An Update from Jo

It's starting to feel a bit more like Autumn now as the mornings get cooler and darker. In Traditional Chinese Medicine Autumn is known as the season we "prepare for transition". A time of introspection, reflection, letting go of the old, and preparing the immune system for the coming winter. You will read in our article below that 70% of our immune cells are found in the gut, so this always a great place to start. You will also read below about how oral hygiene can affect our immune system. It's always best to chat with us instore about what we have that supports your specific symptoms, as we are all individual and health should not be a one size fits all approach.

Managing our stress is another important factor for optimal immune health. So taking some time to reflect on what we need to best support our stress response is important. I mentioned last month one of the ways I do this is through silence, meditation and yoga but I also make sure I get daily exercise. Again this needs to be a very individual approach to find what works best for each of us in regards to moving our bodies. For those that enjoy small indoor group fitness classes, Club 31 Health & Fitness in Matua is having an open day on Saturday 12th April. You can check out the kind of classes they offer while they raise funds for UOKBRO - a cause that supports mental wellbeing and connection. There will be spot prizes on the day including a gift voucher to spend with us. You will find more info on the Club 31 facebook page. 

We hope you all have a lovely break over Easter, we will be closed on Friday 18th and Monday 21st, though open our usual hours of 9am to 3pm on Saturday 19th. We are also closed on Friday 25th April in rememberance of Anzac Day. Look forward to seeing you 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.

• Buy any TWO Hanami Nail products and get a FREE 9ml Rescue Me Nail Oil
• Buy any TWO full size Giovanni products and get a FREE Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture 60ml Shampoo, 60ml Conditioner and a 60ml Styling Gel - valued at over $21
• Spend $49 or more on products from The Herb Farm and receive a FREE Herb Farm Uplifting Aromatherapy Roll-On (10ml) valued at RRP $24.90 
• Spend $69 or more on Living Nature and get a FREE Nourishing Day Cream or a FREE Aqua Gel Mask (day cream arriving this week)
• Buy a 1kg Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Powder and get a FREE Nuzest Shaker, with a single serve sachet of Good Green Vitality, and Clean Lean Protein Vanilla - and at a great price of $99
• Buy a Harker Herbals Kids Gut Biome and get a FREE star gummy mold
• Biotrace Oral Refresh - 10% off
• PuroBio Italian Makeup Range - 10% off
• Weleda Skin Food Range - 20% off
• The Herb Farm Men's Gel Cleanser and Mens Regenerating Moisturiser - 30% off 
• Natroceutics Liposomal Vitamin C 30 caps - 30% off
• Life Season Vegie Boost 90 Capsules - 30% off
• Nutra Organics Kids Superfood Powders - 20% off - Berry Immune, Brekkie Hero, Captain Calm, Choc Whiz, Super Tummy and Vegie Hero
• Sacred Moon Journal - save 20% usually $47.90 now $33.50
• Moonology Oracle Cards by Yasmin Boland - 20% off

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

• The Remarkable Chocolate Company Easter Eggs 10 pack - mixed bag of 72% dark and 74% raspberry
• The Remarkable Chocolate Company Macadamia and Cacao Bark, Crispy Mint Bark, and Hazelnut Toffee and Blood Orange Smash Bark
• Redd Remedies Adult Sinus 72 caps, Childrens Sinus 60 chewable tabs, Muscle Ease 60 tabs, and Nerve Shield 60 caps
• Mitchells Daily Greens 180g powder
• Good Health Viralex Attack Day and Night 20 caps
• Good Health Viralex Lung Tonic 200ml
• Grants Toothpaste - Mild Mint & Aloe, Cinnamon, Orange & Neem Oil, Sensitive Mint, Whitening with Spearmint and Baking Soda, Kids Strawberry Suprise
• Weleda Blue Gentian and Edelweiss Day Cream, Night Cream, Face Serum, and Eye & Lip Cream
• Weleda Toothache Drops 30ml
• Rootstock Beetroot Powder 100g
• The Patch Remedy - PMT and Iron 30 pack
• The Keepers Apothecary Honey 400g - infused with herbs and spices - Masala Chai, Sweet Dreams, Mindful, Maca Miel, Soul Soother, and Immunitea
• Pure Beeswax Candles in various shapes and sizes

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

Harker Herbals New Gut Biome Products

This powdered formula works with each child’s unique microbiome to strengthen numbers and diversity of beneficial bacteria, crowd out populations of harmful bacteria and support the integrity of the gut lining. 

A healthy gut not only supports great digestion, but also the immune system (some 70% of immune cells are found in the gut), common dry skin conditions and supporting that gut/brain connection with good vibes. 

The benefits of a healthy gut extend beyond easy digestion to the immune system, (some 70% of immune cells are found in the gut), and the skin, supporting many common dry skin conditions. A calm gut/brain connection also supports a balanced mood and focus while a diverse microbiome may help manage sugar cravings to support weight management. 

This is a great formula to take after a course of antibiotics to support the microbiome and support your remaining good gut flora back to a state of balance. 

Note that some initial bloating may occur, but this typically improves after a few days. This is due to the die-off of less desirable organisms in the large intestine as your gut begins to rebalance. 

With both Adults and Children's formulations the combination used sets the gut up to work smoothly, supporting thriving good gut flora and a strong gut wall lining, home to the microbiome.  Elimination of toxins and absorption of nutrients works efficiently and effectively when the microbiome is balanced, and the integrity of the gut wall is strong. 

Unlike traditional probiotics, the Bio-AZ Synbiotics in both the children and adult formula are scientifically researched to survive the journey through the digestive system to the bowel where they can start their work. Their main job is to feed off the bad bacteria that take up space and allow more room for the good bacteria in your own unique microbiome to thrive. 

Also, unlike traditional probiotics, the Bacillus subtillis bacteria arrive with their own quality food source in the form of the pre and postbiotics and the fibres in the Berry Essentials blend for the children and the fermented microfibres in the Fibriotics Adult blend. This means they can get to work straight away and are not reliant on your diet alone to get started. A taste test is available in store.

Article Supplied by Claire George, Naturopath - our newest member of the team who is also available for consultations

Our daily oral hygiene routine, such as brushing our teeth is generally considered to
be of benefit for reducing tooth cavities, gum disease and bad breath. However, the
health of our mouth, and particularly the microbiome of our mouth, has far-reaching
effects on our overall health.

Just like our gut and skin, our mouth has a unique population of microorganisms on
our gums, teeth, tongue, mouth, lips and in our saliva. All of which need to stay in
balance, yet are under constant pressure from the outside world through varying
foods, drinks, chemicals, pH, temperature and eating habits. An imbalanced microbiome in the mouth has been shown to increase the risk of heart and liver disorders, along with pneumonia, dementia, obesity, Alzheimer’s and rheumatoid arthritis, as pathogens spread to other parts of the body. Diabetes (types 1 & 2) is known to have an adverse influence on oral hygiene, but in a reciprocal effect, improving oral health can also help to better manage insulin and blood glucose.

While dysbiosis of the gut has been linked to inflammatory bowel diseases, along
with overall health and wellbeing, the oral microbiome’s influence through the oral-
gut connection is just being highlighted in research. ‘Bad’ bacteria from the mouth and saliva can be swallowed or enter our blood stream to travel to the gut, where it
disrupts immune function and increases inflammation.

There are natural ways to support your overall health through your oral hygiene:

• Eat crunchy fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples and celery, as they stimulate saliva and help scrub away food particles.
• Avoid sugary foods and drinks, pickles and tomato sauce as their acidity can upset the balance.
• Sage mouthwash or tea can help to balance bacteria, reducing those that promote plaque and decay. Oral probiotic products can also help to populate your mouth with ‘good’ bacteria.
• Xylitol in mints, gum or as a sugar substitute can help to neutralize saliva pH and reduce cavities.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Daily brushing, flossing and tongue scraping to reduce bacterial load in the mouth.

References:
Elzayat et al. (2023). Unravelling the impact of gut and oral microbiome on gut
health in inflammatory bowel diseases www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/15/3377
Sharma et al. (2018). Oral microbiome and health www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/microbiol.2018.1.42

Congratulations to Chloe McLeod who has won a bottle of Rosemary Scalp Oil and Rachel Wylie who won the Biotin & Collagen Strengthening Shampoo, Conditoner and Hair Serum which we featured in last month's newsletter.

Cashew Cream (recipe credit Nisha Vora)

Classic cashew cream recipe plus four other fun flavour variations (see website link) that will jazz up a variety of meals. You’ll also find tips on getting the best texture, the ideal liquid to cashew ratio, and plenty of ways to use it in everyday meals. 

Instructions:

• Drain the cashews and rinse with fresh water. 
• Add the cashews to a high-powered blender or food processor along with the water, garlic, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and onion powder. Blend on high speed until smooth, thick and creamy, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as you go. This will take about 2 minutes in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, or about 4 minutes in a food processor. 
• Taste and adjust for seasonings, adding more salt for saltiness, more nutritional yeast for cheesy/umami flavors, or more lemon juice for acidity. 

The Ratio of Cashews to Liquid 

The best cashew to liquid ratio depends on what you are using your cashew cream for. In order of thickness, here is my recommended cashew to liquid ratio for 1 cup of raw cashews. 

SUPER THICK 
Use for: Frosting for cakes/cupcakes/desserts (I recommend using plant milk as the liquid) 
Ratio: 1 cup cashews : 1/4 cup liquid 
Metric: 135g cashews : 60 mL liquid 

VERY THICK 
Use for: A vegan dip or as a filling in raw desserts/cake 
Ratio: 1 cup cashews : 1/3 cup liquid 
Metric: 135g cashews : 80 mL liquid 

THICK 
Use for: A dip; spoon over savory food; stir into soups, curries and pasta sauces 
Ratio: 1 cup cashews : 1/2 cup liquid 
Metric: 135g cashews : 120 mL liquid 

SOMEWHAT THICK 
Use for: A sauce or drizzle onto savory food; stir into soups, curries and pasta sauces 
Ratio: 1 cup cashews : 3/4 cup liquid 
Metric: 135g cashews : 180 mL liquid 

Also note that cashew cream does thicken a fair amount as it rests in the fridge. 

FOR NISHA's other Cashew Cream recipes visit her website. Highly recommend the Cilantro Cashew Cream if you like Coriander & Chilli www.rainbowplantlife.com/guide-to-making-the-best-cashew-cream/

How to use Cashew Cream: 

• Drizzle over roasted veggies. Roasted winter squash is particularly good with the Rosemary-Miso Cashew Cream. Broccoli is particularly good with the Ginger-Sriracha version. 
• Make a creamy pasta sauce. A great alternative to dairy-based creamy pasta sauces. 
• An alternative to sour cream. To get that characteristic sour cream tang, add a bit of apple cider vinegar to your cashew cream recipe.  
• Spoon over grain bowls or proteins. Serve burrito bowls with the Cilantro-Lime Cashew Cream 
• Drizzle the Ginger-Sriracha Cashew Cream over baked or fried tofu and rice bowls. 
• Stir into mashed potatoes, soups, or pastas for added indulgence. 
• Dips or spreads. Serve the Cilantro-Lime version as a dip or sauce for quesadillas, spoon into burritos, or dollop onto tacos. 
• In casseroles. Replace dairy-based cream sauces with cashew cream in gratins and casseroles.
• With oatmeal or porridge. Stir a sweet cashew cream, such as the Cinnamon-Vanilla version, into cooked oatmeal or porridge for a breakfast treat 
• An alternative to mayo. Use cashew cream as a sandwich spread or lather it onto wraps, such as a wrap filled with smashed chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, kale, and cashew cream. 
• In desserts. Use a sweet cashew cream, such as the Cinnamon-Vanilla version, as a filling for raw cakes and tarts.