An Update from Jo

Welcome to our May Newsletter.  At the Bethlehem Health Shop we have your Mother's Day Gift ideas covered! Until next Friday the 8th May any purchase from the Indie & Mae Range or the Herb Farm Range will go in the draw to win the awesome Indie & Mae products pictured below - just in time to be collected before Mother's Day on Sunday 10th.

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.

• 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)
• Zylanica Tea Range - 20% off includes Ceylon Green, Detox, Ginger, Herbal Masala, Rooibos, Stress Relief and Golden Leaf Premium Tea
• Weleda Selected Face Care Products 20% off (excludes the Skin Food Face Range)
• 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 $59 or more on Herb Farm products and get a FREE Lip Balm valued at $18.90 
• 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 Harker Herbals Children's Product and get a FREE Children's Throat Spray
• Buy 2 Wotnot Natural Baby Sunscreens and get a FREE 45g Wotnot SPF50 Zinc stick
• Buy any 2 products from the Kooshoo Hair Accessory range and get a 2 pack of plastic free hair scrunchies FREE
• Buy any TWO full size Giovanni products and get a FREE pack containing a Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture 60ml Shampoo, 60ml Conditioner and a 60ml Styling Gel - valued at over $21
• 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.

• Archeus NatFem Botanics - Tingle Balm for Itch & Sting Relief including cold sore relief 50ml
• Archeus NatFem Botanics Original Balm 
• Koochikoo Zero Sugar Lollipops, 10 pack, assorted fruity flavours
• Yum Earth Organic Vitamin C Lollipops, 14 pack
• Carwari Organic Blackstrap Molasses, 480g jar
• Weleda Hypericum Massage Oil 50ml
• Trace Ionic Fulvic Acid 59ml
• Phytoceutics Iron Oral Spray 50ml - can be used from age 1 and over
• Phytoceutics Liposomal Magnesium Chewables - can be used from age 1 and over
• Phytoceutics Liposomal Magnesium Threonate 60 vegiecaps
• Now products - a few additions to their range including Brewers Yeast powder, D-Flame caps, Glucosamine and MSM caps, Kidney Cleanse caps, Liver Refresh caps and St Johns Wort caps

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

Introducing Wild Dispensary Tonics

Wild Dispensary celebrate local, native and wildcrafted plants with a comprehensive range of natural medicinal formulations. Harvested from the rugged Dunedin coast to the dry mountains of Central Otago, the wild and native herbs used in Wild Dispensary’s products are carefully selected and sustainably harvested. With a certified medical herbalist and naturopath at the helm of the product formulation, Wild Dispensary uses the power of nature to deliver a range that supports optimal health and provides robust natural defence for immunity.

They are genuinely committed to a core business ethos that is environmentally and socially responsible. From sustainable harvest methods, strict waste audits and initiating a bottle re-use scheme, to supporting the local Dunedin Wildlife Hospital.

Instore we currently stock five of the Wild Dispensary unique formulations:

Liver Bitters - before a meal they work to get your digestive juices flowing, flush out built-up hormones, make for clearer skin and even support satiety by regulating appetite control. After a meal, it can help with feelings of discomfort and bloating. 

Elderberry Switchel - Made with raw organic apple cider vinegar, this refreshing tonic is infused with a blend of wild-harvested elderberries, ginger root, native mānuka, and Otago honey. These natural ingredients work together to support your immunity, digestion, and energy levels.

Fire Cider - support your digestion, circulation and immunity all-in-one. This spicy apple cider vinegar-based tonic is infused with 20 different ingredients, providing a powerful first response for immune support. Apple cider vinegar is known for its ability to aid digestion and balance blood sugar and ginger, garlic, kawakawa and horopito all support a healthy immune system.

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

What is one condition you can use this balm for?

Congratulations to Brenda Stephen who was last month's lucky winner of the Kiss the Earth Blue Lotus products

Protein seems to be the ‘in’ nutrient at the moment, with many new products coming out with ‘added protein’ as more people seek out this important nutrient in their diet.  We take a look at its many benefits and how to get the right amount in your diet.

The Science of Protein
Proteins are found in tissues throughout our body.  Aside from water, they are the most abundant nutrient in our body – making up around 20% of our body weight.  So, we need enough protein to keep building, maintaining and repairing the structure of these body tissues, such as the muscles, skin, heart and brain.
When we eat protein, our body breaks it down into amino acids, which can then be rebuilt into any protein our body needs - antibodies, hormones, enzymes, haemoglobin, and of course muscles.  Of the 20 amino acids, 9 are considered essential as we can’t produce them ourselves.  

Protein Sources
When a protein contains all 9 essential proteins, it is called a complete protein source - lean meat, eggs, milk, soy and quinoa are all complete proteins.  So too are whey, pea, hemp and bone broth protein supplements.  However, each of these supplements has a different ratio of amino acids, meaning they have different uses.  For example, whey and pea proteins are high in leucine and are best for muscle recovery, while bone broth protein is high in collagen, so is better for gut and skin issues.  Hemp protein has the benefit of high omega 3 & 6, so is great for inflammation or joint issues.  

Weight loss and Protein
Because of its complex structure, protein digestion uses more energy, which helps to keep us feel full for longer.  Eating higher protein meals for weight loss in comparison to restricting energy intake also maintains our fat-free mass (muscles, bones, organs), while losing fat.  This means that rebound weight gain often doesn’t happen following a high-protein diet.  Research shows that diets with around 25-30% of energy as protein can be an effective way to lose weight.

Protein for Young and Old
When we are growing, it makes sense that our protein requirements would be higher - therefore the needs of children, teenagers, and pregnant women are obviously higher than the general guidelines for adults.  However, those over 65 also have higher needs for protein.  This is because digestion and protein utilisation often becomes less efficient.  Older adults also have higher needs to maintain their immune system and tissue repair.  

How much Protein?
Dietary guidelines for recommended intake of protein have traditionally been guided by nitrogen balance, as the digestion of protein creates nitrogen which is then excreted as urea.  Too much of this can be hard on the kidneys and liver.  However, research is now supporting higher intake than traditional guidelines, without showing kidney or liver damage.  If starting to increase your protein intake, be sure to also increase your water intake, as it is needed to digest protein and also move out the nitrogen waste.

The adult guidelines below are based on traditional recommendations, and average exercise.  When training or body weight increases, you will notice that so too does the daily protein requirement.

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.

Easy Mandarin Orange Chocolate Bark

A healthy mandarin orange chocolate bark snack to cure those sweet tooth cravings quickly and deliciously.

Servings: 4    Prep Time: 5 min   Chill Time: 2 hours  

Instructions

• Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.

• To a medium bowl, add the orange segments.

• Melt your chocolate with the coconut oil until smooth.

• Pour it into the bowl with the divided orange pieces and toss to coat.

• Transfer each segment to line up on the tray - 5 pieces per row across. Repeat.

• If using, sprinkle now with crushed pistachios and salt on top.

  Freeze for 2 hours and then enjoy!

Recipe Credit Stella Drivas https://hungryhappens.net/3-ingredient-easy-mandarin-orange-chocolate-bark/