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10 Self-Care Tips to Boost Your Mental Health

1. Stop Hitting the Snooze ButtonMany people actually build time for snoozing into their morning routine, believing it's a gentler way to wake up, but this actually causes sleep to be more disrupted, leaving the person feeling more sleepy, says Cindy T. Graham, a licensed psychologist. "Instead, sleep experts recommend being honest with yourself and setting the alarm for the time you actually get up," she says. "Your body will then learn to prepare for waking at that time and...

Find your People

Finding a community can be tricky when you're busy or in a new stage of life. One of the reasons founder, Liora, started Flourish was because she was new to Cambridge and looking for a community to connect with. If you're looking for a group of amazing, like-minded people who are focused on getting fitter and stronger together...you're in the right place! With the new season upon us, now is the perfect time to try something new, have some fun and find a place where you belong. Here's what some ...

Salt Lab

A sleep reset you've always dreamt of Salt Lab’s mission is simple: to help people sleep better, recover faster and restore their vitality through our safe, clean and highly effective magnesium products. Their sprays and bath salts naturally restore balance in the body, acting as a powerful muscle relief, stress remedy and sleep solution. We want to restore the balance in people’s lives while treading lightly helping to regenerate nature’s most precious resource – the soil. Because true ...

Recipe: Passionfruit & Lemon Slice

This past weekend I was very excited to make two very different slices as our lemon tree is bursting at the seams. So I prepped, went to the supermarket, picked up all the ingredients and was prepared to spend hours in the kitchen baking.However, it was my first time baking with coconut butter and sadly as I was putting slice number 1 together my topping split! With no more coconut oil in the house to try and start again I had to bail on the slice even though my base was already i...

Cacao, Yin Savasana Sound Journey

We are honoured to have Pam & Jock from Cura Couple visiting us for a very special Cacao  Yin Savansana session at Flourish.Always been curious about Cacao Ceremonies (me too!):Cacao ceremonies are specially arranged to foster the grounding and heart-opening properties of cacao. The goal is to communally uplift mood, increase vitality, and open the heart and intuition, along with other personal spiritual intentions.Join us for a  nourishing experience of tranquility &...

Plant Potions

Flourish is a proud retailer of the Plant Potions range. The story behind the products and hearing Lou speak so passionately about the items she hand crafts had us knowing instantly that it was a great fit for us and our community. At Plant Potions we use mostly organic, ethically sourced essential oils across our entire range of Inspirational, Plant Based, Scent Rituals. Our intention is to spread illuminating light to enhance wellbeing with utmost respect to your pocket and our plan...

Returning to Exercise after Covid

Take your time, know your limits and follow these steps:Start slowly with gentle movement that feels easy and does not make you feel short of breath like walking and stretching exercises.Try some low intensity activities. You should be able to breathe easily and have a conversation while doing them. Our Core & Stretch or Gentle Flow yoga classes are good options.Enjoy exercise that makes you breathe heavily. Try our Tone or Vinyasa Flow yoga classes.Move onto exercise that makes you feel sho...

Will I ever like to exercise?

What transformed my relationship with exercise.I used to be one of those people who thought "I'll never like exercise, it's just something that I HAVE to do." I feel like I've tried all the different kind of options out there: HIIT training, personal trainer, group classes, spin classes, hiking, running (or shall we say short jogging), open gym. You name it, I've probably tried it at least once."The biggest tip I can give you is to find exercise that you enjoy. When I was starting my h...

Recipe: Paprika-Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta and Coriander Jalapeño Salsa

Since trying this recipe one afternoon it's now on constant rotation in our household. So easy to make and packed full of flavour.Based off Emma Galloway's recipe in the latest Nourish magazine, we've made a couple adjustments to fit our tastebuds and use ingredients we have around the house.Let me know what you think! Roasting Ingredients:1 cauliflower, cut into bite size florets2 tbsp olive oil1 tsp paprika½ tsp smoked paprika Whipped feta Ingredients:100g feta100g (½ cup) pla...

Homemade, always

Over the weekend I made my husband a batch of his favourite chocolate chip cookies as a little welcome home gesture after being out on a boys trip. I know his love language is words but I'm a giver so can't help but make something to make him feel welcomed home again.This made me reflect as we never have store bought biscuits in the house, like never. Don't get me wrong, when I first moved to NZ I was all about making my way through the confectionary isle at the supermarket and trying ...

Cloud Nine Jewellery

AT CLOUD NINE JEWELS WE CREATE JEWELLERY TO BRING A LITTLE MAGIC INTO THE EVERY DAY, TO SPARK JOY AND TO UPLIFT AND INSPIRE. We believe the little details are what makes jewellery (and life for that matter) so special therefore no detail goes untouched and every element is considered.Lee’s designs are crafted in either sterling silver or gold vermeil and combine intuitive symbols with carefully-picked gemstones, to serve as a daily reminders of your incredible potential. Each little treasure i...

Yoga Classes at Flourish

Let's help you find the right class for you...New to yoga? We recommend trying a couple different Gentle Flow & Hatha Yoga classes. Each class will vary on the day however both of these style are gentle on the body and great for those trying yoga for the first time or coming back after some time away.Wanting to up your yoga game? Try our Vinyasa or Power Flow Yoga classes. Both these classes are sure to raise your heart rate, challenge you physically and mentally and will leave you cra...

New Studio Now Open

It's hard to believe we've now been open for a week in our new premise!  I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your amazing support. From encouraging messages, to recommending us to friends, to showing up for our opening night, and booking out classes, this community has been incredible. I truly appreciate how you have supported me to make this dream a reality. Without you, this studio wouldn't be possible. If you have yet to come visit us since we moved & expanded, we i...

Recipe: Hearty Ancient Grain Soup

The blend of lentils, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat combined with vegetables in this hearty soup leaves us with an incredibly high fibre, nutrient dense meal packed with plant protein and phytonutrients.Use whatever veggies you have on hand, and go for a low sodium vegetable stock to avoid the health implications of consuming too much sodium. INGREDIENTS 1 cup onion, roughly chopped1 cup celery, roughly chopped1 cup carrot, roughly chopped1 cup red bell pepper, roughly chopped4 tablespoons ...

A VIP Thank You

All our new Flourish members were welcomed into the studio with a very lovely VIP Goodie Bag supplied by some of our favourite businesses in Cambridge. We'd like to take this moment to thank again these superstars for helping us celebrate our new studio opening. St Kilda Cafe & BistroWhether you're attending a morning or evening class, our neighbours next door are here for the perfect friend catchup after class. They've also just released their new winter menu which is a real winner! Zen Me...

Flourish has expanded

Flourish has a new location and new classes on offer! With the expansion to their own premise came the opportunity to bring other experts on board and offer an assortment of classes.All instructors are experts in their field, extremely knowledgable and super excited to see you in their classes.Say hello to Grace our lovely Pilates Instructor. Here's a little bit about Grace..."I trained with Basi International 5 years ago and have been teaching pilates ever since. I have a great p...

How to access online classes

Firstly, a big high five to you for signing up to our online barre option! If you've signed up for our Online Classes Only Membership this will grant you access to all our classes on demand. If you've signed up for our Full Access Membership, this will give you access to all recorded classes and the live zoom classes on our schedule.I've signed up, now what?To access all your online class in our Content Library simply follow these easy directions:Log into your PunchPass AccountLook for 'Con...

Online Barre Options

We'd love to have you join us in person however we know that isn't always an option especially if you're not based in Cambridge or our timetable doesn't suit your needs. This is when online works best! Benefits of Online ClassesThere are so many benefits of online barre including being fantastic for those coming back from injury or haven't done exercise for some time. Simply pause the class as many times as you need to suit your personal needs and then restart the video when it works f...

Recipe: Tomato Chili Jam

Every summer our garden provides us with excess chillie's and tomatoes which used to be a problem until I discovered this delicious recipe! This super easy to make tomato chili jam is a real hit and works well on Asian dishes, cheese boards or alongside your favourite savoury muffin.Note: We used a combination of jalapeños and wild fire chilies. Makes 2 medium-sized jarsIngredients:500g ripe tomatoes4 red chillies5 cloves of peeled garlic2 thumbs of ginger (25g)2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce3...

Why Barre is a great choice

Just a few reasons why barre is a great workout choice... Cardio fitness - Barre workouts are low impact so they won't put stress on your joints but the explosive movements we incorporate mean you'll still get your heart rate up! Flexibility and posture - The combination of stretching and the focus on posture means you'll be working on your flexibility. This is so important for injury prevention! Building strength - We use a variety of equipment from hand weights to resistance bands to build you...

Are You Overdoing Your Exercise Regimen?

Exercise is one of the best wellness tools available and should be a part of your everyday routine. However, sometimes we overdo exercise so much that it can be counterproductive.Let’s review some common offenders…1. Relying Too Much on Jogging2. Making Workouts Too Long3. Using Poor Form to Increase Weight or Number of Reps4. Losing Sleep Over Workouts5. In Search of the Perfect Program6. Fitness That’s Too Functional Though it is great to stay motivated to stick to a workout routine...

Nutrients for Healthy Hair and Nails

Hair and nails are constantly growing which is why good nutrition has such a noticeable impact on the health of hair and nails.While there’s a lot of variation between individuals, hair grows about half an inch per month on average (1). Fingernails typically grow at a rate of about one-tenth of an inch per month (2). These impressive growth rates are why nutrition is essential for healthy hair and nails. Without the right nutritional building blocks at the ready, the quality of hair and nail g...

Recipe: The Everything Broccoli Salad

It's that time of year with random leftovers, extra ingredients from holiday shopping lists, etc.Last night I looked at the contents in the fridge and thought 'I wonder if I can use most of that to make a broccoli salad'. Here's what we used to make what turned out to be a very delicious and filling broccoli salad.Salad Ingredients:broccolini heads from sister-in-laws gardenextra bacon purchased for Christmas Breakfast hard boiled egg (again extras purchased for Christmas)pan roasted p...

Wake-up Call

A Messy DeskMissed the memo on spring cleaning? Just on board. A US study found that when there are too many objects competing for your attention, your brain's ability to process information gets compromised.Working Through LunchSwapping your break for an extra hour of work won't up your productivity. Research shows it'll only make you feel more tired at the end of the day.Skipping WorkoutsSure, hitting the snooze will score you extra shut-eye, but you really should get up and moving. US sc...

End of Year - Barre & Bevvy

And that's a wrap! Thanks for coming along to our final event of the year. Barre and a Bevvy yesterday was so much fun. Even though we all couldn't have fun in the sun we still had a blast in the studio. Oh events are always a great opportunity to meet the other members of our community, stay around to have a good laugh and collaborate with some pretty awesome people.We are looking forward to having more events in the next year. ...