Indice dei contenuti per Issue 12 in WellBeing Wild

I’m back and it feels wonderful. I must admit I had reservations about returning to WILD — my first-born baby — after having an actual baby (wow birth, what a trip that is). Hesitations swirled in my mind along the lines of … I’m a mum now, am I still wild? I haven’t showered today. I don’t think I’ve eaten lunch. I’d like some sleep. Some time to myself. Where are my words? Where are my keys? What do I even know about anything anymore? I’m nailing this. I’m failing this. Help. Don’t help. Guess what? Those prickly self-doubt narratives? Those all-consuming sticky feelings? Gone … is what I’d like to say. But they’re still there, just much less. I give them way less f*cks, less energy, less time. Because…

Sardine Spaghetti Serves: 4 400g spaghetti1 tbsp olive oil2 garlic cloves, crushed Pinch chilli flakes227g tin chopped tomato2 tins wild-caught sardines100g pitted black olives, roughly chopped1 tbsp capers, drainedSmall handful parsley, chopped Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water until soft. Heat the oil in a medium pan and cook the garlic for 1 min. Add the chilli flakes, tomatoes and sardines, breaking up roughly with a wooden spoon. Heat for 2-3 mins, then stir in the olives, capers and most of the parsley. Mix well to combine. Drain the pasta, reserving a couple of tbsp of the water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding the reserved water if the sauce is a little thick. Divide between 4 bowls and sprinkle with the…

The average Australian knows more about kale than warrigal greens, or pine nuts than bunya nuts, but there’s an edible pantry of unique flavours that First Nations people have been making the most of for eons. In First Nations Food Companion, emerging elder Damien Coulthard and his partner Rebecca Sullivan have compiled a living, growing repository of knowledge with delicious, practical uses. In the informative guide, you’ll find more than 60 of the most accessible Indigenous ingredients including their flavour profiles, along with tips for how to buy, grow and store them. You’ll also find recipes featuring native ingredients, tips for substituting regular pantry ingredients where needed, how to grow an Indigenous medicine garden, and the best places to find native ingredients. Your next walk in the bush will never…

Christa, tell us about Status Anxiety’s new collection, Point of No Return. For the first time, we’ve introduced some mindfully crafted apparel sets as well as a collection of summer must-haves including new sunglass shapes, hats, a beach bag and a signature premium cotton terry beach towel. We’ll also see a robust injection of core leather pieces, including a travel capsule, and a branded webbed strap to interchange across our leather bag collection. The real standout of this collection is our limited release collaboration piece designed by First Nations artist Daisy Hill together with Status Anxiety. This piece draws on elements of one of Daisy’s original artworks, which took more than 30 hours to paint, and represents a journey of survival, self-discovery, growth and revival. We worked with Daisy to…

How do you start your day? I am a morning person through and through. I love getting up early when the world is still and quiet. My mornings are a sacred time where I can relax and mentally prepare myself for the day ahead (which, when you’re working in medicine can be extremely unpredictable, overwhelming and stressful). So if it means I have to get up half an hour earlier just to make sure I get that “me” time, I’ll happily do it. How has ambition shaped who you are today? I’ve always wanted to create an impact in the lives of others. This is part of the reason I went into medicine and the reason I’m so active on social media. My family moved to Australia when I was…

Have you ever wondered how two people can see the same situation in wildly different ways? Perhaps you’ve wondered why some people tend to take a half-glass-full view of life, while others take a glass-half-empty view? Maybe you’ve been curious about your own thinking patterns, such as your tendency to jump to conclusions in your relationships and where those thought patterns came from? Why do we all see things so differently and why do we react to situations the way we do? Psychology tells us that one of the reasons is we are all looking at the world through different “lenses” that colour our experience. These lenses are commonly referred to as our core beliefs or “schemas”. Schemas include our beliefs about ourselves, other people and the world around us.…

It probably comes as no surprise that a recent study in the Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly found female journalists not only receive more sexual harassment than their male co-workers, but more overall harassment from viewers, readers and strangers online. The study, which interviewed 32 print and broadcast journalists in the US, reported that while male journalists see threats of violence as “a badge of honour”, female journalists view the unprecedented levels of harassment as “the price you pay” for doing their job. A study by Unesco reported similar findings last year, in which nearly three-quarters of the 901 journalists surveyed had experienced online harassment of some sort, with a quarter of journalists being threatened with sexual violence and death. Chillingly, the likelihood of attack increased greatly if the woman…

Non-fiction The Women’s Pool LYNNE SPENDER, SPINIFEX PRESS “The Women’s Pool” in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is Australia’s only ocean pool reserved solely for women. But for the women who share their stories in The Women’s Pool anthology, it’s not just a nice place for a morning dip; the swimming spot has changed their lives. This book tells stories of the pool and its significance to women throughout time: stories of friendship, love, bravery, recovery and new beginnings. Between the pages you’ll meet women from all backgrounds: Vietnamese-born Lai, who finally found the courage to swim at The Women’s Pool after the horrors she’d witnessed aboard a refugee boat; and Dominique, who found relief from her often painful genetic disorder in the pool’s soothing waters. Inspiring, often funny and sometimes heartbreaking,…

Status Anxiety Leather goods crafted for the minimalist. We’re for a life lived simply, with a greater appreciation for things that last rather than the latest fashion fad. Since 2004, we’ve been doing our darndest to create high-quality, minimalist leather goods that complement this ethos of simplicity and value in all areas of our lives, including what we buy. statusanxiety.com.au Endeavour College Endeavour College of Natural Health is the leader in natural health education. Now offering short courses in nutrition, mental health and wellness, business and natural health, Endeavour College has been educating the nation’s leaders and game changers for more than 45 years. endeavourshortcourses.edu.au Affordable Yoga Retreats in Byron Bay Byron Yoga Retreat Centre is a tranquil eco haven just a short bike ride from Byron Bay’s beaches. Choose…

I’ve interviewed more than 300 women about their pregnancy and birth experiences on my podcast, Australian Birth Stories, and while everyone’s story is different, there are many common threads. Over the past few years, I have heard countless stories from women who have struggled with their mental wellbeing during pregnancy. The anxiety of the climate crisis, coupled with the pandemic, has weighed heavily on mothers-to-be as they navigated pregnancy and birth preparation with less face-to-face guidance from their care providers. Despite this, there is more conversation than ever about mental wellbeing in pregnancy, and consequently, a greater demand for pregnancy and postpartum doulas. Self-care is essential during pregnancy, and it looks like many different things: staying hydrated, managing stress, prioritising rest, checking in with your partner or trusted friends when…

Most of us have been taught from a young age to “slip, slop, slap”, but what about how to choose a safe sunscreen? Sunscreens work to protect skin from ultraviolet A (UVA) light, which causes premature ageing, and ultraviolet B (UVB) light, which causes sunburn and skin damage; protecting your skin from both is crucial for long-term health. However, sunscreens are not all created equal, and many contain harmful chemicals that have been shown to cause allergies and disrupt hormonal communication in the body. Sunscreen labels can be confusing and at times quite misleading, so let me decipher them so you know how to confidently choose an effective and safe sunscreen for both you and our planet. SPF and broad-spectrum SPF stands for sun protection factor, and the number indicates…

Organic Merchant’s Spirit Dust and Soothe Dust have been created from a blend of organic award-wining raw cacao. The Dusts are 100 per cent ACO Certified Organic and make a delicious and healthy addition to smoothies, desserts, raw treats, yoghurt and more. What are the top 10 foods to eat for happy hormones? • Lots of filtered water• Omega-rich foods such as sustainably sourced oily fish such as sardines, anchovies, cod, herring or trout• Dark leafy greens• Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, kale and broccoli• Seed grains (pseudograin) such as quinoa and buckwheat• Seeds such as flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds (soaked and/or ground)• Avocado• Raw cacao• Activated nuts• Seaweed• Spices such as turmeric, ginger and cinnamon• Green tea What things should be avoided? • Excessive alcohol• Carbonated…

When did Sea Amour Wellness first begin and why? Sea Amour Wellness began on a trip to Iceland and Norway back in 2019. I fell in love with the country and the purity of the environment. We talked to the locals in Iceland about what they loved most about their country; their answer was simple … fresh fish, pristine water, geothermal bathing with numerous health benefits and sustainable living practices. We were so impressed, we sought out some of their incredible produce and came across marine collagen peptides. We discovered that the marine collagen peptides from wild cod were responsible for the locals’ seemingly ageless skin, strong nails and luscious hair. What are some key indicators that we need nutritional supplementation? Brittle nails, hair breakage, dull hair, tummy issues such…

During her first trip to Japan almost nine years ago, Tara Bennett was inspired by the country’s incredible history and unique approach to preservation and sustainability. So much so that when she returned home to Australia, she quit her men’s fast fashion job to open Provider Store — a business dedicated to acquiring and creating lasting pieces for the home and championing ethical manufacturing and smart purchasing. “What really resonated with me was how the Japanese really celebrate craftsmanship and how in Australia, it’s not something that we really highlight,” Tara says. “In Japan, it’s so special. For example, if you buy a table and that table gets old, you don’t buy a new one. You celebrate the imperfections.” Tara started Provider Store in 2014, selling her own textiles and…

Acouple of months ago, a story I wrote was shortlisted for a prize, and naturally, I shared the news with my family. My mum, the wonderful cheerleader she is, asked if she could read it. Without too much thought, I emailed her a copy. Soon afterwards, a seed of worry began to dig around my gut. My story was about a fractured family dynamic, and while fiction, I knew my mum would probably recognise some of the experiences I’d written about. The worry that she would be upset by what I’d written quickly morphed into guilt, and I fretted about explaining myself and the story. If I could have yanked back the email and stopped her from reading it, I would have. I needn’t have worried (my mum loved the…

Conspiracy narratives have been circulating since humans started theorising to interpret the world around us. There is historical evidence of conspiracy theories during disease epidemics and in times of societal crisis, dating back to the Roman era of 64 It can be easy to dismiss certain conspiracy theories as paranoid nonsense; however, belief in conspiracy narratives is very widespread. For example, an international survey that took place in 2020 and included 28 countries revealed that one third of people believed a “foreign power/other force” caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Conspiracy theories offer an alternative ideological framework to explain the reason for an unforeseen threat or crisis. We intuitively process situations that threaten our sense of control and seek an explanation to resolve the uncertainty. Believing that a stressful life event has…

What makes you feel the most wild and alive? Nothing quite beats the feeling of dancing to live music at the local pub with your girlfriends and belting out song lyrics your brain can recall from more than 25 years ago! Laughing with my friends is so good for the soul and makes me feel alive. When did your love for painting first begin? Initially, painting was more of a hobby and creative outlet for me. I painted as a form of therapy, a way for me to connect to my identity and heal life experiences. Through my paintings, I’m sharing my story, my journey, my passion, my gift and my purpose. My background before pursuing my art career full time was in fashion retail and I worked as a…

Energetics, known as the “biofield” to the scientists and the “aura” to the spiritualists, is both a science and a magic that many people are yet to discover. For me, energetics is the link between our inner desires, dreams and ambitions, and the external creation of those visions into a tangible form that we can actually experience “in real life”. It’s the science behind manifestation and the technology that alchemises thought into matter. The premise that we can think things into existence is not a new concept, but one that often invites eye rolls, cynical remarks and half-baked promises that we’ll try it “one day”, a day which inevitably fails to arrive for many. Instead, most people will choose to adopt the proven technologies of hustle, hard work, blood, sweat…

Trigger warning: This article discusses miscarriage, infertility and perinatal death. Please read on with caution, or skip ahead if these themes are too difficult for you. I’m at the age where the question, “when are you planning to have kids?” comes up frequently. But despite the fact so many people feel invested in my uterus, open discussions about experiences with infertility, miscarriage and perinatal death seem few and far between. It’s surprising, given all three are not uncommon. About one in nine Australian couples of reproductive age experience fertility problems, while one in five women who know they are pregnant will have a miscarriage before 20 weeks. While Australia is regarded as one of the safest places in the world for a baby to be born, six babies are stillborn…

We live in a world that has a pill for every ailment, and when it comes to hormonal imbalances, the most commonly prescribed medication is the oral contraceptive pill. Imagine, instead, a world in which the first port of call was to assess a person’s diet to see if the food they were eating was either helping or hindering their hormones. A few simple changes could result in far less disease and fewer hormonal imbalances. Macro and micronutrients are essential for human life and required for the proper functioning of chemical reactions, hormone production, metabolism, growth, development, repair and regulation of every cell in the body. Are you eating enough for your hormones? Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel used for energy and are stored as sugar,…

What makes you feel the most wild and alive? I’m an adrenaline junkie who loves being in nature, so the activities that make me feel most wild and alive are skiing, surfing, swimming as well as skydiving and rollercoasters. Not only are these all fun and enjoyable to do with family and friends but they also allow for being surrounded by creation and inspiration. When did your love for illustration first begin? I’ve always been a keen artist, getting my hands dirty from a young age alongside my darling nanna who taught me to paint, sew and collage. After I completed school, I began a textiles degree which didn’t sit quite right with my style, so I switched to illustration, which opened my eyes to telling stories through marks on…

It’s funny how thrifting has come full circle in my life. Growing up in England, my mother and grandmother were big fans of trawling through op shops. Many of my clothes were secondhand and I hated it. Especially when I hit my early teens and felt the scrutiny of my peers. As an adult, I started learning more about the fashion industry’s impact on the environment and knew there were changes I could — and should — be making. I know I’m not alone in this mindset. According to the online retailer Jewellerybox’s 2022 Sustainable Fashion Report, Australians were named the fifth most sustainable fashion-conscious shoppers in the world. The report states that Australians have Googled the terms “sustainable fashion” and “second-hand clothing” at an increase of 50 per cent…

How do you start your day? There’s a lot to be said for discipline, sacrifice and hustle, especially in business and for your mental health. But understanding balance and sustainability is just as important. I’m not a morning person, so I usually wake up around 7am after snoozing my alarm twice. I take my medication (a low-dose SSRI first thing so I don’t forget), have a shower with at least one minute in cold water, do some breathing exercises, say a prayer, repeat my mantra, and head off to work without breakfast (I fast until midday). My maximum creativity window is 9am to 12pm, so I do my best to block meetings until the afternoon and reserve this window for ultimate productivity. How has ambition shaped who you are today?…

When, where and why did your love for natural skincare first begin? I first fell in love with the ritualistic ‘steps’ of skincare at 11 years old, when my gran gave me a starter kit for Christmas. Ironically, these products caused a horrible reaction, and I ended up at a skin specialist! Thankfully that didn’t deter me, perhaps it was all part of the plan that led me to eventually create a sensitive skincare range. The universe works in mysterious ways. What does a typical day look like for you? First thing in the morning I do yoga and breathing exercises for 20 minutes, have breakfast and indulge in my three-minute skin ritual. I head into the office where my days are always diverse, from supervising the actual creation and…

There is magic in the forest and on surging rivers, on lofty mountain trails and by the sea’s edge. It’s what calls us outside when our worries outweigh the wonder in our lives — to walk, run, swim, climb and breathe again in some place more beautiful. Once outside, we shake off our troubles in the quiet spaces where mountains soar and rivers flow, staring out over the ocean and breathing in that big, deep blue. In return, we are soothed in ways we might not fully comprehend. But when we turn around and head for home, we feel a little lighter, a little brighter, and carry a sense of something we might call happiness. We carry a feeling of being deeply connected to something bigger and more remarkable than…

Who’s That girl? You might have seen her: her hair is thick, shiny and bouncy; her athleisure is neutral, matching and VPL-free; she wears understated but expensive-looking gold jewellery and delicately selects bunches of celery and kale from supermarket shelves. Or, perhaps, you haven’t seen her. The thing about That Girl is that she is both immediately recognisable for those who inhabit certain algorithmically generated corners of the Internet and also entirely fictional. If you haven’t seen her in real life, perhaps you’ve seen her in your TikTok feed. That Girl gets up early, journals, works out, taps at a Macbook for a few hours and prepares a green juice. Her home is clean, beige and curated. Often, That Girl’s marble benchtops or skyline views reveal a largely unacknowledged truth:…