Journal Tag: immune boosting

Introducing Online Immune Support Consults

Fertility Support

Rest assured we are helping maximise health and minimise spread and like you, we are highly aware of reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

We understand that stress is high and we are all feeling alert to our resilience and choices for personal contact, as individuals and as a community.

Rest assured that we are doing everything we can at Fertile Ground to maximise health and minimise the chance of spread.

Whilst we have NOT had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in clinic, we have chosen to lead the way in proactive healthcare by converting ALL NATUROPATHIC AND COUNSELLING APPOINTMENTS to phone / online video appointments from Tuesday 17th March.

The benefit to reducing foot traffic by converting appointments to phone / online not only minimise spread, but also protects those coming into the clinic for physical therapies and our staff and practitioners.  All physical therapy appointments (Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Massage) will remain available at Fertile Ground and we feel you are in as safe an environment as we can possibly make it.

We believe it is so important for us to continue to offer these physical therapies and encourage you to maintain your regular appointments. Our practitioners are vigilant when it comes to managing hygiene and we are doing everything we can (including this step for more phone/online consults) to help minimise the change of spread.

However, please call before coming to Fertile Ground if you have been exposed to someone who has had a diagnosis of COVID-19, if you have been traveling in the last 14 days or if you yourself have any symptoms of the virus as we will ask you to reschedule your appointment. No cancellation fee will apply.

All of our naturopaths are available for 30-minute Immune Support Phone Consultations and we have set up this new appointment type for existing and new patients. You can book online (or call us anytime). Whilst there is yet no TGA approved intervention for COVID-19 specifically, complementary medicine has much to offer in regard to supporting your general health, immune function and wellbeing.

Let’s all get through this together,

Charmaine and the team at Fertile Ground Health Group

Warming Chilli Con Carne

Recipe by Fertile Ground Naturopath, Rhiannon Hardingham. 

This Chilli Con Carne slow cooker recipe is my favourite Winter comfort food. It’s packed with nutritious ingredients and full of what we need to replenish iron, vitamins, fibre and immune boosting nutrients. In this recipe I use Kangaroo mince which is my preferred red meat protein source because it’s high in iron, low in fat and is meat sourced from low intervention farming (naturally grass fed). Along with a generous dose of onion and garlic’s immune boosting qualities, the kidney beans provide fibre and plant protein and all the benefits of the supercharged antioxidant spices of chilli and cinnamon. Add some tasty sides of avocado and yoghurt full of the good fats and calcium and you have yourself a totally nutritious and delicious meal! Enjoy!

400g dry black or kidney beans, soaked over night, or 2 cans of beans
1 tbs olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large chilli chopped, or 1 tsp of chilli flakes, or to taste
2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
1kg of mince, preferably kangaroo
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 bottle of tomato passata
1 fresh cob of corn
salt & pepper to taste

Rinse beans thoroughly, cover generously with water, and bring to the boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat olive oil over moderate heat in a large frypan or pot. Cook for 5 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Add garlic and chilli, and cook for a further minute. Add ground spices and fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add mince and fry until browned and broken up. Add to the slow cooker with cinnamon, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, passata, 1 cup of water and beans (if using canned, don’t add these now), and stir to combine.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5, until beans are cooked through (if using canned beans, add about an hour before serving). Add the corn kernels in the last 10 mins of cooking so they just cook through but remain sweet and juicy. Season to taste.

Serve to share accompanied with fresh coriander, natural yoghurt, fresh salsa, fresh lime, avocado and brown rice, quinoa or corn tortillas (the best tortillas in Melbourne are made in Kensington: www.latortilleria.com.au)

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Rhiannon Hardingham

Rhiannon is an experienced naturopath and nutritionist, with post graduate qualifications in Fertility Education. Specialising in male and female infertility, IVF support and pregnancy care, Rhiannon expertly supports couples and individuals in their successful efforts to overcome fertility challenges. Her care philosophy extends to supporting her patients to achieve healthy and uncomplicated pregnancies and births and healthy, happy infants and children. She particularly enjoys working with single women and same sex couples as they navigate their way through their fertility journey. Optimising male fertility and health is also an area of significant focus in Rhiannon’s practice.