy NOURISHING, WHOLESOME food you love. When there’s leftover rice sitting in the fridge after I’ve had guests round (#lovefoodhatewaste), this is what I whip up. Sometimes I’ll cook or soak the rice in homemade bone broth and stir through some mushroom powders for extra nutrient value, but even without this is a meal FULL of goodness and nourishment galore.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large capsicums

3 cups cooked brown / white rice

1/2 cup cream cheese (I’m a fan of vegan / lactose free cream cheese)

Sprinkle of golden / brown flaxseeds

Sprinkle of hemp seeds

Sprinkle Himalayan pink salt

1/4 cup parsley / coriander, chopped finely

200g goats cheese / cashew cheese

Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese, seeds, pink salt, herbs and three quarters of your goats cheese through your rice.

2. Carefully chop the tops off your capsicums (try to keep them fairly straight/flat - you’ll use these as your ‘lid’ for roasting), and scrape out the seeds.

3. Drizzle the inside of your caps with olive oil, and stand them in a greased / lined baking tray.

4. Scoop your rice mixture into the capsicums, pressing down firmly to pack the mixture in. Fill the capsicums until just overflowing.

5. Top with an extra sprinkling of hemp and flax seeds, the rest of your crumbled goats feta and/or cashew cheese.

6. Pop the lid back on your capsicums and roast in the oven at 190 degrees (C) for 30-40 mins (until the capsicum skin appears lightly charred on the outside).

7. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, serve and enjoy!

AN EASY AT-HOME CHICKEN CURRY

So heres the thing - an amazing thing happened when we were forced to stay home…

Many who haven’t braved to use the stovetop in their apartment since moving out of home are now needing to cook meals for themselves for the first time in…. well, ever.

This little recipe makes a SUPER easy dinner, great for winter when you’re after something warming, nourishing to the bod, AND delicious.

INGREDIENTS

TBLSP organic coconut oil

2 onions (use leek as a FODMAP friendly option)

500g organic chicken breast/leg

2 TBLSP ground turmeric

2 TBLSP ground coriander

1 large head of broccoli / bunch of broccolini

Half a head of cauliflower

1 small sweet potato

2 zucchinis

1 bunch kale

1 cup homemade bone broth

2 x 400g tin coconut cream

METHOD

1. Finely dice onions and throw into a large non-stick saucepan or wok, having added the coconut oil to melt at a medium heat. Stir until translucent or a golden brown.

2. Add your spices (turmeric, coriander) and stir them through the onion on the heat to bring out FLAVOUR!

3. Dice chicken into small pieces and add to the pan, stirring until golden brown.

4. Chop your vegetables into small pieces and add to the pan to cook, starting with broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potato (these will take the longest to cook through). Kale can be added bit by bit (even adding half after the coconut milk has been added) as it wilts down and shrinks in size, and zucchini should be added towards the end so that it doesnt overcook and turn soggy.

5. Once your veggies are all in and slightly browned, add the bone broth, and then the two tins of coconut cream.

6. Allow to sit and simmer on a medium heat for 20-30 minutes until golden and rich in colour, stirring regularly.

7. Voila! Serve with fresh coriander and coconut or greek yoghurt on quinoa or rice. Hemp seeds or cashew cheese also make great toppings for a bit of extra crunch!

TAHINI ROAST CAULIFLOWER

This is one of my favourite easy weeknight dinners, introduced to me by a dear friend who at the time had just given up meat (and is still too this day completely vego!). There are lots of different ways you can tweak this recipe - whether its the type of tahini you use (I prefer the runny consistency of hulled tahini for a simple pour and spread approach, but unhulled tahini or black tahini also work for a deeper/nuttier flavour), or mixing it up on herbs and spices or toppings to add texture.

The primary ingredients are cauliflower, tahini, and some array of herbs and spices for flavour. I’ve been using a variety of mushroom powders by Teelixr recently to really amp up the nutrient density of the dish as a whole (if you’re curious, be sure to check out their website and see just what incredible benefits mushroom powders can have on your health! You can even use my discount code if you’re keen to get your hands on some).

Here’s the basic recipe —-

INGREDIENTS

Whole Organic Cauliflower (or half if being served as a side between two people)

1/2 Cup Hulled Tahini

Sprinkle Pink Salt

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lemon Essential Oil

1 TBSP Ground Coriander

2 TBSP Hemp Seeds (or any other seeds - flaxseeds/crushed sunflower seeds also work)

2 TSP Cordyceps Powder (OPTIONAL)

1. Chop the stem from the cauliflower so it sits flat on a baking tray (alternatively, split the cauliflower into two halves and lay on tray flat side down).

2. Drizzle the cauliflower with extra virgin olive oil until completely covered (making sure the tray is well oiled underneath).

3. Drizzle with hulled tahini and spread across the cauliflower using the back of a spoon.

4. Sprinkle the top of the cauliflower with the pink salt, coriander, cordyceps and 5-10 drops of lemon essential oil (or a drizzle of lemon juice).

5. Sprinkle with hemp seeds before placing in the oven to bake at 180 degrees celcius for 40 minutes (until cauliflower is soft and soft when pricked).

6. Allow to cool slightly before serving as a side or base of a meal.

Please do feel free to get creative with this one!

I’d love to see what you come up with - be sure to tag @thechroniccollective and #NOURISH in your pics!

x

LIME ESSENTIAL OIL

LIME is an essential oil cold-pressed from the peel of fresh limes, refreshing and energising in both taste and aroma. Lime powerfully uplifts and helps balance mood, and energises the body. Similarly to lemon, lime is high in limonene, making it stimulating to the senses and cleansing both internally and in the air. Moreover, it can support the body’s immunity from day to day.

The beauty of lime is that it has a multitude of uses, frequently used in body and facial cleansers for its purifying properties and uplifting scent. It also makes an effective disinfectant and antiviral, great for cleansing surfaces and preventing the spread of airborne pathogens that spread colds, flus, and other nasties. In your cleaning, grease spots and sticker residue come away easily with a few drops rubbed using a cotton pad.

Lime essential oil is known for its emotional benefit as ‘the oil of zest for life’. It powerfully cleanses repressed emotions, supporting individuals to be emotionally honest, engaged, revitalised, determined, courageous, and grateful for life. Using lime topically and/or aromatically can help shift feelings of apathy, resignation, discouragement and grief.

Personally, I love using lime in my kitchen, whether as a simple dressing with olive oil in salads, or in curries, baking, or a crowd-pleasing guacamole (RECIPE TO COME!). Lime pairs beautifully with other citruses such as tangerine, bergamot and wild orange, or with cilantro, coriander, black or pink pepper oils for a burst of flavour. Oils work most powerfully when added towards the end of your cooking process, keeping their therapeutic benefit and really enhancing flavour. doTERRA’s ‘Gourmet Cooking’ Wellness Box is a great option if you are looking to add a few oils for cooking to your collection.

If you are already a doTERRA member, lime essential oil is available to you FREE as the product of the month when you place an loyalty rewards (LRP) order of 125 PV or more before the 15th of the month. By setting up an LRP you are making the most of your wholesale account - please do not hesitate to ask your questions!

If you have not yet made the leap, and are venturing into the world of essential oils for the first time, we would love to have you as a part of our oily tribe! A wholesale membership gives you access to all doTERRA products at 25% off the retail price, and access to me for help and support in making the most of your oils once they arrive.

If you have any questions, don’t delay — send me a message! Lime could be yours FREE today!

x

NATURAL, COCONUT OIL BASED SOAP -- RECIPE HERE!

Over the past few months, soap-making workshops have been some of my most popular workshops out of the many I have on offer. The lovely Kathryn at my favourite little local store Mindful & Co got me thinking about running these workshops not so long ago when we had been chatting and realised just what a perfect storm it might be to combine a beautiful get-your-hands-dirty kind of creative workshop with a little bit of low-tox living and essential oils education.

I’ve attached here the basics for this DIY recipe. The beauty of making your own soap is that you can cater it to your specific needs or moods or emotions. I love to use lavender or lavender peace for a soothing/calming bath bar, or spearmint and wild orange for something more uplifting. Quality essential oils have the power to radically transform your mood and shift your emotions.

I use a silicone mould from Centaur Packaging that makes 6 bars (the recipe here will make approximately 12), but you can really use any kind of baking tin or silicone mould you have and line with baking paper for easy removal once the soaps are set. In some workshops we have even used big wooden vessels or old Tupperware lined with baking paper for some fun shapes and sizes.

You should be able to find Lye (sometimes called ‘Caustic Soda’ or ‘Sodium Hydroxide’) at your local Bunnings, or online if need be! Its important to know when dealing with lye that it IS a dangerous substance in its pure form and should be handled with care. Make sure you wear gloves and some sort of eye protection, and that there is proper ventilation in the area you are working in. Lye should be added to water and not the other way round. If any does come in contact with the skin, vinegar can be utilised to neutralise the reaction. When in contact with water, Lye produces an exothermic reaction (creating heat), so it is also important to make sure you are using an appropriate vessel (not glass or plastic)!

You can really be as creative as you like with this soap recipe and play around with it a little. I often use a higher ratio of coconut oil, or add some Shea butter for extra moisturising benefit. Dried flowers (rose petals, lavender, cornflowers and chamomile) tend to be my favourite way to add some aesthetic!

THAI-SPICED ROAST PUMPKIN SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

whole butternut (or kent) pumpkin

2 whole carrots

1 cup homemade bone broth

425g tinned Cannolini beans

4 drops cilantro essential oil

3 drops lemon essential oil

3 drops cumin essential oil

This is such an easy way to pimp up any pumpkin soup and give it a bit of a kick, as well as adding all the nutritional benefit of herbs and spices (perfect for protecting your immune over the colder months!).

The process is as simple as chopping the pumpkin into wedges and baking in the over (skin on) along with the carrots. Bake until soft, where the flesh of the pumpkin will scoop readily from the skin.

Add the pumpkin and carrots to a large saucepan and mash gently with a fork.

Add the bone broth to the pot (see my super simple recipe here), stirring through, and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add cannolini beans, use a stick blender to blend the soup until it is a thick, creamy consistency.

Add your essential oils - I use doTERRA, who ensure quality food grade oils free of chemicals or fillers. Pure essential oils should be added close to the end of the cooking process to ensure they keep their nutritional and therapeutic properties. Adding them at this stage will also give you the best flavour. You might choose other oils too depending on what you feel like! The three mentioned are great for a thai-spiced flavour, or oils like ginger and turmeric for something hearty and warm.

And voila! Top with a little olive oil, coriander, coconut yoghurt or even goats cheese for good measure, and for plenty of good fats to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Hemp seeds are also great!

Cooking with oils doesn’t have to be complicated - its a really easy way to add flavour and oomph to any meal!

doTERRA's ICE BLUE BLEND (and a few other oils for muscle relief).

OH the number of times this sweet blend of oils has saved me. As someone who loves running, high intensity interval training (HIIT), is frequently on a bicycle as primary means of transport, a primary teacher and self confessed stress-head (mostly tension held in my shoulders!), all combined with a chronic illness whose prominent symptom is body aches and pains -- finding a natural solution for relieving sore muscles was one of the best discoveries of my health journey over the last few years.

If you follow my instagram account, you’ll know how much I love training at my beloved F45 Cronulla, and have LOVED the varied style of workouts, the high intensity days mixed with plyo and EXCELLENT weights training. I’m there daily, usually with a day or two off on the weekends.

Thats not to say that sometimes I don’t pay for it - one of the most important things I’ve found in managing my chronic fatigue is learning to integrate movement daily (this also simply for supporting MENTAL and EMOTIONAL health — because taking care of those is severely underrated), in short bursts wherever I can manage, and to listen to my body on what it needs. When you slow down a little, learning to listen becomes not such a strange thing.

Doterra’s Ice blue is what I use for all kinds of muscle aches and joint pains, I bathe in it (go easy on the drops!), lather my body in it post-workout, and use it ALL THE TIME to support the day-to-day pain associated with chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia. Ice blue (known as Deep Blue in the NorthernHemisphere) is doterra’s active/athletic blend, full of Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile, Helichrysum, and Osmanthus, providing almost instant relief sensation to muscles on a fatigued or aching body, perfect at the end of a long day. The oils penetrate in to the tissue so therapeutic benefits are experienced quickly, bringing a hot cold sensation as it begins to work. Ice blue is the perfect way to take on a natural approach to health and pain management.

WINTERGREEN is an oil sourced in the rural mountains of Nepal, with soothing and stimulating properties that provide a fresh, uplifting aroma. derived from the leaves of a creeping shrub found in coniferous areas. doTERRA’s Co-Impact Sourcing® initiative, means that wintergreen is wild harvested by rural villagers then distilled by community-owned distillation facilities. This process creates increased economic opportunity for very remote regions in rural Nepal. The main chemical component in Wintergreen, methyl salicylate, is used in topical creams and massage blends because of its soothing properties. In fact, Wintergreen and Birch are the only plants in the world that contain methyl salicylate naturally.

MARJORAM holds powerful calming properties and has a positive effect on the human immune and nervous systems. It was once known as a symbol of joy and happiness in ancient cultures. Marjoram can be applied to the back of the neck to help reduce stress, or to sore muscles before or after exercising.

LEMONGRASS is a favourite oil for massages, with its pungent, smoky aroma, and with its purifying and toning benefits for the skin. Lemongrass has the ability to heighten awareness and promote a positive outlook.

If you’re someone who struggles with chronic pain or post-exertion fatigue/aches, even just DOMS post-workout, these few oils will change your life. They each provide simple, natural, FAST relief for pain, and help reduce overall tension and inflammation in the body. If you want to get started with oils, April is the PERFECT time to do so, with 20% off all enrolment kits (bar the family essentials) . All you have to do is CLICK HERE or shoot me a private message to get started. You will not regret it. Start your holistic health journey today.

ESSENTIAL OILS AND HORMONES

I’d never thought much about my hormones until YEARS after I began tackling the many and various health implications I now realise had clear links to imbalances in my body on a hormonal level. The complexity and intricacy of our bodies never ceases to amaze me.

Men and women alike feel the effects of hormone imbalance. Essential oils work in our bodies in their ability to heal and balance, and bring our bodies back to a state of balance (HOMEOSTASIS). They work to support the hypothalamus, the body’s control centre, responsible for ensuring homeostasis in the brain. The hypothalamus produces thyrotropin-releasing, gonadotropin releasing, growth-hormone releasing and corticotropin-releasing hormones, as well as somatostatin and dopamine, and is responsible for behavioural, autonomic, and endocrine system related processes.

 All kinds of things can get this balance out of whack – toxins, stress, diet, illness. Essential oils are so small molecularly that they effectively permeate the skin and achieve full body effects as they are absorbed into the bloodstream and cross the blood brain barrier.

Oils are incredible in their efficacy on the body as a whole, taking just 22 seconds for molecules to reach the brain, 2 minutes to reach the blood stream, and 20 minutes to affect every cell in the body. By using a variety of oils we can achieve different effects on the body, in the same way that eating a colourful/varied diet powerfully impacts the health of the body’s various systems. The primary systems where we tend to see the impact of hormone imbalance include:

-       sleep

-       mood (especially PMS for women)  / stress / anxiety

-       skin / hair / nails

-       libido

-       hunger / thirst (and weight loss)

-       energy

-       menstrual cycle

-       body temperature

There are a few key terms you should know when it comes to balancing healthy hormones: 

PROGESTERONE: progesterone is a neuroprotective hormone, the calming hormone. Balanced progesterone will enhance GABA receptor activity, GABA being a calming neurotransmitter.

OESTROGEN: oestrogen metabolism is an important factor to consider in balancing hormones, most simply achieved by increasing fibre and other appropriate micronutrients in your diet.

SEROTONIN: serotonin is the body’s happy hormone, and an estrogen dependent neurotransmitter.

OILS FOR HEALTHY HORMONES

A few oils you should have in your collection if balancing hormones naturally is something you’re looking to achieve. I choose doTERRA essential oils, the very best on the market right now.

CLARY SAGE: Balances out excess oestrogen in the body. Various conditions have been linked to excess oestrogen, including PCOS, infertility, oestrogen based cancers. Clary sage is also beneficial in the treatment of hormone conditions.

THYME: Improves/increases progesterone production. Lack of progesterone has been linked to infertility in both men and women, as well as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and depression.

SANDALWOOD: Naturally balances testosterone in men and women (great especially for men!). An aphrodisiac, (often used in perfumes and colognes in the fragrance industry). 

 ROSE: Also an aphrodisiac, mood lifting (increases serotonin and other neuropeptides in the brain – good mood hormones).

LAVENDER and ROMAN CHAMOMILE: Naturally reduces stress, lowers cortisol (very important for healing and balance in the body, and reducing inflammation).

FRANKINCENSE: Powerful in reducing inflammation and cortisol, a fantastic support for healthy thyroid function and autoimmune conditions. You can read more about frankincense here.

PEPPERMINT: A great cooling oil, fantastic for hot flashes.

CLARYCALM (women’s monthly blend): pre-diluted with fractionated coconut oil so great on sensitive skin. Apply over ovaries and to pulse points during your menstrual cycle, or daily to support hormone imbalance. Can also be used as a natural deodorant in combination with a crystal stick or natural deodorant of choice.

WHISPER (blend for women): use in place of commercial perfumes. Designed to interact with your individual chemistry for a unique personalised fragrance, and supports hormonal balance and emotional wellbeing. Apply a drop or two to pulse points.

Rollerblends to try:

MOOD BALANCING BLEND

2 drops Geranium

2 drops Ylang Ylang

2 drops Clary Sage

Drop into a 10ml rollerball

Top with fractionated coconut oil.

Roll on pulse points, up and down spine, and along soles of the feet.

SKIN CLEARING BLEND

2 drops Frankincense 

2 drops Tea tree

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Myrhh

 Drop into a 10ml rollerball

Top w. fractionated coconut oil/jojoba

Roll under eyes, along lines/wrinkles/problem areas of skin.

A FEW OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS  

DIET

Balancing hormones have been strongly linked to dietary factors like having a whole food based, well-rounded diet. You can help your body come back to a state of balance by decreasing or even eliminating inflammatory foods such as alcohol, caffeine, gluten and dairy, by increasing your intake of leafy greens, incorporating adaptogens such as maca into your diet, increasing healthy fats like flaxseeds, avocado, wild caught salmon (I’ll leave it to you to make up your own mind about eating KETO - I tend to follow a “keto-ish” model), and by working towards alkaline urinary pH. All of these things are about improving your internal physiology in such a way that your body comes back to a state of homeostasis and can focus its energies on working out other imbalances that may be getting you down!  

SLEEP

This is one I need to preach to myself! The key is to seek routine - try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day where you can, so that your body knows what to expect and can get into healthy rhythms. Sleep hygiene is a big one - I love this podcast by an old naturopath of mine, Angela Busby, the second of a two part series on understanding sleep and improving your sleep quality. Sleep quality is a highly influential factor when it comes to managing stress and healthy hormones.

BEWARE OF EVERYDAY TOXINS

We live in a world where our bodies face a continuous barrage of toxic chemicals, to a point of overload, even illness. The industrial revolution changed the way we manufacture goods as societies, and provided us with quick access to synthetics, manmade chemicals which brought us plastics, and huge changes to textiles and agricultural industries. There are over 80 000 chemicals used in commerce today, but of them all, the group of chemicals found to be of most concern to humans is a group of commonly used chemicals called ‘phthalates’.

Phthalates can be found in a all kinds of everyday products including cosmetics, fragrances, pesticides, plastics, cleaning products and clothing. They belong also to a longer list of manmade molecules known as “endochrine-disrupting chemicals” (EDCs). It is our endocrine system that controls many of the bodily functions we have already mentioned, and that relies on normal hormone function. The danger with these EDCs is that they can mimic the natural functions of our body’s systems, particularly hormones, and can interfere with hormone function by binding to the same sites and cells where hormones would normally bind instead. In this way, EDCs can wreak havoc on our bodies as they are absorbed by the skin, or enter through the nose or mouth by being inhaled or ingested. When these synthetic chemicals mimic the effects of naturally occurring ones, there can occur a whole host of ongoing repercussions, including increased uptake of calories by the intestines (linked with obesity), increased production of insulin by the pancreas (linked with diabetes), as well as sensitivities of the ovaries and testicles as sex hormone producers. EDC exposure has been linked to infertility, birth defects, learning disabilities and cancer.

Moreover, EDCs are proven ‘mutagens’, which means they hold the capacity to mutate our DNA, changing signals on the DNA molecules themselves that tell the body to turn on or turn off certain genes. The trouble is that product manufacturers are in no way obligated to disclose to consumers whether or not they have used chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors.

There are a few simple ways to reduce the toxins in your home and lessen the load on your body:

• DITCH SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

  Commercial fragrances, particularly PERFUMES rate a 10 out of 10 on the toxicity scale!

  Tara Bliss puts it beautifully:

  “As women we are very susceptible to the beast that is the beauty industry. It is an industry which preys on our vulnerability and our most tender insecurities. It is an idustry that tells us we need to change, and that we need to aim for perfection… in these products there contains the synthetic chemicals and endocrine disruptors that attack our very womanhood…. making us infertile, shutting down our reproductive organs, and throwing our hormones completely out of whack. The irony, hu?! The price of beauty!”
  
  

  Instead, we can use high quality essential oils to create our own ‘purefume’ blends, or to aromatically dress by lathering the body with oil as a part of our morning or evening routine (maybe after dry body brushing!). Geranium, jasmine, rose, ylang ylang and patchouli are some of my (hormone balancing!) favourites.

• NATURAL (or HOMEMADE) SKINCARE / MAKEUP

  Over recent years, lots of companies have recognised the need for simple, natural skincare and emerged with numerous options for paraben and SLS (sodium laurel sulphate) free beauty products. The simplest way is to make your own. By using essential oils, you can know exactly what goes into what you’re putting on your skin, and keep it as toxin free as they come. ZERO phalates, parabens, sodium laurel sulphates or anything else, simply hormone balancing, health fortifying oils and pure carrier oils like coconut oil and jojoba. Whats more, there are plenty of oils that have been shown to have incredible benefits on the skin.

• TOXIN-FREE CLEANING

  I’ve run numerous workshops on this one. Commercial cleaning products tend to be some of the most toxic products on the market - full of endocrine disrupting chemicals that kill germs, but also do great harm tot our bodies. Cleaning with essential oils is incredibly easy and will not only save the earth and your body the detrimental impact, but will also save you $$ in the long run. doTERRA’s On Guard oil is full of clove, which has been shown to have highly potent antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Lemon, rosemary, cinnamon and orange oils have also shown effective antibacterial activity, without the detrimental side effects. They have demonstrated the efficacy in killing bacteria comparable to that of commercial cleaners.

• CHOOSE GLASS

  Where possible, choosing glass over plastic can prevent your exposure to unnecessary EDCs or other toxic chemicals for no real reason. Tupperware and water bottles are a prime example, as well as water bottles, where glass or stainless steel containers can provide a toxin free alternative.

• Avoid plastic wraps, plastic bags, and thermal-paper receipts. All of these could increase your body’s exposure to BPAs (bisphenol A), and leave traces of the compound in the body.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to informed consumption - being aware of toxic load in the everyday, considering environmental and lifestyle factors, and making a gradual shift from commercial to natural by slowly substituting the toxic products in your home for homemade, low-tox alternatives.

the TUNA DIP no-one saw coming.

This dip ALWAYS gets the attention of those who try it. I take it to every oils workshop I run. I don’t know if its the German rooted deeply in me, or simply a long-held obsession with tuna as the GREATEST go-to for simple meals or a snack on the go, but over the last year this dip has become a staple in my home whether for serving up to visitors or for an easy, protein-full lunch topping.

The secret ingredient - oregano oil. This little guy is a beautifully restoring oil, powerful cleansing and purifying agent, fantastic for supporting a healthy immune system, healthy digestion, and healthy respiratory function when used internally. It also offers powerful antioxidants when ingested, but as a HOT oil, ought to only be taken in a veggie capsule or as a single drop in cooking.

I dilute and roll on the soles of my feet when I feel myself getting sick, and to date this early intervention has prevented 95% of viruses I’ve had lurking!

By far my favourite use for this oil, is in this homemade tuna and sour cream dip, a CROWD FAVOURITE. For all those of you who’ve been waiting - HERE IT IS - a dark horse in the entertainers repertoire, worth trying today.

YOU WILL NEED:

1 x 95g snack tin tuna (in springwater or olive oil)

180g sour cream

1 red onion

pinch Himilayan pink salt

oregano essential oil (I use doTERRA’s certified pure therapeutic grade oils)

lemon essential oil

WHAT TO DO:

• finely chop the red onion and place into a bowl appropriate for serving dip (small cereal bowl size)

• add container of sour cream to the bowl, followed by tin of tuna and stir to combine

• top with pink salt

• add 3 drops of lemon essential oil, 1 drop oregano

• stir to combine, and enjoy!

Simple as that! Great served with plain crackers/wafers, or with veggie sticks!

Enjoy, lovers.

x

FRANKINCENSE -- the king of the oils.

Frankincense is often dubbed ‘king of the oils’, and was even perhaps the most precious of oils in the ancient world, highly prized for its versatile uses and benefits. Frankincense helps build and maintain a healthy immune system, promotes cellular health, and reduces the appearance of scars, stretch marks and blemishes. When inhaled or diffused, Frankincense promotes feelings of peace, relaxation, satisfaction, and overall emotional wellness. It’s been shown to be effective in wound-healing and pain relief, and has even been said to be a powerful ‘driving oil’, used to increase (even double) the efficacy of other therapeutic grade essential oils on the body. 

We learn much about plants and their functionality as medicines by the way they behave, look, smell, and how they respond to the environment around about them. Traditionally, in times of oral tradition where plant medicine was deeply valuable to societies, such intuitive understandings and observations formed the central means by which therapeutic uses of plants were derived. In this sense, the symbology and unique signatures of plants (and other life forms) became important. These relationships within nature (and their specific signatures) help us gain insight as to the therapeutic and other beneficial qualities of plants to us as humans. 

Frankincense is sourced from resin of the Boswellia tree, often known as its ‘blood’. The Boswellia tree has been shown to offer incredible support to the human body, to a multitude of systems and in a plethora of ways. It is no surprise then, that as we look at the environmental circumstances of most Boswellia trees, that we notice their remarkable ability to withstand incredibly testing circumstances and harsh environments. Ability to thrive in such conditions is highly representative of potential supportive function in the human body. 

Frankincense, often fondly known as ‘frank’, has been used for centuries in Middle Eastern, Chinese and Ayurvedic tradition for its known beauty and medicinal benefits, but has only recently gained popularity in Western circles. In ancient times, frankincense was considered to be one of the most valuable commodities, earning it the name ‘liquid gold’.

Frankincense oil is one we shouldn’t leave to those of ancient wealth, but an oil we should seek to utilise for its numerous benefits to health and wellbeing, particularly in the area of skincare. Frankincense is a natural astringent, making it great for oily skin in its ability to regenerate sebum and remove excess oil. It is also effective in soothing and reducing inflammation, can prevent acne by its antibacterial properties, and is prized for its anti-aging ability, in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This comes from frank’s cytophylactic properties, enabling cell regeneration and protecting older cells from free radical damage. 

With so many benefits (including antianxyltic properties not even touched on here — more in a blog post on this coming soon!), frankincense is a natural health support you want to include in your routine, or even just make sure is somewhere in your bathroom cabinet. If you want to know more about buying pure, therapeutic grade frankincense today, or on how to get your hands on one for FREE before the end of this month — don’t hesitate to get in touch via the chronic collective page.

When in doubt, get the frank out.