Killer Tips About Healthy Eating, Eco-friendly Food & NZ's Top Health Treats

4 Questions with the Founder of I Am Co. Health Boxes

A few months ago, I was thrilled to be featured on the I Am Co. blog describing my morning ritual. After discovering this clever brand I chatted to Georgie, founder of I Am Co. subscription health box company, about what she's learned about healthy eating and food.

An I Am Co. Health Box - Yum!

1. Why do you think people need help with eating healthy?

In the western world, we’re constantly presented with processed food products and beverages that have been tampered with and mess with our whole being. I believe food has a huge impact on how we exist in our day to day lives. Eating healthy can be the catalyst to get somebody on the right track in every area of their life.

2. Why is ethical or eco friendly food production important to you?

Although none of us are perfect, I think it’s important to take notice of at least the small things that we can. Looking for products that are ethically sourced or grown is becoming more and more crucial, particularly in the world of ‘Superfoods’ where a lot of these products are grown in developing countries. 

Looking at the packaging is something we’re starting to take a lot more notice of and we will continue to update. I Am Co. will keep working towards becoming an even more eco-conscious company ourselves.

3. What's your FAVE healthy product you've come across?

Oooh such a hard one! As a big chocolate lover, I’d have to say any of the RAW chocolate products we’ve featured. I love Pana & Loving Earth chocolate from Australie, but the NZ brand ‘Neats Treats’ makes some pretty crazy good raw chocolate also. I love the natural feel-good chemicals that get produced when you eat raw cacao! 

4. What does each Delight Box always contain? (is there a staple?)

We always love to include a different herbal tea. We’re big tea drinkers and know that it’s one thing you can never have too much of. Plus it encourages people to take time out of their busy-ness to slow down and have a moment. NZ has a lot of beautiful tea companies popping up all over the show, so we try to support these where possible!

In general we look for brands that share at least 2 or more of these values:

• Free of preservative or additives.

• GMO Free.

• Refined sugar-free

• Gluten-free

• Vegan

• Paleo

• Locally sourced

Georgie, Founder of I Am Co.

Thanks so much to Georgie for her expert insights into healthy food, eating and yummy NZ treats. Read more about Georgie, and I Am Co. Below. Get your own I Am Co. health box here.

Georgie Hendl is the founder of I AM Co. - a wellness hub online that spreads a message of self-empowerment and love.  I AM Co sells a monthly subscription box ‘The Delight Box’, which is filled with up to 10 different health foods and natural beauty products.

Georgie is also a qualified holistic nutritionist, yoga instructor and passionate foodie. 

She’s based out of Auckland, NZ.

Your health as an asset

Drawing parallels between your house and your health may seem strange, but it can help change your attitudes towards your health and wellbeing.

1. Renovations

Knocking down crusty walls and replacing them with open space and modern design breathes new life and value into a property. The same goes for your health; trying new superfoods, workout trends like Soulcycle or Barre, and experiencing new, evidence-based wellness therapies help freshen up and rejuvenate your health and wellbeing.

By adding modern innovation to your diet and workouts, you’re adding value to your health - just like renovations add value to your house.

2. Garage Sales

Getting rid of crap you’ve accumulated in your garage feels liberating! You can do the same with your health by ditching bad habits you’ve accumulated with a once a year ‘garage sale.’ If you started taking up social smoking, why not ditch it before it becomes a real habit? if you have a glass or two of wine every night, try having three alcohol-free nights a week before drinking becomes ingrained in your daily routine.

Little habits add up, so reevaluating your habits and ditching the bad ones leaves you feeling free and fresh to start anew.

3. Regular cleaning

A clean house is every home owner’s dream, but unclogging drains is never fun. The same goes for your health; you want to keep your body clean, and healthy pipes are important. Nutrient absorption is a vital element of health, and this mostly occurs within digestion.

Keeping this system healthy can help fight disease, help combat autoimmune disorders and prevent weight gain.

Probiotics help maintain a healthy pH in your digestive system, and eating natural fibres like psyllium husks, chia seeds, and fresh fruit and veggies can help maintain the motility of your digestive system.

4. Insurance

Insurance always seems like an waste of money, until you desperately need to make a claim. When it comes to health, it often takes that moment of desperation to inspire people to start making ‘payments,’ but you can start before then.

Instead of waiting for a health scare or injury; eat healthy, get regular exercise, meditate and meet up with a counsellor now, instead of later.

Even though these practices won’t stop an injury or health scare from happening, healthy habits help you recover faster when problems do arise.

5. Mandatory taxes and mortgage repayments

We all accept our mortgages and taxes as mandatory payments, but when it comes to our health we still see spending money on wellness as optional.

Instead, consider your gym membership, weekly yoga class and monthly visit to your counsellor or nutritionist as mandatory payments to elevate your health.

This doesn’t mean you’ll never skip a yoga class, but it does help prioritise health in your mind, and inspire you to make better use of your memberships.

Do you consider your health an asset?