A Naturopath and Her Garden

My first echinacea flower from this plant. Can you 👀 the 2 little photo bombers?

I planted this from seed, along with 2 others, in Spring 2020. Echinacea originates from parts of North America where the winters often have snowfalls.

To increase germination rates, it is recommended to place seeds in the fridge for 2-3 months to mimic that natural cold dormant period, and to then plant out in the springtime.

My beautiful basket of Mulberry leaves I harvested today.

The second photo is the before photo, and a result of my reaction from when a decent sized 🕷 ran out of the basket & halfway up my forearm 😬😬

It was a slow process picking up each leaf & shaking it before putting it back in the basket 😆

One of our little garden friends parked himself right outside the back door today, much to everyone's delight.

All the rain has had them singing with delight these past few weeks. Today's warm day though has meant he's spent the day moving from leaf to leaf trying to stay in shade.

L A T E N I G H T B A N A N A H A R V E S T

The bats realised before we did that the bananas had ripened. Thankfully we heard them in the tree outside the lounge window before they damaged the lot, but we still lost about 30.

At least for the next week, everytime the kids say 'I'm hungry' I'll be ready with an answer... 🍌🍌🍌

S A T U R D A Y I N T H E G A R D E N

1. The first of the Coastal Peach almost ripe and ready to eat.

2. Three headed lilium - the first one to flower this season.

3. Bleeding ❤ vine in flower. We've had it for three years & it's really struggled. We moved it three months ago & it is now one happy little vine, flowering for the first time.

4. 'If I can't see you, you can't see me': One of this year's baby Blueys playing hide & seek in the same way toddlers do 😆

5. Striking bromeliad in flower.

6. Natural pest control. Golden Orb spider in the corn patch 🕸

7. The first of the fijoa fruit forming, plus there's a second flush of flowers currently starting.

8. The Stevia almost ready for its second harvest this season.

9. Even weeds hold great beauty if you care to look 🐞

10. Self sown Calendula patch.

E L D E R F L O W E R

I've been watching this flower head bloom over the past week. Yesterday I decided it needed one more day to fully open, and of course today it was windy and a lot of the flowers got blown off.

Thankfully the pumpkin leaves below caught them for me, and I was able to harvest them anyway🙂

Our beautiful Hoya showing off it's spectacular flowers 🥰

What's the safest & most effective pest control in the garden....?

Kids!! 😂

These 2 are exceptional pest hunters, and often come to show me their latest finds.
This haul was achieved in only 20 minutes, at night, with a spotlight each!

They're also a little enterprising with this skill of theirs.

It cost Grandma $2 each.

Pop helps them negotiate their payment based on their haul. In this case, Grandma was clearly very happy with the results!

The first Ginkgo leaves emerging.

It's been a journey with this little tree.

When I first bought it I planted it in a corner on its own, which caused me to neglect watering it, and unsurprisingly it promptly died.

A little while later it made a remarkable return to life, so I moved it to a different space where I would give it better care, which seemingly gave it shock & caused it to die... again.

A few months later it again miraculously started coming back to life, and it was at this point I realised that after 14 years living in SE Qld, I'd forgotten all about deciduous trees 🤦‍♀️😆

Can you name this fruit?

It is sometimes called egg-fruit due to it having a meaty texture similar to that of the yolk of a hard boiled egg.

The flavour though is far different. It has a sweet earthy taste to it. That is, when you first taste it you don't immediately realise it's sweet. You notice the texture first, & then all of a sudden you realise that what you're eating is actually very yummy.

We harvested all the top fruit today with the ladder before the bats realise it's ripe. Most of it was ready for harvesting, the rest will ripen inside. The fruit at the bottom of the tree we left to ripen on the tree as we can keep an eye on that.

The name of the fruit is in the comments to see if you could guess right 😊

Our first bean harvest of the season.

Plus a pak choi that needed saving from the bugs.

Made for a very lovely side dish with dinner tonight.

It's a common scene at the dinner table with young kids...

'I'd like you to eat all of that...'
'Please eat half of that...'
'You need to take a bite...'
'I at least want you to taste it...'

Afraid that it they don't at least taste it the child has won the battle, but ultimately no one is winning anything because everyone leaves the table upset & frustrated.

The approach above is about removing the battle.

Make it fun!

Present all four vegetables in the middle of the table & everyone picks which 3 go on their own plate. Make a fuss about 'I love this vegetable the most', 'oh you're picking my favourite, leave some for me', 'I definitely want carrots tonight because they're good for my eyes', or 'I can't decide, I'm picking all 4!' Light heartedness goes a long way.

& even if they don't eat any of it, it's another exposure to the food that they choose to have. This means they just had a positive experience around that food and they are seeing others at the table modelling positive eating habits with it.

& at the end of the meal, they've still had 2 serves of vegetables, and no ones leaving the table upset & frustrated.

Healthy Fish fingers for school lunch boxes.

I seriously underestimated how much pre-prepared food I'd need in the freezer to get us through the school term - week 6 & we're pretty much out.

These fish fingers are super healthy, & not much time for the amount you get:

1kg firm white fish cut into finger sizes.

Floured, with GF flour.

Orgran easy egg (a pure, happy, accident as I thought I'd grabbed their egg replacer, but it really makes them if you are unable to use real eggs like us)
Approx 2 cups of, mixed with 3 tbs olive oil & enough water to make a thick paste.

Approx 2 cups buckwheat groups, 1 cup quinoa flakes, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds all blended to make the crumb.

Baked at 175°c for 25minutes

It made about 75 fish fingers, which I freeze & put in their lunch boxes frozen at the start of the day as it's still quite warm here in QLD.

It's a common occurrence that at different stages, children will go through various stages of picky eating.

Nightly battles, negative food talk, feeling like you're begging your kids to try new foods, or foods that they liked last week but this week do not... exhausting.

It can be hard to know how to respond or what to do to help kids overcome picky eating.

One of my favourite things to do is to make healthy foods fun.

Playing games helps to take the pressure away from trying new foods, & the attention away from the picky eating behaviour, as this attention can sometimes encourage children to continue behaving in this way.

Don't worry if they don't join you in the game, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to try new foods. In the meantime, you are modelling to them that the food can be enjoyable & fun, & it is one more exposure to that food for the child.

Though they may not be pretty, they sure are effective...

Slippery Elm lozenges.

Slippery elm when referred to medicinally is the inner bark of the slippery elm tree, which is native to North America.

It contains mucilage which coats the throat, making it a perfect ingredient for lozenges to sooth an irritated throat.

Think of that cough you get at the end of a cold - a tickle in the throat that has you coughing as you lie down at night,
but that is unproductive. That is, it's no longer bringing up mucous, it's just disturbing your sleep.

These contain 3 ingredients, take very little time, & are palatable for the kids.

See comments for recipe.

Medicine making today. We thought we'd missed the awful cold that's been going around the Sunshine Coast this past month, but it caught my youngest this week so we're needing to restock.
I've shared it before but I'm sure I'll share it every winter as it's such a fabulous home remedy.

Dubbed 'wild fire', this herbal vinegar is easy to make as the ingredients can all be easily found at your local shops or markets.

It is a great winter warmer as it includes circulatory stimulating herbs such as ginger & chilli, it contains the beautiful anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, & for prevention of those winter germs, features the anti bacterial properties of onion, garlic & thyme.

To make it, place all the ingredients, chopped, into a jar & cover with apple cider vinegar, shaking daily for 4-6 weeks. Super easy!

Some foods to add to a dairy free diet to assist with maintaining a good calcium intake:

🐄 Tinned sardines, bones included
🐮 Fortified milks (rice, almond, oat)
🐄 Tofu
🐮 Spinach (cooked)
🐄 Broccoli
🐮 Collard greens
🐄 Kale
🐮 Chickpeas
🐄 Kidney beans
🐮 Fortified cereals
🐄 Soy beans
🐮 Bok choy
🐄 Edamame
🐮 Papaya
🐄 Dried figs
🐮 Oranges
🐄 Sesame seeds
🐮 Chia seeds
🐄 Almonds

A favourite in our house is Taco Tuesday as it's our afternoon for swimming so we need a quick, easy to prepare meal. We use a mixed bean base with our taco seasoning of chickpeas & canellini beans, & the boys devour them.

A good source of fibre, & approx 100mg Calcium for every 1/2 cup of beans they have.

Introduction post!

👋 Hello!

I'm Chelsea, the Naturopath behind A Naturopath and Her Garden.

I've lived on the beautiful Sunshine Coast for the past 15 years, when my husband & I moved here from Victoria.
We have two boys, 4 & 6, who are a whole lot of fun! I've been incredibly privileged to have been home them for their early years, adventuring & playing in our wonderful backyard, & it is as they start their school & kindergarten adventures this year, that I start my own next big adventure - the opening of my home-based Naturopathic clinic.

I guess the things I love gives a bit of insight into me as a person, so in no particular order.

📓 Reading. Fiction & non fiction, as long as it's a book. An actual, in my hands, book. I have fought against getting a Kindle & will happily lug around a heavy book in my bag, regardless of what it's doing to my posture.

🎵 Music. Live music & festivals especially. Live music was pretty much all we did in our 20's. We didn't give it up when we had kids though, we passed it on, & our boys have been to every since they were born. I am however, as of this past year, an official double J listener (if you know, you know = old! ✋🤦)

🌊 The beach & everything it offers - walks, fishing, exploration & adventures, sandy toes, salty kisses, & mental clarity!

👪 All things family. We're so lucky to have close family, both in distance & relationships. From immediate family, to the extended family, there's a lot of love there 💕

🌻 If you hadn't guessed by the name of my business, gardening! Edibles & medicinal plants in particular. My success is dependent on how often I remember to water... but even in times of sparseness (I'm looking at you Qld summer!) I love it all the same.

If you want to know what I love doing as a Naturopath, click on link in bio on my profile to have a read. 😊

Whenever you have to restrict whole food groups in your child's diet for health reasons, it's important to look at vital nutrients that that food group supplies your child with, as they may no longer be getting an adequate intake of certain nutrients.

Most people are well aware these days that dairy foods are a great source of Calcium, so for those children on a dairy-free diet, it's important to ensure they are eating a variety of Calcium containing food sources to reach their recommended daily intake..

Figs are currently in season & are a good fruit source of Calcium. Delicious to be eaten fresh, they are easy to include in lunchboxes, cut up over cereal, or added to salads. There are multiple ways to add figs to your child's daily diet.

If you have been considering a dairy free diet for your child for health reasons, it is important to talk to a qualified professional to ensure they are meeting their daily nutritional needs. Helping families navigate specialised diets due to allergies & intolerance's is a passion of mine, so if you're needing help to get started, to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition, or for meal ideas, come see me in clinic.

Follow link in bio to book an appointment.

We seem to have had a defective batch of toilet rolls lately.

The last few have been missing their inner cardboard tubes, not a big issue - but they start off fine then halfway through the roll they've pulled tight & no longer roll so you have to unwind it round & round if you want any paper.

I put a new roll on yesterday & noted it had it's tube & thought good, nice that it will be working properly again. Later in the day I went in to help my youngest & he's sitting on the toilet with a tube in his hand. I looked at the roll on the holder... & yep, no tube.

When questioned it turns out it has been a past time of his lately, not a defective batch after all 😆. Oh to understand the inner workings of a 4 y.o.'s mind!

If you ever go to see a Naturopath expect to talk a lot about what goes on in this room. It's a really effective tool in understanding how your digestive system is working, which is a big part of your overall health picture.

On average, 90% of people reach their optimal bone mass by age 18-20, at which point bones have reached their maximum strength & density.

It is for this reason that investing in bone health during the early years is crucial. Bone growth is most active throughout childhood and adolescence, making this the period of time when children need calcium the most. As they grow, children lay down the foundations for healthy bones later in life. The higher the peak bone mass we can develop in childhood the lower the risk of poor bone health later in life.

Making sure we get enough Calcium in our children's daily diet is instrumental to ensuring good bone health for them later in life.

I will be posting more about this important mineral over the coming week, especially how to ensure we get enough Calcium for our kids who are not able to consume dairy.

Make sure you follow my page to learn more.

Does your family have specific dietary requirements that leave you feeling overwhelmed & cooking numerous meals?

Are you unsure where to start on your new way of eating, or struggling to find recipes that appeal?

Do you start off strong on your dietary changes, only to quickly revert back to your old ways of eating?

It can be overwhelming & stressful when trying to implement new dietary changes, which is why I offer a meal planning service to help support you through these changes, to ensure you are able to be consistent with your individual dietary needs.

The benefits of meal planning can help you and your family in may ways. When you plan your meals, you can

🍎 Avoid food choices that are not healthy for you
🍎 Improve your nutrition
🍎 Stick to a healthy eating plan
🍎 Save time by planning ahead
🍎 Consume more nutrients
🍎 Reduce food wastage
🍎 Save $ on your grocery bill

I offer 7 day or 14 day meal plans, individually tailored to your needs. All meal plans come with a complete shopping list, illustrated recipes, & macro & micro nutrient breakdown. Plans are priced at $75 for 7 day plans and $140 for 14 day plans, however as a way of celebrating being
🥳OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS 🎉
I am offering 20% off for the first 5 people. That's
$60 for a 7 day meal plan
$112 for a 14 day meal plan

If you would like an individualised meal plan to help support you, please message me for details. The first 5 people will receive the discount on their choice of plan.

Cutting out food you or your child are sensitive to is an obvious solution to symptom management.

But that might be all that you are doing, managing symptoms... not addressing the actual cause.
It's important to ask WHY there's a reaction to that food, because without understanding why, than chances are you'll end up with more foods on the sensitivity list as the reactive state continues.

'Leaky gut' occurs when the healthy gut lining is compromised. A highly processed diet, alcohol, stress, poor digestive habits, and excessive antibiotic use are just some causes that can contribute to damaging the digestive microbiome, leading to food sensitivity.

If you are needing help to find the underlying cause/s & to work out ways to properly address them so that you can find your way back to food freedom, then come see me in Clinic.

Head to my profile & click on the Book Now to book an appointment.

Our first mango of the season.

There was excited calls from the front garden when my youngest found it dropped on the path this morning.

Now we just have to wait for Dad to get home from work...

4 hours & counting!

H O W I L O V E T H E G A R D E N

I love it for me, for the grounding & relaxing it serves me with, & I love it for my family: for the home-grown fruit & vegetables, & for the herbs always at hand for their health needs.

It was for all of this that I desired to bring it into my business space.

There seems to be this lovely shift happening where people are wanting to reconnect with nature & it's health benefits, & to grow herbs in the garden is a fabulous way to embrace that shift. The knowledge of where to start, what to grow & how to use these herbs is something that I will be encouraging & showing you how to do. It is truly an empowering feeling to be able to walk into your garden & create your own home remedy when an ailment appears.

The garden is also a great way to encourage children to try new fruits & vegetables. Working with families who have specialised diets as a result of allergy & intolerance often means that they are limited by what foods they can eat, & ensuring they have a good variety is important for their children’s development. Growing their own food really helps to get children enthusiastic about trying vegetables they may not be crazy about trying otherwise, & I will be sharing simple ideas of how to get them into the garden & growing all types of wonderful foods.

I T ' S E X C I T I N G !

Well, I certainly am anyway 🥳

& while it might be asking too much for you to be excited about it too, what I do hope is that you find it interesting, insightful & inspiring.

A Naturopath and Her Garden is the name of my home-based Naturopathic clinic from which I will conduct my one-on-one consults.

But there will also be other elements to it that I look forward to introducing you to over the next few weeks: informative resources, eBooks, workshops, & of course...

The Garden! 🌿

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R !

May it be far easier then 2020.

2021 is a year of big changes for our house, one of which is incredibly exiting & I'm so happy to be sharing: the opening of my home-based Naturopathic Clinic on the Sunshine Coast.

My passion is assisting with intolerance & allergies, digestive issues & immune health, particularly relating to children’s health & the support families require as they navigate their way through the changes that are needed for their children's health journey.

As an avid gardener it seemed incredibly fitting to have the garden play a part in my business. I love using herbs for my families health, I love showing people how they can use herbs at home, and there's nothing like growing your own food to encourage your children to get excited about trying new vegetables.

I'm looking forward to sharing with you interesting articles on health conditions, benefits of nutrients and how they relate to your health picture, yummy recipes that are also healthy, home herbal remedies, and a whole lot more magnificence aimed at informing & empowering you.

Clinic Opening February!