Special
News

'A Taste of Gwinganna' at Aurora

As a special treat for our wonderful clients, we have been working closely with Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat to bring you something memorable.

From 14-16th July we will play host to two exceptional therapists from Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat.

This is the first time Aurora has hosted therapists from another retreat and follows on from Gwinganna's successful visit to Chiva-Som, Thailand in May.

This association presents a wonderful opportunity for guests at Aurora to experience outstanding specialty therapies, several of which were developed for Gwinganna. The specialty treatments include Rockupuncture, a unique blend of Japanese acupuncture and heated stones and Music to my Muscles which combines several different massage styles to a percussive soundtrack featuring indigenous wildlife. In addition, Sound and Stone therapy incorporates sound, meditation and bodywork with hot stones.

In addition to these specialty options, the therapists will also provide some well known therapies such as Japanese acupuncture, Ka Huna massage and hot stone therapy.

For further information or to make a booking, contact Aurora Spa Retreat on 03 9536 1130 or visit www.aurorasparetreat.com or www.gwinganna.com.

Booking availability with Gwinganna therapists is limited so be sure to book early!

Spa
Life

Wholefood Cooking

wholefood n. food that is eaten as close as possible to it's natural state, without unnecessary processing & refining.

When my daughter was little, I would ask her, as a parent does, was there anything she needed? 'Love me, feed me and hug me' was her reply, and still is. And here in this simple wisdom, lie the fundamentals of life. Food is not something that simply stops us from being hungry. It is exactly the same as love - an elemental human need. Together, they sustain and nourish us, providing fuel for our bodies and hearts to grow and our lives to fulfill their potential. But in order to do these things, it must be authentic and real.

Wholefood is about understanding the foundations of healthy food and eating - valuing food that is real. It begins with the premise that the more food is refined, processed, modified or boosted with chemicals, the more its inherent goodness is lost.

Wholesome food provides our body with the fuel it requires and it also tastes great. Including wholesome food in your life does not mean having mung bean patties for dinner if mung bean patties are not your thing. It does not mean having food that is horrible, but is 'healthy.' Wholesome and healthy food is not about being a purist; it's more about making sure you keep your food as real and clean as possible, and then doing the best you can every day.

There are many confusing wisdoms about what healthy eating actually is. Really though, it is quite simple. There are certain fundamental truths that form the basis of healthy, wholesome eating:

• Food should be good enough to eat: Food should be organic where possible. This will increase its nutrient density and reduce the pesticide load.
• Food should be real: That is, made with real ingredients rather than chemicals that mimic them. There are many toxic chemicals in the additives, flavours, colours and preservatives used in the commercial production of food.
• Focus on the quality of the food: Food should be as close as possible to its natural state and refined as little as possible. When food is refined there are nutrient losses, and no 'enriching' or adding back will make it whole again. But more importantly, when a food is whole with all the 'parts' (vitamins, minerals, fat, fibre, protein, carbohydrate etc) nature has put there intact and in their original ratio, optimum effectiveness is ensured. Milk is a good example: fat is an essential component of milk, containing the fat soluble vitamins A & D, which are essential for assimilation of calcium and protein.
• Eat in balance: Don't overload your body. Balance your food intake with vegetables, grains and added fruit & protein. Save that piece of organic homemade apricot pie for a special occasion and really enjoy it.
• Eat what suits your body: Some people have allergies to food such as the lactose in dairy. No one diet is right for everyone.
• Eat a wide range of foods: Include vegetables, grains and good quality protein such as meat, fish & eggs. Good quality fats (saturated, unsaturated and essential fatty acids) - from meat, eggs, fish, butter, yoghurt, cheese, cream milk, nuts, wholegrains and sea vegetables. Your body needs a range of nutrients across a wide range of food groups.
• Eat seasonally & locally: To eat seasonally is to be attuned to nature's wisdom. As the seasons change so does the way we cook. When we eat locally, we are truly embracing the 'whole' because good, healthy food links us directly with the riches that the ecosystem has to offer. Local and seasonal food is often cheaper in price than the conventional counterpart. Try buying direct from the grower, at a farmers market, or even direct from the farmer at the farm.
• Don't stress: It is important that you realize that you can only do the best you can at any given time.

It's true that cooking is not rocket science, but skill and knowledge should not be underestimated. This does not mean you have to be a chef - it means keep on being you, doing the best you can and when you do muck something up, you learn from it. As you learn how new ingredients behave and how a recipes works, wholesome cooking gets easier and quicker.

Spa
Cuisine

Incorporating wholesome food into your daily life

It is a fabulously worthwhile goal to want to include wholesome, nourishing food into your everyday life, and you will notice real changes when you start to eat more of it. But don't think you have to start at a purist level - for example, baking with wholegrain flours, rice or barley malt - if you are not yet up to that stage. You will probably end up with a disaster that no-one eat. What you make at home with butter, eggs, even raw sugar and white flour is still light years ahead of many commercial foods full of chemicals. If you have managed to use organic ingredients, you have done stunningly well.

If you buy commercially prepared foods, look for options that use real ingredients. Numbers and words you can't understand on an ingredient list are not a good sign. Consider this simple guideline: if you don't know what something is, don't buy it.

Without a doubt, the best advice I can give you is this: expect the transition to take some time. It doesn't happen overnight - I consider one to two years normal. It takes time to source appropriate foods and to find your own cheaper and more workable options. It also takes a while before you fully understand the whole idea of real food, adjust your approach to meal preparation and cooking and work out your own shortcuts.

The single easiest way to make this lifestyle workable is to plan your menu one week in advance. Making a menu plan enables you to do two or three things at once. For example, if you bake extra vegetables such as capsicum, zucchini, sweet potato etc, the extra can be used in a frittata or a sandwich the next day. Extra is good!

Show your children the delights of delicious, real pasta with an excellent, simple sauce. Serve it with a salad and let them know they have to eat it too - this is how we teach our children about great food and great eating habits.

Having a back up plan is very important. I am a big fan of cooking one or two meals (such as a soup or a pie) and having them on hand in the freezer. Some say freezing food diminishes its nutrition and life force, and I agree, but I would rather have something wholesome and real than nothing. Having nothing means you are starving, stressed out and ready to eat anything that crosses your path - usually commercially inferior and damaged snacks made from refine carbohydrate. Knowing you have something on hand saves much stress during the day.

To find out more about Jude Blereau and her wholefood philosophy and wonderful wholefood recipes go to www.wholefoodcooking.com.au. Judes books are published by Murdoch Books. Jude teaches classes throughout Australia across the year. To find out when Jude will be running a wholefood cooking course in Melbourne refer to www.wholefoodcooking.com.au.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is a superb, hearty meal to have on a cold winter's night topped with puff or shortcrust pastry. Serves 4-6

Butter or olive oil (for frying) 1 red onion, finely sliced lengthways
80g swiss brown (or Portobello) mushrooms, quartered or sliced if large
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 carrots finely diced
2-3 teaspoons Kelpamare*
1-2 corb cobs, kernels only
4 organic chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, diced
2 tablespoons plain unbleached flour
250ml vegetable stock
250ml milk (dairy or soy)
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
450g shortcrust pastry

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter (or oil) in a large frying pan. Ad the onion, mushrooms and thyme and sauté over a low heat for 10-15 min until the onions & mushrooms are lightly coloured. Add the carrots and 2 teaspoons of Kelpamare. Cover with a lid and continue to cook for 10-15 min over a low heat or until the carrots are just about cooked.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Add the corn and chicken to the pan, cook over a higher heat for aprox 10 minutes or until the chicken is nearly cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually mix in the flour, stock and milk. Return to the heat and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and gently boils. Add the parsley and pepper and check for taste. You may need to add a little more Kelpamare.
3. Meanwhile, roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick to cover a 1.25-1.5 litre capacity ovenproof baking dish and top with the pastry. Using a knife, make 2 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the pastry is cooked and golden.

* Kelpamare is a sauce than enhances flavour to meat and vegetable dishes. Contains extracts of kelp, roasted red onion and spices. You'll find this at a good food store such as Essential Ingredient.

Spa
Body

Skin Deep

Just about everyone experiences dry skin at some stage in their lives. Dry skin can be caused by any number of factors both internal and external. External factors may include change of season, exposure to climatic extremes, UV damage, topical application of an inappropriate product, and lifestyle. Internal factors could include ageing which often goes hand in hand with loss of elastin, a diet low in good fats and oils, and hormonal imbalance.

During winter, our skin is particularly subject to external influence. As the air temperature cools, air is less able to hold onto water so the humidity levels decrease. Each of us has a natural skin barrier that is meant for locking in moisture. When the temperature goes down, the skin barrier is often disrupted rendering the skin prone to dry, flaky and irritated conditions.

A well-functioning skin barrier is made up of fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol. Whilst consuming a diet with well balanced levels of the latter, a good moisturiser is often the key to getting your skin through winter by rebalancing the skin barrier and restoring the balance of beneficial fats to keep your skin in peak condition. Fatty acids such as stearic acid, evening primrose oil and ceramides are great ingredients to look for in your winter moisturiser.

A healthy diet rich in natural oils including salmon and sardines, avocado, almonds and sulphur rich foods such as eggs will assist in keeping skin supple and nourished from the inside. Taking borage seed or evening primrose oil supplements may assist even further with keeping the skin barrier intact. Foods rich in vitamin A and C help delay the ageing process and reducing your alcohol intake will ensure your precious internal hydration stays with your skin. Smoking is detrimental to the health in many ways and is one of the leading culprits for skin dehydration and ageing, so if you won't quit for health's sake, quit for your skin and for maintaining your youthful looks!

When investing in a quality moisturiser, you want to ensure it is working as effectively as it possibly can. It is for this reason that regular, gentle exfoliation is so important to keep skin looking fresh and to remove any dry, dead surface skin that would otherwise hinder the absorption of your moisturiser.

There are a couple of methods of exfoliation but the most common are that of mechanical or chemical. Mechanical exfoliants help eliminate dry surface skin by using ingredients that physically buff the skin such as micro granules of rice bran or oatmeal. Mechanical exfoliation can be highly effective, but is not so suited to skin that is highly sensitive or with broken capillaries. If you enjoy the feeling of a mechanical exfoliant but are concerned that your skin may react badly, you can use a flannel or cloth to remove your daily cleanser. This is even more effective if your cleanser contains ingredients such as lavender, rose absolute, rose otto, sandalwood, carrot seed or rosehip essential oils. These oils work to absorb deeply into the layers of the epidermis where they can provide profound rejuvenation by stimulating cell turnover.

Chemical exfoliations have come a long way since their inception and provide an exfoliation solution for more sensitive and irritated skin types. Chemical exfoliation utilizes chemicals such as alpha hydroxy acids or AHA's (including malic acid found in apples, tartaric acid in red wine and tomato, citric acid in citrus fruits, lactic acid in milk and yoghurt), beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid in willowbark), retinol (a derivative of vitamin A), enzymes (such as bromelain found in pineapples) and phytic acid found in rice bran.

AHA's exfoliate the skin by dissolving the dead surface skin. They usually come in a mask-type formulation whereby you apply the exfoliant to the skin, leave it to work for 10-15 minutes, then wipe or rinse off with a cloth and warm water.

Armed with the apt winter skin artillery there is no need to put up with imperfect flaky skin this winter. Just ensure you're stocked up with winter-appropriate skin care tools and take good care of yourself too.

Spa
Events

Top 10 Beauty Products to wash away your winter blues

Help prevent moisture loss and skin dehydration this winter with a selection of new and much loved products from our favourite brands.

Order direct with us before 30th June to receive free delivery and a complimentary signature treatment upgrade voucher (valued at $30).

Infuse the skin with organically grown fruits & vegetables by selecting from our hot signature facial favourite or naturally nettle duo.

Ilcsi Nettle Cleansing Concentrate & Grape or Rosehip Whip Moisturiser $90
Remove dry surface skin and lock in moisture with Ilcsi's soft and gentle Nettle Cleansing Concentrate. Containing organic nettle, linseed and lemongrass this full sized cleanser comes with our compliments when purchasing Ilcsi's Grape or Rosehip Whip moisturisers.

Ilcsi Paprika Herbal Treatment $95
Tighten and nourish with this exfoliating mask of natural fruit acids and stimulating pure Hungarian cherry paprika. A refreshing cocktail for radiant skin and instant glow.

Hydrate & repair with Aurora's pure and naturally sourced treatment products formulated with therapeutic levels of active botanicals.

Aurora Spa Rituals Botanical Hair Masque $39.90
Regenerate, moisturise and strengthen your hair for a big night out or spa night in, with this rich and nourishing botanical treatment. A leave in treatment best applied in the bath with a cup of your favourite tea.

Aurora Spa Rituals Ultra Rich Body Cream $64.90
Provide a hydration boost for the skin with this deeply nourishing and luxurious blend of shea butter, to soften, grapeseed, macadamia and olive oils, to nourish, carrot oil, to protect, and wheat germ, to soothe. Best applied with tender loving care.

High in antioxidants with a mega boost of vitamin C our newly launched Arovita C range will help to combat free radical damage reducing wrinkles and improving skin tone over winter.

Darphin Arovita C Line Response Cream $130
Boost the skin's natural collagen production and protect against environmental assaults for smoother, more supple and radiant looking skin.

Darphin Arovita C Firming Serum $110
Address the first signs of ageing whilst re-energising the skin's natural glow with this exquisitely scented vitamin enriched firming serum.

Darphin Arovita C Tangerine Oil $95
This stimulating citrus scented elixir nourishes and revitalizes for a youthfully smooth and radiant looking complexion.

Plunge into the world of marine cosmetics and visibly improve skin texture with these high performance French formulations for dull, puffy or dehydrated skin.

Phytomer Peeling Vegetal $46
Look younger, fresher and more radiant with this gentle, effective exfoliating mask that eliminates impurities and has the added bonus of moisturising whilst it smoothes.

Phytomer Eye Lift Contour $72
Conserve the youthful appearance of eyes with this penetrating gel to lessen under-eye circles and eliminate puffiness.

Phytomer Hydra Nourishing Serum $69
Provide instant comfort for dehydrated skin with this non greasy marine based serum to restore the ideal level of moisture for soft, supple skin.

Spa
Shop

NEW Kitya Karnu Signature Kit

A nourishing and hydrating skin smoothing body treatment.

Eliminate impurities, restore elasticity and improve skin texture with this signature body treatment influenced by native water rituals and Australian healing wisdom. Incorporates a stimulating body exfoliation, aromatic oil hydration, remineralising botanical soak and nourishing hair and scalp treatment.

$99.90 (valued at $152)

This kit contains Aurora's favourite products used within the Kitya Karnu Signature treatment and includes instructions on how to re-create your own signature spa experience at home. This kit includes Aurora's Botanical Hair Masque, Lavender Bliss Buff & Bath Soak, Lavender & Patchouli Body & Bath Oil and Spa Rituals Exfoliating Mitt.

Eco
Spa

Simplify your Skincare Part II

In our last edition of Keeping in Touch we highlighted some commonly used synthetic base ingredients in skincare preparations that can be irritating and harmful to the skin.

Most of these synthetic ingredients are immediately identified by their names which often sound like a chemical concoction within themselves. However, not every skin care product is built around harmful ingredients. There are some truly intelligent products and brands on the market that stay true to their green campaigns by following their philosophies on being natural and botanical though to their product formulations.

Unless you know what you're looking for, it can be hard to understand which ingredients are the 'good' ones. So we've given you a bit of a brief of commonly used botanical ingredients and explained what their role is within the product:

• Lecithin: a plant fat derived from soybeans with skin protection. It is used as an emulsifier and surfactant to keep ingredients in products blended.
• Sodium Chloride: is Sea Salt
• Potassium Sorbate: a food grade yeast and mould inhibitor.
• Sodium Citrate: Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid. It is used to regulate the pH of products.
• Soy Protein: Soy is an excellent conditioning and softening ingredient rich in essential amino acids.
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: A natural emollient that is usually obtained from coconut oil, however it can also be sourced from palm kernel oil and other natural vegetable oils. Its light texture provides excellent spreadability and smoothness during product application.
• Glycerin: A natural humectant derived from palm kernel oil, excellent for smoothing and moisturising the skin, helps to prevent moisture loss and skin dehydration.
• Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate: A gentle, cleansing and foaming ingredient derived from a natural fatty acid (from coconut). Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is a derivative of coconut oil and the amino acid, sarcosine. It is skin friendly and has the unusual ability of producing a very rich lather in the presence of oil - the more the oil, the richer the lather!
• Hyaluronic Acid: of plant origin, it is added to products to provide high moisture retention. It is superb at water retention (up to a thousand times its volume) making it a valuable ingredient in moisturisers and serums.
• Xanthan Gum: also known as corn sugar gum, xanthan gum is used in cosmetics as a thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer.

There are, of course, thousands of other possible ingredients in cosmetics preparations that are of varying origins that make it difficult to fully understand everything on your cosmetic label.

As with food labels, it is worthwhile to take your time to read the ingredient listing of your body and skin care products and make the effort to learn about basic ingredients. It will empower you to have the ability to make an informed choice on your own body products and to know that there are options available for those who wish to steer away from synthetics.

Spa
Comp

Win one of 8 Kitya Karnu Signature Kits this winter

Purchase a Kitya Karnu Signature Treatment gift voucher online anytime before 30th June 2009 and go into the draw to win a skin smoothing and body nourishing Kitya Karnu Signature kit to take home.

We will be giving away 2 kits every week in the lead up to 30th June. Simply purchase a Kitya Karnu Signature Treatment gift voucher on-line before 30th June. Each Kitya Karnu gift voucher purchase gives you an entry into the draw giving you the chance to enter and win as many times as you like.

To enter, email your online order number to:
competition@aurorasparetreat.com.

Weekly winners will be notified by email. Good luck!

Spa
Guru

The New Era of Bathing

I'd really like to do more 'at home' spa treatments but I don't know what basics I need to get started. Any suggestions?

There are so many fabulous products on the market that it is relatively easy to re-create the spa experience at home. All you need is an hour to yourself, a lock on the bathroom door (preferable!) and a bit of patience.

The home spa experience can encompass anything from a facial, pedicure or body treatment so your first step is to determine what it is that needs the most attention.

In winter, the skin on the face is often the most ravaged and neglected so as a start I would suggest to have a go at giving yourself a regular facial. The first step is to ensure you've got the right products for your skin type. I would recommend having a facial with an experienced beauty therapist to begin with, discuss your needs and they will prescribe for you the suitable products to continue your home care rituals.

Most beauty therapists would prescribe, at a bare minimum, a good cleanser, exfoliant and moisturiser. To really ramp things up and ensure you're getting the full facial benefits, I would recommend you also use a toner, mask, serum and eye care that is appropriate to your skin type or skin condition.

A full facial at home should take you around 40 minutes, with some of the products working at their best when left on for 10 minutes or so. Take advantage of this time by drawing a hot bath filled with a lusciously hydrating body oil such as Aurora's Lavender & Patchouli Body and Bath Oil and sinking in for some well deserved time out. At a time when we're being more conservative than ever with our water usage, the wonderful thing about the Aurora products is that they have completely natural ingredients, so once the bath water cools you can scoop the water out and pour it onto your garden bed without harming your plants, so you needn't feel guilty about having a bath.

A regular facial routine every 3-4 weeks is ideal and will put you well on the way to getting though winter with a beautiful, glowing complexion. Of course, you can't always avoid your children or husband spoiling the peace for you, which is where we come in, but it's a great way to try to create some time and space for yourself regularly.

Send an email to spaguru@aurorasparetreat.com to have your spa related questions answered. We'll try to answer as many of your questions as possible in our next issue of Keeping in Touch.

Aurora Spa Retreat
2 Acland Street
St Kilda VIC 3182
T 03 9536 1130
F 03 9525 3729
E info@aurorasparetreat.com