An Update from Jo

This month we want to introduce a new service available in-store by appointment - the time honoured tradition of Ear Candling with the lovely Anna. This gentle practice utilises a hollow, handcrafted candle made from beeswax and cotton. Ear Candling can be useful in assisting with:

• Drying excess ear wax and allowing it to fall out
• Drying out excess fluid (swimmers/surfers/divers ear) by circulating warm air in the ear canal
• Alleviating sinus discomfort
• Preparation for long haul flights, especially post sinus congestion or a head cold
• Relaxation and self nurturing 

(Ear candling is not suitable for individuals with bee allergy, perforated eardrum or grommets and is not designed to replace other therapies, medical or complementary. Please consult your health professional before undertaking a new health therapy. We are all responsible for our own health choices).

I also wanted to let you know I am now offering Acupressure Foot Massage from two locations. It will still be available here at the shop, but also from a clinic space at my home in Matua. I used to work from home for many years before I bought the shop and am grateful to have the option to do so again. This gives me more flexibility with my time since I share the shop clinic space with others, and is also a quieter option away from the busyness of the shop. The days and times I offer need to be a bit fluid to fit in with when I need to be at the shop, so it's best to just call or email me to make a booking. 

Warm wishes to you all for the upcoming Winter Solstice, and hope to see you some time over the month ahead.

Our Vision

At Bethlehem Health Shop, we support ethical suppliers and sell quality, researched products. We offer sincere advice from our team of caring, trained staff.

Thank you so much for supporting your locally owned Community Health Store.

• Herbal Remedy Ayurvedic Loose Tea Range 100g - includes Blood Pressure, De Stress, Detox, Digestion, Heart Health, Immunity, Kidney Cleanse, Liver Detox and Memory - 10% off
• Giovanni Hair Care range - 20% off
• Mitchells Sport Bone Broth 500g - Chocolate Flavour only - 10% off
• Weleda 15% off Cough and Cold remedies
• Gutsi Duos packs - Flora Duo contains Sporebiotic 30s and Gut Food 120s for $80 (save $29) and Revive Duo contains Sporebiotic 30's and Good Guts 90's for $90 (save $30)
• Banjara Smudge Spray Lavender or Patchouli 100ml - 20% off
• Glass Drink Bottles with Crystals 20% off - Rose Quartz or Amethyst
• Solimara Sunscreen 37% off - 150g tube now $29.90, 88g tube now $21.90
• Spend $69 or more on Living Nature and get a FREE Daily Protect Facial Lotion SPF20 valued at $62 OR a Rewind and Repair serum valued at $69 
• Buy any 2 products from the Kooshoo Hair Accessory range and get a 2 pack of plastic free hair scrunchies FREE
• Buy any TWO Holistic Hair products and get a FREE trial size Herbal Finishing Rinse Concentrate 

All of the above specials and offers are only valid while stocks last.

• Weleda skincare range - Dark Spot Brightening Serum, Skin Food Glow Serum Drops, Skin Food Super Serum, Super Eye Cream
• Ethical Nutrients Mega Magnesium Glycinate + Creatine + Electrolytes
• Inner Health Multivitamin + Probiotics
• New Copper bracelets and Gemstone bracelets
• Goloka Manifestations Reed Diffusers in a range of fragrances, enhanced with gemstones
• Goloka Manifestations Incense - Peace & Harmony, Sandalwood & White Sage
• Moroccan Tealight Lanterns
• Archaeus NatFem Botanicals Flush Edema Support herbal massage balm
• Health Lab Mr Big Caramel Plant Protein Bars 40g
• Plantasy Foods Cock-a-Leekie Soup powder sachets
• Adult Bamboo Toothbrushes by Cali Woods
• Slow Habits Gua Sha massage stone for face to scalp
• Herb Farm Black Spruce & Lime Deodorant paste with Calendula-infused Oil
• Herb Farm Rose & Vanilla Deodorant paste
• Herb Farm Floral roll on Deororant
• Burt's Bees Moisturising Lip Balm - New flavour - Lavender Vanilla 
• Selene Narayani combination remedies for Calming, Allergies, Drawing, Gout, Heart Palpitations, Herpes, Tonsils, War Mix
• New Dolphin Clinic Essential Oil blends - Allure, Mental Clarity, Serenity, Worry Ease.  Good Night blend with carrier oil
• Be Pure Magnesium with Creatine Powder,  Magnesium Citrate Lax Caps and Magnesium Restore Powder
• Mitchells Creatine Powder 200g
• Mitchells Digest Soothe Tea and Digest Well Tea 50g
• Dentagenie Kiddo Flossers and Soft Dental Picks
• Earth Lovin Silver Antibacterial Flossers
• She Universe Sassy Sesame Snaps
• Fongky Toothbrushes with replacement heads
• Health Motive Meal Replacement and Weight Loss shake 770g powder - Vanilla Bean, Indulgent Chocolate and Banana Choc Creme

New products will be added to our website as soon as we can. If you want to purchase these online before we get a chance to do this, please call us to order over the phone instead on 07 576 9442

The same trusted New Zealand brand for over 30 years has a new look!

You will see in store the change to Dolphin Clinic’s smart new labels for their essential oils.  Added to this development for the Dolphin Clinic, we now have five of their new essential oil blends:

Allure  A beautifully balanced warm and woody blend to create a relaxed, comfortable mood.  Contains Lavender, Orange, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Jojoba & Jasmine.

Good Night  A delicate aroma with soft citrus and warm balanced floral notes. Ideal as part of a bedtime routine.   A blend of Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Jojoba Oil & Chamomile.

Mental Clarity  Support mental focus, increase alertness, reduce mental fatigue, and improve cognitive performance with expertly blended pure essential oils for this specific purpose.   Grapefruit, Bergamot, Basil & Lemon.

Serenity  Helps soothe the mind and body and encourages relaxation after a busy day. Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense & Cedarwood Oil 

Worry Ease  Brings a sense of quiet and peace, helping to ease negative thoughts and feelings of isolation.   Ease your worries away, with this lovely blend of Lavender, Rosewood Blend, Bergamot & Ylang Ylang.

Always check label cautions before using as some essential oils should not be used during pregnancy or before sun exposure.

To be in to win, enter your answer to this question in the subject line of a return email.

What is one of the herbal ingredients in My Immune Cold and Flu?

Congratulations to Gill Friend who was last month's lucky winner of the Tui Massage Balm.

Proactively keeping your health on track

I read a great article the other day that got me thinking – a diagnosis is very black or white –we are sick or we are not - but we nearly always have shades of grey in between health and sickness that have got us to that point. On reflection, it is these shades that are signals that we are moving away from optimal health, and should be our focus for maintaining good health.

How often do we not feel ‘right’, only to be told that our blood tests are ‘normal’? This is
because our markers are not yet bad enough to be within the black or white of diagnosis.
However, this does not mean that we are not experiencing dysfunction, and our markers
may be within this grey area. That is why a naturopathic analysis of blood tests will often be looking for optimal ranges, and may pick up dysfunction earlier than that required for a
traditional diagnosis.

By maintaining our focus on these grey areas, we can be empowered to look after our own health. There are indicators that we can keep an eye on to check our position within the
shades of health. Noticing changes to digestion, weight, sleep patterns, along with our skin, tongue, hair and nails are all obvious signs that can be monitored. Regularly checking in on your stool and urine is also part of this. If aches and pains are becoming more regular, what is your body trying to tell you?

Take, for example, the development of varicose veins. Maybe we noticed heavy, aching
legs, or swollen ankles but did not act on them. We then move further along the continuum
of shades of health, and varicose veins develop. We may pass the varicose veins off as a
nuisance and pain, and not recognise that this is another sign from our body that things are not in balance. Without focussing our attention at this point, and correcting underlying
factors for the varicose veins, we may then continue to move away from optimal health.
The factors that contribute to varicose veins are often also present in cardiovascular
disease. We must decide when we take action along this journey.

When we are first noticing changes within these shades of health, it can be easier to shift
our health back to right. The further we progress along the continuum of health, the more
work is required to return to good health, along with more drastic treatments required.
Therefore, if we can learn to tune in early to signs of dysfunction, and act on them, our
bodies will only need gentle readjustment to get us back on track.

However, there is a caveat to this – we also need to moderate our attention to all our aches and ills. Hyperfocus on our health can also become a stressor which can further influence our health. Therefore, be kind to yourself and only tune in to those things that persist for more than would seem normal for you.

The health shop is perfectly placed to offer gentle, natural support when you are noticing
initial changes into the grey areas of health. Sometimes, correcting nutritional imbalances
or supporting digestion, for example, may be enough to set you back on the right path. If
you are further along the path and need someone to walk alongside you, an appointment
with one of our practitioners can provide personalised advice to move you back out of the
grey.

Article supplied by Claire George, one of our staff practitioners.  Claire is available for Naturopathic and NIS appointments at our shop clinic on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffins

A great-tasting lunchbox filler, using in-season pumpkin alongside banana, warming spices and chocolate.

Servings: 12 muffins    Prep Time: 10min plus pumpkin cooking time  Cook Time: 25min