Dandelion – Food and  Medicine Dandelion, revered for centuries as both food and medicine, offers a remarkable array of benefits across all its parts – leaves, flowers, stem, and root. While the root is favored for addressing liver and digestive issues, the leaves excel in treating kidney ailments, fluid retention, and serve as a nutritious addition to meals. Even the sap from its stem holds a curious utility in banishing warts.   Nutritionally Dense Nutritionally dense, dandelion leaves boast a wealth of essential elements such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, flavonoids ..read more

Candida albicans is a yeast/fungus that lives within all humans. Known as a commensal microorganism, in good times, candida happily goes about its yeasty little life causing us no trouble at all. It’s when Candida gets too big for its own boots, expanding its fungal empire, symptoms appear. Yeasts, related to moulds and fungi, prefer to live in a warm, dark and moist environment, so the intestines, vagina and even between soggy toes make ideal fungal hideaways. The trouble is when the community expands, candida albicans is able to penetrate the lining of the bowel with thin thready roots. T ..read more

The Buteyko Breathing Method - In a Nutshell The Buteyko Breathing Method, rhyming with “potato” and sounding like “boo-tay-ko,” is named after Konstantin Buteyko, a Ukrainian doctor who pioneered breathing techniques in the 1950s. Buteyko believed that many conditions, including asthma and high blood pressure, were due in part to dysfunctional breathing. Since 2010, the science of breathing has expanded significantly. Knowledge has revealed the benefits of correct breathing in improving conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, and sleep apnea and enhancing mental and physical performance. Thi ..read more

One in three Australians don’t sleep well. Poor sleep is associated with an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, obesity and car accidents. It’s not just your physical health at stake; a good night’s sleep goes a long way to bolster your mental and emotional well-being. The following 5 tips will help you sleep longer and sounder.  Supper You don’t have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy supper. Half to one hour before sleep, a light meal will help regulate blood sugar levels. It takes the average bear 3 to 4 hours to digest a meal, after which blood sugar bottoms out. For some people, low ..read more

This Chia and Linseed breakfast is perfect for those who suffer from ‘iffy’ bowels, particularly if you are prone to constipation. Chia and Linseeds are known as ‘prebiotic’ foods. Prebiotics feed probiotics. Probiotics are the good or beneficial bacteria we like to cultivate in the bowel, creating a healthy microbiome.  A diverse and healthy microbiome, fed by prebiotics, is important for our immune and nervous systems and fosters good gut health. Prebiotics help the probiotics to flourish. Ingredients 1 tablespoon linseeds (brown or golden) 1 tablespoon chia seeds (white or black) 1 c ..read more

This breakfast is perfect for those who suffer from ‘iffy’ bowels, particularly if you are prone to constipation. Chia and Linseeds are known as ‘prebiotic’ foods. Prebiotics feed probiotics. Probiotics are the good or beneficial bacteria we like to cultivate in the bowel, creating a healthy microbiome.  A diverse and healthy microbiome, fed by prebiotics, is important for our immune and nervous systems and fosters good gut health. Prebiotics help the probiotics to flourish. Ingredients 1 tablespoon linseeds (brown or golden) 1 tablespoon chia seeds (white or black) 1 cup fruit – your f ..read more

Working as a naturopath for the past 35 years, I have found that there is more to achieving good health, than eating a wholesome diet and getting enough exercise.  Our emotional and psychological health is every bit as important, and if not given similar care as the other aspects, our body will rebel.   Many times, clients have told me that they are sure their cancer, ulcerative colitis, eczema, pneumonia etc. was triggered by an emotional trauma.  Sometimes years after the event. The Effects of Trauma There are a few who live a charmed life, however most of us have exp ..read more

Almost Shepherd’s Pie is a twist on the ever-popular Shepherd’s Pie. A one-pot meal that has plenty of vegetables. Ingredients (Serves 4) 500g organic beef mince 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 sticks celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup broccoli florets 2 handfuls of baby English leaves 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 400g can tomatoes 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups beef stock salt and pepper Topping 500g kumara/sweet potato, cooked and mashed 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Method Heat an ovenproof casserole dish or pan on a medium-hot f ..read more

Making a frittata may sound fancy, but trust me, it’s easy-peasy. INGREDIENTS  2 red capsicum 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 leeks sliced and washed 10 organic eggs 1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (one or more): Continental Parsley, Basil, Rocket, Chervil 250g fresh Ricotta, crumbled 40g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan STEPS Cook capsicum under a preheated high grill until charred and blistered, or roast whole until blistering. Place in a sealed plastic bag for 10 minutes. Peel and cut into strips. Heat oil in a heavy fry pan and cook leek over medium heat for 15 minutes or until tender but not c ..read more

This makes a perfect lunch for home or work. It ticks all the boxes of protein, fiber, low carb, good fats, easy to make and it’s delicious. This will make 2-3 lunches, so divvy up in Pyrex containers for preprepared nutritional goodness.  BROWN RICE & TUNA SALAD For variation, you can replace tuna with chopped hard-boiled eggs. INGREDIENTS 1 cup cooked brown rice/barley or quinoa 1 x 185g can tuna, drained and flaked (Sol Mare or Sirena) 8 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, sliced 1 cup finely chopped mint and coriander leaves 1 Lebanese cucumber, diced ½ a ..read more