Innehållsförteckning för Issue 218 från WellBeing

Elephants are amazing creatures that perform vital ecological functions. They have complex societies, experience grief and act altruistically. On top of this, their capacities reach beyond their own species. In Amboseli National Park in Kenya, researchers played the voices of human speakers to a group of elephants. The voices featured speakers from two different linguistic groups, one group that had preyed on the elephants and another that had not. When the elephants heard the voices of the group that they feared, they gathered into a tight group and sniffed the air. They also responded less to female voices and young male voices, demonstrating they could differentiate language in human speakers. Even more than that, a study published in the journal Current Biology showed that an Asian elephant that grew up…

The things that you like define you and reveal you. I had this simple but fundamental truism reinforced for me recently over a cup of coffee. As a digression, I’m beginning to feel that so much of my life experience coincides with drinking coffee that I might not exist if coffee beans could not be decocted. In any case, I found myself sharing a brew with a friend of a friend, we will call him Silty. We have a friend in common and were waiting for that friend who messaged to say he would be delayed by half an hour or so. And so Silty and I found ourselves mano-et-mano across the café table and I found myself wondering what it might conceivably be that we would talk about. We…

Understanding the “dessert stomach” Researchers investigating the cause of the “dessert stomach” found that mice, even when full, still ate sugar due to the activation of a group of nerves called POMC neurons in the brain. These neurons release B-endorphin, a natural opiate, which triggers a reward response and encourages sugar consumption beyond fullness. This opioid pathway was only activated by sugar, not by regular or fatty foods. Blocking this pathway prevented the mice from overeating sugar but only in full animals. This mechanism was triggered before the mice tasted sugar, with B-endorphin released as soon as the sugar entered their mouths. Human brain scans revealed similar reactions to sugar, with opiate receptors near satiety neurons. From an evolutionary perspective, this may be an adaptive response to energy-dense sugar sources,…

Citrus b1ergamia, the bergamot orange, is in the citrus family, probably originally bred as a hybrid of a lemon and a bitter orange tree. It blossoms in winter and is very fragrant. Citrus bergamia has also been classified as Citrus aurantium sub species bergamia. The fruit is edible, although sour and very bitter. The essence extracted from the aromatic skin of this fruit provides the distinctive flavour of Earl Grey tea. This citrus bergamot is unrelated to the herbs known as bergamot — the Monarda herbs in the mint family — but it has a similar aroma. Citrus bergamot is grown in southern Italy, France and southern Turkey, but is not used for its juice — as it is in Mauritius. In these areas, it’s grown mainly for its oil,…

Fertility is far more than the ability to conceive a child. At its core, it is the ability to create. It’s the life spark that can transform and regenerate. We see it everywhere in the natural world: the rhythm of the seasons, the unfurling of leaves, the flow of the rivers. Nature moves in harmony — silent, powerful and balanced. Everything in the universe is infused with this creative pulse (including you), bringing something into existence that wasn’t there before. In Chinese medicine, this pulse is known as qi, the vital energy that flows through all living things. Rooted in the philosophy of Taoism, Chinese medicine teaches that everything follows the Tao — “the Way”. Taoism invites us to observe nature and its effortless unfolding. The tides do not force…

Beneath your skin, woven between your muscles, bones and organs, lies a shimmering network — a living matrix that shapes, supports and senses. This is your fascia, a part of your body’s connective tissue system. For decades, it was considered little more than anatomical packing material. Now new discoveries and insights are changing that view entirely. Fascia is now understood as a highly intelligent system — responsive, fluid and richly innervated. It is the body’s largest sensory organ, involved in everything from movement and posture to pain, interoception and emotional processing. And yet the most fascinating revelations have only just begun to surface. Emerging research, combined with therapeutic insight, suggests fascia may do more than carry the weight of your body — it may carry the weight of your lived…

Aseven-year-old girl — we will call her Alina — was gravely ill in a children’s hospice. She had been blind since birth and was battling a rare form of leukemia. Following a severe fever that led to a brief cardiac arrest, she was successfully resuscitated. A few days later, Alina began to calmly and matterof-factly describe what she had seen. She spoke with startling precision about the room she had been in: the curtains, the machines, the colours of her nurse’s clothing. She said she had seen herself lying there and that, “for the first time, I could look at everything with my own eyes”. She also spoke of a light that “didn’t blind me — it touched me”. She described a warmth, a voice without words, telling her she…

The way we age is influenced by far more than just our genes. Everyday choices we make, especially what we eat, play a vital role in how we feel, move and function as the years go by. Emerging science continues to highlight how certain foods and lifestyle habits can slow down biological ageing, reduce inflammation and support brain and heart health, to help us stay strong, vibrant and energised well into our later decades. In this article, we explore the importance of choosing organic produce for healthy ageing and how antioxidant-rich foods, such as purple berries, pomegranates, wild salmon, walnuts, turmeric and green tea, along with key nutrients and phytochemicals, such as vitamin C, omega-3s, alpha-lipoic acid, resveratrol and urolithin A promote a longer, healthier life. We’ll take a closer…

Sustainable fitness goes beyond the promises of eight- to 12-week training programs and extreme regimens that often lead to burnout or injury. Instead, the focus is on creating a balanced routine that can be maintained over a lifetime. It also encourages listening to one’s body, prioritising recovery and adjusting to avoid overtraining. By promoting gradual progress and realistic goals, sustainable fitness helps prevent the physical and mental strains that can come from unsustainable fitness trends. The defining factors of sustainable fitness centre around maintenance of the whole body. It focuses on healthy aspects of detoxification, mobility, posture, strength and balance. These are the key elements of body sustainability. Detoxification is essential for removing toxins accumulated through environmental exposure, processed foods and sedentary lifestyles. A sustainable fitness program promotes routines that…

Natural medicine has been used across the world for centuries, renowned for its gentle yet powerful approach to health and wellbeing. The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS) represents Australia’s multitherapy community of accredited natural medicine practitioners, a group dedicated to helping people live healthier lives. As the peak body for natural medicine professionals, ATMS advocates for its place in Australia’s healthcare system and invites people to connect with this growing movement through their Friends of Natural Medicine community — a community supporting the public’s health journey and the broader recognition of natural therapies. Natural medicine isn’t limited to just herbs or supplements. It draws on a wide range of modalities that work with the body’s natural rhythms and needs. Here are seven ways natural medicine can support health and wellbeing through…

Urtica dioica, or more commonly known as stinging nettle, is one of nature’s most mineral-dense plants and a true natural beauty promoter. While today it’s often dismissed as an irritating weed growing wild in gardens and along pathways, nettle has a long and respected history across many traditional cultures. Its roots, stems and leaves have been used for centuries in both medicinal and culinary practices — internally as a blood builder and tissue healer and topically to support skin healing from bites, burns and sun damage. It has been traditionally used in the treatment of arthritis, seasonal allergies and urinary tract disorders, as well as to strengthen the hair, clarify the skin and gently support the body’s detoxification processes. Nettle is especially rich in key nutrients for skin, hair and…

Food has been used as medicine for thousands of years. It is one of the treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), alongside herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical therapies such as tui na (Chinese massage), and meditative movement such as qi gong and tai chi. TCM food theory considers the energetics of foods based on temperature and taste. Other considerations include temperance (for example, eating in moderation), method of food preparation (cooking vs fresh) and eating according to the season. Temperature Foods in TCM are regarded as hot, warm, neutral, cool or cold. Heating or warming foods are fed to animals that have cold conditions such as chronic diarrhoea or acute flu. Cooling foods are fed to those with heat conditions, such as acute allergic dermatitis. Highly processed diets like ultra-processed cooked…

Virgo Virgo, your solar month has some tricks in store. You get a total eclipse at September 8’s Full Moon and a rare two New Moons, indicating fateful times. Planet Saturn brings the odd reality check, via people important to you. Plus, the Uranus theme of shifts and changes in your worldly roles continues with some pleasant surprises. September 18 to 22 challenges you when your second New Moon, an eclipse, opposes Saturn. Yet, this also begins an important cycle when you can prove yourself in new ways, and eclipse old fears. Navigate early October with care, then October 15 to 19 and 25 to 29 provide great opportunities. Libra When Mercury enters Libra on September 18, you get a first taste of the rare Air sign harmonies supporting you.…

As you near graduation — or if you have just completed your studies — it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the decisions ahead. Whether you’re planning to open your own clinic or join an established practice, there’s a lot to navigate: attracting clients, meeting their needs and understanding the demands of running a business. One of the most effective ways to set yourself up for success is by joining a professional association that’s genuinely invested in your career. Doing so provides access to the latest resources, expert guidance, a network of like-minded professionals and an organisation working to strengthen individual practices and the broader natural medicine industry. The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS) is proud to support its members and celebrate their significant contributions to natural medicine and the health of…

Consumers today think differently about health and wellness than they did between 2010 and 2020. The 2010s were all about following advice from influencers, fad diets and trends. From 2021 onwards, consumers have shown a stronger preference for products and guidance recommended by professionals. Here are five current trends that are likely to stick around for some time. 1. Proven health supplements There is growing demand for clinically proven supplements over unverified natural remedies. More people are opting for products recommended by their doctor or healthcare professional rather than relying on products lacking scientific backing. This shift is encouraging, as it helps protect consumers from being misled by unqualified influencers who promote health products without proper expertise. 2. Influence of AI Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. It is increasingly…

On 12 July 2023, I began to bleed and, in that instant, I knew I was losing our third baby. Three pregnancies. Still no baby in my arms. As the familiar weight of grief settled over me, I felt myself standing once again at the edge of a heartbreak I knew too well. But this time was different. I had walked this path of loss twice before. I had survived the ache, the questions, the endless scans and the silent rooms. I thought I understood grief. What I hadn’t expected was the sheer exhaustion that came from carrying it, over and over again. Looking back, I see now it wasn’t just this one loss, it was all of them. The cumulative grief of three much-wanted babies. The toll of eight…

News flash: the sun is hot. That fact in itself may not be mind-blowing. However, the figures about the sun’s temperature not only stretch credulity, they also defy expectation. The visible surface of the sun, the “photosphere” burns at about 5500°C. The “corona” is the uppermost part of the sun’s atmosphere and is the furthest part of the atmosphere from the sun’s core. Naturally, you would expect the corona to be cooler than the photosphere, but you would be wrong … way wrong. According to NASA, the corona of the sun burns at temperatures of at least 3.6 million degrees, sometimes reaching up to 72 million degrees. We know that the corona is where events such as solar flares originate but the paradox of why the corona is so much…

When you contemplate ancient civilisations, it is not always easy to get yourself into the mind space of those humans living centuries or millennia ago. Every now and then, however, an artifact comes along that offers a window into the worldview of those departed peoples. The Imago Mundi is one of those artifacts. The Imago Mundi is a Babylonian world map and was carved into a clay tablet more than 2600 years ago. The fact that it combines geography with mythology and cosmology speaks to the way those Babylonian minds interpreted their world. At the centre of the Imago Mundi is Babylon, portrayed as being at the centre of the world. This is not unusual, many cultures see themselves as the centre of the universe. Rome and Athens did exactly…

Micro-nano plastics are making plants and people absorb toxins Micro- and nanoscale plastics in soil and water increase toxin absorption in plants and human intestinal cells, raising food safety concerns, according to Rutgers Health studies. One study published in NanoImpact found lettuce exposed to plastic particles and pollutants like arsenic absorbed more toxins than plants exposed to pollutants alone. Researchers also found plastic accumulating in plant tissues, with smaller particles more likely to move from roots into shoots. Another study showed similar effects in human intestinal tissue, where plastic particles increased arsenic absorption nearly sixfold and doubled plastic absorption. Philip Demokritou, senior author of both studies, warned, “We’ve already released about 7 billion metric tons of plastic into the environment, and it continues to break down. Even if we stopped…

Humans, and our hominid relations, are fascinated by their hands and always have been. We know this because our ancestors left evidence of their handy wonder behind for us to find. The oldest known cave painting is a red hand stencil from the Maltravieso cave in Caceres, Spain. A “stencil” was made by placing the hand on the rock and spreading pigment around the edge of the hand. Publishing their findings in the journal Quaternary Geochronology researchers have dated this Maltravieso hand to 64,000 years ago and believe that it was made by a Neanderthal. Other caves in places like Peche Merle in southwestern France and El Castillo in northern Spain contain human hand stencils that date to around 30,000 and 40,000 years ago. For tens of thousands of years,…

“I tell people give yourself permission to shine and be your unique self. That’s how you make a difference,” says Dr John Demartini. “You don’t make a difference fitting in. You make a difference standing out.” It’s fair to say Demartini has made a difference by standing out. The American world-renowned human behaviour specialist, writer, researcher and speaker is the author of more than 40 self-development books, the most popular of which have been translated into 36 languages, and hosts an array of online personal development courses. Demartini’s key teachings are on how to live a more inspired life. He shares insights on his podcast The Demartini Show and has been featured in documentaries including The Secret, the 2006 film that propelled the “law of attraction” — the idea that…

We live in an increasingly hyper-individual society. Despite access to more tools of connection than ever before, it often feels like we’ve never been more anxious, alone and disconnected from our friends, families and communities. The World Health Organisation recently classified the loneliness epidemic as a global health threat, the equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. In these uncertain and unsettling times, investing time and energy in the support networks that comfort you and help you make sense of the world has never been more important. This process is more than simply venting or blowing off steam. It’s called co-regulation and it’s a key component to maintaining your emotional and physical wellbeing. What is co-regulation? Co-regulation refers to the way your nervous system adapts in response to the people…

Head wildlife carer Herman parks the ute and we grab backpacks and start walking, following a mossy trail past coffee bean trees and banana palms into the jungle. Clambering over the buttressed roots of decades-old strangler figs, the haunting song of siamang gibbons echoing through the mist, we finally reach a small clearing deep in the forest known as Raja Besar, the “Great King”. Here, using timber and aluminium beams carried along the same forest foot trail, a handful of workers are building a modest hut — two small sleeping rooms, a bathroom and spaces for cooking and eating. Everyone is pitching in with the communal work and, even with the hubbub of grinding and hammering, this jungle scene is spectacularly beautiful. This is a clearing full of hope. Within…

With more than 70 per cent of Australians now using complementary medicines and natural therapies, the divide between Western medicine and alternative traditions is narrowing. A fast-paced, technology-driven, modern society detached from the rhythms of nature is suffering the consequences — emotional instability, chronic illness and a growing sense of emptiness. Many are searching for deeper meaning and a more holistic, nature-based solution to their emotional and physical wellbeing. In this context, ancient wisdom traditions such as shamanic healing are experiencing a resurgence, not as a replacement for modern medicine, but as a vital complement to it. Western medicine has achieved some incredible advancements in diagnosing and treating illness. It is largely based on the patient handing over their problem to another to “fix it”. On the converse, shamanism, a…

From the moment I stepped into Osprey Spa at Elements of Byron, I felt transported. Light-filled and nestled in nature, the spa feels like a sanctuary carved out of the landscape itself. Neutral tones and organic textures echo the bushland outside, while modern treatment rooms open to the elements, blurring the line between indoors and out. I hadn’t even sat down yet and already there was a feeling that something was different. I’d crossed into a space where I was not just welcome but revered. I was there for the Fire & Frost Cryotherapy Facial, created by Australian clean beauty pioneer Vanessa Gray Lyndon, founder of Vanessa Megan Skincare. The treatment is designed to invigorate the skin using nature’s most elemental forces — heat and cold — while wrapping you…

Picture this: you’re standing in your kitchen on a busy weeknight, staring at a collection of beautiful, boat-shaped zucchini ready to be transformed into something extraordinary. These are your ticket to a family meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious, and far more exciting than anything you’ll find lurking in the frozen-food aisle. My Turkey, Dried Blueberry & Quinoa-Stuffed Zucchini are like little vessels of balanced nutrition, carrying protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in each bite. Think of them as nature’s own takeaway containers, perfectly designed to hold all the good stuff your family needs to thrive. The beauty of this dish lies in its clever nutritional architecture. The lean turkey provides ample protein without excessive saturated fat — perfect for growing children and active adults alike. Meanwhile,…

We spend our lives enthralled by the superlative athletic performance encased in the perfect body. The popularity of Instagram posts from the likes of Paulina Porizkova, buses plastered with photoshopped near nudes and indeed the survival and extinction of civilisations are a testament to the enduring power of this maxim. The recent film The Substance highlights this too: an ageing Demi Moore plays a woman misled into believing a miracle product will restore her lost youth, with tragic consequences. Shelving Moore’s disillusionment and disappointment for just a second, in creatine we have a magical substance that might help us achieve the heights of athleticism and anatomical magnificence that was once the exclusive realm of the elite athlete. It has long been embraced by the athletic community and gym enthusiasts as…

I mpostor syndrome is when you don’t feel competent enough, despite your qualifications, to confidently perform your role. This is exactly how I felt throughout my former years as a medical doctor, with the vastness of the knowledge required only contributing to the cultivation of this feeling. In our society, it is very common for people to have multiple qualifications. Then, the question to really ask is, how many qualifications and titles will it take to feel competent to do your job? I believe that one of the deeper layers beneath this lies in feeling confident to simply be who you are in the world. In a world that encourages you to be the same as everyone else and to follow the conditioned approach to how you go about living…

At Torrens University Australia, health education goes beyond theory. The educator’s innovative learning approach is built around real-world experience, ensuring that students graduate with the confidence, skills and insight to make an immediate impact in their chosen profession. Whether you’re just starting out or advancing your career, Torrens’ undergraduate and postgraduate courses are designed to fast-track your success. You’ll be taught by experts who are active in their fields, bringing contemporary insight and industry connections into every class. This career-focused education means you’ll start building networks and gaining relevant experience from day one. Bringing together Australia’s leading health colleges Torrens University is proud to be the home of some of Australia’s most respected health colleges, including the Australasian College of Natural Therapies (ACNT) and the Southern School of Natural Therapies…

After AcuEnergetics treatment, West Tigers and New Zealand rugby league favourite Benji Marshall says, “I have had chronic hamstring injuries and tried many different treatments that had little effect until I met Kevin and AcuEnergetics. It is a completely different approach to treatment that makes so much sense when you understand the dynamics of it and see the results. I had great success coming back from injury after multiple sessions with Kevin. Can’t recommend it highly enough.” Manly and NSW Origin star Tom Trbojevic also chose AcuEnergetics treatments to help his recovery after a serious injury. Trbojevic says, “After my recent hamstring injury, I visited AcuEnergetics, led by Kevin and his interns. Kevin and his dedicated team assisted my recovery and gave me the ability and confidence to get back…

October Breast Cancer Awareness Month October, Global World Alcohol-Free Day October 3, Global Queensland Mental Health Week October 4–12, AU qldmentalhealthweek.org.au Olivia’s Walks for Wellness October 5, Melbourne, AU walkforwellness.com.au MindBodySpirit Festival October 9–12, Sydney, AU mbsfestival.com.au Mental Health Day October 10, Global who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day Sculpture by the Sea October 17–November 3, Sydney, AU sculpturebythesea.com/bondi Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show October 24–26, Brisbane, AU goodfoodshow.com.au/Brisbane Unwined Subiaco October 25–26, Subiaco, WA wineandfood.com.au/unwined-subiaco November Movember Australia November, AU au.movember.com World Vegan Month November, Global vegansociety.com Handpicked Festival November 8, Langhorne Creek, AU handpickedfestival.com Feast Festival November 8–23, Adelaide, AU feast.org.au National Recycling Week November 10–16, AU recyclingweek.planetark.org MindBodySpirit Festival November 14–16, Melbourne, AU mbsfestival.com.au White Ribbon Day November 25, AU whiteribbon.org.au What we’ve been up to Pausing WellBeing’s editor Dana has…

“Mum, aren’t you going to have some?” We’d just spent the morning at the beach. It was school holidays. My daughter had made “juice” in her rockpool kitchen. My son had built a “shaping bay”. We found a teepee made of driftwood and sat inside doing not much at all. Now, still barefoot, salty and sunwarmed, they were sharing a bowl of hot chips. “These are the best chips ever,” my son said. “I can’t believe you’re not having any.” I told him I was on a cleanse. “What’s a cleanse?” I tried to explain to my children that I’m saying no to something I love for a reason they couldn’t quite see. It’s not about punishment or control, but care. I told them I am listening to my body…

Late-onset menopause linked to better vascular health New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that women who experience menopause later in life have healthier blood vessels compared to those who undergo it earlier. Published in Circulation Research, the study sheds light on why women who reach menopause at 55 or older are less likely to have heart attacks or strokes in their postmenopausal years. Researchers assessed the vascular health of 92 women and found that those with late-onset menopause had significantly better arterial function, with 44 per cent better vascular health even five years after menopause. The study also showed that women with late-onset menopause had healthier mitochondria and more favourable lipid levels, contributing to reduced oxidative stress and improved vascular function. These findings may lead to new…

Historically, dandelion root and leaves have been used to treat liver and kidney problems across Native American, Chinese and European cultures. Dandelion can be consumed in many ways: the root either as a casserole vegetable or roasted as a coffee alternative (two-year-old roots are best); the leaves and the flowers in salads and teas; and even the sap to reduce skin infections topically. As it grows so well in the Australian climate, dandelion is considered a weed, but nothing could be further from the truth. Grow some in your backyard and use it for its multiple health benefits. Active ingredients Dandelion has an abundance of bitter principles in all parts of the plant, as well as sterols structurally related to bile. It also contains an anti-allergy terpene and large amounts…

According to Wine Australia’s “Market Insights Report” from January 2024, Australia’s per capita wine consumption declined from 20.8L per person per year in 2020 to 18.3L in 2022. Nevertheless, Australians are still the second highest wine consumers outside of Europe in the world. Although there is a worldwide trend toward drinking less wine, it remains a very popular drink and has been so for millennia. The earliest confirmed archaeological findings of wine come from Neolithic villages of the northern Zagros mountains of Iran where pottery jars with wine traces have been dated to around 5400 BCE. This was a heavily resinated wine, very different to most wine we drink in the 21st century but close to a modern-day retsina. The Neolithic wine was flavoured with mint, coriander and sage as…

Perimenopause marks the transitional phase leading up to a woman’s final menstrual period, often beginning as early as the late 30s and extending into the mid 50s. During this time, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate significantly, affecting nearly every system in the body. Despite being a natural part of the ageing process, perimenopause remains under-recognised and often misunderstood. The lack of conversation and awareness around this transition leaves many women feeling unprepared, isolated and unsure of how to navigate the physical and emotional shifts it brings. With up to 60 per cent of women experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and 20 per cent facing symptoms severe enough to impact their daily lives, it’s concerning that the discourse around this inevitable phase of a woman’s life isn’t more widespread. Fortunately,…

Plastics have long been dismissed by their critics as an environmental headache but difficult to completely avoid in the modern world. Now, new research is uncovering an increasing range of health risks that they pose. The normal definition of microplastic is plastic fragments or fibres that measure 5mm or less. These are either a material that is already micro-sized when it enters the environment or, far more commonly, the result of the breakdown or shedding of a plastic material. Sometimes they can be added to products, as in the case of plastic microbeads added to cosmetic products. Microplastics may contain any of more than 16,000 different plastic chemicals, of which at least 4200 (26 per cent) are considered “highly hazardous” to human health and the environment, including PFAS, bisphenols and…

According to Samkhya philosophy, one of the fundamental yogic principles is that everything in existence is made up of energy and matter, or purusha and prakriti. Purusha is universal consciousness, which is eternal, not subject to change and limitless. Prakriti is matter — dynamic, ever-changing and mutable. The union of prakriti and purusha is only possible via prana, our vitality and life force. Prana acts as a bridge enabling consciousness to move through the physical world of matter, shaping and forming it. In other words, prana moves consciousness, which means from the yogic viewpoint, you, me, and everything in existence are simply energy moving through form, via prana. Or, as Einstein says from a quantum physics viewpoint, “Concerning matter, we have been all wrong. What we have called matter is…

For something heartfelt Gone Michel Streich, Thames & Hudson Australia In Gone, Michel Streich sensitively addresses the topic of loss through the story of a child whose pet bird passes away. The narrative guides children through the complex emotions surrounding death and grief. The simple yet evocative illustrations use colour and composition to explore various ideas around what happens when life comes to an end. This book serves as a comforting resource for young ones and offers an accessible way to talk about the inevitable, while also focusing on the healing power of love and memory. It’s an honest and beautiful guide for anyone looking to explore life’s biggest mystery with children. For something empowering Breaking the Rules of Pain Amie Rule, Dean Publishing In Breaking the Rules of Pain,…

To celebrate Oil Garden’s 40th anniversary, we talk to Pat Princi-Jones, aromatherapy specialist, educator at Heritage Brands and author of A Scented Life: Aromatherapy Reimagined. Q: Your introduction to essential oils began with the captivating scent of jasmine more than 30 years ago. How did this encounter influence your journey into aromatherapy? Yes, indeed. It all started with a trip to Bali and the intoxicating perfume of jasmine oil. I knew nothing about aromatherapy at the time. Yet it was during that island holiday that I discovered the beauty of scent and experienced both the pleasure of inhaling the aroma of a pure essential oil, along with the emotional and physical benefits it provided. That holiday, I bathed in scented water of chamomile, soaked my feet in peppermint, misted my…

Spring is not quite as magic here as it is in parts of the world blanketed by snow, but it still feels charmed, as if we are all slightly drunk on the scent of blossom and new-grown grass, and perhaps we are. We are only just beginning to accept scientifically what gardeners have known for millennia: the scents of soil ready for planting, of trees leafing, of blossom and nesting birds deeply affect our physical and mental state. Things grow in spring — they “spring up”. That is heady, just by itself. In many areas, a plant can make 80 per cent of its yearly growth in spring. That “spring growth spurt” really does exist. Make the most of it! Here are 10 things to do in the garden to…

Amiddle-aged gentleman revisited the clinic. He was very keen on improving his health and for many years had been reading health articles and consulting with our clinic. Until recently, we had not seen him for about three years — he had been consulting with other practitioners and become very interested in Ayurveda as a dietary approach. He was single and still lived with his ageing mother. His recurring health problems were a persistent cough and digestive issues and he had noticed these seemed to be a problem in tandem — when his digestion deteriorated, so did his cough. The gut-lung axis is much written about so this is not unusual. Not surprisingly, both have similar embryonic origins. He had been following an Ayurvedic diet for the last two years and,…

The complementary medicine space can be incredibly complex and often difficult to navigate for both practitioners and patients. Practitioners face the challenge of distinguishing between products that may appear similar on the surface, due to permitted indications and claims, but vary significantly in formulation, evidence and efficacy. Patients, meanwhile, often rely on marketing or online reviews without the necessary tools to evaluate therapeutic dosage, standardised extracts or excipient profiles. This can lead to poor outcomes, not because of the modality itself, but because the chosen product was subtherapeutic or inappropriate for their needs. The sheer volume of information, and misinformation, available online compounds this issue, making it harder for patients to make informed decisions and highlighting the need for expert guidance. How do similar-looking products produce vastly different clinical outcomes?…

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi Learning is a lifelong companion. It’s not a one-time event or confined to school years. Knowledge has no age limits. Your brain thrives on learning, too. Each new skill or idea keeps your brain sharp, flexible and ready to adapt. Perhaps that is the best argument for learning later in life. Instead of putting it off, embrace learning now, whether you are just beginning or building on years of experience. The sooner you do, the sooner you open the door to transforming your life and the lives of others. Studying natural therapies equips you with the ability to create meaningful change. Each piece of knowledge you gain connects you to a…

Spring Fruit apples (Lady Williams), bananas, cherries, cumquat, grapefruit (pink and yellow), lemon, loquat, lychees, mandarins (Ellendale and Murcot), mango, melons (honeydew, rockmelon and watermelon) oranges (blood and Seville), papaya, pawpaw, pineapple (smooth leaf), starfruit, strawberries, and tangelo. Vegetables artichoke, Asian greens (bok choy, choy sum, gai laan, wonga bok), asparagus, avocados, beans (broad and green), broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, choko, cucumber, leek, lettuce, mushrooms (Morel), onions (salad and spring), peas (green, snow and sugar snap), sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, silverbeet, spinach, watercress, and zucchini flowers.…