Awaken Your Health Newsletter - 1st November 2008

A big hello to all!

With the festive season just around the corner, this is the ultimate time to be taking care of your body so that you best cope with the inevitable indulgences. So this month, I have included a brief article listing some ‘Super Foods’ that are packed with goodies, and I also discuss some very surprising information regarding pesticide residue on our fruit and vegetables, and how best to manage this.

Finally, I have included a delicious salad recipe to enjoy over the coming summer months for those who are interested. For more health-wise recipes and some great resources, please visit the Awaken Your Health Website.

Reminder of Dates for practice before the New Year

As most of you know, I am taking a short break from practicing over November and December with the arrival of my second child. There are still a couple of available appointment times for December for anyone requiring a consultation. Details below:

*Friday 12th December - (limited appointments still available)
*Saturday 13th December - (limited appointments still available)

Announcement: Introduction of Phone Consultations At the request of several patients, I am now offering phone consultations to existing patients. These are a great opportunity and very convenient for those patients who have a couple of questions to ask or some issues to discuss, whom might have trouble making the days I am practicing in the coming months. These will require a prior email or SMS to arrange a time. A schedule of fees is below: 15 minute phone consultation $30 30 minute phone consultation $50

Receipts will be available for these, on request.

The clinic will re-open on Friday the 9th of January 2009, and I look forward to hearing from you to arrange New Year appointments as the New Year approaches.

Yours in good health, good food, and good fun the natural way,

Tabitha.

Foods you should be packing into your diet in the run up to Christmas A plant focused diet with plenty of variety provides you with an abundance of natural compounds such as fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients which support health and protect our body from a multitude of ailments and diseases. It is so important to eat well, and worth the extra effort and money to seek out the freshest seasonal and local produce. Savour every mouthful! Below I have listed some ‘Super Foods’ that are nutritious and delicious, and can be incorporated easily into a day’s meals. Try to include them several times every week.

Leafy Dark Greens
Leafy green vegetables are perhaps the most important vegetable family in our diet. These include spinach, kale, mustard greens and Chinese green veggies such as bok choy. These dark-green vegetables provide fibre, Vitamins A and C, riboflavin, folic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants. Several studies have shown their remarkable benefits. A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that individuals who daily consume leafy greens had a 23 percent reduction in coronary heart disease. Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that a diet rich in leafy green vegetables is associated with a significant reduction in the chance of developing colon cancer.

Beans and other Legumes
This family includes peas, lentils, soy bean, chickpeas, lima and kidney beans. Legumes are a great source of vegetarian protein with negligible fat. They are also a fabulous source of dietary fibre. Generally, one cup of cooked lentils provides you with 5-10g of dietary fibre. Substituting meat dishes with a dish of legumes & whole grains once or twice a week can improve your health – a high fibre diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, obesity and diabetes. Foods high in fibre tend to be low in GI (glycemic index) and so are well suited to weight loss and diabetic diets.

Avocado
Gram for gram, avocados contain more fibre and B vitamins than any other commonly eaten fruit! They are also a good source of antioxidants Vitamin E and glutathione, plus are higher in potassium than bananas. They are cholesterol and sodium free, and contain mono-unsaturated (good) fat, so are a great substitute for butter or cheese spreads.
You really need to get your hands on this delicious fruit.

Garlic
A member of the onion family, garlic is grown year round, and packs a punch against some serious conditions. Raw garlic is a powerful antibiotic and antifungal. Numerous studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of regular garlic consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels, therefore reducing risk of strokes and heart attacks. The medicinal properties of garlic are strongest when it is raw and crushed, or very finely chopped. Don’t overdo it – too much garlic can irritate the digestive tract!

Broccoli
As a part of the cabbage family, broccoli has an impressive nutritional profile that includes beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium, fibre, and phytochemicals, specifically indoles and aromatic isothiocynates. Broccoli and its kin may be responsible for boosting certain enzymes that help to detoxify the body. These enzymes help to prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. Studies have found that boiling broccoli for more than 10 minutes may strip it of nutrients, so this mighty green veggie is best lightly steamed or stir-fried.

Blueberries
Apart from containing a very low sugar content yet still tasting great, blueberries can lower your risk of cancer and heart disease. They are also low GI and a fabulous option for people needing weight control. Along with being high in vitamin C and potassium, they also contain powerful antioxidants called proanthocyanidins and are anti-inflammatory. Studies have also found that eating wild blueberries may slow down the effects of aging.

The Deal with Pesticides According to the literature, excessive pesticide consumption has been linked with serious health conditions such as infertility, birth defects and cancer. Pesticides are particularly toxic to pregnant women and young children. Therefore, awareness about pesticide residue on our fruit and vegetables is an important part of staying healthy. We have to ask – Is there really a safe level to consume? Below I have discussed some ways to minimize your exposure to pesticides. We can easily reduce ingestion of chemical residues on our fruits and vegetables by buying organic. When organic is not always possible, you can still make wise choices. To assist you with this, I have included below the results of some recent American research on fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residue – very interesting information!

* Rinsing all produce thoroughly before eating is always a good idea, but many pesticides, fungicides and other agricultural chemicals are trapped under a wax coating that was added to resist water and prolong shelf life. As such, rinsing produce with just plain water is not enough to do the job.

* For non-organic fruit and vegetables, a vinegar solution (2tbsp vinegar to 500mL water) and a clean nail brush may be used to wash chemical residue off fruit that is not peeled. A mild soap solution (with a natural detergent) can also be used to remove residues.

Recipe – Brown Rice Salad
(makes 4-6 lunch or dinner meals)

Ingredients and Method:

• Boil 3 cups of brown rice.
  
• While the rice is cooking, heat a large fry pan or wok with1-2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Add to the fry pan:
  
• 3 cloves garlic chopped finely
  
• 1 bunch shallots chopped finely
  
• 2 red capsicums chopped finely
  
• Optional one chile without seeds, chopped finely
  
• (Note: All listed ingredients are chopped to the size of a fingernail)
  
• Once these ingredients have softened, add:
  
• 1-2 bunches chopped asparagus
  
• 1-2 bunches chopped broccolini
  
• any other chopped green Chinese veggies
  
• 1-2 finely chopped carrots
  
• 1 cup of frozen peas
  
• (for extra taste, add 1 tsp sesame oil and 1-2 tbsp Tamari to fry pan)
  
• Add one bunch of finely chopped coriander towards the end
  
• Stir-fry all chopped vegetables until medium soft
  
• Once the brown rice is cooked, rinse well and add to the wok. Stir well.
  
• Add 1 tbsp of sesame seeds
  
• Add 2 x 185g cans of Tuna in oil or Paramount red Salmon (drain oil first)
  
• Optional, add one can red or brown lentils (drained and rinsed) for extra fibre and protein, or as a substitute to canned fish.
  
• Mix all ingredients and eat hot or cold.
  

Tips
* Keeps well in the fridge in Tuppaware, and is a great lunch to take to school or work.

Notes
* Transfer to Tuppaware only once the food is room temperature – never when hot.

* Please don’t feel limited to the above ingredients! Experiment and throw in any other vegetables that you may enjoy!