If you missed the first instalments of Ché Miller’s SIMPLIFYT journey, catch up here:
With my induction and first week of my new programme complete, things were now in full swing. I had taken to my SIMPLIFYT routine like a duck to water. The varied fitness classes were keeping things fresh and interesting, and the life coaching sessions with Evelyn Sztojanov were grounding me mentally and giving me a clearer vision of what I wanted for my future. The SIMPLIFYT boutique studio was definitely serving as my safe haven during the winter months. Here’s what weeks 2 to 10 entailed on my SIMPLIFYT journey.
Last week I had my induction to the SIMPLIFYT programme and my starting point in this journey had been established. I had completed a short functional workout to gauge my fitness level and had an InBody Analysis to determine my body composition. Now it was time for the actual work to begin!
The day I started a 10-week programme at SIMPLIFYT boutique gym was the day after my boyfriend of 5 years and I broke up. In hindsight the timing was impeccable, but completely unplanned. I turned up to that first session with a lot on my mind – none of which was fitness related, and I toughed my way through the initial assessment with a laser focus on not spontaneously bursting into tears.
We all know how important sunscreen is to protect our skin from skin cancer, sun damage, and ageing, but is all sunscreen created equal? The short answer is no. In recent years, chemical sunscreens have come under fire for negative health and environmental effects, laden with toxic chemicals and nasty ingredients. Luckily there is an alternative answer to sun protection in the form of mineral sunscreen. Let’s take a closer look as to why you should make the switch from traditional chemical sunscreen to mineral.
Jill Davey is the founder of Menopause Woman, a website dedicated to raising awareness of women’s health during the transitions of menopause; perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. She is a passionate women’s health advocate and author of the book, The Menopause Cure: Hormonal Health. Here Jill explains the role of bioidentical hormones in assisting with hormone decline and the related symptoms as we age.
Being unable to work, unable to connect and socialise with others, and living according to the imposed quarantine regulations (unsurprisingly) has a real effect on our mental health and emotions. The American Psychological Association reports that prolonged social isolation carries health risks such as contributing to poor sleep, poor cardiovascular health, lowered immunity, depressive symptoms, and impaired executive function (difficulty focusing, managing your emotions, remembering information, and following directions).
Coffee gets a lot of bad press. From giving us the jitters, to contributing to our insomnia and anxiety, one who takes their health seriously daren’t admit they love a regular cup of joe. As someone who strongly believes coffee makes me a better (and certainly nicer) human being, I’m extremely pleased to see that new research is tipped in the coffee lovers’ favour, showing that coffee in moderate amounts can actually contribute to greater health and wellbeing, and even prevent disease.
Greg Gibson has been in the health and fitness industry for many years as a qualified personal trainer, and has been a competitive bodybuilder, and physique model and trainer in some of the most exclusive gyms in South Africa.
He has devised an entry level beginner’s workout for those who perhaps feel they have been a little too sedentary in lockdown and are wanting to get moving again. This workout can be completed 3-5 times per week to see and feel results. All exercises are standard movements that can be googled if you are unsure of what they are or want to know correct form.
After close to a month of confinement in our homes many of us are trying to learn to let go, relax and stay positive despite all of the unease. For some isolation might even feel like a much-needed breath of fresh air! However, even the most calm and resilient of us can have feelings of stress, anxiety and tension creep up on us unannounced, especially with so much free time on our hands for our thoughts to spiral.
We all know how important movement and exercise is for mental and physical health, but sadly hitting the pavement, park or gym is not currently an option, and we’re limited to our own four walls (and perhaps a bit of a balcony or terrace if we’re lucky!). Yoga is the perfect practice to incorporate at this time. As long as you have enough space to roll out a yoga mat, you have enough space to practice, and yoga not only allows you to get your physical exercise in, it can decrease stress, ease tension, and improve immunity.
With three weeks of lockdown under our belts the crew of S/Y Kokomo decided to put all of the extra hours of downtime into something positive that could really make a difference amidst so much worry and uncertainty.
We absolutely love carrot cake…especially one this delicious and nutritious! Perfect for afternoon tea or any time. The addition of carrot juice gives it a wonderful colour and incredible moistness.
Fermented foods, including kombucha and cultured veggies have been trending on the wellbeing scene for a while now, and for good reason. They do wonders for your gut bacteria and are a powerful addition to your diet for overall health. The concept of fermenting foods is not a new one, however. This process has been around for thousands of years across a variety of cultures as a preserving mechanism and a health booster. Think Korean kimchi, Japanese miso, and European sauerkraut.
Rosie Whiteway, UK trained Nutritional Therapist at Ahara Nutrition
With over 10 years in practice as a Nutritionist, Rosie decided to make Mallorca her home in early 2018 and is slowly adjusting to the slower pace of life after many years living in London. She loves that Mallorca seems to have everything, from the hustle bustle of Palma with its fantastic wellbeing scene, to quiet beaches and beautiful nature.
Health food bars can be a great snack when you hit that 3.30pm slump, need an extra boost post-workout, or can feel your ‘hangry’ coming on. But we tend to fall into that trap where we think any energy bar is a healthy bar, and that is very often not the case. What’s more, the taste can leave a lot to be desired. The struggle to find something that tastes good and doesn’t contain more sugar than an iced doughnut is all too real.
This is where Ziggaru energy bars come in.
As an alternative answer to the hectic and often chaotic pace of modern-day life, we’re beginning to look for ways to tune back in with nature and reconnect with our inner wisdom. The practice of Ayurveda was not so commonplace in the West even 10 years ago, but today people are turning to this ancient Eastern holistic medical system to guide them back to a balanced and healthy state.
I recently attended a health retreat in Australia which left me feeling absolutely fantastic. It could have been the daily spa treatments, the crystal steam room, and the plentiful organic food served up, but there were also few unique activities that seemed to really contribute to alleviating stress and tension. One of them was the sunrise qi gong class. This daily practice standing on a hill with a panoramic view of the Gold Coast and Pacific Ocean started the morning off with an extreme sense of calm and peacefulness. Now back in the real world I wanted to look a bit deeper into why the ancient eastern practices of qi gong and tai chi are so beneficial to our health.
An Interview with Jill Davey – Author of ‘The Menopause Cure – Hormonal Health’
I recently spoke with Jill Davey to discuss her book and the reasons why she feels so passionate about helping women navigate their way through ageing and menopause. The menopause is a delicate word which proclaims old age – this, however, depends on which angle you’re scanning life from. Truth be known, it’s a new era, a new beginning! Jill’s advice is to embrace it, not shy away from it.
With the silly season over I am at that beginning of the year stage of utter determination to turn my body into a temple. The fridge and pantry are stocked with plant-based wholefoods, and the new exercise schedule is in full force. But I have found myself still searching for the missing piece, the ultimate nutritional supplement. A supplement that is effective, potent, and rules out the need to pop umpteen various vitamins and minerals on the daily to ensure my body is getting everything it needs. Does it exist?
The holiday season can see the best of us putting our usual healthy habits on the back burner in favour of silly season festivities and overindulgence. We can very quickly start to feel run down, lethargic, and generally depleted. Of course, we don’t want to feel guilty about enjoying ourselves, or turn down the party invites because socialising doesn’t fit with our usual ‘regime’, but there are definitely a few things we can put in place to avoid feeling decidedly average over this period without being super strict.
Viviana Falck first began to use Cannabidiol (CBD) in an effort to end her battle with the anxiety and depression she had suffered from her whole life, which had left her feeling physically and mentally drained. Born in northern Argentina where the traditions and practice of using medicinal plants are alive & well, she favoured utilising a natural product like CBD to alleviate her symptoms.
As I arrive at Johanna Janik’s personal training studio in Marratxi (just out of Palma) she’s at the door welcoming me with double high fives. This woman is radiating vitality and I immediately feel my own energy levels rise in her presence. I have come to see Johanna for a personal training session as a kick-start after several months of zero deliberate exercise and general laziness (otherwise known as summer). First impressions tell me I have picked the right person to sort me out!
As a little girl Anabela Aurora always had an innate affinity with plants and nature. Her grandmother nurtured this part of her, teaching her how to make natural herbal remedies, and this grounding in plant based medicine from a young age played a large part in determining Ana’s path into naturopathy as an adult. As a child it was also clear that Ana possessed unique abilities as a channel and spirit guide, and this combination of gifts parlayed her into a career as a healer. Ana’s greatest joy is helping others experience growth and happiness through the aid of natural therapies.
As I sit here with a bad case of the sniffles I only have myself to blame. My usual morning ritual of vitamins and juicing has gone out the window as of late, and with what seems to be a sudden shift to winter temperatures my immunity has decided to crumble.
For a few months now I’ve been hearing all about the benefits of Ashwagandha, and have been meaning to get my hands on some. The benefits of this superfood are many and varied, one of which is it’s purported to be a fantastic immunity booster. Although I’ve already succumbed to the dreaded lurgy, I’m keen to get on the Ashwagandha train ASAP and reap all its health giving benefits before winter well and truly sets in.
When Bobbie Bixler first set foot in a Reformer Pilates studio in Auckland, New Zealand in 1999 she was very close to turning on her heels and walking straight back out. The studio was swarming with graceful ballet dancers, who were using Pilates practice to further hone their lithe, agile physiques. They presented quite an intimidating welcoming.
Not as commonplace as it is now, Pilates hadn’t quite hit the mainstream back then, however Bobbie stuck to her guns, completed the class and never looked back. She quickly became hooked on Pilates, specifically the reformer machine, and the way her body felt from regular practice. It was the perfect antidote to a physically challenging career working on super yachts.
When the significant other recently set off for another three months at sea I was feeling a little down in the dumps. In this situation I usually wallow in self-pity for a few days before I get on with it and re-establish a semblance of routine. Luckily this time round I had the foresight to plan ahead for my melancholy, and booked in to treat myself to the E-Oil Alchemy Essential Glow one-day retreat. It was to be a day of ultimate self care, and my spirits were lifted just thinking about it.
Borne from a Personal Journey to Wellness
Psoriasis, heart palpitations and fluctuating weight issues. These were just some of the outward symptoms that manifested from the stress and pressure of Deborah Delaney’s career as a successful broker in fast paced London. Deciding a drastic change was needed to get her health back on track, she packed up her life in England and embarked on an overseas adventure with her two children in tow. Finally settling in Phuket, Deborah immersed herself in studying Thai herbs and ancient healing remedies under the tutelage of Master Lew, a 91-year-old Thai Chinese herbalist. Slowly her health returned through the use of herbs, raw foods and juicing, and her body regenerated to a healthier, leaner and fitter state.
Did you know you have 60-80,000 thoughts every single day? Whether these are positive or pessimistic, that’s a lot of action going on between your ears’ that isn’t visible to the naked eye. If you’re like me it’s very easy to dwell on the negative sometimes. I’ve been noticing a tendency to worry lately, even though I’m well aware that worry doesn’t help any situation.
Over the years I’ve done many different detoxes, including the ‘Master Cleanse’ (I lasted 3 days on essentially lemon juice and maple syrup), a 5-day juice and nut milk only detox (I lasted 3 days before I couldn’t face another liquid meal), colon cleanse powders, and various detox supplements. Nothing had any profound results other than making me utterly unbearable to be around.
Have you ever walked out of the dentist having had an ‘aha!’ moment, feeling enlightened and emboldened to take charge of your health? No? Well up until recently neither had I. But after my recent visit to Clinica Peralta Silverstone this is exactly what I experienced. Let me explain.
I like yoga, and I like SUP boarding (Stand-Up Paddle boarding if you don’t know the lingo). Why should they be mutually exclusive activities? Because images of me toppling face first into the Mediterranean Ocean tell me they should. However, I’m all for a challenge so when a friend told me her fantastic yoga teachers had branched out and jumped on-board (pun intended) the yoga SUP craze for the summer I was willing to give it a good go.
After my colonic hydrotherapy treatment with Raaul Cohen at Dynamic Detox Mallorca, I was given further advice on a multitude of other ways I can assist my body to detoxify at home, and support all the goodness his treatment had done for me. One of these pearls of wisdom was dry body brushing. To be honest I had picked up this habit plenty of times over the past few years only to eventually forget about it and go back to my old, non-dry body brushing ways. But this time was going to be different. Why? Because Raaul bothered to give me extensive information on why this daily practice is so darn beneficial, and suddenly my resolve was strengthened.
Have you heard of the Blue Zones? The term has been around since 2005 when Dan Buettner led a National Geographic expedition to uncover the secrets of longevity. During this expedition he discovered that there are five places around the world where people consistently live to be over 100 years old, which he dubbed the ‘Blue Zones’.
Recently I bought some organic strawberries in Lidl. Organic berries are rare enough in supermarkets so I shared my find with Nourish the Community and encouraged group members to stock up. Despite the good intentions, my post wasn’t received well by many because the strawberries were not only wrapped in plastic but also didn’t come from Mallorca. Fair points.
When I was a child my grandmother had a giant aloe vera plant outside her front doorstep. At any sign of a burn or skin problem she would cut off a piece of the plant, split it with a knife and smear the gel all over the affected area leaving me sticky until my next bath. The cooling sensation was immediately soothing, and most of us have used some form of aloe vera topically in the same way before.
Cleansing from the Inside Out
Describing the details of your colonic hydrotherapy treatment is not the easiest of tasks. In saying that, I feel I would be doing you all a disservice if I didn’t put my bashfulness aside and let you in on something that could change your whole sense of wellbeing.
All I seem to be hearing about these days is the wonders of collagen. It’s apparently responsible for lusciously thick hair, strong, healthy nails, glowing, youthful skin, and even balancing hormones. The latest I’ve heard is that studies are now showing a link between collagen supplementation and weight loss! When I scroll through Instagram every influencer worth their salt seems to be touting the benefits of some brand of collagen or another, and even my best friend swears by it after experiencing hair loss and thinning after two pregnancies.
As a born and raised Kiwi it wasn’t uncommon to find a jar of Manuka honey in the pantry at home. Mostly it was just slathered onto a piece of buttered toast without any thought about its health properties. All I knew was that it tasted damn good! These days it’s widely accepted as a wonder product for health and beauty. Kourtney Kardashian swears by it, feeding her kids a spoonful at the first sign of a sniffle, and she’s even a brand ambassador for natural skincare line Manuka Doctor Skincare.
I have a love hate relationship with coffee. The aroma, the taste, the rush of feel good stuff that flows immediately following consumption is hard to beat, however I’m well aware I’m probably doing my body a disservice by drinking too much of this nectar from the gods. While a couple of cups of coffee or tea a day aren’t bad for most people, more than that can cause health problems such as irritability and anxiety, sleeplessness, increased heart rate and muscle tremors. That’s why I’m constantly on the lookout for a halfway decent substitute. And no, I don’t mean a virtuous cup of green tea or a turmeric latte – I’m talking about something that actually smells and tastes like coffee. Does this elusive concoction exist?
Everyone wants a nice smile but we’re often guilty of procrastinating with our dental checkups. Achieving healthy teeth takes a lifetime of care, and your dental health is important to your overall health. We sit down with our favourite holistic dentist on the island, Daniel from Clinica Dental Peralta Silverstone to chat about how the latest wellbeing crazes affect our teeth, and what natural tips we can implement to give our teeth the care they deserve.
You may see these little golden crunchy granules garnishing your instagram worthy smoothies and salads at healthy cafes, but were you aware that they are a real nutritional powerhouse? In fact bee pollen contains almost all of the nutrients required by the human body to thrive!
Awakening Your Body’s Intelligence
‘Bodywork’ has become a bit of a buzzword on the health and wellbeing scene, but what exactly is it? Falling under the alternative medicine umbrella, and incorporating both touch and non-touch modalities, we were eager to learn more about this growing trend. We went straight to the source by contacting Tahona Santana. Tahona practices bodywork here on the island utilising the Grinberg Method, and has glowing testimonials from her clients who have experienced major transformations at her skilled hands.
There’s something about having flowers and plants in your home that adds to that ‘spring has sprung’ feeling. If you’re anything like me however, keeping houseplants alive is not a forté. Well I have the solution! As well as being super stylish succulents are notoriously difficult to kill making them a great, easy care accent to your home. Succulents survive dry indoor environments thanks to special adaptations – fleshy leaves, thick stems or enlarged roots that allow the plants to hoard water. But apart from being very hardy and nice to look at, placing a few succulents around your abode can actually have some surprising health benefits.
Would you believe when I was younger I had an issue with savasana? It seems reprehensible I know, but I would honestly dread this ‘relaxation time’ at the end of yoga because it meant I had to try and pack up my things and duck out to the car without drawing attention to myself. I tried to lie through the ‘corpse pose’ time and time again but it made me feel physically ill. I’m serious. Nausea and headaches. My mother was convinced it was my “toxins getting a good stir up” from the yoga practice. I decided yoga just wasn’t ‘physical’ enough for me and threw myself into the much sweatier pursuits of boxing, netball, and gym sessions.
I first heard the term ‘functional movement’ over ten years ago while interning at a health retreat in Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland. Every morning the guests at the retreat would sit down to a health seminar on various aspects of optimal living, and ‘functional movement’ had a whole session devoted to it so I figured it must be a key concept I should pay attention to, and rightly so!
No doubt you’ve heard of the frothy, green concoction that is matcha tea. So much so that you might have jumped on the matcha bandwagon quite some time ago, only to have jumped off in favour of this months latest green drink craze (celery juice anyone?). But I’m here to encourage you to pick your matcha habit back up again and make it a lasting one!
We all know how it starts. A familiar tickle in the throat, a slight sniffle, reaching for an extra sweater because you’re feeling the winter chill more than usual. This is about the time I bunker down in bed with a Netflix series and a box of tissues at the ready. I accept that my fate for the next week is to be miserable and unproductive while I fondly remember the good ol’ days when my nostrils were clear and a hammer hadn’t taken up residence at the back of my head.
Kids love cereal and a healthier substitute can easily be made at home. It is important to cook cereal grains in liquid as opposed to eating them raw or just toasted. Otherwise, they can have a negative effect on the digestive system. A source of fat helps to balance blood sugar levels, giving your children stable energy throughout the day.
I love Oprah. I mean who doesn’t? It’s because of Oprah that I’d had actually had a very brief introduction to Rolfing by way of a Dr. Oz special where he partook in a Rolfing treatment live on stage. However that was circa 2010 and my memory on the practice was very fuzzy at best. But of course if it’s on Oprah it must be a winner, so I had no qualms about trying this unique therapy as part of my endeavour to release my neck and back muscles that have been tight for nearly two years.
With intentions for the new year set, and chilly winter weather outside, this is the perfect time of year for cosying up with an inspirational read and a hot drink. Here are the wellbeing books at the top of the Nourish reading list for 2019.
There is so much bad bread out there that it’s no surprise that all bread is under the radar, being blamed for various health issues and weight gain. People feel confused and desperately look for alternatives, especially that everyone loves a good vessle for the likes of pate, olive oil or fruit preserve.
We hear more and more about people utilising a life coach these days, but what exactly is a life coach, and could having one be just what you need? We chat to Anne Nielsen of Green Apple Coaching here in Mallorca to get the lowdown.
For going on five years I’ve had this weird thing happening with my left knee. Every time I bend it to climb stairs or squat down in any way, it makes this horrendous crunching sound. There’s no pain accompanying the sound, but it’s very unnerving to hear I can assure you! What have I done about it? Well to tell you the truth my solution thus far has been to turn up the headphones, talk a little louder, or simply just ignore it. Not the most proactive approach.
Now that I’m a bit older and wiser I thought I should probably get it looked at, and hope like hell that I haven’t caused years of irreversible damage by leaving it so long. So off I went to visit Lauren Rigg at Mallorca Physiotherapy to see what the prognosis was.
Do you find your mood and energy levels slump as autumn sets in, and continues on through the winter months? Perhaps you just put it down to the winter blues and suffer through it. You’re not alone. This type of depression is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and is not at all uncommon. Let’s take a look at why we feel this way, and a few things we can do to reduce the SAD symptoms.
Digestion is the primary area of dysfunction in the body that impacts all areas of health, even when no apparent digestive symptoms are present. In my experience, other ongoing issues often resolve themselves once the gastro-intestinal tract has been appropriately addressed. After all, we’re not so much what we eat but rather what we can break down and absorb. This is why people who ‘eat well’ can still look and feel unhealthy.
Since the age of about 14 I can remember having problems with my back. I’ve never been entirely sure why, perhaps being over exuberant in my sporting pursuits, perhaps poor posture (maybe both) but I have memories of lying in bed as a teenager unable to turn my head with tears streaming down my face. At that age my mother was always sending me off to various specialists in the hope of getting it sorted. For that reason I would say I’m fairly well versed in most of the treatment modalities used for back and neck pain.
This is why I was somewhat surprised when I was recommended a naprapathy treatment, having never heard the word in my life. Naprapathy? What could it be? I was willing to give anything a whirl, considering I had been doing a bit too much laptop work (from my actual lap on the couch which is never a good idea) and my neck was definitely complaining about it.
There seem to be two types of people in the world. The ones that always wake up each morning with a ravenous hunger, and the ones who need a few hours to get their bearings before developing any type of appetite. I fall into the latter. Unfortunately I grew up in the era where it was pummelled into us that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ and subsequently forced myself to ingest something that constituted a balanced meal before doing anything else. But now things have had a shake up! Intermittent fasting is the new craze, and before you say ‘oh no, another fad’, this one actually has some merit. Here’s the lowdown.
Halloween, Thanksgiving and pumpkin season call for a seasonal recipe that fills the house with smells of warming spices.
Replace the traditional Pumpkin pie with this easy to bake, healthier version…..
A quick tally in my head tells me back in New Zealand my weekly ‘wellness’ spend was over $150 (around €95). I was a member of the flash inner city gym, had weekly personal training sessions, was a member of yet another gym specifically for boxing, and had netball club fees on top. Add buying all my produce and supplements at the local organics shop and it was one hefty price tag in the name of health.
Moving to Mallorca and leaving the cushy corporate job (and paycheck) meant I had to swiftly change my ways. But how could I stay healthy without all the bells and whistles I was used to? I had to improvise before my mentality (and waistline) began to suffer! Luckily it was a lot easier than I expected. Here are some thrifty tips and tricks I’ve picked up over my two years on the island.
In western cultures we don’t usually give too much conscious thought to changing our lifestyle and thoughts to align with the seasons, although we may naturally shift our behaviours and patterns to accommodate the change in weather. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) however believes that the best way to stay healthy is to learn about the nature of each season, and live in harmony with its spirit.
So what does that mean for autumn? In TCM autumn signifies the change to the ‘yin’ season, as we shift to less than 12 hours daylight. Nature is slowing down and contracting, and for us we tend to move inwards also. We tend to reflect more, enjoying quiet time, and traditionally we would harvest what was planted in spring, preserving for the cooler months ahead.
The 10th of October is World Mental Health Day, a perfect opportunity to bring up the complex subject of eating disorders. Many affected try various therapies or take psychotropics for many years, yet the disorder never leaves. It can be managed to some degree, often just to satisfy the close ones, but the person may continue to live in the shadow of its controlling demon forever.
While the temperatures are still up there, there’s no doubt there’s a shift in the air signalling the arrival of autumn. As the seasons change we can often find ourselves blindsided by a dose of the sniffles, which is never fun. We’re going to give you a few handy tips to build up that immunity and give you a fighting chance of avoiding the dreaded lurgy!
September the 21st is word’s Alzheimer’s day. Alzheimer’s is a form of incurable neurodegeneration, but what happens before one develops a condition that cannot be reversed? That grey area between subtle mental decline and receiving a diagnosis is where prevention takes place.
What is sound healing?
Us humans use sound and music in a huge variety of ways, from entertaining and celebrating, to expressing and communicating. Even heading out for a leisurely stroll can be made that much more enjoyable when listening to upbeat music, and everyone knows how much a kick-ass soundtrack can boost your performance during a work out.
So if sound and music can stir so many emotions and even physical reactions (who else gets a dopamine surge and goose bumps when a favourite song comes on?), then it’s not a far leap to believe that sound can actually trigger healing in the body.
Making the right decisions for your baby is a priceless investment with life-long returns. However, the modern world doesn’t make it easy with conflicting information coming from all angles and cheaply mass-produced goods, including food.
Depression is a tricky subject. On the one hand conventional medicine has become strongly specialised in its treatment, on the other hand more and more people are falling victim to poor mental health and feeling helpless.
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and according to the UK Mental Health Foundation, this year’s focus is on stress:
“Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes, and stress is a key factor in this. By tackling stress, we can go a long way to tackle mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and, in some instances, self-harm and suicide.”