Special Interests Archives - Page 109 of 121

End Summer With A Feast

February 23, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

February may be coming to an end, but there’s still plenty of time to make some magical summer food.

From the veggies you can pick up at a farmer’s market or in a shop ― such as zucchini, eggplant and basil — to the sweet summer fruits and berries that are still hanging around, you’ve still got plenty of options. And of course, the weather’s still warm enough to fire up your barbeque.

Here are some ideas to make before the summer ends. Why not invite your friends over to celebrate summer with the best seasonal food on offer.

Just Google these ideas to find recipes where needed.

If you have basil growing in your garden, try making pesto.

What about making a buttermilk blueberry pie or peach donut cupcakes for dessert?

With Summer vegies you can make zuc- chini pancakes, sweet corn polenta with eggplant sauce, grilled sourdough with herbs, tomatoes and honey drizzle or mac and cheese stuffed fried zucchini, Round it off with that all time favourite strawberries and ice cream or peanut butter and jam ice cream sandwiches.

For your next breakfast try to make fried egg BLT, and for the kids make raspberry and white cherry yogurt pops or pineapple mint popsicles.

Salads are a great summer food to enjoy – what about an avocado, onion and toma- to salad or a lemony roasted potato salad. Be more adventurous and try a grilled egg-

plant and zucchini salad with feta, chickpeas and mint or grilled watermelon salad!

Keen on a burger – try a grilled beef and mushroom burger and fried green toma- toes… While you are busy on the grill, try grilled halloumi and peaches with dukkah.

Last but not least celebrate summer with a colourful fruit salad with all your favourite fruits in it.

Bon Appetit!

Shin Splints

February 23, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

With summer sports winding up and pre- season training for winter sports commencing, it is not surprising that today I saw my first case of shin splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome), for this year.

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) is the medical name for lower leg pain that occurs below the knee on either the front outside part of the leg (anterior shin splints) or the inside of the leg (medial shin splints). MTTS is a common injury seen in many running or jumping based sports for exam- ple, basketball, netball, football or hockey.

Shin splints most commonly occur when repetitive or prolonged activities place strain on where the muscles attach to the outside lining of the bone (tenoperioste- um). Put simply, the cause of MTTS can be summed up in four words: too much too soon. Athletes often first experience shin pain early in the season due to decondi- tioning and when training surfaces are gen- erally harder. Later in the season it can be caused by increased load or fatigue from over training and not allowing enough time for recovery between activities.

If you have shin splints stretch your calf muscles regularly through the day. Another good stretch is to kneel on a carpeted floor with your legs and feet together and toes pointed directly back then slowly sit back onto your heels, pushing your ankles onto the floor until you feel tension in the mus- cles in your shin. Hold for 15 seconds then relax and repeat. When you return to sport, increase your load slowly and avoid run- ning on hills and hard surfaces until your pain goes completely.

“For the fitness of you”

Linda Reilly

Let Your Body Do The Healing

February 16, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

Bowen Therapy works on the theory that the whole body needs treating and not just one part, as all the parts are related.

According to Greg Howell at Forbes Bowen Therapy, treatment usually requires four to five visits to get the body back to its natural state. “It is a process of relaxing the whole body and then letting the body do the healing itself. The healing process involves increasing the circulation in the body and lymphatic drainage, which increases over- all wellness and general good health.”

Greg said the main conditions he treated were people with back, shoulder and neck conditions or damage. In addition, he can also offer treatment if your sleep is affected.

Among the equipment used, is the new ultrasonic machine which breaks up inflam- mation better than a deep tissue massage.

Call for an app

Boost Lunchboxes With A Dash Of Dairy

February 16, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

Packing a healthy lunch that’ll be all gobbled up is a daily challenge. Packing a healthy school lunchbox might be daunting, but the benefits are enormous.

A good diet is essential for growth and development in children, but also for giving them the energy to be kids! A key change for kids at the start of the school year is the transition from holiday play to sitting and concentrating back at school. Fuelling them with the right balance of nutrients will play a part in keeping them energised and focused throughout the day.

So how do you get the right balance of nutrients? Keep it simple by including something from each of the five core food groups: veggies, fruit, meat or meat alternatives, dairy and wholegrains.

Pay special attention to packing enough vegetables and dairy. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that vegetables and dairy foods are the two most underconsumed food groups among Australians.

If you’re worried about adding dairy to the lunchbox in the hot weather, opt for harder cheeses such as cheddar, which keep better and pop a frozen ice pack or flavoured milk in the lunchbox to keep it cool until lunchtime.

Increase The Productivity Of Your Beef Herd

February 9, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

With the establishment of a local Senepol Stud in Central West NSW, producers now have another option in the market place. Southern Star Rural is a Senepol stud based in Canowindra NSW, breeding Senepol, Angus and Charolais composite bulls.

Senepol has produced a tough, adaptable breed of cattle with the ability to thrive under harsh conditions, maintaining fertility and feed efficiency as well as drought and heat resistance, whilst producing an excellent eating quality carcase.

The development of the breed placed high natural selection pressure on structural soundness, hardiness and fertility.

Senepol are best described as being of medium frame – extremes of muscle and bone having been avoided in striking a workable balance of feed efficiency to growth, fertility and calving ease. Senepol offers cross breeders excellent hybrid vigour from a tropically adapted Taurine breed, with a genetic package which has not been subjected to unbalanced single trait selection.

Consider using a Senepol sire this breeding season to ensure maximum hybrid vigour. Call 0439 029 204 for more information.

Jemalong Wool Weekly Market Update

February 9, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

Just over 40,000 bales were put before the trade this week.

Merino fleece saw no massive rises or falls, just steady gains in the finer mi- crons and consolidation in the medium to broader end, as has been the case in recent weeks it was the low CVH finer section of the market which had the greatest rises with some lots recording increases of over 60 cents.

The skirting market was also a solid performer generally adding 30 cents for the week with the finer better style types enjoying the largest gains.

The oddment market was a mixed bag; locks and crutchings generally lost 5 to 10cents,stainswerefirmandlambs were generally 20-40 cents dearer however extreme in some cases, particularly washing lambs which are be- coming very short in supply.

The crossbred section continued to falter recording losses of between 5 and 20 cents.

46,000 to be offered next week. Source: AWEX

All You Need Is Love

February 9, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

We all crave love and companionship in our lives, so why ignore the celebration of love this Valentine’s day on Tuesday, 14th February.

Think back to the beginning of a relation- ship where sparks flew, gazes longed and passion was ignited. What happened you must be thinking? Effort is the answer, and too often people slip into what is easy and comfortable. Make the change this Valentine’s Day and bring the romance back into your life.

Romance is the key to keeping that burning passion alive for one another. Whether it be big or small gestures, just make them count. Be thoughtful in giving and grateful in receiving. Be spontaneous, go on a dar- ing adventure, cook a meal (even if you are a horrible cook), make something special (even if you don’t have a creative bone in you) and most importantly, listen. Listen to not only your loved one’s tedious rants and raves but his or her goals, aspirations, dreams, wants and desires. Get to know one another again, like really get to know each other.

Valentine’s Day is known as the day of roses, chocolates and cards but where did it actually come from and surely there is more to it?

It is believed that Valentine’s Day origi- nated from the ancient Roman fertility festival Lupercalia. During this festival young women would place their names in a large urn, young men then drew a name out and whomever they drew they were now romantically linked to them for the next year.

Another version is that the day originated as a Western Christian liturgical feast day honoring one or more early saints named Valentinus., and is recognised as a significant cultural and commercial celebration in many regions around the world.

According to Wikipedia, the day first became associated with romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards.

Whatever the origin of Valentine’s Day, why not celebrate what all humans crave in life, being loved. Celebrate it, rejoice in it and enjoy it.

Love Quotes for Valentine’s Day

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul, that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire into our hearts and brings peace to our minds.”

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.” – Thomas Merton

“Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench, even if there is plenty of room at both ends.”

“I don’t mind when our conversations get a little boring or when we’re texting and we run out of things to say. I don’t care when we’re hanging out but doing nothing, be- cause just having you is enough to make me happy.”

“I love you every day, not just on Valentine’s Day!”

“All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz

“Before I met you, I never knew what it was like to be able to look at someone and smile for no reason.”

Love Letters Straight From The Heart

February 9, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

Johnny Cash’s note to his wife, June Carter, on her 65th birthday: We get old and get used to each other. We think alike. We read each other’s minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted. But once in awhile, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met.

Zelda Fitzgerald to F Scott Fitzgerald – Autumn 1930: Darling – I love these velvet nights. I’ve never been able to decide … whether I love you most in the eternal classic half-lights where it blends with day or in the full religious fan-fare of midnight or perhaps in the lux of noon. Anyway, I love you most and you ’phoned me just because you phoned me tonight – I walked on those telephone wires for two hours after holding your love like a parasol to balance me.

15 Ways to Keep Cool When It’s Hot

February 2, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn’t just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat- related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The following tips can help you keep cool.

• Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening), or scale down by walking instead or running.

Wear loose-fitting clothing of a light colour.
Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than synthetics.
Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray.
Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.
Store lotions in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.
Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you’re ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you’ll have a supply of cold water with you.
Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.
Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.
Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans.
If you’re wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your
head.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.
Avoid hot foods and try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products. You won’t have to cook next to a hot stove.
If you don’t have air-conditioning, plan to spend parts of the day in a shopping mall, public library, movie theater, or other public space that is cool.
Finally, use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and any- one with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don’t forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses.
(MedicineNet.com)

Keeping New Year’s Resolutions

January 26, 2017 by Maggi Barnard

The new year is a time to kick a bad habit or try something new. Usually resolutions are always the same: quit smoking, lose weight, eat healthier, take less medications… the list goes on. But why is it so hard to continue these resolutions through- out the year?

Support is the key! If you don’t have the support of someone close to you, friends or family member, to hold you accountable and to provide encouragement, many of your resolutions will remain just that.

At Flannery’s Pharmacy, we understand that keeping your resolution can be hard and we want to support you! We can help you feel healthier and happier and turn those resolutions into good habits!

Come in and chat to one of our friendly pharmacists or pharmacy nurse to discuss your personal health goals and to develop a plan for the year. Whether it be a discussion on how to quit smoking, lose weight or just to discuss your medication, we can help you.

To get you started we have made it super easy by having two available days in which we can dedicate our time to complete a free health check and personalise a plan to help you feel healthier and happier!

Our clinic days will be held on Wednesday, 1st February from 10am to 4pm and on Thursday, 16th February from 10am to 4pm. To book in call 6852 1111 or drop in and speak to one of our dedicated team members to discuss your free health plan today.

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