Interviews

Conscious People: Introducing Jody Scott, Health Editor at Vogue Australia

Karla Layton July 09, 2020
Conscious People: Introducing Jody Scott, Health Editor at Vogue Australia

We are very excited at Boody to launch our interview series - Conscious People. We want to give you the opportunity to get a sneak peak into the lives of people who care deeply about their health and the planet. We hope that through these inspiring people, you find inspiration in your lifestyle and environmental decisions.

First up is the beautiful Jody Scott, Health Editor-At-Large at Vogue Australia. Jody Scott spent the first 10 years of her career in newspapers and has worked for The Australian, The Times, the Sunday Telegraph and the Sydney Morning Herald. Since having 3 beautiful girls, Jody has turned her attention to women’s magazines, leading the field as Deputy Editor of ELLE Australia, Editor of Body+Soul, Editor of Sunday Magazine, Editor of Parents Magazine and Acting Deputy Editor of Vogue Australia where she is now their Health Editor-at-Large.

Interview with Jody Scott

Portrait: Jody Scott, Health Editor, Vogue Australia

1. Tell us about your wellness journey - has it always been like this or was there a moment which sparked change?

No, there was no great moment of truth. I’ve always been passionate about healthy living. But my approach to health has evolved over the years. As a super sporty teenager and active twenty-something, I ate well and exercised a lot. But I also worked hard and stayed out late - so I was going at full speed all the time. In my 30s, I got more serious about nutrition, nourishing my babies and learning how to slow down. I still exercise daily but I switch between running, walking, weight training and yoga now, depending on how I feel. It doesn’t always have to be full-on cardio everyday anymore. Becoming a mother also made me crave calm. So meditation became an important part of my day, too.

2. What does a 'balanced' lifestyle mean to you and how do you maintain balance day to day?

Finding balance is a constant challenge . Eating whole foods, exercising, meditation and getting enough sleep give me the energy to keep up with my girls and feel happy. But some days are better than others and I might only manage two or three of those four things. And that’s okay. I just try to do my best most of the time. And then I try to stay relaxed when things aren’t perfect. Because I’ve learned from experience that getting stressed out or trying to be perfect all the time is not really healthy either.

3. The health and wellness industry has skyrocketed over the last few years and with so many new products coming into the market it can be overwhelming for consumers to decide what they need. What do you mainly look out for when you review healthcare and beauty products?

It has become such a confusing space and you can’t always believe the claims on the jar. I look for products without synthetic ingredients or artificial additives. When you are reading labels, start by keeping an eye out for sodium laurel sulphate, parabens (which have been shown to mimic the female hormone oestrogen) and anything you can’t pronounce.

4. For someone who is well aware of daily stressors such as deadlines and meeting expectations - can you share with us how you stay mindful and deal with overwhelm?

I actually enjoy the little surges of adrenalin that writing deadlines bring as long as I ground myself with some rituals and routine. I write my to-do-list at night. Then start my day with meditation and a workout before I sit down to tackle any of it. If do start to get overwhelmed I stop to light the oil burner, meditate again or make a cup of herbal tea. Sometimes I take my notes outside and sit in the sun for a while. If I get really stuck on something, a quick walk or a swim helps. By the time I get back, it’s been fixed in my head. And I find focussing on one thing at a time easier than multitasking - it’s almost like time slows down more when you do too.

5. Can you share with us how you educate your beautiful children about leading a healthy lifestyle?

I am quite strict about restricting screen time to weekends. And I try to get them moving and outside as much as I can - whether it’s dancing, shooting hoops or skating in our courtyard or walking down to the beach for a swim. I try not to harp on too much but I do often share simple snippets about why sugar is bad and what the different vegetables on their plate do for their bodies. They seem to enjoy hearing how different parts of the body work and have some great children’s books about it. So hopefully, they will grow up knowing how good exercise and healthy foods can make them feel. Most of all my husband and I just try to lead by example, hoping it will just sink in by osmosis.

6. How do you stay in greater harmony with the earth and continue to be environmentally aware?

Starting my day with a walk, run or dip in the sea. In the evenings, I always try to duck outside for a quick look at the moon or the stars. When it comes to clothes and homewares, I prefer to buy less and only buy things that I really love and will last. We buy organic fruit and vegetables from our local farmers market. And when I do have to go to the supermarket for other things then it’s a chance to support brands and companies that are doing things more sustainably.

Quick Q&A

1. You'll always find in my fridge...

Sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut yoghurt, chia seeds, some glass jars of herbal tea infusions to use as smoothie bases and lots of green leaves. In the freezer there’s always frozen berries and bananas for smoothies, homemade stocks, a few raw treats, and nuts and flours (to keep them fresh).

2. If I could have dinner with one inspirational person it would be...

This is hard. There are so many amazing women I admire for different reasons. Iris Apfel, Colleen Saidman, Alice Waters, Tilda Swinton, Brene Brown, Christy Turlington and Amanda de cadenet would all be inspiring company...

3. My favourite quote is….

"The body does what the mind tells it"

4. My non-negotiable self-care practice…

At least one daily meditation and a workout.

5. My number one wellness tip…

Drink more water. So simple but always makes you feel better.

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An interview with Kea Leora Kenney, Founder of Live Your Love

Interviews

An interview with Kea Leora Kenney, Founder of Live Your Love

Nestled away in the Byron Bay hinterland lives Boody fan Kea Leora Kenney. Kea is the founder of natural beauty and cleaning products business, Live Your Love, for which she also creates what she describes as ‘goddess’ jewellery alongside her partner using recycled metals. We talked with Kea about what inspired her to start her eco-friendly business, how motherhood has shaped her and why she loves our comfy everyday essentials. You create natural beauty and cleaning products for your business, Live Your Love. Tell us about this. We make natural beauty and cleaning products that are safe and healthy for your skin, and loving towards our mama earth. My partner and I also make ‘goddess’ jewellery out of recycled metals. We love to create and to be creative.  What inspired you to initially start Live Your Love? I have a passion for living a chemical-free lifestyle and I taught myself how to make everything at home. Everyone loved my products so I started doing the markets and now I have an online shop and use social media to keep spreading the good vibes.  In what ways do you try to live an eco-friendly lifestyle? We use all organic products especially body soap, dish soap, laundry soap, conditioner and shampoo etc. so that we reduce the number of chemicals being washed down the drain and ending in our beautiful creeks and stunning oceans. We shop mostly at the farmers’ market and at the bulk foods shop in town, so our produce doesn’t come wrapped in plastic and our bulk foods we take home in our reusable jars.  You're Mumma to Anea. How has motherhood changed you? It has encouraged me to become a better and stronger version of myself. Even more conscious, wanting to give my daughter the most beautiful and healthy conscious upbringing. It has also inspired me to become even more earth-conscious so she can enjoy Mother Nature to her fullest potential. It has softened me, bringing me back to unconditional love daily. I suppose it has given me a greater sense of ‘purpose’ in this world. I definitely feel very complete. What was your pregnancy experience like? My pregnancy was easy, smooth, beautiful and natural. I felt completely empowered, sexy and beautiful, truly in the divine essence of real womanhood. I felt powerful. I birthed my daughter naturally at 21 years old, the most powerful and life-changing experience. I practised lots of hypo-birthing throughout my pregnancy, and I was inspired to have a natural birth considering I was born at home in the water. We know you're an advocate for loving your post-pregnancy body. What is your advice for someone who might not be feeling so confident? Love yourself, always. Own your new Mama bod! You are a warrior-ess woman! You have brought magical life into this world, and your scars and new body is proof of just how powerful you truly are. It actually did take me a little while to adjust and get used to my new body, but I continued loving it even through the uncertainty. Also, I find it so incredible how it just continues to change, through pregnancy, through breastfeeding, through stopping breastfeeding. It's a chance to enjoy yourself and discover your body in all ways.  We know you're a big fan of Boody. What do you love most about our soft and sustainable everyday essentials? We LOVE Boody. The comfiest everyday essentials. They feel soft and silky on my skin, they fit all body types so perfectly. They make me feel sexy as a mama! I wear them around the house, in the garden, at the beach, and to dreamland. I am wearing my undies right now!  What are your top picks from our ranges? My top picks from Boody are the Shaper Crop Bra, G-String and Brazilian Bikini bottoms. They are so comfortable and cheeky. Love them! Finally, what are your plans for the near future? Anything exciting on the horizon you'd like to share with us? We have just had some pretty huge travels and changes in our life. We spent three months in Canada at the start of the year, playing in the snow and seeing family. We then moved houses after living outside of Mullum for five years. We are now further deep into the rainforest. So I am really looking forward to having some grounding time. Especially with what’s going on right now in the world. I am excited about gardening, swimming in my creek, setting up my new house, spending time with my family. Just getting rooted in this earth and focusing on our health.

An interview with Laura Kelly, Yoga Teacher

Interviews

An interview with Laura Kelly, Yoga Teacher

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Yoga teacher training has become as much about my own personal development as it has been about learning the practice, if not more. Meditation is inextricably linked to my yoga practice, in many ways, yoga IS my meditation.   I think the most important thing you can do is make a commitment to your practice. Yoga is not just about what happens on the mat. The biggest changes for me have been in the way I live my life; the way I interact with people, especially my friends, family and my partner and the way I understand the inner workings of my mind.  If you want to teach, I’d recommend connecting with and offering to help out at your local studio; there’s often opportunities for trained teachers when they are already part of the community. I would recommend to make your own practice the priority and to forever remain a curious student. As it is written in the Bhagavad Gita; “"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." 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An interview with Seyi Rania, Natural Beauty & Wellness

Interviews

An interview with Seyi Rania, Natural Beauty & Wellness

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