Coping with my Cold

To be honest, I actually think its worse than a Cold. But Im labeling it that, because it certainly isn't a bad flu. I usually get 1 cold each year. This is my second this year, and whilst I sit here wondering why, Im drawn to scratch my leg - Im drawn to the spider bite that appeared three days ago. So I wonder, is my body trying to fight the spider bite and my immunity is lower as a result? Perhaps.

Whatever the reason the reality is, my throat is sore, my head is sore and my brain hurts! So I thought I would share with you some of the things I have been doing to ease the symptoms. Im a firm believer that if the body is able and generally in good health, it will fight a cold and flu itself. We don't like to stop and rest when we are sick, and this is potentially why colds can get really nasty. So I have taken today off, to rest. Im not exactly how restful it was with both my husband and Olivia running about the place, but I did my best.

To treat my sore throat I have been making up herbal tea decoctions of lemon, honey and ginger. Don't underestimate these simple ingredients. I literally boil the kettle, squeeze lemon into a cup of piping hot water, add honey and ginger and let it brew for 5 minutes. Most citrus fruits will sooth a sore throat as they are acidic and the strong pH may help to kill germs present. Gargling with warm sea salted water does a similar thing for the same reason. The honey (good quality honey) is a natural antibiotic and the ginger aids to open up the pores and allow the body to sweat it out. This is a natural body response to illness. When we suppress this, it takes a lot longer for things to get better.

Lets not forget Garlic! My great grandma was known for her breakfasts of grated garlic on toast! She never got sick. Garlic has the ability to treat either a viral or bacterial sore throat. Even adding it to roasted veggies is an excellent way to eat it.

Making sure your diet is supporting your body when it isn't functioning properly is really necessary. Cutting out dairy certainly helps to lessen phlegm production and allows the gut to function well. This will in turn increase immunity and the bodies ability to get better quicker. We generally don't feel hungry when we are unwell, but eating is a must. The body needs fuel to work harder when you are ill. Be sure to include plenty of soups and stews. They will provide awesome nourishment to every part of your body.

Simple ideas like these can make big differences to the bodies natural healing process. There are many remedies out there that do amazing things for the body. At the very least be kind to yourself at this time and support your body as best you can. Every body system relies on it - especially your fertility!

More food! Food glorious food!

You guessed it... more food! Its cook-up Tuesday in this house. I like to bake things for Olivia for the week - that way I know she is getting the very best ingredients also. So today its:

Orange & Carrot Spiced Cakes
(great for the dairy intolerant, until you add the icing anyway!)

You will need:
1 orange (you will use the rind and the juice)
4 eggs
3/4 cup of oil
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 cups of Self Raising Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Nutmeg
3 carrots grated
1 cup of chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
Combine in a jug the orange rind & juice and eggs & oil and whisk
In a bowl, add sugar, sifted flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, 3/4 of the walnuts and carrots.
Add the orange mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Divide mixture amongst 12 patty cases and cook in oven for 20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean!

To frost I piped:
100gm of butter
125gm cream cheese
2tbs orange juice
and with electric beaters combined until well beaten. I then added 3/4 cup of icing sugar and continue to beat until desired consistency. Top frosting with remaining walnuts!
Delish!

*I always use organic and best quality ingredients available.

I have a mouth Ulcer.. ouch!

There I said it. I have a mouth Ulcer. Its not a regular thing for me but whenever I hurt the inside of my mouth, the healing process almost always ends up disrupted and end result - it gets infected.
I know at the moment, Im doing a lot. I have a lot on my plate but I love life that way! I admit however, I haven't had any spinal care in over 4 weeks, I've been doing endless hours of work outside my regular span, mostly when Olivia is asleep and so taking care of me has taken a back seat. I blame this for the ulcer because really my body should have healed it by now. The theory is that there is less bacteria inside your mouth and so cuts should actually heal quicker in there.

Watermelon frost is an awesome product we stock in the clinic for the treatment of mouth ulcers and cold sores. Here's the thing - I lent mine to somebody! I hope their mouth is in a better state than mine.

If you do suffer from mouth ulcers there are a few things you can do.
~ stress can be a major contributor to mouth ulcers and especially healing. Taking some vitamin B6 may be useful. (hence why I went to visit my good friends at Masque Day Spa today in Albert Park ... ahhh it was bliss and my body is feeling awesome!)
~ wash the mouth out with warm salty water to assist in healing
~ use watermelon frost and don't lent it to friends! You never know when you might need it. Instead, next time you buy some, buy two to avoid this because right now, I wish I had!

Sugar (only a little bit) & spice & all things nice!

Its been a home day today, and I must say that I look forward to these days very much. Its important for me have these days to potter around the house, walk to the shops and the park and most of all cook! I find juggling everything can be tricky sometimes, but when I have a day at home with Olivia to 'collect' myself, I feel so much better for it. I assume Im not alone. I think these days are really important for your overall sanity and health!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I had fun making it! I love making things up and sharing with you, and I love it even more when people bake my recipes! Have a go at this one, they are delicious!

Banana & Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
175g softened butter (real butter - the fake stuff is REALLY bad for you)
80gm of raw organic sugar
3 organic free range eggs
1tsp of vanilla extract/essence
1 ripe and mashed banana
200g of dark lindt chocolate broken up into peices
1 1/2 cups of organic self raising flour



Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
Line cupcake/muffin tin with paper pans.
With beaters, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. I have used much less sugar in this recipe as the banana helps to sweeten it. You could use honey however when beating the butter you would probably need to do it on its own and add the honey later.
Once pale and creamy, add three eggs and continue with beaters until all mixed in well.
Add vanilla, banana & chocolate (optional - maybe if making for small children you might choose to leave this out) and stir to combine.
Sift flour into the mixture and mix well.
Place batter into paper pans until just over 3/4 full and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool.

These are delicious with or without frosting. I used an ordinary butter icing topped with fairy floss - probably not the healthiest of options but it looks awesome!

*Don't be afraid when baking to use much less sugar than suggested. At the very least, I usually half what a recipe tells me. You can always make up for it in other ways as I have with these cupcakes, but adding fruit or fruit juices.

Healthy eating is essential for good body function. If you don't already bake, get into the habit of doing so. Its therapeutic, you know exactly what is in your food and you are providing you and your family with great foundations for growth. You entire body relies on you making healthy choices. And if you don't yet have children, the fate of your fertility may also lie in your health. There really isn't an excuse for poor diet. Happy Baking!

Notice Served… baby its time to get out!

One of my most favorite treatments in the clinic is acupuncture for labour. It may seem odd, because lets face it, birth can be an icky topic! But you see, I have so much joy in hearing positive birthing stories. Many mothers who have pre-labour acupuncture, talk of a very positive birthing experience, no matter the outcome. Now, I can’t say that acupuncture is totally responsible, but many women have walked through my door at the clinic, and reported similar stories of quick and calmer labours, so I must be doing something right!

Pre-Labour acupuncture assists in preparing the body for birth. Research suggests that this alone shortens labour by up to 40%. That is good news to any birthing mothers ears! Treatment does several things. Over the course of 3-4 sessions, it slowly assists in ripening and gentle opening of the cervix, it helps relax muscles and tendons, opens the pelvic region and supports the overall function of the reproductive organs as they prepare for birth. Above all, it assists in supporting the mothers mind, which may be the most important aspect of all. In most women, these events should already be happening. By implementing acupuncture, the birthing mother can be certain that the body is being prepared. In some women, these essential pre labour steps may not be unfolding, and so it is even more important for treatment to be introduced.

Treatment usually takes place from 36 weeks and will continue weekly until the woman is full term. Using several weeks to complete this treatment means that its effects are gradual and accumulative. Pre-labour acupuncture will not force women into labour if she wasn’t already going to do so. I can confidently say this because treatments are it is mild but precise and differ greatly from *Induction acupuncture, where the intention and delivery of treatment is much stronger. Even better for her, is that it is very gentle and relaxing, and most importantly, reassuring that the body and mind will be as ready as possible for her beautiful arrival.

* Be sure to watch out for one of my next post on Induciton Acupuncture. It deserves an entry of its own!

Get ready for your 'Spring Cleaning!'

I’m quite grateful that winter is ticking over quite quickly. Not that it isn’t welcome. In actual fact, have enjoyed this winter so much more than any other year. I think I’m learning to embrace the season and enjoy winter for what it offers, and how it encourages me to slow down. As good as it is, I know Spring is coming and that makes me happy! Spring is such a beautiful time. We see the start of a new growth cycle, not just reflected in nature but in our bodies as well.

Spring is the perfect time to cleanse and prepare for the following year ahead. Much like we spring clean our homes, we can also be doing this to ourselves.

It can get confusing as to how to go about cleansing. There are so many ‘detox’ kits, cleansing formulas, programmes and potions, it can certainly deter the keenest of cleansers! What’s more, there are so many conflicting views. Some consider it to be dangerous – and I don’t disagree with this totally. Each and every individual should cleanse. However, it’s a matter of working out what is best for their bodies. If we embark on a program that isn’t suitable for the constitution of the person, it can certainly be damaging to the system.

You might wonder why it would be necessary to cleanse. It is true that your body does have its own way of detoxifying, unfortunately our lifestyles are far more toxic than our bodies can sometimes handle. Drugs, alcohol, water quality, stress and bad nutrition, all lead to build up of toxins in the body. When we cleanse, we allow our body to rid of these. If over time these are left sitting in our bodies, these toxins can lead to a host of issues including infertility, illness and disease.

So how does one decide what works best for them? If you are really serious about cleansing, it’s wise to speak to a health professional. Devising a cleanse that is specific to each patient is essential, given that no two people are the same.
In the clinic we run a ‘Spring Body Cleanse’ that does exactly this. It incorporates diet and lifestyle guidelines, specific to each patient as well as treatment and support throughout. We believe by implementing herbal medicine, acupuncture, clean eating and specific exercise, we can offer our patients a total body cleanse which is supportive as well as extremely effective – without compromise to the immune and other body systems.

If you're thinking of cleansing in the coming months, remember Spring is the perfect time. I get a little smile on my face knowing that my call to cleanse is coming. I can’t wait to feel new again.

And just quickly before I sleep - Three Little Trees!

This might be a quick blog but I don't want it to go unnoticed. Jac and Kate of Three Little Trees are currently off to China. I wanted to share with you all because I find it so inspiring that these two wonderful women are taking time to deliver donations and presents to these less fortunate children at JinJiang Orphanage in China.

If you aren't familiar with Three Little Tree's you need to go and check out their blog http://threelittletreesclothing.blogspot.com and link yourself to somebody who stocks their highly sort after brand. (somewhere like Little Pinwheel http://www.littlepinwheel.com.au) Olivia & I are in love with their clothing!

Travel safe beautiful ladies, I feel so moved by what you are doing and trust that your time spent with these beautiful children will be so special. I can't wait hear about your time away. Much love xo