- SHOP ALL
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SUNSCREEN
- SPF + BB CREAM
- FACE WIPES
- BABY WIPES
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ABOUT
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EDUCATION
Can you tell us about yourself and your work? How did it start?
I’m a mum, wife, holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, health coach, wholefoods chef and author of the number-one selling books Supercharged Food: Eat Your Way to Health, Supercharged Food: Eat Yourself Beautiful, Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian, Eat Right for your Shape, Supercharged food For Kids, Heal your Gut and most recently, Fast Your Way to Wellness. I also run a four-week online ‘Heal Your Gut’ program, a bi-weekly online ‘Heal Your Gut’ program, and have my very own ‘Heal Your Gut Powder’ and ‘Supercharged Food, Earth Mask & Scrub’.
My work day is always different! I could be working on a new healthy recipe, giving a talk, writing away at a new book, health coaching, brainstorming new projects, doing photoshoots or teaching yoga.
Like many others, my health journey and work started out of a place of desperation. I was working a fast-paced job for the ABC in Sydney when I suddenly became ill. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia. At the time, I didn’t realise how weak my gut was and didn’t see how it was effecting everything that I was doing. I was constantly exhausted, on a cocktail of drugs and felt alone through this process.
I decided to take my health into my own hands and simplify my diet, decreasing foods that weren’t good for me, like sugar and gluten and increasing my intake of whole foods. I started to create recipes in my kitchen and that’s what started my blog www.superchargedfood.com. I began to document my process, discoveries and recipes to share it with people who had been having similar issues with their health.
I’ve gone on to publish seven best-selling books filled with delicious recipes. My goal was, and still is, to make healthy cooking and living simple enough for everyone, with a key interest in gut health.
What is your healthy lifestyle philosophy?
The gut is the epicentre to health. Looking after the gut can improve our overall health. Did you know the immune system is connected to the gut? Eating is a lot more than just chomping down on some food and having it come out the other end. What we consume fuels our bodies and therefore, the rest of our lives.
What's your best business tip?
It’s going to sound cliché but I can’t stress it enough: be yourself! I know that I’m super daggy and I embrace it! In your personal life, you’re not going to connect with everyone that you meet and that’s the same in the business world. If you have a strong sense of who you are and a passion for what you do, you’ll go far.
5 things we will always find in your fridge?
Hmm let me think…
Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and rocket are nutrient-dense and can help fight chronic diseases, increase energy. I like adding greens to my salads, smoothies and even ice-creams!
Bone broths made using fish, lamb, chicken or beef bones are usually siting in my fridge. I like to make a big batch on a Sunday so I can eat it throughout the week. Bone broths contain immune-boosting properties and are extremely good for our gut health.
Berries are one of my favourite fruits because they’re high in antioxidants and low in fructose, so they don’t spike our blood sugar levels. I like to eat lots of different types of berries to reap the antioxidant benefits!
Salmon is one of my favourite fish, as it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and so, great to reduce inflammation. Foods high in omega-3 like our fishy friend have proven to be great for protecting us from gastrointestinal diseases. They’re also great for our skin!
I always like to end with dessert so the last thing you’ll find in my fridge is my turmeric fudge! It’s made with the anti-inflammatory powder turmeric, the healthy saturated fats coconut oil and tahini, flu-fighting ginger, sweet rice malt syrup and heal your gut powder! It’s a quick treat that can help in weight loss, promote heart health oh, and did I mention it’s delicious?
What does a typical day on your plate look like?
I start the day off with my heal your gut powder followed by breakfast. I love having eggs and avocado but when I wake up craving something sweeter, I may have some green pikelets (they’re way tastier than they sound.).
I’m a little addicted to dandelion tea and chai tea so I’ll usually have one of those around mid-morning.
For lunch, I like to eat lots of veggies, with a protein and healthy fat, like a salad with salmon and avocado. You can also often see me eating left-overs from the night before.
In the afternoon, I like to treat myself to something a bit sweeter, and another cup of tea! I sometimes snack on bananas, a slice of coconut banana bread or maybe a bliss ball.
Seeing as we’re going into Winter here in Aus, I like to end the day with something warm and nourishing like stir fry, soup or a stew. I’m loving my Rosemary and Thyme Chicken Stew at the moment. I sometimes just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to the delicious smell wafting through the air and yum food ready to go!
Who / what inspires you?
I find that looking at my past inspires me to do better in the future. By reflecting on what I’ve been through and experienced, I find I’m able to have a clearer vision of what I want to achieve and help people with!
A favourite affirmation or quote?
"The grass is greener where you water it." – Neil Barringham
Connect with Lee:
Instagram @leesupercharged
Facebook Supercharged Food
Website www.superchargedfood.com
With the cool weather well and truly underway, the Wotnot team is loading up on warming meals. Our friend and wholefoods chef Lee Holmes of Supercharged Food (www.superchargedfood.com) shared this delicious, nourishing Baked Apple Pancakes recipe with us and we can't get enough... breakfast, lunch or dinner!
By Kimmy Smith, founder of the Fit Mummy Project
Winter is on its way! I love the crispness in the air each morning. What I don’t love is waving good-bye to all my healthy summer habits.
As the weather gets colder, my desire to sleep in, indulge in comfort foods whilst snuggling on the couch watching Netflix increases.
So I have put together some of my top tips for helping us Mums to stay healthy and happy this winter:
Make an Exercise Date
Typically our motivation for exercise lessens during the colder months. Motivation is like any other emotion. It comes and it goes. Don’t rely on motivation to get you up and moving. Make a plan to move your body every day. Schedule in time and make it your number one healthy habit for winter.
So many Mums I know are already super busy. Don’t put pressure on yourself to workout for an hour each day. All of the Fit Mummy Project Workouts that I share are just 10-15 minutes and can be done any time and any where. So perfect for those cold winter days when you just want to stay inside!
Pump up the Inner Heat
Your body craves warmth during cold winter days. Pump up your inner fire by focusing on your core. By including core exercises at the start of each workout, you will not only increase your body temperature but you will also increase your inner fire and determination! If you need some ides for some great core exercises, you can find inspiration for Mums of all fitness levels here!
Support your Immune System
Our immune system can be compromised during winter (especially if you have little ones starting at school or kindy!). During winter I like to practice these three yoga poses just before bed. They help to support and flush the lymphatic system (which is responsible for removing germs from our body.) They also have the added benefit of calming your nervous system.
This is an amazing restorative pose. Close your eyes and really let go of your day.
Avoid Raw
During winter and late Autumn, our body craves warm meals that are easy to digest. So avoid any raw salads or smoothies and focus on eating delicious slow cooked soups, stews and casseroles.
Supercharge your Meals
A secret of naturopaths’ everywhere is to increase ginger and garlic during the colder months. Ginger is very warming and helps to support digestion. Garlic is antiviral and antibacterial, so it’s great for adding some extra immune system support during Winter.
I love starting my day with a lemon and ginger tea and I try to sneak some extra garlic into each soup or stew that I make.
Protect Dry + Sensitive Skin
We all know that winter leaves our skin feeling dry and desperate for hydration. During winter I switch to the Wotnot Facial Wipes for Dry and Sensitive Skin.They help me to get a deep cleanse without stripping my skin of essential moisture.
I also really try to protect the girls’ skin. Both of my girls have sensitive skin, so I use the Wotnot Baby Lotion each night after their bath.
Mind Cleanse
It is no secret that our mood can be affected by the weather. Create a positive state of mind during winter by completing a simple daily gratitude practice. Allow yourself 5 minutes to write down 3 things you are grateful for. Then (and this is the important bit!), write down WHY you are grateful for those things. Really try to tune into a feeling of gratitude washing over your body. The more you can create that state of appreciation, the more you can make positives changes to your mood.
About Kimmy Smith:
Kimmy is a post-natal fitness expert, qualified yoga teacher and mother to two girls. Kimmy is on a mission to support and empower women to embrace the journey of motherhood. In 2016, Kimmy launched the Fit Mummy Project and wellbeing hub, www.kimmysmithfit.com, an online destination that encompasses fitness, food and healthy mindset essentials. It aims to help all new mums create a beautiful, fit and strong new body and life.
Now that we're almost halfway into 2021, those New Year resolutions could have fallen to the wayside. Often we make large and overwhelming goals with the best intentions, however this isn't always the best recipe for following through.
Instead, why not incorporate some small changes that can add up to big positive changes in your life if you're consistent? Here are 5 of our top simple-but-effective life hacks to get started with.
It's no secret that refined sugar and refined sugar filled products equal havoc for our health. Processed sugar (AKA the white devil) is both terrible for our brains and waistlines. Cutting this one "food" out of your diet can have a hugely positive impact on many aspects of your wellbeing, from mental state to energy levels and digestive health.
Removing refined sugar cuts out many unhealthy products by default, so it's easier to rule out bad options in general. Just make sure you read labels and watch out for added sugars under another name such as "glucose/corn syrup."
There are so many healthy sweetener alternatives today, that cutting out refined sugar the healthy way is easier than ever. If you want a calorie and carb free replacement that won't impact your blood sugar levels, stevia is a great choice. if you want to find out how your body reacts, commit to 30 days sugar free and see yourself.
Good quality sleep is important for regulating our appetite hormones, feeling good, having energy, bodily repair, and detoxification. Get at least 7-8 hours a night and refrain from staying up late as this can mess with our body’s circadian rhythms (natural body clock).
If you have trouble falling asleep, try not to watch TV or go on the computer right before bed, as the brightness stimulates receptors in our eyes that wake us up. Don’t eat too close to bedtime either, as if your meal is still being digested it can make it difficult to sleep properly. Still struggling? Have a relaxing bath with lavender oil or a calming herbal tea (chamomile or “sleepy time” varieties are great), to relax the mind and body before hopping into bed.
Vitamin D is an important factor in maintaining good health and in order for our bodies to produce enough, we need sunlight! As a general rule, spending an easy 10-15 minutes in the sun each day with a good area of skin exposed will help you keep your levels in check, so get outside on your lunch break, sit back and relax!
Once your daily sun dose is up, always use sun protection if you're staying out longer, such as wearing a hat, sunglasses and using a natural, toxin-free sunscreen.
Going vegan or vegetarian for just one day a week can make a huge difference to your health, giving your body a break from any chemicals and hormones found in meat and your digestive system a rest from digesting more difficult to break down animal protein sources.
With so many delicious plant-based recipes available today, it's a fun way to try new, delicious and healthy dishes too! Plus, it's not only great for your body, but also for helping reduce our carbon imprint. Win, win!
Studies have reported that people who regularly practice gratitude experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.
Practising gratitude means taking time to especially focus on everything we are thankful for in our lives. You can do this easily and in a time effective way by simply going through 3 things that you are grateful for either first thing in the morning or before bed, or you may wish to use gratitude journaling and write it down.
