2012 Cooking School dates announced!

Hopewood has just announced our Cooking School dates for the rest of the year, offering you the chance to learn how to prepare their healthy, gourmet vegetarian recipes!

In our small, hands-on classes you’ll prepare and eat delicious vegetarian meals and get tips from Chef John Estival.

To help you remember what you've learned, you'll also get recipe cards for the Hopewood dishes you prepared. This interactive course will empower you to make a healthy change from your own kitchen.

Classes run for 3 hours with lunchtime and evening sessions available.

2012 Classes available:

Saturday dinnertime classes from 5pm to 8pm
July 21, August 18, September 15, October 27, and November 17

Tuesday lunchtime classes from 11am to 2pm
July 24, August 21, September 18, October 30, November 20

Each class menu will emphasise seasonal produce.

Sample Menu

Entree: Stuffed Mushroom and Three Coloured Salad with Strawberry & Balsamic Dressing

Main: Potato, Lentil, Carrot & Turmeric Casserole

Dessert: Banana & Strawberry Ice Cream with Fresh Fruit

The cost for one class is $120 per person or two people for $210
Call to book today: 02 4773 8401

Take a look at what Kate, a recent Cooking School attendee thought of the class:

“"I just wanted to say thank you again for the wonderful cooking course at Hopewood, I enjoyed it so much and learnt a lot from Chef John.
So much thought and time had gone into the recipe selection and presentation, and the gift bag was a lovely idea too.
I have been coming to Hopewood for some years, but this is the first time I actually got involved in some vegetarian cooking there which I have wanted to do for so long." - Kate

5 tips to help avoid the winter flu

Winter is finally here, bringing with it lots of ways to get sick. As everyone dreads getting the winter chill and flu, Hopewood Health Retreat has put together five simple tips to help you stay healthy this winter.

1.  Increase your Omega 3

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid found in all sorts of food. Omega 3 contains two of the most healthy and biologically active fatty acids; EPA (eicosa-pentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosa-hexanoic acid).

Omega 3 plays a key role in boosting your immune system, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supporting a healthy heart beat. To increase your Omega 3 you can consume more leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, nuts (walnuts and Brazil nuts), seeds such as flax seed, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

2.       Improve your sleeping

Studies show that sleep plays a critical role in immune functions, metabolism, memory learning and other vital functions, so a good night’s sleep is crucial. Sleep deprivation actually suppresses immune system functions. The less sleep you get, the harder your immune system has to work to fight colds and bacteria, so getting a good night sleep every night is very important.

3.       Ginger Tea

Having a cup of ginger tea not only warms your body up, it can also help prevent the flu. Ginger tea can help relieve congestion by shrinking the blood vessels in the nose, and because it has virtually no side effects, it offers an all-natural alternative to pharmaceutical decongestants. Ginger will not only make your throat feel better, it also has a reputation for helping relieve a wide variety of painful conditions. It can help lessen the aches and pains associated with a cold, such as headaches and cramps. Ginger also boosts circulation and stimulates the immune system.

 Make ginger tea with 12 thin slices of fresh ginger root. Place the slices in a saucepan with three cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

4.       Exercise

Exercise is not only effective in burning calories, it also encourages a healthy immune system. Exercise actually temporary boosts the production of macrophages, which are the cells that attack bacteria. Also, during moderate exercise immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and virus.

5.       De-stress and relax

De-stressing will help your mind, body and soul relax so that when you do have to face the winter season, your body is in top condition. Hopewood Health Retreat offers many health packages such as ‘Stress Free & Healthy’ and ‘Health & Vitality’ that can help you relax. Naturopaths are also available and can assist in getting your winter immunity back on track.

Get your dose of Vitamin D this winter

As winter is now upon us, the strong temptation for many is to rug up and spend the weekend indoors and out of the cold. Even if the motivation to exercise is there, the gym is often far more inviting than braving the chill for outdoor activities.

Vitamin D is considered vital for health and wellbeing. It is essential for absorbing calcium in the body, keeping your bones and muscles strong and healthy.

With the weather cold and the days short, sitting outside is often the last thing you want to do in winter, making it difficult go get your daily dose of Vitamin D in these chilly months!

Do not fear! Here are some ways you can improve your vitamin D intake this winter -

Try eating your lunch outside or going for a short walk. Even if your face is the only part exposed to the sun, you will find it far more revitalising than simply sitting at your desk.

Knowledge about vitamin content in foods has become quite extensive, and we can now tailor our diet to target our vitamin deficiencies.

Some foods that boost Vitamin D:

-          Egg yolks

-          Cod liver oil (make sure it is a high quality brand)

-          Some types of unpasteurised milk

-          Orange juice

-          A good brand of vitamin supplements can also be beneficial

-         

Remember that sunshine is the source of all life and nothing is as effective as the power of natural sunlight to absorb vitamin D.

The People of Hopewood - Meet Marilyn

Meet Marilyn

Marilyn helps out Chef John in the kitchen. As a long-time employee of Hopewood, she loves seeing guests return and enjoys chatting with them in the dining room. 

How long have you been working at Hopewood?

6 years

Tell us a little bit about your role/job at Hopewood?

I help to prepare food and set up meals for our guests.  I also make juices and help to serve the guests in the dining room.

What do you enjoy most about working at Hopewood?

I love the family atmosphere.

What is your best piece of advice for healthy living?

Stay active, exercise often, take care of yourself, and eat healthy.

The People of Hopewood - Meet Sarah

Meet Sarah

Sarah is one of the friendly and helpful receptionists at Hopewood’s reservations desk.  She takes reservations, makes therapy bookings, and helps out with the day-to-day office duties. If you’re calling Hopewood or emailing us, Sarah may be the one on the other end answering your question.

How long have you been working at Hopewood?

11 months

Tell us a little bit about your role at Hopewood.

As a receptionist, it is my job to help ensure that guests have a relaxing and enjoyable visit. The reception team is the first port of call and so that first impression is the most important.

What do you enjoy most about working at Hopewood?

When I come to work it doesn’t feel like work, the staff and guests are so friendly and I enjoy meeting new people and listening to their stories! This would be the first time I have been part of a workplace which actually work as a team regardless of which department they are from, everyone is always willing to help. Work is no longer a thing I have to do it is something I enjoy doing!

Do you have any tips for how you take care of your own personal health and wellbeing?

Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced healthy diet.

What is your best piece of advice for healthy living?

Come to Hopewood! J  

Keep your immune system healthy this winter

Winter wellbeing

Your immune system is your body’s first line of defence against illness. Its function is to find and kill organisms that are foreign to the body. There are many positive lifestyle choices you can make to strengthen your immune system, particularly during winter when you’re more vulnerable to getting sick. 


Cold weather tends to cause us to stay indoors and avoid physical activity. It also brings us in closer contact with other people. All of these, particularly the lack of exercise, induces a stress effect on our bodies and increases the production of cortisol.

This increase in cortisol affects the ability of our white blood cells- the ‘killer cells’ of our immune system- to respond to possible threats to our bodies.
So, it’s important that we keep our stress levels low to keep our immune systems functioning. This means keeping up a decent level of physical activity and ensuring we get enough rest and relaxation- particularly when it comes to sleep.

What you eat can also go a long way to maintaining a well functioning immune system. Your diet needs to be well balanced and incorporate foods rich in vitamins B12 and B6, E and A as well as be provide you with sufficient iron and zinc.

Remember that the best cure is prevention- by making positive lifestyle choices you can make it through the winter months in good health.

The importance of relaxation

The mantra of too much work and not enough play is becoming more and more apparent in our busy lives. Practicing the art of relaxation is essential to achieving work/life balance. Relaxation is not a discipline or a chore; it is simply taking time out to focus on you.

Relaxation has many benefits. It helps keep stress levels down, improving overall mental health and giving the brain time to repair. Not enough relaxation can lead to serious problems, such as memory failure, mood swings, and even a heart attack.

There are many small ways relaxation can fit into our lifestyles. A little bit of down time each day can make a difference to your whole outlook on life. Taking 10 minutes each day to take a stroll outdoors, sit quietly before going to sleep, or listening to soothing music are some ways relaxation can be incorporated into our routines.

At Hopewood, we provide the ideal setting for relaxation and rejuvenation. All packages include a range of relaxation activities to suit every taste, such as:

-          Meditation and Breathing

-          Yoga

-          Tai Chi

-          Light Aerobics

-          Stretching

-          Dancing

-          Bush walks

Learning relaxation techniques at Hopewood can give you the start you need to make relaxation a regular part of daily life. Many of our guests find they leave Hopewood feeling physically, emotionally and mentally refreshed and ready to make positive life changes.