This competition is now closed -well done to rhodeshl. We will be in contact shortly
I recently went on the most amazing holiday to America. Seriously a fantastic holiday seeing the most wonderful sights, shopping the coolest stores and hanging with my husband and son, which was bliss. But I also ate. A lot. And it wasn’t pretty.
What is it about the Americans and cheese? And sugar? There was very little that I could find that wasn’t covered in sugar or infused with cheese. Seriously I had a vegetarian burger that was made with a giant mushroom and the mushroom was filled with cheese INSIDE the mushroom. How did they even do that? And sugar – everywhere. The McDonalds kids meal comes with apples as a given. And caramel dipping sauce. Seriously? And they have giant toffee apples covered in caramel and chocolate. I kid you not. They have sugared the apple.
So I ate a lot of sugar and a lot of cheese and I put on a lot of weight and came home feeling sluggish and in need of real food. Real food made without sugar and cheese. And I got that feeling that I often get after bingeing that I wanted to eat food that would nurture me and fulfill me. I wanted to pack more nutrients into my day and eat food that was made naturally and didn’t contain a list of ingredients longer than the Bible.
Cue mad Googling and what did I find: one of my favourite places to go Table Tonic where I found this green smoothie (pictured on the right.) And it sang to me.
I went straight to the shop and bought kale, flaxseed, chia, bananas, almonds and coconut juice.
My trolley looked so virtuous I was hoping to bump into lots of people. I didn’t. (How is it when my trolley is filled with chocolate, toilet paper and tampons I bump into everyone I once went to school with?)
I tried to make my smoothie when I got home from the shop but my husband, er, actively encouraged me to wait till the morning and make it fresh for breakfast.
I awoke eagerly and went to get my ingredients, it’s a quick job to make a smoothie really so I reckoned it would be an easy, excellent start to the day. I took out my normal blender and whooshked it up and nothing. Just sludge at the bottom and kale and almonds at the top.
So like any savvy woman would do I ran to Twitter and asked Louise from Table Tonic what to do.
She told me to add water and buy a Vitamix. I don’t have a Vitamix and I never had my smoothie.
Serendipity? Mamamia and Vitamix are giving away a Vitamix!
So I checked out vitamix.com.au
Did you know 85% of fruits most powerful nutrients are in the pulp, skin and seeds – the bits I normally throw away – these can all go into the Vitamix and are broken down to the cellular level unlocking the most important vitamins and nutrients. And it’s still smooth.
You have to see this video:
Sunshine Smoothie from Vitamix Australia on Vimeo.
So with a Vitamix I can get more out of my food than I normally would – and the Vitamix cleans itself! Why wouldn’t you want one?
But there’s only so many smoothies one girl can make but that’s cool because the Vitamix makes more than smoothiesit makes healthy meals, soups, sauces, dressings, sorbets and ice-cream. It seems this Vitamix can do just about everything.
After you’re done you just whack in some water and a squirt of detergent, whiz it up for 15 seconds and it’s washed. Did I mention a seven-year warranty?
If you want to make healthy living easy, a Vitamix will easily become your most used and favourite kitchen appliance. All you need is a fridge full of fruit and veges and a Vitamix. I’m inspired.
There is a serious downside to this story: I’m not allowed to enter the competition. But you are. All you need to do is tell us: “What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
Then get your friends and family and other Mamamia readers to like your comment. The comment with the most thumbs up will win the Vitamix valued at $995
The competition closes at 5pm AEST on Monday 31 October 2011. The winner will be announced on this post. You must be a member of Mamamia to be eligible to win.
This post is sponsored by Vitamix. Comments on this post are just for this post. If you want to talk about the IDEA of sponsored posts or the choice of advertisers please click here. We will be reading all those comments too for feedback.
Comments
132 Comments so far
So has voting closed yet?
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I’m American living in England, and I LOVE cheese, and sugar
You are right – we do love those things. I just finished The Clean detox a few months ago and loved how I felt afterwards (great recipes too). I hope you win the Vitamix! Via BYW, Laura
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The life moment that triggered me to take my health more seriously was being diagnosed with (extremely painful) gallstones at the age of 33. I had surgery to remove my gallbladder and was told by my surgeon that people who are “forty and fat” develop gallstones. I was neither of those things, in fact I eat pretty healthily but I do love chocolate and some fatty foods too. Since my operation I have found that if I eat an overly fatty meal, I will wake during the night feeling nauseous – a side effect of having no gall bladder. Winning a vitamix would be fabulous and would ensure that my family and I eat more fruit and vegetables which are essential for good health. It would allow me to set a great example to my three children about healthy eating so they do not develop gallstones too.
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I have struggled with body issues since the age of three. When I was 7, I was terrified to turn 8, because 8 is a fat number. As I got older, I let guys take advantage of me to affirm my body’s worth. In January 2011, at the age of sixteen, I began seriously restricting my calorie intake. I lost a little weight, but not enough. In March, I successfully purged for the first time. My weight and health were on a rollercoaster. In April, I turned 17. One time in May, I binged and gained six pounds in a week, and starved myself to lose seven a week later. On May 22, I broke down, and answered my mom’s questioning, and told her about my anorexia and bulimia. She began crying, and we sat on the bathroom floor together and bawled. My mother is a licensed clinical social worker, so she immediately texted one of her best friends and set up a therapy appointment for me at 8 a.m. the next morning.
I didn’t want to go. It took me a month and a half of therapy to agree to a calorie goal of 900 a day. I spent a month on 900 calories a day, burning off most or all of it through exercise. However, it was during this time I began to see a new way of thinking. On July 14, I promised myself I would never make myself throw up again. I have this date logged in my phone as my “bulimic birthday”!
I successfully increased my calorie goals as I felt ready, and now, in October, I’m up to 1450 a day. I know I need to eat more, because my body’s still in starvation mode. The thing is, before, I would have rather starved than eaten a decent amount. Now, my goal is NOT TO BE SKINNY, but TO BE HEALTHY. My goal is to eat enough to get my period back, and gain lean muscle where my bones once stuck out. I have changed my perspective completely, and I’m so proud to be where I am.
I use a vitamix at least once a day. However, I use my parents’, which is getting old. I have been really worried about going to college in 2012 with no way to make my favorite foods in my dorm. The vitamix is super easy to clean, so it would be perfect for dorm life! I would use it to continue my healthier lifestyle into my adulthood. I hope that I can also influence the college kids around me to be healthier and happier, through setting a good example by living life to the fullest, as well as through telling my story.
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Last month I attended the funeral of a good friend, only 3 years older than myself. As I watched her partner, flanked by their children (aged 1 and 4) and cuddling my own young children I howled. Not for her, she was in so much pain by the end (cancer). Instead I cried for her children. The younger child will never know his mother’s face, her voice. Will never hear her say “I love you”. The older child at 4, will never feel her mummy cuddle her again. She will never get to dress up in mummy’s clothes, or share her secrets. Things that I took for granted.
This was the catalyst for a life reassessment for my husband and I. As older parents we had enjoyed life before kids – good food, good wine. Then we flogged ourselves at the gym. Now that we have children (a 4 year old and a newborn) we no longer have time. And to be honest our waistlines have suffered a little!
Whilst I don’t think that lifestyle played a significant role in my friend’s illness, I know for certain that I want to be around to see my kids graduate high school, go to uni, travel, drive and get married. I want to die old, in bed, surrounded by chubby grandchildren! If there is anything I can do to guarantee this – I will do it. We have started to eat more vegetarian and organic foods, have alcohol free weeks, eliminated all chemicals from our home and athough it will be a financial struggle, I have even extended my maternity leave. I want to be around my kids for as long as I can. They are so precious and grow up so quickly.
A Vitamix would be so widely used in my house! Making organic baby food, wholesome meals for our family – it is a tool to promote good health, but also a time saving device so I can spend more precious moments with my kids. Something my friend is sadly no longer able to do.
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Having three children, my health and well being comes last, it should be the other way around so that I am fit to look after them, have started dieting after my husband commented (not nastily) that my stomach was now the same size as my boobs and my waist had gone. He wasn’t being awful, I think he just wants me to look after myself and thought that might just give me the jolt I need. I actually love healthy food, so a quick version of eating a healthy meal would be great.
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Turning 40! My hormones are having their last hoorah and I’d like clear skin, not the skin I had as a teenager. I know a Vitamix will help because when I recently caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen in 6 months she had great skin, & had lost 5 kilos. Of course I asked her what she’d been doing to look so fabulous, her answer, she was had bought and was using her Vitamix everyday!!
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Help getting healthy, my resolution
Vitamix provides the solution!
Valuable nutrients locked inside the pulp and seed
Giving my body the nutrition it needs
My health makeover-The wellness enhancer
Healthy living made easy-Vitamix is the answer!
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Coopers diagnosis of diabetes! Without a doubt this could help our entire household to improve our health and wellbeing. It would make preparing quick, healthy snacks with the knowledge of exactly what was going into everything. The convenience of having this on the bench would make life so much simpler!
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It looks a lot like a blender to me but I guess it must blend the food more finely or something? Maybe you can give it to me and I will tell you what the difference is. I have recently become more focused on my health after watching Jamie Olivers TED speech where he talks about his “ministry of food” project. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc . He was talking to this mother and had all the food she feeds her family in a week on the table. She clicked and siad “I am killing my family” I clicked at that moment too. Then in a classroom scene he holds up different fruit and veg in front of a group of kids and they could not tell him what they were not even a potato. I am not saying I am as bad as those people, we eat salad most nights and lots of fruit, but I do indulge a lot too. I want to give my babies a better start. I want to be healthy for them so they are not lumped with me in my old age with multiple health problems. And lastly I want to be able to find my size in most shops again instead of in selected stores.
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My first yoga class. I realised how stiff and sore I was every morning and I was only 25! I committed to a 30 day yoga challenge after my first class (31 classes in 30 days!) and promised to change my bad habits. However, I am still a rubbish cook! Vitamix would help me make fresh soups, green smoothies and the most delicious raw curry I’ve ever tried (http://www.betterraw.com/2011/02/tanyas-famous-raw-food-curry-in-hurry.html) . I’m coveting one of these as I’m convinced it would change my life!
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Delicious home made almond milk! No hormones or cow pus to be found in this gear! Thank you Vitamix!
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Love the photo! I have not tried almond milk in my Vitamix yet but planning to this weekend. I just made Strawberries and Cream Smoothie for breakfast – YUM
http://www.teresacutter.com/2011/10/macaroons/
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A couple of months ago I purchased the book The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder with the intention of overhauling my diet and my lifestyle; not because I physically looked like I needed to, but because on the inside I knew I needed to. I am 24, am constantly exhausted and know my body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs because of my poor diet. Kimberly raves about her daily green smoothie so I tried to make them as the first step in improving my health but my blender wasn’t able to make anything remotely smooth and since then the Vitamix (also what Kimberly uses) has been on my wish list!
Fast forward to a week ago, when at 24, newly engaged and celebrating our engagement party, I discovered a lump in my breast, and I realised that I have to take action now and while I can’t afford a Vitamix, I am doing everything I can to improve my health because I know that I can make a difference. While the Doctor diagnosed me with cysts and not cancer, it gave me a huge wake up call that I have to do whatever I can now to look after myself and that involves giving my body the fuel and love it requires before it is too late. I know that the Vitamix would definitely help.
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The birth of my little boy…I’m an older mom – a much older mom. When I had my little boy, I promised myself that I would take good care of myself and be healthy for him as he didn’t chose to have an older mom …and also for me, so I don’t miss rolling around the floor with him because there’s nothing better than lying next to a 10 month old squealing with delight at his mommy!
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I never looked lke a person with a major health issue untill i started to black out, and be sick after eating a majority of food. I was diagnosed with prediabetes at age 22. Im a surf life saver, athlete, but years worth of poor or limiting diets and me depriving my body of the nutrients it needed whilst modelling and study had done a great deal of damage, my sugar levels need to be monitored daily and my diet is precise, nutrient filled, and balanced. I am determined to not start insulin balancing medication that i will be dependant on for the rest fo my life so im doing it the food way. A vitimix could make that challenge a lot easier!:)
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But cheese is so d@mn good!!!
(I’m not going to win, am I?)
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I love cheese too, and the team at Weight Watchers magazine have designed the BEST Vanilla & rasberry cheesecake recipe which will be in the Oct/Nov issue of Weight Watchers magazine. Its oh so simple and yum!
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Need to break the bad food habits that I have acquired since having my son last year, the need for a quick meal has resulted in me eating more junk and less of the good stuff. The Vitamix will no doubt help me to achieve this!
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Reposting as I forgot to sign in the other day…. :”)
I hope you’re feeling better Lana – I hate that sluggish feeling from not enough good wholesome food. Bleugh!
I had a life moment as you called it about 2 yrs ago when I was at the end of my tether going from doctor to doctor, naturopath to acupuncturist etc etc to work out why, seriously WHY, am I sooooo tired all the time at the age of 24? I finally went to a very talented naturopath who also does iridology and received a lot more from her than I had expected walking in that day.
IAfter she took a look in each of my eyes her response of sighs and concern on her face had me a little worried as she asked me question after question about my life. What experience had I been through, how did I handle it, what was my eating, drinking, sleeping, social habits. It didn’t feel like the third degree because I felt like somehow with this woman I was finally getting somewhere.
It turns out I had extreme adrenal fatigue due to severe emotional traumas I was never able to process at the time they happened and then having to press on with my frantic life, using coffee and little sleep quite often as the tools to get me through.
As a result I have lost full function of my adrenal glands but I have worked very hard at restoring them to their best capacity. It made me stop and have a good hard look at myself and realise that its ok to pause and say, hey I’m not doing so good, that xyz event that just happened has really knocked me for six and instead of carrying on like I think I should I need to rest and process what just happened.
One of the best this for me now is as much fresh, whole foods as possible, little to no caffeine or other stimulants (IE chocolate, sugar in general) and regular sleep. I know exactly what you mean about the blender and smoothies Lana – been through almost that some recipe/experience as you! If a vitamix does everything it promises then I know I would be very lucky to have one in my life. Mmmmm green smoothies – the goodness
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Hi Vitamix, I think we all have dreams and hopes, have like most here I have gone through my fair share of trouble in life, from divorce , being tired having kids, moving to Another country, having a very stressful job, having 3 accidents in a row that brought me in and out of hospital….. Though all of this one of the things life has thought me is: if you do not have your health you have NOTHiNG!!! It is the most imported thing to you, your biggest asset. I have strived to do better and better, and on my journey my next step is a Vitamix. It is on my Vison board because to me it makes sens..to eat the whole fruit and veggie. I feel my body’s gratitude when I do so. For different reasons in life I have not been able to buy one yet( this is where the hospital part comes in, and not have had an big income,
: ) , and I would be so grateful if one founds its way to my life and kitchen.Prevention is better than cure.. Thank you fore sharing. Hugs : ) x
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Me and Vegies just don’t get along. Never have, chance are we never will. The only veggies I eat are tomato and lettuce.
At the ripe old/young age of 23 my crappy diet, combined with a pretty hectic work and dance schedule is turning me into sloth woman.I know I should be eating better, but like and said, me and veggies aren’t amigos.
I could really do with a whizzy Vitamix to smoosh all those vitamin goodies into a sexy smoothies disguise so I can trick myself into eating them. I seemed to have missed the memo about tastes changing when you grow up. It might also stop my boyfriend trying to feed me raw veggies when he’s making his dinner…oh gee now I really want to win!
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A couple of years ago I was in a fairly stressful job and was eating a lot of precessed foods & take out, which triggered a massive break out of hives all over my body (I’d never had allergies before).
I went to an allergy specialist who ran me through a bunch of tests and put me on an elimination diet eventually identifying that I had allergies to MSG and preservatives. From there I went to see a naturopath who overhauled the way I had been eating and introduced me to the green smoothie (oh yes, I’m familiar with them).
At the moment I make my green smoothies in a Magic Bullet but it is always a trial and they end up quite chunky and not as pleasant to drink as they could be. I would love to have my very own Vitamix and I think it would take my green smoothies up a notch and give me the freedom to explore new and different combinations.
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I’ve always been a fairly healthy eater, but the life moment that made me really stop and think about my health would have to be when my dad had a stroke and when my first child was born. It was then that I realised that I was now responsible for this precious little person and going by my family history I should do everything within my power to keep myself healthy for the sake of this little person that I was cradling in my arms. I now have three precious bundles to take care of and a vitamix will help me instill healthy eating habits by making it easier to prepare fresh healthy meals.
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
My first year at university.Four years ago i moved away from home and lived on campus and ate dining hall food for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which at my uni consisted of pretty much chips, wedges, fried everything and fatty lasagnes, pastas etc.) I started drinking alcohol regularly, dabbled in drugs every now and again and pretty much did zero exercise, sleeping all day and staying up all night. I had gone from being a very active teenager at high school who ate healthy (mostly because my mum cooked healthily and packed healthy lunches so i never had a choice) to a very inactive, unhealthy uni student. I had never watched my weight before and was always very slim, had perfect skin and pretty much perfect health and then in one year gained 13kgs, developed cystic acne, and was diagnosed with PCOS and depression. I was incredibly moody and my hormones were all over the place. I cried at the drop of a hat one minute but was then hyperactive the next. My periods were all over the place, some months getting very heavy, incredibly painful periods and then the other months not getting a period at all.My skin was dry and flaky and i developed eczema and red rashes. My grades suffered and eventually i became very self-conscious and stopped wanting to go out and see people.
I finally woke up and figured out what had caused such a rapid and intense physical and mental change in myself. I stopped eating dining hall food and started cooking my own meals, i realised i didn’t even know what healthy food was so i researched on the net and found what my daily calories should be and how i should break them up each day for each meal and what proteins, carbs and fats to include at each meal. I didn’t count calories but i ate as much fruits, veggies, nuts and lean protein as i could.I also started having a green smoothie every single morning after reading about its benefits on the internet, as well as taking fish oil and zinc supplements. I joined at netball team and went to the gym four times a week for cardio and weights (which i also learnt about through research on the internet). I had a two month detox from alcohol and after that limited myself to drinks one night a week. I also decided drugs weren’t for me. I went for walks with friends and got heaps of fresh air too. In three months i had dropped the 13kgs id gained and was back to by pre-uni weight, my pcos symptoms had cleared up completely, and ultrasounds showed that my cysts had disappeared. My acne cleared up completely, as did my dry skin, eczema and rashes. My depression also subsided without the help of any medication and i was generally mentally so much more stable, focused, clear and happy.
I have maintained my lifestyle for three years and have never been happier or healthier.i take my health very seriously and believe everything i have accomplished is a product of looking after myself and investing time and energy into my mental and physical wellbeing. And this is why i would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win a vitamix!!!
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I’ve always been a very good eater. Everything in moderation right!! A little chocolate here and there. I had a light bulb moment after I started having kids and was breastfeeding. I was hungry 24/7 and would eat anything in reach and my healthy eating went out the window. The downfall of not eating right meant I was tired, rundown, sick, had a very unsettled bub so I was in autopilot mode. One day I just thought I can’t be feeling like this all the time and need to take action if not for myself then for my child. I made sure there wasn’t any tempting sweets in the house and still had easy convenience to reach foods but ones better for me such as almonds, carrot sticks or even make a delicious smoothie like the one above mid morning instead of a slice of cake and coffee. The changes had enormous effect! I felt like I could cope with the lack of sleep from a waking bub, I had more energy, wasn’t as sick and my baby was more settled. I do fall off the wagon sometimes and do lift myself back up and think how I feel when I fall off and it’s not good. Now to own a Vitamix of my very own would be amazing! To have an appliance that makes anything from ice-cream to hot soup or even baby food is every person’s dream!! Less home clutter, one appliance easy to clean, nutritional foods at just the press of a button. I need one yes please
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Having a baby, turning 30 and being diagnosed with cancer all within 6 months made me realise that I couldn’t keep pretending that I would always be able to get away with an unhealthy lifestyle, and most importantly, that I had to stay healthy for my son! The Vitamix would be awesome as I sometimes skip breakfast or grab something unhealthy, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is known to improve long term survival rates after cancer.
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My moment was when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Since then, I’ve gone vegan and my condition has improved significantly, but I need a vitamix to make a lot of vegan recipes!
katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com
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I just like the pokey stick at the top to make sure everything gets blended!
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We call that stick “The Tamper”. Yep very little escapes the tamper!
Also so useful for makinghealthy all natural ice-cream!
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Life moment? Honestly, I think it’s when I discovered where meat came from. I became a vegetarian from that moment on, and my mother was devastated, because it was a spaghetti bolognaise night and I’d previously LOVED her meat! 15 years later, I’m still meat free and have never felt healthier. Pulses, soups, mushrooms, quinoa – I was onto all of that stuff before it was ‘in’. A Vitamix would be fantastic to help whizz up those smoothies and soups and all kinds of raw goodies to help keep me nutritious and healthy – especially now that we’re planning a baby… !
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what life moment??? The moment I met my beautiful niece. She is now 8months old and I met her when she was 12 hours old. I have suffered from severe depression for 5 years, I am insulin resistant and have poly cystic ovarian syndrome. But the seriousness of these issues didnt really hit me until I held this gorgeous girl and realised I’d do anything for her, And she has a lifetime of wonderful ahead of her. And so do I. In that moment i realised im only 24 but i live as if i dont matter, wasting the days til they’re over. .. not good enough! Im slowly losing weight, my depression is starting to lift and my sugar levels are dropping. but its hard, and expensive. but worth it
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
When I realised that my beautiful, bubbly 3 year old son Jack (who is the love of my life), is at risk of developing depression because both his mum and dad suffer from this illness.
Although my illness is well controlled on medication and I am able to hold down a senior nursing job, study part-time at uni and run my house hold, about once a year I get sick and my world comes tumbling down. The crappy black hole engulfs everything, and I just want to crawl into bed and cry as my coping skills go out the window.
I despise my illness.
Luckily I have good insight and know when and how to get help straight away. I can’t tell you how fantastic my psychiatrist is. But the thought of this happening to my precious Jack – well this just shatters me.
After reading everything I could find on depression and speaking to my psychiatrist, I discovered the link between depression and inflammation. Eating healthily is thought to decrease the inflammatory process in the body decreasing the risk of depression (or at least reduce the symptoms), and exercise – as you know – increases endorphins. Although not a magic cure, with understanding and education to develop coping mechanisms, my psychiatrist ensures me heathy eating and exercise will go a long way in preventing or at least decreasing Jack’s chance of getting depression.
Therefore we have become a heathy eating house hold. Out with sugar, processed foods and additives! And in with copious vegetables, legumes, fruit and whole grains. And I don’t think I have ever felt better.
To exercise I bought a bike and a riding seat for Jack and we now go riding as much as possible. I even rode in a 30km challenge on the weekend and competed the course in an hour and a half! I am leading by example.
I would be so grateful to win the Vitamix as it would help my family to introduce even more fruit and vegetables into our diet. “Green monster” anyone?
I am very determined to give Jack the best chance in life possible!
PS I can’t tell you how therapeutic it has been to write this. Thanks for listening.
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I always knew I should eat healthily for my well being and body but simply did not make the time or have the inclination to do so. Then I found myself unable to stand, sit, walk, sleep comfortably and naturally unable to go to work. I had sustained a severe back injury and had to undergo physio and daily exercises to recover. I have now embarked on a healthy regime with my diet and exercise and having a Vitamix would be a valuable asset to my new healthy lifestyle. I have been using some of Teresa Cutter’s recipes and am inspired by the use of the Vitamix. Having my own Vitamix would be the icing on the cake (which is now not included in my diet!!) to my daily food preparation and meals!!
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Being 26 and getting married in 2 months my partner and I decided it was time to think about when we might like to try for children… I went to my GP and was referred to an OBGYN. One ultrasound and a few appointments later we have discovered I have poly-cystic ovaries and endometriosis. We have been told we can conceive but it will be hard. The vitamix will help me to ensure we are getting all the nutritents and vitamins possible from our food and make our “conceiving and pregnancy” diet so very beneficial and yummy!!!
This experience has triggered both my partner and I to take our health and healthy eating much more seriously!
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
lack of energy from too much refined sugar and lack of good nutrition led me to say enough is enough. Turning 40 i couldnt just blame the excess weight on the middle aged sprawl…that was a cop out so i knew i had to take charge of my own health. I then discovered The Tracey Anderson method – not only did her excerise and healthy eating plan make me feel great – it works!!! i toned up and still am!!
id love to win the vitamix to make delicious ‘green’ smoothies – kale, green apple, spinach….delicious and healthy!!
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After having my baby (who is now 3), I had ongoing episodes of passing out where I would then be rushed to hospital by ambulance with complete heart block (ie. heart hardly beats, have no blood pressure, etc). These episodes kept happening, and still do. I then started getting other symptoms like swelling in my ankles, I’d get really out of breath doing simple things like making the bed, doing the washing, etc and I’d have to sit down all the time to catch my breath. It was making my life as a working Mum hell – everything is just so difficult like this. Last week I had an appointment with a Cardiothoracic surgeon and I have to have open heart surgery to replace a valve in my heart. Problem is, it isn’t just a standard valve replacement because I’ve also got a hole in my heart and extra electrical pathways which give me really fast heart rhythms so this will be problematic during any surgery. However if I don’t have the surgery, the heart valve will just continue to deteriorate and will eventually kill me. And, because I’ve been so sick I haven’t had the time or energy or ability to loose my baby weight and I really need to lost at least some of it before I have the open heart surgery. I read Louise Bell’s posts on Table Tonic about her Vitamix when she first posted them and thought “I really ought to get one of those”, but then saw how expensive they were and had to put the idea on the back burner. It would be AWESOME to win one, although there are other really deserving people who have commented as well, but this has been my life moment that has not only triggered me into taking my health more seriously, but also not to take life and health for granted any more! Thanks for this opportunity.
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
So I’d love to win a Vitamix.
Serious depression/anxiety and the realisation that I was ‘treating’ it with a Binge Eating disorder. After four years of counselling I finally feel like I’m in control of my life and can enjoy healthy food without dozens of self-imposed rules and without it being a ‘punishment’ for other disordered eating habits. And would you believe it, I discovered green smoothies just this week, thanks to kemisrawkitchen.com.au! I’m loving them, but my blender does leave them a little… gritty.
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Forty, Fat & Frumpy and diagnosed with Type ll diabetes.
Now Fifty, slightly Fitter & slightly less Fat, but just diagnosed with Fructose Malabsorption, Wheat Allergy as well as Lactose Intolerance has now radically restricted my diet and foods from which I may choose to eat!
Concentrating on Fresh, Seasonable and Unprocessed Food.
Confessions from a Former DairyFoodPhile
Boy do I miss my cheese.
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Pick me Pick Me Pick me.
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
Being pregnant with our first child and discovering that my husband has super-high cholesterol. Rather than submitting him to a lifetime of cholesterol lowering drugs, his naturopath cousin told him daily juices of apple, beetroot, cucumber and garlic could be a good solution. A vitamix is exactly what we’ve been looking for – especially as I am completely malcoordinated when it comes to peeling veggies!
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“What life moment triggered you to take your health more seriously and how might the Vitamix help?”
I started getting heartburn/reflux constantly and told my G.P. about it. My G.P. told me that the heartburn was caused by the extra weight I’m carrying & prescribed me a tablet to take every day to help with my heartburn. This was a big wake up call to me, that I had put on enough weight for it to start effecting my health and that I required medication to alleviate the effects… So I’ve been trying to eat healthier and have lost some weight, but still have plenty to go. I have always loved my veges but there are not many types of fruit I like to eat, often because of the seeds. I do love smoothies though – so that’s how Vitamix could help me; it would mean I could get all the goodness of fruit in a delicious smoothie! Which would be perfect in summer too
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I have always been fortunate to have amazing gorgeous skin.. until this year. I moved from QLD to Sydney and my skin decided it was time to develop cystic acne. Whether it was the stress of the move or just the fact that I have always been bound to develop it at my age – who knows! One thing I know for sure is that I turned to natural remedies to assist with clearing my skin, including elimating sugar and participating in a green smoothie challenge! This was the best thing I have ever done, and my skin completely cleared up. The only issue is, my $100 blender has died and I have since not been able to make my green smoothie’s… I miss them so dearly…
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My dad passed away from bowel cancer, after years of healthy diet and exercise. When Dad was diagnosed we found out the cancer he had was hereditary. They suggested a colonoscopy at 40, but I decided to have one at 38. Luckily. They found a 1cm polyp, small, but the deadly sort. If I had waited till I was 40 I would have definitely had bowel cancer. The Dr said to go out and buy a lotto ticket. I did, but I’m also changing the way we eat. More dietary fibre more water more veggies. Don’t put off getting your health checked just because something is icky or uncomfortable, it could literally save your life. I’d love to win, it would give me another tool to help me and my family take more steps towards being healthy.
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I have had my Vitamix for about 6wks now and am IN LOVE! Can’t imagine life without it!
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Hey Sculley, would love to know your favourite recipe????
I simply love making yoghurt berry ice-cream and I tried macadamia nut butter last weekend. What a hit with the relatives!
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Ooh that is a tough one! I made the Vegan Truffles out of the recipe book for a dinner party a few weeks ago and they were a big hit! I also make a breakfast smoothie (banana, fresh almond milk – made in the vitamix of course, raw muesli and a pinch of cinnamon) which is a personal fav and I have just made my third batch of almond butter…I think all of those are my favs right now! Keen to get even more adventurous with it though!
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I had baby #3 12 weeks ago, and am desperately trying to lose the baby weight. I found the same green smoothie on Pinterest, and was hoping that it may be my saviour in the weight loss stakes. It has just occurred to me that I am only a couple of months away from the hard slog that is making baby food too.
I think I see a Vitamix in my future!!!
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Seems like im the only guy on this page but hey, 22 and apparently my cholesterol isnt too good, so this vitamix will be great for the new diet im on
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Never taken my health seriously… but with one of those Vitamix babies in the kitchen I just may be forced to.
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Oh I so want a Vitamix. My husband and I got colitis when we went to India for our honeymoon and as a result ended up with leaky gut. I did a 15 day water fast which cleared it up and I now follow a mostly raw diet (95%). A vitamix would help me make some delicious green smoothies and raw desserts for my family.
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My husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour a few weeks ago and this has caused us to seriously consider many different facets of our lifestyle, including what we eat. He will have chemo and radiation therapy over the next few months and while we already eat a great deal of fresh fruit and veges, I plan to increase our intake to keep us all healthy so that we don’t pass on any lurgies to him while his immune system is low. A Vitamix would certainly make it a more interesting way to get fresh fruit into the kids.
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really sorry to hear that becauseimthemum. you have my vote
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So sorry to hear that news BITM.
My uncle recently lost his battle thru a simmilar situation.
Gather the troops and well wishers wherever you can and cuddle everyone lots. Sending you all wishes of health xo
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OMG, my friend has one of these and when I have been ill she has brought me over blended delights in a glass.
She has even visited me in hospital with Vitamix blends when I couldnt eat the food there.
I have no large bowel. It perforated in 3 places due to Ulcerative Colitis and I have been told by my surgeon after many reconstructive surgeries on my bowel, that I must NOT EAT fruit or vegetables.
I rebelled for a while, but the pain of digesting fiberous foods is too much to bear, so I only can eat protein and vitamin tablets.
I try and juice vegetables and fruit to get my nutrients, but a Vitamix would mix it up to the extreme for me!!!
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Oh my God, I so want a Vitamix! The video has me smitten.
Recently, after listening to a Podcast by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (of compassionatecooks.com) I had a light bulb moment and I don’t have many of those. Colleen is an author and vegan and much much more. She is a wonderful inspiring woman and clearly has been chosen to share her passion for compassion. She brought joy to my day and I’ve been a joyful vegetarian ever since. The best part about that light bulb moment was that I have since discovered the dimmer switch began on minimum.
A weight has lifted (and I don’t think any bathroom scales will tell you just how much) since I decided to stop eating meat. I feel like my digestive system can do what it was designed to do… eat natural ingredience without taking in the process of any animal. Now when people are surprised of my choice I ask them, ‘Would you like to eat your greens before or after the cow does?’ and ‘Would you like to eat a battery hens breakfast?’.
As for the Vitamix in the spotlight today I absolutely share Lana’s ‘smoothy excitement’! Preparation time can be meditative however life can be busy too. I would love to win this machine and share it’s ‘lovely lava’ with, let’s face it, anyone who would like to try something super healty and delicious.
Thanks Vitamix Lana and teams for this opportunity.
A vitamix in my kitchen would really be a wonderful ‘bulb of life’ and light every day! x
PS I included this picture of my cat on her insistance that we play a little of the ‘cute’ and ‘fashion’ factor too for our entry.
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I have a Vitamix and my cat loves green smoothies. He now eats all the veges in the garden too…
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Thanks Nola!
Great pic you’ve shared.
Your cat looks in looove!!
I’m sure a green smoothy shot would do wonders for my indoors cat..
Please remember to click the box to like my comment if you haven’t already—help me towards winning my first Vitamix and my cat having her first green smoothy xx
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When you win here is the recipe for the green smoothie for cats.
Fluffy’s Delight
1 cup wheatgrass clippings (or any other grass, not sprayed)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 capsules fish oil (pour on the smoothie, in the bowl)
You may freeze it in an ice-cube tray and serve it by the cube.
P.S my cat luurrvves your cat!
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Thanks Nola!
I’m sure she’d love that.
Freezing cubes is a great idea!
P.SI think all four of us could be friends.
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Hey Nola,
Got any good friendly tips to keep my cat from defending her territory in the middle of the night? A beautiful (bell and collared) russian blue comes to visit and my kitty is none too happy about it. I tried peppermint oil near the window with no luck. I thought hard about giving the grey kitty a small cold shower but there must be a better way.
Maybe you or someone else has a good suggestion to keep this pretty grey kitty away.
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Ohhh, I’m not to sure about that… never had to keep a kitty cat away before!
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Thanks for the tip on Compassionate Cook podcast – will make sure I listen to that. Great to hear you are on the path to a healthier you
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Happy to share good health info anytime Lisa.
Thanks for your response.
Any jobs going at Vitamix Australia?
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We are looking for demonstrators!
Advert below:
Kitchenware Demonstrators – Casual Positions
Peter McInnes is looking for a team of passionate and energetic demonstrators across Australia to conduct in store demonstrations of our premium products.
You will demonstrate the use of premium quality kitchen countertop appliances and kitchenware products, inform potential customers of their benefits and encourage them to purchase.
Demonstration locations include a variety of specialty kitchenware stores, shopping centres and home shows. The hours of work are flexible but normally consist of 4 hour demonstrations conducted during the day with occasional evenings and weekend work.
If you are a highly motivated and energetic individual with exceptional communication skills and are looking to work autonomously, then we would love to hear from you. Please call to join our committed team
Belinda Gazzard
Demonstrations and Training Manager
Peter McInnes Pty Ltd
PO Box 158, West Wallsend, NSW 2286
P: 02 4902 6500
E: belinda.gazzard@petermcinnes.com.au
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The USA is quite incredible when it comes to food, each time i go I spend hours just in the supermarket alone, (I adore food shopping) there are soooo many products in the average US supermarket that have never seen our shores. And thank god for that!
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