Here's something we could all do with – a little hormone loving.  Our hormones are responsible for all body functions so it only makes sense to give them a little TLC every now and again.

But before we dive in there – I have to touch on my big fat crazy viral-ness of a day yesterday.  You may or may not have seen my blog post that went completely viral when I asked the question; is Angelina Jolie's very public mastectomy prevention?  If you haven't seen it – I encourage you to take a read of it and it's seventy eleven comments here.  I talked about how lifestyle, diet, environment, thoughts, mindset, attitude etc, may influence how our genes work and how I struggle with the idea of removing breasts in attempt to prevent cancer for those who carry the gene, without further thought into any other factors.  So for somebody with the breast cancer gene, whilst breast cancer acts differently in the body to others (it's typically very aggressive) I encourage people to come back to such factors that support wellness.

I stand by the points I made yesterday and I will continue to stay true to my mission – to help open people's minds, explore new opportunities with regard to health and fertility and educate to enable everybody to make informed decisions with regard to health.  I sure got criticised, challenged and the trolls came out to play big time.  But you know what – if I'm not challenging people, then I'm not being authentic and then, I'm not doing justice to myself and my crusade.  What's more, if I'm not leading people to think outside of the circle, I'm not doing what I have stated I'm here to do.  I am here to make a difference and speak from my heart and I make no apology for that.

You know, nobody has actually straight up asked me what my opinion is with the Angelina Jolie mastectomy situation.  This quote on my FB page summed it up so nicely for me – I thought I'd simply share it.

" I just think theres one bit people really underestimate and don't acknowledge is the power of fear – ultimately her decision was 100% motivated by that. And who would judge her for that… Those medical statistics and her family history sounds like a sure thing! Noone in their " right mind" (meaning …not fear driven) would choose such a traumatic surgery… I think she has done the best she could do for herself all things considered but like you believe it could have looked very differently"

That's it for me.  For Angelina, if she believes that it was 100% the right decision – who am I to argue?  She did what she felt was right.  

What else is damn straight right is this chia seed pudding!  I encourage you to eat this warm and do your digestive system a big favour – it loves warm food especially this time of year so grab yourself 2 minutes and whip this baby up!

Warm chia seed pudding – PMS busting flavour

2 tbs chia seeds 

1 tbs cacao (you may need to adjust this to your liking)

2 tsp rice malt syrup (or xylitol or stevia or coconut sugar)

1/2 tsp of maca powder

1/2 tsp of mesquite

1 cup of very warm water

1/2 cup of almond milk

banana to garnish

Combine the chia seeds with water, cacao, sweetener, maca and mesquite and mix well.  Allow the chia seeds to swell – I suggest putting a lid on the mixture as it does so to keep it warm.  This only takes 2-5 minutes depending.

Place banana on top.  You can either choose to top with almond milk or warm almond milk and substitute for warm water in the previous step.

ENJOY!

* maca is an adaptogen which helps your body cope better with stress and in turn helps to influences your hormones.  It is particularly useful in the later stages of the menstrual cycle when PMS creeps in.  I say add it to your food and drinks in the lead up to your period.

I don't ordinarily post on a Thursday but with all the hype around Angelina Jolie and her double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery I feel compelled to.  I'm not here to judge, although personally I don't believe the solution is chopping off your boobs.  And in case you've been living in bliss or under a rock (I sure hope the earlier), Angelina has publicly announced she had her breasts removed in light of the fact she carries the breast cancer gene.  Can I just say one thing right here.  The media are suggesting she has a 87% of developing the cancer – this discovered by genetic testing however, these tests are not read this way – she is in fact, 87% more likely to develop breast cancer in comparison to the rest of the population.  This doesn't mean she will actually develop cancer – but rather, she just has a higher chance in comparison to the rest of the world.

The media are suggesting she is extremely brave – a hero even, and that she's stepping up because she carries the faulty gene.  I totally understand that she wants to be around for her children for years to come – we all do.  To me, it seems a pretty drastic 'prophylactic' method considering there many other options that simply MUST be considered in reducing risk of breast cancer – regardless.  Perhaps Angelina's story being so public, is freaking women out all over the world.  In some instances, women are being advised that this is their ONLY option.  I even heard one woman's story who was having a double mastectomy.  She didn't actually carry the gene what so ever, but because her mother and aunt had passed from breast cancer, she had been advised removal because there are potentially breast cancer genes that we are yet to discover.  It provokes me to ponder – where do we draw the line?  If I knew I carried the gene for blindness say, would I remove my eyes?  Hell no.  And whilst some of you may argue that blindness isn't life threatening, there is a great chance that I can influence the way my body works to prevent cancer from developing in the first place meaning I can decreases my chances of any illness.

I'm forever sharing information here to help people gain a better understanding and make informed decisions.  This is no different and before anybody get's their knickers tied, please hear me out.  Each of us are are made of up genes.  Some are turned 'on' and others 'off' and lifestyle, environment, diet, habits etc will have a huge influence on how our bodies respond to this genetic material.  Perhaps I can use the example of my son who I've shared about on here before – he has cystic fibrosis (CF).  Now, I'm a carrier of CF, but I don't have CF.  Geordie on the other hand has CF.  CF is characterised by lung difficulties, poor ability to cope with infection and partial or no function of the pancreas, lung degeneration – the list goes on.  Basically people with CF can't move mucus out of the body like the rest of us which is a perfect ground to grow bacteria in the body.  Once infection starts, it is very difficult to get rid of and leads to all kinds of problems including scarring of the lungs which becomes a big problem long term.  However, genetics, diet, lifestyle, environment etc play a major role in health of people with CF.  My son Geordie is a very healthy boy with CF.  He is unmedicated, he's well and he is happy.  CF is his genetic makeup but the symptoms and signs associated for him, are almost non existent.  We ensure Geordie lives a particular lifestyle to seal the deal on this – probably a little more diligent that your average but for us, it is a near guarantee that he is like most other 18 month old children.  That said, me as a carrier – I don't have nor will I ever develop CF just as somebody who carries the breast cancer gene, doesn't have breast cancer.  Sure, if I'm unhealthy my lung function is substantially less, but I choose to live a certain way to make sure this isn't an issue.  What's my point?  You create your own health.  You literally are in control of which genes are 'switched' on or off.  You need to stand up and be accountable.  If you're unhealthy you are absolutely waaay more likely to develop any of the genetic imprints you own – be it blindness, heart disease, diabetes, cancer… you get it right?

Many of us are scared of cancer.  One person who is fearless in this arena is my wellness sister and beauty, Jess Ainscough.  She is a cancer surviver.  Many of you know her as The Wellness Warrior and one of my past healthtalks hosts.  I had to ask Jess what her take was on this.  Here's what she said;

While I don't want to judge Angelina Jolie or deny her of her right to choose what she feels is right for her body, I'm terrified that her choice being so widely publicised and so glorified is going to lead to so many women having their breasts removed unnecessarily. We are misinformed, and it breaks my heart that women think that their only choice if they want to avoid breast cancer is to chop their boobs off. What's next? Is Angelina also going to remove her ovaries? It's all the same system, and removing the breasts in no way means that she will avoid cancer elsewhere. The study of epigenetics proves that our genes are controlled by our lifestyles. We have the power to switch off and switch on genes by the way we live, what we eat, what we drink, and how we think. This is the message that needs to be spread – to those who have the gene and to those who don't. Taking responsibility for our health shouldn't have to involve willingly mutilating our bodies."  Powerful stuff and something many of us may find hard to get our heads around.  

On my way into work yesterday, I was listening to an interview on the radio.  One women explained she was having EVERYTHING removed.  Breasts, ovaries and uterus – the works.  She shared about how she was a 'breast cancer PRE-vivor" and went on to say "stuff you cancer I won."  Whoah!  This woman assumed she was going to develop cancer.  Perhaps the news alone, to her was possibly like she already had it.  This story details a recent study that found there was up to a 26-fold increase risk of heart-related deaths within seven days of a cancer diagnosis.  We must realise that factors far beyond the control of our genes shape our potential to develop disease.  These epigenetic factors are mostly determined by nutrition, psychospiritual states that feed back to our physiology, lifestyle factors and environmental exposure which constitute as much as 95% of what determines any disease risk.  I was so sad hearing this women (and many others stories) because we are being scared into believing our only option is breast removal when really it perhaps should be the last.  And as Jess shared, just because you've had things removed, doesn't say you can go and live the same lifestyle and your body won't present some form of cancer or other disease somewhere else.  To live in presumption creates another whole other set of issues.  

Lara Wilson, my business mentor (and life coach) had a this to say when I asked her what she thought yesterday.  Her answer was pretty simple.  "It's all about mindset. Our thoughts create our reality – if we believe we are going to develop cancer we probably will.  If we use this information to our advantage (knowing our genetic make-up) to motivate us toward what we want, then that's what we will focus on and create for ourselves."  One of Lara's favourite phrases goes something lie this; "If you think you can or think you can't, you're probably right."  Ha!  How approprate is this in terms of how we must be ever mindful in understanding how we can think ourselves toward great health, a great life, a job or whatever our heart so desires.  In light of information that we may carry a gene, if all we think about is the potential of developing illness or disease, we will look for evidence of disease and illness in our bodies and, yes, we can manifest ill health – just in the same way cancer survivors all share a strong common belief; cancer was never going to win, they were never afraid to fight and they never, for one minute believed they couldn't fight it.  But let me say – it's one thing to say this, another to believe it.  To truly believe is key.  I know cancer survivors – they all have this unique mindset and it is far more than words – it was all in their mindset.  Need to learn how to apply this to your life?  Look Lara up.  Seriously, just do it.

Lara gets how the mind works and the science behind thoughts, beliefs and how this shapes who we are, right down to switching on and off those genes.  If we have the right mindset and attitude – anything is possible and I see examples of this in my own family with my son and in the clinic with families facing fertility battles.  One absolute is that nothing ever is a one size fits all and I encourage all women to explore all their options, do their own research and be informed before jumping into radical ideas like breast removal when if fact it's may only a temporary solution.  If there is ever a time to get healthy – the time is now.

You might like to read a little more about research and the opposing side – this article shares about genetics, the efficacy of testing, and the over-diagnosis of breast cancer.

I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on this.  I know this is a sensitive topic and I'd love for us to share openly and honestly with courtesy, in the comment section below and create a healthy wholesome discussion.

To listen to the interviews from the Mat & Jo show click here and find the audio.

From L to R back; Weleda shower gel and deodorant.

Front; Follow Nature oil cleanser, Tea Tree ointment, Jacquelin Evans Argan & Rosehip Serum & Moisturiser.

I'm forever being asked what products I use – on my body, my hair and my makeup and my home.  So here's the first in a series of post I'll share with you my favourite tried and tested products.  

The main reason I'm so fussy with my body products is because our skin is like a massive sponge – it absorbs up to 80% of the toxins and chemicals found in products like moisturiser or shower gel.  What's more, these products contain phytoestrogens – chemicals that act like oestrogen in the body.  This is a disaster for fertility as well as general health.  These hormone mimicking chemicals disturb events like ovulation, menstruation and can lead to sperm troubles too.  You know, I've spoken all about this with Jacqueline Evans in a podcast we did recently – you might like to check that out again.

So, here's my saviour products.  I'm very less is more – however I am a woman and I like nice things.  So I've finally managed to put together a little bag of 'besties' when it comes to body products that aren't going to harm my system or stuff up my hormones.  I admit – it's taken me well over 10 years to find things that work for me, with some reservation because a lot of products didn't even come close to doing the job.  I wish somebody had have told me their best products when I was embarking on my wellness journey.  You can thank me later.

Deodorant

I love Weleda.  Their products really work.  They also smell delicious, and real which is super important to me – I can't stand 'fake' smells – plus synthetic perfumes are nasty.  Deodorant is a tricky one – and probably the last thing I've switched because I hate to be woofty.  That said, I've had to embrace that and learn to reapply, reapply and reapply again throughout the day if I don't want to smell al-la-naturale.  I love this one because it smells fresh and is a spray rather than a roll on.  Anti-perspirants create all kinds of drama within the body – aluminium being amongst one of the nasties which has been linked to Alzheimer's.  You don't really need to be a brain surgeon to realise that anything that blocks a natural bodily response like sweating, isn't a great addition to your beauty bag.  I actually stock this in the clinic too!

Shampoo & Conditioner

I'm super fussy when it comes to hair.  If my hair is good, I feel good.  This is why I'm obsessed with Grown hair products.  They make your hair feel amazing – like there's no sacrifice for the non toxic stuff.  I find that many natural shampoo's feel like I'm stripping the love out of my hair.  Long hair especially needs extra attention.  This is hands down amazing.

Body Stuff

I also use Grown Body Serum.  It's an oil and it ticks all the boxes.  

Weleda shower Gel takes centre stage in our shower.  It's a creamy formula that makes my skin feel awesome.  Given that skin is the biggest organ you own and absorbs so much of what you put on it – be kind to your body and apply only the finest ingredients money can buy.

Facial Products

I'm obsessed with Jacqueline Evans skincare – hello!  Naturopathic skin care?  Say no more.  I specifically love the Argan Rosehip Serum and the Jojoba & Camellia Balancing clean.  Honest, amazing, gangbuster good for skin.

Follow Nature put out a kick butt oil face cleanser.  I've shared about my love for that here before.  It's changed my life.  No kidding.  In fact, my skin has never been this good.

For other stuff

Tea Tree ointment is the go to for cuts, bruises, bites, scratches and pimples!  

Now just as I was dotting the 'i's' on this post, I received a special package from a skincare ranged called Surface (I love the name on so many levels!).  I've given it a go and it's pretty darn delicious!  Go check out their website and take a look around.  It's organic, smells divine and doesn't contain any nasties.

So there you have it.  The staples in my beauty bag.  I want you to know one more thing before you go have yourself an awesome day – I'm not endorsed by any of these products or brands.  I just love the bajoongers out of them and reckon you will too!

So I was scratching my head thinking what can I share with you to make your mum for mothers day and all of a sudden it was like I was smacked in the face with a jar of coconut butter.  This is, hands down, the best cake around – our Orange and Chia seed cake from my co written book Eat Fat, Be Thin!  Make your mum this cake, buy her a copy and… you're sorted!

But before you duck off to the kitchen to get busy – I've got something you're going to LOVE.  Our friends at Naturally Sweet have given me three boxes of their wonderful xylitol to give away PLUS 3 bottles of the flavoured stevia drops you can add to baking, drinks and sweets – without the guilt!  That's $60 worth of product.  AND if you mention that we sent you there and enter 'EFBT' in the discount code section when you purchase, you'll receive 10% off your order!  Get on it kids!  A healthy gut is a fertile gut remember?

Simply tell me below why you'd like to try Naturally Sweet and you'll be in the running!

Orange and Chia Seed Cake

Ingredients -  (Serves 12)

• 2 oranges – tops removed / cut and scored with a cross about 3cm deep.
• 6 organic free range eggs
• 250g xylitol
• 250g almond meal
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tblsp soaked chia seeds

Method

Place the prepared oranges in boiling water and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove from the water and puree the whole orange, including peel in a food processor, until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 160.c

In a large mixing bowl; mix the eggs and xylitol until light and fluffy. Add the almond meal and baking powder. Mix until combined. Stir in the orange puree and soaked chia seeds.  Pour the mixture into a 22cm cake tin lined with grease proof baking paper. Do not use foil.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until firm,  but still moist. It may need to cook for up to 50 minutes.  Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool there.

Notes

• Note: This cake is a really wet cake and can stay fresh for a few days. It can be served warm with sheep’s milk yoghurt dolloped on the side. The almond meal provides aa gluten free treat and once again high in protein. This is a twist on the traditional orange and poppy seed cake, but the chia seeds are very high in essential fatty acids. It’s a great way of consuming chia seeds.

Get ALL the latest information about every which way you can look at fertility (and general health too) right here as part of the wonderful e-book bundle Donielle from Naturally Knocked Up has put together.  It's a one week only sale where you can literally save hundreds of dollars and get your hands on 29 ebooks, giveaways ($900 worth) and 7 meal plans plus bonus material – HELLO!  The offer is worth well over $450 – but for one week, the bundle is $34.95.  That's crazy but GREAT news for you.

To find out more click here and take advantage of this amazing package.

And you'll see Fertilise Yourself is at the top of her list!  I'm pretty chuffed.

Tell you what.  Time flies when you're having fun!  Can you believe this is the 16th episode of healthtalks in a row!  PHEW… we're a little tuckered out and need of a little r & r.  This is the last you'll see of the healthtalks clan for a few weeks.  

Sam and Mel head into the kitchen today and whip up another super smoothie – this one is chocolate themed and definitely something you don't want to miss out on!  Plus – it's got a super special hormone regulating ingredient – you'll just have to watch to find out more.  It's something I LOVE and something I suggest all women get their lips around.

Before we get into the smoothie – I've got an announcement!!  Press play to find out what that's all about.  Until we meet again – thanks for watching!  

Funny what life throws us.  Before we get into this post I have to share with you something – this isn't edited or proofed, I've decided to throw this up at 10:30pm Sunday night so bare with me here please.  It's raw and a little difficult for me to share because I like to focus on wellness – and very rarely am I unwell.  I'm also a health educator, and when I get sick, I sometimes feel I'm letting the team down.  Anyway, I scheduled in this post several weeks ago.  Now, I'm no fortune teller, I'm always lead by intuition and pray for guidance, which could not have smacked me any harder in the face if it tried this time around.  On thursday – my adrenals packed it in.  I've since experienced wild headaches, nausea, very painful legs and very sore eyeballs (I know right?).  You're about to get a lesson in adrenals – but what I wanted to say is this.  Our bodies speak to us.  Mine was screaming at me on thursday and is continuing to do so.  I've recently made some amazing changes and chosen to slow down the pace a little – but, my body is a few steps behind on this one and decided to pack it in before the changes could really be felt.  Sometimes, when we slow down, our bodies go into shock.  Anyway – point is, I've since identified the triggers and I'm very aware of what needs to be done to become well again.  I'm also grateful for the experience.  There were things in my life that needed addressing – and it seems, there's no time like the present!  Ok – now let's hop to it.

Are your adrenals ok?  One of the most commonly identified health problems our modern world is facing today is adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue or exhaustion is marked by a total state of depletion – that feeling of being completely worn out.  It's most likely triggered by high levels of stress, it can be certain food exposure that sets off sensitivity responses, high consumption of carbohydrates which in turn will affect your blood sugar levels as well as exposure to electro magnetic fields (EMF) – think mobile and cordless phones, wifi, any electric source that gives out a signal.  And then of course – here's where I come in.  It affects your fertility.  

Now we've all been exposed to stress, EMF and possibly have food allergies.  Some of our bodies go a long while before they tucker out.  Others (especially post illness) don't cope so well.  The severity and individual constitution will come in to play of course but the most common symptoms are marked by;

+ difficulty staying asleep

+ finding it hard to get up in the morning (probably because you can't stay asleep at night)

+ mid afternoon tiredness

+ general malaise 

+ feeling of being overwhelmed or things are 'out of control'

+ food cravings – especially sweet and salty

+ postural dizziness (upon standing)

+ afternoon fuzziness and headaches – and headaches with stress or exertion

When the adrenals are totalled, we don't just experience fatigue, in some instances we can see hyper function which eventually leads to exhaustion too.  These symptoms that mark hyper function are very similar in that which we see with sleep disturbance, the feeling of always being stressed, anxiety, high blood sugar… you get the picture.

It's not that the adrenals aren't working properly – in fact quite the contrary.  The problem is the fact that they never switch off.  The adrenals are supposed to release adrenaline as a normal body response to stress – something that once upon a time wasn't a every waking minute occurrence.  Nowadays, stress is so much more than our bodies can keep up with.  So if we are in a constant state of 'stress' we are constantly releasing adrenaline which may be ok if our body was effectively dealing with it.  Let's not forget the way our bodies are designed when it comes to stress is something like;

"Holy batman – there's a bear over there and it is coming to get me!" (cue fight or flight mode = adrenaline release)

Adrenaline is released and it mobilises blood sugar to help the body cope with the bear and act in the emergency.  This fight or flight mode also sees the pupils dilate, shuts off digestion and all the other non essential, non survival orientated bodily function (um hello fertility if this is happening every waking minute!), constricting blood vessels to raise blood pressure and increase the heart rate.  And then our bodies automatically tell us – get the heck out of there!

Cortisol is also released (depending on the level of stress) with adrenaline.  It is the blood sugar management hormone.  The body deals with cortisol by high activity – ie "lets run as far away from that bear as fast as physically possible"  But for those of us who are stressed, sitting at a desk all day or being in a situation that is constantly causing stress (I torturous relationship or stressed about baby making) and not able to effectively move cortisol out of the body – this is causing huge health problems.

Women need healthy adrenal function to have healthy hormones and be fertile.  Women who are under constant pressure or experience immense stress (trying for a baby is stressful enough!) have a very hard time conceiving.  This is because of the way hormones work in the body.  Cortisol and progesterone compete for the same receptors in the body – and as we explored last week, cortisol will always win the battle leaving the hormones completely out of sorts affective ovulation as well as implantation and pregnancy.  Progesterone is the hormone required in the later stages of the menstrual cycle to support conception.  Low levels will affect reproductive function.  This extends right through until menopause.  Those with tired adrenals can experience awful symptoms during those years of change.  This is because, at the time of menopause, the adrenals are supposed to take over from the ovaries to continue to regulate hormones.  But if the adrenals are shot – the body has a really hard time adjusting.  Those with happy adrenals barely notice the transition – simply because this is how our bodies were designed to work.

So back to my bear.  Can you see the immense stress of being faced with a bear is a 'scare the pants of ya' kind of occurrence. But it is a once off event and your body deals with the responses accordingly.  However, these same hormones are released in any stress response and if you are in a constant state of stress, sitting at a desk, never moving away from the stress, you don't effectively deal with the hormones being released (say by running – which would be a normal response to seeing a bear to move cortisol out but NOT a normal response when you're in the thick of it with a pile of work, a deadline and no time to eat or barely sleep – which again probably isn't happening because your adrenals are shot!!).

The biggest problem is that it sets about a cycle which is difficult to break.  If you're constantly in a state of 'flight' you're more likely to have unbalanced sugar levels (which sees you craving all the wrong food), the need for use of stimulants (hello coffee), high exposure to EMFs, food sensitivities, inadequate sleep and more likely to see chronic infections arise.  Where does it end!  Food sensitivities may also be adrenal fatigue.  If you are sensitive to certain foods this will automatically create a stress response that your body has to deal with.

You're busting to know how to fix it right?  Firstly you must identify the triggers and address how the body functions as a whole is key.  

From a TCM viewpoint, we need to look at what organs are being affected and work backwards to effectively treat such symptoms.  Here are a few of my tips to begin healing your body:

+ identify stressor

+ cleanse the body (remember my gentle body cleanse is on again for the last time until Spring – details here) and then switch the diet to eating to support hormones

+ get back to 3 well balanced fertile fuelled meals per day (just another example of how fertility doesn't have to equate to babies but simply healthy happy hormones – it's all in my ebook.).

+ pinpoint what your body is lacking nutritionally - get a blood test and if need, supplement accordingly

+ exercise gently and regularly every other day

+ meditate – hands down best start!

In such instances, adding acupuncture or spinal care is also my recommendation to really get things kicking along.

Above all – get back in tune with your body.  It is always telling you what it needs, in a state of adrenal exhaustion it can be difficult to identify which is why I recommend seeking the advice of a natural health care practitioner to really scout out the issues and devise a gangbuster treatment plan that is specific for your individual needs.  

Discover foods that are proven to improve fertility, for both women and men, leading to your healthiest body yet.

Paleo in Melbourne and Nourish Melbourne are proud to bring you a special event featuring Melbourne’s most esteemed natural fertility specialist, Natalie Kringoudis.

Here's what you'll hear:

Your Fertile Body (and his!)

Common issues affecting fertility in the modern world

Nat's tips to improve overall health and thereby fertility

Food for Fertility

Here's the details:



Cost: $70 per head. The dinner includes main, dessert and refreshing Kombucha, a powerful fermented tea that promotes health and gut healing; and discounted treatment-packages from The Pagoda Tree Clinic (details to come).

Head to the facebook page to secure your tickets.

I'm also delighted to be involved with the Utopia Women's Wellness event in Brisbane – the 13th of July 2013.  I'm presenting alongside my wellness sister Jess Ainscough, Terese Kerr as well as a host of other inspiring speakers.  All the information is on their website: Utopia Women's Wellness.

If you live nearby – this is on event you wont want to miss!

And don't forget I announced the last gentle cleanse this side of spring yesterday.  Get on it!  We don't want you to miss out and we are super organised to get this out in plenty of time this round.  Simply register your interest by emailing cleanse@thepagodatree.com.au.

Happy Friday!

LAST CHANCE BEFORE SPRING… 20th May we're on!

Ok, this is THE last time we're cleansing before Spring time when we reveal to you some very special stuff around my gentle body cleanse.  I've now had  over 700 people participate in my gentle cleanse programme since January!  That's a lot of healthy guts!  And because I do love your guts THAT much – I'm giving you one last chance chance this side of winter to get you little body firing into the cooler months.

Not familiar with my program?  Here's a recap.  PLEASE please please read the following.  My inbox gets flooded with questions about the cleanses and most of the answers are on the site here – but the main stuff is right here.  My gentle cleanse really is an easy, basic cleanse that anybody can do at any stage of their life.  Pregnant women can join in as can those breastfeeding – I've got a modified program just for you.  If you have a specific ailment and you're unsure, just email us to ask.  The cleanse is set up to support you through 5 days of getting your digestive system squeaky clean.  You may not know that plaque and gunk build up, even in the healthiest of guts.  The gut goes into overdrive to trap toxic matter to make sure you don't get sick.  These daily toxins we are exposed to, be it in the air we breathe or the water we wash in, even some of the foods we eat and simple daily happenings take their toll and will without doubt make us sluggish.  And because we don't live our lives in bubble wrap, we have to find ways, like cleansing, to help our bodies 'pop' and have a good dredge every now and again.

So how do we do this?  We use cleansing techniques to assist your body in getting clean.  It is NOT a fast or a bird seed regime – we eat foods that are detoxifying and very easy to digest so your system gets a little holiday and we restore with nourishing, mostly vegan ingredients.  We give you tips and ideas on how you will feel and what to do if you're struggling.  It's all mapped out for you in a easy to understand program – and here's the most important part; we start Monday 20th the of May.

You'll notice that this cleanse is slightly different that the summer cleanse.  As we move into winter, our bodies requirements change – and so, we need to adapt the recipes to reflect this and support your body as much as possible.  You'll find a lot more warming recipes and some tips moving into the cooler months.  Some of the golden oldies are still there for your eating pleasure.  It's all about fitting in with our environment and adapting to best support overall body function.

SO share this with ALL your friends – get everybody in before winter really gets here – we take a break from cleansing in winter, so this the absolutely last chance before then.  I'm so thrilled of just how many people love these cleanses!

Remember, we kick off May 20th – to register, email us at cleanse@thepagodatree.com.au.  Registration closes 13th May – we need you in early this time around to avoid disappointment. 

There's no time like today to get healthy, rid of cellulite, tone up and get that flat tummy you've been begging for!  Oh and of course – best thing you can do for your fertility ready body.