Our Blog
Dr Shijoe Mathew
Dr Shijoe Mathew is the Ayurvedic Physician at Ananda in the Himalayas. He has practised and learnt Ayurveda under many eminent scholars in regions all over India, after studying its principles at Vishnu Ayurveda Medical College. During this time, he came across a traditional family practising Ayurvedic toxicology treatments from which he learnt the traditional art of Ayurvedic pulse examination. He was inspired to discover this traditional medicine growing up in the spiritual town of Kerala, and by his great-uncle, who was an Ayurvedic eye doctor.
Marco Baoia
Marco Baoia is the lead organiser and trainer of the Epic Sana Sayanna Reshape in Portugal and has a wealth of knowledge in bootcamp training, having been a part of the fitness industry since 1988. During this time he has covered many different training methods and has successfully trained in England, Ireland, Germany and Portugal. Marco works with a truly holistic approach and is always results orientated; aiming to get the best out of each and every individual he works with. His overriding wish is to provide his clients with the information they need to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Read more: Marco Baoia on the Benefits of his Bootcamp Holiday
Susan d'Arcy
Susan d'Arcy has been writing for the Sunday Times for over 20 years, about luxurious spas and travel. As a spa expert she enjoys sharing her tips and insights about the best therapists, spas and treatments, on her very informative, yet entertaining blog, Spa Confidential.
Pat Cash
Pat Cash came to the tennis world's attention in the 1980s when he turned professional and won his first senior title in Melbourne. Cash established a reputation on tour as a hard-fighting serve-and-volleyer, he became the youngest player to play in a Davis Cup final winning and claiming the cup for Australia. The crowning moment of Cash's career came when he won Wimbledon in 1987. He has now opened a fabulous tennis academy in the Caribbean at Buccament Bay and also works as a TV commentator primarily for the BBC and CNN.
Interview with an ex-professional tennis player
Tell us about your academy at Buccament Bay, how it started, and where you'd like to see it going in the future?
We got the academy up and running in 2011 with the Phase One courts, and it's been going well. We are lucky to have one of the greatest locations to relax, play sport and recharge. As the sports facilities including the remainder of the courts and complex are completed, Buccament Bay will be one of the world's best places to visit and learn to play tennis, and other sports and activities as well.
What are the most important attributes that a tennis player needs?
Tennis is a tough sport because you need so many things to play at a top level. Firstly you need to perfect all the technical areas of each shot; then there's the physical attributes of speed, agility and endurance topped with balance and timing. You need mental strength too: there's no clock to run out, so every point is important and it becomes a great mental battle.
What do you feel are the best exercises for tennis?
For the beginner, I think general hand/eye coordination. James Droy (the resident coach) and I have fun games for the younger kids, and tougher movement and agility exercises for the older kids and adults, but in the end you need a bit of everything.
Pat Cash playing at Buccament Bay
What are the most common pitfalls of an average player's game?
Usually technique issues hold players back as most people have been taught poorly. Sometimes it's better not to have had any coaching at all than poor coaching as some habits are hard to break. An understanding of body movement will help, which James and I are happy to explain.
During your tennis career, who did you find as the most challenging player to play against, and what aspect of their game made it difficult for you?
I was lucky and unlucky to be playing in such an amazing era of tennis. The mid-80's to mid-90's were very special with so many different styles and personalities to combat. Players like Becker and Lendl had power, control and variety; Wilander Connors and others never seemed to miss; and McEnroe, Noah and Edberg were precision attackers. All were great players and very different.
What do you find are the health benefits of playing tennis?
It's a total body workout and great for your fitness. It is one of the toughest sports in the world at the top level.
What top tips do you have for somebody who wants to instantly raise their game?
I think it's important to understand the best area to contact the ball. If the ball is too far away, you lose control and balance; if it's too close, you can't swing correctly. Getting the correct place to contact the ball will enable you to hit through the ball better.
How do you choose a suitable racket for, say, an intermediate player?
Rackets are very personal but the main thing is to get a decent set of strings with a decent tension - that will make a huge difference.
How fit does someone need to be to play tennis, and are you ever too old to give up?
I had a chat with an 83 year old the other day who plays three times a week with his buddies. They have a great time and get all the joints moving and muscles working. As long as you can shuffle around, you should find someone to play with.
Which tennis tournament is your favourite and why?
I think all of the Grand Slams are very special and very different in many ways, but sometimes the smaller events are more fun, like the ATP event in Baastad, Sweden, or Delray Beach in Florida. Also I'm fortunate to play in the legends events these days, which are really relaxed and fun so I enjoy every event.
What aspect of combining travel and tennis do you enjoy the most?
Being an Aussie I have had to travel my whole life to get around the world. I hear many ex pro players don't like to travel anymore and I understand that, after 15 years of hotels, airports and tennis courts, travelling becomes far less appealing to some, but I can't stand still for very long. When I first travelled, there were no iPods, mobile phones or internet, so these things make travelling and waiting at airports kinda fun.
For more information about the Pat Cash tennis academy, visit Buccament Bay
With the ongoing surge for the illusive flat abs and toned tum, Elier Castillo, Fitness Expert at Longevity in Portugal, shares with us the best exercise for strengthening your core.
Read more: Crunches vs. Planks: The Best Exercise for Core Strength
Lee Holmes
Lee Holmes is a holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, wholefoods chef and author of the bestselling Supercharged Food: Eat Your Way to Health, Supercharged Food: Eat Yourself Beautiful and Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian. She is a columnist with Wellbeing Magazine and her articles have appeared in leading Australian newspapers and journals, as well as The Times and The Daily Express in the UK and The Huffington Post in the US. Lee’s blog won the overall award at the Bupa Health Influencer Awards in 2014 as well as the best blog in the Healthy Eating Category.
Read more: Wholefoods Chef and Holistic Nutritionist Lee Holmes
Lizzy Williamson
Lizzy Williamson is a certified Personal Trainer, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Presenter, Speaker and contributor to contributor to MindBodyGreen, BubHub, BellaMumma and more. Her workouts have been featured in Lorna Jane’s YouTube channel, news.com.au, as well as many other popular online publications, programs and blogs. Her Two Minute Workouts are shared each week for free to thousands of women who have become part of her ever-growing community. She has also appeared on stage to speak and encourage audience to get out of their chairs and start moving, at Mum Society, Golden Door, Mama Creatives and Team Women Australia.
Read more: Interview with Two Minute Moves' Lizzy Williamson
Jessica Sepel
Jessica Sepel is a clinical nutritionist, author and international health and travel expert. She is also the beloved voice behind 'JSHealth', passionately advocating how to achieve a balanced lifestyle through wholefoods and a healthy relationship with food to her vibrant social media community on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Jess is also a regular contributor to Vogue Australia's Spy Style, Well+Good NYC, PopSugar and MindBodyGreen and brand ambassador for CottonOn and Nature's Way Wholefoods and Vitamins. Jess's book The Healthy Life is based on her popular and previously self-published ebook The Clean Life.
Yvette Le Blowitz
Yvette Le Blowitz is the Founder of Spa it Girl, is one of the world’s top Luxury Spa Travel Reviewers, Writers, and Bloggers.She is also a judge for one of the Worlds Top Spa Industry Awards and recognised as being one of the Top Spa Influencers, Bloggers in the World. She was named and awarded also as one of Australia’s Top 50 Influencers in 2017. Her Spa it Girl Blog is read all around the world and she inspires others to feel good from within and to live their own authentic dreams.
Marissa Frew
Marissa is a holistic living and wellbeing consultant with over 20 years experience in her field and a lifetime working with alternative wellbeing practitioners. She’s an inspiring presenter, guest speaker and writer as well as a personal trainer specialising in flexibility, movement and rehabilitation. Marissa is the founder of Rocket and Beets and is passionate about empowering others through teaching the elements of health. Her Happy Body Lifestyle Program brings together the key elements of how to properly lay the foundations of a vibrant lifestyle and an enlivened energetically enriched body.
Read more: Interview with Rocket and Beets Creator Marissa Frew
Wellness Experts
Interviews from leading health and fitness professionals from around the world to explore a wealth of knowledge in their areas of expertise.