Life contains unpleasant, unavoidable suffering
Buddhist teachings are so gentle and true, I’ve really been enjoying listening to all type of Buddhist books over the last 12 months.  My favourite by far is ‘Buddism for Mothers’ by Sarah Napthali, this book has been on my shelf for years.

Low Carb/High Fat, Primal, Paleo, Ketogenic….These are my choice most of the time. 
It can be called so many things but for simplicity I’ll say “Low Carb”, my main big why is my blood sugar levels are AMAZING!!! When I eat low carb, I can flat line my blood sugar levels like I didn’t ever think was possible. I have been interested and tried lower carb way of eating for a while so I have created many habits and meals that are low carb for myself.

​Disturbing statistics – On average in Australia
 -  1 in 5 shopping bags from the supermarket go in the bin
 - Costing families about $3500 per year

I meet with a lovely group of ladies a few weeks ago to discuss these exact points and how can we make a difference in reducing food waste in our homes, on farms and educate the wider community to be more conscious. 

2017 is fast rolling by and while a lot of us may still be taking it a little easy. We will be full swing into the year and its routine soon.
​Do you have your VISION?

What gives you your energy and makes you feel great? Are your doing it? even just 3min everyday? SO many questions to ask and I’ve been stuck on mine for the last month, before Christmas I used all the usual excuses “too busy”, “my head cannot think” then I was on holidays so more excuses “I just need to rest”, “I will get to it”

​This rang true to me as I’d love to be a wellness guru helping people increase their wellness, but I don’t have the confidence for this now. However, in time I believe I will, but I need to put in the work (study, blog, community, connections, belief). The year ahead is going to be fun and exciting, with some challenges. Role on 2017 lets enjoy!!!!
Warmest Wishes
Jana xo

It feels like I’ve been speaking lots about unpleasant emotions lately and how to find some comfort in them and then I had a few days I just couldn’t shift my grumpy, short tempered mood that did result in me flipping my lid.

Mindfulness is an amazing way to help us to regulate our emotions, and to be comfortable within all of them. This is a passion of mine, and I’m still learning. Mindfulness allows the mind to relax and be connected instead of in a constant state of stress, because when we are stressed our flight/fight/freeze response is activated. When this is activated we are unable to access all areas of our brain so we are less reasonable and logical. The perfect example is a child having a tantrum, there is no reasoning that can be given in the heat of the moment, their brain is disconnected even if it is very logical. Their brain needs to be connected and calm to see the logic.

I highly recommend any Dan Siegel information to understand our brain a little more to support ourselves and of course our little cherubs that are navigating these unpleasant emotions. Dan is an amazing soul with loads of information on the web and books, below are a few links that are my favourite.
- ​You tube – 16 min - Mindfulness and Neural Integration
- You tube – 3 min - Flipping your lid explanation 
- Book - The Whole Brain Child – has great information in a simple to read format and even includes cartoons to help the kids understand their brain. 

​Below are some of the mindfulness activities I enjoy to bring calmness into my life and have turned to when I experience unpleasant emotions:

• Focusing on my breath more, even just a few breaths.
• Get outdoors for fresh air and a nice walk even if it just 10 min
• 10 min of yoga
• CROCHET…. I’m a little addicted.
• Affirmations like – Nourish my mind and body with food, movement and connection. This one is in my diary this week.

Some other techniques that are great for children and adults alike are:

• Smiling mind meditations
• Colouring – do it together
  
• An activity that allows you to focus on just that be it lego, dancing, singing, craft
  
• Books

A great way to explain emotions to children are books and below are some of my favourite.

• In my heart
• When I’m feeling series (a small series at Kmart for $10)
• Soda Pop Head

Warmest hugs
Jana xo

Retreat is so important for our soul, it can come in so many forms, from staying home to going away for weeks, it maybe by yourself, as a couple, or with family and friends. But the basis of it is to switch of from day to day life to relax and gain energy, and this is nourishing for your soul and will increase your wellness. 

I remember listening to this podcast many years ago - ​Up for a Chat Podcast - The Importance of Retreat - I wasn't able to go to the retreat in 2013 that this was recorded at but I was determined to go to the next one and I did in 2014. The reason this topic has been brought to light for me again is that I was lucky enough to have a weekend of retreats, they were small and different, but it was a break from day to day life. 

On Friday hubby was home early so I could have a girls night away in the beautiful Daylesford, it was so nice to wander the streets and relax in a lovely location with such beautiful souls. We talked lots and lots, I was able to crochet and I started reading a book called "Mindful 2.0" by Vikki Kelly to sum it up...BLISS!!!

On Saturday I came home while hubby dropped kids at his parents for a sleepover, so we could attend The Great Australians Gala Dinner with hubbies work colleagues. I felt like we were in our 20's (pre-children) attending this black tie function, and I was floating on air after getting my hair done and being able to wear a dress that is 10 years old. We had an amazing time and expectantly meet up with friends from our 20's.

So I have been blessed with a friends retreat and a couple retreat in the one weekend, and in a few weeks we are having a family retreat in the bush. But retreat can also be at home, like

• Soak in the bath with a facial, instead of getting lunches packed or folding the washing. These chores can wait and will get done. 
• Treat yourself to a morning out of the norm, be it a bush walk, reading a book or self indulging shopping. 

So it doesn't have to be a weekend away or be expensive just try to ensure you give your body a little retreat at times. I hope you plan your next retreat now.
Warmest Wishes 
Jana xo







​​

Hormones are such a hot topic at the moment, so much in our life can affect them such as food, stress, movement, environment to name a few. But what I think is really important for women and men is that we start to listen to our hormones and what they are telling us. I'm going to talk more about women here and our monthly cycle. Something I know so many of you hate because of the pain, discomfort and inconvenience it causes. But please if you think this try to re-frame what is going on in your body because it is:
 - being cleansed
 - a time when you should be resting more
 - when you need your own space a little more (I think this is why we get grumpy)

​Gaining improved hormone health can also assist you in many ways to find a balance in your body, emotionally and physically. Now I'm no expert but I have surrounded myself with experts in Naturopathy, Chiropractic and Chinese Medicine to assist me in gaining a balance of my hormones when they get off kilter. 

A few examples of my hormone health needing some assistance from alternative therapies are below:
1 - My period never returned 3 years after my second pregnancy, even though physically from blood tests and scans nothing was wrong. Stress could have been the underlying factor, however Chinese Medicine saw it as my body was lacking blood, so my body wasn't going to cleanse it if I didn't have enough. Within a few months of building up my blood, my period was back.
2 - Recently my menstruating cycle had been getting longer and longer, 32, 33 then 36 days, and my energy and mood swings were cycling a lot too. This was a signal to me that I was getting off kilter again. I found a local Chinese Medicine practitioner, and with some regular acupuncture appointments to improve my hormonal balance I'm back to a 29 day cycle, no period pain and very little mood swings in comparison to previous months. 

​My take home message here is to listen to your body and seek out support from a practitioner that resonates with you. The practitioners I love to see and resonate with are listed below. Wishing you all a beautiful day tomorrow. 
Warmest wishes 
Jana ​xo

Chinese Medicine 
     Melbourne CBD - Steve Clavey - www.stevenclavey.com 
     Altona Meadows - Jodie Ellen McEwan (8360 3750) Altona Meadows Osteopathy 
     Online - Nat Kringoudis - www.natkringoudis.com
Naturopath
​     Port Melbourne -  Carolyn Walker - www.functionalwellness.com.au
Chiropractor
     Lara - Lauren Kinnane - vitalhealthchiro.com.au
     Sandringham - Damien Kristof - vidalifestyles.com

I've been reducing my usage of social media over the last few weeks. I would mindlessly scroll because I was bored, tired, procrastinating or just because my phone was in my hand. It has felt wonderful to be in control of social media and not it controlling me.

I started by asking questions like.... how often have I checked already today? or why am I checking now?.... But it has turned into me checking once or twice a day. It has also resulted in me posting less photos, I love to share our fun time (like most of us do) but it was actually taking me away from these moments of fun. It also felt like I was draining my energy to do all this posting, checking and commenting, so now its a weekly post. I feel so refreshed by it and I hope you enjoy it too.

However this week my switching off from technology was taken to a whole new level and made me realise how much I relied on it. I had no mobile phone reception for 1.5 days, it felt like so much longer. There was no point to go near my phone, other than a few happy snaps you can see below, it was really freeing and a little strange. 

To sum it all up I'm enjoying the control I have on my technology now and I hope it can make you look at your usage and take control in a way that suits you.  

Warmest Hugs from 
Jana xo
​

Second week of spring school holidays and I'm really enjoying the break from routine, however this holidays I have been even less scheduled. I have been blessed with my Mum having one or two children for the whole holidays, and this is beautiful to have more quality time with who is at home.
So what have we done:
 - Slow mornings, lots of play at home and a bit of craft before heading out for the day. 
 - Beaches 
 - Parks
 - Library
 - Visit friends
​ - Visit Hubby at Work
 - Cinema 
I've even been able to include some appointments and shopping for me among it all.

The beach bring such joy to us all, I love the feel of sand between my toes and the kids just run and laugh so much. We found a new park we had been told about ages ago in the city but had never went too, it was amazing!!!! We could have stayed all day, full of lots of climbing, ropes and in a natural setting, it is beside the Royal Children's Hospital (see here for more info and see photos below). I love the energy of libraries and it was much quieter than the after school visits we usually do. 

Visiting friends and Hubby at work was also a highlight of the days we did them, for kids and us as parents. Our Cinema visit was very timely, as I had a cold and was tired, it even resulted in a cheese, biscuits, dip and veggies for dinner which the kids thought was fantastic. 

So there is our little snapshot of our simple mindful school holidays and I'm hoping to do more of the same with my little girl this week. I hope you can too, or even just try to simplify your days a little and enjoy the small things. 
Warmest Wishes
Jana xoxo

I would like to wrap up the inspiration that I was given at the Wellness Summit 2016 a few weekends ago. The quotes that most resonated with me are below, similar messages were given by several speakers. This is my newest list of quotes on my bathroom mirror and I love how each of these take me back to the moment I heard it and the energy that surrounded it. If you were there or not you may like to use it, or just pick some that resonate with you and put them up to see daily as a reminder to yourself of your values and goals. 

I have listed my most valued steps to focus my attention on, and then I have chosen 3 small ones that I have already done in the past but not consistently.  So to start with I am
 - Moving 10 min per day, be it yoga, walking, home workout (its not much but I don't sit still very often in my day so this is achievable for me now or I don't do it at all).
 - Oil pulling (means I cannot talk for 20 min in the morning and removes toxins)
 - Body boosting (see how to do here, thanks Kim xo) 

I was also lucky enough to have a chat to the amazing Marcus Pearce and what a gem he is, so easy to talk to and so much wonderful but simple life advice. It may not be so simple to implement but has got me thinking. The most priceless piece is "Love where you Live" and he has just done a podcast on the topic in 100 Not Out with Damien Kristof, I'll be listening to it very soon.  

I hope your are able to find something that resonates with you here, until next time. 
Warmest Hugs
Jana