Let’s take a look at five common food-allergy myths – and separate fact from fiction. Food is fundamental to our wellbeing. It draws us together as a family and as a community. It gives us an excuse to travel, a reason to socialise and a structure for our days. So how come good food is increasingly making us sick? The number of children in the Western world who have allergic reactions to everyday foods has skyrocketed in the past decade. What’s going wrong with our kids?  According to one study by Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, ten percent of infants had developed a food al ..read more

So what if whales went to court? What if whales sued for plastic pollution in their habitat, the dumping of waste in the oceans or climate change causing warmer waters and depleting their food stocks? In a groundbreaking declaration earlier this month, Indigenous leaders of New Zealand and the Cook Islands signed a treaty, He Whakaputanga Moana, to recognise whales as legal persons. Aotearoa New Zealand has already granted legal personhood to a river (Te Awa Tupua Whanganui River), land (Te Urewera) and a mountain (Taranaki maunga), but He Whakaputanga Moana differs from these earlier p ..read more

Enter now to win tickets to the much-anticipated movie, Origin Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay, ORIGIN is a movie that chronicles the tragedy and triumph of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson as she investigates a global phenomenon of epic proportions. Inspired by the New York Times best-seller Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, ORIGIN explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance and a fight for the future of us all. Like the sound of that? Check out the trailer here! We have 5 x double passes for ORIGIN to giveaway! In cinemas from ..read more

Interested in discovering practical ways in which textile waste can be repurposed and reimagined? We’ve got the (free) event for you! A fashion revolution is taking place this week in the heart of Auckland’s luxury fashion precinct, with one of the highlights an exhibition that aims to showcase innovative approaches to sustainability in the fashion industry. The exhibition, Fabric Forward: Reimagining Textile Waste, is now on at the Strand Arcade on Queen Street until the end of the week. It’s celebrating 10 years of the Fashion Revolution movement with a display of several textile artists and ..read more

Your anxiety means well; it is trying to help you. You don’t need to fight it, says clinical psychologist and author Eric Goodman. His book, Your Anxiety Beast and You (Exisle Publishing), is a compassionate guide to living in an increasingly anxious world. Using the term ‘beast’ to describe ‘anxiety’ may initially sound antagonistic, but it was taken from the fairytale Beauty and the Beast where superficial looks can be greatly deceiving, says Goodman, who specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and integrates compassion-focused therapy in ..read more

It’s the 10th anniversary of Fashion Revolution and this Fashion Revolution Week (April 15 to 24) is an opportunity to think about ways in which we can all be fashion revolutionaries. Understanding our role in the fashion system is a vital part of finding ways to improve our fashion footprint. And with transparency being a core element of progress in the mindful consumption journey, brands have a big part to play. Going to the shops is not always the answer when something is missing from your wardrobe, though we understand that sometimes needs must. Being thoughtful throughout this process is ..read more

A simple recipe for Anzac biscuits from Love Food Hate Waste with a twist! This recipe is for two people but of course, ingredients can be doubled to make more. The idea of this recipe is it only makes as many as you want or need, thus reducing wasted food and biscuits. Serves: 2 Preparation Time: 15 Minutes INGREDIENTS 1 ripe banana, mashed 1 cup oats 2 Tablespoons desiccated coconut 2 Tablespoons honey or golden syrup 1 Tablespoon butter or coconut oil, melted pinch of salt METHOD Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let the oats absorb the liquid. He ..read more

Photography Andrew Coffey Hair and make-up Justine Conroy using Aleph Beauty. Styling Carolyn Enting and Petra Bagust. At 51 Petra Bagust is excited for the future and embracing everything this season has to offer. Since launching her podcast Grey Areas, broadcaster Petra Bagust has helped lift the taboo on talking about perimenopause and menopause, and its high ratings have proved that it is more than a sporadic hot flush. Its sizzling success politely gives the finger to a male exec naysayer of the project because “who’s going to listen to that?!”. Now in its fourth season with a fifth i ..read more

Photography by Amanda Reelick A clever sewing trick transforms overly-long jeans into a snappy cropped style.  Cropped jeans that hit the ankles at just the right spot are a versatile and flattering summer staple – perfect worn with classic white linen and favourite sandals or low heels. Find jeans you love, then use this method to move the jean’s original hem to a level that best suits.   You need: Jeans and matching blue cotton Sewing machine with a thick needle Measuring tape, scissors and pins Full-length mirror Iron Step 1: Bargain hunting Head to second-hand sto ..read more

Dr Bo Hendgen’s slogan regarding skincare is “Keep it simple, affordable, and 100 per cent natural”. One of the first things that strikes you when you meet 62-year-old Dr Bo Hendgen (pictured below) face-to-face is her great skin. She’s her best advertisement for her certified organic and vegan skincare range by Absolute Essential. For 25 years, Bo has used natural skincare formulas with therapeutic grade essential oils (created in her laboratory at Absolute Essential HQ in Muriwai, Auckland) as part of her skincare routine and enjoyed the therapeutic benefits. Absolute Essential Rejuvenat ..read more