An Update from Jo

October brings daylight savings, school holidays and diaries and calendars for 2025. Seems like not that long ago we were getting them out to begin 2024. The locally produced Astrovision calendar is always popular and we now have the Astrovision Guidebook available too. This is a comprehensive self-help Astrology Tutorial Book, with pages to fill in the details from your own birth chart. The Gratitude Diary and Calendars have arrived in, along with the Astro Diaries and Sacred Moon Journals. The Pukka Tea Advent Calendars won't be far away.

We also have our fridge stocked up again with lots of cold drinks, iceblocks, and sauerkraut. Though we have made some changes to the brands we have on offer this summer it's always good to try something new! Sunscreen is starting to pick up again now too - our well loved brands here remain the same and this includes Solimara, My Sunshine and Seasick Sunscreen Co (which is rebranding to Smidge). They are available in a variety of sizes and packaging to suit your preference.

For those that have been attending the full moon workshops over the last few months, we are pressing pause on those for now as we head into a busy time of year. Instead I will be recording some meditations that can be used to support full moon releasing and will still assist with learning more about the homeopathic gem, colour and sound remedies. If you would like to be sent the link to these each month let me know by replying to this email.

We will be closed on Monday 28th October for Labour weekend but are open Saturday 26th 9-3pm. Wishing you all a wonderful October, look forward to seeing you instore again soon.

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.

• Spend $50 or more on Living Nature and get a FREE Cleanser valued at $44
• Spend $59 on Herb Farm products and receive a FREE Smoothing Kiwifruit Exfoliator valued at $34.90 
• Buy any two Giovanni Products and get a FREE Scalp Massager 
• Buy two packets of Lactation Station Breastfeeding cookies and get a FREE Boobie Blend 100g powder
• Buy any two Harker Herbals Products and get a FREE Childrens Immune Build 150ml
• Buy 2 or more Lifestream Products and get a FREE Glass Smoothie Tumbler
• Buy any Nutra Organics Kids Gutsy Gummies Powder and get a FREE gummie mould
• Nuzest Protein Plus Range - includes Vibrant Insides, Glowing All Over, Immune Amie, Protein + Probiotics and Protein + Green & Berries - save $5 now $40
• Crafty Weka Bite Selection Box 8 x 30g bars - 15% off now $16.15
• Wild Kiwihearts Magnesium and Kawakawa Balm 50ml - 10% off now $22.50
• Weleda Face Care Products - 20% off range
• Gaia Herbs Range - 10% off
• Therapure My Immune Support 120 caps - was $45.80 now 30% off at $32
• Therapure Cold & Flu Support 60 caps - was $36.60 now 30% off at $25.60

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

• Kiwi Agro Homeopathics - Homeopathic remedies for your plants including Pot Me Up, Snail Off, Bug Off, Soil Makeover, Poly Fungi, and Icide (for plants affected by pesticides, herbicides and fungicides)
• Chief Collagen Protein Powder 450g - Dark Chocolate
• Kiki Seed Cracker Mix - Sea Salt, Fennel, Rosemary & Garlic and Chilli Cumin
• Prime Self Prime Lean 60 vegie caps - Blood Glucose Regulation, Weight Management and Metabolic Wellness
• Gutsi Gut Digest Capsules in 12's and 30's
• Vital Burst Sports Recharge Powder 210g
• Symbiota Kimchi, Sauerkraut and Not As Hot Sauce
• Natures Sunshine Artemisia Combination and Focus Attention
• Dr Tungs Neem, Miswak and Spearmint Tooth Powder Tablets
• Garden of Life Stress Relief Gummies
• Weleda Make up Removal Cleasing Oil
• First Light Crisis Support Essence
• Nordic Naturals Baby Flora Biotic 30 sachets and Kids 60 gummies
• Herbal Remedy Tea Range new additions - Liver Detox, Heart Health and Blood Pressure - all 100g
• Good Health Probiotic Advanced Triple Action 30 Capsules - contains pre, pro and postbiotics
• Emu Tracks Pure Emu Oil 50ml
• Nutra Organics Dinosaur Gummie mold
• New selection of candles, crystals and crystal bracelets
• Gratitude and Astro Diaries 2025
• Sacred Moon Journals
• Astrovision Calendars 2025 and Astrology Guidebook
• Breakfast Babes Keto Bar

Note: 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

What is it?  What causes it?  What can you do to reduce it? 

Inflammation is your body's way of protecting itself from infection, illness and injury. There are two types – good and bad. 

Acute inflammation is the ‘good’ type and is the body’s normal response to microbes, tissue damage or metabolic stress. It happens when something harmful or irritating affects our body (e.g. you get a cut, burn or bruise). When the inflammatory response is short-term, it serves a useful purpose by kick-starting our body’s defence system, protecting against further damage and helping us to recover. 

There are five key signs of acute inflammation: 

Pain: This may occur continuously or only when a person touches the affected area. 

Redness: This happens because of an increase in the blood supply to the capillaries in the area. 

Loss of function: There may be difficulty moving a joint, breathing, sensing smell, and so on. 

Swelling: A condition called edema can develop if fluid builds up. 

Heat: Increased blood flow may leave the affected area warm to the touch. 

These signs are not always present. Sometimes inflammation is “silent,” without symptoms. A person may also feel tired, generally unwell, and have a fever. Symptoms of acute inflammation last a few days. Subacute inflammation lasts 2–6 weeks 

Chronic inflammation is the ‘bad’ type and happens when the inflammation process goes on for too long, or if there is too much of it.  

Chronic inflammation can continue for months or years. Increased levels of chronic inflammation are also associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, including a poor diet, weight around your stomach, weight gain, smoking status, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior, stress and amount of sleep can affect your overall health and risk of developing chronic disease. 

Chronic inflammation can attack the entire body and, in the process, raise the risk for certain types of diseases and disorders in specific areas like the heart, brain, joints, and gastrointestinal tract. 

Heart: Inflammation can raise the risk of heart attacks, and the link is believed to be related to cholesterol. Cholesterol can cause plaque build-up in the arteries, potentially blocking blood flow and leading to a heart attack. As cholesterol invades the wall of an artery, the immune system treats it like any other invader and releases inflammation-producing chemicals to help remove it. A fibrous cap is formed over the plaque. Inflammation inside the plaque can eventually eat away at the cap, and if it ruptures, the cholesterol, inflammatory cells, and chemicals in the plaque spill into the artery causing a blood clot to form which blocks blood flow. 

Brain: Research has found that high amounts of inflammation in the body are associated with brain aging, increased cognitive decline, and “brain fog,” which can impair thinking and cause memory lapses and confusion. Inflammation also may play a role in the production of an abnormal protein called tau, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Joints: Chronic inflammation can lead to pain, swelling, stiffness, and joint damage, known as inflammatory arthritis. This can damage cartilage, bones, tendons (which attach muscle to bones), or ligaments (which hold joints together) and irritate nerves. Common types of inflammatory arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and psoriatic arthritis. 

Gastrointestinal tract: Inflammation is a driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the stomach, gallbladder, and small and large intestines. Two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, marked by continuous inflammation of the large intestine, and Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation anywhere in the GI tract. People with IBD can experience various symptoms, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood in their stool, bloating, and weight loss. 

Liver inflammation: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is fatty liver not caused by alcohol intake. There are two types: simple fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Simple fatty liver doesn’t cause inflammation. However, NASH is more severe and occurs when fattened cells become inflamed. This inflammation can damage liver cells, resulting in cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver), and increase the risk of liver cancer. Chronic liver inflammation can also be caused by a hepatitis C infection and lead to cirrhosis. 

Foods that cause inflammation 

There are certain foods which, if eaten in abundance may, 'switch on' inflammatory processes within the body. Some of these foods have already been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This isn’t surprising given that inflammation underlies the development of these diseases. 

Foods that contribute to inflammation tend to be highly processed nutrient-poor foods: 

Low-fibre, refined carbohydrates like white bread, crackers, donuts, cakes and pastries.

Sugary drinks like soft drinks, energy drinks, iced teas and fruit juices.

Processed convenience and junk foods like confectionary, snack bars, potato chips, ice cream, microwave popcorn, biscuits and other sugary/salty snacks.

Other foods high in saturated fat and/or trans fats like takeaways and deep-fried foods. 

Natural ways to reduce inflammation 

Source have shown that eating less sugar can reduce inflammation, so people should aim to limit their sugar intake. The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommend a maximum sugar intake of less than 10% of daily energy intake. Eating only 5% of daily calories from sugar may have added health benefits, the WHO say. For someone eating 2,000 calories per day, the maximum from sugar would be 100 to 200. 

Ways to reduce inflammation in the body include: 

Getting enough sleep - Improving sleep hygiene and getting better sleep may decrease the risk of developing chronic inflammation.   

Quitting smoking - Smoking is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including chronic inflammation. 

Maintaining a healthful weight - Obesity is another risk factor for chronic inflammation. Excess fat tissue may increase inflammatory factors. The most effective strategy for reducing chronic inflammation is weight loss.  

Regular exercise - Moderate-intensity exercise can help prevent excess weight gain and manage cytokine levels. Cytokines are small proteins that play an essential role in normal immune responses, but large amounts can lead to inflammation. Burning calories through exercise lowers inflammatory factors even if people do not lose weight. 

Trying supplements - Chat to us in store about which supplements might be best for you. Magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium all have anti-inflammatory effects and may lower inflammation factors in the blood. 

Sex hormones - such as estrogen and testosterone, can slow down the production of inflammatory factors. For some people, testing and correcting hormonal imbalances could reduce chronic inflammation. 

Manage stress - Repeated bouts of stress can expose the body to high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and lead to chronic inflammation. Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, and other forms of relaxation can help calm your nervous system. 

Following an anti-inflammatory diet - Anti-inflammatory diets are typically not specific regimens but rather eating styles. The Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet are examples of anti-inflammatory diets. An anti-inflammatory diet should combine a variety of foods that are rich in nutrients, provide a range of antioxidants and contain healthful fats.  Foods that may help manage inflammation include: oily fish - such as tuna and salmon, fruits - such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cherries, vegetables, including kale, spinach, and broccoli, beans, nuts and seeds, olives and olive oil and fibre.

The authors of a 2017 article also recommended the following: raw or moderately cooked vegetables, legumes, such as lentils, spices, such as ginger and turmeric, probiotics and prebiotics, tea, and some herbs.

It is worth remembering that no single food will boost a person’s health. It is important to include a variety of healthful ingredients in the diet. 

Research continues to emerge in this space, if you base your diet around anti-inflammatory foods, keep active and manage your stress, you are making great progress towards reducing your risk of chronic inflammation and subsequent illness. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423#types-and-symptoms 

https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/food-and-inflammation 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/inflammation 

Nuzest Protein Plus Range

Nuzest Vibrant Insides - Gut health and immune support                         

Vibrant Insides is formulated to support the intrinsically linked systems of gut health and immunity. Pure pea protein plus probiotics, enzymes, L-glutamine, slippery elm and more to help your gut microbiome thrive.  

A healthy microbiome supports digestion by breaking down macronutrients, while at the same time helping to regulate the immune system. 

Nuzest Glowing All Over - For hair, skin, nails and collagen support 

Glow up with Glowing All Over, carefully formulated to support healthy hair, skin and nails. Pure pea protein plus vitamins, minerals, berries, and Dermaval® (the secret sauce) – a complex clinically shown to help protect against collagen and elastin degradation. 

Glowing All Over delivers the nutrients that contribute to our body’s natural collagen production - the key protein that supports the shape and structure of our skin. 

Nuzest Immune Amie - Immune and stress support 

Build a strong defence with Immune Amie, formulated to support both your immune system and your body’s stress response.  

Pure pea protein plus antioxidant berries, mushrooms, probiotics and adaptogens Ashwagandha and Panax ginseng, to support all levels of your body’s defence line. 

Immune Amie delivers nutrients to support the health of the microbiome and immune system, and to reduce the body’s physiological reaction to stress, which can in turn impair immune function if left unchecked. 

This month's Giveaway is a pouch of the Nuzest Vibrant Insides.  To enter the competition, send your answer to the following question in the subject line of a return email. 

"Vibrant Insides is good for the gut health and immune support.”  True/False 

Congratulations to Stephanie Harper who is last months winner of the Weleda Stretchmark Body Butter and the Lactation Station Bump Brew Tea

Creamy Vanilla Porridge with Granola and Persimmon

Layers: 

3 tbsp toasted granola of your choice

2 chopped persimmons or other fruit 

4 tbsp coconut yoghurt or greek yoghurt 

Start by mixing all the ingredients for the chia porridge mixture. Stir until well combined. Cover and set aside for 15min in the fridge or overnight.  

Once ready to serve, layer your porridge jars with granola, chopped persimmon followed by the chia porridge mixture. Optional add a dollop of yoghurt and finally sprinkle with some more toasted granola. 

Notes: If you do leave the porridge overnight in the fridge and you find it has really firmed up a lot, just mix in a little nut milk the next day.  Serves 2 - 3.