An Update from Jo

As we head into June we are getting closer to the Winter Solstice on Thursday the 22nd. This is when we have the longest night and the shortest day. We can consider winter solstice as a yin time: a time for slowing down, reflecting and turning inward, and honoring “being” over “doing,” which can allow us to connect deeper to our intuition. A great time to put your feet up more often with a nice cup of herbal tea (see article below) or some yummy Cacao. If you have always wanted to try ceremonial Cacao, we have the lovely Kelly from Seleno Health here on Saturday 10th June from 10am to 1pm, doing tastings of Cacao and Maca. Speaking of tastings we had an great response to our article in last months newsletter on the Turbo Tonic (Tumeric, Ginger and Lime) and can do a tastings for you at any time. This product was in our top 3 sellers for May and at this time of the year it is very popular as a hot drink!

Homeobotanicals for the respiratory system are our topic of choice this month.

HB X – Expectorant and cough remedy. This formula is used to ease the distress of coughing in people of all ages.

HB R – Used for asthmatic conditions including allergic asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, chronic cough from smoking, emphysema and feverish influenza. Can also be used for sinus and ear conditions.

HB#16 - Chronic and degenerative pulmonary conditions including chronic cough, offensive expectoration, hypoxia, noisy or laboured breathing, pleural pain and discharge. Ideal for asthmatics, particularly when conventional inhalers fail to relieve. 

As with all homeobotanials these can be blended with others in the range, and are safe to take alongside pharmaceutical medications. More information is available instore. 

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 $55 or more on Living Nature and get a FREE Day Cream (valued at $44)
• Spend $59 or more on Herb Farm Products and get a FREE Overnight Hydrating Mask 50ml (valued at $42.90)
• Immunity Fuel - 15% all products
• Weleda Body Lotions and Oils - 20% off
• Speick Mens Deodarants and Suncare - 20% off
• Solgar Liquid Vitamin E with Dropper - was $39.70 now $29.90
• Solgar Vitamin E Capsules 1000iu 50 capsules - was $63.30 now $48.90
• Solgar L-Lysine 1000mg 50 tablets was $23.90 now $17.90
• Solgar Ester C 90 tablets - was $51.90 now $39.90
• Absolute Essentials Purify Hand Sanitiser - 40% off now $9.54
• The Herb Farm Refining Decollatage Cream - 30% off now $20.90
• Bees Brilliance Healing Hand and Body Lotion 340ml - 20% off now $13.52
• Natures Way Systemwell - 180's 10% and 90's 15% off
• Lazu Keto 21 Day Quickstart kit and chocolate and vanilla keto shakes - 15% off
• Biotrace Fish Oil Omega 3 Plus - now $49.90 save $30

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

• Molinillo Cacao Whisks - 15cm and 23cm - these are used for whisking your Seleno Ceremonial Cacao
• Planet New Mothers Organic Herbal Tea - Morning Wellness, Breastfeeding Support and Colic Tea
• Mieland Honey and Ginseng Lozenges and 12g sachets
• NutraOganics Bone Broth Concentrates - Lemon, Ginger, ACV, Native Herbs, Natural Beef
• Now Ginger Root Capsules
• Nectar Shampoo and Conditioner Bars - Mintee Manuka, Soothe, Brown Street Men
• Nectar Baby Soap and Bump Oil
• Nectar Soap Bars - Lemony Thickett and Tahiti Nights
• Sprout Plant Based Infant Formula and Toddler Formula 700g tins, Junior Protein Milkshake sachets in vanilla
• Magic T - Pure lavender buds, pure rose buds, lemon balm loose, lemon verbena loose
• Magic T - Spoon Tea infusers - Apple, Quince and Cinnamon, Peppermint Green, and English Breakfast
• Magic T - 60g Glass jars with cork lids - Hibiscus and Cinnamon, Antioxidant, Persian Garden
• Magic T - Infuser Tube for your cup and 300ml Infuser Mugs with a glass or a bamboo lid
• Soul Sticks 7 chakra smudge candle and additions to our crystal elephant selection

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.

Immunity Fuel Certified Organic Blackcurrant Probiotic Superfood is the ultimate combination of Immunity Fuel Gluten Free and Viberi Blackcurrant powder.  Billions of live bacteria with prebiotics and whole food nutrition combined with the goodness of natural Vitamin C from the blackcurrants.

The certified organic wholefoods and bacteria are fermented for 3 weeks during which time the bacteria pre-digest the wholefoods so the nutrients are instantly absorbed into the cells of your body. The fermentation process results in a high level of Lactic Acid Bacteria - Lactobacillus strains. 

Good quality probiotics must contain large numbers of live beneficial bacteria to be effective, and all Immunity Fuel products are batch tested to ensure quality viable, live bacteria in every gram. The organic bacteria have been stressed to withstand the acidic environment of the gut, as well as toxins that pass through the body (such as alcohol, fizzy drinks, sugar etc). 

CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENTS: 
Blackcurrant Powder, Spirulina, Soya Beans, Linseed, Chickpeas, Lentils, Brown Rice, Adzuki Beans, Alfalfa Grass, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Kernels, Mung Beans, Fresh Ginger, Agave, Molasses, 72 Omni-minerals, Bacillus Coagulans 
LACTIC ACID BACTERIA: 
Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidus (Bifidobacterium bifidum), Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus kefiri (formally known as L. caucasicus), Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactonacillus Sporogenes (Bacillus coagulans) 
BENEFICIAL YEAST STRAINS: 
Saccharomyces boulardii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 

Immunity Fuel Certified Organic Blackcurrant Probiotic Superfood is a good source of Vitamin C - 100% natural green powder -Rich in vitamins & minerals-No GMO -No artificial colours - No artificial flavours - No preservatives - Dairy free / sugar free / vegan. 

What to expect
Many people can be quite toxic from the effects of prescription drugs, bad eating habits and an accumulation of preservatives eaten over the years. When taking Immunity Fuel for the first time, some people may experience what is known as a 'healing response' which is the body simply 'detoxing'. 
 
Once the body starts to receive proper nutrients at a cellular level, and the good bacteria start to destroy the bad bacteria a healing response may follow. This is a good sign and means the body is detoxifying itself. 
 
This may manifest itself as aches, pains, flu like symptoms, diarrhoea, or a general unwell feeling. Keep taking the product (you could lessen your daily amount) until this passes and drink plenty of water to assist the elimination process. If you stop taking Immunity Fuel after 1 or 2 weeks, you may feel worse, so it is important to take it daily for the first few months without stopping. 

Dosage recommendations and guidelines  

Adults: 
To get started, we recommend taking just 1/2 - 1 teaspoon per day for the first week to allow your body to get used to the product, as you may experience a healing response (see above) as the body detoxifies itself.   After 7-10 days this can be increased to 1 full heaped teaspoon. 
 
If you are wanting a more intense detox more than 1 teaspoon per day can be taken and this is up to each individual depending on your health & body. 
 
If you suffer from IBS, leaky gut, diverticulitis or any other digestive disorder, illness or sensitivity you may like to start with just a quarter of a teaspoon per day. As the toxins are released from your body this can be interpreted as an irritation to the bowel if it occurs too quickly, so best to start off slowly and let the bacteria do their work gradually. 
 

This month we have a 150g pot of Immunity Fuel Certified Organic Blackcurrant Probiotic Superfood to giveaway! To go in the draw just answer the following question in the subject line of a return email: 

What dosage of Immunity Fuel Certified Organic Blackcurrant Probiotic Superfood is recommended for an adult to start with daily? 

Congratulations to Liz Megchelse who was the lucky winner of the 4 pouches of Good Vitamin Co Gummies

Miso Mushrooms with Poached Eggs

Enjoy these mushrooms for brunch, lunch or a simple dinner. It is a great way to use up leftover rice. Don’t add salt as you will find the miso soy sauce is salty enough. If you can get hold of wild mushrooms, the different textures are a delight to look at and all have their own individual flavours.  In the picture below the eggs have been fried but for a healthier alternative we recommend poaching them. 

Sometimes the stress of modern life can make you feel like you’re living in a pressure cooker. We’re all looking for a relief valve, and a calming cup of tea may be a good one.

A cup of tea is easy, affordable, enjoyable, and best of all, may soothe some of that stress.

Best tea for stress overall: Chamomile

Best to help you relax: Lemon balm

Best to calm a busy mind: Passionflower

Best calming fragrance: Lavender

Best for stress-free alertness: Green tea

Best for a calm, refreshing taste: Peppermint

These are some of the herbs that may help alleviate anxiety and stress:

Chamomille, a small flower in the daisy family, often called the Queen of Calm, this has been used for thousands of years to lower anxiety and stress. Research suggests that the world’s population consumes more than 1 million cups of chamomile tea every day. One of chamomile’s active ingredients is a flavonoid called apigenin. Apigenin has contributed to stress reversal, memory repair, and has an antidepressant effect in studies involving mice.

Lemon balm has been used since the 16th century for its mild sedative effect and pleasant lemony aroma. Even its name is calming. The word “balm” means soothing or restorative.  Lemon balm tea is often made on its own from the plant’s leaves or mixed in with other calming herbs like passionflower and chamomile.   It appears to work by boosting GABA, a neurotransmitter that soothes stress. The tea may help ease anxiety, stress, sleep disruption, and indigestion.  

''GABANUKA'' is rich in the free amino acid GABA. GABA is a main neurotransmitter in the human brain and is known to promote calm and relaxation. The Manuka tea has been tested and found to contain a variety of health-related properties such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and nutrients & GABA.  We have the Native Tea Farm Gabanuka (from the manuka tree) & Chamomile Tea in store.

Passionflower makes a calming tea that’s often brewed to slow a racing mind and get a good night’s sleep.  The Passiflora incarnata variety of passionflower is used to reduce anxiety, menopause symptoms, body aches & cough. It’s not recommended to try harvesting your own passionflower for tea because some varieties can be toxic.

Lavender has been used since medieval times for its calming effect, especially for sleep. A study in 2020 suggests that lavender herbal tea may reduce depression and anxiety scores in older adults. Its chief advantage is that it calms you down without a sedative effect. There are more than 40 species of lavender. The English and French varieties are the most common ones used to make tea. Just about 1/2 teaspoon per cup will do fine.

Green tea is high in a compound called L-theanine, which has anti-anxiety effects and may help raise your levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with pleasure. This may help explain the seeming contradiction of green tea: It makes you alert, but it also cuts down on stress. Some people call it the tea of equanimity.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) This classic garden plant can be used for more than just seasoning. Some research suggests that the aroma may reduce feelings of frustration, anxiety, and fatigue.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that may help manage anxiety. It’s also known for having anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and antioxidant properties.

Gotu kola is used as a traditional medicine and tonic in many Asian cultures. It’s often used to ease feelings of fatigue, anxiety, and depression as is St John's Wort which may also help reduce stress and stress-inducing hormones.  

Holy basil, native to India, holy basil is also known as tulsi, which means “the incomparable one.”  In Ayurvedic medicine, tulsi is classified as a rasayana, an herb that nourishes a person’s growth to perfect health and enlightenment and promotes long life. Many studies show that holy basil possesses antistress effects and reduces the damaging effects of stress. At the same time, it enhances physical performance, and is thus adaptogenic.  It may lower the stress-induced release of adrenal hormones and assists in the normalization of cortisol.

Tātarāmoa (Rubus cissoides) is an effective, calming rongoā rakau that works as a relaxant on our nervous system - Tātarāmoa can help us calm our minds when we're feeling anxious, and can enhance our sleep space.  Tātarāmoa is in the OKU Relax tea along with Passionflower, Chamomile, Lemon Balm & Kanuka.

Come in to see our selection of stress-relieving teas, we stock single herb options or a combination of herbs from a range of different brands which include Pukka, OKU, Organic India, Artemis, Planet, Native Tree Farm, Harney and Tea Total.

Remember herbs are medicine so please check with your healthcare team on the safety of taking any herbs during pregnancy & breastfeeding, or if you are taking any prescription medication.

Article composed with excerpts from:

medericenter.org/the-mederi-blog/holy-basil-an-herb-with-incomparable-benefits.html

psychcentral.com/health/tea-for-stress#list

www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/tea-for-anxiety