Easter is tricky for those with special dietary needs. Here are my three tips to make a happy Easter…

1. For a chocolate treat without the guilt

In a bowl, combine two teaspoons best quality cocoa powder, one teaspoon maple syrup, two teaspoons dessicated coconut. Stir in half a cup of plain Greek yoghurt. Tangy. Delicious AND good for you.

2. Instead of chocolate bunnies and eggs, why not go Greek?

Traditional Easter fare is to boil fresh eggs in water with onion skins, or a non-toxic red dye. A bowl of these red jewels look amazing. In traditional Greek and Orthodox households, the eggs are used in a game: playing in pairs, each child takes turns bopping their egg on their partner’s egg. The last to crack the shell is the winner…and the eggs are eaten. Often it’s ‘winner takes all’, but the eggs are redistributed equally later.

3. Practice mindfulness

Whatever your spiritual beliefs, take some time over Easter to practice mindfulness with regard to eating, bringing awareness and appreciation to each mouthful and meal.

One of the pleasures of Easter is celebrating together, so if someone in the family is allergic to egg, dairy or chocolate, make sure there’s a dark chocolate, egg-free or gluten-free option for them to enjoy as well. Here’s my gluten-free hot cross bun recipe.

Working dog Felix, at rest

And, finally…

If you are planning on going to the Royal Easter Show, see the working dogs for me and take a bottle of Rescue Remedy just in case you:
a) lose a child in the show bag pavilion;
b) realise too late you have got on the Wild Cat 2 instead of the ferris wheel;
c) can’t find your car in the carpark.
Why not take some nuts or healthy snack from home so you can more easily resist the allure of blue fairy floss, pluto pups and other show ‘delicacies’?

Have your own Royal Easter Show survival tips or family games and traditions? Share them in the Comments or over at our Facebook page

The Paleo diet is a recent version of diets that style themselves on the diet humans supposedly evolved on, way back when, in the Stone Age.

Personally, I am swayed by this philosophy of avoiding food that has only been ‘invented’ in the last few thousand years. After all, our anatomy and digestive physiology has changed little over hundreds of thousands of years.

A rock fossil of a fish, a food that was once in plentiful supply and made up a large part of the Paleolithic, or Stone Age, diet

The Paleo Diet recommends we eat mainly raw foods, or as little cooked as possible. All flesh foods are acceptable (after all we were supremo carnivores) as well as fruits, vegetables and nuts. On the ‘no go’ list are all processed foods, sugar, grains and legumes. It’s the latter two, grains and legumes, that many people find difficult to digest! After all, aren’t whole grains and legumes are high in fibre, low in fat and full of nutrients? Well, yes they are. But…

Agriculture and the practice of sowing and reaping crops is a relatively recent human endeavour, around for roughly 12 thousand years. A mere bagatelle in human development. Out they go, as well as all that delicious pasta, pizza, fresh crusty bread and wholesome lentil soup… boo hoo. I rather like Paula Goodyer’s pragmatic approach of adopting the best of both worlds… or maybe I’m a Paleo sook.

Have you heard of the Paleo Diet? What are your thoughts?

We have had so much rain in Kangaroo Valley, I’m sure I saw webbing starting to grow between Tess and Felix’s toes.

The river is running high, and racing by so fast that you can get swept away downstream before you have time to ask yourself ‘What was I thinking, jumping in there?’ and grab hold of a tree to save yourself.

Like fast-moving currents, we get so busy just living life day-to-day that emotions can sometimes catch us by surprise. If we don’t give ourselves time to deal with those emotions, especially the negative and stressful emotions, we may become ill.

From time to time I see patients who have put on weight for no good reason. If someone is doing everything right in the diet and exercise department, yet increasing in girth, one needs to look for less obvious reasons. If checking hormone and thyroid levels provides no culprits, then it could be stress. This is a warning to do something to ease your pain and lower the stress in your life, before you get sick.

Stress in the body

When we feel stressed, the adrenal glands release two hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline, the ‘flight or fight’ hormone, causes the heart to race, skin to sweat, weight to drop and stomachs to knot. However, cortisol, adrenaline’s partner in stress, goes about its work in stealth. Long-term heightened levels of cortisol may increase the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Long-term stress can come from anywhere: family and relationship difficulties, caring for an aged or ill relative, long work hours, study or financial strain…or having to keep proving you should be Prime Minister.

What you can do about it

Both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd will feel better after today’s secret ballot because action has meant they can move out of the highly stressful situation of not knowng what the future holds. If it is not possible to take action and change the stressful circumstances, you can reduce the effect cortisol has on the body, including weight gain. Herbs that can help include Siberian ginseng, Schisandra, Licorice, Withania and Rhodiolia. Vitamin C is used in large amounts by the adrenal glands during stress, so taking a vitamin C supplement and eating plenty of citrus fruits and green vegetables can help. Meditation is one of the most effective stress hormone-reducing activities…and it helps you manage emotional stress and lose those excess kilos.

Emotions that make you sick

Most of us know already that negative emotions can make you ill: we feel ourselves getting run down when we’re riding the current of negative emotions. It stands to reason: the neurotransmitters that fire in the brain also connect with hormones, immune cells and organs, contributing to disease and poor health. The extent of the damage of an emotion or stressful event may take years to develop into a condition like a cancer, or may erupt immediately in an attack of shingles or an outbreak of cold sores. However, the news is not all bad. It works the opposite way, too: positive emotions and uplifting thoughts are able to create good health. So, before the straw breaks the camel’s back, the best course of action is protection.

Emotions are emotions. Guilt, grief, worry, irritability – they exist…like it or not. So, acknowledge you are experiencing the emotion, don’t beat yourself up about it, and try giving play, relaxation and positive emotions more space in your life. Affirmations and Bach flower remedies can help too. A visit to your friendly naturopath to look at ways to improve your diet and wellbeing can be a useful step.

An affirmation I find useful is: ‘I seek peace and harmony for myself and for all those in my life’ and I really enjoy our Thursday meditation class at the Stationmaster’s Residence. Come and join us

What about you? What affirmations or other techniques do you use to ease stress and process negative emotions? Tell me in the comments…

While not quite a case of ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ the melanoma/sunlight connection gets more and more confusing.

For years now, we have been slathering sunblock cream over our bodies and, like a herd of vampires, avoiding the merest glimpse of the sun’s rays. Yet death rates from melanoma around the world keep rising and rising. Or do they? In a 13-year study published in the British Journal of Dermatology (yes, yes, I know it’s the Old Blighty, but the principle remains the same), researchers claim that the mortality rate of melanoma remains steady, whereas the incidence of doctors reporting certain markers that may or may not result in malignant melanomas increased substantially. Perhaps, it’s more about ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’. Of course, everyone agrees that too much sun – sunburn – is not good for you, at any level.

Sunburn remedy

The ultimate relief from sunburn is free if you grow aloe vera in your garden. And its application is simple. Cut an outside leaf close to the base of the plant. With a sharp knife or vegetable peeler remove the outer layer, taking care to remove all the yellow latex. (Avoid this yellow latex completely during pregnancy, although the gel is fine.) Mash the gel and apply to your sunburn. Use within 24 hours.

What are your thoughts about sun exposure? Do you find the conflicting advice confusing? Let me know in the comments.

Summer skin saver

Remember all that sugar you gave up on New Year’s Eve? It can be put to good use as a moisturising body scrub.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of jojoba or olive oil
• 4 drops of lavender oil, 4 drops sandalwood oil
• Castor sugar, pour in enough sugar to soak up the oil, firm enough to pick up in your hand.

Directions

1. Stand in shower, or bathtub. Starting from the feet, massage the sugar crystals up legs, tummy, buttocks, hands, arms and shoulders. Avoid the sensitive skin of the throat and face.
2. Wash off with warm water. Your skin will glow with good health.

Maybe you have your own tried and tested sunburn remedies you’d like to share…

Breathe Well is a course in the Buteyko method of breathing, facilitated by leading naturopath Mim Beim

The perfect man breathes as if he does not breathe
– Lao Tzu philosopher 6th century BCE

Two locations – Bowral (Saturdays) & Sydney (Wednesdays) – Book now!

See below for 2012 dates

• 1.5 hours per week for 5 consecutive weeks
• perfect for those with insomnia, sleep apnoea, asthma, high blood pressure, ADHD and more
• 100% money back guarantee if your symptoms aren’t reduced

If you suffer from:

• snoring
• sleep apnoea
• tight chest or breathlessness
• pins and needles
• poor concentration (brain fog)
• stress
• asthma
• sinusitis
• anxiety
• high blood pressure
• fatigue
• chronic exhaustion
• fibromyalgia
• constipation
• bed wetting
• muscle cramps or spasm

And you experience one or more of the following:

• Breathing through the mouth
• Hearing breathing during rest
• Sigh regularly
• Regular sniffing
• Irregular breathing
• Taking large breaths prior to talking
• Yawning
• Upper chest movement
• Noticeable breathing movement
• Holding of breath (apnoea)
• Heavy breathing at night

Then you will benefit from doing the course Breathe Well.
(For more information, see my blog on Buteyko)

Bowral course dates

Stationmaster’s Residence
25 Station St, Bowral

Saturdays 1–2.30pm
Term 2 begins May 12
Term 3 begins August 4
Term 4 begins October 13

Sydney course dates

ACNT College
57 Foveaux St Surry Hills (map)
(5 mins walk from Central Station)

Wednesdays 5.45–7.15pm
Term 2 begins May 9
Term 3 begins August 1
Term 4 begins Ocober 10

Conditions

Snoring
Sleep apnoea
Asthma
Fatigue
Sinusitis
Hayfever
Fibromyalgia
ADHD

Method

Based on the Buteyko method of breathing, Breathe Well corrects the cause of many health concerns, over-breathing or hyperventilation. Through a series of easy techniques, Mim will show you how to change breathing style. Results are noticed very quickly.

Enrolment and payment

5 sessions of 1.5 hours each
$495 Per person
$395 Students

Cost includes book and CD. 50% deposit required to secure enrolment.
100% money back guarantee if your symptoms aren’t reduced

Email mim@beamingwithhealth.com.au or ring 0411 748 749

• Direct deposit
  Bank: ANZ
  Acct name: Beaming with Health
  BSB: 012 140
  Account: 352479203
  Reference: ‘Buteyko Bowral/Sydney’ (enter in box)

• Cheque
  Make cheque payable to Beaming with Health.
  Send to PO BOX 6228 Kangaroo Valley NSW 2577.

In this members’ article, Mim Beim shares some tips to soothe yourself to better sleep and awake refreshed and well rested.

Up to 40% of Australians suffer from poor insomnia. Whether it’s not being able to fall asleep, or having a restless night, it’s hard to feel 100% without a decent night’s kip.

Sleep is an article from the Beaming with Health Community available only to members. Browse the Articles.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Let us know your experiences and any helpful remedies in the comments.