Even without the threat of the Coronavirus, it's that time of year when many of us are either in the midst of illness or languishing in its aftermath.  Body aches, low energy levels, reduced appetite and a heavy head are just some of the symptoms people experience post-illness.  Whether it is a serious illness that involved harsh treatment or a viral attack such as the common cold and flu, nutrition plays a crucial role in your recovery.  Poor nutrition during the recovery stage may hinder the repair and rejuvenation of the body and makes healing process a long, arduous road.  Obviously, patients' needs differ greatly depending on age, the illness and treatment involved but there are some fundamental tips that apply to most of us during any convalescence.  The aim of convalescent nutrition is to maximize nutrient-rich eating with minimum digestive effort.  Most of our immune activity is secreted from intestinal linings, yet the digestive tract can take on the burden from any attack.  Also, treatments such as antibiotics, steroids, chemotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs can disrupt normal intestinal function.  Therefore, it is important to keep food light, nutritious and easy to digest and make sure it offers an optimum supply of calories and nutrients for recovery and repair.
 
Avoid warmed-up leftovers and pre-cooked frozen meals as these are less nutritious and carry a greater risk of bacterial contamination - the convalescents’ immunity is already impaired and they may not ward off another infection as efficiently as a healthy person.  Red meat, fried or fatty foods are also a no-no.  They are difficult to digest and use up vital energy to process through the digestive system - energy that would otherwise be available to the repair process.  Sugar, sugary drinks and snacks are also off the menu during illness and recovery.  Just a teaspoon of sugar can suppress immune activity by 50% for up to four hours after ingestion. Sugar interferes with the transport of vitamin C into cells - possibly the most important nutrient in all aspects of immunity.  Sugar reduces the production of protective antibodies.  Sugar causes mineral imbalances and neutralizes the action of essential fatty acids making our cells more vulnerable to attack from viruses, bacteria and other invaders.  You will not be doing any favours by placing fizzy drinks and hard boiled sweets at any patient’s bedside locker!
 
Best foods for recovery are made from fresh produce - fruit, vegetables and some wholegrains.  Protein, necessary for rebuilding and repair of cells is best sourced from white fish, organic poultry and vegetables, beans and legumes.  Red meat and pork products are not recommended as part of a recovery diet.  However, bones from organic beef, chicken or lamb offer great support through minerals and can add extra nutrients and flavour to broths, soups and vegetable dishes.  If you feel that you require extra protein during this time use energy-rich digestible whey protein powder or  protein powder to increase protein intake.  These powders can be added to cereal, smoothies, juices and soups and boost B vitamins and protein when appetite is low. Another valuable source of B vitamins include yeast extracts available in health food shops and some supermarkets. These can be added to warm drinks or soups with added chilli, ginger and garlic for extra oomph! Our bodies use up a great amount of B vitamins during stress and illness. We do not store B- vitamins so need replenishment daily for energy, immunity and recovery.  Meeting this demand may be tough when you are ill or recovering which may warrant a boost through Vitamin B-rich foods, supplements and/or reputable yeast extracts.
 
Wholegrains offer the best plant-based supply of B vitamins especially buckwheat, oats, brown rice, amaranth and quinoa.  During illness and recovery these grains are best soaked for 24-48 hours before cooking. No single food has all B vitamins in rich supply so eating a variety of grains and vegetables will help to ensure a good supply.
 
Vitamin C foods are also a must during and to prevent illness. Raw, fresh fruit offer a good supply – choose thick-skinned raw fruits like oranges, lemons, pineapple and melon as they are protected from bacteria and viruses by their skin. Lightly steamed green vegetables also provide vitamin C.  Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha are among the most nutritious and digestible foods available and are a natural source of good bacteria (probiotics) essential for immune function.
 
Useful supplements to use during recovery include B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc and good quality probiotics.  Warm drinks as herbal teas - echinacea, fenugreek, ginger, tulsi (holy basil), chamomile, thyme and green tea are all good tonics for recovery.  Medicinal mushrooms such as Chaga, Cordyceps, Shiitake and Reishi may be new to us but are used as immune tonics in Eastern Europe and Asia.
 
Finally, meals are best served small and appealing to the eye to encourage appetite during an illness.  In Victorian times, a patient's meal was beautifully presented on dainty crockery along with a posy of flowers.  Psychologically, most of us respond well from feeling loved and cared for during illness, particularly young children and the elderly.  If you are caring for someone who is sick, be sure to keep them company while he/she eats.  It is often difficult to dine alone, but particularly so when you are not feeling well. Being ill can take its toll on both mental and physical health - but good food, good company and a good giggle may well be the best medicine of all!
Researched & written by Irene Ní Fhlannúra - published in West & Mid Kerry Live, issue 275, Jan 2020

We are delighted to welcome Howard Minton, Reiki Master and Intuitive to Ré Nua on Thursday 19th March 2020
12pm to 8pm
Private consultations Available


Aura Readings and Photo €40
Receive an extraordinary and beautiful full colour Aura Photo which reveals information about how you are functioning in your mental, physical spritual and emotional life.  It simply aids self-awareness and gives a deeper insight into yourself.  Everything from physical health to mental, emotiona and spiritual states show throughout the colours of aura.
Appointments take 30mins and price includes colour photo of your Aura, explanations and channeled message!

Soul Contract Numerology Reading €40
Would you like to be empowered by having an accurate, in depth, channeled spiritual numerology reading that will empower you by decoding the secretes of the blueprint of your life that are hidden within your birth name?  Would you like to understand and work through your challenges?  Express your strengths?  Manifest your dreams?  Connect with your life purpose?
Allow 30mins for Soul Contract Readings.

Bookings can be made by email directly to Howard howardminton.tmw@gmail.com
or through the clinic mobile number (Irene)  0861662562

​Ayurvedic Yoga Massage (AYM) is a unique bodywork system that combines deep tissue Ayurvedic Massage with assisted yoga stretches and coordinated breath work.
The session is performed on a heated mat on the floor, so that a full range of stretches can be developed. The deep tissue massage assists in dissolving tension in the muscles and soft tissues, while the stretches help to correct postural imbalances and restore harmony by stimulating the natural flow of energy in the body.

AYM was developed by Master Kusum Modak of Pune, India. She combined her practice of traditional Ayurvedic Massage with Iyengar Yoga learned directly from BKS Iyengar himself.
​
Lisa Magill was introduced to AYM in India in 1998. She completed her AYM training in April 2000 and since then has worked with AYM in India, Brazil, New Mexico, Italy and Ireland. Lisa returned to Maharastra, India in December 2018 to further develop her knowledge and practice of AYM under the guidance of Bodhigita (Senior Teacher) and Kusum Modak.

​This comprehensive and holistic practice of massage:

• Releases physical tension and emotional blockages
• Promotes correct posture
• Improves breathing patterns
• Enhances energy levels

We are delighted to offer you an All-in-One gift voucher in time for the Christmas and on-going for other special occasions!  The beauty of this voucher is that it can be redeemed against a variety of therapies, classes and services at our clinic!  So far, participating services, events and therapists are listed below and I will update as events are planned and more practitioners get involved!  You can redeem the voucher for any upcoming or future Ré Nua events, so keep an eye on the calendar!

 Use your Gift Voucher for any of the following Practitioners
Irene Ní Fhlannúra, Nutritional Therapy Nutrition with Irene
Eddie O' Grady, Physical Therapy www.physiotherapiststralee.ie/dingle/
Lisa Magill, Ayurvedic Massage/Yoga Massage 087 3218235
Elena Danaan, Celtic Journeys and Harmony Sound Bath  Weekly Classes
www.facebook.com/pg/Druidess-Celtic-Celebrant-Elena-Danaan-612252052553218/events/?ref=page_internal
Clodagh Fitzgerald, Cogar Counselling 085 2635389
Fiona Crinnion, Massage Treatments, Oncology Massage, Spa and Beauty Treatments www.fionacrinnion.com/
Rooted Soul Yoga Classes with Oonagh O'Sullivan www.facebook.com/RootedSoulLife/  Our Blog
https://www.renuanaturalhealth.com/our-blog/yogaclassesindingle6898289
And for any of the events from our events page, click below!  We wil update as events are added to our calendar so keep an eye out!

​​Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease, which literally means “porous bone” whereby the density and quality of bone are diminished. As bones become more porous and fragile, the risk of fracture is greatly increased. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively often with no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Osteoporosis is now diagnosed at earlier ages and its precursor Osteopenia seen in young adults in their twenties and thirties. Approximately one out of three women over 50 will have a fracture due to osteoporosis as will one out of five men over 50. Although genetic factors largely determine the size and density of your bones, lifestyle, nutrition, regular exercise, and avoiding smoking and excess alcohol also play a key role. 
 
At every stage of life, a nutritious, broad diet promotes strong, healthy bones. This includes eating enough calories to sustain your frame throughout your life, moderate protein intake, healthy fat, as well as vitamins D and K and minerals - calcium, magnesium, zinc and boron. In childhood and adolescence, proper nutrition helps to build peak bone mass (maximum bone density, attained in the early 20's) thereby reducing vulnerability to osteoporosis later in life. This is not to say that there are not measures available to older adults but puberty is the optimum time in our lives to build great bones! Restrictive diets, fizzy drinks, caffeine and junk food, most associated with the teenage years, are a recipe for poor bone strength and inhibit the absorption of bone building nutrients at this critical time of growth. 
 
Most of the nutrients needed for bone strength are dependent on healthy fats to aid their absorption and assimilation into the body.  A diet that includes nuts, seeds, oily fish, olives, avocado and good quality oils helps build and preserve bone integrity. For those who have had a fracture, it aids recovery and reduces the risk of having another fracture.
 
Dietary factors that contribute to Osteoporosis include low calcium intake, excess sodium and phosphorous (found in fizzy drinks), high protein diets and trace mineral deficiencies.  High protein diets strongly encouraged for weight-loss and body building need to be reviewed to ensure the long-term health of our skeletal frame is not compromised by the short-term gains of these type of diets.
 
There is inconsistent evidence that the pH of body fluids plays a role in mineral loss from our bones. It has been said that bone loss as well as other diseases, occurs when the body is too acidic, mainly from eating too much meat, dairy, processed foods and refined sugars.  While the debate rages on, it is worthwhile to note the words of one great physiologist Homer W Smith who wrote ‘It is no exaggeration to say that the composition of the body fluids is determined not by what the mouth takes in but by what the kidneys keep: they are the master chemists of our internal environment. When, among other duties, they excrete the ashes of our body fires, or remove from the blood the infinite variety of foreign substances that are constantly absorbed from our indiscriminate gastrointestinal tracts, these excretory operations are incidental to the major task of keeping our internal environment in an ideal, balanced state.’ (From Fish to Philosopher, 1953). His theory ties in with ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that connects bone health to kidney health.  Although he does not allude to TCM in any of his research, it is interesting that this and much more recent research demonstrates that nutrients which support the smooth running of our kidneys are the same nutrients that promote bone strength.  And conversely, foods that are taxing on the kidneys are associated with increased risk of bone disease.
Sea vegetables, tofu, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, kale, sprouts, sesame and pumpkin seeds provide more nutrients for bone health than any other natural wholefood.  Not only are they rich in calcium, they also provide, boron, magnesium and vitamin K.  Our bones are made up of minerals we get directly from land and sea plants – or indirectly from the animal products we eat that feed on the same. It makes sense that these are more easily derived straight from the source rather eating our way through the animal kingdom in order to get a good supply. It is worth mentioning that bone broth made from the long-simmering of animal/fish bones in liquid, provides an easily assimilated mineral-rich supply, as the minerals from the boiling bones are leached into the water over time. Other nutrients include collagen, vitamin C and omega 3, which allows for allows for flexibility and elasticity to be maintained in bone tissue.  It is easier to break a dried-out, rigid stick than one that can bend and flex when pressure is applied.
 
Don’t forget your Vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium and involved in many functions associated with bone health. Routine testing and appropriate supplementation are necessary at all stages of life, whether you are building bone, maintaining bone or re-building bone again.  As Halloween draws near, all these happy smiley skeletons with their intact bones can be a reminder to take care of our own skeleton by enjoying a (mainly) plant-based diet and regular outdoor exercise for enduring, strong bones and the greater quality of life that comes with them.

It appears that dieting is a modern phenomenon and that every year a new craze hits our world, claiming to be the one and only route to losing weight.  Indeed, with modern technology, news spreads fast and the accessibility to diet information is at everyone’s fingertips.  However, long before recent developments in the diet industry, people were trying out different diet tricks to help squeeze into corsets and increase their “attraction factor” for hundreds of years.  The early 1900’s saw a definite upturn for dieting in terms of a controlled eating regime, as people prospered and nutrition improved.  The fashion of the 1920’s and Hollywood icons with slim boy-like figures sent many a curvy lady into a bit of a spin. Every decade since then right up to today has been marked by some crazy or scary fad diet yet has consistently failed to tackle the real cause of weight gain or offer a sustainable route back to good health. 
 
The diet industry, the business of selling plans, pills and promises, didn’t really take off until processed foods began to come to the fore in the 1960’s.  Not surprisingly, the major players in the food processing industry also became the major players in the dieting industry, in particular with Weight Watchers/Heinz and Nestlé/Lean Cuisine. The correlation between processed foods and the rise in obesity is as plain as daylight, yet many diet programmes are based on eating even more processed foods, meal replacers, fat binding pills or restricting food groups altogether.  All in all, it is a confusing and distorted business that has profited hugely from our failures to maintain a healthy weight. 
 
As Ireland tops the tubby polls, we really need to come up with something different because despite all our low fat, low carb, fasting, liquids and cabbage soup diets we are fatter than ever!  Celebrity-led fashionable dieting continues to distort our relationship with food and its function as a means to supply energy, nutrients, vitamins and minerals to maintain health and sustain life.  For a weight loss diet to be truly successful you would only have to do it one time. The idea that people return to weight loss programmes time and time again is evident of their fundamental failure to deliver a sustainable way of eating to maintain a healthy weight. 
 
It is from this worrying perspective, much research, cooking and eating that I would like to direct you back to the table and offer something new, well, old really!
 
FITFOOD Autumn Winter is an eight-week Health and Weight Loss Programme, based on easily sourced ingredients with a seasonal flair!  Even though this programme spans eight weeks our goal is lifelong! During the programme, participants will learn all the skills required to choose, plan, prepare and eat food as Nature intended with ease.  Losing weight is part of the plan to greater health, energy and wellbeing. 
 
Yes, we will monitor fat percentages and track fat loss in terms of kilos and pounds, but we also tackle the reasons for excess fat storage so that no matter how much or little you need to lose, you will clearly understand the whys and see the path to reaching your goals.
 
Real success, not only comes from hitting your personal goals, but in maintaining them long-term!  This does not happen with fad dieting as we lose interest faster than we lose weight, returning to bad habits and ultimately putting on more weight.  Adapting to a healthier, balanced approach to your everyday meals means that food is exciting, appealing, ever changing with the seasons and nourishes the whole body in more ways than one.  Success also comes from support, from your group, friends and family as this is not a diet to be endured alone but a celebration of good food in great company.
 
Losing weight need not be a losing battle when you shift the goal away from the scales and onto your plate! 
 
FITFOOD AUTUMN WINTER is available from October 8th  
Suitable for individuals, friends, groups or workmates  Click below to check out the programme, what's involved and cost!

​TUESDAY MORNINGS  (starting 19th November)
7.00am to 8.15am   Rise and Shine Flow
A quick burst of energy to start your day!  45 mins of breath work, Kyria, Asana, Laya and Chi movement, linked with the Vinyasa flows to activate our mental, energetic and physical bodies and set a positive mindset for the day ahead
9.30am to 10.40am   Welcoming Vitality Flow
A grounded yet vibrant practice which allows us to arrive into radical presence to carry throughout the day. 70 mins of holistic practice which includes Meditation, Breathwork, Kriya, Himalayan Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya, Chi & Freedom Movements linked with Vinyasa Flow which allows us to penetrate all layers of our beings to ignite inner radiance and vitality to carry us through our day.

€12 drop in. €65 for a block of 6 classes.
To book/info CALL/TEXT Oonagh 086 2666466

About Oonagh
Rooted Soul Yoga and Holistic Wellness was founded by Oonagh O’Sullivan as she rooted back into her birthplace of Co. Kerry, on the Wild West Coast of Ireland after having spent more than six years studying, travelling, and experiencing the wonders this beautiful world has to offer. She holds a BSc in Psychology, a Diploma in Principles of Art Therapy and is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Just before her return back to Ireland, Oonagh spent 9 months living in the foothills of the Himalayas in India, studying and teaching Yoga, Meditation, Sound Healing, and many other Sacred Practices of the Vedantic and Tantric traditions. Oonagh aims to combine her training in Western Psychology with Yogic Philosophy and Practice to facilitate authentic healing and empowerment.

When not on the yoga mat or meditation cushion, you may find Oonagh consciously connecting with the Divine anywhere in nature, wandering barefoot as the soles of her feet connect with the Soul of Mother Earth, praying in the form of wild, hypnotic dance, laughing from her womb uncontrollably, making art with anything she can get her hands on, as well as through words and sound, or nourishing her body with amazingly delicious plant-based delights.

As we move from Summer to Autumn, it is a good time to give yourself a health check to make sure you are prepared for the longer, darker days ahead.  Keep the joy of Summer with you as you move through the season through gentle reflections, movement, seasonal eating and mindfulness.  We have workshops and classes coming up that will guide you and allow you the space to explore the possibilities.

Join us for a wonderful weekend to explore the technique and benefits of Qi Gong.  This gentle art will focus on breath and movement, in harmony, to bring about a whole body sense of wellness and calm.

You can indulge in the full weekend programme and come away with a good understanding and skill level in Qi GOng.  Or you can choose a class of your choice!
Lunch in available on Saturday 31st August at a group rate, exclusive to participants of the Qi Gong weekend at €15 pp.

All classes are available to book individually at €25 per class.  Full weekend pass is €80 (save €20).  Lunch at Thyme Out, Dingle €15
All options available online Qi Gong Weekend or call Maria 087 7953589