Nicole Voorhout is not a super model, nor is she a TV soap star or socialite with a personal trainer and nutritionist on hand. However, thanks to personal dedication and visits to Hypoxi, Nicole has achieved inspirational results that we at the Femme Files would like to share with you.

At size 24 and only 35 years old, Nicole struggled with the daily tasks of carrying the shopping up a flight of stairs, was apprehensive about finding love and deeply affected by her appearance. With her health at risk, Nicole realised she needed to take back control of her life. That was only 18 months ago. Through self discipline and Hypoxi treatments, Nicole is now a fragment of her former self- a petite size 10 who despite dropping from a size 24 much has gained more and is an inspiration to others.

Nicole tried Hypoxi in an attempt to lose kilos from her stubborn areas and help tighten and tone her skin which had lost elasticity due to her weight loss. Although a sceptic at first she was quickly proved otherwise “Even when my weight loss should have been slowing down, I was losing 37 cm from my hips, bum and thighs in 12 sessions of Hypoxi. Hypoxi kept me motivated to reach my final goal.”

So as you start setting your 2011 New Year resolutions, perhaps keep Hypoxi in mind as a tool to help you reach your weight loss goals. If Nicole can drop from a size 24 to a toned and terrific size 10 to take back control, there is no reason you can’t achieve anything you dedicate yourself to next year.

From the FF

For more information or to find your closest HYPOXI studio visit us at www.hypoxi.com.au

Anti-depressants are common place in this day and age. While these little pills are rarely broadcast in every day social circles, I can assure you that at least one close acquaintance, friend or family member relies on these for the sake of sanity.

There is without question some people who need anti-depressants in order to function day in day out. For those who know that their anxiety and stress is indeed, ‘all in the mind’ take heart with the mounting body of evidence that reinforces the importance of exercise and mental wellbeing.

In fact, research evidence on the affects of exercise and mental health demonstrate that your daily sweat session can be more effective than your prescription when it comes to stopping anxiety in its tracks.

What is more convincing about exercise and your health is its affects long term. While your brain may become resistant to the affects of drugs over the course of time, exercise is the only treatment that keeps on giving. Simply put, your brain on exercise will never cease to gain a natural high. (Although I would like to suggest the prospect of a morning jog still remains somewhat depressing to me)

Take a look at this study completed at Appalachian State University in 2008, where individuals, diagnosed with high level anxiety, were allocated into two groups – exercise group or non- exercise group. The team who exercised consistently came back with anxiety levels far below the group who opted for the recliner and day time TV re-runs. Then there was another 2008 study conducted at Southern Methodist University which demonstrated that a two week exercise protocol resulted in a clinically significant drop in high level anxiety.

So how does exercise quash anxiety levels?

Physically, we release feel-good neurotransmitters and reduce inflammation which can make us sick. Furthermore, the increase in body temperature has a restorative almost calming effect on the body.

Physiologically, exercise turbo chargers our confidence while also providing a much needed distraction from typical first world problems. Exercise puts our brain in the now – rather than the imminent future.

The problem with exercise?

It is not a prescription, or a structured form of treatment. Sure, you can commit to a twelve week body transformation, but what next?

This is why at Hypoxi, we encourage our clients to continue a healthy lifestyle on the days they don’t work out at Hypoxi.

And we also encourage a regime that is big on consistency not intensity.

Exercise is a choice. A commitment to your mental longevity and one that needs to be sustained.

Working out only has its benefits for a few hours post session – thereafter, it is up to you to set the wheels in motion.

While research has only ever been conducted on aerobic forms of exercise, at the end of the day, finding a style of exercise you enjoy is the only way you can start to reduce your worries. No point in adopting a militant marathon regime when the sheer thought of said workout sends you into mental overdrive.

And although a daily exercise regime is so much harder to implement then a quick trip to your local pharmacy, you will only succeed in being a more positive, enthusiastic person in the future for you and your loved ones.

How about you? Has exercise helped you stop worrying and keep the peace? Tell us what helped in the Comments, below!

Australian entrepreneur Teisha Lowry is the brains and natural beauty behind INDAH, a deluxe range of all natural and purely organic body care, fragrances and virgin coconut oil.  Teisha is passionate about creating beauty products that are honest; the INDAH range is produced in Australia using only certified organic ingredients. Sustainable beauty and ethical values are at the heart of the brands identity, which makes her the perfect Inspirational Femme! We caught up with Teisha for a chat about her holistic range…

What motivated you to create INDAH?

The organic industry has reached a whole new dimension where the effects of pure ingredients are being exploited by so many beauty brands. I realised this when I was studying Aromatherapy, and how important it is to put ‘real’ organic ingredients such as pure essential oils on our skin. It’s taken me a long time to discover the psychological and physiological effects toxins have on the body, I’m still learning but my brand allows me to voice my knowledge and experiences with my customers.

Does INDAH have a mission statement, if so, what is it?

INDAH provides Australian made, beautifully Australian made body care products, perfume and virgin coconut oil. By respecting and working harmoniously with humanity and the environment.

Who is your biggest female inspiration?

I love Stella McCartney, her approach to sustainable fashion and ethical values are the heart of her brand’s identity. Like Stella, we try and communicate our beliefs through our entire product range. I hope to follow in her footsteps one day.

What are the best aspects of running your own business?

I’m fortunate enough to do what I love – I’m very passionate about INDAH, because it’s like an extension of my personality, and that’s why its not just another beauty brand sitting on the shelf, it’s everything that I love all rolled into one. There are so many elements of running my business that I love, but mostly I like to know who my customers are, I like to have a personal connection with them, because it helps me to help them help themselves.

What is your ‘must-have’ product in the range?

Virgin Coconut Oil, it’s my No.1 beauty secret. I have been using this miracle oil for years, it has worked wonders for my skin and it keeps my insides healthy too. It’s organic, affordable, smells delish, you can eat it and cook with it. It’s the base of all of my products, I use it as the base for the whole collection, because it carries the ingredients into the bloodstream where it can detoxify and help replenish and renew cells.

What are your greatest tips for looking good and feeling great?

Looking at things as a whole, so taking a step back and taking a look at your whole life is crucial for feeling and looking great. So not to focus on one or two areas, but understand that it all flows into each other. Some of my tips are:

• Eat organic free-range grass fed foods
• Find ways to deal with stress on a spiritual and emotional level.
• Give back to the environment and humanity.
• Seek natural and alternative medicines.
• Apply pure ingredients on your skin – that means reading your ingredients list.

For further info visit: www.indah.com.au

 Out of all the grains, quinoa has one of the highest amounts of protein – similar to a glass of milk.

It also has all 8 essential amino acids found in meat and is considered a complete protein. For vegetarians, quinoa offers a rare opportunity to eat a food source with all the nutrition value of meat sans the animal.

Although minimal, quinoa also has the highest fat content out of all grains, so it is wise to store your dry grain in the fridge to prevent it from becoming rancid.

And before I get too carried away and start waxing lyrical about this grain

…it actually isn’t a grain.

If I am to get seriously botanical on you it is a seed belonging to the Goosefoot family.

And who doesn’t love a good Goosefoot?

Finally, the trendy colors you see quinoa come in offers no more nutrition than the typical white seed, and is double the price.

 So save your pennies and go white- unless you are cooking to impress.

But how do you cook the stuff?

Just like rice – when cooked, quinoa becomes slightly translucent, the outer germ surrounding the ‘seed’ breaks and forms a crunchy coil. Super yummy!

 A word of advice. Soak your quinoa for a few minutes prior to cooking and rinse, rinse, rinse. Quinoa has a bitter coating called saponin which may affect the final product.

And, when you have mastered the art of quinoa cooking – have a crack at these amazing recipes below.

Move quinoa from the shadows of a side dish and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a delicious afternoon baked snack!

1.    Quinoa Bircher

2.    Quinoa Coconut and Salted Peanut Butter Cookie Dough…OMG

3.    Quinoa Spinach Bake

4.    Quinoa Cinnamon Bake

5.    Quinoa Burgers

6.    Quinoa Pilaf

Pray tell us – how do you enjoy yours?

Here at Hypoxi we are a little obsessed with nice smells. Pretty candles, oil burners, incense sticks.

We’ve even got our own herb garden.

Our obsession with drenching our office with ‘eau de nature’ has meant we have recently been seen selecting essential oils for there therapeutic quality – not just for prettiness alone.

One can note the change in tone over the week as our office moves from ‘uplifting’ Monday notes to serious ‘stress busting’ Friday hues.

Needless to say – we thought we would share with you our favorite oils for eradicating office stress, which, let’s be honest, usually cuts in within the first hour of the working week!

Now before you think Hypoxi HQ have become a bunch of heathen hippies, just give these a go – you would be surprised at how excellent they are for boosting concentration and beating the odd office hangover or two.

So, as tested by the crew, here are our tried and true essential office oils:

Lavender: Who doesn’t love a hint of lavender?  Lavender contains two compounds, linalool and linalyl acetate, that have been scientifically proven to relieve stress and anxiety. Together, these compounds boost short term memory and activate certain brain waves that are linked to the conscious mind being switched off.

Lemon balm: The office favorite – has a strong historical legacy, having been used medicinally throughout Europe to combat stress, anxiety and insomnia. While commonly prescribed to alleviate a busy mind – lemon balm has also been shown to boost memory. In a 2003 British study, students that were given lemon balm capsules excelled over those given a placebo in a memory test.

Rosemary: A staple in our herb garden, Rosemary has been scientifically proven to reduce the stress hormone, cortisol. Mixing it with lavender seems to be a winning combination both in scent and affect. (As noted by our office)

Vanilla: While every well stocked kitchen has a bottle of vanilla essence – we bet you didn’t realise it had therapeutic properties too. Not only good for the office bake off – vanilla essence is  an anti-depressant as well. A compound known as Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde, is a proven anti-depressant and mood enhancer. So next time you are feeling the Monday blues have some vanilla ice-cream over chocolate.

Perhaps you won’t feel so bad after eating the whole tub!

The benefits of green tea go beyond the social and if you haven’t already ventured down this caffeine alternative – here are a few reasons why you should commit to a greener choice this year:

Your Weight and Green Tea:

As most of us are still holding onto those post Christmas kilo’ s green tea might be just what the doctor ordered. According to a recent American study, EGCG, a compound found in green tea, can actually slow the rate at which we gain weight by as much as 45%.  Admittedly, you would need to drink 10 cups of tea a day – but the amount of time spent hovering over a boiling kettle could act as that necessary fridge distraction.

Your Anxiety and Green Tea:

No one can dispute the therapeutic and comforting effect of a hot warm drink. However green tea has the added bonus of theanine a component that increases the feel good amino acid GABA in the brain. Theanine is a natural dopamine booster and can stimulate relaxing alpha brainwaves not uncommon to the response seen by daily meditation. Theanine also counteracts the effects of caffeine in green tea- which is why you can achieve mental clarity without the buzz coffee so often brings.

Your Flat Tummy and Green Tea:

Have your cake and eat it too with a cup of green tea! Recent research at Penn State University showed that drinking green tea with your high sugar carbs helped to reduce the sharp rise in blood sugar by up to 50%! Shoot for just one cup with your meal to offset any potential insulin spike.

Your Eyes and Green Tea:

If looking good is a priority then you must have the eyes to watch what you eat! In a recent study published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists demonstrated that the potent level of antioxidants found in green tea could help ward off glaucoma. The benefits of these antioxidants on eye health can last up to 20 hours, so for best prevention a daily ritual of green tea – not the sporadic cup or two is a must.

Your IQ and Green Tea:

Those who drink green tea might just be smarter than you think.  In a recent Chinese study green tea was shown to boost memory and spatial learning.  Once again this was due to the EGCG compound present in green tea. In the study, mice were set in a maze and trained for a week to find a hidden platform. Those that were given EGCG needed less time to relocate the hidden platform.  Who knows, perhaps that extra cup of green tea will stop you from misplacing your phone or keys on a semi-regular basis?

And if you find the prospect of green tea a bitter sweet experience – why not add a slice of lemon, dollop of honey or opt for a flavored variety?  It certainly won’t inhibit the antioxidant potential and you might just find yourself making more than a cup!

I won a genetic lottery – for the past few centuries we have defined beauty not just as health and symmetry….but also as tall slender figures of femininity with white skin.

In a raw and honest speech, Victoria’s Secret model Cameron Russel divulges all and reminds us how superficial images define our concept of beauty.

While most of us think that models have it all in terms of success and happiness, Russel says, “models are some of the most physically insecure people on the planet,” and the narrow minded view of good looks feeds this “legacy of gender and racial oppression.”

This is an exquisite, frank and bold speech and a must watch for all Australian women.

In an Australian study of Women’s Health, 72% of the young women surveyed aged between 18 to 22 years wanted to weigh less and only 25% of those in the healthy weight range were happy with their current weight. 

In the video, Russel shows just how dramatic the ‘photo shop’ affect is and provides a real world look at who models are behind the veneer of magazines.

Take a look.

Bad Eggs

Or eggs from unhappy chickens. If we are adamant about change and creating a livestock industry that is ethical and humane we need to start embracing our own buying power. Further to the point pasture raised, free range chicken have as much as 2/3rds more vitamin A, 3 times more vitamin E and 7 times more beta carotene than their conventional counterpart. Since organic butchers are a rare find, build report with a butcher you trust and who can tell you where your meat has come from.  If you have to travel a little further than buy in bulk and freeze for later!

Margarine

Even if it apparently ‘lowers cholesterol’ it is often filled with genetically modified trans fat, fat that is highly unstable, oxidizes easily in the body and causes free radical damage. If you live in the city, you are already exposed to enough free radicals as it is. Stick to the real stuff and embrace butter please!

Fizzy Drinks

Fizzy drinks are without a doubt a top offender on the modern food chain; a highly processed, sugar water that acidifies the body and interrupts mineral balance.   Improper mineral balance is what leads to a host of problems prevalent in old age – particularly osteoporosis. For the sake of good bones and healthy teeth, drink water!

Processed Meats

Don’t get me wrong – I am all for a nice piece of bacon with my eggs, but give me a hunk of good quality bacon from an Australian free range pork any day over the suspect pink fillets vacuumed packed from the supermarket. Minus the numbers, guar gums and weird additives, REAL PORK with a little fat attached has up to 2800 IU of Vitamin D per 100 grams. Given that we are so deficient in Vitamin D…perhaps it is time to put a bit of pork on your fork?

Low Fat Yoghurt

Once again, low fat yoghurt is actually so tasty because of the amount of sugar in it. Also, with the amount of fat removed to make it 99% fat free, several guar gums and thickening agents, often that are very difficult to digest, are added back in to give the ‘liquid goop’ apparent thickness. It goes without saying- buy the real yoghurt and enjoy the feel of real fat and taste in your mouth. WARNING your waistline will not be affected.

Vegetarian Mock Meat

Now before you think I am slaying into vegetarians, think again. I am all for implementing more plant foods into ones diet, and am happy to indulge in a vegetarian meal or two throughout the day, but for goodness sake vegetarian mock meats are exactly what they lay claim to be. FAKE! Filled with endocrine disrupting soy (lay off the soy if you have any hormonal problems) gluten and genetically modified wheat, most vegetarian meats are as bad for you as processed deli meat, if not worse. If you want plant protein, stick to soy foods in their natural state (like Tempeh) and try to include a wide variety of vegetables.

Conventional Milk

If you want milk, support happy cows that have been reared humanely and with the proper nourishment required. Organic milk from pasture raised cows has as much as 2/3^rd’s more Omega 3’s than the conventional counterpart.

The extra money you pay for organic milk is marginal. Knowing you are contributing to a farmer who is committed to feeding and nourishing their cows at a cellular level is priceless.

Anything that you find hard to portion control

For me it is ice cream. Hence despite my desire to cut back on my packaged goods, if I buy ice cream, I buy it in individual tubs. No need to double dip then. Any food that tempts you to eat more is always going to be unhealthy. Whether it’s a 1kg of apples, a jar of almond butter or block of chocolate- none of them are good for you, if you can’t stop at one serving.

If you can easily have a block of chocolate in your cupboard and restrain yourself to only one row (better yet, just a piece) then go ahead and enjoy it. While your in heaven, have pity on us weaker souls. Anyone who has self control around chocolate is truly a god amongst (wo)men. I bow to your strength.

We all saw the shots of Miranda Kerr and her colleagues, strutting their stuff at the David Jones Swimwear launch recently.

And with the spate of warm weather hitting our shores it is hard not to get a little bit worried about the pending swimming cossie season that is upon us!

Rather than letting these photos intimidate you – relish the fact that in this day and age- the beauty products available to the wealthy elite are just as accessible and affordable for the average Australian women who wants it all and by 5pm today. If you have a 24 hour deadline to feel sexy in your LBD, it can be done and without stress.

So, for your own sake, take a look at the guide below and reap the benefits of a shiny happy body inside and out!

1. Drink lots of water. Water can also come in the form of herbal tea and coconut water. Creating an all round glow begins with hydrating your skin at a cellular level. Stimulating your body’s lymphatic system with water is the cheapest, most effective way of ‘detoxing’ and will encourage your body’s process of skin renewal. And new is always so much better than old!
2. On the topic of drinks please steer clear of fizzy drinks. Apart from the obvious suspect origins, soft drinks are often to blame for that blown up tummy you so often complain about.
3. Exfoliate, paying particular attention to those rough patches around your ankles, knees and elbows. Hypoxi LOVES Model Co’s Tan Prep Body Polish. This is another way of stimulating your body’s skin renewal process. Something which is halted when you start baking in the sun for too long.
4. Get a spray tan or use an easy fake tan. We also LOVE Model Co’s TAN Air Brush in a Can And if you want to further cheat the system, once your base coat is applied, create muscle contour by going over areas such as your triceps. Drawing a line from your elbow to your shoulder will create fake toned muscle!  Free muscle without so much as lifting a dumbbell is always a welcome addition to my body!
5. Make sure your hands are natural, clean and orderly. A manicure isn’t necessary but sexy, moisturised hands are a must for looking the part. (And as my grandmother always told me cleanliness is next to godliness)
6. Meditate – a better frame of mind is going to make you feel more giving and centered. Always sexy traits in my opinion.

So there you have it.

Quite often, ‘looking hot’ is more about knowing rather than doing. Apart from the obvious amazing tan or gorgeous nails, being ‘hot’ and having people notice how ‘hot you are’ is so much about what you bring to the table. A smile, a genuine level of engagement and interest in others will have you being the belle of the ball in no time!

Compromise is seen as one of the strong pillars of most relationships. Indeed, it is particularly wonderful in the first stages of the ‘honeymoon’ period when you are both indulging your day light hours with thoughts of him/her, waxing lyrical to anyone who will listen and come close to hyperventilating when you finally see each other after what seemed like hours of separation. “Yes sweetie, we will live happily ever after and our lives will be as one”. Kiss, hug, etc etc….

This super state of utter bliss can exist for an age- providing you don’t decide to move in together. Moving in causes the wheels of apparent monotony to set in motion. But this is inevitable and I am somewhat ok with its ability to fade. If we prolonged this zealous form of love for too long, we’d be too ensconced in our own blissful thoughts, make love all day and life as we know it, would cease to a halt.  Moreover, obsessive thoughts are never healthy and the resting point we achieve post honeymoon is what love is all about.

This is where relationships become tricky. “You know how I said that I didn’t care you were messy…well, maybe now I am here, things can change a little”. How do you stay happy and function in a potentially amazing relationship when two adults have different requirements? Where is the referee in these situations? This is where compromise shoots up as the bastion for healthy relationships.

Compromise, in its many guises however, ends up manifesting itself as resentment. “I’ll basically get what I want, but hold a little grudge for what I missed out on. You will get a little of what you want and hold a little grudge for what you didn’t get.”

Compromise means that one or both parties will surrender their needs to maintain the peace.

Compromise, can work but it is hard if you harbor this resentment. Indeed, probably what works best for all is to look outside the box to find your answer, rather than being so black and white about the division of who get’s what they want/need.

While I am not here to proffer an answer, I do feel that compromise is an inevitable part of a relationship. Compromise done well serves the people in the relationship. A less healthy form of compromise involves either party changing to meet the needs of the other. In these cases, the compromise betters the relationship, which is wrong.

At the end of the day, the relationship should better the persons in it. A healthy relationship will allow you to achieve goals you would never achieve on your own, and you cannot achieve any goals, if you have forfeited a part of yourself for the sake of your relationship.