...but do you know HOW to “JERF?”

I love this quote and it does summarise how we should be eating as a species BUT what causes confusion for many people is the finer (and no less important) detail of the SOURCE, the PROCESSING, the PROPER PREPARATION and the MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS of that real food. 

For example, raw honey is a real food but how much concentrated sweeteners should we be having a day? Spinach is a real food but do you know it shouldn’t be eaten raw? Meat is a real food but how many people consider that its nutritional value is entirely dependent on what the cows ate? Nuts are real food, but conventional nuts are one of the most heavily sprayed food items and moreover nuts need to be prepared in a certain way to make them digestible and absorbed. Fish oil and olive oil are real foods but their processing spans the spectrum to such a degree that they could be either rancid or powerfully medicinal. Ditto chocolate. Getting the balance (macronutrient ratios) of real food can also have a profound effect on your metabolism and health. If don’t get that balance right (e.g. eat too many real-food carbohydrates), optimal health and weight will be out of reach. 

If you’ve switched to a real foods diet but aren’t getting the results you want (looking and feeling your vibrant best!) it’s these finer details that can make a huge impact. 

So “just eating real food” is really only one part of dietary puzzle. I see so many people really struggling with the “HOW do I just eat real food?” This is where I come in and provide you with comprehensive yet concise fact sheets, information and education in my one on one health coaching sessions with exactly the same information being relayed (at a fraction of the price) in my FOOD AS MEDICINE TALKS. 

Next cities in the Australian Food As Medicine tour: 

Adelaide 16 Feb
Sydney 2 & 3 Mar
Byron Bay 13 Apr
Gold Coast 14 Apr

Make 2019 the year to really demystify any confusion you might have around what is real food and how to eat it to really optimise your health and well-being. After all, sourcing, preparing, and eating real food should be an enjoyable, easy and nourishing experience for our species on every level. 

How to launch yourself into a deeply nourishing and fulfilling 2019

Image: Ezequiel Pini

As we kiss goodbye to 2018 I’m turning my mind to INTENTION SETTING FOR 2019. I want it to be a deeply nourishing and fulfilling year. Nourishing on every level- physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially. To that end I want you too to think about the type of year you want to experience and how you want to feel at the end if it. Notice I said how you want to ‘feel’, as opposed to what you want to achieve. For achievement without a sense of deep fulfilment is futile. This is how I felt for many years as a corporate lawyer (not that I have anything against that profession... it just didn’t fulfil and nourish me). 

For me it’s wanting to feel that I have made a genuine impact. It’s about touching and changing lives, it’s about making people question the status quo, it’s educating and inspiring people on how to better nourish themselves and their families, and it’s about how to reduce the toxicity that surrounds us without getting overwhelmed. It’s about how to make small changes that have big impact on our health and the health of the planet - for what could be more important?

It brings me joy beyond words knowing that I can have that impact on even one person’s life and make their life more nourishing and enriching in some way whether it’s helping them lose excess weight, become pain free, fall pregnant, regain a healthy relationship with food, feel more energised and vital, start ovulating, kick chemicals and pharmaceuticals to the curb, develop a love for cooking or find enjoyment in life. 

In setting my intentions for 2019 I follow a 2-fold process:

1. Write a list of the broad categories of things you want to spend your time doing and what you DON'T want to spend doing- much like a TO DO list and NOT TO DO list. The latter, for example, might be admin tasks that you can delegate or pay someone to do (such as kids emptying the dishwasher or hiring a PA for sending out certain emails). 

2. From the list of things you DO want to do, determine how you’ll prioritise them. Do your MOST IMPORTANT THINGS (MITs) first (a top tip I got from one of my besties @Melissa Ambrosini) and then spend the rest of the day doing the rest of the stuff that floats your boat. I need to drastically work on this for 2019 as I spent waaay too much time in 2018 in reactive mode (diligently responding to people’s questions and trying to keep my inbox under control) rather than in creative mode (creating programs and classes that can benefit you) or attending to my needs (such as movement). So I need to prioritise the latter and even have my phone turned off until just 1 MIT is done. 

I’m also going to cut myself a lot of slack and gently remind myself that if things don’t go to plan that’s ok too. Life gets in the way of the best laid plans especially when you have kids and ageing parents. I’m going to remind myself that the most important thing we can create and cultivate are the RELATIONSHIPS we have with others and to prioritise these. When reading memoirs of those on their death beds, their regrets universally are not what they didn’t achieve but instead not spending enough time with those they loved. 

I hope this helps you in some way as you enter the gateway of 2019. And my wish for each and everyone of you, my beautiful friends,  is a deeply nourishing and fulfilling year whatever shape or form it takes. 

PS I’ll be posting the schedule for my upcoming cooking classes, healthy homes/healthy swaps gatherings, and more Food As Medicine tour dates very soon! So stay tuned! I hope to see you at one of my classes or talks in 2019. Let’s make it a deliciously nourishing year together!!! 

6 Gifts of Health & Conscious Consumption

What an exhilarating year!  Broth Bar & Larder turned 3, I launched some new online cooking workshops, launched my Australia-wide Food As Medicine tour and got my Young Living essential oils business off the ground where my team and I are helping people to swap out the toxins in the one environment they can control – their home!

As we rapidly approach Xmas, the frenzy of what to buy loved ones fills our thoughts. I ask you to pause to consider giving the gift of health this Christmas. Without a solid foundation of health, you have nothing. It is so much harder to be happy, I discovered, when you are not healthy.  

Here are 6 gifts that are health promoting, inspiring, sustainable, nourishing, and embrace conscious consumption in every sense of the word. 

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1. Food as medicine talk 

There is no better gift than to empower someone with all the relevant health information, tools and resources they need on how to nourish their body and optimise their health.

I am currently touring Australia with Marieke Rodenstein, Australia’s pre-eminent holistic dietician, presenting a comprehensive half-day presentation on Food as Medicine and The Fundamentals of Robust Nutrition. Our collective forte is to combine the wisdom of ancestral diets with the latest developments in nutritional medicine and robust science. 

In this information-packed talk (containing all the information that I provide in my one on one health coaching sessions but at a fraction  of the price), I explain in my renowned, uncomplicated, no-nonsense, practical approach how to reduce the mismatch between our dietary (and other lifestyle) choices and our ancient DNA, in order to function optimally, perform our best and reach our true potential. I unpack the fundamental principles of robust nutrition and bust mainstream myths that have contributed to the epidemic of modern illness and degenerative disease. With almost 2 decades of clinical experience, Marieke dives deep into the fundamental principles of robust gut health, which is the lynchpin to our overall health. 

While health is multifactorial (and directly influenced by lifestyle factors such as movement, sleep, breath, stress management, immersion in nature, fun and play, and connections with ourselves and others), nourishing your body with the anti-inflammatory nutritionally-dense whole foods that we as a species are biologically designed to eat is, I believe, the cornerstone (as well as the fastest and easiest way!) of reclaiming and maintaining spectacular health with the most profound impact. 

Knowing what to eat is one thing but putting it all into practice is where most people fall down. What makes this talk truly unique is walking away with a comprehensive yet concise ‘How To’ manual that enables you to put the robust nutritional theory effortlessly into practice. Wisdom without inspired action is fruitless. 

Next stop on the Australian tour is Adelaide 16th February and Sydney 2nd and 3rd March. Tickets are selling fast. To learn more or to book click here. 

“Hi Soulla, Just wanted to thank you for today - hands down the best 3 1/2 hours I’ve invested in the area of nutrition. Today’s material tied it all together for me and is exactly the information I need to be able to fine-tune my diet and take it to the next (optimal) level. Thanks also again for allowing me to bring my teenage niece along - we spoke about our learnings all the way home. How lucky is she to have exposure to such powerful information as what was presented today at such a young age!!”

— Nancy

“A huge thank you to you and Marieke for a most informative and effectively delivered presentation on how to keep us healthy holistically...I always enjoy your talks...the knowledge you empower us with and your effervescent approach to share what you know is so well received and appreciated”

— Maria

“I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the workshop on Saturday. You’re an energetic, dynamic and articulate presenter and it is clear that you love what you do. It shines out of your face like sunlight when you talk. It was lovely to receive the warmth you offered us”

— Kendall

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2. ONLINE COOKING WORKSHOPS

Four of my cooking classes are now available online: bone broth, slow cooks, gluten-free baked cakes and organ meats. Some can be purchased as a bundle to save. Learning how to make and master traditional wholefood staples like a gelatinous bone broth, nutrient-dense organ meats and tender slow cooks along with guilt-free healthy cakes, are life changing skills that can (and should be) passed on from generation to generation. Check them out here.

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. 

I have put a lot of love, time and energy into these first 4 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 your frequently asked questions. I hope you love these online workshops as much I have enjoyed creating them for you! 

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3. 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 products, workshops (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. 

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4. ACTIVATED NUTS

Did you know that activated nuts and seeds are ranked 3rd on the Dr. Mat Lalonde nutrient-density scale? For information on what “activated” means and why we should be eating  “activated” versus raw nuts read this blog here. 

In a nutshell (no pun intended!) activated nuts are more nutritious, more digestible and not to mention more delicious. Once you’ve eaten activated nuts, there’s no going back!

It is a labour of love to get our nuts as ridiculously crispy and delicious as we do.

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. 

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5. ARTISAN XMAS CHOCOLATE & OTHER RAW TREATS

Our organic raw dark artisan chocolates are available in various flavours either via our online store or at our retail store Broth Bar & Larder.  We also have available loose chocolate for sale at Broth bar & Larder only that can be individually hand wrapped for a special someone. 

In addition to our sokolata (raw dark chocolate), choose from our selection of staple artisan raw treats including power bars, bliss balls, gummies and totally unsweetened carob bears. 

My entire range of treats was borne out many moons ago of desperation 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 and are made and cut by hand in very small batches on site at Broth Bar & Larder. 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. 

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6. 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)

• Certified organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil made by Toscana Olives (sold at Broth Bar & Larder) available in 3 sizes. Read this blog to learn more about what to look for when buying olive oil.

• 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 Christmas Spirit or an essential oils starter kit made by the world leaders in the essential oils movement - Young Living, who set the standard for the rest of the industry with their 25 years of industry leadership. Find out more here and please contact me directly to connect you (I’ll do all the admin work for you).  

• Jakemans pure maple syrup (sold at Broth Bar & Larder) available in 4 sizes.

• Red Boat (sugar free) fish sauce (sold at Broth Bar & Larder).

• Beef Jerky by Kooee (sold at Broth Bar & Larder)

Feel free to bring in a hamper box for us to help you fill.

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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 23-31 December 2018). 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 2019 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 and sunscreen if their parents so choose)

• Hospitals and institutions offer nutritious food to enable speedy and robust recovery of patients

• Schools and workplaces offer the choice of standing or sitting at desks 

• Schools and councils offer filtered water instead of tap water in bubblers

• 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!

• People kick the toxins in not only their food but also in their personal care products and household cleaning products. If everyone made their house the high water mark what a completely different health care system and environmental landscape we would have!

• We all find a greater sense of inner peace and joy and from that place make deeper connections with others. 

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 2019… But! I like to dream BIG and I have no doubt that if we work together, starting with our home, we can create a ripple effect that knows no bounds.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT!

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 2018. It has meant that I have been able follow my passion and do what I love to do: help people lead a less toxic, more nourishing life – in all areas of their life. 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. 

May you get some deep relaxation and play time in, and may your Xmas be delicious in every possible way!

Soulla x