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This blog started as a way for me to share my recipes + culinary adventures, tips for vibrant health + happiness, thoughts on the latest developments in nutritional medicine + the low down on the Sydney wholefoods scene and beyond...

Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet

Becca Crawford

 

WHY YOU NEED A health coach


Our ancient DNA requires us to live barefoot amidst nature, eat real food, drink pure water, move all day, bask in sunshine, breathe clean air, rise and sleep with the sun, feel deeply connected to ourselves and to the tribe to which we belong and only experience stress in acute situations. The mismatch between our DNA and our modern lifestyle is hugely problematic, manifesting in stress, illness and disease.  How can we embrace our ancient roots while living in the modern world? While I do not believe we can entirely eliminate the mismatch we experience every single day, we can certainly educate ourselves on it and go to great lengths to reduce it. Indeed, that is all we can do and that in itself is hugely empowering and results in profound shifts in our health and wellbeing. That is precisely why I am here and what I cover in my health coaching sessions. Small changes, big impact. 

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the modern dilemma


Do you find yourself:

— plagued with any health issues (such as gas, bloating, excess weight, under weight, skin conditions, lethargy, troubled sleep, absent /irregular menstrual cycle, PMT, inability to conceive, recurrent colds and flues, excessive mucous, osteo-skeletal issues, aches, pains, constipation, depression, low libido, brain fog, cavities)?

— stressed about your food choices?

— riddled with guilt when eating certain foods?

— confused with how much to eat and how often?

— wanting to reduce time in the kitchen or simplify meals?

— wanting to know where to purchase organic wholefoods from at the most affordable prices - especially if you are on a budget?

— dealing with picky and fussy eaters in your home?

— worried that your children aren’t thriving or functioning as best they could be?

— wanting to reduce or eliminate gluten, sugar and processed foods generally but don’t know where to start and don’t want to feel deprived of your favourite treats or deprive others in your home of their favorite foods?

— deficient in certain nutrients?

— generally healthy, fit and food conscious but are keen to take your health and well-being to the next level, especially if you are an athlete or personal trainer?

If so, then you are not living the full and vibrant a life that you so truly deserve. While health issues, pharmaceutical band-aids, and confusion and stress over what, when and how to eat might be considered “normal” in today’s society, this is not a natural state of being and you don’t have to settle to live that way. 

My mission is to inspire people to make positive and meaningful changes to their health in order to function properly and perform their best to reach their true potential. It is our birthright to be the very best version of ourselves and to shine our brightest light.  But without a solid foundation of health, you have nothing and you will only ever be a fraction of what you can truly be.  


So what is health?


Modern science shows that the genes that we inherent from our parents are only responsible for a very small fraction of our health and our health in fact is largely dependent upon a number of different environmental or lifestyle factors. 

The 2 broad categories of these environmental factors that influence our health are nourishment and toxins. These lifestyle factors are also called epigenic factors because they switch our genes on or off for better or for worse. In my health coaching sessions I further unpack these 2 broad epigenetic factors into 8 specific lifestyle factors – what I call the 8 foundations of health (nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, breadth, stress management, nature, connection) – each of which can either be a source of nourishment or toxicity to the body. 

Because we control to a large degree what we eat and drink, how we move and sleep, what and how we breathe, our ability to manage stress, how much time we spend in nature and our relationship with ourselves and others, it is nothing short of empowering knowing that YOU can reclaim and maintain your health through YOUR lifestyle choices. I spend time with clients to give them the information, tools and resources they need to embrace each of these 8 foundations of health to enhance nourishment in all aspects of their life and to reduce toxicity in all aspects of their life. 


My nutritional philosophy


While all 8 foundations of health are hugely important and directly impact our physical and mental health, nourishing your body with the foods that we are designed to eat is, I believe, the fastest and easiest way of reclaiming and maintaining spectacular health and has the most profound impact. 

My nutritional philosophy is that we should eat what we are biologically designed to eat based on our anatomy (which is universally an omnivorous diet rich in nutrient-dense whole unprocessed foods) as tailored to individual physiology (to take account of digestive issues, food intolerances, auto immunity, allergies, etc). You could call this a traditional wholefoods diet, an ancestral diet, a species-appropriate diet or a paleo-esque type diet. 

With over 2 decades of research, I explain in my renowned uncomplicated, no-nonsense, practical approach the fundamentals of good nutrition and bust mainstream myths that have contributed to the epidemic of modern illness and degenerative disease. 

I educate clients on where our food comes from and how its been processed, where to source it most affordably, and how to properly prepare it super simply and efficiently while maximising its nutritional benefits and flavour. I help clients transition as effortlessly and joyously as possible from conventional to nutrient-dense whole foods with step by step healthy swaps.  I will even take you shopping and come to your house to clean out your fridge and pantry with you. 

^ photos by becca crawford


CAN I TAILOR MY CONSULTATION FOR A SPECIFIC NEED?


Yes! Consultations can be tailored to the following specific areas upon request:

— Auto immunity (and meal plans for the auto immune protocol)
— Fat loss
— Fertility and pregnancy
— Sports nutrition
— Childrens’ nutrition and fussy eaters


WHAT WILL I RECEiVE?


You will receive:

  • a 20+ page folder of information containing many fact sheets (including a summary of the fundamentals of good nutrition, meal planning, go-to formulas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a shopping list, a contact list of the holistic practitioners that I work closely with, a healthy swap table and fact sheets on specific health issues that may be relevant to you)
  • actionable goals that I will hold you accountable for to help facilitate behaviour change 
  • access to my original recipes and/or workshop booklets that I think will benefit you
  • access to freely contact me at no additional cost with any questions that may crop up from time to time 
  • regular contact from me to check in with you to see how you are tracking 
  • as much hand-holding and support from me as you feel that you need.

For the vast majority of clients that I see, simply adopting an anti-inflammatory nutrient-dense traditional wholefoods diet that supports gut health leads to a complete resolution of all health issues. If you are not looking and feeling vibrantly healthy within a certain time period by adopting the diet and other lifestyle changes that I recommend, I will connect you with one of Australia’s leading integrative GPs or nutritionists that I work closely with for blood, stool and/or gut testing and diagnosis to determine if there is some underlying medical issue that needs to be addressed.

I also am privileged to work closely with an experienced naturopath for herbal support, a Weston A Price compliant dentist, an integrative paediatrician, a holistic psychologist, a TM meditation teacher, expert body workers to release trauma, a leading building biologist for home health, a primal movement Personal Trainer and many more. Because health is so multifactoral, we work together to think outside the box to see what else might be causing health issues once diet and basic lifestyle issues are addressed (e.g. mould, EMR, mercury amalgams, relationships etc).

By combining the wisdom of ancestral diets with the latest developments in nutritional medicine and robust science, I will provide you with all the tools and resources you need on your journey towards vibrant health and renewed vitality.

By the end of the process my goal is to ensure that:

— Nutrition makes perfect sense to you.
— Making diverse, nutritious and delicious meals is a pleasure and not a stress.
— You have better aligned all your lifestyle choices with your biology.
— You have kicked to the curb blood sugar issues, sugar cravings, digestive issues, constipation, excess weight, nutrient deficiencies, skin issues, troubled sleep, PMT, irregular/absent periods, lethargy, poor immunity, depression, anxiety, osteo-skeletal issues, brain fog and other health issues.
— You are looking and feeling vibrantly healthy.


ARE YOU READY?

Click here for more information and to book a one on one session with me.

Or simply email me now.


 

Free New Years Essential Oils Gathering 

Becca Crawford

Due to the growing interest in essential oils and the overwhelming demand that I have received to share more of my knowledge on essential oils and why I exclusively use Young Living, I am excited to kick start 2018 off with my essential oils tribe by hosting TWO free essential oils gatherings on 13th and 21st January to answer all your questions and to help you navigate the field of essential oils. Make 2018 the year that you rid your house of all toxic chemicals and healthy swap to natural nourishing products. 

In this jammed-packed information session we will be covering a brief overview of the essential oils basics, the Young Living Premium Starter Kit containing 11 essential oils, the Young Living toxic free make up range and some of their other essential oils infused products. We will also be hearing from expert body worker, Bruce Scott, on how he incorporates the oils into his practice with profound benefits to his clients. And we will hear from naturopath Lynn Mann on how you can support your and your family’s health by using essential oils.

Health is very much multifactoral (and you might have heard me bang on about the importance of the 8 foundations of health which I blogged about earlier this year here and here). Since I started using and falling in love with Young Living essential oils two years ago and learnt how to incorporate them more and more into my daily life, I have felt so much calmer, happier, and healthier. My emotions are more on an even keel with fewer lows. My sleep is deeper, my skin is glowing like never before, my metabolism has increased, and my kids are so much more chilled out. There’s less fighting, yelling and screaming in my house. I feel more empowered in becoming my own alchemist when niggles arise, and I have drastically simplified my life and have saved a heap of money on personal care products and household cleaning products that are now redundant. In short, essential oils quickly became another tool in my health tool box to increase nourishment and decrease toxicity in my home and body. I was surprised at how easily and effortlessly I was able to incorporate essential oils as a beautiful and powerful adjunct into each of the 8 foundations of health to turbo charge or enhance my and childrens’ health and well-being to take it to the next level. And I love sharing all this with you so that you can experience the magic in these oils too. 


What will be covered:
 

I will be leading a detailed discussion on the essential oils basics:

  • What are essential oils?
  • How essential oils fit into my health and wellness paradigm
  • 12 objective questions to ask when choosing an essential oils company
  • My personal reasons for choosing and exclusively using and trusting Young Living, with their 2 decade story of industry leadership
  • How to use essential oils (the 3 basic methods of application)
  • How essential oils affect emotions (the blood brain barrier)
  • What makes an oil therapeutic 
  • The difference between diffusing and burning
  • Essential oils and safety
  • An overview of 11 specific essential oils (blends and singles) found in the Premium Starter Kit including what they can be used for and, in particular, how they can replace conventional household cleaning products, personal care products and perfumes to lower your toxic load

Lynn Mann, naturopath, will be leading a discussion on reducing the chemical burden to protect you and your family.

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Bruce Scott, The Body Magician, will be discussing how he uses essential oils in his body work sessions with clients.

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Elizabeth Gageler, founder of health and wellness blog Cheeky Coconuts, and advocate for organic chemical free living, will showcase the Young Living Savvy Mineral Make Up range.  

Lisa Wood, founder of Gyrotonic Sydney, will showcase some new Young Living products as well as existing ones.

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The gathering will also include:

  • Organic afternoon tea of essential oil infused raw treats and herbal tea, and filtered water infused with lemon essential oil. 
  • Opportunity to purchase at wholesale prices Young Living essential oils. 
  • A comprehensive 30 page workshop booklet (including recipes on how to make an all purpose household cleaner, facial mist, mouth wash, bath salts, sunscreen, inspect spray, body lotion, and lots more!) for every person who purchases a Young Living starter kit on the day or who has previously purchased a Young Living starter kit through me. 
  • Opportunity to ask questions about essential oils generally, or any Young Living products specifically, including their new Savvy Minerals make up range.
  • Opportunity to smell the Young Living difference. 

THIS SHOWCASE IS IDEAL FOR:
 

  • Those who are interested to learn about essential oils generally and in particular only want to use the highest quality essential oils on the planet
  • Those who are interested to learn about Young Living specifically and why Young Living are in a league of their own as the world leaders in essential oils
  • Those who have purchased a Young Living Premium Starter kit through me but haven’t received training or information on it specifically
  • Those who have come to one of my previous essential oils workshops and want a recap or reminder of how to incorporate the oils further into their daily life
  • Those who are interested in replacing personal care products, air fresheners, perfumes and household cleaners with essential oil based natural alternatives
  • Those who want to learn how to use essential oils to promote, maintain and support their and their family’s health and to reduce their chemical burden
  • Those who want to take their health and well-being to the next level with the inclusion of essential oils
  • Holistic practitioners and body workers who want to learn how to incorporate the oils into their practice for the benefit of their clients
  • Those who want to learn new things and immerse themselves into our  tribe of like-minded people!

WHEN & WHERE

WHEN: SAT 13TH JAN, 13:00 - 16:00 [SOLD OUT]
WHERE: 23 KENT ST WAVERLEY


WHEN: SUN 21ST JAN, 13:00 - 16:00
WHERE: 45 OXFORD ST, BONDI JUNCTION (HEART SPACE MANOR)


Click here to secure your spot ASAP!


Very limited spaces available so please book quickly!
Also, please feel free to forward to any family members and friends.
I look forward to seeing you at the gathering!

5 fAVOURITE Gifts of conscious consumption + OTHER EXCITING NEWS

Becca Crawford

This Christmas, gift your loved ones and friends something that will make a truly positive impact on their lives. Set out below are my top 5 suggestions of gifts that embrace conscious consumption – gifts that are useful, inspiring, sustainable, nourishing and soul-enriching in some way. 

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1. Online cooking workshops


I am so excited to have been able to release my 2 new online workshops – Gluten Free Baked Cakes and Bone Broth -  just before Xmas. Learning how to make and master guilt-free healthy cakes and a gelatinous nourishing bone broth are life changing skills that can (and should be) passed on from generation to generation. 

Once purchased, you will receive an email containing a secure link to download and save a document containing both the video and the workshop booklet. Provided you download the link within 24 hours of receipt, you have lifetime access to the PDF and video with no time limit in which to view it by.  If you are wanting to gift the online video to a friend, simply download and save the document on your system and forward the document to them as their gift. 

You can purchase both workshops as a bundle for 25% off the retail price. 

 
 

I have put a lot of love, time and energy into these first 2 online workshops to create as close an experience as possible as if you had attended the workshop in person. I have made them as thoroughly comprehensive as possible, jammed packed with recipes, nutritional theory, practical demos, and answers to frequently asked questions. For those of you who live outside of Sydney or for whatever reason could not make it to one of my bone broth or baked cakes workshops in person, I hope you love these online workshops as much I have enjoyed creating them for you! 


2. gift vouchers


If you are struggling to decide what product your loved one might like best- let them choose!

Simply purchase a Star Anise Organic Wholefoods gift voucher to the amount of your choosing. Vouchers can be used towards our productsworkshops (including online workshops) or a life-changing one on one health coaching session with me. To purchase a voucher simply contact one of our lovely staff at Broth Bar & Larder and they will take care of the rest. 


3. ACTIVATED NUTS


Did you know that activated nuts and seeds are ranked 3rd on the Dr. Mat Lalonde nutrient-density scale? Yes, really. However, nuts and seeds contain these pesky things called phytates which are anti-nutrients that trap the vitamins and minerals inside the nuts and seeds. Phytates can also irritate the lining of the gut making it leaky and they also destroy enzymes needed to digest our food (gas and bloating are tell tale signs that your nuts and seeds are still raw and not properly prepared). 

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Fortunately, traditional societies discovered through trial and error over millennia that soaking nuts and seeds and then drying them breaks down much of the phytates and hence improves digestibility and bio-availability of the nutrients. Not to mention making them more delicious than raw nuts. Once you’ve eaten an activated nut there’s no going back!!

This proper preparation process is nowadays called “activating” nuts.  It is a labour of love to get our nuts so ridiculously crispy and delicious as we do. I’m happy to be told otherwise, but I’m convinced that no one activates longer and with as much care and vigilance as we do. We soak raw organic nuts overnight in reverse osmosis filtered water, organic apple cider vinegar (with the mother), and unrefined salt then rinse them in filtered water and dust them with unrefined salt before popping them into dehydrator ovens. No short cuts, no expense spared. It takes up to a whole week to get those macadamias and cashews super crispy. And almost that long for the rest of our nuts. 

For Xmas I recommend a gift of the Snack Mix which is very festive (with gojis, coconut flakes, figs and mixed nuts) – it’s the perfect blend of sweet and savoury. 

You also can’t go past our activated macadamias (that have been described as “life-changing”) or almonds. The mixed nuts (which do not contain dried fruit) are also a good place to start for those who are not sure. 

Our nuts are available in 3 sizes (120g, 300g, 500g) and some come in handy 30g snack packs. These are a nice addition to any hamper and make a lovely gift for a teacher, friend, household helper or someone who has enriched your life in some way. 


4. artisan Xmas chocolate & other raw treats

Because we loooove chocolate so much, we have hand crafted a Xmas chocolate made with tangy incaberries, activated hazels and coconut flakes in our luscious organic raw dark chocolate base. Individually hand wrapped, these are available for sale at Broth Bar & Larder only

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And then we have a selection of our staple artisan raw treats: 4 flavours of raw dark chocolate, 2 flavours of power bars, 4 flavours of bliss balls, choc coated macadamias, raspberry gummies and totally unsweetened carob bears. These were crafted by me many moons ago after an exhaustive search of not being able to find anything that was remotely up to scratch in the market place. Made without any refined sugar, soy lecithins, emulsifiers, milk powders or other nasties whatsoever, these contain only pure certified organic ingredients. These are so pure that they must be refrigerated. We don’t see that as an inconvenience, but as a sign of purity and uncompromising standards. 

5. Xmas stocking fillers

Here are some ideas for small gifts or gifts that make a nice addition to any Xmas stocking or hamper:

  • Our 30g packets of activated nuts (sold at Broth Bar & Larder)
  • Green Pastures Beauty Balm (the most nourishing edible lip balm on the market) (sold at Broth Bar & Larder)
  • Home made ginger bread men (see my recipe here). 
  • A bottle of orange essential oil by Young Living. Find out more here on how to purchase these pure and potent essential oils from the world leaders in essential oils.  

If you would like a selection of our products then feel free to bring in a hamper box for us to help you fill. In addition to all of the Star Anise Organic Wholefoods Products we also sell a beautiful selection of artisan third party products like Toscana extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, Jakemans pure maple syrup and Red Boat (sugar free) fish sauce. These are 3 staples in my pantry that I use regularly!

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in Other news…

i) pecans back in stock!

After a world wide shortage for over a year, I am excited to announce that organic pecans are now available from our supplier and my staff have been busily activating them so that they are now back in stock both in the online store and at Broth Bar & Larder. You can order them here!

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ii) we are now selling pastured eggs!


I’m delighted to announce that after researching egg farms for quite some time the search is over and I am now selling at Broth Bar & Larder Carbeen Pastured Eggs at $9/dz for the following reasons:

  • The farm is run as a Joel Salatin holistic polyculture style farm in Manildra, NSW (cattle, sheep, chickens and ducks)
  • They have the lowest stocking density of any farm that I know of at 3 hens per hectare! (Most organically raised farms average at 10,000 per ha!)
  • They are rated No. 1 in Choice Magazine and the CluckAR app
  • The hens are fed a natural diet of pasture, worms, veggie scraps, cow dung and grains. In terms of grains, in the words of the farmer "Our hens are fed a coarse mix feed that enables them free choice to determine exactly what feed they want at any given time/day. We also ferment our feed to remove the anti-nutritional enzymes that are present in dry seeds and it also promotes good gut health in our hens. The feed contains wheat and barley as well as canola meal (not the oil!) and lupin/field pea as the protein component. It also contains the vitamin premixes that are added to every chook feed as well as cal grit (provides slow release calcium and the grit for the chooks to grind grain in their crop). Our feed is not organic as the price of organic feed is cost prohibitive in our area (produced elsewhere and freighted in). Our feed is however GMO free and does not contain soybean meal (would be impossible to be GMO free otherwise as most soybean meal is shipped from US, where over 80% of Soy grown is GMO). Our hens are not drenched or given antibiotics. To promote health we instead use Apple Cider Vinegar in the water and also use Oregano Oil as a natural internal and external pest control.

iii) Xmas trading hours

Broth Bar & Larder will be closed for the public holidays only (25th, 26th December and 1st January) and will be otherwise open for trading every day 8am-6pm and Sundays 11am-4pm.

I will be available for health coaching sessions throughout the entire school holiday period both during the day and in the evenings (other than 11-18 December 2017). To book simply call/text me directly on 0407 871 884 or complete the online form here

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MY XMAS WISH LIST…

My wish for 2018 is a place where:

  • School canteens offer healthy, nutritious and delicious food for growing bodies so our kids can function properly and perform their best
  • Kids are not offered junk food as a reward or treat from teachers or well-meaning adults
  • Kids are encouraged to spend their play-time outside in sunshine in nature (without a hat if their parents so choose)
  • Hospitals offer nutritious food to enable speedy and robust recovery of patients
  • Schools and workplaces offer the choice of standing or sitting at desks 
  • More people walk or cycle to school, work or shops
  • People are fully aware of where their food comes from, what’s been done to it, and its affect on their body so that they can make an informed choice
  • People understand that the health of our food starts with the health of our soil and oceans
  • Farmers who are committed to ethical and sustainable farming practices are paid and revered like rock stars!

Yes, yes, I know the above is all but a pipe-dream that I probably won’t ever see realised in my life time let alone 2018… But! I like to dream BIG and maybe, just maybe, if we work together small yet meaningful increments can be made. 

2018 is set to be an exciting year with the launch of some new products (stay tuned!!), the launch of more and more of my online workshops (as well as conducting weekly in-persons workshops here in Sydney), getting my cookbook off the ground (I know I’ve been saying that for years! It’s going to be a monster tome!), and continuing my one on one health coaching sessions which take up the majority of my days... oh, and did I hear someone say something about a trip to Greece mid year?!?! #pinchme…especially if I bring back a tall, dark, handsome Greek God who happens to be on the same lifestyle page ;-)


thank you for your overwhelming support!

What an incredible year!  Broth Bar & Larder turned 2 and just like the mother of a toddler, it’s been quite a hair-raising and exhilarating journey (especially when you are juggling a retail store with 13 staff, a cooking school, a health coaching practice and 2 primary school aged kids!). 

I take this opportunity to thank from the bottom of my heart all my clients, customers, staff, stockists, suppliers and followers of my blog and social pages for all your overwhelming support, loyalty, touching feedback, patience and advice over 2017. It has meant that I have been able follow my passion and do what I love to do: make nutritious and delicious food, share it, talk about it, show you how and why to make it, debunk the confusion surrounding nutrition, and help you on your journey towards vibrant and robust health. I am committed to constantly striving for excellence in all that we do at Star Anise Organic Wholefoods to ensure that our products and services remain at the highest unparalleled quality. 

I hope your Xmas is delicious in every possible way!

Soulla x