May 2010 Newsletter: Herbalists, Life Management and a Quinoa Recipe!

Hi everyone, welcome to the May monthly newsletter from OrganicFood.com.au. This month, for your reading pleasure, we've again compiled some handy and insightful nutrition, well being and foodie articles from our expert guest contributors. We hope you enjoy!We home deliver the freshest, highest quality organic fruit, veg and groceries across Sydney and Melbourne. Find out about our convenient weekly or fortnightly mixed box service. Stress-free, convenient and fun!

Your Wellbeing: What does a Herbalist Do...?

This month's article comes from Maggie Goddin, a herbalist at Soultonik Wellness Centre in Woollahra.

There are many health therapists whom use herbal medicine in practice. Doctors, naturopaths, and Chinese medicine practitioners are all practitioners whom use herbs in one form or another. Herbs can come in the form of plant, mineral or animal parts and are used in different ways to bring people back to optimal health.   

People may wonder, what is the difference between a Chinese herbalist and other herbalists?  As a Chinese herbalist I have always found it very unique that we use herbs to influence the root cause of illness instead of only the symptom that the patients arrives at the clinic with.  It is also unique that Chinese herbalists examine the taste and temperatures of the herbs they use when considering them for use. 

A more common herbal remedy for nausea during pregnancy is ginger.  But for any pregnant women whom have tried this remedy without success, it is because the same thing does not always cause the symptom of nausea.  A trained Chinese herbalist would consider what system within the body is upset and prescribe an herbal treatment.  The Chinese herbalist may choose to add ginger to the formula to soothe the stomach and alleviate the symptom of nausea, if appropriate. 

In the case of ginger, which is a warming herb, it may not be added to a formula if the women suffering nausea has heat in affected system.  A better choice would be something with a cool temperature like mint and would be added to a formula that treats the nauseous women’s entire constitution.  Chinese herbal medicine does, like other natural medicines, use combination of herbs (which is called polypharmceutical) but is unique in its use of flavors and temperatures of herbs. 

I enjoy being a Chinese herbalist because I am able to use my knowledge of herbs to treat an entire constitution, not just a symptom of a greater problem.

Your Body: Life Management and Habits

Written by Michael Berry, from Vivos Active  who provide outdoor group fitness training in Sydney.

It is really easy to decide what we don’t want and we quite often think about what we could have, a percentage of the population even go out there and start losing weight, getting stronger and fitter, but are they on the right track?

So many of the people who reduce body fat and increase lean body mass who get stronger and faster lose most of their fitness and put some body fat back on again, some times even more fat! Why?

Our profit driven society pushes the affluenza agenda making us believe that we can have it all. After losing all that weight and getting fit we are seduced by the tasty foods, the convenience eating, low cost options, alcohol and on the time side we are sucked in to the party life, long work hours, social commitments, and the chains of the past.

Habits are so powerful, as we grow we form them and are lead willingly by what we read, who we listen to and what we watch, it is what you do! You may be aware that there are different ways but you only know what you actually do. Once off that diet you are so comfortable to throw yourself back into habits that given a certain amount of time you will be right back where you were before, sometimes worse because of the yo yo dieting.

To have a life free of disease, to be feeling strong and fit, to be able to part take in any activity your heart desires, to have a body that is going to carry you through a wonderful life you need to effect real change! Real change comes from forming new habits, life long changes, not something that is hard work and drudgery to keep up, not something that you do for a short time.

Welcome incidental exercise into your life, play sport for fun, train weekly with lots of variety, take up adventure training and try new things with people moving in the same direction. Eat a wide range of healthy certified organic foods, drink plenty of water, reduce your food rewards and eat more often then you dine.

“Yea yea yea I know I need to do that stuff”, ok there is some info out there about that but are you doing it and most importantly you need to reset your beliefs and self concepts by filtering what you are listening to, reading and watching. Most people just unconsciously absorb into their sub conscious mind everything that they see, hear and feel.

Start surrounding yourself with people moving in the right direction, listen and talk about inspiring events and activities, read positive uplifting books and literature, only watch quality movies, change your self talk to a positive tune, be optimistic, strive for work life balance, change your job to work that you believe in something or somewhere you will receive recognition and feel good about it.   

Your Mind: Autumn and Yoga

Wellbeing tips this month are provided by Natalie Almond, Yoga Teacher at The Living Room in Coogee.

Autumn is the Air element, the season where the lungs, colon, skin and nerves are working hardest. If these organs are out of balance you may be feeling the more uncomfortable emotions related which are grief /hopelessness, finding it hard to trust in life. Bringing these organs into balance enables you to live in  HOPE and TRUST.

Practice plenty of pranayama (breathing exercises) – take a full breath in through the nose filling up your belly and chest to top of shoulders hold and relax then exhale through the mouth emptying belly and chest repeat around 5-10 times *note do not hold inhalation if you have high blood pressure or heart problems. 

All gas releasing postures i.e.  Hugging knees into belly, forward bends, twists to stimulate the nervous system and massage the colon, lots of relaxation and yoga nidra to relax the nerves and plenty of water to keep secretions soft for easy exit.

Eat plenty of Autumn grown fruit and pungent vegetables such as radish, cabbage, cauliflower , pears are great for lungs and colon preferably organic as the sprays may create asthma, mostly the white foods and the foods that are grown in their season of where you live.  

The Living Room Coogee is a beautiful and tranquil waterside studio offering more than Yoga. Alongside Tai Chi Chuan, Pilates and Meditation classes, enjoy holistic therapies from Shamanic Healing and Reiki, to Psycho Therapy, Massage and Acupuncture.

Your Tastebuds: All About Quinoa

This month's info and recipe comes from Marla Bozic, Nutrition and Wellness Counsellor at Vitamin L. She says we all have a different biological individuality, therefore we all have different nutritional needs. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for someone else. A personalised Vitamin L nutrition and wellness program starts by understanding your bio-individuality: what makes you, you.

Quinoa looks like a carb, tastes like a carb, feels like a carb but is actually a nourishing, satiating protein! What could be better to satisfy your soul?

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutritional powerhouse with ancient origins – it looks a lot like cous cous. It was originally cultivated by the Incas more than 5,000 years ago. It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is also high in magnesium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, riboflavin and zinc.

Quinoa is a gluten-free grain and has a similar effect as other whole grains in helping to stabilise blood sugar. For best results, rinse Quinoa before you cook it or even soak it for a few hours or overnight. When cooked it has a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture. Try it in soups, salads, as breakfast porridge or as its own side dish.

Recipe of the Month: Mediterranean Quinoa

Yield: 4 servings Ingredients:

• 1 c Quinoa
• 1 ¾ c water
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ c toasted pine nuts
• ¼ c olive oil
• ¼ c lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint
• 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley
• 2 scallions
• ¼ c currants
• 1/3 c crumbled feta cheese  

Wash rinse and drain Quinoa. Place in a 2 qt pot, add water and salt and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer with lid on until all the water is absorbed (15-20 mins). Don't stir while cooking. Test for doneness by tilting the pan to one side making sure all of the water has been absorbed. Remove lid and let rest for 5-10mins.

Dry toast pine nuts in skillet or a 150C/300F oven until they begin to change color and give off aroma, about ten minutes. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, mint, parsley, in a large bowl. Add scallions, currants, feta cheese and toasted pine nuts and toss. Add cooked warm Quinoa a little at a time. Toss well. Serve at room temperature.

Marla's tips:Use whatever herbs you have. I've made it a few times and never seem to have mint, parsley and scallions all at the same time and it's always good.

Grocery Product of the Month

From Green and Blacks, this is a delicious Almond Chocolate. For an extra nutty taste, the whole organic Sicilian almonds are roasted with their skins on. This intensifies their flavour even more. They are then moulded into bars using Green and Black's famous milk chocolate

Find out more, or check out our range of  newly added products on our shopping site.

Animal Charities

Here at OrganicFood we strongly advocate the humane treatment and protection of animals and the environment in which they live. It therefore comes as no surprise that we are avid supporters of WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals).  We recently came across another amazing animal charity called Voiceless.   

Voiceless envisions a world in which animals are treated with respect and compassion. The Voiceless mission is to bring the institutionalised suffering of animals to the forefront of Australia’s agenda, ensuring that animal protection is the next great social justice movement.  

Voiceless is an independent non-profit think tank dedicated to alleviating the suffering of animals in Australia. Established by father and daughter team, Brian Sherman AM and Ondine Sherman, Voiceless:  

• Creates and fosters networks of leading lawyers, politicians and academics to influence law and public policy; ·        
• Conducts high quality research and analysis of animal industries, exposing legalised cruelty and promoting informed debate; ·        
• Creates a groundswell for social change by building and fortifying the Australian animal protection movement with select Grants and Prizes; and ·        
• Aims to inform consumers and empower them to make animal-friendly choices.

To find out more about Voiceless, what you can do to help animals in Australia and to sign up to receive free e-updates please visit the Voiceless website.

Thanks for your interest in the organic market and the environment....any queries about our shopping service please visit www.organicfood.com.au or contact Leonie@OrganicFood.com.au.

Thanks

The team at OrganicFood.com.au