Urban Remedy's 'Healthy Holiday Guide'

10 tips to keep you healthy over the festive season...

1. Start your day with a glass of warm water and lemon

2. Get some exercise first thing, before the festivities begin

3. Stock your pantry and fridge with yummy, healthy snacks – think brown rice cakes, kale and veggie chips, olives, raw nuts, veggie sticks, healthy dips, avocado...

4. Find healthy versions of your favourite treats. For example, dark chocolate sweetened with stevia instead of sugary milk chocolate...

5. Stay hydrated, particularly when you are drinking alcohol!

6. Avoid sugary alcoholic mixers – skip the soft drinks and opt for soda or mineral water with fresh lemon or lime instead

7. Give your body a rest between big meals. For once, skipping a meal is actually OK. Don't be tempted to pile food on top of food on top of food.

8. Make time for yourself in the busy Christmas schedule. Take 10 minutes to go for a walk, listen to some music, read your book...

9. Practice giving the best gift of all – love. Take the time and energy to be there for your loved ones!

10. Write a list of 3 goals for 2013. Not 30, just 3.

For those of you wanting to book in a January cleanse, we sell out up to 10 days ahead of schedule in peak season so get in fast!

Our January 2013 dates are live on the ordering page here.

Happy holidays!

Urban Remedy takes the guilt out of Christmas

Our Christmas Gift Bags are the perfect way to introduce friends and family to delicious AND healthy food over the festive season...

Ready for order this December, Urban Remedy is excited to announce our BRAND NEW Christmas Gift Bags, the perfect way to share and enjoy guilt-free goodies over the Christmas break.

Our gift bags include products from some of our favourite brands: T2, Loving Earth, IKU and Supercharged Food. Choose between our tastebud teasing 'Temptation' gift bag and the decadent 'Indulgence' gift bag.

Both are a perfect gift for the foodie, the chocolate enthusiast, the health junkie, or just for that person who already has everything. They even make a lovely addition to your own pantry if you're looking to treat yourself.

WHAT'S IN THEM?

'Temptation' gift bag – $40

• 1 x 50g All Sorts One Tea Cube
        A beautifully boxed collection of T2's most popular teas.
• 1 x 100g Activated Walnuts
        Supercharged Food's fancy twist on the humble nut
• 2 x 100g Raw Organic Chocolate Bars
        Coconut Mylk and Goji Camu Camu
        Loving Earth's healthy solution to indulging your sweet tooth!
• 1 x 175g Raw Organic Coco Choc Butter
        Loving Earth double drop the chocolate. Heaven.
• 1 x $15 Urban Remedy Cleanse Voucher
        The perfect way to get back on track, from yours truly

'Indulgence' gift bag – $80

• 1 x 50g All Sorts Two Tea Cube
        A beautifully boxed collection of T2's most popular teas.
• 2 x 100g Activated
        Supercharged Nuts Almonds and Walnuts
        Supercharged Food's fancy twist on the humble nut
• 2 x 100g Raw Organic Chocolate Bars 
        Coconut Mylk and Sour Cherry & Acai
        Loving Earth's healthy solution to indulging your sweet tooth!
• 1 x 175g Raw Organic Coco Choc Butter
        Loving Earth double drop the chocolate. Heaven.
• 1 x 400g Biodynamic Christmas Cake
        IKU's guilt-free take on Christmas tradition...
• 1 x $25 Urban Remedy Cleanse Voucher 
        The perfect way to get back on track, from yours truly

HOW DO YOU ORDER?

Simply order online via the Urban Remedy website by 5pm Monday 10th December 2012 for delivery by Friday 21st December 2012. Get in quick as stock is limited!

DON’T FORGET… 

If you prefer, Urban Remedy Gift Vouchers are also available over the festive season. They make a lovely Christmas or New Year present! Choose the amount and we deliver your voucher straight to the lucky recipient.

Acai. A smooth operator with serious beauty benefits.

Acai, we love it. For starters, there's a reason why this superfood has been coined the ‘Beauty Berry’. Containing more grams of regenerating protein than an egg, and packed full of anti-ageing and metabolism-boosting phyto-nutrients, this lovely berry improves your health and promotes real beauty from the inside out. 

Why Acai?

This little wonder:

• Combats premature ageing with the help of powerful antioxidants (namely anthocyanin)
• Boosts immunity and metabolic function
• Aids in muscle regeneration, promoting increased energy and stamina
• Improves blood circulation, assisting in a healthier heart
• Assists in removing toxins from your body

Beautifying Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

• Raw acai powder – 1 tsp
• Raw cacao powder – 1 tsp
• Mixed berries – a large handful (fresh or frozen)
• Medium ripe banana  – 1 whole
• Almond milk – 200 ml
• Water – 100ml

We like Loving Earth for our acai and cacao powders – they use only sustainable , fairly traded and high-quality organic ingredients. When choosing an almond milk, always go for unsweetened. Or if you have the time, make your own!

Preparation

1. Pop all ingredients in blender
2. Blend
3. Serve
4. Drink
5. Yum

If you fancy making our Beautifying Berry Smoothie but don't have all of the ingredients at your disposal, we have a lovely superfood hamper up for grabs from Loving Earth. Just head over to our Facebook page, like our post, and you could be in with a chance of winning some raw acai, goji, vanilla and cacao...

And then they could chew. And it was good.

Urban Remedy is launching a selection of brand spanking new edible 'extras' to complement your detox or enjoy alongside a balanced diet.

As seasoned cleansers, we're all too familiar with that craving to sink your teeth into something in between juices. Yep, you're not alone. We all like to chew. That said, it's not about diving into a packet of biscuits or chomping on a greasy slice of pizza. Nope, think super healthy (but still yummy) detox-friendly chewing.

What? 

Activated Almonds 
with organic apple cider vinegar and celtic sea salt

• $7.95 for a 100g packet
• These crunchy little beauties are soaked overnight to release enzyme inhibitors and then dehydrated for up to 8 hours to give intense flavor. Yum.

AMAZEballs
with almond meal, almond butter, raw cacao powder, spirulina powder, tahini, sesame seeds, mixed nuts, coconut flakes, natural vanilla extract and liquid stevia

• $10.95 for a box of four lovely balls
• 3 delicious flavours:
- Almond
- Chocolate
- Green

Why? 
Because we all like to chew but we still want to be healthy. AND it's SO hard to find healthy snacks when you're out and about! Our nifty extras are detox-friendly, super duper healthy and the perfect way to complement your juice cleanse or six pack order.

Nutritionally-speaking, these little beauties are faultless. They contain the perfect amount of protein, good fats and super-nutrients. Our Activated Almonds and AMAZEballs act as an excellent tonic for clear skin, healthy hair and easier digestion. Packed full of antioxidants and alkalizing superfoods, they even help improve mood, increase energy and relieve stress.

Relax. Our extras are free from:
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Dairy
• Gluten
• Wheat

When?
Available to order online next week for delivery from:
• Mon November 26th – Sydney
• Tues November 27th – Other locations

It's really easy. Just jump online and add them to an existing order. Please note that at this stage they cannot be ordered separately – they are 'extras' to an existing juice cleanse or six pack order. If you love them and are keen to place a BULK order, please email us at info@urbanremedy.com.au

So get chewing and enjoy!

Stress. The lowdown. The remedies.

Stress is a funny thing. For many of us, it's a daily occurrence. We all know the signs – a weight on our shoulders, a tightness in our chests, an uneasy feeling in our stomachs...

But how does it really affect us and what can we do about it?

Causes

• Work
• Finances
• Busy schedules
• Family
• Relationships
• Bereavement
• Big life changes
• Anxiety disorders
• Chronic illness

Symptoms

• Muscular tension – particularly jaw, neck and shoulders
• Breathing difficulties – shallow breathing, panic attacks
• Excessive perspiration
• Digestive troubles – bloating, heartburn, knotted stomach, cramps, IBS
• Skin breakouts
• Disturbed sleep
• Fatigue

Repercussions

• Persistent insomnia
• Adrenal exhaustion – 'fight or flight' becomes a knee-jerk reaction
• Reduced energy levels – 'wired but tired' feeling (see above)
• Chronic illnesses – often involving the nervous or digestive system
• Poor absorption of nutrients, leading to fatigue
• Weight loss or gain
• Mood disorders

Solutions

• Live in the NOW. Most stress can be relieved if you stop judging an event through the eyes of the past, in fear of the future. Approach the event in isolation, without sub-text, and focus on the moment with your whole mind and body.

• Let yourself experience the full range of emotions, good and bad. Repressing a feeling buries it deep into your mind and body, and negative emotions have a tendency to rear their ugly heads further down the track. If you feel sad or angry, let the feeling have its place, sit with it for a while. It will pass a lot quicker.

• Don't let your thoughts dictate your happiness. We all do it – wage analytical warfare on our decisions, reasoning through every possible outcome or option until we don't know if we're Arthur or Martha. Next time, go with your gut. You can't always make the 'perfect' decision, just make a decision, and roll with it! Your heart and gut have just as much validity as your thoughts. Give them a chance.

• When you feel your body tensing up, take notice. Pause for a second. Listen. Take a few deep breaths, drink some water, shut your eyes for a minute, then restart.

• Be kind to yourself. You don't need to perform miracles and you can't do everything or be everything to everyone.

• Laugh. It's important to maintain perspective, and see the fun in things.

• Sleep. This one's a no-brainer. Sleep helps. It really is that simple. If you can't get enough shut-eye, try a herbal calmative or, if you have exhausted all natural remedies, speak to your doctor. Nothing you do will heal your mind and body the way sleep will.

Our health AND beauty must-have...

This week, we're sharing with you our latest health AND beauty crush. We know it has been popular for a little while now but we like to wait for the hype to die down before we dish up our verdict.

Please welcome Coconut Oil to the list of UR favourites. Here's why...

Beauty Wonder

Coconut Oil is the a beauty multi-tasker like no other.

We like to use it as a:

• Hair mask

Tip: apply between first and second shampoo (to avoid greasy hair), cover hair with a warm towel, leave on for 20 minutes.

• Shaving oil

• Face wash (think Eve Lom on a budget) - so nourishing you don't even need a moisturiser afterwards!

• Make up remover - even safe for eyes

Tip: to remove eye make-up, massage coconut oil onto eyes gently, wet two cotton wool pads with warm water, gently wipe off... repeat until squeaky clean.

• Heel balm

• Cuticle balm

• Massage oil

• Body moisturiser

Super Food

Coconut Oil contains EFAs (that's essential fatty acids - great for hair, eyes, skin and cardiovascular health), it's also a fat that helps to burn fat, and it has the added bonus of combatting dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut) and candida, thus reducing bloating. Brilliant!

You can use it in food as a:

• Cooking oil - coconut oil can be heated to a high temperature!

• Baking oil

• Butter substitute - just spread and enjoy

• Smoothie supplement

So there you have it folks. Coconut Oil, a must in everyone's kitchen or bathroom cupboard.

A very different kind of six-pack...

Choose from our eight delicious packs:

the Metabolism Booster $35 per pack
• Ingredients: lemon, cayenne, stevia, water
• Benefits: boosts metabolism and stimulates digestion

the Fat Buster $75 per pack
• Ingredients: pineapple, apple, mint
• Benefits: enhances digestion and reduces bloating

the Supercharged Greens $75 per pack
• Ingredients: cos lettuce, spinach, cucumber, celery, mint, parsley, lemon, ginger
• Benefits: alkalises and cleanses the body, increases energy levels

the Calming Smoothie $75 per pack
• Ingredients: almonds, banana, cacao, chia, water
• Benefits: satisfies a sweet tooth naturally, calms and relaxes

the Zingy Uplifter $75 per pack
• Ingredients: carrot, orange, lemon, ginger
• Benefits: supports immunity whilst soothing digestion

the Breakkie Smoothie $75 per pack
Two of each of the following:

1. Energising Smoothie
2. Restoring Smoothie
3. Healing Smoothie

• Ingredients: please refer to our menu
• Benefits: enhances energy levels and boosts immunity

the Fruit & Greens $75 per pack
Two of each of the following:

1. Green Pear
2. Green Apple
3. Supercharged Greens

• Ingredients: please refer to our menu
• Benefits: alkalizes and cleanses - our fave for sparkly skin!

the Tasting Delight $75 per pack
A lovely mixed pack of our favourite juices.
One of each of the following:

1. Energising Smoothie
2. Healing Smoothie
3. Metabolism Booster
4. Fat Buster
5. Zingy Uplifter
6. Green Pear

• Ingredients: please refer to our menu
• Benefits: increases energy, soothes digestion and enhances overall health


And there you have it. Eight little beauties. You can add them to an existing cleanse order or simply enjoy them alongside a balanced and healthy diet. Drink two a day (just grab'n'go!) or share your Six-Pack with a friend, partner or colleague...

Healing Avocado Smoothie

We love this little beautie. So simple but so divinely nutritious (and yummy).

Ingredients

• Avocado (half, ripe)
• Banana (half, ripe)*
• English spinach (small handful)
• Coconut oil (1 tsp, extra virgin)
• Chia seeds (1 tbsp, black or white)
• Raw vanilla powder (sprinkle)
• Water (300ml)

Low carb/fructose option*: leave out the banana!

Preparation

• Pop all ingredients in blender
• Blend
• Serve
• Drink
• Yum

And there you go, a smoothie that will tantalise your tastebuds and leave you feeling energised and satisfied. It's the perfect morning smoothie, pre or post-workout snack, or guilt-free dessert. It's packed full of good (fat-burning) fats, vitamins and antioxidants – with iron-rich spinach and a nice dose of bad-bacteria-busting coconut oil.

Enjoy!

5 yoga poses to detox mind and body

We all know it. We can feel it. Spring is in the air. Here at Urban Remedy we love the change of season because it means it’s time for a good clean out.

We cleanse through three of the body's main systems. The circulatory system pumps blood throughout the body – taking oxygen to cells whilst carrying the waste away. The digestive system processes the food we eat – absorbing the nutrients we need and eliminating anything we don’t. And then we have the lymphatic system, which collects fluid from our cells and sends it to the lymph nodes to ditch any harmful bacteria.  The eliminatory organs (lower digestive system, liver, kidneys, lungs and skin) then help us to expel all of those nasty little toxins.

That’s a pretty good system when it comes to detoxing! However, over the winter season, our diet is a little heavier, we're a little less active than usual, and our eliminatory organs may be feeling a little sluggish. When Spring arrives, we often need a helping hand to assist the natural detoxification process.

We regularly give you tips on how to cleanse your body through diet. But what about exercise? This week, with the help of our Resident Health Coach, Claire Obeid (who just happens to be an amazing yoga teacher), we thought we’d share a few of our favourite cleansing yoga poses to help you banish those winter cobwebs and kickstart detoxification.

Yoga, like most forms of exercise, stimulates the three systems of cleansing, but it packs a little more punch. The systematic stretching and compressing action, coupled with calm breathing, is particularly good at enhancing waste-removal from the deep tissues and extremities (which some forms of exercises just can’t do).

Here are our 5 cleansing yoga poses:

1. Standing Forward Bend – calms the nervous system whilst gently compressing the abdomen to stimulate digestion and elimination

2. Downward Facing Dog – gently tones the belly, aids circulation of blood and lymph and stimulates digestion

3. Lunging Twist – strengthens the legs whilst deeply twisting through the abdomen to squeeze and release the digestive organs

4. Seated Twist – releases the hips whilst squeezing the abdominal organs

5. Meditation – helps you calm your breath, centre your focus and quieten your mind to reduce stress and enhance detoxification

Happy spring cleaning!

How to detox your mind

We may have told you already (a hundred times) but we LOVE lists at UR. So this week, we're dishing up another one. It's a quickie but it may just change the way you look at things, dare we say live.

5 simple ways to feel happier:

1. Don't worry. If a worry pops into your head, ask yourself this question: will worrying about this change the outcome? We're 99.9% sure the answer to this is no. In that case, the conclusion is simple: stop worrying, it's not going to fix the problem. What it will do is waste valuable time and energy.

2. Be happy. Be happy in the guide to 'being happy'. You're probably either a) thinking of shutting down the email at this point or b) thinking we've had one too many green juice. But hang on, there is some logic behind this statement. Have you ever noticed that when you smile and radiate happiness, you get it back, tenfold? It's not rocket science. We all gravitate towards happy people. Sometimes, putting a smile on your face when you aren't feeling so chirpy can draw others towards you and in turn improve your own mood.

3. Less do, more be. You have an 'action list' at work but when it comes to your personal life, do you really have to treat each day like a set of 'tasks' to accomplish? If you're racing from one 'to do' item to the next, you sometimes forget to experience what you're actually doing. Sure, there are some things that don't really require experiencing (like paying your gas bill for instance) but others would be far more memorable (and meaningful) if you actually let yourself exist in the moment whilst they were happening. That phone call to your mum would go a whole lot better if it wasn't just a 'ticked box'. That lunch you gulped down would be digested far more comfortably if you took the time to eat it, mouthful by mouthful. You might even have a more productive afternoon back at the office!

4. Listen. To the person talking, not to your inner chatter. We're all guilty of it – listening to our own thoughts instead of giving the person in front of us our full, undivided attention. The art of really listening is endangered. Nurturing it is the key to good personal and business relationships.

5. Let it be. Let them be to be precise. We're talking about your negative emotions – anger, resentment, fear, jealousy... These toxic emotions clutter the mind, preventing you from moving forward with your life. We all have them however the key is to let yourself experience them fully and then let them fall to the side of their own accord. The more you try to repress them, the more power they hold.

The 5 easy guidelines above will help you to cleanse your mind. Detoxing is not just physical after all.

Your Spring makeover bestie...

Supercharged Green 6-Packs:

Take your cleansing that bit further with our limited edition Supercharged Green 6-Packs. These bad boys are the ultimate cleanser – packed full of alkalising green veggies, immune-boosting parsley, revitalising ginger and tummy-flattening mint, they are the perfect ally to get your body in tip-top shape for Spring.

These 6-Packs of green goodness contain 6 x 450ml of our 'Supercharged Green Juice' – a recipe intricately designed by none other than wholefoods chef, foodie and health entrepreneur Lee Holmes. When it comes to changing your body and mind from the inside out, Lee is a shining example, and she absolutely swears by green juice. It goes without saying that we do too – in fact, green juice is our detox bestie; there really is no other juice or smoothie with quite the same potency.

How do these 6-Packs differ from our normal cleanse?

1. Put simply, they are more intense. We don't recommend doing more than 1 day of them on their own. If you do more than a day, the best way to enjoy them is with some super healthy snacks alongside the juices.

2. They are SUPER low-carb – perfect for those of you suffering from candida or diabetes, or if you are fructose-intolerant.

3. The 6-Packs are designed to be enjoyed in two ways:

• As a green cleanse: a 1-Day cleanse (yep, just the six green juices!) or 2 days+ accompanied with healthy snacks (think miso soup, avocado, raw nuts, veggie sticks, brown rice cakes, light salads, grilled/baked fish and veggies)

• Alongside a healthy diet: just grab a juice whenever you feel like it – up to 3 a day!

More info on the Supercharged Green Juice here. Or simply give us a call!

Our new favourite dessert

We absolutely love this new smoothie recipe. It's your new cleansing bestie as of 1st September 2012 – yep, this little beautie will be replacing our current Number 6. It's bigger (in flavour not calories) and badder than ever.

Please welcome the ABC Dessert Smoothie.

7 simple ingredients:

1. Almond milk
2. Coconut water
3. Filtered water
4. ABC nut butter*
5. Four dates
6. Raw cacao
7. Cinnamon

*ABC = Almonds, Brazil Nuts and Cashews

In terms of quantities, we recommend playing around with them to suit your individual tastes. That and the exact measurements are a trade secret!

The health lowdown:

It's packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, with a healthy dose of protein and good fats. The ABC Dessert Smoothie is soothing, with a pinch of cinnamon to help combat dysbiosis/candida, and a hit of super-nutrients to boost energy, skin health and immunity. We've been careful to monitor the carb content as usual – using only four dates to sweeten. What we absolutely didn't skimp on, taste. The nut butter adds a touch of healthy but indulgent yumminess.

It's official, we're in love. And you can be too from 1st September 2012.

Let’s get green together.

Our Supercharged Greens 6-Packs are just what they say on the label: 6 x 450ml Supercharged Green Juice, designed by Lee Holmes, wholefoods chef, author and creator of Supercharged Food.

The recipe is fruit-free (yep, nothing but veggies and a dash of lemon in this bad boy!)... so if you're not used to drinking green juice, we suggest you try a fruitier option, or our Level 1 Beginners Cleanse.

You can order our Supercharged Greens 6-Packs to accompany a detox, to enjoy as an intensive green cleanse, or simply to complement a healthy diet.

What’s in the juice?
8 lovely ingredients are all it takes:
• Spinach
• Cucumber
• Cos lettuce
• Celery
• Parsley
• Mint
• Lemon
• Ginger

Why go green? 
Green juice is a master healer. Lee swears by it, and so do we. It looks how it makes you feel: vibrant and alive. Just one big glass (or bottle) a day can help bring your body back to an alkaline state (an acidic body is the perfect host for disease, so alkaline is where it’s at). Leafy greens support the detoxification process; they’re also great for your skin and help combat ageing (bye bye free radicals). Mint and ginger enhance digestion and help combat the dreaded bloat, whilst lemon provides a kick-start to your metabolism. Parsley contains anti-oxidising vitamin C and spinach gives you a lovely dose of iron.

A juice with some serious benefits
It’s quick, it's easy. But this juice is in for the long haul.

Our Supercharged Green Juice helps to:
• Enhance digestion
• Reduce inflammation
• Brighten your skin
• Improve energy levels
• Support detoxification
• Alkalise the body

Like all of our juices, these little green beauties are easily absorbed thanks to our cold-pressing method, which breaks down the cell walls of those lovely veggies, delivering them in a pre-digestible state, and helping those nutrients reach your system as quickly as possible.

Our 6-Packs of Supercharged Greens are the easiest way to get your nutrient hit of alkalising green veggies without any fuss (leave that to us). We know this one will leave you bright, bouncy and super clean from the inside out.

Our Supercharged Greens are available to order online now.

Breaking up with booze

It’s Dry July this month and we’re almost three weeks in at the Urban Remedy HQ. Surprisingly enough, it hasn’t been that hard – okay, so we’re lucky enough to have lots of yummy juice at our disposal (that definitely helps) but interestingly the real challenge has been other people’s reactions. Ranging from “Really, no booze for a month?”, to “Kudos but I wouldn’t” or simply “Why?”, we had quite the range! On the whole though, friends and family have been very encouraging and the motivation of supporting such a worthy cause (adults living with cancer) has really kept us going.

This week, we wanted to share a few of our thoughts surrounding alcohol by asking 3 simple questions…

1. How does booze affect you?

We all know that alcohol hits our livers hard. This poor overworked organ can only process ½ an ounce of ethanol in an hour – that’s one beer, one shot or a small glass of wine. Any more than that and it goes into overdrive, and you get… well, inebriated. What’s actually happening is the alcohol your liver can’t handle is circulating throughout your body; yes, we know… not the nicest of thoughts. It therefore makes sense that our other detoxification organs (namely the skin) feel the strain when our liver can’t keep up with our drinking. For a full breakdown of the physical effects, check out our blog on alcohol and the liver.

But the effects of booze are not just physical. Alcohol affects our mental state and mood as well. The immediate repercussions of drinking include increased confidence, elation and (cough cough) stupidity. Not to mention beer goggles. But what about the day after? When we’re hung over, we feel less than joyful and are definitely not functioning at full capacity. It’s not rocket science; our body is still playing catch up and trying to clear the toxins from the night before.

2. What place does alcohol occupy in your life?

When it comes to drinking, it’s pretty simple: most of us do too much of it too often. But why do we do it? We drink out of social custom, peer pressure, habit, boredom… We also drink to relieve stress and increase confidence. The problem is that alcohol is such an integral part of our social fabric that we sometimes fail to examine the place it occupies in our own lives, or whether our relationship with it could do with a little tune-up.

Are you drinking alone? Drinking too fast? Drinking too often? Drinking without thinking? Drinking to drown sorrows? Most of us are guilty of one of the aforementioned charges. Does that mean that we are all alcoholics? Probably not. What it does mean is that it may be time to look at the role alcohol plays in our lives…

3. How can you improve your relationship with alcohol?

There are many ways to improve your relationship with booze. If you’re already asking yourself this question, you’re on the right track. We’re not about extreme views at UR, so we’re not suggesting you never have a glass of wine or beer again. BUT… ask yourself how rich your life is without alcohol. If the canvas is looking rather blank, it could be time to add some other activities in! The best way to take stock of this is to have a mini-break from alcohol. Split up for a little while; you can always get back together, on your terms this time. There are so many organised ways to take a vacation from booze – FebFast, Dry July and Hello Sunday Morning are our faves.

So bottom’s up to Dry July! Green juice in hand of course.

A truly remarkable man.

The Urban Remedy girls went on a very special kind of date earlier this week. We put on our Sunday best and ventured down to the Sydney Opera House to listen (avidly) to one of the great minds of nutrition. If you haven’t heard of him already, he goes by the name of Pollan. Michael Pollan.

Why is he so special? Well, probably because few people combine such a harmonious assortment of attributes and interests in such an easy-to-listen-to package. Pollan is first and foremost a journalist and a teacher but his area of expertise (and passion) is nutrition/health, and he brings to the table the so often missing ingredients of history, culture, government policy and sustainability. After all, nutrition without these key elements is like bread without butter, a roast without gravy, salad without dressing… you catch our drift.

Back to Pollan. One of his best works ‘Food Rules’ (which lays out some really simple but powerful guidelines to healthy eating) can be summed up in seven tiny but mighty words:

 “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.”

We think they deserve a little elaboration:

Eat food.
If it doesn’t look like food (and your grandmother wouldn’t recognise it as food) it probably isn’t! Pollan wants us to eat food the way nature intended, food that’s alive, food that rots! And this means no need for additives, wonder ingredients or complicated production methods. Food is food. You shouldn’t need a dictionary to interpret the ingredients list.

Mostly plants.
This is self-explanatory. Eat mostly plants (this includes grains, nuts and seeds – non-refined of course). However, Pollan is not suggesting we avoid meat/protein altogether – on the contrary, he encourages sustainably-farmed and cruelty-free fish, free-range eggs, and/or moderate servings of organic meat. Remember to wash veggies thoroughly or if possible go organic. Even better still, grow your own!

Not too much.
Pollan’s least popular piece of advice. However, far from suggesting extreme calorie restriction (or counting), Pollan is simply inviting us to moderate and listen to our body’s needs. Instead of supersizing everything, we should focus on quality over quantity and learn to recognise when we are hungry or full. Our body will guide us to wellbeing if we listen closely enough.

And here are 5 handy tips to get you started:
1. Ask yourself where your food came from and how it was made
2. Make your own meals when possible, or buy them from a reliable source
3. Tune into your cravings – they could be telling you something!
4. Rediscover the pleasure of eating (it’s fun, let’s enjoy it)
5. Eat mindfully. Eating is an experience. There is no need to rush it.

Here's a link to our favourite Pollan book & to one of his many amazing talks.

Yoga to dust off the winter cobwebs…

We’ve recently passed the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year and the depths of winter – which can only mean one thing… spring is oh-so-close! Don’t we know it here at UR; having just planned the summer menu, we are already thinking about bikinis and beach action.

And what does spring bring? A time of renewal and rebirth… and the chance to come out of hibernation.

But maybe, right now, you are feeling a little stuck. A little heavy, lethargic or flat? No wonder, it’s winter! A sure fire cure is to hit-up a delicious yoga class that will help you feel whole again, and loosen you up – mind and body – to dust off those winter cobwebs.

There are plenty of styles to choose from – Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Power, Qi… (wow!) so there isn’t really an excuse, is there? Yoga caters for a multitude of tastes – whether you like a dynamic, cardio work out (Ashtanga/Power/Vinyasa) or a more grounded, static focus (Hatha/Iyengar). Not to mention the amazing advantages you get by combining yoga and healthy eating or cleansing.

And just to give you an even bigger nudge (can you tell that we really, really like yoga?) we have a fantastic offer for you today! A FREE 10 class pass from YogaPass.

YogaPass has close to 500 participating studios across Australia and New Zealand which teach a rich variety of styles and lineages. YogaPass does exactly what it says on the label. It allows you to buy a pass (or multiple passes) to attend casual classes at your selection of studios so that you can discover what kind of yoga is ‘your’ kind of yoga. Each studio is listed on www.yogapass.com.au  with full contact details and location.

All you need to do is head over to our Facebook page (and like us, if you haven’t already!) to enter the competition.

Too easy. Get your stretch on and feel winter melt away!

Happy yoga-ing!

Image courtesy of NERONI photo

www.weheartit.com

Beating the winter blues!

The cold season means hitting the slopes, donning your ice skates, enjoying hearty meals and hot chocolates, wrapping up in beanies, scarves and cosy mittens, and curling up in front of a log fire (OK, for most of us a log fire may be out of the question but you get the picture!). That said, all of this winter goodness aside, it’s worth remembering the ‘not so fabulous’ side to the colder months – yep, we’re talking about their renowned capacity to bring us down.  We’ve all heard of SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder – but you don’t need to be diagnosed with it to suffer from the winter blues. Many of us hit a slump come winter without even realizing it.

If you feel like you could be perkier in winter, we’ve got 5 handy tips to help you go from Moping Mildred to Happy Harriet in no time:

1. Get up 15 mins before you normally do and take the time to do something for you, just you.

Make yourself a cup of tea, watch some terrible morning television, read a chapter of your book, catch up on the news, meditate,  do some stretches, or just enjoy having that extra time to get ready – a nice long shower, better applied make-up, a closer shave…  You can achieve a lot in 15 mins (yes, we know). Whatever you choose to do, it’s your time. Enjoy it!

2. Get outside in spite of the cold. 

Go for a brisk walk, get out for a coffee or warming chai, take a proper lunch break… Just a few minutes of exercise and fresh air will help get your circulation going, clear your mind and change your perspective.

3. Stick to your social engagements!

Invest in some warm clothes and a sturdy umbrella and get yourself to that dinner date, art exhibition or exercise class. Rain or shine. Winter doesn’t have to mean putting your social life on hold in favour of couch-bound hibernating.

4. Avoid the tendency to fill up on stodgy, fatty and sweet foods.

If you like stodgy, go for hearty stews, soups and curries instead. If you crave fat, get your fix with raw nuts, nut and seed butters, and healthy oils (olive and coconut). If you have a sweet tooth, make yourself a healthy hot chocolate with almond or organic milk, raw cacao, a pinch of cinnamon and a drop or two of stevia.

5. Last but definitely not least, book a holiday!

Winter is the perfect time to get away. Even if it’s just for a weekend, a change of scenery is often exactly what the doctor ordered. If you can’t afford to go far, keep it local and book a hotel somewhere an hour from home. Even a simple day trip or night away can break things up a little.

In the words of Albert Camus:

“In the midst of winter, I found there was within me, 

an invincible summer.” 

Hopefully these tips will help you to find your summer and keep smiling!

Lee's divine 'Lemony Herb Crackers'

If you haven’t heard of her already, Lee Holmes is one to watch. She’s a wholefoods chef, the author of a truly amazing recipe book ‘Supercharged Food’, and an all-round inspiration. Lee is proof that you are what you eat. After discovering she had an autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia, Lee decided to heal her body with whole, natural foods and lots of green juice. We have had the pleasure of getting to know Lee and she positively radiates health. All of her recipes are gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar free. But Lee’s also a total foodie, so the dishes she makes (at midnight in her kitchen mostly) are absolutely divine. You’re in very safe hands.

So let’s get on to these lemony crackers. In Lee’s words, “they work well as a snack if you are feeling peckish in between meals – you can eat them instead of a carb or sugar-filled snack; they’re such a healthy way to refuel your body!” And to make these little beauties, all you need is 7 ingredients and 10 minutes. Let’s get cracking (no pun intended).

Here is Lee’s fabulous recipe, and a link to her video:

Lemony Herb Crackers
Makes about 35 crackers 

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups almond meal
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• 1 TBS dried mixed herbs
• 1 egg (opt for free range)
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon rind

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a baking tray
2. Combine the almond meal, salt, sesame seeds, mixed herbs and lemon in a bowl
3. In a small jug whisk the egg, then slowly add the olive oil while still whisking
4. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to form a firm dough. If it is too dry to roll out, mix in a little water
5. Roll the dough out on a sheet of baking paper to a thin rectangle of about 35 x 25 cm
6. Place the prepared baking tray face down over the top then invert the two together so you now have the dough on top. Peel off the baking paper
7. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 5 cm squares
8. Bake until crisp, 12-15 minutes, turning them halfway through
9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving
10. Keep in an airtight container for freshness

Nutrition

• Almond meal is an excellent low-carb, high-protein option, which adds a sweet taste to the crackers
• Sea salt (Lee uses celtic in her video) is a great way to balance your electrolytes (and restore your poor adrenals); it’s also packed full of minerals!
• Lemon rind gives the crackers a zesty, citrusy tang, which comes from the aromatic oils and perfumes that are contained in the rind

If you like this recipe, check out Lee’s incredible new website. It just went live this morning! www.superchargedfood.com

The rise and fall of bread

The history of bread can be dated back at least 30,000 years – that’s a long, long time before ovens or sandwiches. Before loaves of bread, there were flat breads, round breads, bread cakes and patties – all specific to the geographic region they stemmed from.

Bread quickly became a staple of our ancestors’ diets – hence expressions such as ‘earning your bread and butter’, ‘bread winner’, ‘bread of life’ etc. Bread was on every table, from rich to working class, and those who couldn’t afford it would risk everything for a meagre loaf.

So why then have we fallen so out of love with bread? Why is it the enemy of the health conscious? The guilty pleasure we reluctantly place in the same category as dessert?

Bread in its simple form is NOT bad for you. Fact. But add flour treatment agents, chemical oxidants, emulsifiers, genetically-modified enzymes, hardened fats, refined salt and sugar (the list goes on), and bread is nowhere to be seen. It got lost somewhere in the mass of chemicals, additives, and well… cr*p! On top of this, double up quantities of yeast for faster cooking and throw pre-baked dough into the mix and you have a recipe for absolute disaster.

Real baking requires minimal ingredients and maximum effort. Preparing good quality bread takes time – the ingredients often need to work their magic (read ‘ferment’) overnight, and a true baker could be awake and baking away anywhere from 3am onwards.

When it comes to healthy bread, you really only need 5 ingredients:

1. Flour (pref wholegrain and stoneground)

2. Water (filtered if poss)

3. Yeast or sourdough culture*

The last two are optional…

4. Oil (good quality of course)

5. Salt (make it rock)

*We recommend sourdough if you suffer from bloating, candida or acne.

As with so many of the big food myths, the answer is pretty darn simple: anything can be bad for you if you don’t read the label, and don’t know what to look out for. Bread is NOT the enemy. You just need to choose the right one.

Is it time for the humble loaf to make a comeback?

Sources:

Felicity Lawrence, ‘Not on the label’, Penguin, London 2004

Time for a little coaching?

When it comes to health and wellness, we’ve got your back here at Urban Remedy. So much so, that we are taking cleansing to a whole new level to keep you healthy, well and of course happy!

Drum roll please! Introducing our brand-spanking-new...

Urban Remedy

Health Coaching Programs

What is health coaching, we hear you say? Well, we’ll let Claire answer that.

Meet Claire Obeid, our very own Resident Health Coach, who just happens to be a little bit (okay, a lot) keen on health and wellness:

“Health Coaching is a fantastic opportunity to work one-on-one with a knowledgeable (certified and trained) advisor who will provide you with the support, guidance and information to set health and wellness goals, but also help you achieve them in a sustainable way!”

Think about this. Have you ever wanted to change something in your life – your relationship with food, your fitness level, your overall happiness, your lifestyle habits – but you didn’t know where to start, how to make it happen, or even what change really looks like?

That’s where a Health Coach can help. Our delicious and nutritious (if we do say so) cleanses are an amazing way to kick-start new healthy habits, but sometimes we need a little push and shove to stay on track and build the healthy habit momentum. 

Claire will devise a personalised program – based on your needs and where you are at on your own wellness journey – that will radically improve your health, wellness and happiness. If you’re not ready to launch into a full blown program, Claire can start you off with an individual session and you can take it from there, no strings attached.

Want better skin? More energy? Less stress? Would you like to feel balanced? Learn how to cook? Understand your body? Be aware?

Do we hear a YES? Well then, get in touch. If you would like to check out our individual sessions and health coaching packages, or just want a little more info, it’s all here.

Let’s keep it simple. Let’s get back to basics.

We were talking about what we like at the Urban Remedy HQ today. We like: green juice, warming soups, yummy smoothies (no surprises here)… and... well, we’re all a little bit methodical and organised (read geeky) so we also really like lists. When it came to discussing what we don’t like, we were pretty unanimous: we don’t like over-complicating things. And that definitely applies to the world of health.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest fad or to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of nutritional choices and suggestions out there. Breathe. It’s okay. You probably know a lot more than you realise. When it comes to living well and being healthy, we like to believe that you know best. You just have to tune into your body and get back to the basics.

To help you do so, we’ve compiled a list of super simple guidelines to living well. We’re guessing you know it all already but that’s kind of the point. Sometimes it’s good to remember that it’s not rocket science, that we already have all the information we need to be healthy and happy.

And because we’re total list junkies, here’s... well, a list of...

10 simple health rules:

1.      Always eat breakkie – king. of. meals.

2.      Drink more water – nope, not 2 litres all at once… sip it, slowly

3.      Know your food – make your own or find out what’s in the stuff you buy!

4.      Read the label – look out for trans-fats, sugar and nasty additives

5.      Keep moving – if you can’t do a workout, get your walk or stretch on

6.      Get enough sleep –  6 hours min… find a routine that works for you

7.      Identify your cravings – better yet, find a healthy way to enjoy them

8.      Reduce your stress levels – ask yourself: will worrying change anything?

9.      Listen to your body – are you hungry, thirsty, in need of some TLC?

10.    Take the time to eat – food is there to enjoy!

You’re the boss. Tune into your awesomeness.

Meet our new favourite super-herbs!

These four potent little herbs are all in our winter menu. They have some pretty noteworthy health benefits. Check them out:

Mint

• Digestive aid: relieves bloating, nausea, indigestion, cramps, spasms, IBS
• Antispasmodic: relaxes smooth muscle in the GIT
• Anti-microbial: wages war on germs and nasties
• Anti-allergic: helps prevent histamine release
• Analgesic: helps reduce pain – great for tension headaches!
• Respiratory aid: clears and soothes the respiratory tract
• Stimulant and cognitive aid: mint tea is a good alternative to caffeine when you need your brain cells to get their busy on in the evening but still want to fall asleep afterwards!
• Antioxidant (oh yes, we all love a bit of anti-ageing, cell-protecting goodness)

Parsley

• Digestive aid: it… um, helps you go to the loo more often
• Astringent and purifier: cleanses the liver, kidneys, intestines and blood
• Anti-microbial: helps ward off infection
• Immune booster: repairs and strengthens
• Cardiovascular aid: prevents hardening of the arteries and helps eliminate blood clots
• Anti-inflammatory: supports joint health and relieves arthritis
• Anti-carcinogenic: helps inhibit tumor formation and neutralizes carcinogens
• Antioxidant (bye bye free radicals)

Rosemary

• Anti-bacterial: less bugs, more goodness
• Antispasmodic: reduces cramps and spasms in the gut
• Hepatoprotective: loves your liver (someone has to)
• Anti-inflammatory: reduces inflammation throughout the body
• Anti-mutagenic: doesn’t stop you from turning into a mutant but does reduce the effect of toxins on cells (we like)
• Improves cognitive function: making you all alert and perky and stuff
• Mood booster: popular remedy for depression
• Antioxidant (yep, this super-herb keeps your cells young too)

Thyme

• Respiratory aid: your new super-weapon against colds, flus and the like
• Anti-tussive and expectorant: calms coughing and helps produce um… mucus
• Antimicrobial: less of the nasty stuff
• Astringent: it’s a great disinfectant for skin conditions
• Digestive aid: useful in treating gastritis, dyspepsia and other stomach complaints
• Antispasmodic: reduces cramps and spasms in the gut
• Antihelmintic: fights off parasites (particularly of the wormy kind, ew)
• Antioxidant: (herbs really are your new anti-ageing friends)

And there you have it. Who would have thought these weed-like creatures could be so darn useful... Is it us or do herb gardens suddenly seem less pretentious master-chef, more medicinal genius?

Sources: 
1. Herbs & Natural Supplements, An evidence-based guide, 2nd edition, Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen, Churchill Livingstone (Elsevier), Australia, 2007
2. The Juice Fasting Bible, Sandra Cabot M.D., Ulysses Press, USA, 2007