Interview with Sans Journal

Sans: What do you do to stay healthy and balanced?

While I’m very health conscious, I also always ensure that I take a balanced approach to this in itself. I mostly live by the 80/20 ‘rule’ in that I’ll eat well for the majority of the time, but will happily indulge (in moderation) if it so takes my fancy. I never want my healthy lifestyle to stop me from socializing, eating out with friends, or from living in the moment…which may well mean enjoying a dairy, fat and sugar laden ice cream on a sunny day at the beach! A healthy mind is so important to our wellbeing, so I think that we have to take daily pleasure in the choices we make for our health. The things I love that help keep me healthy and balanced are:

Yoga, daily green juices, regular meditation, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, whole-food based supplements, laughter, daily sunshine, Ayurvedic ‘tongue scraping’ first thing in the morning, drinking warm, purified water throughout the day and consciously making the effort to switch off from technology whenever possible. I find that it can subconsciously takes away our ability to ‘live in the moment’ if we are constantly trying to capture/share ‘the moment’ with others!

Sans: Any health causes that mean a lot to you?

I support Oxfam as I am conscious that so many of us in the Western world are blessed with healthful options such ‘organic, fresh, purified, activated, super-foods, gluten-free etc’ but a huge proportion of the world don’t even have access to the basics to sustain life. Oxfam helps enable access to nutritious foods for those less fortunate, and the charity is also a huge advocate for the fair-trade industry, which I encourage and support whenever I can.

Sans: Is there anything about your diet you would like to share with us?

I’ve always had a mad sweet tooth, so I’ve learnt to indulge this in more healthy ways. I love stevia to sweeten baked goods and hot chocolates, and frequently use high protein ingredients such as eggs, nuts, seeds and almond meal for more sustained energy release and stable blood sugar levels.

Sans: What do you do on a typical day?

It starts very ‘green’ with green tea followed by a green juice while I respond to emails, update the blog and interact on the Renée Naturally social media pages. After breakfast, I write posts for the blog, or work on freelance health writing projects for various magazines and websites. I also see patients for Naturopathic consultations in two Sydney clinics, and via Skype. I alternate between yoga and dance classes in the evening, and then play in the kitchen with recipe creations before chilling out to read a book or catch up on an episode of my fave TV series’ (currently Breaking Bad). A typical weekend involves much of the same, scattered with vintage shopping, Sydney exploring, & dining out (generally not the ‘fine’ kind…Chinatown is a regular haunt).

Sans: How do you exercise?

I need to keep it varied as I get bored easily and like the energy I get from exercising with other people! I do belly dancing, power, yin & hatha yoga, and the occasional run where MJ keeps me company on my headphones.  I don’t own a car so I’m always out and about walking, which I love.

Sans: Must haves in the pantry?

Coconut oil, almond meal, apple cider vinegar, chia seeds, quinoa, stevia, medjool dates, brown rice flour, dandelion root, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, nuts & seeds, hijiki seaweed, healthy home-baking (I seem to easily convince myself that there is always a ‘need’ for this). I make weekly visits to my local Indian market in Sydney, so my spice shelf is now overflowing…having so many exotic, natural flavour-enhancing options on hand keeps me experimenting!

Sans: Favorite artists, musicians, writers or other forms of inspiration?

While working, I listen to the likes of Angus & Julia Stone, Feist, Bon Iver, Boy & Bear & Erykah Badu. Culinary-wise, I’m inspired by Jamie Oliver’s balanced food philosophy, but generally get recipe inspiration from personal cravings!  I’m most inspired on a daily basis by my incredibly supportive & creative girlfriends, who are always sending me ideas for blogs to check out, books to read, films to watch etc.

Sans: What are your go to beauty products?

Lavera Coconut and Vanilla deodorant (a natural deodorant that actually works!), Perfect Potion eye cream, KORA Organics exfoliator, ecostore vanilla & coconut body wash, Theodore lipstick.  I choose products from (genuinely) natural brands that don’t compromise on efficacy and style. I also use coconut oil as a hair mask and almond oil as an eye make-up remover. I’m currently experimenting with making home-made beauty products, the results of which I’ll be sharing on my blog. I’m most excited about creating my own perfume, using essential oil combos that won’t scream ‘hippy’!