How to keep vital and healthy over summer is a common discussion in my practise as the weather warms up. Use these tips for summer wellbeing so you stay healthy and can make the most of the coming months!
1. Stay hydrated
As Australians our hydration habits tend to mimic our weather; drought and flood! While this might even out over a week, actually you are putting your body through mini bouts of dehydration all the time.
Karen has recently co-written this amazing book: Tomato – know, sow, grow, feast. I highly recommend it! It is written in her own voice; warm and genuine, and the book is encouraging and accessible to the novice or experienced gardener. I have learned a lot from my first few chapters about growing a variety of tomatoes: getting the best crops, growing great flavours, and using organic processes in keeping my plants healthy.
Read MoreI don’t know about you, but my garden is currently going bananas! I have so many herbs ready to go I have had to get creative to make sure I make use of all their goodness. This salad is healthy, easy and fresh and becomes a staple in my household in the warmer months.
Read MoreGums can change at any stage of life. They suffer if they are not getting the nutrients and care they need, and may develop issues that lead to teeth problems. Gum issues can be indicative of other health issues and should always be taken seriously.
At a previous check, my dentist said I needed to address some gum recession and gingivitis. These are very common issues, but need to be addressed with regular flossing. It was disappointing to learn that my gums were not as good as they had been before.
Read MoreMy client Luisa (not her real name) and I have had great success recently, her health has improved rapidly, and I believe, permanently! So happy with her wellbeing, she suggested I write a blog about what has been ailing her: thrush. I treat a lot of thrush in my practice and think this will be relevant for many women out there.
Read MoreOne of the things I like about Ayurvedic medicine is this policy: if you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, don’t put it on your skin.
Certain soaps and liquid soaps strip the delicate skin barrier, are very harsh on our skin leaving it in a vulnerable and overly dry state. It can lead to people developing itchy skin and reactive dermatitis. Of course we need to remove germs and dirt, but the soaps we choose matter.
Read MorePart 2: From reductionist to expansionist!
To try and manage their symptoms their lives gets reduced; smaller and smaller, as it is harder to eat over at friends homes, and eat out, or travel away from home. This change, I think, has been one of the biggest and most important; a real overhaul in approach! In collaboration with my clients and their medical and allied practitioners- improvements without restrictions is possible in many situations.
Read MoreAlcohol consumption is something I spend a lot of time talking with clients about. It is a topic fraught with uncertainty, sometimes embarrassment or shame, and often a sense of helplessness.
Most people I speak to about alcohol acknowledge that they want to reduce their consumption and are looking for strategies to help them do so easily. Consuming more alcohol than is right for a person (and I think this varies wildly depending on the person!) can result in low energy, tiredness, “brain fog”, anxiety, depression, and sleep and gut disturbances.
Read MorePart 2: Iron needs to be the first building block for treating fatigue and tiredness.
Something I have learned over the years is that some tiredness and fatigue cannot be overcome with vitamins, herbs, adequate sleep, and good eating. If the foundation nutrient iron is not at high enough levels no other intervention can have sustainable effects. I have found this is is true for people of all ages and genders; no amount of sleep, rest, holidays, or taking it easy, replenishes someones energy levels, including when depression or another serious disease is ruled out.
Read MorePart 1: Sharing in knowledge is different from giving information.
When I started out I used to think I was an information-based health service provider; that clients come to see me for information, and I tell them what to do. Understatement - this was a very rigid way of practising! Thanks goodness I found my way out of this style!
I have learned to approach healthcare with my clients, to work with them and their current habits and needs to help them grow in a way that is interesting and sustainable for them personally. This aspect of my work feels very creative as we work together because everyone is different and it is so important to accept what steps people are able and willing to integrate into their lives. I always want to guide people towards their very best health, but giving blanket advice that works in ideal situations is just not realistic for most people.
Read MoreHead lice are a serious issue for Australian families in the warmer months, and through years of experience supporting friends treat their families, and treating my own I have developed an easy and successful plan involving both prevention and treatment.
There are a few preventive strategies you can use such as tying up childrens long hair and checking their scalps regularly, but I have one golden rule. If a child scratches their head more than three times in one hour, they need a treatment that night. If you catch an infestation in its early form like this you can deal with five lice instead of 500.
Read MoreHummus is a very healthy and tasty dip/puree made from chickpeas; a legume containing a great amount of protein. I make hummus weekly at least, as it keeps for days in the fridge, and is a very nutritious and filling snack.
When eaten with crackers/corn chips/pita bread, it provides a complete plant based protein, plus beneficial plant oils, ensuring satisfying fullness and sustenance for hours, it is a fantastic snack, especially compared to a sugary alternative like a muesli bar.
Read MoreHere are a couple of my crowd-pleasing dips that are incredibly tasty and healthy. I use a good quality yoghurt as a base for these fermented favourites, and they can be kept for 4-5 days in the fridge! Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory agent and makes for a fun colour.
Read MoreThere are many health benefits from eating cauliflower; they contain many sulphur compounds which are known to be cancer fighting and they are rich in antioxidants which act in our detoxifying pathways. It also has lots of soluble pectin fibre, which is very beneficial for our gut health, encouraging the growth of good bacteria, hello microbiome!
Read MoreI am a lover of stewed fruits, eaten hot or cold and made from whatever bounty nature is giving us each season! I always cook enough to have a steady supply for several weeks in the freezer. In winter I am usually using apples, quinces and pears; during summer, more apples, stone fruits, and rhubarb.
Read MoreHmm butter, you’re so delicious and creamy, and even better when you are blended with organic plant based oils and made easy to spread on toast! This is another recipe for which I have to thank to the women of my family. This and many other home recipes like it is partly why I became a naturopath.
Read MoreApple cider vinegar, natures antimicrobial for any sore throats! And how I love thee... for preserving and pickling things, for flavouring fruit and vegetables with your pungency and apple sweetness, for being a fermented condiment, and most importantly for supporting immunity. Thanking the women of my lineage for this decades old family tip, I especially love the properties of using a dilute solution of organic apple cider vinegar for the onset of any sore, raspy, dry, changing season, or about to get infected throats. It is one of the best home based remedies that is effective and easy to make.
Read MoreOysters! Molluscs! Some love them, some hate them! For those who love them, there are very good nutritional reasons to go ahead and enjoy. They are rich in essential minerals like iodine, iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamins D and B12, as well as protein, and of course as natures probiotic they are full of health giving bacteria.
Read MoreFermented foods increase the bacterial diversity in our gut, creating an inner rainforest of bacteria, picture that for a moment! Lushness in the guts, yes please! Fermented foods help to regulate gut function, reduce inflammation and boost immunity, and maybe even most importantly they help us make the most of all the food we eat by enhancing our capacity to absorb nutrients. Ginger in particular stimulates circulation, reduces nausea and is an anti-inflammatory herb.
Read MoreNorthcote Victoria 3070 Australia
p: 0459 102 392
e: nerida@neridamoorhouse.com
© 2020 Nerida Moorhouse Naturopath
