The Dirty Dozen
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The following lists contain the foods with the highest and lowest pesticide and chemical contamination. Avoid conventional produce from the first list and choose organic! The 12 Most Contaminated Foods: - Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach/kale
- Nectarines
- Grapes (imported)
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Pears
The 12 Least Contaminated Foods: - Onions
- Corn (frozen)
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Peas (frozen)
- Mango
- Kiwi Fruit
- Bananas
- Cabbage
- Sweet potatoes
- Watermelon
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As a referral-based practice, if you are happy with the service I provide, I really appreciate you letting you family and friends know about your experience.
Share the gift of health.
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Mama Chia - organic produce
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Mama Chia is about making it easier for Sydneysiders to live a healthy and nourishing life. We provide affordable, 100% certified organic fruit and vegetable shares straight to your door.
We also offer a range of hand-made raw and superfood products that are super delicious and just happen to be gluten, dairy, wheat, and processed sugar free.
Mama Chia's details: mamachia.com.au
Delivering to the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West.
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Hello,
 Winter is certainly here and I have seen so many of you and your children for family immune boosting consultations which is fantastic! Prevention is better than cure and I hope that the knowledge gained in these consultations has really empowered you to feel confident about a healthy Winter. If you have not yet had your Immune Boosting Consultation, please book in today! The Winter Special continues for only $60 per single or $120 per family. Thank you all for 'liking' my Facebook page over the last two months. The Facebook 'fan' winner is Dhara Lette - congratulations - please book in for your complimentary consultation before the end of September 2012. I am running another Facebook competition this month in which the winner will receive a complimentary box of amazing organic produce, home delivered by the fabulous Mama Chia. To share the gift of health and win, simply to go to my Facebook page and write a recommendation on how naturopathy has improved the health of you and/or your family. I look forward to reading your recommendations!
Warmly,
Belinda x
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Introducing Solids - the Healthy Way
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when , what and how?Introducing solids to your baby is an exciting time for many new mummies but there are so many conflicting opinions about when, what and how to start solids. How do you know which is right for you and your baby? There is a current push to introduce highly inflammatory foods from 4 months on however this research is based on allergies and not intolerances, which I find to be far more common.
The digestive systems of babies are immature and only designed to digest the fats and proteins found in breast milk until around the age of 6 months.
The enzyme required to digest starch and grains, called amylase, does not begin to be produced until almost one year of age which is why we consider rice cereal definitely NOT a healthy first food for babies.
To understand more about the healthy introduction of solids, including which foods to introduce and when, please come to my complimentary evening talk:
Monday August 6th at 6.30pm Darling Street Health Centre1/449 Darling Street BALMAINpresented by Belinda Kirkpatrick. This is a great way to introduce your friends and family to the clinic and help them learn more about the health of their babies. Places are limited and bookings are essential so please book at reception or call 9555 8806.
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Is Organic Food Superior?
|  should it be a priority? Organic food allows us to grow and develop without also trying to combat high levels of artificial pesticides, antibiotics and genetically modified produce. These pesticides and chemicals are of special concern during foetal development and childhood, where exposure can lead to long lasting effects.
The volume of chemicals sprayed on foods these days are thousands of times higher than when we were children and some of the long lasting health effects are still unknown. Scary!
A study looking at commercial baby foods found 16 different pesticides, including eight possible cancer promotors, eight that affected brain function and five that disrupted the hormonal system.
- Pesticides that mimic oestrogen are known as endocrine disrupters and are linked to breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, subfertility, PCOS and endometriosis.
- Men with high pesticide levels are more likely to have abnormal sperm and poor sperm counts.
- Women with breast cancer are 6-9 times more likely to have the pesticide DDT in their bloodstream.
- Children exposed to pesticides have shown impaired brain function.
Luckily for us, organic food is becoming much more affordable and available - it is no longer a luxury for the wealthy. Even if only some of your food is organically produced, it will be beneficial to the long term health of you and your family. If not all your produce is organic, it is essential to buy a 'fruit & vegetable wash' and wash your produce well with the wash and also a 'fruit & vegetable cloth', available at most heath food stores. Pesticides are not water soluble so a simple rinse under the tap does not remove the residue. Where to buy? * Supermarkets stock a wide range of organic essentials such as milk, butter, meats, yoghurt, rice and tinned tomatoes. * Certified organic produce delivery services can offer seasonal, fresh and affordable produce. I have been getting weekly deliveries from the amazing Mama Chia (profiled below) and after trying many other services, have been consistently impressed with the quality and quantity of the produce. This month, I will be running a Facebook competition to win an organic produce box from Mama Chia. Simply write a recommendation on how naturopathy has improved your health and wellness. Click here to be taken to the competition! |
| Get To Know: Mama Chia |  interview with mama chia
Names: Monique and Angus Richards, owners of Mama Chia
Why Mama Chia? We decided to start Mama Chia after our son Talis was born with severe excema and allergies. We couldn't find affordable organic produce that we were happy with. We often went to the markets to get our produce but found it took up so much precious weekend time and was super hard to juggle with prams and bags and kids. Plus there just wasn't the variety we wanted.
There are other organic produce services in Sydney - what makes Mama Chia special?
Our produce is 100% certified organic and is fresh every week! Our shares are hand-packed with every fruit and vegetable thoughtfully packed and checked before being put in the boxes.
Because we buy in season and in bulk, our shares are extremely affordable with many of our fruits and veges comparable to non-organic produce you find elsewhere.
We are super passionate about what we do. We don't regard our jobs as jobs but more as a lifestyle that we want to share with lots of other people. That's why we treat all our customers with exceptional respect and service. Lastly, we also cater for people with allergies and intolerances, our fruit and vege shares can be tailored towards their individual needs.
What do you tell people that say organic produce doesn't last?
Simple - try our produce and you most certainly will change your mind! Week after week we get customers commenting on how long their produce lasts, with many commenting it lasts longer than non-organic.
Why are raw food important to include in your daily diet?
Including raw foods into your meals is an awesome way to boost your nutrient intake in a simply and quick way. Because raw foods have not been exposed to heat greater than 45 degrees, they are packed with essential enzymes. Enzymes are responsible for facilitating all metabolic processes in our bodies, including cell rejuvenation, energy maintenance and immune performance.
To find out more about our organic shares and products visit: www.mamachia.com.au
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Butterbean Delight
|  recipe for babies from 8 months plus
This is one of my favourite recipes adapted from Lucy Burney's book, "Optimum Nutrition for Babies and Young Children". I used to make this recipe for my babies and also make extra batches and serve it as a delicious soup for the whole family. Freezes well and is fabulous for baby's immune system. This recipe makes around two servings.
Ingredients:
1 x leek, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
1 small parsnip, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons of tinned, cooked butterbeans (no sugar, no salt)
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
150ml filtered water
Method:
Saute the leek in the coconut oil for a few minutes until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Puree to desired consistency.
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Belinda Kirkpatrick is a qualified Naturopath and mother of two, who specialises in fertility management and women's and children's health and is also experienced in all areas of general practice. She welcomes enquiries from all new patients.
Belinda provides caring, thorough and professional assessments and offers dietary, lifestyle and wellness advice. Treatment approaches may include herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, dietary and lifestyle changes.
Darling Street Health Centre
1/449 Darling St
BALMAIN 2041
9555 8806
Natural Wisdom
220a Glenmore Rd
PADDINGTON 2021
0400 551 622
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