Meet Kirsten Shanks

We’d like to introduce you to Kirsten Shanks - the incredibly talented Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist and founder of the divine 'Orchard St'.

Orchard St. has always been a favourite little meeting place of ours, with its 100% organic pressed juices, elixirs and yummy raw treats... Recently, Kirsten dropped by Tigerlily HQ with her new little bub Sonny, to chat about all things wellness, affirmations and work-life balance. We are always so inspired by Kirsten's approach to life, read on for our little chat...

How did your business 'Orchard St.' all begin?

Orchard St. was born in my mind’s eye over 10 years before it came to actual existence. I am a big believer in the power of manifestation, and not necessarily in any esoteric sense. In order to bring your dreams into action, into fruition, it is essential to have a strong vision of what these dreams are, from the way they look and feel, to the way your life will be once they are your reality.

So for me, the dreams had been weaving themselves together, evolving with my passion for sharing wellness over many years - I could see and feel the stores, my philosophies were clear, I knew there would be teas, elixirs and alchemical potions - but I just didn’t have the exact platform refined.

It was when I was living in NYC in 2012, living on Orchard street in lower Manhattan, and I found myself in a cold-pressed juice bar. It was one of those crystal-clear light bulb moments when my passion aligned with a purpose - I had found the platform to share my dream.

What is your wellness philosophy?

Develop a deep, yet lighthearted, sense of self-awareness. Ultimately it's only through understanding what works for your own unique constitution that you can make conscious choices with the awareness of what makes you thrive or what saps your energy.

The best way to develop this is to simply be curious. Explore different foods, different lifestyle practices and philosophies with mindfulness throughout, paying gentle attention to the way you feel – body, mind and soul. Other people can shine a light for you, but ultimately you are your best teacher.

I guess that is where I have arrived at now. It’s been almost 14 years since I began studying Naturopathy so I really have lived and breathed a ‘wellness’ lifestyle for so long… Its not about no purism or strict dietary doctrines, I’ve explored those, taken the bits and pieces that work well for me and settled on a mindful, balanced and joyful approach to life.

We must say, our Tigerlilys absolutely adore hanging out at your little havens in Paddington and Bondi... Where do you draw your inspiration from for your incredible juices, elixirs and raw food?

Everything we offer comes with an intention to offer an experience of wellness. The creative inspiration draws from my naturopathic knowledge base coupled with the intention behind each offering ~ how do we want customers to feel? Is it Energised? Calm? Uplifted? Cleansed?

This intention creates the base for me to consider what flavour will best take them there and how I can weave in nutritional and botanical medicine to infuse the creation with true therapeutic value.

With the change in season, we are looking forward to 'spring cleaning' our diets... Do you have any daily healthy tips for us?

Keep positive, inspired and light-hearted by focusing on what you can bring into your diet, rather than what you need to cut out.

Each day try to include;

• Hot water with apple cider vinegar & lemon to support your liver function.
• Probiotic rich foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha and yoghurts. A happy belly = happy mind.
• An organic green juice to alkalise, nourish and cleanse.
• Plenty of soluble fibre from chia seeds, linseeds, legumes and vegetables to keep things moving along nicely.
• Good quality protein to keep you satiated and nourished.
• Omega 3 rich foods such as walnuts, chia, hemp and flaxseeds for nervous system support.
• Abundant raw salads for enzymes to support digestion and wellbeing.
• Incorporate botanical medicines with herbal teas and elixir powders to support your nervous system, adrenals and enhance liver function.
• Drink lots of (filtered) water! Add some lemon and activated charcoal to bump up the purification.
• Juice cleanse! Gently support detoxification with the change of seasons by taking a few days out to rest your digestive system while nourishing with organic juices.

We can imagine you're one busy lady (especially with the new little bub on board!)... How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?

It wasn’t until Sonny came into my life that I realised quite how much of a refined rhythm I had carved out with my work/life balance, but a little bubba definitely brings the ultimate lesson in letting go and surrendering to a new flow of life.

It is so important to have something in your life that anchors you, that brings you back to that still place and that restores you. Meditation and yoga are those things for me and whilst I can’t make a class every day or fit in 20 minutes of meditation twice a day – my new moto is: ‘what you can, when you can.’

Running your own business means you cant switch off at the end of the day, but taking regular time out to replenish your creative juices is essential. Anyone who knows me well will say this business is an extension of me, which can be a wonderful way to create something with personality and a unique offering, but it also means you are emotionally there through every single up and down. Orchard St. is at a point now that I have an incredible team who I can trust to keep things flowing, freeing me up to have a more balanced, strategic creative role in the business and to be the best mum I can be.

Warmer days inspire us to grab our bikinis and escape to the coast... What is your number one Aussie holiday destination?

There's a beautiful headland spot a tribe of my best mates escape to go camping each New Years, about 5 hrs down the South Coast. We set up camp surrounded by native bush bookended by the long rippled beaches with a tea-tree lake behind it. When days begin with clifftop sunrise meditations and morning ocean dips and finish with your besties around a fire… It's pure immersion in the best this magical land and life has to offer.

You definitely know how to rock a Tigerlily maxi! What is your most-loved Tigerlily piece?

No one does a maxi like TL... They were my pregnancy staples! This is such a tough one! ‘Most-loved’ would have to be an old TL bikini that has seen the lightness and laughter of many summers gone by. However I can sense a fresh love burning for the Menere and Aruba dresses this season - the prints have me reminiscing over wanderlust days gone by!

Last but not least, what is your favourite affirmation?

Affirmations can be such a powerful tool to consciously create your life experience. I mix it up almost daily, but this is running through my mind at the moment: ‘I choose to love with an open heart, work with a focused mind and live with calm, clear and connected awareness.'

To learn more about Kirsten and Orchard St. visit orchardstreet.com.au or follow Orchard St. on Instagram@orchardstlove. If visiting Sydney, make sure you drop by Orchard St. in Bondi Beach, Bronte or Paddington too!