The Modern Apothecary
October Newsletter

Welcome to the October issue of our e-newsletter. Thank you for your continued support. It is wonderful to hear your feedback on our newsletters, as well as the talks we hold monthly, as advertised herein. It is great to see you at The Modern Apothecary, asking questions on the topics you have read about, as we endeavor to increase your awareness of how natural therapies can help you and your family.
We trust you will find the contents of the October edition useful, either to yourself or someone you know who studies and will be sitting exams around the November period.
For those of you who are interested in learning more about organic food, be sure to pencil in your diary our November talk. Don’t forget our Allergy talk will be held on 24th October, and spaces are still available, so give us a call to reserve your place.
Until we see you next, stay healthy and ENJOY!

THIS ISSUE CONTENTS:

Whats Hot - HSC and exam time
Book review - “Calm Eating”
Nutrient of the Month- B vitamin complex
Recipe ideas - power juices for study power
Tea of the Month
- Positivity
Herb of The Month -
Gingko biloba
Bach Flower Remedies- rescue remedy, elm, larch, white chestnut
Your invitation
- Organic options, November 13th.
Links - stress management

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. Siobhan practices at Sweet Medicine in Neutral Bay.

YVAN FOURNIER- resident photographer and IT support for The Modern Apothecary.

Whats Hot - HSC time

With October being the big crunch time for year 12 students across the country, we thought we would provide our customers and neighbours with some helpful hints on how to improve memory and concentration. By doing so, you maximise the benefits from the hours of study you invest, and see the results faster! When you are equipped with this information, there is no reason why you couldn’t achieve great marks, made more possible by clearer thinking, greater concentration, less fidgeting, better focus and more energy. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
We hope you enjoy your read, and feel free to come in for a chat if you have any questions.


Book review - Calm Eating- corynne hughes

Often when we are stressed, tired, grumpy, depressed, rushed or bored, we reach for food. We may not actually be hungry, however the food we put into our mouths tends to have a momentary calming effect.

This little treasure of a book, by Dr Rick Kausman is a compilation of gems on eating. We should only eat when we are calm, when we know we are hungry and not eating because of an emotional imbalance.

Especially appropriate at the moment, nearing the HSC period, proper eating habits can have an influence on how our brain functions. If we stuff ourselves full, eat food that lacks vitality or indulge in junk food, our digestive system is overloaded and we feel f(l)at, bloated, fatigued and tired. Definitely not conducive to a good study regime or examination fitness!
Calm Eating reminds us what it is to respect what our body needs and how it likes it to be delivered. It is easy to read, and every page reveals a valuable reminder of the importance of calm eating!

“With awareness and understanding
Comes empowerment and choice”



Nutrient of the Month- B vitamin complex

The B vitamins act synergistically in the body to increase our energy producing capabilities, reduce fatigue, improve brain function, help the stress response, improve concentration, prevent insomnia and improve immune function, amongst many other actions.
Obviously, these benefits are appropriate for anyone going through a stressful period, where it is of great importance for the brain especially, as well as the whole body overall to be in optimal working order!

As relevent to studying, some signs of deficiency of B vitamins include:

chronic fatigue
fatigue
inability to concentrate
insomnia/ sleep disturbance
irritability
poor memory
nervous exhaustion
anaemia
eye fatigue
anxiety
depression
nervousness
poor immunity
adrenal stress
confusion
attention deficit
weight loss / gain
rashes
purple tongue
hypoglycaemia

The B vitamins are water soluble, which means they are excreted from the body through the kidneys, so when you urinate, it is normal to observe a bright yellow coloured urine.

Great B complex supplement is

Tresos B with selenium- This contains more than just B vitamins, improving nutritional status as well as having some antioxidant properties.
Stress Support by Nutrimedicine contains the B complex vitamins as well as the herb Schizandra chinensis. Schizandra is an adaptogen herb, helping your body cope with stress, and it helps facilitate better memory and concentration. In addition, Stress Support contains magnesium which helps to relax muscles, helpful when you have been in study-mode for hours and your neck feels exceptionally inflexible!

Come in and have a chat with the Naturopaths at The Modern Apothecary for correct dosage and individually tailored advice for your situation.


Recipe ideas - power drinks for study power

Tanzanian banana and coconut milk

Rich in B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium, this drink is rejuvenating and strengthening with grounding and calming efects, ideal for relieving stress.

3 medium sized, ripe bananas
250ml coconut milk
ground cinnamon

Blend ingredients until smooth, and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Almond milk

Almond milk is an ideal brain food, being rich in potassium phosphate, calcium and magnesium. This concoction improves mental stamina, enhances memory and concentration and increases the ability to cope with stress. Lecithin provides choline which helps improve memory.

100g blanched almonds
600ml water
2 teaspoons lecithin granules
honey to taste
pinch ground cinnamon

The cinnamon is good for stablilising blood sugar levels which is important to avoid hypoglycaemia. The brain required a stable supply of glucose (sugar) as its preferred fuel, so for optimum brain function, aim to keep sugar levels balanced.

Liquidize the almonds in the water. Add lecithin granules and blend again. Sweeten with honey if required and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serves 2.

(recipe from “Healing Drinks” by Anne McIntyre, sold at The Modern Apothecary)


Tea of the Month - Positivity, $10.00 for 70g net.

Formulated with improving brain function and mood in mind, Positivity tea makes a fantastic and therapeutic alternative to drinking coffee to stay mentally alert. Pleasant tasting and nurturing, keep some Positivity on hand throughout times of increased mental demand, and enjoy the benefits!

rosemary
- has uses for its many forms, and as part of our tea, rosemary improves circulation, assists in lifting mood, and helps prevent headaches. Appealing to your olfactory sense (sense of smell), essential oil of rosemary can be used in an oil burner and placed at your study desk.
lemon balm- tonifying to the nervous system, calming systemically and helps to ease nervous tension and stress.
oats- oats are a restorative to the nervous system, calming and nutritious.
lavender- has antidepressant action, is calming and soothing to the digestive system which can often be upset due to stress.
St John’s Wort- known most for its antidepressant properties, this herb also acts as a nervine tonic, helping to ease anxiety, irritability, and nervous exhaustion.

Herb of The Month -
Gingko biloba

Ginkgo is a herb native to China and Japan. In herbal medicine its beautiful fan-shaped leaves are used therapeutically. Below is a brief introduction of the herb.

BOTANICAL NAME:
Ginkgo biloba

COMMON NAME: Ginkgo

ACTIONS: Antioxidant
Circulatory stimulant
Cognitive enhancer
Venous tonic

THERAPEUTIC USES: Alzheimer’s disease
Imaired peripheral circulation
(this may manifest as cold hands and feet for example)
Dementia
Poor memory and/or concentration
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Macular degeneration

Recovery from stroke

If you think that Ginkgo may be helpful for your own health, speak to one of our practitioners at The Modern Apothecary.


Bach Flower Remedies- Rescue Remedy, Elm, Larch, White Chestnut
Bach Flowers are a very gentle and subtle way of addressing emotional and mental imbalances. They work very quickly and can be easily carried around with you at all times, in your handbag, pocket or pencil case !

The following is a list of Bach Flowers that are of particular benefit to those studying and under a lot of pressure.

Rescue Remedy:a fabulous emergency remedy , wonderful for times of acute stress, trauma, crisis. An absolute must for all households first aid cabinet. Great for those pre-exam nerves.

Elm: for feeling overwhelmed or over burdened.

Larch: for lack of self confidence and feeling inferior with expectations of failure.

White Chestnut: for unwanted thoughts, preoccupations or worries. For ‘mental spaghetti’, especially when trying to sleep after a stressful day of work or study.

These Bach Flowers can be used on their own for the specific purpose mentioned, or you can have them blended together if you feel you need all the support you can get. For more information or to get yourself some bach flowers specially blended for you please come in and visit us at The Modern Apothecary.







Your invitation to our November talk

TOPIC: ORGANIC OPTIONS


On Thursday, 13th November, Michael from The Organic Food Network will be sharing some of his wealth of knowledge on the benefits of organic foods. Covering such issues as nutrition, health benefits and taste the talk will take place in an informal setting allowing you to taste as you listen.

WHERE: The Modern Apothecary, 4B/ 27-35 Grosvenor St, Neutral Bay
WHEN: Thursday 13th November
TIME: 7pm
RSVP: Call 9904 0084. Please let us know if you would like to come, as space is limited, and as organics is such a hot topic, this talk is bound to fill up fast.

Appealing to your tastebuds, a platter of delicious organic fruit and vegetables will be available for you to savour, and note the difference in taste!
We will also be serving our “Positivity” 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 -

Siddha Yoga Meditation
The Siddha Yoga Meditation Ashram Sydney in Dulwich Hill is dedicated
to the study and practice of the teachings of yoga and meditation. Visit their website for more information.

www.syf.org.au/community/sydney/welcome.htm

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FLAPA - Organic
Foods
Great website for links to websites on organic foods in Australia. Worth a browse through.

www.ausfoodnews.com.au/organic.htm

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Nature Care College
For information on relaxation therapies, aromatherapy, massage, courses in meditation, yoga and many other modalities to help improve stress management in your life.

www.naturecare.com.au

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www.nudie.com.au- for delicious nutrient packed bottles of pleasure (Nudie juices, smoothies and crushies)

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www.drnorthrup.com - for general health articles, as well as a focus on women’s health. Dr Northrup is the author of “The Wisdom of Menopause”. sold here at The Modern Apothecary.
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www.themodernapothecary.com.au

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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 newsletter, which we aim to post on our website monthly. If you wish not to receive this, 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.