Seeing the world in ship shape fashion Book a holiday you’ll love and savour the experience of discovering the world at a more relaxed pace on a cruise. Whether you’re an adventurous solo traveller, sightseeing with friends or indulging in a second (or third) honeymoon, you are bound to create life-long memories. Ahoy travellers! These holiday packages are open to all Living Gems homeowners. To book these cruises or to receive more information, visit Norman’s website: integritytravel.com.au Around Australia Make 2024 the year you really get to discover Australia. Last month’s Thrive magazine featured three fabulous roadtrips that explore our nation’s interior. But if a long roadtrip is not for you, how about a cruise around Australia, where you unpack just once and have all the destinations come to you? Join retired travel agent Norman Pressey and his wife Carol from Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront on a 28-day cruise, departing on 4 June from Brisbane and get ready to explore the big capital cities as well as...

Tips for keeping the spark in your love life How healthy is your relationship? Is it time for a check-up? How about a check in? Many couples discover that being free from the responsibilities of raising a family, going to work and maintaining a large property puts the focus back onto their relationships, says sexologist and relationship therapist, Naomi Hutchings. In the absence of these time-intensive activities, couples risk putting themselves under pressure to perform – particularly around Valentine’s Day, she said. “My first piece of advice is, don’t be fazed by big events. If you don’t normally make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day, then you shouldn’t feel obliged to spend money on the day,” she said. “The only people putting pressure on you are the florists and jewellers. “However, if going all out for Valentine’s Day is something you always do together, and it is a special part of your relationship, then you should continue to do it and cherish it.” The key...

Tips for shaping up your mid-section   While there may be a little more of you to love, many of us are keen to lose those ‘love handles’ — the visceral skin and fat that sits over our hips. And there’s good reason as fat in that area may increase the risk factors for a variety of diseases. Health and and fitness professional, Josh Kristenson, has some great tips for shaping up around the mid-section. And why not try these tips with your significant other? Exercising together is a great way to bond and reach your fitness goals in good company. 1. Calorie-conscious choices When it comes to managing love handles, being mindful of the calorie density of fats is crucial. Choose leaner cuts of meat, use less or no cooking oils, and opt for low-fat milks and other products. This way you can naturally reduce calorie intake without impacting on nutrition which is the first step in supporting your efforts to address love handles. Understanding...

How to make those New Year’s resolution goals stick For many of us, it’s a resolution we make every year: improve our fitness and enjoy the benefits of increased energy and strength. But where do you begin? Fitness coach Josh Kristenson has some practical tips. Did you know small lifestyle changes that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine will help support your fitness goals whether they be increased energy, losing weight, improved strength or better sleep? 1. Setting realistic fitness goals Being specific in your objectives means you are more likely to achieve them. Rather than making broad statements such as, “I want to increase my fitness.”, give yourself a tangible goal - i.e. "I'll go to aqua aerobics every week and walk a circuit of the resort every morning”. Creating quantifiable goals and a time frame to achieve them in makes it easier to track progress and give you those small wins that will encourage you to keep going and even expand...

Discover Australia via the roads less travelled Whether you have your own caravan and RV or are looking to hire one, we have some of the best Australian roadtrips that you can travel at your leisure.Your starting point is the Queensland border down of Hebel where, in the great Australian tradition, the centre of town happens to be the local pub where you’ll find plenty of character in both the décor and the people. Just down the road from the pub is the Hebel General Store and Caravan Park which is the perfect place to stay the night. About 350kms north, on the Carnarvon Highway, is the sizable outback town of Roma, home to the largest cattle saleyards in the southern hemisphere. Explore Queensland’s history and visit the Mount Abundance homestead, built in 1860 on the first settlement site in the region. While you’re there, check out The Big Rig oil and gas interpretative centre. Stretch your legs at Injune or stay a...

The way to a healthy body and mind A healthy gut can play a crucial role in your mental, physical and emotional health, according to accredited practicing dietitian Carly Barlow. "Looking after your gut health, and the friendly bacteria or microbiome inside, is key to a healthy body and mind," said Carly. Carly explained that the gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms, both good and bad bacteria, that live in our gut. "A healthy gut has a lot of good bacteria which produces what's needed to reduce inflammation in the body. They produce helpful chemicals that also provide many health benefits," she said. She said the way the microbiomes achieve this is through the food we eat. "Essentially, good healthy food provides fuel for the bugs to produce those helpful chemicals." Research has seen advances in gut microbiome knowledge and scientists are beginning to understand how the balance of different types of microorganisms in our gut determine our overall health, according to Carly. She said...

Great tips and glad tidings for 2024 Living Gems homeowners have plenty to look forward to in their wonderful, active communities. As the bells ring in a brand-new year, a few share their wisdom and hope for the next 12 months. “Most years our resolution is to lose weight but this year we’re looking forward to our latest challenge, having volunteered to work in the bar when our new Country Club opens. It’s a great way to meet people and we want to meet as many as possible.” Irene and Larry Clifford, Amber by Living Gems “We’d like to travel more in 2024. There are plenty of places in Australia that we haven’t seen and some we have that we’d like to go back to. We have two trips already planned.” Lance and Aileen Cause, Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront “We’re looking forward to our new Country Club and being able to socialise more with everyone. With all the fabulous new facilities, we also plan to exercise...

They say variety is the spice of life, and this is certainly the case when it comes to serving up a healthy meal for the family after over-indulging over the holiday season. Chef Matt Conquest recommends his chimichurri steak recipe which he describes as not only tantalisingly scrumptious but also easy to make. It adds a fresh finish to your steak and the ingredients work well with chicken and fish too, making the dish ideal for several variations. You can serve it with grilled corn and greens, or you can use it in a beef taco or a soft tortilla or, alternatively, eat it off the barbecue plate on its own. A quality cut of meat always works best so select a good rib fillet, porterhouse or T-bone for the best flavour. The chimichurri mix can be made the day before to allow the flavours to develop and come together. Ingredients 4 x 300g rib fillet steak 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped 1/4 cup chopped...