The Modern Apothecary Newsletter
August Edition

Welcome to the second issue of The Modern Apothecary’s monthly newsletter! Thank you to all who responded with constructive feedback to our July newsletter. Thanks also to those who contributed their valuable time and energy into making this month’s newsletter the wonderful source of health information that it is! To our new readers, a special welcome to you! We encourage and appreciate your feedback, questions and ideas as this will allow us to deliver information that truly satisfies your needs. This month’s guest writer is Zoe Szentirmai, from Beyond Personal Training in Neutral Bay. We appreciate Zoe’s contribution, and trust you will find her suggestions helpful and invigorating.

THIS ISSUE CONTENTS:

Whats new - Spring Detoxification
Beyond Fitness - Boost Your Body
Book review - “A Path With Heart” by Jack Kornfield - “Care Of The Soul” by Thomas Moore
Recipe ideas -SPRING RECIPES
Tea of the Month - Cleanse Tea.
Herb of The Month - SCHISANDRA.
Whats hot - Aromatherapy Products
Your invitation - Detoxification by Dr Giselle Cooke
Links - Nudie Juice

THE MODERN APOTHECARY/ NEWSLETTER TEAM

Dr GISELLE COOKE , M.B., B.S.(NSW), Dip.Ac., D.B.M. - is the owner and creator of The Modern Apothecary. An Holistic G.P with a special interest in nutrition and rejuvenation, Giselle practices at The Health Resource Centre nearby in Neutral Bay.

EMMA POVEY, N.D., Dip.Nut., D.R.M., D.B.M., N.F.M.(Natural Fertility Management), - is a Naturopath here at The Modern Apothecary, she also practices at The Health Resource Centre (nearby in Neutral Bay), as well as at Pymble Grove Health Centre in Gordon.

CORYNNE HUGHES N.D., Dip.Nut., D.R.M.,- is a Naturopath at The Modern Apothecary, with particular interest in digestive health and natural travel health.

SIOBHAN JORDAN N.D., B.HSc., Dip.Nut., D.R.M.,- is a Naturopath here at The Modern Apothecary with a particular interest in emotional care and wellbeing.

YVAN FOURNIER- editor of this newsletter, resident photographer and computer genius for The Modern Apothecary.

WHATS HOT- by corynne hughes

SPRING DETOXIFICATION

With Spring nearing, you may be thinking about a spring clean! How about a spring clean for your body! Our combined digestive repair and liver detoxification programme has returned many favourable results! Some people have returned looking so remarkably different, we have hardly recognised them!

Detoxification programs have three main goals :
(1) to eliminate foods from your diet which contain toxins, harmful chemicals and allergens.
(2) to optimise your nutritional status.
(3) to rehydrate and flush your blood and tissues, improving toxin elimination.

“RejuvenX” is an advanced medical food that supplies your body with those nutrients required for intestinal repair. For example, L-glutamine is one of the most powerful fuels for the cells of the intestines, enabling them to repair at optimal speed. Symptoms such as foggy brain, mental fatigue, lethargy and general fatigue, bloating, digestive upset, burping and flatulence may all be indicative of a less than perfect operating digestive system. The good news is that our digestive cells turn over a new leaf approximately every 7-9 days, so the results can be felt and seen quite rapidly with this programme.

“Xenoclear” is the second stage of the spring clean, and focuses on the liver. It too, is an advanced nutritional formula, and this time, it provides the liver with the nutrition and herbs required for it to function optimally and regenerate healthy new cells

Both powders need to be complemented by a fairly strict diet to achieve the best results. It may involve not eating dairy products, wheat or gluten, meat, alcohol etc for up to one month, however the rewards make it more than worthwhile!



Dr Giselle Cooke suggests the following:

Find a practitioner who regularly prescribes detoxification programs and who is skilled in dealing with the consequences, such as a fully qualified naturopath. At The Modern Apothecary in Neutral Bay, NSW, our naturopaths offer supervised detox programs for our customers on a walk-in basis. If your health is problematic you may need more thorough assessment before cleansing with a full appointment with your chosen practitioner. If carried out carelessly a detox can make you feel quite ill and may even induce a “healing crisis” - a week or so of acute illness, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, rashes or a ‘flu-like syndrome - due to the release of toxins into the circulation from silent storage in fat deposits. Although this experience can be quite distressing it is rarely dangerous and usually results in a good recovery. However there are more comfortable ways to cleanse!

You will probably need to take some herbal and nutritional supplements to detox efficiently and you practitioner will advise you in this regard. I am not very fond of fasting programs, certainly not for any length of time, since they lead to loss of essential tissues, such as muscle and organs, which will leave you feeling weak and tired. A nutritionally assisted detox is a more sophisticated way to rid your body of waste whilst conserving essential tissues and idealising your body composition of fat and fluid versus muscle and organ.


BEYOND FITNESS -by zoe szentirmai (from Beyond Personal Training).

Boost your body

The statistics are staggering… 80-90% of the population will experience back pain. I recently heard of a chiropractor claiming that most people would benefit from a chiropractic adjustment every month. This may be the case, however it does not HAVE to be. Take a moment to consider the bones of your spine; they provide the supporting frame for your head and back. Connected to this frame is an intricate system of muscles and ligaments that increase the strength and stability of the spine, arms and legs. The abdominal muscles and back muscles are key components of this muscular network providing the strength to keep your body upright. When these muscles are in poor condition, additional stress is applied to the spine, and back injury or pain is more likely.

Can you imagine boosting your immunity and energy levels with a detoxification program and lacking the physical capacity to fulfill your energetic desires? Even those with a busy schedule should be able to maintain a moderate exercise program that includes stretching, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning.

∑ Stretching: Almost every individual who has suffered low back pain should stretch their hamstring muscles once or twice daily. A hamstring stretching routine should include postures that lengthen the hamstring muscles for 45 seconds at a time, one to two times each day. Stretches should be applied evenly and bouncing avoided. The hamstring muscles may be stretched in a number of different ways.

Options include:
1. Sit up tall with one leg extended out to one side, the other bent. Reach forward from the hips with your chin up and chest out and try to touch the toes of the straight leg.
2. If this approach is not well tolerated, less strain is applied to the back by sitting on a chair and placing one leg straight out in front on another chair, then reaching forward to try to touch the toes (keep chin up and chest out).
3. One of the least stressful techniques is to lie on the floor with one leg slightly bent. Hang onto a both ends of a towel wrapped behind the other foot and try to straighten that leg while gently pulling it towards your body.
With time hamstring muscles will gradually lengthen, reducing stress to the lower back.

∑ Strengthening:To strengthen the back muscles, 15-20 minutes of dynamic lumbar stabilization or other prescribed exercises should be done every other day. (A physiotherapist or qualified personal trainer should be consulted regarding these.)

∑ Low-impact aerobic conditioning: Low impact aerobics (such as walking, bicycling or swimming) should be done for 30-40 minutes three times weekly, on alternate days from the strengthening exercises.

In the same way that you brush your teeth every day, think of exercise as hygiene for your body and nervous system. Do it because it makes you feel good - better than the hit you may be expecting from a morning coffee, I promise!


BOOK REVIEWS -by siobhan jordan

“A Path With Heart” by Jack Kornfield

This beautiful and truly life-changing book explores the wonders and also challenges of spiritual life in the Western world. Written with great empathy, compassion, insight and humour, “A Path With Heart” explores spiritual practices such as meditation and also inspires greater awareness for more meaningful living. One of the most beautiful pieces of wisdom that is shared by the author in this book is the reflections of those who are close to their time of death - reflections that are of great benefit to be aware of in our daily living:


Did I love well?

Did I live fully?

Did I learn to let go?


“Care Of The Soul” by Thomas Moore

Another beautiful and inspiring book that encourages one to look with depth, both within ourselves and also at our relationships with others. It calls one to increase awareness of such things as the sacredness of everyday life and of the gifts that are offered to us in our lives (often found within our greatest challenges!). “Care Of The Soul” is another book that leaves a truly positive and lasting impact upon those who read it - encouraging reconnection with one’s soul and thus more soulful and meaningful living.


RECIPE IDEAS- by corynne hughes and yumiko nymiyata

SPRING RECIPES

Sensational Salads -
Salads are a fantastic light meal, and are great for digestion. Combining bitter salad greens, with a mixed leaf salad boosts liver function, and the fibre content helps clean out the digestive tract.

Healthy Raw Salad

-Combine five or six of the following as a salad base:
endive, rocket, mignonette, iceberg, cos, red cabbage, baby spinach leaves, basil leaves.
-Add some cucumber, celery, chopped tomato, avocado, spanish onion, eschallots and/or capsicum.
-Sprinkle on top a selection of the following: sunflower kernels, grated carrot, mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, pepitas... try grating some apple, mixed with raisins and top the salad with this.

Steamed Vegetable Salad

To make the most out of those organic nutrients, keep the water you boiled the vegetables in, and mix miso with it for a nutritious soup.

method:
-Choose from a combination of sweet potato, pumpkin, potato, carrots, broccoli, onion, snow peas, parsnips, eschallots, brussels sprouts, beetroot, squash, cabbage, spinach, eggplant, etc
-Choose protein sources like eggs (put with vegetables and steam), tuna, sardine, tofu, beans (preferrably cooked)

Delectable Dressings

-Umeboshi plum with sesame seed oil (squash umeboshi plum with fork and mix with sesame seed oil

-tahini with natto miso (or just miso)

-avocado with natto miso (or just miso)

-tahini with soy sauce

-sprinkle of gomasio (sesame seed with seaweed and sea salt)

- 40ml organic cold pressed flaxseed oil, 1 garlic clove crushed lemon juice, 1/4 to 1/2 lemon, depending on your taste...
whisk or blend and drizzle over your salad! Enjoy!


TEA OF THE MONTH- by emma povey

CLEANSE TEA

Burdock, Red Clover, Calendula, Dandelion Root, Nettles and licorice.. 80g NET, $14.00

Burdock, is a blood purifying herb, stimulating the body’s own channels of elimination to cleanse the body of toxins
Red Clover, also a blood purifier
Calendula, helps lymphatic drainage, another channel of elimination
Dandelion Root, promotes bile flow, which is the body’s natural laxative and therefore helps eliminate wastes.
Nettles, a cleansing and nourishing herb, promotes diuresis
Licorice, lends a pleasantly sweet after-taste, helps the stress response and is generally soothing.


INSTRUCTIONS: Steep one teaspoon in an infuser or teapot for 4 to 5 minutes, then drink. Enjoy three times per day whilst wishing to achieve a cleansing effect.

HERB OF THE MONTH -by siobhan jordan

SCHISANDRA= five flavour herb.

Schisandra is an indigenous Chinese herb, known in Mandarin as Wu Wei Zi. Schisandra is a dark red berry which contains all five flavours the chinese consider important for health and digestion: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. Like many plant medicines, Schisandra has a wide range of properties and therefore many applications therapeutically - one of which is improving the function of the liver. Thus Schisandra is a wonderful herb in supporting the body in detoxification. Below is a brief summary of the actions and therapeutic uses of Schisandra.

BOTANICAL NAME: Schisandra chinensis

COMMON NAME: Schisandra

PART USED: Fruit

ACTIONS: Adaptogen (supports the body in managing stress)
Anti-tussive (cough suppressant)
Hepatoprotective (protects the liver from toxic damage)
Hepatotonic (improves and supports liver function)
Nervine (supports and nourishes the nervous system)
Renal Tonic (supports kidney function)

THERAPEUTIC USES: Liver damage
Liver disease
To improve liver detoxification
Stress
Nervous system disorders
Poor memory and / or concentration


Talk to any of us at The Modern Apothecary for advice regarding Schisandra and whether it may be an appropriate herb to support your health and wellbeing.




WHATS HOT -by yvette rochester

AROMATHERAPY PRODUCTS

BEDTIME BLISS MASSAGE BLEND
Not sleeping? Still tense from your day to relax and fall asleep easily? Help get rid of those computer shoulders and massage in the new Bedtime Bliss Massage Blend. Made by our local Aromatherapist, Yvette Rochester, she has combined the therapeutic and delectable aromas of Frankincense and Cedarwood essential oils to bring grounding to busy heads and relief for tight muscles. Also in this beautiful massage blend is the essential oil of Neroli, from the orange blossom family, Neroli will aid with mental relaxation and soothe you into a nurturing blissful sleep.


RELAXING TIP!
Bedtime Bliss Massage Blend can also be added to a warm bath before bed. Simply add a small amount of Bedtime Bliss to a cup of milk and mix together, then pour the milk mixture into a full warm bath and gently swish around. Light the candles, shut the door, breathe in deeply and get ready for the best night’s sleep ever…


INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION?

Our IMMUNITY newsletter last month was well complemented by our IMMUNITY talk held on Wednesday, August 6th. Melanie Koeman was our guest speaker and provided an informative, effective and eloquent insight on how we can keep the bugs away in winter. Free samples of The Modern Apothecary “Immunity” and “Recovery” teas were eagerly consumed by attendees and each attendee took home an information handout for future reference.
Thank you to those who supported us in what was the first of many similar informative nights. Please feel free to email us any ideas on future topics.
For those who missed out last time, don’t worry, just pencil in the date for our next talk as outlined below!



INVITATION

“SPRING CLEAN YOUR BODY AND MIND” - BY DR GISELLE COOKE

On Wednesday, 24th September, Dr Giselle Cooke will be sharing some of her knowledge on the subject of Detoxification, to complement the contents of our newsletter and encourage you to spring into springtime.

WHERE: The Modern Apothecary, 4B/ 27-35 Grosvenor St, Neutral Bay
WHEN: Wednesday, 24th September
TIME: 6.30pm
RSVP: Call 9904 0084. Please let us know if you would like to come, as space is limited, and this is bound to be popular!

We will be serving our “Cleanse” tea as featured in this month’s newsletter during the talk, and there will be sample packs of this tea to take home and try!



LINKS

For delicious preservative free juices and smoothies, check out

www.nudie.com.au

We find all their products very yum,
PACKED WITH OLIGOPROANTHOCYANIDANS,
they are great to have in a detox!!


To our valued customers,

We have sent this email to you as we genuinely believe you may be interested in the information included. We hope you enjoy reading our e-newsletter, which we aim to post on our website monthly. If you wish to be removed from our list, please email us and let us know. Furthermore, if you have a particular interest in a subject that you would like covered in future issues, email us, and we will do our best to meet your requests.