An Update from Jo

We are in denial that we are heading into Autumn already, so until the Autumn Equinox on the 20th March enjoy that "late summer" vibe and make the most of the extra daylight we have for a bit longer. March is only one of two months in the first half of the year without any public holidays so if you are finding it hard to adjust to the 5 day working week and different school routines have a chat to us instore about what we have that might support your lifestyle. Too much work seems to be a theme for many already this year and our article below written by Claire has some great info about how Adaptogens can be beneficial in supporting the stress response.

One of my favourite ways to de-stress after a busy period is to spend time in silence, and this week I am heading back to Mana Retreat Centre in the Coromandel for a 5 day silent meditation and yoga retreat. Mana Retreat centre holds a wide variety of retreats and there is something on most weekends. So if you are looking for a quiet place in nature to restore and relax (that also has amazing food) then you can find more info on their website. I often share snipits about meditation on my clinic facebook page, so head there if you are also interested in astrology, chakras and homeopathy. Our shop facebook page has regular posts about new products and specials which you will also find below. We are always amazed about how many new products we actually have each month when we go to list them for you. We are also interested to hear from you about popular products you might like to buy from us that we may not have heard about yet, so feel free to let us know. Look forward to hearing from you 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 (arriving later this week)
• Spend $69 or more on Living Nature and get a FREE Aqua Gel Mask valued at $54
• 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
• Weleda Citrus Deo Twin Pack - $25 save $10.80
• Natures Sunshine Focus Attention 90 caps - 25% off
• Natures Sunshine Adrenal Support 60 caps - 10% off
• Natroceutics Ashwaghanda 60 Caps - 10% off
• Garden of Life Adrenal Daily Balance - 10% off
• Be Pure Burnout Rescue 60 caps - 10% off
• Natroceutics Liposomal Vitamin C 30 caps - 30% off
• Nutra Organics Kids Superfood Powders - 20% off - Berry Immune, Brekkie Hero, Captain Calm, Choc Whiz, Super Tummy and Vegie Hero
• Pure Whey Protein Salted Caramel 500g - 20% off
• Weleda: selected products from the Mother and Baby range - 20% off
• My Sunshine Tinted Mineral Sunscreen 60ml - save 20% usually $48 now $38.40
• Sacred Moon Journal - save 20% usually $47.90 now $33.50

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

• Hanami non toxic nail polish in 12 colours plus a top and base coat, and nail polish remover
• Hanami Buds - non toxic plant sourced nail polish for kids in 6 colours
• Hanami Glass Nail File and Glass Foot File 
• Everyday Things Candles - new fragrances - Can't Sleep Love and Sunset
• Lotus Rosemary Oil in 25ml size bottle
• Health Lab Protein Bars - Cookies & Cream, Choc Caramel Fudge Cake and Choc Brownie Slice
• Crafty Weka Gluten Free Bars - Almond Cacao and Nutty Caramel
• Giovanni Kids: 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner and Detangling Spray
• Giovanni Mens: 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner, 2 in 1 Body Wash & Facial Cleanser, Styling Hair Clay and Strong Hold Styling Gel
• Giovanni Smoothing Castor Oil Hair Mask 

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

Why choose Giovanni as your natural hair care? 

Giovanni is free from parabens, sodium laurel sulphate, artificial colours & fragrances, animal products, by products and is never tested on animals. Giovanni is also totally biodegradable and pH balanced. Their rule of balance means each product is as pure and natural as humanly possible without sacrificing exceptional product performance. 

In store we now have in stock some of the new Giovanni Kids range and the just released Men's range to add to the organic lines of shampoo & conditioner and haircare products we have regularly stocked. These also include the popular LA Hold Hair Spritz and Syling Gel, Frizz Be Gone, Curl Defining Deep Conditioning Hair Mask, Biotin Collagen Rebonding & Restoring Hair Oil and the Biotin Collagen Hair Serum. We have also recently added the Hydrating Scalp Oil and the Castor Oil Strenthening Hair Mask.

For more information and to see our full range go to our website here and pop instore this month to receive a free sample sachet of the Biotin & Collagen Rebonding Hair Oil or the Biotin & Collagan Leave in Conditioner. Also see below for 2 Giovanni Giveaways!

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

The use of adaptogenic herbs in traditional medicine is far from new, however the concept and understanding of adaptogens and how these multi tasking herbs work has been ever-evolving.

The word adaptogen came from Russia during the 1970s, as they trialled ways to help their astronauts and athletes perform better under stress.  They began to look to Rhodiola, Siberian & Panax Ginseng, and Schisandra to help the body build resilience and learn how to adapt. 

Of course, this was not a new use for these herbs.  Their holistic benefits to the convalescing and fatigued had been seen in many traditional health systems for hundreds of years. 

It has been found that adaptogens have a unique action that mimics a mild dose of stress on the nervous system which, when taken long-term, can help the body to better return to balance in the face of stress.  This can be useful for defence against all types of stress; exercise, temperature, mental stress, sleep deprivation, illness and environmental toxins. Higher doses have shown to suppress inflammation and prevent premature aging.

Adaptogens’ stress-reducing actions have been shown to help regulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, reducing cortisol and nitric oxide levels.  When we can reduce the effects of chronic stress, we can then reduce the risk of stress-related diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, poor memory and chronic fatigue.

Many of the adaptogenic herbs also have tonic properties, so they are useful to help to rebuild and regenerate following illness or hard times, while also supporting a balanced immune response.  They have protective qualities for the brain, heart, liver and digestive system.

The beauty of herbs is that they often have multiple actions on the body, so while all adaptogenic herbs help to regulate our stress response, each has additional properties or affinities with particular body systems.

Astragalus helps to regulate an under or over-active immune system, and is particularly useful against viruses.  It can help to improve digestion and heart function.

Panax Ginseng is great for fatigue as it is stimulating; improving stamina and mental alertness. 

Ashwagandha is calming, so is valuable for nervous exhaustion, anxiety or insomnia. 

Rhodiola can help to increase dopamine levels, making it valuable to reduce cravings in addictions.

Schisandra can support healthy liver function and detoxification, along with being restorative for the brain.

Holy Basil (Tulsi) can help reduce physical fatigue from exercise, while also reducing anxiety. 

We have a range of adaptogenic supplements and herbal teas available in the store.  Some products offer a combination of these herbs, which have been shown to have synergistic effects greater than the individual herbs.

Resources:

Evolution of the adaptogenic concept from traditional use to medical systems: Pharmacology of stress- and aging-related diseases.  https://doi.org/10.1002/med.21743 

The effect of adaptogenic plants on stress: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2023.105695

This month we are lucky enough to have 2 different givewaways from Giovanni! Giveaway 1 is a bottle of Rosemary Scalp Oil and Giveaway 2 is a Biotin & Collagen Strenthening Shampoo, Conditoner and a Hair Serum.

To enter the draw reply to this email specifying which giveaway you would like to enter and let us know one of the ingredients the whole Giovanni Range is free from?

Congratulations to Katrina Friend and Kate Sturmey who have each won a bottle of Natures Sunshine Focus Attention from our February giveway

Pickled Green Beans             By: Danielle McCoy: The Rustic Elk 

Instructions 

Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water, prepare the water bath canner, and place jars filled with ⅔rd's water into the prepared canner and heat to 180°F if canning. If you're not canning, just wash the glass jars you're going to use. 

Prepare the brine by combining salt, vinegar, and water in a medium saucepan and bringing the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Continue boiling until salt is dissolved, then reduce heat to keep the brine hot. 

Meanwhile, prepare the beans by washing them, removing the stem end, and trimming them to fit into the jar's length-wise allowing for ½" of headspace. Prepare the garlic by peeling 6-12 cloves. 

Pack the jars by placing ½ teaspoon each of dill seeds (or a sprig of fresh dill) and mustard seeds, a quarter teaspoon each of red pepper flakes and black peppercorns, and 1 to 2 cloves of garlic in the bottom of the prepared jar. Then, tightly pack the green beans in lengthwise. 

After the jars are packed, pour the prepared brine over the ingredients, leaving ½" of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust for proper headspace if necessary. 

If making quick pickles, simply lid the prepared jars, allow them to come to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 days before enjoying. Seven days will provide more flavor. 

If canning, wipe jar rims, center the lid, tighten screw bands to finger tight and place in the prepared boiling water bath canner. Make sure the jars are covered by at least 2" of water, place the lid on the canner and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, process pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting processing time for altitude if necessary. 

After processing, turn off the heat and remove the lid and allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing to a towel-lined counter. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking for proper seals. Remove the bands of the proper sealed jars and store them for up to 18 months.  

For further information about pickling beans or other vegetables: 

www.therusticelk.com/pickled-green-beans