I currently have thirteen days until my due date. That’s right…I’m about to have a baby! I have no idea what this month has in store for me, but I’m super excited!
As we enter the second month of spring, Australia is starting to heat up and I can feel the energy (a nesting hormones) pumping through my being. There’s so many things to think about and choices to be made. Each decision feels like a huge deal…“do we use disposable or reusable nappies (that’s Aussie for diapers)?”, “what should I be eating while pregnant/breastfeeding?” and “what should we name him?”
Some choices are more important than others, but whether you like it or not, you have to make choices that affect your life (and the lives around you). You can either do it consciously and carefully, or haphazardly and with little forethought. Just know that each turn you take will undoubtedly have an effect on your current and future mental and physical health.
“You are not the victim of the world, but rather the master of your own destiny. It is your choices and decisions that determine your destiny.” ― Roy T. Bennett.
By reading the Ginger Journal Newsletter you have made the choice to learn something new. The very act of reading, learning and contemplating new ideas enables you to make informed decisions. Whether you implement any of the information is up to you…but even your inquisitiveness is a positive step in the right direction.
Make the most of each fork in the road. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Be intentional and put your best foot forward.
Monthly Menu
Habit Program: Mindfulness & Meditation
What is mindfulness? And is it the same as meditation? Can it really have a positive effect on your life or is it just for people with anxiety, depression and sleep problems?
Meditation has always scared me a little bit because of its spiritual connotations, but mindfulness seems to be taking the secular world by storm, so I’m intrigue to learn more and share with you what I find.
Kitchen Community: The Rise of Sourdough
During the first lockdown back in 2020, every millennial and their Insta influencer tried their hand a making sourdough bread. It was one of the best trends to resurface and make its way into peoples kitchens. That was until after several inedibly dense loafs, panic buying flour, and the maintenance of sourdough starters began to lose its shine.
A few years on and I feel like I’m one of the last holding onto the dream of sourdough. I’ve learn’t and changed a lot since those first scary months…I’ve found a rhythm and what I feel is the easiest and most sustainable way to incorporate sourdough into your daily life…instead of letting it run your life.
My Secret: The dreaded sourdough discards
Book Club: The Dental Diet by Dr Steven Lin
Our teeth are either the shining glories of our face or our worst insecurity! Mine was always the latter. Anyone with cavities, crooked or yellow teeth can relate. What I didn’t realise was that these symptoms are actually caused by far deeper, more serious issues. Other than the obvious advice to avoid sugar, diet seems to play a huge role in not only preventing, but also healing our smiles.
Dr Steven Lin is a functional dentist who is interested in “why” we have dental problems, as much as “how” we can fix them. His journey and the research he uncovers is truely insightful.
Pro Tip: Get the audiobook version, it’s my secret weapon to reading a book a month amidst the chaos of life :)
Trail Mix (bits and bobs)
‘Followers’ don’t equal degree!
A quote that reflects the very heart of this newsletter
How to ferment every single vegetable
That summer feeling
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
There are a lot ‘unknowns’ for me this month. The only thing I do know for certain is that there are people around me who are ready to help and support my new family. I understand that not everyone has that privilege…but I want to encourage you that community isn’t always a given, it’s actually something grown and fostered through time and hard work. Community is something we choose to engage with.
As we learn’t in the September Ginger Newsletter; our community instills in us the habits we enact, can increase our chance of living to 100 years old, and is present in the food we eat. There are many more aspects to community for us to uncover.
If you haven’t already cottoned on…every Ginger Newsletter is going to emphasise the importance of, and give you the opportunity to, engage in our community. We’re not here to fix you or give you all the answers, but rather stand alongside you and support you on your journey.
Question: What is one health issue that you are struggling with at the moment?