Viking Sun - What it's like as a visiting practitioner on the world's best cruise ship

Earlier in 2018 I was invited to be a visiting practitioner on the Viking Sun Cruise ship for part of its maiden voyage around the world from the USA  to Sweden.

Floating Oasis with a Liv Nordic Spa

As soon as I stepped onboard the brand new ship, I was blown away by the huge open lobby, breathtaking staircase and clean Scandinavian design of the ship.

The Explorer's lounge on Viking Sun

Gleaming white floors led the way to the light blue carpet of reception where I checked in, and was promptly walked to the spa reception to meet the incredible spa manager and international team. 

Spacious luxury and Scandinavian design

From the flawless Liv Nordic spa reception I wandered passed the huge gym with vast windows facing out to sea and up the wide, open staircase to my floor. Having never set foot on a cruise ship before, I was surprised to see how long the hallways were, they seemed never ending!

Eventually I found my ‘stateroom,’ the name for a hotel room on a cruise ship. I had expected a small, boxy room akin to hotel rooms in Japan, but it was far more spacious. In keeping with the ship's Norwegian roots, everything was beautifully furnished in blonde wood or soft blue, and a stunning Norweigian blanket was folded over the end of the bed. 

Health and wellness was easy to find on Viking sun

Healthy food was easy to find on the Viking Sun, which was the perfect addition to the wellness spa, fitness and therapy options offered at the Liv Nordic Spa (including my sessions of course!) 

The restaurant on the seventh floor offered a huge range of food; my favourites were the fresh berries and yoghurt, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and gluten free toast. The lunch salad bar upstairs on the seventh floor, and gluten free bolognese from Manfredi’s, the Italian restaurant were my favourites. I was thrilled to see how easy the Viking Sun made access to good, nourishing food for each and every guest. For others with coelic disease like myself, Viking SUn even offers gluten free waffles in Mamsen's cafe.

My Holistic Physiotherapy lectures drew a crowd

Over the next three weeks I lectured about my favourite topics to crowds of at least 30 guests. As most of the guests were at least 60 years young, the topics were focused around the wellness of ageing including:

• Protecting joints as you age
• 5 easy ways to say strong in daily life
• How to eat for health
• 5 stretches you can do to move better
• The one thing you need to know about back pain

I’m so passionate about the topics above, and after seeing the crowds my lectures drew, it turned out the guests of Viking Sun were too!

I taught morning Pilates classes on the pool deck every few days and I was blown away by how motivated the attendees were. Most were women, in their 60’s and 70’s who had never tried Pilates before, but they attended every class during three weeks. They went from complete beginners to strong side plankers in just three weeks!

I was so inspired by the dedication of the guests. They were so interested to learn how they could continue living well as they aged. 

From private Pilates classes to holistic Physiotherapy sessions, I worked with so many wonderful people on the Viking Sun. I had an exceptional experience on The Viking Sun with Liv Nordic, it was a visiting practitioner posting with a nautical edge. I'm so grateful to the Liv Nordic team for inviting me to join the Viking Sun as a visiting practitioner.

To learn more about the Holistic Physiotherapy services I can offer your guests, click below.

The one thing you need to change about your eating habits

Stephanie Gobbo, Naturopath and Nutritionist extraordinaire, spoke at my recent retreat in Melbourne and her insight into nutrition is both holistic and incredible. I spoke to Steph about the most valuable mid-year resolutions you can make, superfood smoothies and the one thing you need to know to help you stay 'well.'

1. What is the most common mid year resolution you hear from your clients?

Definitely weight loss or detoxing.

2. What is the mid year resolution you'd love everyone to try instead?

I would like all my clients to try practicing self care, instead of focusing on dieting. Whether that means putting more effort into fitness, cooking clean food, getting extra sleep, drinking more water, having a massage or doing something nurturing for their mental health. This all leads to weight loss and a healthier body and liver anyway!

3. What is the number one food people can try at this time of year to supercharge their health?

Berries aren't in season, but you can always buy them frozen. They are filled with anti-oxidants which help reduce free radicals in the body. They're a great thing to incorporate into your diet.

4. What are your top 5 favourite superfoods?

"My favourite superfoods that come from nature are: Blueberries, green tea, turmeric, chia seeds, acai berry"

5. What is the most common digestion-related issue you see? What is your one top tip for managing this? 

The number 1 digestive symptom I see in clinic is bloating. The best advice I can give to work out why you are bloating and how to treat it is to investigate if it is because of these things:

1. something you're consistently eating that you’re intolerant to, 

2. the way you’re digesting and breaking down your food or 

3. because of dysbiosis of your gut microbiome

6. What is your favourite smoothie recipe?

My favourite smoothie recipe is filled with greens and mango:

1 mango cheek

1/2 frozen banana 

1 handful of baby spinach 

5-10 mint leaves 

1/2 cucumber chopped

1 small knob of ginger 

1 cup of coconut water 

Blend well and serve. 

7. What is your favourite indulgence?

My favourite indulgence is without a doubt a cheese platter and glass of red wine

8. If you had to give one piece of nutritional advice you wish everyone knew, what would it be?

From Steph's instagram @steph.naturopath

"My number one piece of nutritional advice is to ensure your diet has variety."

This is imperative to feeding the gut microbiome and keeping it healthy along with ensuring your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

"So many of us get set in our ways with eating the same things over and over. Trying to include new foods each day is really beneficial. Eating the colour of the rainbow each day is an old saying but definitely true."

9. What are some cooking tips to help us heading into the cooler Autumn and Winter months?

Now that the weather has cooled down it is best to steer away from raw foods/salad/smoothies and start to include more warming foods such as soups, curries, casseroles, herbal teas and warming herbs and spices in cooking. Using bone broth as a base for your winter hot dishes is a fantastic way to heal your gut day to day. 

10. What foods help our immunity?

Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric, Onion, Shiitake mushrooms, Manuka honey, Bone broth, Oranges, Kiwis, Capsicum 

From Steph's instagram @steph.naturopath

Now you know all these handy hints for navigating Autumn and Winter, what will you change about your eating habits?

About Steph:

Naturopath & Nutritionist. Stephanie is a Naturopath and Nutritionist with a Bachelor of Health Science Degree majoring in Naturopathy. She practices out of the stunning Luxton Clinic in Armadale, Melbourne, Australia.

Top 5 reasons you’re not getting enough sleep

In modern society, we’re sleeping less than ever before with almost one in two people surviving on six hours or less sleep a night. In 1942 that number was less than 8% of the population. Why are we sleeping less than ever before?

Stunning bedrooms at Wellness Retreat Svarga Loka, Bali

1. Longer commutes

Housing prices and urban sprawl mean people are commuting for longer than ever. Rather than skip a cup of tea with their partners though, most people are foregoing sleep to maintain the same amount of interaction with their families.

2. Screen time past lights out

If you relish an end of the day catch up on your favourite Instagram accounts when your head is on the pillow, you’re starving your body of melatonin. Melatonin is the snazzy hormone that says ‘time to sleep’ and inducts your body into its sleep-ready state.

3. Saying “I’m busy” is a new trend

If you’re really busy, you’re probably not sleeping very much. Sadly, ‘being busy’ has become a badge of honour. In 2018 you’re far more likely to hear the man on the train next to you saying “I’m just so busy this week’ instead of ‘I had the best, longest sleep last night.’

Check out this story of how a Kiwi woman transitioned from busyness to calm here.

4. Caffeine is part of our daily routine

Coffee is delicious, but it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ part of the brain, instead of the ‘rest and digest’ system that helps relax us. If you’re constantly ready to fight off a bear thanks to caffeine-induced adrenaline, you’re unlikely to be sleeping well.

Learn more about how too much caffeine can cause you to be 'Accidentally Anxious' below:

5. We’re always available thanks to tech

When your boss sends an urgent email at 9pm, you can’t really ignore it in this day and age. Luckily for most people, urgent late-night emails aren’t a reality, however most of us voluntarily check work emails and documents after leaving the office. By always being available, we’re less able to switch off our brains from ‘problem solving work mode’ to rest and relaxation mode that helps prepare us for sleep. 

Here's the good news

By making a small change to your lifestyle and any of the things above, you can make a huge change to your sleep and energy levels.

Learn what small changes can make the greatest difference below:

What do you think makes it hard for you to sleep?

Wellness Retreats in Melbourne: What happens on a retreat?

Our last wellness retreat in June was a huge success, and our next event on November 4th is set to be even better!

With healthy movement classes, a nutrition workshop with naturopath and nutritionist Stephanie of The Luxton Clinic, plus an interactive stress and goal setting workshop; our next event can't be missed!

What did we do at the last retreat?

1. Pilates and yoga fusion class

No experience was needed for this movement class that challenged 12 womens' core strength, breathing and flexibility. This class was the perfect way for the guests to learn about the importance muscles require to keep their spines in perfect health.

2. Morning tea by Seedling Cafe

Power balls and chia puddings packed full of goodies were the perfect way for guests to stay full of energy for the morning after the tough class!

3. Nutrition workshop

Learning how to stay healthy in winter is always baffling, but our guests loved our nutrition workshop that covered everything from stress eating to vitamin C-rich foods.

4. Lunch at Laneway Greens and a goal-setting session

Laneway Greens is well known for it's amazing food, and I had to share it with my guests. We popped downstairs from the studio for a healthy lunch, before heading back upstairs for a goal-setting session.

5. Stretch class and meditation

Stretching with slow breathing and dim lights are the perfect way to wind down a busy day, and all the guests slowly relaxed into the stretch class. We followed with 10 minutes of breathing meditation.

What our guests thought:

I recently was lucky enough to experience one of Caitlin's urban retreats in Melbourne and it was amazing! It was such a great day, and recommend it to anyone in need of a pick-me-up. Caitlin is lovely and knows a lot about anything to do with your mind-body connection so you'll learn some take-home tips as well. Thanks again Caitlin, can't wait for the next one - Sab, Melbourne

I did the June Retreat in Melbourne with Caitlin and was so impressed. I had such a beautiful day and came away feeling refreshed, empowered, relaxed and ready to take on some new challenges! The food was so great and super nourishing. I learnt a lot about nutrition and Caitlin's knowledge of the body is impressive. Loved it so much - my sister and I did it together! - Lizzie, Melbourne

A huge thank you to all the wonderful brands who contributed to this event: Wolf + Sun, The Good Seed Kefir, Freedom Spices and Organic Angels.

An even bigger thank you to the wonderful guests who attended. I always feel so lucky to meet wonderful women and share all the wellness gems I've learned on my travels.

10 Best Natural Skincare Products of 2017

Australia and New Zealand Natural Beauty Awards

It's that time again! It's the natural beauty awards where I share my absolute favourite natural skincare and beauty brands from Australia and New Zealand for 2017. Some of these brands aren't very well known, and some are certified organic, you've just got to try them!

1. Best Natural Hand Cream - Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream

Find it here

2. Best Natural Face Oil - True Serene Face Oil

Find it here

3. Best Natural Face Scrub - Edible Beauty & DESERT LIME FLAWLESS MICRO-EXFOLIANT

Find it here

4. Best Natural Moisturiser with SPF - Kelapa SPF15 Face Moisturiser

Find it here

5. Best Natural Lipstick - Luk Lip Nourish - Tea Rose

Find it here

6. Best Natural Hand Wash - thankyou. Botanical Bergamot & Spiced Clove Foaming Hand Wash

Find it here

7. Best Natural Shampoo - Organic Care Colour Shield Shampoo & Conditioner

Find it here

8. Best Natural Night Cream - Divine Woman Collagen Enhancing Night Cream

Find it here

9. Best Natural Body Wash - Only Good Awaken Natural Body Wash

Find it here

10. Best Natural Fake Tan - Eco Tan Invisible Tan

Find it here

So there you have it! My top fave organic and natural skincare products from Australia and New Zealand for 2017. You'll see True and Only Good are in the list for the second year running. They really are great!

What are your favourite organic and skincare brands from Australia and NZ?

My journey as a Holistic Physiotherapist in Bali, Thailand & India 2016/2017

I've been so lucky to be invited to host retreats and practice holistic Physiotherapy around Asia in the past 6 months. Check out my experiences!

It was so special to be invited to these stunning places, but to enjoy the amazing healthy-yet-delicious food, take part in the meditation sessions and learn from other visiting practitioners was just unimaginably eye-opening for me. The plush rooms and perfect surroundings made it extra enjoyable too. Check out these world-class retreats in India, Thailand and Bali.

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

1. Visiting practitioner at Chiva Som, Thailand

My first invitation was to do a short residency at Chiva Som, Thailand. A favourite of royalty around the world (there was a Princess staying there while I was there...I won't say who!) Chiva Som is a complete wellness escape with everything from a hair salon, to Watsu pool, yoga pavillion, world-class international wellness cuisine and very popular water aerobics classes!

Chiva Som already have a Physiotherapy department, but they don't have any Western practitioners, and they saw an opportunity to expand their offerings. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to treat the senior executives of the resort, and of course experience the beautiful food they're famous for.

I offered treatments for injuries, poor posture, general stiffness and soreness, and gave solutions for healthy ageing; all the the stunning surrounds of the Chiva Som spa. 

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

2. Visiting Master at Ananda Spa, India

After Thailand I flew to Northern India to one of the world's original spiritual places, the foot of the Himalayas, where Oprah, Uma Thurman and countless other celebs have retreated from their lives - to Ananda Spa, Rishikesh. 

I was so honoured to be invited to practice at this infamous retreat (which is also the Maharaja's summer palace) and learned so much about Easter medicine, meditation, Ayurveda, philosophy and other therapies from the other masters. 

My treatment rooms were in the luscious Ananda Spa, using the signature Ananda oils and brilliant grounds for pilates coaching. I worked on everything from shoulder impingement injuries to thoracic stiffness, chronic low back pain, knee pain and everything in between. 

Discover more about my holistic Physiotherapy treatments at Ananda here.

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

3. Visiting practitioner at Svarga Loka, Bali

In February 2017, I was asked to be a holistic practitioner at a beautiful wellness hotel in the jungle of Ubud, Bali. This hotel may not cater to celebrities, but it's the perfect place to escape the grind and completely retreat to nature amongst Tomb Raider-esque ruins and luscious trees.

I treated some guests repeatedly over my time there, with everything from yoga-induced injuries for those on active retreats, to sore back, acute disc injuries, wry neck, muscle strain, and headache.

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

@aprivewellness

I'm so lucky I've had these experiences and for everything I've learned in these world-class wellness escapes. Now I've combined everything I've learned into my existing events, including the Melbourne One Day Wellness Retreat on June 17th. Book your spot below!

What is Holistic Physiotherapy?

Holistic Physiotherapy blends evidence-based physiotherapy with research-based mindfulness, meditation, breathing and movement. It mixes the proven aspects of Eastern wellness with the existing science of Physiotherapy. 

How is it different to normal physiotherapy?

• Treatment times are 60 mins or 90 mins (not 30 minutes)

• Breathing is a central part of the patient's experience

• Hands-on treatments are in a luxurious setting including quality essential oils, and five-star spa centres at luxury wellness resorts.

• Movement-based Pilates and rehabilitation sessions are set in picturesque outdoor settings within the wellness resorts

• Each session includes time for the patient to ask questions about their injury or concern, and receive exercises to maintain their health and movement long into the future

• Mindset, the patient's view of their body and injury, and their understanding is central to the treatment

I created my holistic Physiotherapy techniques thanks to my experience breaking my back in an accident, and luckily making a full recovery. Through my own injury experience, I realised traditional medical care didn't give me enough support to recovery fully, so I looked elsewhere and now practice what I learned. Read more about my experience here.

To see how I can help you retreat add evidence-based wellness to your existing offerings, get in touch.