Change can be difficult, even when we know it's good for us. When it comes to improving our overall mental and physical health and wellbeing, the internet is saturated with self-help guides that can be a lot of rubbish.
To help you stay informed, motivated and inspired, we've picked seven of our current favourite wellness influencers and health advisors, who generously share their resources online for free.
Deliciously Ella
Ella Mills makes the most delicious plant-based recipes and shares them on her website, Instagram, app, and in her cookbooks. Her recipes are full of fibre, protein, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals, and the best part is that she uses very accessible and affordable ingredients, just in new and creative ways. A plant-based diet doesn’t have to be bland, restrictive, and antisocial. It can be abundant, beautiful, hearty, cool, and full of flavour, and Deliciously Ella proves it.
Ella and her husband Matthew Mills also host a fascinating podcast. In each episode they speak to a leading figure in a different area of wellbeing - some of our favourite episodes are about sleep, the gut microbiome, mindfulness, happiness, resilience, love, food waste, climate change, sustainable fashion, lifestyle medicine, veganism, and diet myths unpicked. Ella and Matt are very curious and lovely hosts - it’s worth a listen!
Nutrition Facts
nutritionfacts.org is a strictly non-commercial, science-based public service provided by Dr. Michael Greger, providing free updates on the latest in nutrition research via bite-sized videos. There are more than a thousand videos on nearly every aspect of healthy eating, with new videos and articles uploaded every day. For up to date, evidence-based nurtitional information, presented in Dr Greger’s unique quirky style, check it out!
Yoga with Adriene
This post wouldn't be complete without a shout out to our favourite yoga teacher, Adriene. We think her YouTube channel, Yoga with Adriene, rocks! It's not just a great tool for learning yoga and breathing techniques, but also for building self-confidence and finding what feels good #FWFG.
Adriene's big personality, good (and bad) humour, and consistent encouragement make you feel like she's your best friend. Her videos are completely free and accessible online, so you can do them at home in your pyjamas. We recommend trying her Yoga Revolution, it's a free online 31-day program.
Sun Smart
SunSmart have released a free app available on Apple and Android tablets and smartphone. With it, no matter where you are in Australia, you can get information regarding the UV index, together with alerts which let you know when sun protection is recommended at your selected location. It also provides plenty of other instructional data, including a sunscreen calculator and profile creator, as well as the weather where you are. This app could save your life!
Doctor McDougall
If there is one resource that has influenced Dr Morris’ nutrition career more than any other, it would be this one. In November 2004, he spent 10 days in the company of John and Mary McDougall at Santa Rosa in Northern California. There he learned the science and evidence supporting a whole foods starch-based diet and it’s positive effects in reversing common chronic diseases, without medication.
On Dr McDougall's website you'll find a wealth of free information, podcasts, videos, success stories, recipes and tons of interesting articles in the newsletter archive, which spans more than 35 years. This site represents the life work of one of the “greats” in the field of human nutrition.
Greater Good Science Centre
Check out the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley! They have an online Greater Good Magazine which publishes the latest and most applicable science-based research for how to create a life of meaning, compassion and presence. We've subscribed and we think you should too.
Their website includes up-beat videos, practical online courses, and other useful tools and resources for how to lead a happier life and foster a more resilient and compassionate society. We also suggest enrolling in their 8-week Science of Happiness course on Edx. It's free!
Scan Your Skin
Here’s another great resource, created by the Skin Cancer College Australasia, that gives the complete rundown on what you need to know about skin cancer risks and screening. It’s authoritative, no nonsense style, offers clear and succinct information to patients, which demystifies and alleviates the fear associated with cancer. Hopefully, armed with this knowledge, you will have a clear understanding of what you can do to minimise the risks of skin cancer, and of how important it is to have your skin screened regularly.
We hope you find these online resources as useful as we do. Please let us know what you think and share your favourites!