It appears that we are being graced with the pleasantries of spring. I look out my dining room window and see the blossoms on my plum tree and the sun glistening on the water in the distance.

Many people will be feeling “it’s about time we had some fine days”, but as with everything in nature there must be balance. Spring is one of our seasons that bring growth and a renewed energy within, coming from the warmer days and the energy that the sun provides us with. The days are longer, with brighter mornings, well at least until daylight savings starts, and the evenings are still cool, allowing for restful sleeps.

I would encourage everyone to start utilizing the benefits of the season’s change, if you haven’t already. Walking or running in the early morning can give you a start to the day that is second to none, settling the mind and grounding your body’s energy for a day of powerful decision making and effective time management. Think of your body the same as the spring bulbs that make a presence slowly but surely in the early days of spring whilst there is still some cool in the air, and then as the warmth starts to increase and abundance of energy within allows the flowers to come into bloom.

Foods choices now should be changing also with more raw and light foods and what a better place to be getting your fresh fruit and veggie from than the markets. Remember most of the produce you will get from the markets will be sold by the growers themselves and this allows us to ask specific questions e.g. what nutrients or chemicals have been used on the crops. This gives us peace of mind that we are feeding our families high quality food for much less expense than what we are finding in the supermarkets currently. If you don’t know the time & location of your local markets give your council a call and they should be able to give you direction.

There have been some recent changes at discover and whether this is a result of spring or purely coincidental who knows. Additions to the team have brought us Bruce Harper, both Osteopath and Naturopath trained. Bruce brings with him an already well established client base, but I am sure that he would be more than happy to discuss with anyone physical therapies should you need some care in this region. Also Barbara Tull joins our team of assistants on the front desk, bringing with her many years of skill running other highly established weight loss clinics. Barbara is proving to be a delight to have with us and I am sure you will all get to experience her calm nature in the near future.

Have a superb start to spring everyone and don’t forget to have your 20 minute per day dose of vitamin D.

Kindest regards


Jen

The importance of Vitamin D:

Certain people however are more at risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency than others. Those more at risk include:

• the elderly, especially those in residential care with limited mobility,
• People with darker skin,
• Veiled women with limited sunlight exposure and their breast fed infants,
• Sun conscious people who over do sun cream,
• People with malabsorption problems such as Crohn’s desease and ulcerative colitis,
• Anyone avoiding direct sunlight.

Unfortunately over the winter months it is not possible for everyone to get 1 hour per day of sun exposure as particularly over the last few months there has been more hibernation in the warmth of our houses, thus decreasing the ability to receive adequate levels of this important vitamin.

Some signs to look out for which may indicate a vitamin D deficiency include:

Burning in the mouth or throat
Cramps, Diarrhoea
Insomnia
Low birth weight
Nervousness
Retarded growth
Skeletal abnormalities
Softening of the bones and teeth
Susceptibility to infections
Low energy
Depression

Vitamin D may be used to support the development and maintenance of strong, healthy bones, normal function of the immune system, prostate health, cardiovascular health, renal health, regulating sleep, improving mood and energy levels.
Being an essential vitamin that so easily gets forgotten about it is time to become more aware of this. There has been a lot of research lately proving a link between cancer prevention (particularly breast and colorectal cancers) and Vitamin D. To guarantee you are getting adequate amounts ensure you are getting outside daily for at least ½ hour while the spring sunshine kicks in. Alternatively whilst waiting on those summer months to creep in a good quality Vitamin D liquid supplement is recommended to support our health and prevent problems later in life.

Tea of the month:
Detox me
With the winter months behind us now it is a great time to start a detoxification process. Generally detoxifying is best done in warmer climates so a full integrated detoxification is a good idea but maybe left until the weather picks up. In the meantime start the cleansing process by having 1-3 detox herbal drinks a day to help stimulate your detoxification pathways via bowel, liver, kidneys and skin.

Retail product for the month:
Lara Bars
In a variety of flavours these bars are great to have in lunch boxes or for a nutritious snack during the day. With no added preservatives, additives or artificial flavourings etc these bars are a healthy treat for the whole family to enjoy. Speak to your naturopath to check if these bars are suitable for you.

Recipe of the month:
15 minute salmon with mint salsa
Ingredients:

700g salmon filets, skin and bones removed, and cut into 4 pieces
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Salsa
1 TBS finely chopped fresh mint
1 TBS finely chopped fresh coriander
1 TBS finely minced spring onion
1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 medium ripe fresh tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, diced into about ¼ inch pieces
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
3TBS fresh lemon juice
salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:
To Quick Grill salmon: Preheat Oven on high heat (180C) and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan under the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot. The pan should be 5 to 7 inches from the heat source.
Chop garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
Rub salmon with 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. (You can Quick grill with the skin on; it just takes a minute or two longer. The skin will peel right off after cooking.)
When the pan is hot use a hot pad to pull out the pan from the heat and place salmon on hot pan, skin side down. Return to grill. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly depending on thickness (usually about 7 minutes for every inch of thickness). Salmon does not need to be turned. Test with a fork for doneness. It will flake easily when it is cooked. Salmon is best when it is still pink inside.
Mix together salsa ingredients (mint, coriander, spring onion, ginger, tomato, garlic, olive oil, 3 TBS lemon juice, salt, and pepper) in a bowl, and set aside. Serve on top of Quick Broiled salmon.
Serves 4
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Romaine lettuce & Avocado Salad

Healthy Cooking Tips:
To ensure moistness in your salmon start by choosing salmon filets which are from the thickest part of the fish. Because the temperature varies in stoves check your salmon for doneness about 1-2 minutes before you think it will be done. You can do this by sticking the tip of a sharp knife into the filet. The flesh will separate easily and it should look pink in the center. You want to cook it slightly less than how you want to eat it, as it continues to cook after you remove it from the heat. It is important that the pan has had sufficient time to get very hot. This will seal in the moisture. Salmon is best served cooked medium. The flavors of the ingredients of the salsa blend together better if they are chopped fine.

This month’s favourite food:

Salmon

Naturally high in Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids, salmon is a fantastic super food. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon is an excellent source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin B12, and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B6. Salmon has had proven benefits for cardiovascular disease, improving insulin sensitivity therefore great for diabetics, reducing inflammation, protective against cancers, supportive for eyes, and is great for cognitive health due to high levels of EPA and DHA fatty acids.