It seems inevitable that Australia will follow many other countries in the world and ask us all to self isolate in the near future, and that the situation will likely become worse before it gets better.

We have always been of the view that we have tremendous capacity to heal, given the right conditions, both physiologically and psychologically.   Our propensity to succumb to any pathogen, and our ability to recover, very much depends on these conditions, in particular our immune and nervous systems.   

Whilst there are varying levels of panic in the community, we all respond in individual ways.  For many, this threat to survival has manifested in hysteria, leading to the panic buying of certain items for example, without regard for the impact this may have on others.  Our emotional responses will often seem automatic as our thinking brain (cortex) is bypassed to prioritise our survival instincts. 

This is a time the community needs to stay connected, work collaboratively and support each other, within the constraints required to slow the transmission sufficiently for our over stretched health care systems to cope and support the most vulnerable.

In one of the hardest hit areas, in the north of Italy, it has been devastating, and yet there have been heart warming stories of love and resilience. 

People singing and playing music from the confines of their house arrest, and children drawing rainbows.  It is this kind of unity and solidarity that lifts spirits, provides hope and promotes resilience and connection.  

Louis Pasteur, known for his work on Germ Theory spent much of his career devoted to identifying the way in which certain pathogens caused disease.  At the same time, another scientist, Antoine Béchamp, argued that it was the condition of the body, rather than the germ itself which caused disease.  It has been reported that on Pasteur’s deathbed, he admitted to his nephew that he believed the latter theory was correct.  We may never know whether this is true, however it is well established that both these theories existed and that the ‘germ as enemy’ philosophy prevailed.  Despite the many circulating theories, the annihilation of this particular germ, is the mainstream approach, with little focus on the host.  Yet, at the same time, we are told that people with pre-existing conditions, even those with obesity, are at greater risk of severe disease.  This relates to the host, or conditions.  This is why it is important to do what we can to strengthen the host.

So much is still unknown about this virus.   Information on incubation periods and transmission is very inconsistent, severity of illness spans from no symptoms at all to life threatening. 

Without proper and extensive testing of both active virus and antibodies, we do not have accurate information.  Information on how long this particular virus lives on surfaces is inconsistent and it could be up to several days.

By definition, a pandemic involves a new strain of pathogen, to which the entire population has had no immunity.  This accelerates spread, as we have seen.  It does not mean our immune systems will not respond as it would against any invading pathogen.   Many people have tested positive without exhibiting any symptoms.  

Coronaviruses have existed a long time and vary from a common cold to serious respiratory illness.  An example is SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) which also threatened to become a Pandemic.

What we can do:

• Hygiene practices.    Hand washing & sanitising is of course fundamental and a widely publicised message.   
• Social isolation…. limit contacts, particularly people who are susceptible to developing severe symptoms such as the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, particularly respiratory conditions.  It is important to also support these people by ensuring that have sufficient supplies via delivery and regularly checking on their welfare.  Ideally, when we can identify those who have developed antibodies to this virus, these people would be well placed to support vulnerable people without risk of transmission. 
• Definitely stay home if you are unwell.   This should always be the case.  We need rest to recover and unfortunately it has taken a pandemic to help people realise that exposing others to viruses is not responsible, albeit promoted by ad campaigns such as ‘soldier on’ with cold and flu medications.
• Check on others.  People returning from overseas, with empty fridges, have been told without warning that they cannot leave, they cannot have visitors, or they face heavy penalties.  The delay on food deliveries is 5 days.   Kindness goes a long way in times like these.  There are a number of food delivery services providing much needed nourishment to your door. For fellow Sydney siders, we highly recommend Transform Health.
  

Ways to bolster our immune system:

1.   Consume whole, nutrient dense food.  We know that this is not easy currently with the frenzied shopping happening, however fresh produce still appears to be available.   This is a good time to have a supply of nutrient dense superfoods to help fortify our nutrient intake. 
2. Fresh juices provide a range of nutrients to support our immunity and overall wellbeing.
3. Nutrients and phytonutrients.  Consuming a range of nutrients is the best way to support your immune system, with bioavailability best achieved by the above methods.  There is a body of research demonstrating the role in particular nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc and quercetin.
4. Include anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory spices such turmeric and ginger.
5. Encourage healthy gut flora.  A healthy gut microbiome is an essential component of our immune function.
6. Have on hand manuka honey, lemon and ginger.
7. Salt water throat gargle.  This is an often dismissed traditional remedy for sore throats involving mixing salt (approx. 1/2 tsp) into warm water, gargling, then spitting water out.  In addition to anecdotal reports and tradition use, a randomised study  published in the Journal of Preventative Medicine found that this practice was effective in reducing bronchial symptoms.  We recommend using a high quality Himalayan salt.
8. Stay hydrated.
9. Get enough sleep.  This is time for restoration and repair for our bodies and minds.
10. Emotional regulation.  This impacts all of the above.  If we are able to regulate and slow down our nervous systems, this will have a profound impact on our immunity, our sleep, our ability to utilise nutrients we are consuming, the health of our gut microbiome and our resilience on a cellular, epigenetic level.   Fear and stress increases our cortisol and lowers our immune system, making this a critical time to consider emotional regulation and mindfulness practices.

If you need additional support during this difficult time, we’re offering 25% off all our online nutrition consults. Email jennifer@healthyluxe.com.au and reference LUXE25 to book in.

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How to make the most of your subscription to our in-app meal planner…

As we enter into the second half of January and settle back into our daily routines, so often accompanied by stress, it may be a good time to reflect on some of the promises we made to ourselves in our list of ‘new year resolutions’.  Often developing better health habits is amongst the goals we set… it may be giving up smoking, exercising more, drinking less (or no) alcohol, detoxing, losing weight… the list goes on.  Sometimes these goals begin with ‘kick start’ type challenges, for example we have ‘Dry January’, ‘Veganuary,’ Whole 30 challenge, various gym challenges, etc.   

If your health goals relate to making dietary changes and maintaining balance, Healthy Luxe app is here to support you.    We are all different and there is no ‘one size fits all’ where nutrition is concerned.  With over 400 healthy recipes, we now have a meal planner, with nutrition panels for every recipe.  These panels are intended to serve as guidelines.  We have often said that nutrition and weight management is far more than ‘calories in vs calories out’ which is a flawed theory on so many levels.  However this does not mean it is not helpful to be aware of calorie value, as long as it is in the context of the nutrient density which accompanies these calories and whether the food nourishes or adds to toxic and sugar overload, the latter placing enormous pressure on our metabolic function.

All of our recipes use whole foods, which are nutrient dense and even our sweet treats contain minimal sweeteners involving little to no processing (e.g. whole dates, bananas, honey, maple syrup).  None of our recipes contain cane sugar, agave syrup, corn syrup or rice syrup.  You will now be able to see at a glance the amount of natural sugars per serve, the percentage of recommended daily intake this represents, as well as additional nutrients in the treat itself.  You may be surprised to know just how few nutrients are in commercial sweet treats, and what is there instead.   Below is a comparison of one of our most popular desserts, Sticky Date Pudding, with a commercial equivalent to illustrate this.   Equally, you may be surprised to know how much sugar is in treats marketed as healthy.

Sticky Date Pudding

Sticky Date Pudding is a delicious dessert and one of our favourite indulgences.  It is also a treat which is heavier on calories and sugar than some of our other recipes which needs to be considered in the context of the rest of your diet.  We still believe this can be consumed and enjoyed in moderation, it is satiating, provides nutrients, dietary fibre and promotes gut health.   We have compared our sticky date pudding (recipe on our app!) with a commercial variety below.  Whilst there is less than 50 calorie difference per 100g (ours is the lesser of the two), our bigger concern is the distinct lack of functional foods and presence of additives in the commercial variety.  

Our panels also provide a breakdown of macro nutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates), as well fibre and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) when in significant quantities*.  In addition to the initial filter for dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, nut free and sugar cane free, there is an additional preference filter to assist with your objectives, being quick and easy,  high protein, high complex carbohydrate, high fibre, promoting gut health, anti-inflammatory, high iron and high calcium.   It is our intention to gradually increase our filters for specific nutrients to assist in learning food sources of particular vitamins and minerals, especially for those who know they are deficient (through blood tests or assessment by a health professional).   The panels are intended to be a guide, to encourage curiosity around what nutrients good food brings, rather than counting calories and macros in a rigid and restrictive way.  

We recommend choosing one or two key focus areas from the preference filter in order to ensure variety.

Once you have chosen and saved your meal plan, it is then very simple to check ingredients required and add whatever you need to your shopping list!

We hope Healthy Luxe app will help you on your own personal health journey. Find out more or download it here!

*Notes: 

• There are many variables when it comes to nutrition, both individually and with in relation to nutrient diversity.  
• Factors that influence composition of any food include conditions in which they are grown / raised, for example in plant based foods, quality of soil in which they are grown is important, transport and storage, as well as preparation (although cooking is taken into account in calculations). We recommend organic wherever possible to maximise nutrients and minimise toxic load. 
• Nutrients listed in addition to macros reflect a good source of this particular nutrient.
• Phytonutrients are increasingly being studies for their health benefits, however are often unique to particular foods and data is not available.  We have included additional specific information on a key ingredient for greater depth. 
• RDI (recommended daily intake) recommends intake required to avoid deficiency (for nutrients)

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Having often written about the critical importance of hydration to our health and wellbeing, it is hard to imagine not having the choice, where access to clean water may mean walking long distances.

Harnessing the copious quantities of water during the monsoons seems like a simple solution as this would sustain the villages throughout the dry season. However, it is simply beyond the reach of these people. 

As a result, a crowd funding project was started by Hailey to help raise money to help build basic amenities, beginning with a well and water tank.  If you think you are able to assist in any way at all, please click on the link where you will find all costings associated with this project.  100% of funds raised will go directly to the people of Iokea.

The people of Iokea hope that in the future, their village can become an eco tourism destination, catering to the increasing appetite for being surrounded by the beauty of nature. These surroundings create opportunities to slow down and appreciate the richness of just ‘being’, far from the pressures of our modern lives.  There is much to learn by observing a simpler, sustainable way of living, enjoying the connection of community. 

This is the dream and vision of Margaret Chant, an inspiring local Iokean, who has already begun setting up Moroipi Eco Lodge in the village. With access to a well and tank, ‘conscious’ tourism can boom, creating jobs for locals and granting foreigners access to Iokea’s beautiful landscapes.

We are very proud of Hailey and Joe and are thrilled to support this project.

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Healthy Luxe APP has landed just in time! With over 200 nutritious and delicious recipes from breakfast and main meals to snacks and sweet treats, as well as nutritional information for a key ingredient in each recipe AND regularly added health tips, our app will help keep you on track.

You can filter recipes according to your dietary requirements/preferences and see nutritional insights of a key ingredient in each recipe.

and create your own shopping list and save recipes to favourite.

Download Healthy Luxe APP

We hope you enjoy our app and we wish you all a very happy, healthy and safe 2019!

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]]> https://healthyluxe.com.au/healthy-luxe-app-has-landed/feed/ 0 https://healthyluxe.com.au/workplace-burnout-taking-a-summer-holiday-is-not-enough/ https://healthyluxe.com.au/workplace-burnout-taking-a-summer-holiday-is-not-enough/#respond Wed, 02 Jan 2019 18:41:07 +0000 https://healthyluxe.com.au/?p=724 Workplace burnout: taking a summer holiday is not enough With one in four Australian experiencing high levels of anxiety symptoms, mental stress claims are now the most expensive type of workers’ compensation claim.  A 2014 Price Waterhouse Cooper study reported that mental health conditions cost Australian employers at least $10.9 billion a year. Wellness tourism boom Wellness […]

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]]> Workplace burnout: taking a summer holiday is not enough

With one in four Australian experiencing high levels of anxiety symptoms, mental stress claims are now the most expensive type of workers’ compensation claim.  A 2014 Price Waterhouse Cooper study reported that mental health conditions cost Australian employers at least $10.9 billion a year.

Wellness tourism boom

Wellness Tourism is defined as travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal wellbeing.   With skyrocketing cases of workplace stress and burnout, it is not surprising that wellness tourism is a thriving industry, currently growing globally at double the rate of general tourism.  The Global Wellness Instituteestimates wellness tourism was a $639 billion global market in 2017.The growth rate of wellness tourism in Australia for 2015-2017 was 8.3% with around 10 million wellness trips taken in Australia in 2017.  This ranks Australia in fourteenth place in the world for wellness tourism.However, psychologists are encouraging people to think beyond the health spa this summer if they are serious about addressing workplace burnout, mental health and substance misuse issues.The Buttery Private, located in Northern NSW, is an example of a facility offering evidence-based wellbeing treatment program, treating a growing number of people with serious workplace burnout.  However, residential program manager, Trent Rees, encourages people to distinguish between end-of-year stress and serious and debilitating burnout and look beyond the health spa.   Mr Rees said both employers and employees need to start taking workplace burnout seriously. “Generally, the longer the symptoms are left before treatment, the more prolonged the recovery period is.

Beyond the health spa

“I think it is encouraging that Australians are addressing wellness during their well-earned holidays. This can help prevent more serious mental health conditions from developing. However, people experiencing debilitating burnout need more than a holiday,” Mr Rees said.

“People suffering burnout are in a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion because of their exposure to prolonged stress. They feel overwhelmed and drained emotionally and can no longer meet the unrelenting demands they face. The fact is, burnout is a serious condition which can’t be addressed just by a holiday,” he said.

The Buttery Private, which is a social enterprise that utilises profits to help support the long established charity-run drug and alcohol treatment organisation, The Buttery.Participants at The Buttery Private take part in an intense four-week psychologically-focused program.   Programs incorporate the principles of Compassion Focused Therapy, Schema Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.Mr Rees says “We’re seeing more and more people come to us with severe burnout caused by checking emails and taking phone calls compulsively. These days, staff are often expected to be ‘on’ 24/7.

“We are also seeing an increase in people with ‘behavioural addictions’ like social media, gaming and pornography addiction. Like alcohol and drug addiction, the underlying causes of these addictions need to be addressed with intensive therapy.  A ‘digital detox’ holiday won’t necessarily act as a circuit-breaker for sustainable wellbeing,” he said.

A depressed, anxious and stressed nation

Findings of the Australian Psychological Society’s Stress and Wellbeing in Australia Survey 2015, have revealed that 26 per cent of Australians report having moderate to extremely severe depression symptoms.  In addition, 26 per cent of Australians also report above normal levels of anxiety symptoms.

These figures are further complicated in those reporting extremely severe levels of anxiety symptoms with 66 per cent of this population drinking alcohol, 54 per cent gambling, 47 per cent taking recreational drugs and 45 per cent smoking cigarettes in an attempt to alleviate stress.

“The reality is, anxiety, depression, behavioural and substance addiction, and serious workplace burnout, require treatment that goes beyond what the average health spa can offer,” Mr Rees said.

For more information about the Buttery Private visit  www.butteryprivate.org.au or call: 1300 851 695.

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]]> https://healthyluxe.com.au/workplace-burnout-taking-a-summer-holiday-is-not-enough/feed/ 0 https://healthyluxe.com.au/product-of-the-year-2018-announced/ https://healthyluxe.com.au/product-of-the-year-2018-announced/#respond Sat, 15 Dec 2018 18:42:11 +0000 https://healthyluxe.com.au/?p=729 Products of the Year winners announced: signs that consumers are looking for healthier choices. The most recent results from ‘Product of the Year (POY) indicate a shift towards dietary specific (especially gluten free) and health foods.  For example Freedom Foods was amongst the winners, offering a range of ‘free from’ innovative food products, which are free from […]

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]]> Products of the Year winners announced: signs that consumers are looking for healthier choices.

The most recent results from ‘Product of the Year (POY) indicate a shift towards dietary specific (especially gluten free) and health foods.  For example Freedom Foods was amongst the winners, offering a range of ‘free from’ innovative food products, which are free from certain allergens.

Every year for almost 10 years, Neilson research has evaluated market trends in innovative products, measured using the following criteria:

1. Relevance – Is the product fulfilling a need or addressing a problem?

2. Uniqueness – Does is stand out and bring something new to the category?

3. Excitement – Does it excite them? Would they spread the word?

4. Likeability – Does it deliver what you want?

5. Value Perception – Do you think it provides value for money?

Over 14,000 Australian consumers took part in this research and voted for their favourite products of the year. POY aims to provide a time and money saving shortcut for shoppers, guiding them towards the very best products.

Product of the Year Director, Sarah Connelly said, “I’m thrilled at the increase in innovative healthy-option products that are being made available on shelf and being entered into the Awards. It’s a trend that we’ve not seen much of before in the history of the Awards and it signals increasing consumer demand for manufacturers to innovate in these areas. These options are becoming far more mainstream and more affordable than they have ever been before.”

“A category that we have seen consistent growth in each year is ‘convenience foods’ but this year we are seeing more vegetarian easy-option foods, which simply haven’t been available before. It’s wonderful to see these dietary requirements being met by brands, showcasing their leadership in this space.”

What it means to win Product of the Year

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS:

• 2 in 5 consumers claimed they would definitely or probably purchase a product they hadn’t tried before if it won Product of the Year. This result is in line with last year’s result with the percentage increasing consistently from year to year.
• Consumers are generally open to trying new brands and do so on a regular basis.
• Over half of consumers have tried four or more new brands in the past year.
• Woolworths stands out against competitors for their range of organic, healthy and fresh products, while Coles is associated with having better deals/promotions than other supermarkets.
• When choosing a supermarket, the most important attributes to consumers are the range of available products, the location of the store and the deals/promotions available.
• Younger consumers are more likely be influenced by the Product of the Year logo than older consumers, with females slightly more likely to state that they would purchase a Product of the Year winner than males.

The Product of the Year cycle runs from February to winner announcement in November. All of the products awarded will have the opportunity to promote their win through the end of 2018 to the end of 2019. Enter here.

For more information, please contact: Rachel Stevenson at rachel@agent99pr.com or 02 9779 0999/ 0481 251 916

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