In the beginning

Full of anticipation, wonder and excitement the first day of the new year is significant for me. I live the first day full of all the intentions I have for the coming year. Usually with loved ones, in the great outdoors, eating delicious healthy food.

I have recently completed a 12 week food mastery course and to help others fulfill their healthy new years resolutions I will be sharing tips and secrets I have learnt starting 1 January 2012.

Start the year as you intend to go on!

Love, J x

wanderlust

We arrive in Buenos Aires after 25 hours of exhausting travel and catch a taxi into the city. The roads are fast and chaotic, a busy hive of a busy city. The taxi takes us to our hostel in a back street, the narrow pavement is cracked and decaying but the beautiful European inspired buildings tower proudly above, watching over the city.

Bang-Bang-Bang!! Bang-Bang-Bang!!!

The hostel is quiet, we peer in through the cracks in the newspaper lining the windows and alas! The hostel is chained closed, out-of-business.

Bryce and I instantly feel the magnitude of a city singing in Spanish and our deaf ears ache. We take off in search of a home for the night.

Bellies full and sleepy eyes rested we awake the next morning and readjust ourselves for our next adventure. Off of San Telmo, the bohemian suburb of the city, to find a hostel home.

The city amuses us, at every corner we see mirages of cafes and life, chasing the pavement we then realise we have only reached another empty building. Blinking with confusion we set off again.

The city is sprawling and we find it difficult to find ourselves. Occasionally we stumble upon a string of shops and cafes and marvel delighted. Our Spanish is horrendous but the locals accommodate us with snippets of English, a lot of hand movements and kind smiles.

After lunch the heavens swell and darken and split. Mother nature hammers the city. And us. We walk laughing, drenched. Blissfully happy.

Time deceives us here; breakfast at mid day, lunch in the early hours of the evening and late hours spent enjoying the fast ferocious city.

Love J x

Time for a change.



Irene Suchocki


I swing gently in my hammock. My place. My favourite pastime. And it has been so long! 

I have enjoyed this cozy winter; hot baths that sting the skin and the changes in the trees, but now I wait for spring.


I can feel the shift internally as my body begins to crave more water, citrus fruit and salad and my skin aches to be exposed to the elements.

Goosebumps prickle my arm in the crisp breeze, and smooths again as the sun heats my skin, the smell of the warm air tempts me with promises of days spent in the water and late hot nights outside. Times spent with friends, that will become memories I treasure. The anticipation of a new season, and the adventures to be had, is almost too much.



Irene Suchocki



Dragonflies make love in the sunshine, hovering with graceful expertise! The garden has started to bloom, lavender attracts bees and my secret garden hums. Everything is lush and green from the rain and spring is about to burst; creating chaotic overgrowth once more. I cannot wait.

As I lay I watch the webs that adorn the hammock snap and break free, the long wispy threads twinkle in the sun, they move like hair in water, masses of delicate strands. Truely beautiful.

The sun dips behind a cloud and I instantly feel cool; reminding me. Patience. I await the sun.

Love J x

It began with two lovers...

Passionate and free. Limitless boundaries. Delicate and marvelous. Love to never cease. And then... New Life. 

A beautiful mystery buried and blooming within the depths of our souls.

Intrincially linked, now and forever. Anticipation. Wonder.  A tiny life created by two lovers.

Becoming a Mama encouraged my 'best version' to step forward. Everything changed. I surrounded myself with all the good that this world has to offer. Lifestyle. Food. People. Thought. Creativity. Love.

An incredible journey of self discovery and appreciation. He teaches me something new every day. He lives presently, in this moment. Right now. Learning to live that way has been enlightening. I still stumble but he is patient and only happy to show me the way once more.

I marvel as two years fly. And the rest. The potential. The possibility. All that is yet to come.

A big and bright life, created by two lovers.

For all the Mama's past, present and future.

Love J x

Winter.

We have been house bound for days. Avoiding the weeping sky and boisterous wind. Watching birds struggle in flight with slick wet feathers. Wrapped in cosy layers, we hibernate.

It's delicious.


isphotography.myshopify.com/


The slow cooker bubbles, the oven roasts, the kettle boils.

My little boy and I eat our dinner in a steaming hot bath, its all snuggle, gobble, love, warm kisses. Blankets are strewn all over the house, remnants of sleepy clothing, woolly socks and fleecy slippers.

Winter leapt with full force this weekend, and we are lucky enough to enjoy its bluster from a cherished warm hearty home.

We watch the trees in the distance dance and run on our deck for wind swept thrills. Our little boy cackles with appreciation.

The young trees in our garden sway dangerously, threatening to snap and the shrubs perform endless Mexican waves.

This is our simple bliss.

Love J x

Tourist in my own backyard



isphotography.myshopify.com/


Family from afar have graced our door steps. I have become a tourist in my own backyard. Everything is new once more, and I am charmed by the world that surrounds me.

Usually we flit around the city focusing on our destination, its when we slow down to show off our beautiful country that we remember.

Today my gorgeous cousin and I spent the day chasing the sunshine through the streets, dancing with the breeze and admiring artistic expression all over our city. We ate homemade love at a local fair trade cafe and rushed to the beach to clasp at its warmth.

Dancing free, our hair swept by the breeze into piles of messy curls, we cart wheel and dip cold toes tentitively. We wrote notes and drew pictures in the sand. Messages to the ocean, for her to keep.

Pink cheeks and smelling of sweet fresh air we come home to bake and spend the rest of the afternoon licking bowls, spoons and our fingers in delight.

I think I will be a tourist in my own backyard more often!

Love J x

Tender Love

Without winter there will be no spring, without sadness no place to amount happiness, without death there is not life.

Our soldier has been given 4 weeks.

From this place of pain and sadness and loss, I watch my Grandmother care for our soldier in his last weeks of life. And it is the most humbling and inspiring act I have ever witnessed.

From her devotion to his comfort, at the sacrifice of her own, is incredible beauty. Heart wrenching pain and outstanding beauty. A glimpse into their tender love.

Their love was born from the time of courting, letter writing, and hand holding. She would watch her soldier leave for far off war torn countries and hold her breath for his return. Their love is from a time like no other.

Our soldier has a mighty heart; he is built of fine values and full of good morals and kind words. Our soldier has been fighting his last battle for 8 months, fighting not for a country or a flag but fighting for his best friend. His one love. Fighting his last battle for his true love.

When he is strong enough to sit up in bed, I watch their eyes lock, I see their fingers entwine, a sweet tender kiss, a sigh, a nod, they almost seem to read each other’s minds. After 54 years I imagine they do.

When he cannot sit up I watch my Grandmother care for our soldier, no words need be spoken, she knows what he needs, he knows she is there. We all are.

Without winter there will be no spring, without sadness no place to amount happiness, without death there is not life.

Their love will endure beyond this life. They couldn’t be more perfect for one another.  

Love J x

Wild Flowers

The morning was spent enjoying the last moments of the summer sunshine. The morning was spent picking flowers that streamed endlessly through our secret garden.

The sweetest scent. The comforting warmth. The dearest morning had by two wonderers.

isphotography.myshopify.com

The change of season had already claimed our early mornings and evenings.

We revelled and huddled in the brisk air. We rugged up in blankets. Layered ourselves in soft fabric.
This day had brought clarity and a welcome peaceful rest, it was time to stop and smell the wild flowers! 

Love J x

Nourish

YOUR SOUL

Inspired by nature, beauty & potential, inspired by the healthy, whole, genuine & real. Inspired by love & honesty & the magic that surrounds our everyday lives. Nourish was born to serve others, to promote something pure, something cleansing and practical in this crazy old world.

The Adventure

My exploration of nutrition, herbalism & all things natural, along with my incurable curiosity, led me to experiment with herbal teas, the results are what I share with you.

The final branding is not finished yet but for those of us who don’t care for branding I am releasing a small number of Nourish teas early for your enjoyment.

Nourish Teas

The recipes are carefully crafted from ancient and modern day herbalism using organic and wildcrafted products.

I am so so so happy to introduce...

YOU are Zen

inner stillness & peace of mind

A holiday in a tea cup. This tea will leave you feeling calm, centred and balanced.

Ingredients

Passionflower, Schisandra berries, Lemon balm

Yummy Skin 

radiance & glow

Nurture yourself from the inside out. Let your natural beauty & radiance shine.

Ingredients

Chamomile, Dandelion root, Horsetail

Va-va-Voom

energy & power

The power house tea. Bounce all day… and all night.

Ingredients

Tienchi Ginseng, Ashwaganda (Indian Ginseng), Schisandra berries, Oat straw

Details

All teas come in a 100% recyclable, compostable, resealable earth bag. Each bag contains 80g enough to make 80 blissful cups.

The teas are at the mates-rate of $10 each plus postage (if required)

Email bryceandjennifer@activ8.net.au or email me on facebook if you would like to experience the goodness.

Love J x

Global Gypsy

"I travelled twenty thousand kilometers before I realised the best journey was within. I could not have begun my spiritual journey had it not been for my constant desire to explore my potential. That desire was stronger than the fear of the unknown."

The above is the opening to a book written by Gerar Toye who has travelled much of his life, documenting the world through photos and notes. These personal treasures became the basis for his photographic book depicting his spiritual (as well as physical) journey.

The opening pages were so honest and raw and perfect that I wanted to share some of his wisdom...

________________________________________________________________

"The quotes (herein) are not affirmations, just starting points, where they take us depends on how far we want to go. Their meanings change as we grow and repeatedly investigate the tangent, especially when compared with our latest experiences. The quotes have served my questioning mind. They were all tangents I visited which allowed me to express through words, a plane of existence I felt, an ultimate truth realised."

________________________________________________________________

"Realisation does not mean understanding something new, but recognising something known but long forgotten."

________________________________________________________________

There are no answers only questions.

________________________________________________________________

"None of this book, the images or the insights were planned. It grew through wanting to express what I have felt by listening to my higher self. Its purpose is to inspire others to have the courage to look within, to seek who they truly are, rather than stay caught in the illusion of who they appear to be."

________________________________________________________________

"If you have not explored your world yet then I hope you will be inspired to do so. Go seek your potential. Seek out real experience and the humble simple life. Have no desire for wealth or ego, they are only distractions. Find who you are by creating and allowing the experiences you need to receive the next answer along the way. Follow your heart. Live your passion. The universe will always lead you towards the next opening experience if you are awake and looking for the signs."

________________________________________________________________

I love this one, it is so true of our daily journey through life, adapting, being flexible, open to change and willing to see the beautiful opportunity, not the obstacle that we face...

"Travelling with time restrictions does not allow me to feel the subtle miraculous events of life, as I become distracted by the destination instead of being present. I find that when I am not seeking a destination or outcome, I start to feel the lure of the unknown path and the gifts that are there to be found."

________________________________________________________________

"When I allow myself to be guided, miracles come in a never ending stream. So many people refer to miracles as if they were created by some other entity but we create our own when we are grateful for what we have and are in harmony with heart, mind, body and spirit. Life is the miracle, the universe is conspiring to unfold every opportunity for us to grow. It is ego and mind that sabotage the magic. Now I do not question why miracles happen, but rather why they are not happening."

________________________________________________________________

"Travellers do not known where they are going, tourists don't know where they have been."

________________________________________________________________

"We are beings with incredible power. It is no secret! What we imagine, can become reality. When we have a thought, no matter how wonderful, scary or irrational it is, if we hold that thought we create it as a possibility in the universe."

________________________________________________________________

I hope that these quotes will guide your perceptions as you need them and that from one day to another the words will mean something new and exciting as your personal journey unfolds.

As Gerer says the traveller does not need to leave the country to go on a journey, we are all travellers of this life, hopefully not tourists!

Love J x

Welcome to the Equinox.

We have just welcomed the first 2011 Equinox, which is when the earths tilt is neither towards nor away from the sun, we are parallel. 


isphotography.myshopify.com

The Equinox also represents a change of season and brings with it the sentiment of renewal and transformation.

Now is the time for cleansing your mind, body and soul. You may be inspired to clean out your home, embark upon a deeper level of consciousness or complete a detox for your body.

I’ll take all three (!) but specifically now is the time to prepare my body for winter.

Our immune system is about to be hammered with winter colds, flus and other virus's floating around, so what can we do to minimise, or avoid completely, the winter blues?

Vitamin C (with bioflavonoids) is great, getting Vitamin C from a food source is the best option, as it is more bioavailable for your body, I am looking into Kakadu Plum and Camu Camu, goji berries are also a great source.

Echinacea is fantastic for immune support, especially for respiratory function. My preference is the tea and the cooler months really suit sipping warm tea, tablet form is available.

Garlic is an amazingly strong anti-bacterial-fungal-viral food, I am adding it to anything and everything that I can!

Fish oil tablets also support the immune system.

Interestingly enough it is important to have healthy gut bacteria for your immune system; nutrient uptake is dependent on a strong presence of good bacteria in your gut, if you are over ridden with bad bacteria - candida - which most people eating the traditional western diet are, one way to help your body get back into balance and function better on every level, is to take a probiotic, you can get this from dairy or soy yoghurt (check the labels as not all yoghurt is probiotic) or take a probiotic capsule (Inner Health Plus).

There are a million and one things that you can do, it depends on your lifestyle and preference, what you will and want to do, as well as your specific health requirements, but the above is a well-rounded approach that you will see results from.

Enjoy the autumn leaves. Crunch!

Love J x

Room to breathe

isphotography.myshopify.com

We wake from childish deep sleep. Still-shots of wild vivid dreams flicker beneath my eye lids. At once we set off for the ocean. All tousled bed hair and sleepy smiles.

We can smell it before we see it, hear it before we touch it. We long for it.

We wander the shore line and play chase with the waves, we smile at the sparkling ocean and I wish I could capture the sparkles in a jar to gaze upon forever.

Here we lose track of time. Here we have room to breathe.

Love J x

What my dreams are made of...

With Earth Hour around the corner (26th March) people have been sharing their "beyond the hour" pledges of what they will do to make an even bigger impact on our environment. I found these incredibly inspiring...

"I have gone a year commuting by bike and bus. Am converting my lawn to a veg garden this Spring. Less water and fertilizer, more food. All lights are CFL. But most of all, THIS IS FUN!"

"I will commit to planting three trees each day through the Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees Program @ http://www.plantabillion.org"

"I am on the plastic diet and have given up non recyclable plastic. I am running a series of waste and recycling workshops but what am I doing? I decided to look at my own bin and come up with some strategies to limit waste going to landfill. I started a blog and asked kids to help with advise. I am now aiming for Zero Waste. Check out www.millenniumkids.com.au"

"I drive a BMW 3 series and this year I have decided to take my actions of protecting our planet and protecting our environment one step further by selling my pride and joy. I am serious about my carbon footprint. This is a very big step for me, but one that has to be done."

"I will use reusable bag instead plastic bag, bring my own tumbler & lunchbox, use public transportation"

What a bunch of superheros!

What will you do? Make your own pledge at www.earthhour.org.

What have I done?

• Started a compost and worm farm
• Reduced by half my non-recyclable waste
• Begun to use glass rather than plastic
• Committed to eating organic
• Weaned myself from nearly all beauty products that harm the environment... just a few last habits to kick :)
• Use an environmentally friendly lamp at night rather than normal lighting
• Boycotted my air-conditioning
• Pledged to not buy any new clothes for a year (replacement of items I need is ok!)
• Planted out my veggie patch and planted a heap of herbs and fruit trees, vines and shrubs
• Reduced to almost zero our packaged food consumption - this has made a huge impact on our budget, belly and the environment!

And for the future. What my dreams are made of...

Fully self sustainable home off the grid, environmentally friendly vehicle (one horse power!) and larger quantity of home grown food!

Dream big, live big, one wave does not shape the beach but a thousand will...

Love J x

A moment. A lifetime.

It began before that day. That day, in that moment.

But it was within those moments, that seemed innocuous at the time, that something began. Something real and genuine and lasting. Something that would change everything, given the time to do so.

It was a rush and a burst, a bubble and a pop! It was an adventure and excitement. It was the never ending summer of the best times that had been yet.

It was weekends that lasted a moment. And work days that lasted a lifetime. It was traversing mountain sides. It was mid night walks. Early mornings and late nights. It was evading fatigue.

Winter crept in and with it the world expanded. It became icy dips in the ocean. Breath sucked violently from lungs. Life was potent. It was clinging to your warm body, extracting your heat. It was bliss.

Upon reflection, those times seemed like the happiest there had been, until now. 

Until I see your face, so familiar it could be my own. I hear your voice, it is etched into my mind. I feel your touch, so tender on my skin.

These are the best days. And this is always the best moment.

Love J x

Beginnings

Inspired by David Wolfe's lecture last week, here is what I learnt about his approach to nutrition, life and health.

When you begin a lifestyle change its hard to know where to begin. There are so many options! So much information - a lot contradictory. So many paths. A lot lead to the same place. But where to begin?

According to DW a lifestyle change requires each person to take the responsibility for their own health. No longer can we rely on the medical system as the solution. Lets take a proactive and preventative approach to health. Lets decide to not be sick any longer! (and how powerful is that thought!)

Each and every day you eat, so what about using food as your medicine?

Its important to work with your strengths, if you cant, or simply wont do something, then don't! It wont last and it will cause you more pain than its worth.
Work with what you can, will and want to do. This means, if you wont get up at 6am and jog. Don't. If you will go to the beach in the afternoon for a swim, surf and walk. Do that! If you wont drink a litre of kale juice for breakfast. Don't. But if you will have a super smoothie with goji, maca and cacao in it. Do that!  By following this approach you ensure that these changes will become a part of your life permanently, they will become a part of you.

Next look at your diet, decide what is doing you more harm than good and proactively avoid it, replace it with something healthy and nutritious, add in salad and fruit where possible and add in super foods and super herbs.

A great place to start is with your snacks, replace whatever you snack on with a handful of goji berries and some raw cashews or almonds, throw in some cacao, some shredded coconut/sultanas/sunflower seeds even!

Super foods are highly nutritious foods that will boost nutrient intake and not calorie intake. Super herbs are medicines for everyday so that you never get sick!

DW suggests that because there are so many super foods and herbs choose just a few, start somewhere and go from there. Below are his top picks, choose one or all of them, whatever suits your lifestyle and build, change, adapt and enjoy them...

Super herbs
Resihi
Astragalus
Tulsi
Horsetail
Nettle
Cats Claw
Paul d'Arco
Shisandra

Superfoods
Goji
Cacao
Maca
Coconut products
Bee Products
Spirulina
Chlorella
Camu Camu
Marine Phytoplankton
Noni







The best place to start is where you are right now. Start with what you already have and build a strong foundation. Pull out the blender. Pull out your (finger) motivation and build yourself a wonderful life!

Love J x

Love Letters

 

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 What you focus on grows; your thoughts and beliefs are the seeds from which grow the shape and sway of all your days.

  

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

The boundaries between your inner and outer worlds are illusory; it is only your perception (acquired from the mental constructs of your society) which separates them.

Even your unhappiness is worth loving, for it heralds your readiness for change.

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 Never let your own instinctive wit and warmth be crushed by the conventional wisdom of how things 'should' be done.

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 Every individual has the power to make a difference to life on Earth, not through grand, sweeping actions in the future, but by small, steady shifts in attitude and behaviour wherever you are Right Now!

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 Be broad and generous in your embracing of beauty, for there is profound beauty in pain and suffering too. Beauty lives in poignant farewells, in losses and letdowns, in longings and heartache, illness and ageing, even death, for these events can trigger the opening of your heart, the deepening of your understanding, the circulation of care and acceptance between you and others.

 

nirrimiphotography.carbonmade.com

 From the tiny breeze generated by the flapping of a butterfly's wings to the almighty surge of a tidal wave - hold equal significance for me. Each one is part of the patterns and inter-relationships between all things on Earth.

   

nirrimiphotography.carbonmade.com

Your life may not look 'harmonious' in the static or balanced sense you've come to understand that word, but ultimately even the greatest hardships, the longest delays, can serve your highest good.

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 Wisdom is everywhere, inherent in all things, waiting to be discovered, revealed, unearthed.

  

www.isphotography.myshopify.com

 Every being is equally capable of becoming a channel for the Divine.

These exquisite quotes are taken from the insightful and inspiring book "Love Letters from Mother Nature - A Meditative Journey" by Shelley Neller.

Love J x

What a thought!

Something that has inspired me thoroughly is the quote.

“Use each moment to the highest possible productive outcome.”

Hawaiian Jungle

How useful. This unlimited approach to each moment ensures that you live life fully. As I read recently, you live life’s breadth not just its length!

Everything in our life suddenly becomes permeable, it can be improved. Everything can always improve; this is why science has ground breaking discoveries, this is why athletes break world records, why the impossible becomes the possible.

Some people in our world refuse to be satisfied. They use a powerful energy to shift and alter our beliefs, science, medicine, even our DNA. In fact recent evidence is showing that DNA is not permanent, as previously thought, it shifts through a number of factors, one (important) factor being intention. Modern science is discovering the power of intention! Amazing.

This can be used in daily life, using every moment to the highest value. When talking or listening, being present and authentic and giving your whole self, when exercising focusing on your personal bests, when eating, having the best food you can, cooked in the best way, allowing it to nourish you to its full potential. When you relax, you relax. You don’t meditate thinking about what you need to do. You sleep. Soundly. If you keep sleeping you even begin to dream again!

The ancient Hawaiian Huna principles also embody this way of life.

IKE – we make our reality

MAKIA – energy flows where attention goes

MANA – All power comes from within

MANAWA – Now is the moment of power

KALA – All change is possible

PONO – Harmony is a measure of truth

ALOHA – To love is to be happy

These principles were derived from observations the ancient and very wise Hawaiian men and women made on Mother Nature. Huna means The Secret, Hidden Knowledge or Inner Knowledge.

Inner Knowledge. Inner Knowledge. Our true source.

Love J x

Mother Nature - the oldest and greatest pharmacy



www.nirrimi.com



Well well, as promised superfoods. Firstly before spending time and money on superfoods I would make sure that you feel comfortable that your day to day diet is where you would like it to be. In order for our bodies to uptake nutrients at the optimum levels there needs to be a presence of a range of nutrients – like iron absorption in the presence of Vitamin C is ideal and protein cannot be absorbed until all amino acids are present etc. So with this in mind if you don’t feel that you are eating the best diet then I would focus on that first before adding in these superfoods, otherwise you may just be making expensive toilet visits!

So what is a superfood? A super food is a food that has high levels of minerals and vitamins. Vitamins and minerals are so deficient from our diet due to commercial farming using poor soil, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides etc, they are affected by over cooking, also processes such as dehydrating, freezing and other preservation methods can affect mineral levels. Vitamins and minerals are so important in the body; they are the X factor in taking health to the next level!

I read something interesting called vertical disease – this is where you can walk, talk and function normally – yet you are not at your optimum state of health, and this could be acceptable to you simply because you don’t realise that you could be functioning better or that you ignore warning signs, opting to wait until you are bed bound before you take action! Pushing into a new level of living is exciting and empowering, realising your full potential and living each day inspired by this is what true health is about!

Superfoods in their raw, organic state can reverse deficiencies in minerals and vitamins that lead to serious disease.  The superfoods I am going to cover today are goji berries, cacao and maca because I have tried these and felt the benefits. There are more superfoods, some of which I am currently testing out, but I feel a responsibility to get to know them better before I can talk more about them. There are many books and the internet is a great source of information if you want to find out about the other superfoods before I get to them.

So firstly goji berries, they are available at the supermarket or organic stores/ health stores. Of course organic is best as they have not had thier medicinal properties reduced. Interestingly goji berries are the number one food in Chinese medicine, coming in before 1000's of other options. Known as the berry of longevity when eaten in the right way and as a regular part of your diet they give anti-aging properties. Known as an adaptogen, this means that they have a stabilising effect giving you more or less of what you need; in particular they assist with stress by supporting the adrenal glands. They boost immune function and are an alkaline food (I will talk more about acid/alkaline balance in depth another time).

David Wolfe has described these berries as “the most nutritionally rich berry-fruit on the planet”. Goji berries are high in antioxidants,  antioxidants are important for protecting us from free radical and radiation damage, this type of damage increases degenerative disease leading to premature aging. Gojis actually allow the body to heal itself! Goji berries also boost the immune system, meaning that if infection is present the body can fight it reducing or eliminating symptoms completely. David Wolfe recommends daily intake – if this is applicable to your nutritional requirements – of about 15-45gms.

I think it is important here to state that as your diet improves and you feel good, you will also become intuitively connected with your bodies needs and then it is your responsibility to give your body what it requires.  Taking every superfood, herb and supplement is NOT good for your health. Strategically choosing what your body needs, monitoring how it makes you feel and altering intake to fulfil your desired results is what is so incredible about nutrition. No two people are the same and no one formula will suit every person. Play with foods, experiment with how your body responds to food and find a perfect combination that works for you.

Cacao – this was a complete revelation for me. As a chocolate lover I knew deep down that I was never going to completely shed this pleasure, even though I felt the ill effects of consuming it. For me dairy and sugar have powerful ill effects on my body.
Cacao is chocolate – but it is chocolate in its purest form, also known as cocoa. Cacao is a fruit and the seed of the fruit when cracked open has cacao (chocolate) in it. This is sold in organic/health food stores, the best is raw cacao – a fantastic Australian website is http://www.livingearth.com.au/ they are very particular and conscious of providing a top quality product.

The processes that have gone into making chocolate as we know it, leaves the cacao seed void of all its nutrients and introduces a whole host of fats, sugars, preservatives, artificial flavourings and other toxins into our bodies.

Cacao comes in a variety of forms; powder, nibs, butter (all which I have tried) and beans with or without the skin or paste. It is bitter-sweet, like dark chocolate. I don’t find the taste of the nibs pleasing alone (other hard core dark chocolate fans may find the taste enjoyable), I find that mixing the nibs, powder and butter (not like butter in the supermarket) into smoothies is a delicious treat that honestly leaves my cravings satisfied.  Cacao is a rich source of magnesium – Mother Nature’s feel good mineral. Cacao is the highest food source of antioxidants in the world! It is high in iron, zinc, manganese and chromium. All important! It contains Omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin C…even serotonin which makes us feel good.  I honestly feel a buzz when I have cacao smoothies, and it doesn’t mean I crash afterwards, it hangs around and energises me. Cacao is my (not so) secret weapon!

Finally maca, Maca is a root vegetable from Peru. I have used it in a grounded powder form in my smoothies. Historically Maca was used for strength, stamina and libido; it increases blood oxygen levels which means all functions internally run smoother. Maca has been used for woman experiencing menopausal discomfort due to its adaptogen qualities, it can normalise hormonal functions in relation to stress.  The conditions listed that Maca is known to improve are: - anaemia, chronic fatigue, depression, infertility (human and livestock), lack of libido, malnutrition, menopausal symptoms, menstrual discomfort, poor memory, stress tension. Maca is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfer, sodium and iron and contains trace minerals – zinc, iodine, copper, selenium, bismuth, manganese, tin and silicon, also has vitamins B1, B2, C and E. Not bad!

Using what the earth has provided to boost our health is very exciting. Mother Nature is the oldest and greatest pharmacy, when respected and honoured it is so simple and easy to harness and mantain great levels of vitality and ultimately longevity.

Love J x

ps. A great read on superfoods is David Wolfe's Superfood book. He goes into detail on each food and its health benefits!