October Beauty & Brains Newsletter Out Now

Just scraped into October for this one. Phew!

What’s Inside?

Happy Holloween!

Natural Beauty Treatments Good Enough to Eat

Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of Egypt was renowned for her exquisite complexion. She of course lived in a time when only plants, fruits and other natural ingredients like milk and honey were used to create beauty treatments. Our diet can also be a major contributor to our complexion, with that old adage – ‘you are what you eat’ now being supported by more and more scientific research.

The naturally occurring beneficial properties of plants are abundant. Everything from preventative anti-ageing for your skin to diminished wrinkles and even hair care possible with just a few simple ingredients that you’ve probably got sitting in your fridge or pantry. What you’re putting on your skin will also have positive effects if eaten as well.

As the warmer weather approaches, swimsuits and summer dresses mean we’ll be showing a little more skin. Read the rest of this entry »

Get Organic in the Bedroom

Everyday we’re exposed to a cocktail of toxins from the air we breathe, the food we eat and in the personal care products and cosmetics we use. With our busy and demanding lifestyles our rest and recuperation time would ideally be spent in the most favourable surroundings to have the maximum effect on our mind, body & soul. Switching to certified organic linen could see you waking feeling refreshed and with more energy to take on your day.

Did you know it takes half a kilo of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers to make one cotton sheet? I nearly fell over the first time I heard that figure. This was at a time when you couldn’t just stop by your local shops and easily find organic products. Thank goodness all that’s changed.

Certified organic cotton is a superb option for linen as it’s incredibly comfortable against your skin, it’s high quality and durable with the actual fibres being about 5% thicker than traditionally grown cotton. As organic cotton has increased in popularity in the last few years, the prices have fallen into line with the average price of good quality linen, so it represents great value for money.

Certified, and I’d urge you to check for certification Read the rest of this entry »

Holidays – The Journey or the Destination

Written by Angela Stewart
Our Green & Gorgeous Domestic Goddess

During the recent school holidays I planned to take my three children on a trip to catch up with our friends who had recently relocated to a warmer climate.  How was I going to stay sane, keep my three boisterous and very excited children entertained and happy, and arrive at our destination in one piece?

Some creative planning was called for, and after several alternatives were considered, we had a game plan in place. We would take approximately two days to reach our destination, but decided to make the most of the trip and catch up with my sister, some extended family and friends along the way. Each driving leg of the trip was planned to be around two hours each, with plenty of visiting and playtime in between each one.

After a few relaxing days at home, the car was fueled up, oil, water and tyre pressure checked, and packed to capacity – uh oh! Read the rest of this entry »

5 Best Ways to Stay Sane while the World Goes Mad

It’s tough to be an optimist right now but I’ve decided to stick at it.

Economics 101 tells us that markets are cyclical. 20 years ago we witnessed the 1987 Stock Market Crash, now in 2008 we’re witnessing what many are calling the demise of Capitalism. Whatever it is that’s going on right now - and no one really seems to have a definitive answer - the most important thing we can all do is (in the words of the great Douglas Adams) Don’t Panic!

What would be the 5 Best Things to do right now?

Read the rest of this entry »

Rosewater & Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran

Rosewater & Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran

Reviewed by Gabrielle Sutton

I read this book over a long weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The author, Marsha Mehran is Iranian and has lived in Iran, Argentina, Australia, Ireland and North America and this novel draws on her experiences.

It centers around three Iranian sisters who run a café in a small Irish town.  It is beautifully layered story about the people who live in the town and has a distinctive multicultural flavour.    Mehran has a gift in character development and you begin to feel as though you a member of the community and feel all the outrage, warmth and intrigue as the story unfolds.

I will definitely be handing this book onto my friends, and reading Mehran’s first novel Pomegranate Soup.

Rosewater & Soda Bread RRP $27.95 is published by HarperCollins Publishers

You can purchase online or at any good bookstore from October 1st Read the rest of this entry »

Breast Cancer Awareness - How to Check your Breasts for Changes

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Have you checked your breasts for changes lately? This month (and every other month of the year) is the perfect time to do it.

We’ve put together all you need to know, what to look for & what to do if you find something unusual.

The McGrath Foundation have a one page Breast Aware (link below) brochure with all the details.

Breast Aware Brochure

The Cancer Council has also got a great one pager (link below) to help you check your breasts for changes.

Early Detection of Breast Cancer

If you really want to make a difference to beating this disease…print out a few of these easy to follow brochures and hand them out to your girlfriends & female co-workers.

You could save a life.