While most of my 30’s was consumed with the craziness of babies and dealing with post natal depression, insomnia and anxiety that came along for the ride. All the while I managed to nurture my kids as they grew into toddlers, then school-age children (boy didn’t that go fast!).
 

My 40s on the other hand have allowed for more time for personal growth and reflection.
 
My kids are now teenagers, and while I remain ever-present for them, their growing independence has allowed me the space to become more self aware and I realise in my 40’s I’m happier being me despite the changes in how my body looks, the greying hair, the extra wrinkles and the perimenopause symptoms (!)

 I also appreciate being alone with myself and I understand myself better. I care less about what people think of me, if they don’t like me, it’s their problem not mine, and generally feel more confident within myself which makes me feel more powerful.
 
I am blessed with a wide friendship group, but have learnt that friendships change over time. Sometimes they have an expiration date and fizzle away. And that’s OK. But I can now recognise the handful of besties who will always, always have my back. Even if I don’t speak to them all that often, because well #life, I know they’re there as I am for them.
 
I have learnt to cherish the deep scars from events in my life that were difficult or traumatic. They somehow remind me I’m alive and have gifted me my biggest life lessons.
 
As I travel through my 40’s, love, peace and harmony are what I crave. I have no interest in being sucked into someone else’s drama, so I’ve become ace at creating boundaries : )
 
The big one though, is having time for self care and slowly but surely getting better at the art of graciously saying “no” AND not feeling guilty about saying it.

As my children grow older and I can feel their inevitable and natural separation, I realise that nothing is more important to me than them and our precious family unit.

My big goal in life is to stay connected to them. So I’m conscious of making beautiful memories with them, to be present in their lives everyday, and ensure that I look after my health so as I grow older I can keep up with them, show up for them, stay well for them.

Onwards and upwards.

Watch out 50, here I come!

One of the ways I address my health is by doing a deep cleanse around spring to feel ready for summer with a reset of the mind, body and soul. Right now we are offering a Break Through! Signature Cleanse Summer Special available for a short time only! All the recipes are absolutely bursting with nutrients and flavour and are antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory, which makes them super powerful and helps with weight management, balancing hormones, reducing cravings and feeling fantastic in a body you love. Find out more here.

Brenda x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

People love the crap out of these recipes it would seem! 

Some I had entirely forgotten about to be honest, happens when you have a blog choc-ful of recipes! 

And a couple which I found, well, surprising! 

In order of popularity, here we go …

1. Healthy Anzac Biscuits

2. Cauliflower and Potato Soup

3. Date and Cinnamon Muffins 

4. Notella, A Healthy Chocolate Spread

5. Crispy Chicken with Garlicky Potato Cream Sauce

6. 5 minute Apple Cinnamon Bliss Balls 

7. My Favourite Homemade Granola

8. Brenda’s Big Batch Bircher Muesli

9. 17 Sweet and Easy School Lunchbox Recipes

10. Apple Crumble Slice

11. Creamy Cauliflower and Bacon Bake

12. Spinach and Cheese Triangles

13. Oat, Seed and Date Bars

14. Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

15. Spelt and Buckwheat Pancakes

16. Jam Drops

17. Chewy Choc-Banana Cookies

18. Pumpkin and Root Vegetable Soup

19. Cardamon Spice Cake

20. Savoury Lunchbox Ideas

Is one of your faves listed above?

If not, what are some of your favourite recipes from my blog?

If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration, take a look at my new recipe ebook which is getting rave reviews, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

Are they exhausted, getting sick, falling apart, over it! It’s such a tough time of year.

Last week my daughter woke up, practically slept walk out of her room with big bags under her eyes and for the first time ever asked if she could have a day off school.

She told me later that day that she was surprised that I agreed to her taking a “wellbeing day” but I explained that I could see that she desperately needed that day, a day away from addition and subtraction, all the noise and school yard politics…

She stayed home and played the piano, watched her favourite shows, ate her favourite food, read books and lazed about all day. By the time evening rolled around she was herself again, pepped up and ready for her nippers training session.

I had given my daughter permission to relax every fibre of her being and, in doing so, reclaim her fight.

And that’s something I’ve found about self-care, we often need someone else to jump-start it for us.

Giving ourselves permission — to rest, to recharge, to realize self-indulgence isn’t actually self-indulgent at all.

This is a concept I know is especially hard for women.

We ALL need to remember to exhale….we’re all pushed to do too much, we all need a break. Kids and parents alike.

We don’t want our kids to learn from us that they have to work their butts of all the time until they burn out. We want them to tune in to what they really need and grant themselves permission to take a break.

As busy mums though, how do we take time out when we don’t seem to have five minutes to ourselves from sunrise to sunset?

Let me ask you an important question.

Has your busy-ness become the thing that defines you? Has it become a badge of honour?

Our culture has decided that we need to be Wonder Women and so we believe that being busy is what makes us worthy.

We need to SHAKE THIS IDEA OFF!

Because while we remain slaves to our to-do lists and exist in get-it-done mode, we are forgetting to live a meaningful and healthy life meant to be enjoyed.

How do I shake it off though Brenda? Who’s going to get it all done for me?

Well, I suggest you take a good look at your to-do list and make some honest decisions about what’s really non-negotiable and what you can say bye-bye to. Eg: Do you really need to organise those birthday photos into a special album? Or go to that event if no one is going to get hurt by your absence?

And/or..

Find some support in the areas you feel like you could use some help, then decide who you can ask to support you in those areas. Eg: My mum comes over once every fortnight and I never say no to her bringing food for my family which usually lasts a couple days and creates some much needed time and space. Say YES to help!

I’d also love to invite you to join my FREE LIVE WORKSHOP which I host with Naturopath Naomi Judge on what we consider to be the most important topic when it comes to Women’s health and wellbeing – and that’s the importance of self care.

After all, having too little rest is a major contributor to expanding that waistline, IBS, gas, bloating, headaches, depression, heart problems, decreased sex drive ……

WHY YOU NEED TO LEAVE GUILT AT THE DOOR AND EMBRACE SELF-CARE
Learn to love, nourish and respect yourself with these 5 smart habits

In this workshop we explore: 

• Where this guilt comes from and why we feel it (so important to recognise this so you can move on).
• How lack of self-care creates stress and some serious health issues you shouldn’t ignore.
• How you can get clear on a specific, urgent WHY, your sense of purpose, your capacity to fulfil your mission and do what brings you joy.
• The telltale signs of stress (it’s not necessarily what you may think!).
• 5 easy ways to create sustainability and resilience in your life so you don’t become ill and burn out (this is gold!).
• Plus there’s a Q & A with us at the end.

Please share this workshop with your friends, I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be thanking you later!

Bren x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

My friend knows me well enough to know that apart from the odd weekend away,  I have rarely gone away without my family.  So she texted me this invitation…

“Bali – 5 nights- I know it’s probably impossible for you but wanted to let you know as you’re more than welcome to join the girlie holiday”

My reply…

“You’re right, such a long shot!”

And these are all the things which instantly ran through my head…

But I run two businesses.
Who’s going to get the kids to school and back?
Who’s going to make them breakfast, recess, snacks and dinner?
Who’s going to take them and pick them up from their activities?
Who’s going to be there when they need a chat?
How’s my husband going to get extra time off work when we are already going to a cricket competition in the October school holidays?
But I barely see my husband, I’d rather be going away with him.
BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE AWAY FROM MY KIDS!!!

And there it was.

For all the excuses in the world the truth is, I don’t know how to be away from my kids. And they don’t know how to be away from me, and they certainly didn’t want me to go. 

For the last 12 years, I have lived and breathed motherhood. Sure I’ve worked for the last 4 years which has connected my soul to the world in a very meaningful way. I also have a wonderful social network which keeps me nice and busy. But number one, I am a mother and a homemaker….and I love it. Who the heck am I without that anyway? 

So, one very wise friend asked (ordered?) me “not to overthink it” (she may have seen this pattern in me once or twice before!).

At the same time my husband was really encouraging me to go too.

So with this little push, I allowed my mind to ‘go there’ and started to entertain these thoughts…

It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity to go Bali because my husband is not inclined to take our family there.
It should be ok for my husband to take a few days off work seeing as he works such long hours.
It will be good for me (or so everyone tells me!).
My kids are older now, it’s not like they are babies, they’ll be fine.
It will be fun and nice to take a little break from life.
All the other ladies going have kids and they can manage it.
I deserve it.

So I slowly became open to the idea, and I allowed my subconscious to guide me to figure it out. It took me weeks to make the decision. So long in fact that the other girls had long been booked and organised for the Bali trip, and they had to sort out squeezing me in to their accommodation! (Thanks Jo!).

Though my kids want this for me as they want me to be happy, I can see them fretting about me leaving.

I must admit the sense of freedom and breaking away from duty, duty, duty is and the relentlessness of domestic life is starting to wash over me.

It’s interesting how you can be happily carrying on with the routine of life, until something makes you stop and think about things philosophically. Seemingly small triggers which end up making you look deep within, understand, question, challenge and which sometimes lead to taking personal risks (no matter how small). I’ve been asked to holiday with friends several times before, but barely entertained the thought as clearly I was nowhere near ready. This time I was ready to explore.

Amazing isn’t it how it’s not just our kids who keep on growing, but we keep growing with them.

I leave soon and I’m excited! Already dreaming about which books I’ll take on the trip. One of my favourite activities is to disappear into great fiction when on holidays Do you have any recommendations? Please pop them in the comments for me!

I have a feeling taking a break for myself will be much easier next time around. I’ll be sure to fill you in on how I go.

Bren x

Upcoming Mother’s day has got me thinking about the type of mum I am.

You see, I’m the type of mum who feels deep empathy with my children. Whatever troubles them, troubles me, whatever brings them joy, brings me joy…DEEPLY.

And their troubles, THEY GET ME BAD.

I’ve no doubt it’s because I live with anxiety, because I’m an empath, a highly sensitive mum… just like my mum.

I marvel and admire those mums who remain strong and stoic in the face of their kids adversities. That’s not to say they don’t care, no not at all, it’s just a whole different vibration.

All the while I’m crying, suffering, solving, waking in the middle of the night, feeling my kid’s pain and imagining them feeling their pain.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for this gift of experiencing life, and all it has to offer in this heightened state.

But it ain’t easy.

Especially those times when everything seems to comes at once. That’s when life feels like it’s going to break me, just like it did before.

But these days, life doesn’t break me. I pick myself up everytime.

Which got me thinking about why and how I do this now?

The answer was right there. It was nothing profound.

But it made me see myself, and all the things I do, to keep me stable and able to cope with life’s challenges and realities.

The little habits and rituals, non-negotiables, my little self-care box which helps me cope with life, in light of who I AM and how I vibrate as a person.

These rituals help me cope with those sleepless nights, to show up most days with a smile on my face, to find the strength to allow my children some space to unravel the complexities of life and build resilience.

So I thought I’d write a little poem to myself this Mother’s Day, acknowledging all those things I do, which help me show up each day in the best way I can.

THANK YOU ME

Thank you nature, you give me so much – your healing sun, fresh air, silence, reflection and earthing all uplift my soul keeping me grounded and centred

Thank you body for moving daily, exercising, keeping me strong and releasing my happy hormones

Thank you food for flooding my body with goodness with every bite and sip, cleansing and detoxifying, nourishing and healing

Thank you me for not trying to do it all, knowing all too well that burnout is at bay

Thank you work for fulfilling my soul and connecting me to my purpose each day

Thank you friends for the dinner catch ups, the laughs, love and cocktails recharge me

Thank you me for creating solitude and space which I desperately need to replenish and refresh my soul

Thank you breath for slowing me down, bringing me back to the moment, keeping me alive, I’d be totally lost without you

Thank you family for your uncondtional love, trust and forgiveness, snuggles, kisses, pure joy and everything you teach me

Thank you healers for keeping me balanced and in touch with the inner workings and needs of my body

Thank you me for striving to be the best mum you can be, ever evolving, changing, growing and loving

Happy Mother’s day mums.  I know motherhood can be such a struggle for so many. Perhaps the best gift you could give yourself for Sunday is a little thank you acknowledgement too.

I’d LOVE to hear the things you can thank yourself for, please go ahead and write to me in the comments.

Bren x

Everyone’s journey to parenthood is unique and different and I support PERINATAL DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AWARENESS  (PANDA) to encourage parents, both old and new, to speak out and begin honest conversations about parenthood in the hope of encouraging others who may be suffering to reach out and ask for help.

Here’s my story……

After a difficult pregnancy due to pubic symphisitis (read: very painful!), a low lying placenta, and significant weight gain, here I am out to dinner with my husband and friends, on the night I went into labour. Little did I know how my life was going to change beyond what I could ever imagine.

Labour came on fast and furious, intense contractions straight away and without much warning. Almost a metaphor for how motherhood ensued.

Nothing to worry about though, I was ready, wasn’t I? All those natural birthing classes I had attended, and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” was my bible. I had this in the bag.

But what I got was 26 hours of excruciatingly painful, drug-free (except a bit of gas) labour, a cervix that wouldn’t dilate, a baby who was completely stuck and what followed with an emergency C-section. Six hours after his birth, my baby developed pneumonia (because they left me dilated too long before conducting the caesarian) and was whisked away into intensive care.

I did not get to feed him, hold him, soothe him until a week after his birth. This wasn’t in the plan.

I will never forget the night, maybe three nights later, when I received a call from the nurse in intensive care asking my permission to allow her to give my baby the dummy. He was crying inconsolably, she said, and she needed to try to soothe him. I could hear his wailing in the background.

This was the moment I broke, the memory is still so raw I’ve got tears streaming now. I had lost control of everything I had dreamed of, the easy conception, the natural birth, the bonding, the breastfeeding. These seemed nothing more than idealised fantasies when now, it was down to a piece of plastic to do the job of soothing my baby who was in distress, and I could do nothing about it.

Wasn’t it enough already that it took me 4 painful years to be able to hold this miracle child in my arms?

So there I was in hospital hand pumping milk from my breasts in the hope of getting that life-giving colostrum into my child. All the while well- meaning visitors were stopping by mid-pump, to offer their congratulations. It wasn’t long before I started to fall apart.

Let’s just say from woe to go,  breastfeeding was a complete disaster. The fact that my son wasn’t able to go on the breast straight after birth made breastfeeding that more challenging. Think cracked, bloody, painful nipples for want of trying, and add to that an over-supply of milk which caused my let downs to force milk down his throat like a fire hydrant going off. And I would have at least 5 let downs each side. I ended up pumping milk 5 times a day for that first year, pumping, washing, sterilising, repeat…

Once home my baby just didn’t sleep, he had reflux and was irritable most of the time (who could blame him), in fact he was the opposite of everything those evil textbooks told me he would be. Soon I found I was completely dreading getting out of bed and I didn’t want to see my baby. I felt completely lost and alone, confused and deeply depressed. I had also developed acute insomnia and extreme anxiety.

Perinatal anxiety and depression does not discriminate – it affects people across all communities regardless of age, income or geography, and the way people are affected is not black and white. And it got me bad.

Within a few weeks I realised I wasn’t going to survive this dark place I had descended into. Gathering up all of my courage, I set forth to find the answers to end my pain and suffering and make me feel myself again and turn up each day to be the mother of my child.

I thank God for the psychiatrist who treated me from the Anxiety Clinic at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney. She was my saviour, somebody who instantly understood who I was and what I was experiencing. She took me in and taught me tools, insights and techniques which led to my healing. It was hard work, but I got there, and till this day I use the tools she taught me to lessen the hold that anxiety threatens to have over me.

After my first meeting with my psychiatrist, she told me it was her goal to get me wanting to have another baby, to which I instantly replied, ” Never and not on your life”. Yet much later on, on our final session, I recall taking her in a bunch of roses, thanking her for everything she had done for me and sharing the news that I was indeed, pregnant!

Here I am 15 weeks pregnant, this time I did not have to wait to be able to conceive….

….. the birth went smoothly and it was natural and I got to hold my little girl in my arms straight away. Breastfeeding was still a challenge due to my over-supply, so by three months I was doing the pump routine again, but I didn’t spiral into depression and severe anxiety this time around.

I was ok. I am more than ok and my kids and I are doing great.

If anyone out there is reading this and can relate, please know you don’t have to suffer in silence. Reach out to a friend, family member, doctor, if they don’t understand then find someone else to talk to. Please consider calling PANDA,  what they have to offer is truly wonderful.

 Bren x

What really happens is that hubby gets home and serves his own dinner cos I’m plonked in front of my heater giving my Business Mamas Diploma of Business course some attention,  even if it’s just half an hour.

As a mum, I’ve learnt to grab whatever time I can get, and the course is designed specifically with mums in mind, so it can be done in short chunks.

Fitting in my studies has proven to be challenging, and some nights I’m so tired that I’ll settle into a taped Modern Family episode with the hubby instead, or I’ll need to continue working because my health coaching clients can’t Skype until after work.

But one thing I’ve got on my side is discipline. I pride myself on it and I work extremely well to deadlines, which is also keeping me on track. My kids constantly ask if I got my assignments done, so their interest indicates that I have their support.  I like to think I’m modelling positive attributes to them like commitment, passion and discipline rather than “mum’s too busy to put me to sleep tonight”!

Any other study mama’s out there? What helps to keep you motivated?

If you want to take the first step to live happy, work happy, be happy, contact Business Mamas today and the Business Mamas team will be in touch with more information.

Peace and quiet and freedom, I’m talking about, not a working internet connection, though there’s no way to disturb tranquility quite like your Wifi bludging on the job!

So, when Hubby took the kids away for a few days to allow me to fully concentrate on a busy work schedule, I made the most of it. Granted, it felt kind of odd initially. Not having the family around for an extended period of time is very rare, and it’s not something I seek out. But as the general background noise flittered away, as did the feeling of responsibility to anyone but myself, I kind of got into it and my displacement disappeared. Ok, ok, not having to repeat myself every five minutes and a lack of screeching also helped!

My first (excrutiatingly difficult) decision was to go for walk. A sense of peace washed over me. How naughty – an afternoon walk. I never do this! Working all day, spending time with kids and/or prepping dinner is the usual fare in the afternoon.

It was liberating knowing I  had  nowhere to be. I could stop and talk to locals (not in a creepy way) as I meandered around the coastline without worrying that I had somewhere to be or duties to perform at home. How good is taking your time, arriving home and pouring a glass of wine (I didn’t want to spill any while I was power walking), and relaxing with a movie on TV?

All in ‘me’ time.

I have friends who semi-regularly take themselves away to a health spa, or holiday with their friends. They can’t recommend it highly enough, and it’s only natural to be just that tinsy bit jealous. But for one reason or another, I’ve found it difficult to seperate from my kids and family, whose company and presence I love so much. Whether part of the reason is being uncomfortable separating from routine, or a mother’s sense of guilt, or something else, it’s something I’d like to explore. After all, ‘me’ time is an important part of all our lives, and more than just a morning walk before re-entering reality.

After a few days on my own, which included shopping and catching up with friends (in between and after work!), I can more clearly appreciate the benefits having some downtime and breaking away from the routine. Yes, even from the family every now and then! Now, it’s not like I want my three children … er, husband and two children … galavanting around without me on a regular basis. It just happened to work out that way this time.

It sure is nice to focus on yourself and unwind with a sense of freedom occasionally.

No responsibilities. No guilt. Just me.

Bren x

;

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mother of three… Kelsea, Kade and Fletcher. I have been a mother for over 20 years now which sounds so long, though at the same time it just seems like yesterday that I had my daughter. We live in The Hunter Valley in NSW. My favourite colour is red, I’m made for Michael Buble and chai tea..oh and my husband too 🙂

 How was Additive-Free Pantry born?

My middle child Kade is asthmatic. One day I discovered food additives in what he was eating (which caused asthma). I went home, cleaned out my pantry and never looked back. My business evolved as friends asked “What do you eat”,”Why” and “Where do you shop at”? This started my venture in talking to mums within their homes while they enjoyed “additive free” morning tea as I explained what was really in their pantries. The more confident I got the bigger my audience became, really.

 How do you service and educate children and parents on the dangers of additives?

Additive Free Awareness Presentations are what I LOVE to do. I get to inform parents, help empower them with all of the hidden information about  harmful food additives and hopefully inspire them to make the changes that could make a significant difference to their children’s health and wellbeing.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I enjoy hearing success stories of parents who made changes and got to see the benefits first hand. I love knowing that someone heard my story and made changes in their family pantry. I love working along side other mums that believe our children are worth it. I really LOVE that I get to work for myself. This allows me to fit work in/and around my family…and most of all I like to think that I’m making a difference….no matter how small 🙂

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Eating clean, real, additive free foods. Local (when I can), fresh, organic (were possible), ethical, wholesome and nourishing.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Chai tea ( you don’t want to know me when I have run out of chai), chia seeds,  miso paste (instead of vegemite), greens and fruit for my green smoothies and an organic chook for “Chicken n Chip Night”

 What do you indulge in?

Toasted sourdough and miso paste…I can’t stop!!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

A good sports bra (seriously, need I say more), my husband’s ability to love me for over 12 years now, laughter, my bed and of course my three beautiful offspring.

What is your favourite quote?

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Be you! Stop comparing, competing or trying to be like somebody else. Love what you have, be grateful for what you have and give to someone who may need something more than you…it feels so very good to see someone else smile because you did something nice, unexpected or thoughtful for them.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I am learning to SLOW down. Do what I can without rushing everywhere. Breathe. Chai tea, going to the movies and a good old trip to the shops never hurt anyone.

 What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We love going out for Sunday breakfast. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, and if I don’t have to clean up it is even better. Or a weekend pyjama day is always a treat too.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Tanya invited me to choose a recipe from her website & this one caught my eye. A nice hearty one for winter methinks!

Massamam Potato Bake

What you need!

• 1 sweet potato
• 5 large potatoes
• onion, diced
• garlic clove, crushed
• sea salt & pepper
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 3 large mushroom
• 1 can coconut cream (I used Woolworth’s Select)
• sprinkle of herbamare (an organic herb seasoning found in health food section of most supermarkets)
• 1 tablespoon massaman curry paste (I used Valcom)
• dash of oil
• paprika
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Check out Tanya’s fabulous books which you can buy from her website:

Connect with Tanya here:

www.additivefreepantry.com

https://www.facebook.com/additivefreepantry

Instagram: additivefreepantry

My own experience, or observation, is that the most persistent, recurring and intense themes have become the most meaningful and life changing. For me, motherhood is one of those themes, and my journey through motherhood has been deeply entwined with another theme, that of wellbeing.

Through a lifetime of positive and negative experiences, I naturally tend to highlight the positive aspects of each, or at least be able to see the good in every bad situation. One of my darkest periods so far was desperately wanting a child at 29yrs of age, but being unable to conceive for 4 years. Although a deeply painful time in my life, the experience awakened my awareness of my connection to the earth, of its abundance, its healing capacity and its direct relationship to my sense of wellbeing. For more than a moment during that period, my husband and I were staring down the barrel of IVF, but not before we decided to try a holistic path first, where food became our drug and natural living delivered us closer to our miracle wish.

More than a decade later, I experience a sense of relief and deep peace as I pass my knowledge, passions, beliefs and practices on to my kids. I feel completely happy and satisfied knowing I am doing my best for them when I share with them not only survival tools to cope with life, tips to create balance and so on, but my constantly evolving knowledge of the best nutrition lessons available. Of course, this is driven by my sheer love for them, and my dream is that it will be through them, and all children, that real and urgent change can slowly begin. My darling 6yr old has already expressed that she’s considering a future career in nutrition! This is as much a compliment as it is cute and funny to me, but I digress …

I also deeply care about my kid’s friends, my own friends, my community, the stranger in the street, our families, and our world. I always wish for their best health and experiences in life. If I actually could have one wish granted, it would simply be that everyone join in the journey to a healthy & happy life. I, for one, know how good these moments feel.

So a big hearty welcome to this blog, my blog, where amongst other things, I plan to share my knowledge in the areas of health and nutrition, lifestyle, family & parenting, and our environment. 

So you’re going to hear a lot about food ‘n mood, cleanses and cleansers, superfoods, wholefoods, clean foods, no-no foods, clean living, sustainable living, raising happy kids, friendship, sadness, depression, breastfeeding, motherhood, good fats, bad fats, kale, quinoa, coconuts, meditation, beauty, breathing,…and perhaps even a bit of fashion will be thrown in! I can’t wait to hear about your dreams, your themes, and your own twists and turns.

So if you’re interested in optimal, lifelong health for you and your family, and you care about our planet, if you’re interested in a joyful life, a fruitful life, a full life, then let’s get started.

Have a beautiful day,

Bren x