Live Well with Leonie

23/11/2025

A couple of evenings ago, my sister and I I sat out on the deck of our hotel room and got bombarded by mozzies, beetles and moths.

Tonight brought out my Roam diffuser and popped on some Lemon Eucalyptus oil.

No bugs. Lemon Eucalyptus is even better than Citronella and smells fabulous.

Insect control✔️

22/11/2025

21/11/2025

I was talking with my sister today about the dangers of eating seed oils and, specifically, grapeseed oil. Now I used to use grapeseed and it’s useful oil to use when making foods like mayonnaise as it’s not strongly flavoured. It’s popular in cooking as it has a high smoke point.

However, I realised some time ago that it’s not healthy but, when she challenged me for more detail about why, I must admit I couldn’t really specify why. I know in the manufacturing process it’s heated to a point where it can become a transfat which is really dangerous for our health but I felt a little silly when I couldn’t elaborate.

So of course it sent me down the research path. Just why is it so bad? First stop was Healthline, a great website for health information.

Let’s look at it in more detail: firstly grapeseed oil is extracted using toxic solvents such as hexane and, while much of it is removed during the extraction process process, traces do remain. Hexane is chiefly obtained by refining crude oil. Yay!

Grapeseed oil is very high in polyunsaturated fats which sounds like a good thing except that those fats are mainly omega-6 and too many omega-6 oils are not good for us. Scientists have speculated that a high intake of omega-6 fats, relative to omega-3s, may increase inflammation in the body.

Some grapeseed oils have been found to possibly contain potentially harmful levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to cause cancer in animals.

At the end of the day, while grapeseed oil may have some positive events, overall it is not a good source of vitamins or minerals.

Grapeseed oil is the latest "heart healthy" cooking oil. Despite the bold claims by the marketers, this oil really isn't healthy at all.

20/11/2025

So true. Most of us have no idea how important the lymphatic system is to our fundamental health.

When diagnosed with breast cancer, they inject you with radioactive dye and trace that to the lymph nodes under the armpit of the affected breast.

The master lymph node - the main filter - is then removed and tested for cancer cells. If they’re found, it means the cancer has been spread through the lymphatic system to the rest of the body, potentially causing cancer elsewhere.

Fortunately mine showed no sign so I only needed to have radiotherapy. If it had spread further, the recommendation would have been chemo as well.

However, most breast cancer patients are left with ongoing lymphatic issues. For me, mine is an overly, shall we say “plump” breast on that side.

Others experience severe lymphoedema (swelling) in their arm, back and sometimes other areas as well.

Delicately feather-light stroking of the skin towards the heart is the easiest way to stimulate drainage, and gentle skin brushing is a wonderful way to do that.

Add a drop of MetaPWR oil to the brush to further stimulate drainage.

🌸 Breast Health & The Lymphatic System — What Every Woman Should Know 🌸

Our breasts don’t have muscles to move waste or fluid on their own…

They rely completely on the lymphatic system — the body’s natural filtration and detox network — to keep everything healthy, clear, and flowing.

And here’s the part most women were never taught:

✨ Over 75% of the lymph from the breast drains into the armpit (axilla).
If that area becomes congested, tight, or restricted, it can slow down the natural detox process and contribute to tenderness, swelling, inflammation, or general discomfort.

✨ The lymphatic system has no pump.
It depends on movement, deep breathing, gentle massage, hydration, and proper support to keep the flow going.

✨ Healthy lymph = healthy breast tissue.
Good lymphatic circulation helps remove cellular waste, support immune surveillance, and maintain tissue integrity — which is essential at every age and life stage.

Here’s how you can nurture both your breasts and your lymph:

💗 Gentle daily movement
💗 Deep belly breathing
💗 Avoiding underwires
💗 Lymphatic massage or breast care sessions
💗 Staying hydrated
💗 Dry brushing or warm-cold contrast showers
💗 Regular self-checks and awareness of your own normal

Your breast health isn’t just about screening — it’s about circulation, flow, and daily self-care that honours your body.

At The Breast Wellness Studio, this is exactly what we focus on:
supporting your natural physiology, enhancing lymphatic flow, and empowering you with the knowledge every woman deserves.

If your breasts feel tender, swollen, heavy, or “not quite right”… your lymph might be asking for attention. And you don’t have to figure it out alone. 💕

Send me a message anytime if you’d like guidance, a session, or just a safe place to ask questions.

20/11/2025

Real or fake food?

I must admit didn’t know that and tbh don’t eat gelato so wouldn’t have noticed and wondered but now I know, I’ll know what to look out for!

If the gelato is piled high… it’s fake. Here’s why.

Real, artisanal gelato can’t physically sit in those giant, fluffy mountains you see in touristy areas. If it’s piled high like whipped cream, it means only one thing:

👉 They’re using artificial thickeners and stabilizers to keep it standing.

Authentic gelato is made fresh every day with natural ingredients — milk, eggs, sugar, and real fruit or nuts. It melts quickly, it’s dense, and it sits flat in the steel tubs because there’s nothing added to make it defy gravity.

When you see those neon-colored, perfectly sculpted peaks?

-Too much air (to make the portion look bigger)
- Artificial colors
-Chemical stabilizers to hold the shape
-Fake ingredients instead of real pistachios, strawberries, or chocolate

Real gelato looks “boring” in comparison:

- Low, flat, calm tubs
-Natural colors (pistachio is beige, not electric green!)
-Simple lids or covered containers in the best shops
-A shorter list of flavors, made fresh

If it looks like a mountain, it’s not the gelato you want.
If it looks humble and natural, that’s the good stuff.

18/11/2025

Diffusing Winterberry. It’s just delicious!

Actually smells of berries but there’s no berry oils in it because you can’t get essential oils from soft fruit like berries.

When you read the list of oils in the blend, there’s no way you’d think it would smell the way it does. Just lovely.

18/11/2025

What are you diffusing today?

Me? I’m bringing the scent of the sea into the office in my new Owl diffuser from the US Shop. It’s soooo cute.

Oh and tip: the Owl has a US power plug so you either need a US-to-AU plug or you can switch the cord for the AU Koala diffuser one which works fine. Thanks Elena for the suggestion.

17/11/2025

Boxes full of holiday goodies!

14/11/2025

I’ve talked many times about the dangers of seed and highly-processed vegetable oils.

While we do have good labelling laws in Australia, it seems we are also lagging behind many other countries in requiring trans fats to be listed. Trans fats are caused when some oils are heated to an extremely high point, usually in their manufacture, becoming unstable and therefore dangerous for our health, particularly heart health.

Another good reason to avoid those oils! Go for cold-pressed olive and nut oils instead of canola, sunflower, safflower, vegetable oils etc.

Learn how to protect yourself from this hidden health risk. Image credit: LADO / Shutterstock

13/11/2025

Welcoming this news and I’m so glad to see that medical research is finally distinguishing between the effect of different diseases on males and females.

For too long, the medical fraternity has been… I’ll be kind and say unconsciously… biased when it comes to medical research. One size doesn’t always fit all and now more medical research is revealing just that.

It scares me, as it should scare all women, that females have a greater risk of suffering from Alzheimers. Let’s hope this research uncovers the reasons and gives us strategies to reduce the number.

In the meantime, as the article suggests, making sure we eat well - good healthy, nutritious foods; drink pure water; and get exercise, we will be supporting our bodies in the best way.

Groundbreaking Australian research is investigating why women face nearly twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Image credit: imtmphoto / Shutterstock