Well the last few days have certainly given us a touch of cooler weather and today is quite gusty which I’m sure will be causing havoc with all you allergy sufferers out there. Lympholytix is a fantastic natural antihistamine and is helping many allergy sufferers. It is available for purchase at the clinic but is a Practitioner Only product so you will need to speak with myself or Marion regarding this if you are eager to use it.
A lot has been happening over the past few months in the clinic. I’ve been madly designing a new Red Suva website, ironing out glitches in our online booking system and also getting ready to launch our own online store which will feature Mukti and other organic products already in store but also Alexami, essential oils and oil burners, eco-friendly products for around the home and more.
Noah is running around the place now and has been actively helping me in the clinic – he even was kind enough to answer the phone the other day! Now I’ve just got to teach him to dispense the herbs and he’ll be sorted! He is always trying to help which is lovely.
Here’s a pic of him giving our staffy, Missy a massage! 
Marion will be joining our team as of next Monday 7 May. She’ll be consulting on a Naturopathic basis so please feel free to make an appointment with her either via phone or our online booking system – redsuva.clinicalendar.com. If booking online click on Naturopathy practitioners on the left hand side to select her name. Her fees will be the same as mine.
The clinic now also stocks the locally produced Eco-Friendly product range – OurEco Home. This range of cleaning products is free from nasty chemicals and preservatives, is cost effective and actually works. My favourite in the range is the OurEco Bicarb Powder which is fantastic for cleaning tough stains on benches and sinks but also showers.
Why strengthening your Immune System is even more important than ever before
We all know we need a strong immune system to fight infection, but there is becoming more recognition for the role of a healthy immune system in maintaining our overall health. More research is revealing a dysfunctional immune system plays an integral role in the development of chronic diseases such as depression, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and ageing.
With every new epidemic, be it SARS, bird flu, swine flu or an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the conventional approach to preventing and treating infection is beginning to fail our communities. The hero antibiotics of yesteryear are being rendered next to useless by resistant organisms, with the cost and challenges of developing new antibiotic drugs ensuring that future prospects are bleak. The sad realisation is allergies in children have reached epidemic proportions with some authorities predicting rates of 100% in the future.
So you can see that strengthening your immune system is now more of a priority than it ever has been. Now is the time to build your immune systems before Winter firmly establishes itself, especially if you are someone who regularly catches colds, flus or generally feels unwell.
Our immune systems are one of the most complex systems and the intricacies of how it keeps us alive cannot be underestimated. One of the key principles in any health care regime is support the body so it can support itself. Wellness is a daily practice so here are a few simple tips on staying healthy and nourishing your immune system:
Cover your neck from cold winds
Keep your sinuses clean, Metagenics Nasoclear is great for helping with this as it contains antibacterial essentials oils to help kill of pathogens
Eat warm, nutritious, slowly cooked foods
Start each day with warm lemon and freshly grated ginger tea
Use essential oils around the house to cleanse and uplift, such as Purify oil.
Take immune boosting herbs and supplements such as AndroNK, Echinacea Premium, Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc to name a few. The effect on herbs and nutrients on our immune systems is quite profound, however it is vital to get the highest quality product and administer it at the appropriate dose. Having a robust immune system is essential but so is having the correct herbs and nutrients on hand to catch viruses early as a first line of defence. There is little that can be done for viruses once they take hold but there is a lot that can be done in the intial stages and as a preventative.
Book in for immune boosting Microcurrent treatments if you know you need that extra support
Introducing Marion – our new Naturopath!
Hi, my name is Marion and I will be joining Red Suva Natural Therapies as a registered Naturopath on Mondays 10am – 6pm starting on 7th May 2012. I became interested in natural health by reading a book of my dads, and after exhausting the limited supply of nutrition and health books at the local library, decided that this was what I wanted to learn more about. Becoming healthier myself while studying, I can now really notice how great I feel when I am taking care of myself through a balanced diet and lifestyle.
Having worked in the health industry for the last couple of years, I have developed a passion for educating children and adults on how to improve their everyday diets, which I believe have such a huge influence on our present and future health. Environmental and emotional issues, such as the products we use on our skin, our working environment and stress levels, also contribute significantly to our state of health, and are taken into consideration when devising your treatment protocol. This holistic approach allows clients to achieve improved health outcomes in a shorter amount of time.
Although the human body continues to function in suboptimal conditions, eventually it will succumb to imbalance and illness, so acting in a preventative manner will ensure you enjoy a high quality of life both now and in the future. I believe in working together with western medicine to provide you with the highest level of healthcare specific to your individual requirements. I am excited to be joining the Red Suva team and look forward to working with you on your healthcare needs.
Mother’s Day Gift Packs
With Mother’s Day fast approaching on 13th May we thought we’d pop together some great gift ideas for you.
Organic Spa Travel Packs: Body Collection $19.95, Vital Minis – $39.95, Mukti Body Care Packs $34.95
Electric Oil Burner + Oil of your choice $59.95
Alexami Lip Gloss, Eyeshadow and Angle Brush $69.95
Mandarin Almond Cake
Ingredients
4 medium mandarins, well washed
6 eggs, beaten
½ cup maple syrup, honey, light agave nectar, or rice syrup
2 cups ground almonds
3 tsp baking powder
Option
Replace ground almonds with ground hazelnuts
Method
Place mandarins in a medium saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil, then simmer for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Drain, cool and chop mandarins roughly, removing any seeds. Process mandarins until smooth. Beat eggs and maple syrup together until thick. Combine mandarins, egg mixture, almonds and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well. Oil a 20cm (8in) springform pan or baking tin and line base with baking paper. Pour in batter and bake for 40 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out cleanly and cake is browned. Extra cooking time may be needed if the mandarins are very juicy. Serve warm.
Serves 8. Suitable for freezing.
Winter is a fantastic time for citrus and the myriad of uses for mandarins are often overlooked. Mandarins are high in vitamin C especially, and in Chinese medicine, Chen Pi (mandarin peel) has been used for centuries for its ability to clear congestion and as a digestive and pancreatic tonic. Mandarins contain powerful anti-inflammatories and bioflavonoids – predominently pectin, quercetin and hesperidin and provide a good source of soluble fibre. They also have a sweet, acidic nature. It is important however where possible to purchase organic mandarins as they are often heavily sprayed which affects their nutritional profile.
Rich in phosphorus and lecithin, eggs are useful for assisting in healthy brain function. Lecithin also offsets the high levels of saturated fats found in eggs. Eggs contain 8 essential amino acids therefore are considered a very high source of protein. They are easy to digest and have a sweet, neutral thermal nature.
Unlike other members of the nut family, almonds have an alkalizing effect on the blood and provide a valuable source of both protein and calcium. For this reason, the addition of almond meal to this recipe as a replacement for flour makes it a suitable alternative for people with diabetes or with weight loss in mind. This does not however mean it is unsuitable for people with neither of these issues as the mandarin almond cake provides a healthy, low GI snack or dessert.
For satisfying the sweet tooth, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar or rice syrup offer a much healthier alternative to sugar.
In the Summer much emphasis is placed on fluid intake to prevent us dehydrating, however many of us overlook this rule in the cooler months and look for hotter more nurturing drinks. Often these choices are tea or coffee which are diuretics and consequently have a dehydrating effect on the body when consumed in excess. Ideally we need to be consuming a minimum of 2L of purified water per day. If you find you have an aversion to drinking water during winter, try substituting tea and coffee with herbal teas as these count towards positive fluid intake. My personal herbal favourite is freshly squeezed lemon (the more the merrier!), grated ginger in hot water. Not only does it provide an injection of vitamin C and zinc for boosting the immune system, but the ginger is a circulatory stimulant and so has a wonderful warming effect on the whole body! The lemon and ginger tea has a wonderful zesty flavour which I think would accompany the mandarin almond cake quite nicely during Winter. For an added twist try heating the cake and adding a dollop of organic pure cream!
I thought it might be refreshing to sample a recipe that not only tastes good and is a sweet but is also good for you! I am all for simple recipes that require little preparation but with maximum results and the Mandarin Almond Cake most certainly fits that criteria. As I have mentioned previously, it is important to eat the foods that are in season to ensure you are getting the best nutritional value that it can give you so please enjoy.
Recent Comments