Australian Unity Wellplan Magazine Issue 31

Summer Entertaining R EC I P E S

Issue 31 — Summer 2018

w i t h AU ST RA L I A’ S TO P C H E FS

Top 10 walks around Australia Summer fitness with Nick Scott

ISSUE

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SUMMER 18

Welcome

A great year starts with a great New Year’s resolution. But all too often we get caught up in our daily lives and they are quickly long forgotten.

By understanding the psychology behind habit forming we can train ourselves to change our habits and lives for the better. You can learn more about the powers of selfreflection in our article on mind and motivation.

If getting back into exercise is one of your goals for the new year, why not try walking? We’ve uncovered 10 of Australia’s best walks so you can take steps towards planning your next hike or coastal stroll. Unwinding over a weekend, or even over a few hours, can help us reconnect with the simple things in life that are also free and often right on our doorstep.

You can also keep your foot in the fitness door with Australian Unity’s fitness expert Nick Scott who shares his tips on how having shared fitness goals with your friends or family can keep you motivated in the colder winter months.

But it’s also important to remember to take some time out and put your feet up. That’s why we’ve handpicked the top getaways from all over Australia—so you can start planning your next one, because sometimes the best adventures are the ones that happen close to home. So get exploring our cultural epicentres or great, vast outdoors.

If you’d prefer to stay indoors with the family, foster your child’s culinary creativity with food educator Alice Zaslavsky. Alice discusses the importance of experimental learning in our article

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on parenthood and teaching your children healthy habits both in and out of the kitchen.

And finally, a busy lifestyle is no excuse not to be more environmentally conscious, as a mum of three proves in our feature on living a zero-waste life. Making simple changes to your shopping habits such as composting and avoiding plastic are two simple steps you can take towards leading a more sustainable life.

I hope this edition of Wellplan inspires you to live this year fully and to explore further. So get cooking, walking, composting, exercising and have an absolutely fantastic 2018.

Amanda Hagan

Chief Executive Officer - Healthcare

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CONTENTS FITNESS WITH NICK SCOTT Your summer fitness plan

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TOP TEN Australia’s best walks

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SUMMER ENTERTAINING With Australia’s top chefs

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NUTRITION More than a gut feeling

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THE ROAD TO A ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE 17 How to live waste-free TRAVEL Great Australian getaways

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PARENTHOOD Kids in the kitchen

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MIND Motivation and habit formation

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TECHNOLOGY Everyday innovations

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Information provided in this magazine’s articles is not medical advice and you should consult with your healthcare practitioner.

Australian Unity accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, advice, representations or information contained in this publication. Readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries in making decisions affecting their own health, wellbeing or interest. Australian Unity Health Limited, ABN 13 078 722 568, 114 Albert Road, South Melbourne VIC 3205.

Summer 2018

FITNESS WITH NICK SCOTT

Your Summer Fitness Plan So you want to stay in shape during the silly season? Personal trainer and triathlete Nick Scott from Performance 101 has some sage advice on how to achieve your goals – but he’s the first to admit that listening to a fitness guru will only get you so far, the rest of your motivation has to come from within.

Exercising in winter is never easy. There’s nothing quite like a cold, dark, rainy morning to make you hit the snooze button on your alarm instead of going for a run. According to Nick Scott, losing motivation in winter is all too common.

But let’s start with external motivation. The simplest way to reach your fitness goal is to make yourself accountable.

That might seem fairly obvious, but Nick suggests taking it one step further by working out with a friend and letting them in on your goals.

“It’s just natural to lose motivation a little bit in winter,” he says, admitting he’s not “Share your goals with them “Share your goals with them so exempt from the phenomenon. so they can remind you they can remind you and push you “I’ve been terrible this year. and push you along; a good Training at your peak is not friend will do that,” he says. along; a good friend will do that.” something you can sustain “If you don’t have someone, 12 months of the year, but the key is to keep your foot in document your journey on social media. I swear some the fitness door so you don’t have to start from scratch people love just going for a run these days just so they when you want to resume your training routine in summer.” can take a selfie and get encouragement. It works.”

Client enquiries start to pour in for Nick around early October when the weather begins to warm up and the days become longer. People want to look their best for events coming up, whether it’s end of year parties or weddings.

“I’ve seen dramatic results from people who are getting married, it’s crazy,” says Nick. “Anything is achievable, but it also comes down to the person. There’s no trainer who can say, ‘do it, do it,’ there has to be some kind of internal motivation.”

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Try and be that person for someone else too. Incentivise a friend or partner’s goals: if they successfully reach their weight loss goals or run a half marathon by a certain date, take them away for the weekend or buy them something they’ve been coveting.

Internal motivation is another story. Nick points out that losing weight is a common fitness goal, but that people need to work on repositioning why they want to do it in the first place.

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“Everyone wants to lose weight, but it’s not measureable,” says Nick. “Usually if you put someone on a clean eating plan, it takes care of itself. I think it’s time to take the focus off the aesthetics and instead focus on feeling good.

Everyone wants to feel good, whatever that means to them – it’s why people keep coming back and keep exercising; they feel fantastic and energised.”

High intensity workouts promote feeling good as they release endorphins and provide a sense of achievement.

The challenge arises over the Christmas and New Year period when people are surrounded by food, drink and festivities. But Nick is a strong believer in ‘everything in moderation’.

“It all balances out. If you stay on top of exercise, you can justify what you eat during the festive season.

In my 20 years of experience, it’s the people that deprive themselves who are likely to explode and go a little crazy.

If you want a glass of wine, have a glass of wine.” he says.

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The key is to move every day, even if you’re not doing high intensity exercise. It’s all about consistency of training more so than duration. One day off very quickly turns into two days off, which turns into a month and before you know it, it’s awfully difficult to break the routine of inactivity.

“We should be exercising or at least moving every day, so as a rule, don’t take more than two days off.” says Nick.

“Our bodies are not designed to be sitting down all day.

If you do that, you feel lethargic, and that’s why winter just grabs hold of so many people. The sun is out now, so be honest with yourself. Know yourself. That’s the only way to get sustained results.”

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Home Session Below is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session that you can complete at home.

The exercises are broken down into tabata intervals, with 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of recovery. These sessions can be divided into 20-30 minutes or 3 blocks of 10 minutes of continuous exercise. For results, complete this workout three times a week alongside other forms of aerobic exercise, such as moderate to high intensity walking or running. Start by warming up with a light jog around the block, then complete these exercises:

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Exercise 1: Sumo squat jumps Stand with your feet just wider than your hips, toes facing outwards. Lower your body into a squat position so that your thighs are at right angles, making sure your back is straight and then jump as high as you can, landing back into a squat position before repeating.

Exercise 2: Burpees Begin standing, then drop to the ground into a plank position and complete a push up. At the top of the push up, use the momentum to tuck your legs back under your body and jump up, landing in a squat position and repeating the movements in a smooth, continuous motion.

Exercise 3: Scissor plank Get into the pushup position with your back straight and core tight. Jump legs out and in, keeping your back straight.

Exercise 4: Mountain climbers Start from a plank position with your hands a little wider than your shoulders and your abdominals braced. Stabilise with your core and then draw one knee in towards your chest. Without lifting your hips up, return your foot to its original position and alternate legs. Keep your shoulders, elbows and wrists aligned.

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For more tips from Nick Scott, search for Performance 101 on Facebook or go to australianunity.com. au/nickscottvideos for more exercise routines.

Exercise 5: High knees Jog on the spot, bringing knees up above your waist. Use arms for momentum.

Exercise 6: Lateral jumps Start on one leg and jump to one side, landing on the opposite leg and then jumping back the other way. Repeat with only one foot on the ground at any one time. It can be useful to jump over a line or marker to ensure adequate distance is covered.

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Top Ten

Australia’s best walks Brimming with dense rainforests, spectacular waterfalls and vast stretches of iconic red earth the Australian landscape houses some of the world’s most breathtaking natural wonders. While extensive road trips are a staple of Aussie culture, there are some sights that just can’t be experienced from the car. Here are 10 of the best walks in Australia.

Bondi to Bronte 1 Coastal Walk

Wineglass 3 Bay Circuit

Sealer’s Cove Track 5

Tasmania If you’re worried that postcard depictions of Wineglass Bay won’t match expectations, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Not only are the sweeping sands and turquoise blue bay just as charming in reality, but the trek only requires a medium level of fitness. After an ascent to the lookouts, it’s downhill (with a few sections of steep, rocky ledges) to the bay for a dip and picnic lunch – you have to replenish your energy somehow for the return climb!

Flat, quiet and relaxing, this easy trail on Wilson’s Promontory is for those looking for a dose of serenity away from the bustle of Melbourne.

Starting at Telegraph Saddle car park, the trail to Sealer’s Cove unfolds through rainforests and expanses of smooth sand banks.

If you’re looking to pitch a tent, the mouth of nearby Tidal River is home to a public campground; otherwise it’s a three to four-hour round trip if you only have the day to spare.

Time: 4-5 hours Length: 12km circuit

Time: 1-2 days Length: 19.3 km return

Bluff Knoll 4

King ’s Canyon 6 Rim Walk

Flora fan? Bluff Knoll is home to over 1000 flower species, best visited during spring and summer when the entire mountain explodes in colour. With ample rest stops, the 6 kilometre trail is appropriate for average to advanced fitness levels, taking around 2 hours to complete in total. Sitting at 1099 metres, Bluff Knoll is the third highest peak in Western Australia. If you’re lucky enough to climb during decent weather, the summit offers impressive 360-degree views of surrounding bush and sea.

Time: 1-3 hours Length: 6km return

Time: 3-4 hours Length: 6km circuit

New South Wales

Connecting three of Sydney’s most impressive beaches – Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte – this adventure guides you along the clifftops of the New South Wales’ coast, passing plenty of picnic spots and ocean pools. The walk itself is easy, mostly flat with the occasional set of steps. The ocean views are stunning on their own, but between late October and early November, also enjoy Sculptures by the Sea, an outdoor gallery exhibiting both Australian and international artists.

Time: 1.5-2 hours Length: 4km return

Ingalalla Falls 2 South Australia In need of a family day out that isn’t to the movies? Pile into the car and take a short road trip into the mountains just outside of Adelaide.

From the picnic area it’s an easy 250-metre ramble to the rock pools and waterfalls, tucked into a beautiful nook of the forest that anyone can enjoy.

Time: 45 minutes Length: 0.5km return

Western Australia

Wilson’s Prom, Victoria

Northern Territory

Until you’re surrounded by little but red dust it’s difficult to comprehend the sheer mass of the Australian desert. King’s Canyon just north of Uluru offers two popular walks to help you fully appreciate the awe-inspiring panorama. You can choose a shorter, comfortable 2 kilometre trail following King’s Creek, or the tougher 6 kilometre trek with better views. Both walks are guided by plenty of signage, beginning and ending at the car park.

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Lake Joondalup Circuit Perth, Western Australia

Bush walking not your thing?

While Perth boasts a number of worthy metropolitan walks, the Joondalup Circuit north of the city is an easy-going but lengthy perimeter of the lake.

At 16 kilometres it’s a challenge of endurance rather than skill where you can relish the Australian landscape without being too far from the action.

Time: 4-5 hours Length: 16km circuit

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Great Round Walk 9 Blue Mountains, New South Wales

A great choice for medium fitness levels and those who want to see the best of the national park.

Before strapping on your hiking boots, take the Scenic Skyway (a pod of roomy cable cars suspended 270 metres above ground) that runs through a gorge over Katoomba Falls. Once you’ve disembarked it’s a short walk to Echo Point to snap the famous Three Sisters before taking the 1000-step path downwards into the rainforest below.

Time: 2 hours Length: 6km return

Fraser Island, Queensland

While there are a handful of Great Walk trajectories suitable for lower fitness levels or one-day visits, the full Fraser Island experience is best enjoyed by those with an enthusiasm for hiking, camping and the outdoors. As the world’s largest sand-based landmass, Fraser Island is a continuously shifting landscape, hosting over 100 fresh water lakes and rainforests dating back over 1000 years.

Time: 6-8 days Length: 90km one way

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The Great Ocean 10 Walk Apollo Bay, Victoria Up for a challenge? In its entirety, the Twelve Apostles Walk stretches just over 100 kilometres. Explore the ever-changing coastline of Victoria, stroll along unoccupied beaches and dig through the remains of shipwrecks. If you’re game, this adventure takes 8 to 10 days to complete, leaving from Apollo Bay and arriving at Glenample Homestead. A lot of the trail requires walking on both hard and soft sand, so only partake if you’re an experienced walker with all the right planning, preparation, supplies and in appropriate conditions.

Time: 8 days Length: 100km one way

RECIPES

Summer Entertaining WITH AUSTRALIA’S TOP CHEFS

Magdalena Roze

Mike McEnearney

Award-winning television presenter and meteorologist Magdalena Roze knows a thing or two about food. Not only does she write about food for a number of publications, she’s also married to a chef. More recently, she’s hosted foodie podcast The Pass and released Happy & Whole, a cookbook that shares her favourite wholefood recipes.

Executive chef and owner of No.1 Bent Street by Mike and Kitchen by Mike in Sydney, Mike McEnearney has always championed local and seasonal produce. This extends beyond his many hats as a cookbook author, food columnist and produce judge to his home, where he and his family eat the way Mike loves to cook.

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Mango, avocado, lime & lentil salad

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Ingredients

Method

1 handful wild rocket, washed 100g black or green lentils, soaked and steamed 2 mangoes 1 avocado 100g (½ cup) activated walnuts 45g Taggiasca olives 45g green olives ½ lime, juiced 1 tbsp walnut oil 1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed

1. Place the wild rocket in a large bowl or on a board, and spoon over the cooked lentils.

2. Remove the skin from the mangoes and avocado, cut the flesh into wedges and place it on top of the salad. Scatter over the walnuts and olives.

3. For a light dressing, combine the lime juice, walnut oil and capers and pour over the salad. Serve.

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Note: Italian Taggiasca, or Cailletier, olives are very small and purplish green. They have an intense flavour and a lovely crisp texture. If you can’t find Taggiasca olives, lovely Riviera olives from southern France are also delicious, or Kalamata will work too.

It’s all about the crisp texture, as the mango and avocado are soft.

Ocean trout, with wild black pepper and verjuice mayonnaise Ingredients 2kg ocean trout, scaled, gutted and gills removed (ask your fishmonger to do this for you, as it can be messy) 1 lemon, sliced 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 packet dried dulse seaweed, rehydrated in cold water for 30 minutes, then drained 1 copy of your least favourite newspaper, which you’re happy to burn Wild black pepper and verjuice mayonnaise

2 tsp Voatsiperifery peppercorns* 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp verjuice 1 tsp dijon mustard 200ml grapeseed oil *Note: A mix of sichuan and black peppercorns is a good option if you can’t find Voatsiperifery peppercorns.

Method Wild pepper and verjuice mayonnaise

1. For the wild pepper and verjuice mayonnaise, lightly toast the peppercorns in a frying pan over low heat for 2 minutes, just to refresh them. Allow to cool, then crush half of them roughly in a mortar and pestle.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, verjuice and mustard.

While whisking, gradually pour in the grapeseed oil to create the mayonnaise. Add the ground peppercorns and adjust the seasoning with some salt and a little more verjuice to suit your palate – it should taste aromatic and spicy. Transfer the mayonnaise to a sterilised jar and scatter with the remaining peppercorns.

Ocean trout

1. To cook the fish, preheat the oven to 220°C. 2. Open your newspaper out to the centre page. Pour 1 litre water over the newspaper to drench it and place a large piece of baking paper in the middle – as we don’t want the ink to come in contact with the fish. Place the sliced lemon in the fish’s belly. Rub the fish with the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and wrap the dulse seaweed around the fish. Wrap up the fish tightly in the newspaper, and secure it with string. Now soak the entire package in water until the paper is dripping wet.

3. P lace the package on a wire rack set in a baking tin and bake for 25 minutes. It’s now ready to eat.

However, the beauty of this dish is that it will stay warm in its little cocoon for another 45 minutes.

If serving the fish immediately, allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting open the package, to allow the flesh to relax and the fish to finish cooking a little more inside the paper.

4. U se a spoon to pull some fish from the bone and place it on a serving plate – it will flake off the bone easily, as the fish has been steamed in the wet newspaper and will hold together beautifully before portioning. Serve with a dollop of the mayonnaise.

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Mini matcha pavlovas with coconut yoghurt and fresh fruits Ingredients 6 egg whites ¼ tsp cream of tartar Pinch of salt 330g (1½ cups) caster sugar 1½ tsp matcha powder 2 tsp white vinegar 350g coconut yoghurt, to serve Pulp of 3 passionfruit 2 starfruit (carambola), sliced 1 dragon fruit 6 lychees, peeled, pitted and halved Small punnet of mulberries (optional) Edible flowers, to serve (optional)

Method 1. H eat the oven to 120°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and draw six 8cm circles 3cm apart on each piece of paper.

2. P lace the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed for 1–2 minutes until soft peaks form.

3. W ith the motor still running, add the salt then the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each tablespoon to dissolve before adding the next one.

4. C ontinue beating for 7–8 minutes until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Rub a small amount of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger – it should feel smooth and not grainy.

5. A dd the matcha powder and vinegar, and continue beating for a further 1 minute until combined. Dollop large spoonfuls of the mixture to fill each circle on the baking paper, dragging the meringue mixture upwards to form peaks.

6. B ake for 2 hours until firm to the touch, rotating the trays halfway through cooking. Turn the oven off and place a tea towel in the door to keep it ajar. Allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven.

7. T o serve, spoon the coconut yoghurt onto the cooled pavlovas. Top with the fresh fruits and edible flowers, if using, and serve immediately.

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Ingredients 1 3kg pork shoulder 1 tbsp grapeseed oil Sea salt

Method

Darren’s slow cooked pork with lemon leaves, cloves, ginger and honey Marinade

3–4 cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced 6 lemon leaves, torn 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 long red chilli, halved 4 tbsp grapeseed oil 1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 star anise 1 tsp cloves 1 tbsp fennel seeds Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp honey

Win 1 of 3 copies of Happy & Whole We’ve got 3 copies of Magdalena’s new book up for grabs. For your chance to win* simply tell us in 25 words or less how you lead a happy & whole life. Remember to include your name & membership number – to wellplan@australianunity.com.au

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the skin from the shoulder, score the top, and set aside in the fridge.

2. In a small bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients except the honey. Place the pork in a baking dish or casserole dish and smother with the marinade. Roast, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes until the marinade becomes fragrant.

3. Remove from the oven and add 250ml (1 cup) of water to the bottom of the dish. Reduce the heat to 160°C, cover, and slowly cook for around 6 hours, checking after 4–5 hours. If the meat is not yet cooked, but there is not much liquid at the bottom, add a little more water. When the meat comes away from the bone, it’s ready.

4. Remove the dish from the oven and increase the heat to 200°C. To make crackling, transfer the skin to a baking tray. Brush the skin with oil, liberally season with salt, and roast for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, add the honey to the juices at the bottom of the baking dish and use the mixture to baste the pork. Return it to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes to colour up, basting regularly.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest while the crackling crisps up nicely.

6. Season the pork with a little more salt, smash up the crackling, throw it over the top and you’re done!

Recipes supplied from Happy & Whole by Magdalena Roze, published by Plum, available in all good bookstores now.

*Competition terms and conditions available at australianunity.com.au/happyandwhole

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NUTRITION

More Than A Gut Feeling

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve heard a lot about gut health as of late. But what is it exactly, and why is everyone talking about it? A good place to start is with a book by Giulia Enders that arguably popularised it all, Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Under-rated Organ. In this recount of Giulia’s experiments on her own gut, she overcomes her lactose intolerance and puzzling skin lesions by treating her condition as internal instead of external. Throughout the book, Giulia keeps coming back to the link between intestinal health and everything from mental health to obesity and a number of other diseases.

She is not alone. Numerous studies have suggested an association between gut health and other illnesses, with more than 90 per cent of the scientific literature being published in the last five years. Although we’re only just starting to realise it, what we put into our bodies has implications that span far beyond simply what tastes good.

The link between our gut and brain is especially relevant in a society where a million Australians experience depression in any one year, according to Beyond Blue.

It’s generally known that 95 per cent of serotonin – the neurotransmitter linked to happiness – is manufactured in our guts, which has enormous implications for wellbeing. Just this year, a study conducted at the University of Cork in Ireland found that gut health could also be linked to anxiety.

One way to ensure good gut health is to make sure your body is eliminating properly, as Nemara Hennigan, natural health advocate, entrepreneur and inventor of the Proppr (a designer stool for gut health), elegantly puts it. She suffered from irritable bowel syndrome and other gut issues for 20 years. After trying numerous diets and cutting out dairy, sugar and processed foods, it was using a foot stool on the loo that cleared up her ailments – in just two months.

Nemara says that people are walking around with five to six kilograms of waste matter stuck in their guts, courtesy of processed foods that our gut was never designed to deal with. “The gut is the seat of your health,” she says.

“If you don’t have a healthy gut you don’t have a healthy body. A healthy gut means your other organs will be healthy, your blood will be clean and the rest of your body will be healthy.”

Studies have connected gut health to mood, immunity, inflammation, fatigue, asthma and more. Even if you are disease free, it’s important to look after your gut for overall health and wellbeing, and there are a number of things you can do to get your gut in order. Start with these 5 steps and track improvements along the way.

5 Steps to Good Gut Health 1

Take probiotics every day

Probiotics feed good gut bacteria. You can take natural supplements, but foods like greek yoghurt, bananas, garlic, soybeans and leeks are filled with the stuff. Fermented food and drink such as kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso are also good options. Need some inspiration? Buy Ferment by Holly Davis from murdochbooks.com.au.

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Ditch inflammatory food

That means anything high in sugar or highly processed, which can upset the good bacteria in your stomach and throw out that essential balance. A good way to manage your eating is to use and consume seasonal ingredients.

According to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, hunter-gatherers from the Savannah had gut bacteria 30 per cent more diverse than their western counterparts without occurrences of inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer or Crohn’s disease. This suggests that diversity of gut bacteria, encouraged by seasonal eating, is linked to our immune systems.

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Fight it with fibre

Fibre is crucial for diversity in gut bacteria, but make sure you’re eating whole grains, seeds and nuts as opposed to white bread and white rice.

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Don’t be a germ freak

Obsessively washing hands and using antibacterial and sanitising products can lower your tolerance to, well, the real world. Stay clean, but make sure you build up your immune system by allowing your gut bacteria to do its job.

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Chill out

The gut and the brain are constantly communicating, so minimising stress will help both your gut and mind. Exercise and meditation have been repeatedly linked to wellbeing – give it a go.

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The Road To A Zero Waste Lifestyle

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Philippine McDonald has a way of making you feel inadequate.

She doesn’t mean to – quite the opposite – but the working mother of three has successfully managed to convert her family to a zero waste lifestyle in less than two years.

It started when a friend sent her a link to a YouTube video of Bea Johnson’s Zero Waste Lifestyle on CCTV America.

Bea popularised waste-free living through her blog and it’s essentially what it says on the packet – minimal to no waste in the home. That means ditching disposables and packaging. Philippine was inspired.

“The second I watched the video I suddenly realised that you can have a sustainable lifestyle without becoming a hippy. You can have an amazing looking home and be zero waste… it totally resonated with me,” Philippine says.

With a four, seven and ten-year old, it was a family effort to make the change. But before they could do anything, Philippine had to observe what the family was actually throwing out. From there she started recycling more, buying less, purchasing only what she needed and cooking with the right proportions of ingredients. Her husband introduced the next component.

Trying to minimise landfill is becoming increasingly important as the population grows and we consume more.

Food is a good place to start, as it makes up nearly half of all household and municipal waste that ends up in landfill – a total of 923,000 tonnes between 2015 and 2016 in Victoria alone, according to Sustainability Victoria’s Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan.

Marcus Godinho, CEO of food waste charity FareShare, says it’s all about the choices we make. “For some time, we’ve been encouraged to put a jumper on in winter instead of turning up our heaters, or reducing the time we spend in the shower to save water, but our most significant footprint comes from our choices around food,” he says.

It’s all about perspective; turning off the tap might save a few litres of water, but it also takes 2400 litres of water to produce a hamburger, Marcus points out. “We need to use whatever we have already got in the fridge and freezer, check out current stocks before going to the supermarket, package up says Philippine. “I wasn’t too excited about that at first but it was leftovers – all of those basic things that a great idea because now we compost our fruit and vegetable many more people did generations scraps, teabags, coffee, eggshells, egg boxes – all of that goes to ago. It’s something that’s good for the worm farm and not to the waste bin anymore and the extra the environment as well as for the scraps that don’t fit go to our local community garden.” household budget,” he says.

Philippine reassessed how she shopped too. This is FareShare is at the forefront of food waste, currently because she noticed the massive amount of packaging cooking 25,000 meals per week from surplus food – of that her family accumulated when she shopped at her which 75 per cent would end up in landfill – and providing usual grocery store, so she began trying alternative bulk it to Victorians doing it tough. It’s an admirable example of retailers for edible products, along with washing powder, how the community is coming together to combat waste dishwashing powder, Epsom salts and refillable bottles and do good, but on the home front, Philippine stresses of olive oil, honey and shampoo. For fresh produce and the importance of not getting ahead of yourself when meat, Philippine shops at her local marketplace. Even her attempting to live waste free. local wine merchant refills her bottles. They also pick up empties and drop off new bottles to and from her house.

“It’s been two years since I’ve been following the zero waste lifestyle and now we’re at the point where it would Philippine also describes how reducing waste is easier take us a whole year to fill our general waste bin. We take than it sounds and it quickly becomes a habit, like taking the recycling bin out every two weeks but I’d like to do it your own containers to your butcher or when buying deli once a month so I need to push that further,” she says. items. And how she’s found that the merchants are happy to help consumers to be more sustainable that they don’t “Like any journey you embark on, you want it to be a have any problem with you asking for your box or jar to success, but you need to allow time for that and not be filled. “They love it,” she says. “It’s funny how it starts a be harsh with yourself; don’t hope for a revolution to conversation. They say, ‘oh, I wish more of you were doing happen overnight or you’ll get disappointed and feel this’. It’s really nice.” a sense of failure. Baby steps are really critical to set yourself up for success.”

“He came home with a worm farm,”

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TRAVEL

Great Australian Getaways We’ve all found ourselves staring blankly out of the office window fantasising about swapping spreadsheets for poolside cocktails, or the monotony of the photocopier for the quiet hum of the tranquil countryside. Thankfully grand budgets or lengthy leave aren’t always necessary to make these dreams a reality. We’ve handpicked the top unique getaways from all over Australia, so you can choose an adventure that suits you.

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1949 Double Decker London Bus, Bathurst, NSW

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Take a road trip that starts with a car and ends with a bus.

Overlooking the celebrated Blue Mountains, an original 1949 London double decker sits atop sloping farmland surrounded by magnificent rivers and kangaroos.

A three-hour drive from Sydney, the bus has been renovated to accommodate up to four people for a bargain. If sleeping in a Better Homes & Gardens feature wasn’t exciting enough, take the family into Bathurst for a day to the Bald Hill Tourist Mine, Abercrombie Caves and Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.

Trade your feet on the ground for a suite in the sky with the award-winning Canopy Treehouses in the heart of Cairns Highlands. With striking timber apartments, the resort is proudly eco-friendly, offering guests an exclusive glimpse of Australian wildlife. For outdoor types there are walking trails, waterfalls and fishing spots; otherwise opt in for hot air ballooning, spa treatments and local food and wine tastings. www.canopytreehouses.com.au

www.artisanspark.com.au

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Thalia Haven, 2 Wineglass Bay, TAS

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Canopy Rainforest Treehouse, Tarzali, QLD

St. Jerome’s Hotel, Melbourne, VIC

When it comes to Thalia Haven, the term ‘picturesque’ is an understatement. Aside from everything you could want in a romantic escape – a fully stocked kitchen, private sauna and stunning Wineglass Bay just around the corner – Thalia’s winning feature is its one-in-a-million bathtub. The fully plumbed tub sits on an open decking at the edge of the sea, overlooking the east coast of Tasmania. Take day trips to the penguins at Bicheno and the Douglas-Apsley National Park, or sample wines from nearby vineyards. A stay like this means digging deep but with capacity for up to 11 people, Thalia Haven is also perfect for groups.

There’s glamping and then there’s St. Jerome’s glamping. If you’re after the outdoor experience without leaving behind creature comforts, then a night or two in a deluxe tent on top of Melbourne Central is for you. St. Jerome’s Hotel offers incredible views of Melbourne CBD and is perfectly located for enjoying all the restaurants, bars, galleries and other experiences that inner city Melbourne has to offer. All accommodation includes a full breakfast, Gelato Messina dessert, coffee delivery to your tent in the morning, sauna access and an esky full of drinks – you’ll be hard pressed to find another tent like this.

www.thaliahaven.com.au

www.stjeromesthehotel.com.au

Wellplan

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Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef, WA

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Western Australia is known for pristine beaches and the Sal Salis Luxury Camp is no exception. Suitable for couples seeking a high-end getaway this beachside safari resort is settled into the exquisite Coral Coast sand dunes.

The 280-kilometre Ningaloo Reef spans the coastline, playing host to a unique marine ecosystem that only Australia could produce. Lounge on white beaches, swim with whale sharks and humpbacks, kayak in the open Indian Ocean and feast on locally sourced dishes. www.salsalis.com.au

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Sticky Rice Villas, Adelaide Hills, SA

Sticky rice is not typically associated with weekend retreats, but in Stirling, just outside of Adelaide, it’s the norm.

Inspired by eastern Asia, Sticky Rice Cooking School and Villas puts the ‘home’ back in ‘home-cooking’ by combining hands-on workshops with overnight stays in their three bed and breakfasts. Suitable for foodies, wedding parties or those looking for an out-of-the-ordinary vacation, this cooking-holiday fusion includes the cooking class, bottles of wine and a goodie bag filled with oriental treats. www.stickyricevillas.com.au

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Jamala Wildlife Lodge, Canberra, ACT

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King ’s Canyon Resort, NT

Brown bears joining your morning bath, a pack of cheetahs at movie night, giraffes munching trees outside your balcony – welcome to everyday life at Jamala Wildlife Lodge in Canberra. A jam-packed daily itinerary ensures that guests get the most out of their up-close experience, including pre-dinner cocktails and an African-inspired menu. Funds go towards conserving the sanctuary and educating guests about the importance of protecting endangered species.

Nothing says ‘Australian adventure’ like a journey to the Red Centre. King’s Canyon in Watarrka National Park boasts a top resort suitable for any budget. Opt for a lavish suite with spa access and Uluru views, bunk with your mates in a cosy lodge room or set up your own gear at the adjoining campsite.

There are also plenty of activities to enjoy, such as immersing yourself in Indigenous culture workshops, gliding over the Gibson Desert in a private helicopter and guided canyon hikes over King’s Canyon Rim.

www.jamalawildlifelodge.com.au

www.kingscanyonresort.com.au

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PARENTHOOD

Kids In The Kitchen

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Wellplan

The reasons to cook alongside your kids range from encouraging a healthy appetite to fostering curiosity – but getting them into the kitchen in the first place can be a challenge. The key is to make it an enjoyable experience and give them the freedom to experiment, while modelling positive food behaviours in the process.

Alice Zaslavsky’s best-selling children’s book, Alice’s Food A-Z, is the first cookbook to be given a Notable gong by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, while her kids’ food and lifestyle programs Crunch Time and Short Cuts to Glory can be viewed on Nine’s Channel Go! and ABC respectively. She knows more about kids’ eating and cooking habits than most parents. Thankfully, she sees it as her duty to share her knowledge.

“The best part about being a parent is that you have access to your kids more often than teachers. I think a lot of parents think that the school is responsible for teaching kids about food, but that learning happens every time kids are sitting down for breakfast with you or helping you prepare dinner,” she says.

4 Resources for Budding Cooks 1

Dubbed as “all the things you ever wanted to know about food, also some things you probably didn’t”, this book is filled with kid-friendly recipes, cooking tips and funny food facts that will not only get kids in the kitchen, but also arm them with food knowledge they can take to show-and-tell.

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Alice refers to this as experiential learning, the kind that “doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom.” She advises that parents assess themselves before their children – if you give the impression that you don’t enjoy being in the kitchen, it runs the risk of children viewing cooking as a chore instead of a joy. Seeking out schools that have positive food education programs is another way to help children form healthy habits, be it a Kitchen Garden program or an active incursion.

Alice’s Food A-Z by Alice Zaslavsky

T he Silver Spoon for Children

by Amanda Grant

This illustrated cookbook adapts 40 recipes from one of the greatest Italian cookbooks of the last 50 years. With simple instructions for delicious recipes and a short introduction that covers dish origins and ingredient facts, it’s designed for kids ages 10 and up.

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G row.Cook.Eat

by Alla Wolf-Tasker and Andrew Stone

Brought to you by Lakehouse chef and owner Alla Wolf-Tasker, alongside a talented bunch of kids from the local Daylesford Primary School, this cookbook is designed for kids of all ages.

It encourages growing your own produce with all proceeds going back to the Daylesford Primary School Kitchen Garden project.

At home, Alice points out that children often relish any chance to connect with their parents, so take the opportunity to cook and connect together. Even something as simple as growing herbs on the kitchen bench is a great way to kick-start an interest in food and an understanding of where it comes from. As soon as kids can reach the kitchen bench, or climb up on a stool to do so, the learning can begin. The sooner it does, the easier it can be for parents in the long run.

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“Just think of all the mess they can make and all the squelching they can do – it’s like Play-Doh, only they get to eat it at the end,” says Alice. “You’ve got to think of it as an opportunity to teach a life skill that’s going to arm your child with something really positive, and that life skill is curiosity and openness.”

Summer 2018

getkidscooking.com.au

Monthly cooking subscriptions that deliver tools and recipes to your door – just follow the shopping list and let the kids do all the hard work! There are also a number of school cooking programs and mobile teaching kitchens that make cooking at school fun, easy and affordable.

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MIND

Motivation And Habit Formation Dr. Marika Tashevska has been a clinical psychologist for more than 20 years and acknowledges that habits can be positive or dysfunctional. The key difference is that people with dysfunctional habits often aren’t aware of them.

Around this time of year people start asking each other about New Year’s resolutions. Picking up a new routine, setting goals at work or dropping weight are all too common, but sticking to resolutions is another story entirely. By taking cues from psychology, we can turn to the science behind habit formation, helping propel our resolutions into the following year.

“Part of my job is to inform and educate people through the psychotherapy process that they have habits that are not serving them,” she says. “Habits are formed through various mechanisms and one is through modelling, or copying other significant people. For example parents, teachers and other adults throughout childhood. But people can develop habits as a way of coping, and then through repetition of that behaviour, the habit is formed.”

“A habit is a regular behaviour that is hard to change and is different in degree from a compulsion, which is an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way,” explains psychiatrist, Dr. James Oldham. According to Dr. Oldham, habits feel like a routine in that we make a choice to complete an action. But even psychiatrists aren’t immune from wanting to change – this year Dr. Oldham wants to pause for five seconds before accepting an offer of chocolate and listen longer before talking. He cites The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg in explaining how habits are formed.

“Habits start with a behavioural pattern Duhigg calls a ‘habit loop’, which is a three-part process. First, there’s a cue, or trigger, that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and let a behaviour begin. Then there’s the habit routine, which unfolds until it’s over and we reach the end point where there’s the reward. If a habit is a trance, this is the point we come out of it. When driving this can be hours later and we wonder where the time went,” he says.

Dr. Tashevska adds that habits are usually unconscious, while goals are driven by purpose. This is why breaking a habit is much more difficult than forming one. Forming a habit takes about three months in humans, but it can take longer to break them. But there are psychological techniques that can be applied to breaking habits as the New Year comes around.

“Unless you put something in place of the dysfunctional behaviour, it’s not going to work. Having a New Year’s resolution and saying, ‘I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that’ – it will work for a week and then it will peter out.

When you go to the beach and you dig a hole, unless you put your foot or a bucket in it, the sand just slides back in.

That’s what dysfunctional behaviours are like.

You need to find an activity that is your mental bucket,” she says.

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Wellplan

Both Dr. Tashevska and Dr. Oldham agree that you can’t change a habit without first understanding why you want to do so. “Reflection is the best way to change our habits,” says Dr. Oldham. “Keeping a written journal is writing a letter to a future self and reading is a letter from an earlier self. This allows us to check if we really want to change and notice when we fail to do so.”

Dr. Tashevska adds that self-reflection is much easier for people with higher emotional intelligence and levels

of insight. Others might need a psychologically warm, listening and responsive therapist.

In terms of ‘New Year, new you’, Dr. Oldham suggests making small changes and noticing what happens. Simply observing habits can kick-start the change. “Writing a script of our behaviour in sequence makes bad habits seem absurd. When in doubt try something different. When frustrated give it 10 seconds – everything changes all the time,” he says.

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TECHNOLOGY

Everyday Innovations

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For the home cook:

For fun lovers:

The FridgeCam ($170)

Hover Camera Passport Drone ($865)

Launched in September, The FridgeCam is the first wireless fridge camera that lets you see what’s left in the fridge from your phone. Not only can you view the contents of the fridge if you’ve forgotten your shopping list, the camera and app also track expiry dates and suggest recipes based on what’s already available.

Every time the fridge is opened, the camera takes a snapshot and sends it straight to your phone, accessed via the Smarter app. Reduce food waste and save money by connecting to your fridge, wherever you are.

Think of this portable drone as your personal photographer – it follows you around, automatically locking onto you while streaming a live 4K video feed (or 13MP photos) to your iPhone or iPad. You can also manually control the drone in mid-air and it’s suitable for both indoors and out. The 360-degree panoramic function is especially great for grand vistas. The Hover Camera Passport is light, folds down into the size of a notebook and is incredibly easy to use – brilliant for those who wish to capture memories from a new angle.

store.smarter.am/products/fridgecam

gethover.com

Wellplan

You don’t have to be a tech wizard to appreciate the excitement that innovative technology can add to one’s life, regardless of age or hobbies. With something for everyone, here are a few of the latest products on the market.

For the fitness freak:

For little ones:

For home:

JBL Under Armour Sport HR In-Ear Wireless Headphones ($299)

LEGO Boost ($249.99)

Google Home ($199)

LEGO Boost – launched in Australia at the start of October – is LEGO’s first foray into robotics. Aimed at children seven-years old and above, Boost involves systems that can be incorporated into individual LEGO creations, combining them with movement and sound capabilities in an easy-to-use, app-based coding environment.

Through basic coding, kids can bring their LEGO to life, just like they’ve always imagined.

Those who want to stay ahead of the ‘smart home’ curve should start with Google Home, a device powered by Google’s voicecontrolled assistant that links to just about everything – appliances, power switches, lights, music and of course updates on weather, sports, traffic, news and answers to any general knowledge questions you may have. It connects to the wireless network and links to all smart devices, while also differentiating your voice from others in the house.

Apparel company Under Armour have created in-ear Bluetooth headphones with an in-built heart rate monitor. Engineered by JBL, these headphones provide audio updates for distance and pace as well as heart rate. They also connect to UA Record™, a free app that enables detailed workout tracking so you can keep on top of your fitness goals. They’re sweat-proof with long-lasting battery life and a touch sensor, making them ideal for intense workouts.

shop.lego.com/en-AU/ LEGO-Boost

store.google.com

jbhif i.com.au

Summer 2018

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