Bliss in a Hemp Seed Ball

When we think of hemp we think of getting high but is hemp the same as marijuana? In a nutshell, no, they are simply both part of the cannabis family. Using delicious hemp seeds in these delicious hemp seed bliss ball recipes you will get high on the delicious taste and natural health benefits of this special seed.

The Chinese knew that hemp seeds were healthy and used them as medicine for thousands of years particularly for mental illness related issues. Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids and are a great source of protein, vitamin E, potassium, sodium and magnesium. A true superfood worthy of the name.

Hemp seeds are good for your hearth as they are a great source of arginine (a basic amino acid and essential nutrient in our diet) and gamma-linolenic acid (a fatty substance found in various plant seed oils). With a ratio of 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats which may help with skin diseases providing relief from uncomfortable symptoms.

Hemp seeds are complete source of protein as it makes up 25% of the calories and contain all the essential amino acids.

Let's face it women don't feel very high when it is that time of the month. Hemp seeds may reduce symptoms associated with PMS and menopause, thanks to

Where did Pilates all begin?

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in Germany in 1883. As a child, Joe suffered many ailments including asthma so he turned to exercise and athletics to help. He studied various exercise routines and was transfixed with the idea of the classical Greek ideal of man with a balanced mind, body and spirit. Hence Pilates was born.

In 1912 Joe went to the U.K working as a defense instructor at Scotland Yard but at the outbreak of World War I he was interned as an “enemy alien”. Rather than wallow he refined his ideas by training other internees by rigging springs to hospital beds to enable patients to exercise against resistance. These contraptions were the innovation behind later equipment designs. 

In 1926 Joe headed to America meeting his wife Clara along the way. When they arrived they opened a studio near the New York ballet. This lead to many dancers and other athletes becoming his clients. Some of those clients then went on to open their own studios throughout the U.S.

Then Hollywood came calling and where the stars go the media follows. The pilates business boomed and entered the fitness mainstream.

Well we certainly can’t live without it. We can live without food for up to five weeks but we can only live without water for up to 5 days. In today’s world we cannot be certain exactly what is in the water we drink from the tap, or even the bottled water we buy. Is it pure water? What exactly is in our tap water and is it good for us?

In order to kill off harmful bacteria and other microorganisms to make clean water our drinking water is treated with a large number of chemicals. Along with these chemicals your water can contain toxic metal salts, hormones and pesticides, lead and more.

Chemicals typically found are:

• Chlorine
• Fluorine compounds
• Trihalomethanes (THMs)
• Arsenic, Radium, Aluminum, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Barium
• Hormones and Pharmaceuticals
• Nitrates
• Pesticides

Chlorine

According to Medical College of Wisconsin research team “The addition of chlorine to our drinking water began in the late 1800s and by 1904 was the standard

When growing microgreens in your VegeBox indoor hydroponic garden it's the smaller the better

Microgreens are simply young vegetable greens or seedlings of a vegetable, herb or edible flower. They don't need a lot of room so growing them in a Vegebox indoor hydroponic garden is easy. Succulent, slender but packing a powerful, nutritious, flavour punch, microgreens are increasing in popularity. While they may seem tender and delicate they are easy to germinate and with usually five days from seed to harvest, even the most impatient gardener will be happy.

Home hydroponics is very popular especially for those who do not have a garden or patio or live in small, high rise apartments. Size matters when you don't have a lot of space and the VegeBox indoor hydroponic garden is compact, sleek and can fit anywhere. Plus there is no digging and weeding to be done so more time to relax.

Hydroponic vs Soil

Hydroponic microgreens have some distinct advantage over soil grown. If you are impatient like me you will love hydroponics. Plants grow up to 50 percent faster than soil grown plants. They are chemical free and less susceptible to pests and disease. Being inside they are also safe from the bigger, furry variety of pest.

VegeBox - Indoor Hydroponic Gardens
Fresh food at your finger tips...

Spice up your life with red hot chilli peppers

Your VegeBox indoor hydroponic garden is not only for growing greens. Add a splash of colour and spice and grow your own red hot chilli or a tangle of juicy cherry tomatoes.

There are so many reasons to spice up your foods. A study by Harvard and China National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) found that eating spicy food for seven days a week — even just once a day — lowered mortality rates by 14 percent! (Note: if you skip the cooling alcoholic beverage you could live even longer)

The other exciting thing about spicy food is that once your brain has registered the ‘pain’ it immediately starts producing endorphins, those natural little happy makers that give you a rush. That’s maybe why it’s quite addictive, but not in a bad way!

If the pain gets too much just remember that the chemical in spicy food ‘capsaicin’ is also a fat-soluble molecule so can help you on your journey to lose weight if you need to. The little chilli sure packs a spicy punch.

Beware though that if you are going to add more spicy foods to your diet remember that processed foods, as with most takeaway, usually has large amounts of added sodium. So growing your own chilli at home in your VegeBox

If you can't handle the heat - you don't have to stay out of the infrared sauna

The benefits of regular sauna can seem too good to be true, it is a fountain of youth, you can lose excess weight, balance your hormones, reduce stress, detox, stave of anxiety, depression, memory loss, even Alzheimers, improve your circulation, get better sleep.... the list is endless.

But what's the point if you can't cope with the heat?

How long do you last in a sauna? It's a marathon sometimes just to stay in there sweating and heaving till you nearly pass out then running for the door to the plunge pool. The relatively new game in town is the infrared sauna with more benefits for less the heat. You can even buy a portable one for your own home where you can ditch the swimming costume and towel too.

What is Infrared sauna and why is it different?

The difference is in the hotness and how its used... bit like us really. Traditional saunas use steam to heat the air around the user to extreme levels while an Infrared Sauna directly heats the user with Infrared waves creating a ‘dry’ warmth.  With an infrared sauna, only about 20 percent of the heat goes to heat the air and the other 80 percent directly heats your body. A lot of people also find it easier to breathe than in a traditional type of sauna.

No one else will think of this one, a truly unique gift for pet lovers... make your own healthy dog treats.

We all know someone who loves their dog more than people. If you want to find a unique  gift for pet lovers that no one else will think of start here with our food dehydrators. Sound boring? It definitely won't be for them when they are making their own healthy dog treats. Or how about buying one for yourself and giving the treats as a gift! Either way they will love it.

Pet lovers love to know exactly what their doggy treats are made of. With unhealthy treats everywhere at the moment and overseas companies taking over some of our own brands what is in the doggy bag may not be such a treat.

Healthy Bite

There are many news items at the moment suggesting that here are some dangerous dog treats on the market that should be avoided at all costs. Some that can result in serious injury and even death. Beef jerky in particular. If you choose a unique gift for pet lovers from our a food dehydrator range they can make delicious and healthy beef jerky and other treats for their furry best friend at home in their own kitchen.

Click here from some delicious recipes for people and pups.

If you are anything like me when I hear that I have to exercise only "30 minutes a day' it makes me want to go and lie down. Half an hour can sometimes seem like an eternity especially when you are working out. So if I am going to do it I want to do it right and get the most out of my walking treadmill. I am sure you would too.

These tips may seem obvious to some but they weren't to me so I thought I would share them with other like minded souls. Good luck...

Good walking posture

Apparently, this is really important. No looking down at your phone the whole time and you must let go of the walking treadmill handrails, sorry. If you have to be entertained whilst walking you will have to prop up your device so that you are looking straight ahead otherwise it can lead to back and neck pain. We want to breath deep down into our bellies as we walk and run and bad posture will hinder that.

When you hang on to the handrails the whole time it reduces the effort you are putting in and therefore the amount of calories you might be trying to lose. Your feet and legs need to be carrying your weight to gain more from your workout.

So, before you hop on the treadmill give yourself a quick check over, roll your shoulders a few times, pull in your tummy a bit and tuck in your bum whilst tilting your pelvis slight forward. I know it seems like a difficult yoga pose but It sounds harder than it is. Most importantly, remember to breathe. Avoid shallow chest breathing and focus on deep belly breathing. 

People have been failing at their New Year's Resolutions for 4000 years. What makes me think I could do any better? It's been three days and I have already failed. At least back then the Babylonians were offering their resolutions up to God in the hope of improving the crop. Now we just offer them up to ourselves or our nearest and dearest who have no choice but to listen and nod along. But what do we get in return?

When looking at the top new year's resolutions I mostly notice this.. we have to give up, quit, try harder, be better, look better and on it goes. I think if we were going to do these things we would have already done them. Its just too hard especially with a hangover. I don't know about you but if someone or even myself tells me to do something, I just don't want to do it. It's the latent toddler in all of us. So by the time we get to the second week, or day in my case, of January, we start thinking 'bugger it' and go back to normal wishing we hadn't told anyone. And what we are left with is a little bit of guilt and self loathing. Perfect start to the New Year.

I like the old saying 'one day at a time' it's perfect for this time of year and any other. Instead of saying I must lose 10 kg this year to feel better about myself. Maybe just one day start the day with a cleansing juice and go for a walk

For lack of a better word - green is good and everyone seems to know it. It seems that "green juice diets" and "green juice detoxes" are becoming quite a popular health craze of late.

Seen in the media with celebrities and fitness enthusiasts alike promoting the benefits for weight loss, skin rejuvenation, improved energy levels and to generally cleanse the body. Beginning a green juice detox is quite a big under-taking, but your body will love you for it! There are many detox methods available today, from kits sold at health food shops, to fasting, to herbal mixtures. There is also the juice detox method which is best done with a juicer that produces a cold pressed juice.

A juice detox can be a solution to weight or existing health problems, and will you will certainly benefit if you also combine this with clean eating. Detoxing using the living juice method is not an easy task, and quite frankly it takes determination and support.

Although you can juice with all vegetables and some fruits, Green Juices, made from green vegetables, have an extensive effect on the body's organs, and aids in releasing toxins, particularly those found in the liver. Leafy green vegetables release chlorophyll into the liver to encourage the breakdown of toxins by neutralizing them and aids overall liver function.
When detoxing with a cold press juicer the juice stays alive for 48-72 hours without compromising its living properties. This means large amounts of juice can be extracted and stored for drinking later.

Drinking green juices is perfect for detoxes as it helps the liver and provides maximum amounts of energy with minimum amount of effort. High in chlorophyll, it acts as a medicine by intensifying the oxygen flow. An increase in

Are you looking for the next challenge in your fitness journey, or to add variety to your work-out? The VibroSlim Radial 3D now offers you the latest in vibration machine technology - 3d vibration, also known as tri-planar vibration.

This dual motor machine is the newest style of whole body vibration machine to enter the marketplace as it offers 3 vibration modes in 1 machine. Save money as you have the ability to choose from lineal, oscillating, or tri-planar vibrational movements, as the VibroSlim Radial 3D machine has 2 built-in motors with 3 manual modes and 3 pre-set automatic programs. This unique dual-motor machine offers all different users an effective machine where they can choose their mode, so it is extremely versatile.

The VibroSlim Radial 3D has been called the ultimate vibration machine, as it offers the benefits from all 3 types of vibration movements in one platform. Experience what was once considered impossible - strength training, weight loss, improved balance, increased circulation, muscle relaxation, massage, and functional movement - all in one unit!

Keen to start composting? Or perhaps you've tried composting before but were unsuccessful in creating that 'brown gold' compost soil that you've heard about? Don't give up now! With a few tips, you can easily turn your kitchen and garden waste into good quality, organic compost to feed your garden.

For the transformation of waste to compost soil to occur the right conditions need to be in place. You will need the right balance of oxygen, temperature, moisture, organic matter, and the right type and number of microorganisms.

The organic matter portion of the formula will need to be made up of the right levels of nitrogen and carbon to achieve optimum results. The levels of each will depend on your climate, composter location and the type of organic waste that you are adding.

But don't be disillusioned. While it sounds like you need a science degree to make composting work, you can rest assured that you don't. We are here to help you become the envy of your family, friends and neighbours with the best garden on the street!

Balancing Carbon & Nitrogen Waste

First things first; most waste produced from home users contains higher percentages of nitrogen from kitchen waste such as vegetables, fruits, leftovers, meats, coffee grounds etc. This therefore needs to be balanced in the compost with carbon waste from such things as straw, sawdust, leaves or shredded paper (just ensure the paper is not heavily printed).

If carbon based waste is not something that is included as part of your normal compost, adding some carbon material should be done each time you add compost. A good guide is a ratio of 10% carbon to the amount of compost you are adding from kitchen waste - this ensures an ideal balance of