Food Frustrations with Dr Libby Weaver

Tauranga - Wednesday, 30 August 2017

By Dr Libby Weaver

In this powerful two-hour event Dr Libby takes all the confusion out of food. In her usual down-to-earth style, she’ll guide you with the best food choices to make for you, helping to remove any guesswork from what to eat, when and why.

Date:

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

Where:

ASB Baypark Stadium, Stadium Lounge - 81 Truman Ln, Te Maunga, Tauranga

Times:

7:00pm - 9:00pm (doors open 6:15pm).

Tickets:

$39.95 (pre-sale price) there are no physical tickets for this event, your name will be on our door list

Door sales:

$45.00 limited door sales available at the event, unless sold out prior

If you have any questions, please send them to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.drlibby.com

Mana Kitchen's Turmeric Latte

Turmeric Latte

One the best things about winter is being able to cozy up with a soft blanket and a hot cuppa. So let’s make our next tea break an exotic health tonic that is sure to warm us up and tickle our taste-buds.

This delightful vegan friendly latte (obviously dairy free too) is enriched with warming spices, heaped with an entourage of healing qualities from antioxidant to anti-inflammatory and packed with the power to ease viral infections, osteoarthritis, heart disease, indigestion and the list goes on.

So provided you like the taste there are plenty of reasons why this hot tonic may make it to the top of your favourites list.

INGREDIENTS:

The following measurements are variable based on how spicy you like it, we suggest starting with the smaller amounts and playing with it until you get it just right you!

Turmeric – fresh 3cm piece peeled or 3/4 tsp of ground
Ginger – fresh 2cm piece peeled or 1/4-1/2 tsp of ground
Cinnamon – 1 stick or 1/2-3/4 tsp of ground
Cardamon – 3 pods or a pinch of ground
Pepper – small pinch of ground
Honey – optional (or coconut syrup for vegan friendly)
Milk – your choice of Almond, Rice, Coconut or Soy

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the milk to a small pot and heat on low temperature.
Add the turmeric, cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, raw honey or coconut syrup, and pepper and stir frequently for about 3 minutes until the milk is warm, but not boiling.
Remove from heat and take out the cinnamon stick. You can reuse it a couple of times. Strain the milk either through a strainer or small colander.
Add more raw honey or coconut syrup for taste.
Optional – you may want to go all out and froth the milk after all it is a ‘latte’, if you don’t have a conventional milk frother try a quick whisk or pour a portion of your milk into a coffee plunger and plunge up and down a few times to aerate.

Kick back and relax, take a moment to breath in the delicious armoas of your healing, exotic tea before you devour with a warm glow.

Thanks Mana Kitchen for the winter warming Turmeric Latte www.manaretreat.com

Healing Powers of Nature

The Transformative Outdoor Workout That Healed My Broken Heart

by Brock Cannon July 2017

I was raised in a religious culture where getting married young and starting a family was the most important value. As a result I was married at 21 and had my first child at 23. I was so far from ready for it. To say that I was thrown into adulthood too early is an understatement. Most people spend those years dating and getting to know themselves, but this wasn't the case for me. I never got to have that journey, and bottling up my emotions led to a lot of internal pain. The only time I ever felt truly OK and like I was really connecting with myself was when I was out in nature, riding my mountain bike.

My marriage lasted 10 years, and my two beautiful daughters came out of it, which is something for which I'll be forever grateful. But it was an extremely difficult decade, and if I didn't have the option to hop on my mountain bike and escape into nature, I'm not sure how I would have gotten through it. I would ride my bike out in the desert for six hours, or however long it took to calm down and feel free. Over time, I would become centered again. Looking back, I was undoubtedly a little bit obsessive, but the most important thing that came out of it was that I learned to use nature as a healing strategy.

Yes, nature has been extremely healing for me—and it can be for you, too. Whether you do yoga outside, meditate, ski, hike, bike, or run, all these activities can heal; here's why I believe that.

1. Nature defuses anger.

When we embrace the pain of a hard run, a tough hike, or any other form of exercise in nature, we begin to get back to our true place on this planet. We realize that we are not just a ball of pent-up anger in that moment, but that we are a vital piece of this beautiful blue sphere. We are loving beings at our core. With each rock and tree stump we hop over, each river we forge, and each summit we conquer, we chill out. It’s as if our bodies are telling us, Yes, this is where I belong.

2. Nature leads to perspective—but be careful.

Without a doubt, nature and movement are a beautiful combination for gaining perspective on our lives and solving our problems. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve simply spent a moment watching the chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits play out in nature while I was out in the mountains and felt an instant softening inside as I remembered that life existed beyond me and my broken heart. The sound of the dirt crunching under my feet or the ripping of the treads of a mountain-bike tire all provide a meditative healing sound.

3. Nature restores hope.

Years ago, I dealt with quite a bit of career heartbreak. I lost a big consulting job that would drastically affect my income, and I was devastated. Human nature is to buckle down, get to your computer, and search for any possible way to solve the problem. But instead, I remember telling myself, “You need to force yourself to get out in nature right now—even if it's only for one hour. Nature holds the answers.”

I went out for a trail run, and the problem seemed to shrink. I felt strong again. Moving my body restored confidence in my talents, gifts, and abilities. There is something about nature that makes us feel so small, yet so loved, and we realize things are going to be OK. So the next time you're in the midst of a breakup, a lost job, problems with your kids, or any other kind of heartbreak, try getting out in nature for restoration and as a way to think through your problems.

You have nothing to lose, and only healing and newfound perspective to gain.

Inspired by Brock's story? Find out how this woman used nature to heal her anxiety.

Authentic You

How To Help Your Gut Absorb & Utilise Superfoods

Why Some Superfoods are Not Being Absorbed By Your Gut

By Jayta Szpitalak | JUNE 22, 2017

Quickly becoming staples in our diets, superfoods are often touted as the secret weapon to longevity. But did you know that some of these superfoods are not being absorbed adequately by your body, and may even wreak havoc on your digestive system?

There is a conundrum when it comes to superfoods – your body can potentially benefit immensely from them; however, if not consumed correctly, you may be flushing them down the toilet as your body lets them pass right through you without absorbing the important nutrients. However, with a little research, you can maximise the nutrition your body can gain with the right pairing or natural processing such as sprouting or fermenting.

A Tough Nut to Crack

Take nuts and grains. All seeds, nuts, grains, even the mighty chia and flax are coated with digestive barriers such as phytic acid and other inhibitors that make it hard for it to digest. Flax, for example, is hard for our bodies to break down so we have been told to mill or pulverise it in the hopes of achieving greater absorption. Unfortunately however, milling a grain does not remove the outside barriers that protect the seed, so these ‘super-flours/powders’ may still negatively affect your digestion. This is because the acids that coat the seed are often the culprit of digestive issues such as indigestion and leaky gut.

Sprouting

When it comes to grains, you can give your body and digestion a leg up by consuming them in their sprouted form. When you soak grains to sprout them, the harsh outer coating of the seed is broken down when the seed germinates, changing the nutrient profile. Sprouting literally produces proteolytic enzymes that assist the body in breaking down the carbohydrates and proteins. It also can double or triple the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and proteins found in the grain or seed while lowering the calories.

Pairing Up

Pairing certain the superfoods with the right partners can also be helpful when amplifying the nutrients. For example, matcha has a high antioxidant profile and is great at revving up your metabolism. However, when a matcha latte is made with dairy, you might as well throw that in the bin. The calcium from the dairy prevents the body from absorbing the antioxidants and minerals from the tea. It’s best paired with a non-dairy milk or warm water.

The same goes for Turmeric. Turmeric is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties however, it’s incredibly hard for the body to digest. Pairing it with black pepper or healthy fats makes it more digestible and fermenting it takes it one step above that as it metabolizes the curcumin and 300 other powerful compounds outside of the body allowing for quicker absorption into the blood stream.

Jayta Szpitalak is a Nutritionist, Psychologist and Found of Fermentanicals. To find out more, view their website here

Article from www.mindfood.com

Gratitude

Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos into order,

confusion into clarity ...

it makes sense of our past,

brings peace for today,

and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

Dame Helen Mirren on Why She is a Feminist - MiNDFOOD article

Dame Helen Mirren on Why She is a Feminist

By Danielle Pope | JUNE 22, 2017

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

The actress recently opened up as to why she identifies as a feminist

Considered to be acting royalty (and not just because she won an Oscar for playing the Queen), Dame Helen Mirren has always been a trailblazer for women in the arts.

This week she received the Crystal Nymph award, for her small-screen work at the Monte Carlo TV Festival, adding to the every-growing collection of accolades that Dame Merrin has received.

In promoting the event, Dame Mirren also opened up to The Hollywood Reporter as to her ‘feminist awakening’ and how the arts are changing to include more female voices. “There is a pressure mounting behind a dam, and I hope that that dam is finally bursting in terms of women directors and women-led dramas,” she said.

Reflecting on her career, Dame Mirren commented on how attitudes have changed dramatically since she first started her career on British television in the lead role on Prime Suspect, however there still remain some challenges for women to overcome. “I think it’s becoming embarrassing to turn someone down because they’re female. The mind-set has changed,” she said. “Unfortunately there are dinosaurs, and there are some dinosaurs that are 50 instead of 80.”

Dame Mirren has also been working to fight ageist prejudice when it comes to ideas of beauty and seeing older women in films. “Film and television should be for all ages,” she said.

At an earlier graduation speech at Tulane University, Dame Mirren called on students to identify themselves as feminists, saying that she herself initially wasn’t sure about the movement. “I always was a feminist, and I did identify as a feminist… but in the early days of feminism, the late ‘60s and ‘70s, there was a political ferocity about feminism I couldn’t identify with,” she explained. “Now in retrospect I understand how important that ferocity was.”

www.mindfood.com

Recipe for a Small Planet

Preserve 2 pristine polar regions

Add equatorial rainforests (intact)

Set aside 4/10ths of the world's oceans

Sprinkle with reallocated military spending

Whisk in 1 energy revolution

Season with sustainable agriculture

Add fresh, clean drinking water

Let cool.

Recipe compliments of GREENPEACE

http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/

Period Problems? - News from Dr Libby Weaver

Do you desperately await your period's arrival each month so you can be alleviated from frustrating symptoms? Or do you struggle through the week your period arrives? Maybe it's both. If yes, you need to know that you don't need to suffer in this way.

Your periods are supposed to just turn up - no uncomfortable symptoms or feeling like your usual personality upped and walked out the door. It is possible to stop your monthly silent turmoil.

It starts with recognising your symptoms and what your body might be trying to tell you.

If you are at the end of your cycle years and in a perimenopause, menopause or post menopause stage, it's also possible to experience a smoother transition - provided you give your body what it needs. Find out more about how to support your body through the stages of menopause here.

For those of you with period problems, here are some of the reasons why you may be experiencing such discomfort - and what you can do to support your body.

Headaches

If you suffer from headaches or migraines, especially premenstrually, this can be due to an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone and/or compromised liver detoxification pathways. This simply means your liver isn't able to efficiently process the substances your body no longer needs. Tension can also lead to headaches - holding your body tightly can affect blood flow.

To support your body, amp up your intake of anti-inflammatory fats from foods like oily fish and walnuts. To address the cause of your premenstrual headaches, balancing sex hormones and modulating your response to their natural fluctuations through your cycle is key - and this is where herbs can really make a difference. Cycle Essentials contains paeonia and licorice, two beautiful herbs that help to re-establish healthy sex hormone balance. They also have anti-inflammatory properties which is great for your sore head!

Increased appetite

For many women, in the days before their period arrives, it can feel like no matter how much they eat, it's never enough to satisfy their ravenous appetite. During this time, they may also crave sugar or find that they are predisposed to emotional eating.

This change in appetite can be due to sex hormone imbalances. Low progesterone can affect our mood (progesterone is an anti-anxiety agent and an antidepressant), and for many women, a low emotional state can lead to emotional eating. An excessive production of insulin can also interact with our sex hormone balance and can drive changes in our appetite and cravings. This is one of the processes linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

If this sounds like you, then you may like to increase your intake of nourishing fats as these will keep you satiated for longer and help you to avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster that comes with consuming sugar. Cycle Essentials acts to re-establish healthy sex hormone balance as well as modulating the stress response.

Abdominal pain

Cramps and abdominal pain in the lead up to or during your period can be painfully debilitating. They can be due to menstrual blood clots, which is often related to too much estrogen. It's the passing of these clots that contributes to the pain.

The best way to bring high levels of estrogen back to an optimal level is by supporting the liver to process any old forms of estrogen that may be cycling around our body, and by increasing your progesterone levels to help even out the delicate dance between estrogen and progesterone that occurs in your body each month. It can also be beneficial to make sure you are getting enough magnesium as this nutrient will help to relax your muscles and work to reduce the severity of the cramping.

In the Bio Blends range, both Cycle Essentials and Liver Love work with your body to assist these processes - the herbs in Cycle Essentials support great progesterone production and help to relieve painful menstruation, and Liver Love supports your liver to detoxify any old forms of estrogen the body no longer requires. Cycle Essentials can also be wonderfully supportive for women with endometriosis.

Acne

If you experience acne or pimples with your period, particularly if they appear around your jawline, it can indicate an imbalance in your estrogen and progesterone levels. It can also be due to elevated androgens, which tends to affect women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

In addition to balancing sex hormones, usually the liver and digestion also need additional support as they are involved in the detoxification and elimination of our sex hormones and other problematic substances. Our skin is simply another pathway for elimination.

In the Bio Blends range, both Cycle Essentials and Liver Love work with your body to help prevent hormonal acne. The herbs in Cycle Essentials work synergistically to modulate sex hormones, and have been shown to regulate ovarian production of androgens, while Liver Love supports your liver to detoxify any old forms of estrogen that your body no longer requires.

Breast pain

Swollen or sore breasts in the lead up to menstruation can indicate excess estrogen and/or low progesterone.

You may like to look at the things in your life that are causing you stress and what you can do to reduce these stressors, as our body's natural stress response hinders adrenalproduction of progesterone. Even just a busy life with no downtime can activate our stress response. The combination of food and herbs Dr Libby chose to use in Cycle Essentials provide your body with additional support to rebalance your progesterone and estrogen levels. Liver Love also works wonderfully alongside Cycle Essentials to support estrogen detoxification and elimination.

Mood changes

Mood changes with your period can leave you feeling like you swing from feeling happy, to sad, to angry - all in the space of what feels like about three seconds. The causes of such drastic mood changes are often a combination of low progesterone, high estrogen and high cortisol, a stress hormone.

To support your body, mind and soul, embrace restorative practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, yoga, tai chi and meditation - stress reduction is essential to support optimal adrenal production of progesterone. Eliminating caffeine can also be hugely beneficial - try eliminating this for two menstrual cycles to see how it affects you.

Cycle Essentials can provide additional support as it helps with optimal production of progesterone, which has powerful anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects, and the herbal ingredients also work together to support the adrenal glands, which produce many hormones, including stress and sex hormones.

Fluid retention

It is not possible to gain three kilos of body fat in a day, yet for those women who suffer from fluid retention it can certainly feel like that is the case. If you experience fluid retention around your period this can be due to many factors, including poor progesterone production, sluggish lymphatic flow, mineral deficiencies or a congested liver.

To support your body to restore balance from fluid retention you want to make sure you are making enough progesterone as this hormone acts as a diuretic (among many other functions), assisting your body to eliminate the excess fluid. The combination of food and herbs in Cycle Essentials will work with your body to produce optimal levels of progesterone. To stimulate your lymphatic flow, daily walks, diaphragmatic breathing or bouncing on a trampoline can be helpful and be sure to increase your intake of leafy greens - both to amp up your mineral intake and support your liver.

Remember, the symptoms our body gives us are its way of letting us know when it needs some extra support.

If you suffer from uncomfortable symptoms associated with your period, you may benefit from taking Cycle Essentials. It can often take two to three menstrual cycles for noticeable changes to take place in your body so you may like to take advantage of our special three-month bundle offer here.

We hope the above offered you some insight into where your body may need support.

With warmth,

The Bio Blends Team

BUY NOW

TESTIMONAL

We recently received this email from one of our customers who had been having a terrible time with her periods – while our hearts went out to her for just how much she had been suffering, we were thrilled to hear about the changes she has experienced. We’ve included the email below with her permission.

Hi Dr Libby and team,

Ever since I was a teenager I have had terrible periods although they have worsened over time. For many months each year I had extreme back and chest pain for about two weeks leading up to menstruation. Then the day that I started, I’d usually either pass out or vomit and experienced extreme body temperatures (I would suddenly start sweating from every pore making puddles of sweat on the floor in minutes) due to the intensity of the pain. My cycle was not regular so I never knew when I was going to experience these symptoms. It's really hard to explain to colleagues that I didn't need an ambulance after passing out at work! I have tried many different things through the years to alleviate these symptoms...extreme diets, cutting out caffeine and alcohol for months, several different birth control pills, massage, constantly taking pain medication so it was always in my system just in case, Chinese herbs and I even went to a doctor to discuss removing my ovaries. Some of these had a small effect on the pain level experienced, but nothing seemed to "fix" me.

I decided to try your cycle pills. I thought "why not try them, I have tried everything else." I ordered them as a birthday present for myself and I honestly can't believe how well they have worked. I actually experienced menstruating last month without any pain leading up to it and hardly any pain during it. This has never happened to me in my life (I just turned 36)! I am so excited to have found something that actually seems to be working for me. Thank you to you and your team for developing such a life changing (for me anyway) solution.

Thank you very much for your expertise and dedication to women's health!

Rachael

http://www.bioblends.co.nz/blog/menopause-how-can-you-support-yourself/

a winter solstice tradition – returning to stillness

WINTER

Winter Solstice: 21st June to Spring Equinox: 23rd September

APPLY EFFORT TO MAKE THE CHANGES FOR HUMANITY

Being accountable to another helps us to stay on track with our developments. We need a mountain to climb. Our success for achieving these goals lies with whom we choose to climb the mountain with us. This is no rickshaw ride! We all have to apply effort to make the changes for humanity. It's vital that we gather loved ones around us, building on the love & loyalty of being close.

Being blood connected is not a requirement but being strong in spirit & likeminded is. We are redefining what 'community' means to us. No longer is this only in reference to our physical location. We are broadening our range of connecting with others. Technology offers us the freedom of friendships anywhere on our planet. This has become an incredible network. Information spreads like wildfire; spontaneously it reaches every corner of the world. We are rapidly moving into the Aquarian Age - the age of information. For now this is the digital realm, with breakthroughs about to come.

The above information is taken the New Zealand Moon Calendar 2017

visit https://www.astrovision.co.nz/shop/moon-calendar/

You Are Enough

"You are enough.

You are so enough

it is unbelievable how enough

you are."

Marisa Peer

Fair Trade Now ... swap your coffee for tea

WELLINGTON APOTHECARY Therapeutic Teas have arrived at the YogAlign Studio in Mount Maunganui

Choose from Calming, Revitalising or Detoxifying Therapeutic Herbal Teas

NERVINE TEA BLEND

NZ$16.00 - 50 grams

A blend of herbs traditionally used to support the nervous system, calm the mind and improve sleep quality. Contains passionflower, skullcap, withania root, damiana & rose petals.

TONIC TEA BLEND ORGANIC

NZ$19.00 - 50 grams

A blend of herbs traditionally used to build strength & vitality. Tonic tea blend also helps to enhance memory & alertness. Contains ginko, gotu kola, kawakawa, rosemary, licorice & hibiscus.

DETOXIFY TEA BLEND ORGANIC

NZ$26.00 100 grams

A blend of herbs traditionally used to support the liver, clear the skin and maintain a healthy weight. Contains cleavers, green tea, dandelion root, schisandra berries & fennel seeds.

All dried herbs in our tea blends are wild crafted or sourced organically when available. Non organic herbs may be used when organic herbs are unavailable.

Laugh & the World Laughs with You

Shine Your Inner Light

Ascension Meditation Courses

Typically taught over a weekend, our one course gives you everything you need for a powerful, self-sufficient meditation practice. We also do the course in different formats such as mid-week, evenings or residential.

Course hours

Our standard weekend format is Friday evening 7 pm – 9:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm (finish times are approximate). For a course of an alternative format please see the registration.

Course fee

$NZ395 (incl. GST) is our standard fee.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty

Hamilton Weekend, June 9-11
Register Now

Tauranga Weekend, June 16-18
Register Now

Omokoroa Weekend, August 4-6
Register Now

http://www.thebrightpath.co.nz

Kelly's Buckwheat Crepes w/ Silky Scrambled Eggs & Smoked Regal Salmon

INGREDIENTS

I make up batches of buckwheat crepes in advance and freeze them. It makes a stunning breakfast come together very quickly – even on a weekday! My instructions for scrambled eggs will ensure you have gorgeously creamy eggs and a breakfast to rival any fancy café fare.

1 cup (145 g) buckwheat flour

1 cup (250ml) milk (dairy or non-dairy will both work)

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil or melted butter

3 free-range eggs – lightly beaten (for crepes)

¼ teaspoon salt

8 free-range eggs (for scrambling) – lightly beaten

200g slices Regal smoked salmon (feel free to add more than this to each plate!)

Ghee or butter for cooking eggs and crepes

To serve: finely chopped chives, avocado slices

METHOD

Whisk the buckwheat flour, milk, oil, eggs and salt together in a large bowl until smooth.

Heat a spoonful of oil in a sauté or crepe pan over a medium heat. Pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan and swirl the pan a little to spread the mixture thinly. Cook for 1 minute before flipping, and cook for a further minute. Watch the temperature of the pan. You are aiming for lightly golden. Repeat until all the batter is used. Add additional oil as needed. Store completed crepes, covered, in a warm oven until ready to use, or make up to 24 hours in advance.

Crepes can be reheated gently in a warm sauté pan or in the oven on a low heat.

Season the beaten eggs with salt. Heat a large sauté pan over a low heat. Add three tablespoons of butter and wait until melted and foamy. Add the eggs, leave to sit for 5 seconds and then use a spatula to gently move the eggs around the pan. Use long swirling motions, bringing the eggs in from the outside of the pan into the middle. Once the eggs are 80 percent cooked, remove from the heat (they will continue to set).

Place a warm buckwheat crepe on each plate and divide the scrambled egg among these. Add two slices of smoked salmon to each, sliced avocado (if using) and fold crepe over. Garnish with freshly chopped chives.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Prep time 15 mins. Cooking time 15 mins.

http://www.regalsalmon.co.nz/recipes/kellys-buckwheat-crepes-w-silky-scrambled-eggs-smoked-regal-salmon

Gentleness

http://www.thebrightpath.co.nz