Down to Earth

The best thing about summer is the food. I love basil and tomatoes, mangoes and peaches, berries and cherries and chillies.

But what I love most is feasting on food I've grown myself. 

The problem is that I've got a concrete backyard so I'm limited to a few pots and hanging baskets. I've also got decidedly un-green fingers.

But with the festive season leaving the family and me a bit out of whack, I did some research and found I could plant my way to better health. The ibook Grow Your Own Medicine: A Guide to Growing Health-Giving Plants in Your Own Backyard by Mim Biem has inspired me to give gardening another go.

So here's a run down of the nourishing herbs and foods I'll be attempting to grow in Bec's backyard. 

Basil - goes with almost everything, but is also a powerful antispasmodic, antiviral, antibacterial stomach soother. 
Chilli - improves blood sugar levels, heart health and boosts circulation.
Fennel - aids nausea, bloating and helps digestion. The seeds are the richest source. 
Garlic - strengthens the immune system, good for blood circulation, colds and flu.
Lavender - soothes and calms (not a food I hear you cry? Try lavender scones - they're delicious).
Mint - great for digestion, circulation and nausea.
Parsley - good for liver function, boosting the immune system and a source of iron and vitamin A.
Rosemary - antiseptic, antibacterial, cleansing and detoxes the body, supports the liver and combats cirrhosis.
Strawberries - full of antioxidants that also help to lower blood sugar levels.
Tomatoes - full of vitamin C as well as lycopene, which can prevent certain types of cancer.

By growing your own you're being nurturing your body, your tastebuds, your planet and your wallet. What are you waiting for? Get down and dirty.

Merry Christ-mess

Ah, the festive season. Apparently 'tis the season to be jolly. Sorry if I sound like Scrooge but I'm just not feeling it.

The media's hung up on fiscal stress this festive season but it's not my pocket that's suffering. I braved my local shopping centre this week. I got shoved in the lift, elbowed in Target and scowled at in the supermarket.

At home, heightened expectations of 'family time' or feelings of isolation, the pressure to shell out and free-flowing booze all add up to a serious health (and wellbeing) hazard.

So here are my 'better late than never' tips for a stress-free Christmas:

Be realistic. If you bicker with the family all year round, don't expect Christmas with The Waltons. Keep family gatherings short, don't discuss politics or religion or parenting. Don't get too drunk. Send everyone on their way with a smile. Then bolt the door and breathe.

Say no. No, you don't have to go to every Christmas party. No, you don't have to buy presents for the cousins you haven't spoken to all year. No, you don't have to make a croquembouche. Cut yourself some slack.

Maintain healthy habits. Whether it's alcohol or food, over indulgence is all too easy, but hangovers and an expanding waistline will just add guilt to the mix. Make "everything in moderation" your mantra, get plenty of sleep and make time for some green exercise.

Take a break. Christmas can end up being all about other people but its essential that you take some time for you. Meditate, take a walk, listen to music, read a book, breathe deeply.

Remember, it's just one day of the year. Be good to yourself this Christmas. And please, don't go shopping without full body armour.

The Slow Parent

It’s 4pm on a sunny Tuesday.  My 19-month-old has just mastered climbing the steps to the slide. But no one’s here to watch my genius in action. The park’s deserted. Where are all the kids?

Apparently they’re at yoga, football practice, ballet, Italian lessons or surfing the internet. And that’s just the pre-schoolers. They have structure and schedules. They have committed parents. They’re going to grow up to be a success!

I didn’t shell out for gymbaroo. I left it too late to enrol him in swimming lessons. So far he’s unilingual. Is my baby going to get left behind?

Of course, I went to my old friend Google for affirmation and found Carl Honoré, author and champion of the Slow Parenting movement. According to Honoré, “hyper-parents” who have their foot on the accelerated learning pedal could be creating stressed-out kids who have so much adult-dictated routine that they never learn to stand on their own two feet.

As usual, it’s all about balance, but this time it’s balance that seems achievable. I’m going to remain calm. To talk and read to my boy and give him the time and space to think. It’ll be hard, but I’ll let him take a few risks. Perhaps even allow him to fail occasionally. I’m going to try and treat him as a person rather than a project. The fact is he’s the one who’s happy, healthy and hang-up free. By slowing my parenting down, I might just learn something from my little genius.

Work/Life Balanced?

As 2011 comes to an end, I’ve been thinking about the ‘work/life balance’ phenomenon. What is it? Where can I get it? And how can I keep hold of it?

Right now, my scales are tipped heavily towards ‘work’ and I’m feeling somewhat undernourished in the ‘life’ department (family, friends, exercise, spirituality and fun).

Failing to achieve the elusive work/life equilibrium was beginning to make me feel, well, like a failure! So I was relieved when I stumbled across Michael Van Osch, a coach, author and speaker who believes that ‘work/life balance’ is total fallacy.

With a mere 20% of us feeling truly fulfilled by our work, it’s no wonder that ‘balance’ feels unattainable. Instead, Van Osch suggests we shift our focus to ‘alignment’; aligning who we are – our passions, strengths, preferences and goals – with what we do for a living.

This makes perfect sense to me. Delving into my work history has been a little painful, but I’ve discovered that I feel happy, energised and fulfilled when I'm able to work creatively and autonomously on projects that feel 'worthwhile' in an environment where I feel valued.

Simple eh? Maybe not, but it's given me something to work towards. This week I’ve resumed both my yoga practice and writing this blog. These small but significant steps haven't brought me to alignment quite yet, but they’re definitely taking me in the right direction.

How ‘aligned’ are you? I’d love to hear your insights, thoughts and tips.

Daily Bread

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but it seems that more and more people just aren’t getting their daily bread.

Personally, I love bread and pasta and all things wheat-based, but it seems that a lot of modern bodies simply can't process the grain that used to be a major diet staple.

Although I’m happy to make flourless cake and go bread-less when a wheat-intolerant mate comes over for dinner, it does make you wonder why wheat intolerance is increasing.

According to a report on NaturalNews.com, the wholesome content of our bread has dwindled significantly over the past hundred years or so. In the 1900s, bleaching flour became the order of the day and grains were no longer allowed to sprout before being milled. Today, some real nasties (including fungicides, pesticides, insecticides and chlorides) are used in the bread-making process to keep our loaves looking white and ensure they have a long shelf life.

It's no wonder our bodies are reacting with symptoms such as cramping, diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, nausea and itchy eyes and throat.

The best breads to eat are sprouted grain breads that have to be refrigerated. You can find them in some health stores but they can be expensive. Dark whole rye and pumpernickel are also good choices as they have many of their nutrients in tact. Wheat-free grains include spelt, rice, corn, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and amaranth. And remember, wheat flour is often used as a thickener in other foods. Luckily, labelling laws are stricter than they used to be so look for products labelled gluten free.

So choose carefully and enjoy your daily bread.

Green Exercise

The Melbourne nights are drawing in and suddenly it’s getting harder to get out of bed in the mornings. I’m not much of a winter person. I love the summer and find it much easier to stick to my exercise regime when the sun’s shining.

For me, maintaining a regime of winter exercise is all about looking beyond the gym and getting back in contact with nature. Somehow it’s much easier to sustain the motivation to stay fit when you’re outdoors.

Outdoor or 'green exercise' can include anything from Tai Chi in the park to walking along the beach, hiking in the mountains or surfing at sunrise.

According to Jules Pretty, a professor of environment and society at the University of Essex, green exercise delivers health benefits that include improved mood and self-esteem, and can even lower blood pressure.

Research shows that interacting with nature can positively impact our health and wellbeing, relieve stress, and promote concentration and clear thinking. This is due to the stimulation of the changing scenery and terrain and the mood boost that comes from being outside in the sunshine.

Luckily, Melbourne’s parks, gardens and beaches make it easy for us to get outdoors. Take the time to wander in the great outdoors today, even if it’s just for 20 minutes at lunchtime. I guarantee your body, and mind, will thank you for it.

Don't Panic!

Anxiety – it lurks in the shadows and used to be something that no one admitted to. But many of us have fallen prey to it at some stage or another.

I remember when I had my first panic attack about a decade ago. I was on my way to work when my heart started to beat furiously. Then I lost my vision. I thought I was dying and grabbed at some poor commuter to help me off the train. After a couple of minutes, my vision returned but I felt like a freak. It scared the hell out of me.

Since then, I’ve equipped myself to deal better with my anxiety issues. I’ve also learned that I’m not alone. Panic Anxiety Disorder Association Inc. (PADA) reports that 12% of Australians will experience anxiety and panic disorders at some point in their lives.

Physical symptoms of anxiety and panic include muscle tightness, heart palpitations, chest tightness/pain, dizziness, numbness, tingling and panic attacks.

When I first experienced acute anxiety and panic, my doctor only offered me sedatives or anti-depressants. Fortunately, there now are numerous natural alternatives that treat the cause rather than the symptoms.

First, as always, look at your diet and lifestyle. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables with a little meat and fish. Foods containing L-Tryptophan, such as turkey, help the body to relax. Relaxation exercises and meditation also play an important part in healing, as does talking with a qualified therapist.

Bach Flower Remedies aid in relieving a variety of emotional disorders. St John's Wort, Valerian and Omega 3 are said to relieve depression and maintain emotional balance, but consult a naturopath first. Anxiety can sometimes be the result of an iodine deficiency and it's recommended that anyone suffering from anxiety and panic symptoms have their thyroid checked.

Deep breathing is the body’s natural defence against anxiety. Try this breathing exercise. Yoga, acupuncture, holistic kinesiology and Bowen Therapy are also great ways to alleviate panic and anxiety.

When it comes to anxiety, the most important thing is not to suffer in silence. Get some expert advice and don’t let panic get the better of you.

Sitting Pretty?

In my day job as a copywriter/editor, I spend most of the time sitting in front of a computer. Now as I’m eight months pregnant, and my bottom has been steadily increasing in size for some time now, I’m not so worried about the weight implications of my sedentary work culture. But consider the time us desk-bound folk spend sitting still at work, as well as while commuting, and the butt time really adds up – apparently the typical office worker is sedentary for 75 per cent of their working day. That can't be good.

Many of us try and do a bit of exercise a few times a week, but after a busy day, most of us will just want to collapse in front of the TV. According to a study by researchers including Dr David Dunstan from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute earlier this year, four or more hours a day of television increases your  risk of death from heart disease by 80 per cent, and risk of death from all causes by 46 per cent compared with people that watch just two hours a day.

All up, including telly time, we could be sitting still for up to 15 hours a day.

So, apart from changing careers and cutting down on TV time, what can we do about it? Try the following methods to help you get off your ass:

• Stand up when using the phone.
• Move your rubbish bin/printer further away from your desk.
• Take the stairs instead of the lift.
• Walk over to talk to a colleague instead of sending an email.
• Getting up to move around for few minutes or so every hour.
• At home, do a bit of ironing whilst watching TV.