My most FAQs

Updated May 2025

1. How do I detox from the C19 vaccine?

The detox protocol that has been formulated by a GP, naturopath, and homeopath is pinned to the top of my closed Star Anise Essentials Facebook page. If you are not yet a member of my low-tox/Young Living community, click here to learn what is involved in purchasing Young Living products at wholesale prices and joining our community to get access to our resources and support.

2. I’ve got COVID! How do I support my system?

I have put together a protocol with the assistance of a holistic GP, a naturopath, and a holistic dietician that is pinned to the top of my closed Star Anise Essentials Facebook page. If you are not yet a member of my low-tox/Young Living community, click here to learn what is involved in purchasing Young Living products at wholesale prices and joining our community to get access to our resources and support.

3. What brand of frying pans do you use (and how do you keep them so clean)?

To my surprise, I am very frequently asked what pots, frying pans, and saucepans I use. And to my even greater surprise, I am also frequently asked how I keep them so clean (my mum would scoff at this because to her excessively clean “you could eat off the floor” Greek standards, my cookware fails miserably her mirror reflective standards. Though I always thought that more attention should be devoted to the quality of what’s IN the pan than the sparkly factor of the OUTSIDE of the pan. Nevertheless, I oblige my followers:

I use STAINLESS STEEL saucepans and frying pans. I like the ones with the stainless steel handles, as the plastic handles often get too hot if positioned on top of a flame, and toxins start spewing out into your home environment. Also, plastic handles mean that you can't put the frying pan under the grill when making omelettes and pancakes, as the plastic may start to melt. Avoid aluminium cookware as aluminium is a light metal and a neurotoxin.

Ideally (although don’t lose sleep over this), if you can afford it, opt for stainless steel frying pans made with minimal nickel, like the nöni™ range of Solidtenkics. Nickel is found in most stainless steel cookware, which may release nickel into food. While small amounts of nickel are not an issue for most people, large amounts may be toxic and even carcinogenic. Other cheaper reputable brands include Scan Pan, Acro Steel, and CuisinArt. (And no, I don’t get any kickbacks from these companies. I just dig their stuff).

I’m a traditional cook, so I avoid all non-stick cookware. Period. However natural they say the non stick surface is, its not going to be as natural and non toxic as stainless steel. “But what about things sticking to the surface?!?!?” I hear you cry. Well my answer to that is FAT. And a lot of it.

4. Which water filter do you recommend?

For a water filter in the kitchen only, call The Water Shop on 02 9458 1111 and ask for a reverse osmosis water filter with alkalizer. This is the highest level of water filtration in Australia. It takes all the nasties out (chlorine, fluoride and heavy metals) and reconstructs H2O. Mention my name for 20% discount. Whether you’re renting or owning you will have this filter with you for life and take it with you house to house (make sure it is excluded as a fixture when you sell your home). I have had my RO system since my son was a baby and have taken it with me to 3 houses. The Water Shop can install the filter anywhere in Sydney, and can replace the filters annually (unless you want to do it yourself). Outside of Sydney, they deliver Australia-wide for free. The alkalizer is designed to add back minerals lost through filtration. It is optional but regardless of your decision I still recommend adding unrefined salt to water even if you have the alkalizer as I do not think that it adds back enough anywhere near enough minerals that our body requires in order to function optimally.

For a whole house system: The Water Shop can also install a whole of house system or if you want a company that specialises in whole of house call Craig from Complete Home Filtration on +61 413 484 469 (mention my name for a discount). Complete Home Filtration installed my whole of house system many years after I had my Reverse Osmosis installed by The Water Shop.

Don’t be fooled into buying filtration systems that are $6k+ - save your money as these are not necessary and some experts say that the electrification of the water can be harmful.

5. Why do you add salt to your drinking water?

Two reasons:

The water our ancestors once upon a time drank from glacial runoffs or clean streams or springs was highly mineralised (i.e., containing chloride, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium). These minerals play a key role in numerous body functions, including enzyme function, energy production, hormone production, protein transport, nerve conduction, assimilation of nutrients into the cells, maintenance of blood pressure and volume, muscular activity, digestion of food, brain development, and metabolism. Today, most of us don’t have access to water from such sources and need to rely on filtered water. The issue with filtered water is that the filtration process strips the water of minerals (along with all of the bad stuff). The antidote for this is to add unrefined salt to your drinking water to add back the minerals lost through filtration. Unrefined salt is basically minerals. As mentioned above, I do not think that an alkalizer adds enough minerals back.

The body tightly regulates the concentration of electrolytes (minerals) in the bloodstream. Unsalted water dilutes that concentration, with the body needing to constantly pee in order to restore balance. Drinking salted water keeps the electrolyte /mineral concentration of the bloodstream constant and hence the body in homeostasis (balance). I drink approximately. 6L of salted water daily, and only pee about 3 times a day. Whenever I drink unsalted water, I am peeing constantly.

6. What salt do you recommend?

Make sure that your salt is unrefined (eg sea salt, Mount Zero Pink Lake Salt or Murray River salt). It is a good idea to alternate between the 3 for variety. I am not a huge fan of Himalayan salt after the latest study showed unacceptably high levels of microplastics. If you have Himalayan salt in your kitchen, please don’t freak out about this. Simply use it up and then buy either sea salt, Mount Zero Lake Salt or Murray River salt.

Avoid refined (table) salt as it is toxic (refined, bleached, and stripped of minerals).

7. Why do you add salt to your bone broths? And is it ok for babies to consume bone broth with added salt?

We add unrefined salt to our broths (and all our meals) because unrefined salt consists of minerals and our body (including the bodies of babies) runs on vitamins and minerals. Accordingly the more mineral-rich your diet, the more optimally your body can function. Growing bodies and bodies of athletes and aging population have a greater requirement for minerals. Unrefined salt is one of babies first foods according to the Weston A Price foundation (adding a pinch to egg yolks and pastured livers). Refined salt is bleached, stripped of all minerals and should always be avoided.

8. What Natural Pest company do you use?

I use Systems Pest Management (02 9869 3153) in my home, as they provide low hazard and non-chemical pest solutions. Mention my name when you book.

9. What brand of skin care, sunscreen & cleaning agents do you use?

The answer is Young Living 100% of the way because of their unparalleled quality and seed to seal policy. Their products are safe (non toxic), sustainably sourced, powerful and super concentrated so a little goes a long way making them cost effective. We had a building biologist go through the ingredients of the staple products with a fine toothed comb and gave them a tick of approval.

I love the convenience and simplicity of streamlining all my personal care products, sunscreen, insect repellent, cleaning products and therapeutic-grade essential oils to YL as a one stop shop. No more racing around to a million different shops and websites (who’s got time for that?!).

YL makes a range of different face cleansers and face moisturisers, and because the skin loves variety, I alternate between the ranges. I also alternate with using a premium medicinal quality olive oil like this one from Discover the Wild Olive which i use on both my face and body and infuse it with various YL oils which are deeply nourishing for the skin such as lavender, frankincense, elemi, geranium, copaiba, helichrysum and myrrh to name a few.

YL’s mineral sunscreen is SPF 50, zinc-based, non-greasy, reef safe, applies beautifully, and is deeply nourishing for the skin with the addition of sacred franky, myrrh, ylang ylang, lavender, and carrot seed oil (naturally high SPF).

YL’s Thieves household cleaning concentrate is so powerful and economical that 20ml of it diluted in 480ml of water makes for my one and only all purpose cleaner for all ALL hard surfaces in my home (shower, basins, benches, floors, mirrors, glass, toilets etc), and is also the most economical cleaner on the market (it comes to the grand total of $1.70/500ml!!!!!!). Use one capful neat in a bucket of boiling water to clean floors. To make a window and glass cleaner, dilute 5ml in a 495ml spray bottle and your Windex comes to 40c!!!!! This obliterates the myth that “going low tox is too exy”. YL also makes a dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, kitchen & bath scrub, and a fruit and veg soak that is designed to remove pesticide residue from conventionally sprayed produce.

If you are not yet a member of my low-tox/Young Living community, click here to learn what is involved in purchasing Young Living products at wholesale prices and joining our community to get access to our resources and support.

10. How do you get your skin to glow so much? What are you putting on it?

While what you put on your skin makes a profound difference to it, what makes an even greater difference is what I put in my body and what I don’t put in my body. Learn more in the hair, skin, and nails section of the Essential Oils 101 Guide found in the password-protected Member Resources page of my website.

In essence, I eat a solid, nutrient-dense, traditional wholefoods diet (emphasising natural fats, bone broth, collagen-rich foods, livers). Topically, I apply on my skin organic beef tallow or medicinal grade cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil infused with various Young Living essential oils, which are nourishing to the skin. Avoid refined sugars, refined grains, and industrial seed oils as they will age the skin.

11. How do I buy Young Living products without becoming a member?

All that “becoming a member” means is setting up a wholesale account online and buying products of your choice. It’s just online shopping with the only difference that an existing account holder like myself needs to connect you and set up a wholesale account for you and place your first order on your behalf. You can simply buy products of your choice as your first order or for the best value most people buy a starter kit as they are permanently discounted at 50% off. There’re a few different starter kits which I can walk you through. There’s no joining fees or cancellation fees. YL set the standard for the essential oils industry with the largest range of therapeutic-grade oils (they are my go-to products for all issues in my home physical or emotional – whatever the issue, “there’s an oil for that!”). YL are unique in that they also make a comprehensive range of personal care products and household cleaning products.

If you are not yet a member of my low-tox/Young Living community, click here to learn what is involved in purchasing Young Living products at wholesale prices and joining our community to get access to our resources and support.

12. What are the top supplements that you recommend?

The following supplements will suit the vast majority of the population but you will need to do a one-on-one health coaching session with me or see a holistic practitioner to check the suitability of these supplements for you:

Young Living Ningxia Red (world’s highest anti-oxidant food source)
Young Living Mineral Essence (trace minerals from the salt lakes of Utah plus Royal Jelly)
Young Living Green Omega 3 or Green Pastures Cod Liver oil (omega 3 and vitamins A, D, E, K2).
Young Living Inner Defence (immune booster)
Young Living Life 9 Probiotics (probiotics from all major 9 beneficial bacterial strains)

13. Do you sell Young Living products?

14. Do you know of any low-toxic hairdressers and mani pedi places?

15. What brand of makeup do you use?

Sadly, Young Living made the decision to discontinue its Savvy Minerals makeup brand in 2022. Devo!. Clean brands that we will now use include Inika (Aussie brand), Lavera (overseas brand) and Ere Perez (Aussie brand), and other makeup brands set out in our essential oils 101 guide, found in the members resources page of my website.

16. Where do you buy your meat from?

Check out your local farmer’s market! I love going to Bondi Beach farmer’s market. Local butchers in Sydney that I frequent are The Meat Store, 1888 Certified, and Feather & Bone. Opt for grass-fed & finished red meat and organic chicken.

See the complete list in my Food as Medicine digital package.

For seafood, any fish shop. So long as the fin fish is fresh and wild, the prawns are local and wild, and the oysters and mussels are fresh. Hot tip: all ocean trout and salmon in fish shops and cafes will be farmed! Avoid for the reasons I set out in my Food as Medicine digital package.

17. Where do you buy your produce from?

Once again farmers markets (I love Bondi Beach farmer markets or EQ Markets at Moore Park) and ask if the produce is chemical free. Otherwise the local organic stores in Sydney that I frequent are The Health Emporium or Wholefoods House. The best option is to grow your own!!! If you can’t afford to buy everything organic, buy organic for the dirty dozen as conventional ones in that list are heavily sprayed and buy conventional for the clean fifteen which are not sprayed. I buy certified organic for all corn products as conventional corn may be genetically modified.

18. I’ve got mould! Help!

I have put together a 4-step mould protocol with a leading building biologist and naturopath. This protocol is set out in my Essential Oils 101 guide, found on the password-protected Member Resources page of my website for all Young Living members in my community. The protocol revolves around the Young Living Thieves products because they are SO POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE in treating mould in both your home and in your system. If you want access to this protocol or want to watch our mould webinar, which we run annually, simply email me for a chat, and I can send it to you.

19. Which dehumidifier /air purifier do you recommend?

Dehumidifiers:
The brand is less important than:

warranty

size
climate (compressor for warmer climate vs desiccant for cooler climate or rooms colder than 20C)

Reputable brands:
• Ausclimate (5% discount code JUSTBEWHOLE)
• Ionmax

Air purifiers:

• Ausclimate (5% discount code JUSTBEWHOLE)
• Inovaair

Learn more in the Building Biology 101 section of the Essential Oils 101 guide found in the Member Resources page of my website and in the Building Biology webinar we ran, found in the “Video Gallery” section of the Member Resources page of my website.

20. Which building biologist do you recommend?

In Northern Rivers are I recommend Kelly Abeleven, and in Sydney, I use and recommend Jo Lia in Bondi.

21. Which integrative doctors do you recommend?

Dr Kate Norris and Dr Jenny Bromberger are my top 2. I also highly rate and recommend Amy Makejev (naturopath), Emily Rose Yates (naturopath) and Maria Aurora (trained GP, naturopath, homeopath). The complete list of practitioners is set out in the recommended practitioners section of my Food as Medicine digital package.

22. Are you running more cooking classes?

After running in-person cooking classes for over a decade, my 5 key cooking workshops (bone broth, slow cooks, organ meats, baked cakes, and chocolate) are now only available as online workshops – sold either individually, or for the best value, are all included in my Food As Medicine digital package.

As I progressed on my journey, I quickly came to the realisation that we can’t stop our health journey at only food and nutrition. In addition to kicking empty fillers and dietary toxins, we need to kick environmental toxins that are within our control. What we put on our skin and breathe into our lungs is as important, if not more important, than the food we eat because our skin and lungs have no digestive filter to keep toxins out. In 2016, I started running workshops to plug that gap and help people make simple, easy, healthy swaps in a very positive and empowering way, to products that are all-natural, cost effective, and super powerful! I will continue to run low-tox workshops on various topics. See the schedule here to book your spot.

23. Why is my bone broth not gelatinous?

The reasons are set out in my online Bone Broth workshop, sold individually or it’s included in my Food as Medicine digital package (best value).

24. Where can I purchase raw milk in Sydney?

Contact Michael Enkelmann on 0458 838 276. They offer the option for weekly or fortnightly delivery.

25. Which blue blockers do you recommend?

My blue blocker eye glasses of choice are Ezekiel-Ion as these are the highest quality blue blockers on the market, blocking 85% of high frequency blue light, 100% UV light, and EMF radiation. They also release beneficial ions and far infrared which boost our immune system and promote healing. For a USA$25 discount click here and use the discount code staranise25 at check out.

26. Where do you get your amber lights from for your house?

My no blue light amber coloured reading lights, book lights, down lights and light globes of choice are from Block Blue Light. Use the code StarAnise at checkout for a discount.

27. My iron levels are low. What do you recommend?

Organic chicken livers! Livers from grass-fed or pastured animals are the most nutrient-dense food on the planet, bar none, and contain the highest levels of iron (along with folate and other B vitamins). If the idea of cooking and eating livers doesn’t appeal, try chicken liver pate, which is a very palatable way of eating livers. Other products that can boost iron include Star Anise Organic Wholefoods, Beef Broth & Liver cubes (sold at Broth Bar or via their online store), GelPro Beef Liver capsules (sold at Broth Bar), and Foraged for You Mother's Blend (sold at Broth Bar).

Beef or lamb or calf livers (grass fed) are higher in iron but also much stronger tasting.

You can also purchase organic beef liver powder from here or cut organic liver into small pill sized portions and freeze them and consume as liver “capsules”.

28. I want to get healthier, lose weight, simplify family meals, and overcome fatigue. What do you recommend?

I recommend a one-on-one health coaching session with me to address diet and lifestyle choices. There is no one quick fix. It involves overhauling (at your pace) your diet and lifestyle choices by making small changes that add up to make a profound impact on your and your family’s physical, mental,health coaching session and emotional health.

29. What’s the difference between collagen and gelatin and the 3 different collagen powders sold at Broth Bar and Larder?

Read this blog where I explain the answer.

30. I’m struggling with healthy lunchbox ideas. Can you help?

Read this blog.

31. Where can I find your recipe for [insert dish/cake/treat]?

My bone broth recipe and many soup recipes are found in my online bone broth workshop (or for best value, purchase my Food as Medicine digital package).

My pate recipe and my organ meat recipes are found in my online organ meat workshop (or for best value, purchase my Food as Medicine digital package).

My gluten-free cake recipes are found in my online baked cakes workshop (or for best value, purchase my Food as Medicine digital package).

My casserole, pot roast, and roast recipes are found in my online slow-cook workshop (or for best value, purchase my Food as Medicine digital package).

My sokolata (raw dark chocolate) recipe and many other chocolate recipes are found in my online chocolate workshop (or for best value purchase my Food as Medicine digital package).

Many recipes (eg, loaves, curry, kids’ favourites, etc) are found in my highlights reel on my Instagram page.

Many recipes are found in the recipes section of my website.

Stay tuned for my cookbook!

32. What are your seed oil-free restaurant & café recommendations in Sydney?

Read this blog .

33. What do you think of the milk "Made by Cow"?

Currently, raw cow's milk is prohibited from being sold in Australia for consumption purposes. It can only be sold for cosmetic purposes e.g. Cleopatras bath wash. "Made by Cow" milk is able to be sold for human consumption on the basis that it is ‘pasteurised’ not through traditional heat methods but through high water pressure. I spoke at length to the producer Saxon Joye when this milk was launched in 2017 and asked him what effect high pressure does to the enzymes and beneficial bacteria content of raw milk. The upshot is that they only test whether half a dozen or so specific pathogenic bacteria exist in their milk after high water pressurisation. Because they do not test for the presence or absence of beneficial bacteria or enzymes either before or after high water pressure the founder could not say with any certainty what happens to the beneficial bacteria and enzymes after high water pressure is applied. So on that basis, this high pressure pasteurised milk MAY not contain as many or any beneficial bacteria and enzymes as completely raw milk. If people can not access completed raw milk (see Q 21 above), then this would be a good next option, along with heat pasteurised but unhomogenised milk.

May this detailed resource guide you well now and beyond.

Love Soulla xx

My Community, Upcoming eventsGuest UserDecember 31, 2022