Immune boosting herbs and pecan tart

What’s GREAT at the Market?

Eating fresh produce from the market every week is one vital step towards being healthy and so is taking time out for self care. Then bingo, a coolish cloudy drizzly day arrives as another reminder that we must continue to take care of our immune systems. Good food, exercise, self care and and advice from our market herbalist, Jenny Kenneally are the perfect solution. Jenny can advise us about healing herbs and her husband Al provides great seated massages.   

Jenny advises that if carefully selected, with regard to the root cause of our symptoms and avoiding any interactions with pharmaceuticals that we may be taking, herbal medicines can be safe and effective allies. Our mucous membranes of our ears, nose and throat can protect us from our body’s reactions to viruses, bacteria, moulds and inhaled allergens like pollens. We can secrete extra mucous to flush away toxin and/or mount a temperature to upgrade immunity by calling forth the army, navy and airforce (white blood cells) of our immune system. This can be how our bodies respond when the outside tries to come inside.

 We often use astringent, mucous membrane toning herbs and decongestants to thin mucous and encourage clearance and herbs to dampen allergic responses. And we give thanks to the wonders of Mother Nature’s bounty.
 
Jenny has a couple of products, my Cough Stop and So Long Sniffles formulas that are sought by many at these times and as stress also depletes our immune reserves and diverts energy away from our digestive organs, (Gut-Brain Axis) these times call for my Cup of Calm and Cognitive Cup or Peaky Passenger formula to settle the stomach. 

Jenny qualified as a naturopath in the 90’s and is a retired pharmacist. She loves leaving her clinic to be at the market each Wednesday. Meeting the locals at the market and being able to give advice or explain her formulations is important to her and she enjoys makingpersonalised formulas while you wait to ensure that you have what you need.

 

And now back to food – glorious food …
The recipe for this week is a favourite of mine with a little variation. It was discovered by Jessie McNaught who posted her version on her Instagram @thisfarmerslife. Thanks Jessie. It is a tahini, chocolate, salted caramel pecan pie using a recipe from Loco Love Chocolate. The recipe is below. 

The photo is thanks to Loco Love Chocolate who created and shared this recipe @locolovechocolate - on their Insta page.