There has been a huge increase in the popularity of cold therapy; plunges and ice baths. As is usually the case, the popularity goes hand in hand with some health professionals and social media influences claiming it a cure for EVERYBODY after all it can’t hurt… well actually for some people it can…

We often blame a pathogen ie ‘bug - virus or bacteria’ for us being unwell with colds and flu.
Consider that it might not necessarily be the pathogen but our general state of poor health that is the issue and that maybe each year the pathogen usually a ‘virus’ seems 'stronger' because we as a population are actually weaker.

Since having our own chickens, every time I see photos like this I get a little irritated.
The colour of an egg yolk does NOT determine the healthiness of the egg nor the chicken - neither does the shell colour.

People often look shocked when I suggest that white rice is a healthier option than brown rice - and even white (as opposed to bleached) flour therefore white bread and pasta etc...
My usual reasoning in the case of rice is:

An increasing number of people in my life are being diagnosed with cancer.
In nearly every case stressful event/s have preceded the diagnosis.

There are many approaches to supporting gut health. We all want a quick fix, especially when living with uncomfortable symptoms. A lot of people go in all guns blazing, hitting their fragile digestive system with copious amounts of ‘healing’ food and supplements, more often than not this approach tends to do more harm than good. After 2 decades of working in this field, my experience has shown me that a slow, measured approach focusing on inclusion more so than elimination, tends to be more effective and sustainable.

Nearly every day I see examples of just how destructive our current day ‘nutrition wars’ are on our physical, emotional and mental health.
People frozen in confusion and fear in supermarket aisles, farmers markets and their own kitchens as to the ‘right’ food to buy and cook has become a very real thing.
It is completely absurd and completely understandable.
Each way you turn you have someone telling you:
‘eat this’, ‘no don’t eat that, eat this’,
‘that food causes cancer’, ‘actually that food protects you from cancer’,
‘this food has magical superfood powers’, ‘no that superfood is actually toxic’…
Who do you believe?

Once a month we have an interfaith gathering in our local area and ours occurred last night.
The theme was transformation and was centered around the quote 'change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.'
Toward the end of my sharing last night I warned that while transformation can be joyful and bring us much freedom, it can also bring us some pain. Often our changing doesn't sit well with others.

Being a practitioner who looks to food before supplements, it is very common, in my treatment plan following a consultation, for me to suggest including bitter foods and drinks into the diet especially when the complaint is around digestion, or liver related like reproductive and skin issues – that pretty much covers almost everyone these days...

I am constantly in awe at how people generations before us, without all the science, technology and research grants we have today, just knew the most nourishing parts of animals and plants and about food preparation to increase nutrient density and digestibility or decrease toxicity.

So yesterday I got food poisoning. This is a rare occurrence for me. I can count on one hand the times I have had it in my nearly 53 years. I share this ‘news’ with you because it allows me to share with you yet again the importance of optimal digestive health.

Besides the benefits to the health of ourselves, animals and the planet, doing so would help ensure that we continued to have Australian grown food and not be dependent on other countries, especially if SOMETHING should happen that prevented us from importing food...
Well SOMETHING has happened folks!

It’s about being peaceful. It’s noticing when I’ve gone into fear and asking myself how the fear, or whatever uncomfortable feeling I am having, is serving me in this moment and making the choice to replace it with a neutral or more comfortable feeling.