Health Naturally - Every Monday at 7.00pm

“Hello folks. I am Tasch Van Zyl , thank you for joining me on the exciting new programme on Radio Wey, Health Naturally – the show that looks at what Complementary Medicine can do for YOU! We will update you with the latest recipes and content on a regular basis . . .

If you would like further information or wish to discuss a course of treatment, please do not hesitate to contact me on (+44) 07961061965.

About Tasch . . . .

I am the Managing Director of TaschMar Holistic Health, which was founded during 1993, in South Africa. I have extensive experience within the field of Complementary Therapies and Alternative Medicine and have been privileged to work alongside the leading pioneers within the field - Dr. Alfred Vogel and Dr. Jan de Vries (Bioforce International); Professor Jayney Goddard; Dr. Danny Pillay; Dr. Martin Vorster and Margaret Roberts.

I am registered with the Complementary Medical Association, Independent Professional Therapists International and the Institute for Learning.

Natascha Van Zyl

MCMA MIPTI SAIRS SACHM MIFL

Complementary Medicine Consultant  

[TEL] 07961-061965

[MAIL] info@taschmarholistichealth.co.uk

[WEB] www.taschmarholistichealth.co.uk

HALE CLINIC: 0207 631 0156

LATEST RECIPES . . . .

Young Love perfume

Another light, fresh blend which is very soothing and calming. It is a great perfume to wear when you are feeling anxious or insecure.

Ingredients:

6 drops Cedarwood essential oil

2 drops Orange essential oil

3 drops Neroli essential oil

5 drops Lavender essential oil

40 ml (1.3fl oz) surgical spirit or vodka

40 ml (1.3fl oz) Rose water or Orange Blossom water

Arthritic Joints Aromatherapy

Recipe Ingredients:

60 ml (2fl oz) Sweet Almond carrier oil

20 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil

5 drops Black Pepper essential oil

Directions: Mix well, all the oils together and store in an airtight dark-coloured glass container. Gently massage onto arthritic joints using a small amount of oil

Herbal body scrub

50 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

50 g fresh eucalyptus leaves, finely chopped

50 g fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Peel of 2 lemons

300 ml olive oil

400 g sea salt (fine-grained)

4 tsp vitamin C powder

Extra eucalyptus leaves and slices of lemon peel, to decorate

1. Place the chopped herbs, black pepper and lemon peel in a pan, then add the olive oil. Place on a medium heat and stir, then leave for 2 minutes with the lid on. Place the paste in a piece of muslin over a sieve and squeeze out all the oil into a bowl below.

2. Mix the sea salt and vitamin C powder in a bowl. Add most of the oil (reserving a little to seal the jar) and stir well. Place the mixture in a sterilized Kilner jar and press down well. Decorate the top with a few eucalyptus leaves and slices of lemon rind. Pour a layer of the remaining oil on top of the salt scrub to keep it airtight.

USE: Apply to wet skin in the bath or shower, when needed. Scrub, then rinse off well with warm water.

STORAGE: Keeps for 6 months, or 1 year in the refrigerator.

Valerian hot chocolate for anxiety

Makes 3 cups:

3 tbsp fresh valerian root

3 tbsp fresh lemon balm leaves

3 tsp fresh lavender flowers

6 leaves and 3 heads from fresh passion flowers

Peel of 1 1/2 oranges

900 ml full-fat milk

50 g dark chocolate (minimum 50% cocoa solids)

Dash of vanilla extract

1. Chop the top and bottom from the fresh valerian root. Add the valerian, lemon balm, lavender, passion flowers, orange peel, and milk to a pan and gently heat for 5-10 minutes. Strain.

2. Pour the infused milk back into the pan, then add the dark chocolate and vanilla extract and stir until melted. Drink at once.

USE: You can drink up to 3 cups a day for 2 weeks at a time.

NB. Valerian can cause drowsiness so check with your doctor if you're taking anti-depressants or sleeping pills.

Lemon balm lip salve for cold sores

21 tbsp (approx. 50 g) fresh lemon balm leaves

3 tbsp wheatgerm oil

115 ml olive oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp beeswax

5 drops tea tree oil

1. Wash and strip the lemon balm leaves and chop finely. In a pan over a slow heat, stir and crush one third of the lemon balm leaves with the wheatgerm and olive oil for 10 minutes, or until it starts to bubble. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

2. Strain the oil through a muslin-lined sieve or colander into a bowl, squeezing the leaves to get out all remaining juice. Throw away the squeezed leaves.

3. Repeat this process twice more with the remaining 2 batches of lemon balm leaves, using the same oil.

4. Place the oil in the pan on a gentle heat and add the honey and beeswax. Stir until melted, then take off the heat and stir in the tea tree oil.

5. Pour the salve into small sterilized jars, where it will set solid within 10 minutes.

USE: Apply to cold sores whenever needed.

STORAGE Keeps for up to 1 year.

Plantain cream for bites and stings

4 tbsp fresh chopped plantain leaves

150 ml boiling water

2 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil

2 tbsp almond oil

1 tsp beeswax

2 tsp emulsifying wax

2 tsp glycerine

1 tsp vitamin C powder

1. Wash and chop the plantain leaves. Divide into two - put one half in a bowl and the other half in a pan. Cover the plantain in the bowl with the water and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

2. In the pan, add the olive (or sunflower) and almond oils to the plantain and heat gently to simmering point. Don't allow to boil - if it starts boiling, take off the heat immediately. Once at simmering point, remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes to cool.

3. Drain the infusion, taking out the plantain leaves. Set the liquid to one side.

4. Drain the infused oil into another pan, extracting the plantain leaves. Heat the oil again. Add the beeswax and emulsifying wax and melt, stirring - you are aiming for a foamy consistency.

5. Add 16 tbsp infused water to the pan and whisk to achieve a consistency like salad dressing. Add the glycerine and vitamin C powder.

6. Pour into sterilized glass pots and seal.

USE: Apply to affected area as often as needed.

STORAGE: Keeps for 3 months in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Pine deodorant

1/2 tsp pine resin

250 ml vodka (or just enough to cover the ingredients)

rind of 2 lemons, finely chopped

rind of 2 oranges, finely chopped

10 fresh bay leaves, finely chopped

3 tbsp fresh pine needles, finely chopped

3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp glycerine

100 ml orange blossom water

1. Crush the pine resin in a pestle and mortar until you have a very fine powder. Pour over 1 tbsp of vodka and stir to dissolve. The mixture should form a thin paste. Add the chopped lemon and orange rind to the mortar and stir with a spoon to remove the last traces of sticky resin from the sides.

2. Place the resin mixture along with the bay leaves, pine needles and thyme in a Kilner jar. Add enough vodka to cover, then seal and leave in a dark place for 2 weeks to 1 month.

3. When ready, strain off the herbs through a muslin-lined sieve into a jug, and stir in the glycerine and orange blossom water. Pour into a 100 ml glass spray bottle.

USE: Do a 24-hour test on a small patch of skin before using. Shake well and apply every morning to underarms, feet, etc.

STORAGE: Keeps for up to 1 year in a cool,dry place.

Ginkgo tea for memory

2 tsp dried/5 fresh ginkgo leaves per cup

1 drinking cup freshly boiled water

1.Add the ginkgo leaves to the cup of freshly boiled water and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, and drink immediately.

USE: Drink this tea once or twice a day.

Gingko disclaimer:

Ginkgo is not recommended if you're on any other medication, you are pregnant or breast feeding.

Marigold gel for acne

10 rose geranium flowers, with leaves and stems

8 marigold (Calendula officinalis) flowers

20 lavender flowerheads

200 ml water

1 sachet vegetable gelatine

5 tsp vodka

20 drops tea tree oil

1. Roughly chop the flowers, leaves and stems of the rose geranium and place with the marigold flowers and lavender flowerheads in a large glass bowl.

2. Bring the water to the boil and pour it over the flowers to make an infusion. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes, or until the water has taken on the colour of the flowers. Place the infusion, including the plant material, into a blender and whiz. Strain the mixture through a piece of muslin into a clean bowl.

3. Now, in another bowl, dissolve the gelatine in 2 tbsp cold water. Gradually add the flower infusion, stirring to separate lumps. Add the vodka and tea tree oil, stirring until a gel is formed. Using a funnel, pour into a pot with a pump dispenser.

USE: Apply to affected areas 2 times a day, or as frequently as needed.

STORAGE: Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Elderflower throat lozenges

10-15 fresh elderflower heads

12 eucalyptus leaves

2 tbsp linseed

3 tsp dried elderberries

1 cup Gum Arabic

2 cups icing Sugar

4 cups hot water

1. Firstly, put about 10-15 elderflower heads into 3 cups of freshly boiled water to create a basic infusion. Add 2 tbsp of linseed and 12 eucalyptus leaves and leave for about an hour. It's ready when the pure watery liquid starts to have a similar consistency to egg white.

2. Whilst it's infusing, use a pestle and mortar to break up a cup of Gum Arabic into the smallest pieces you can - this is so it dissolves as easily as possible. Into that add 3 tsp of dried elderberries and crush.

3. Next, add the Gum Arabic mixture into a cup of hot water. Stir using a spoon until the granules of gum have turned into a thick, treacly jam-like consistency.

4. Strain the infusion, and add a cup and a half of it to the Gum Arabic mixture. Next, add 2 cups of icing sugar and mix; the sugar acts as a preservative and gives it body.

5. Place it on a low heat and stir continuously for about half an hour until it gets to a really thick, syrup-like consistency and starts to come away from the sides of the pan. You can also test by pouring it with the spoon and touching it; if it doesn't stick to your finger it's ready, but do be careful as it could be hot.

6. Finally pour onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and leave to set. When it's hard it's just a case of bashing it until you get the right size pieces!

STORAGE: Coat the lozenges with icing sugar to stop them sticking together, and to take out some of the moisture.

VARIATION: If you want to make a cough syrup instead of lozenges, just add half the amount of sugar.

Hops pillow for insomnia

For a pillow about 32 x 23 cm:

4 handfuls dried hops flowers

4 handfuls dried lavender flowers

1.1. To dry the hops and lavender yourself, tie them in bunches and hang upside down in a well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight for 2 weeks. Alternatively, place in a low oven (about 100C) for 30 minutes or so until dry and crispy. Strip the flowers off the larger or harder stalks.

2.2. Put equal handfuls of dried hops and lavender flowers into a cotton pillowcase, and seal the end.

USE: Place the pillow under or beside your head to induce sleep.

Lavender bath bomb

5-6 fresh lavender sprigs

1 tbsp citric acid powder

3 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

10 drops lavender essential oil

1 tsp plant-based oil (vegetable or almond oil)

1.1. Heat the oven to 180C. Once it has reached that temperature, turn it off and place the lavender, hanging upside down, in the oven to dry for about 2 hours. When dry, remove the flowers from the stalks and set aside.

2.2. For the next stage you need to make sure that the bowl you are using, and your hands, are completely dry - otherwise the bomb will start fizzing. In a glass bowl, mix the citric acid and bicarbonate of soda together. Add a few drops of lavender oil and 1 tsp dried lavender flowers, along with the vegetable or almond oil. Mix everything together with a metal spoon.

3.3. Place the biscuit cutter on top of a sheet of baking paper. Put the mixture into the biscuit cutter and press down with the back of the spoon. The oil now needs to evaporate so the bomb can set as a dry, hard block - leave for a minimum of 30 minutes and preferably overnight.

STORAGE: Store in tin foil to keep out moisture.

VARIATION: If you are making this with kids you can add 1/2 tsp of edible glitter into the mix to create an even more dramatic effect.

Chicken Piccatta

1 can artichoke hearts (packed in water, not oil)

12 oz chicken breasts

1/3 cup capers

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 package sliced mushrooms

Coat chicken with flour. In a large skillet, cook garlic and oil over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until garlic is pale gold. Add chicken and brown 2-3 minutes on each side.

Add lemon juice, artichokes, capers and mushrooms. Simmer, covered, for about 30-35 minutes. Turn and baste the chicken occasionally. Cook until chicken juices run clear.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bars

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 large egg white

4 tsp reduced-calorie margarine, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cups uncooked old-fashioned oats

1 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmet)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9 pan with cooking spray and then dust lightly with a little flour.

In a large bowl cream the sugar and margarine with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg, egg white, pumpkin and buttermilk. In another bowl, combine flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just moistened.

Stir the cranberries gently into the mixture. Spread the batter in the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until center springs back when lightly pressed.

HOT CHOCOLATE (sugar-free)

Yield: 4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients

6 cups water

2/3 cup coconut milk powder OR

-- whole milk powder2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp stevia powder concentrate OR splenda

2 - 4 inches vanilla bean

Directions

In a pot blend cocoa powder and milk powder together. Add water and vanilla bean. Over medium heat stir until mixed and no clumps of powder remain.

Stir frequently; do not let boil; lower heat if necessary. When steam is rising quickly from the surface, add stevia powder 1/8 tsp at a time until desired sweetness is reached.

Remove vanilla bean and save for other recipes. Serve.

A sugar-free recipe that's great for all seasons. Use it when camping, cottaging or hiking in the spring and summer, or on cold days in the fall and winter.

Recipe from: Rainbow's Camping and Cottage Tips

Recipe published: Spring, 2007

Recipes for Natural Health

www.recipenet.org

VENISON BURGERS WITH SWISS SURPRISE

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from McCall's Luscious Low-Cost Cooking (vintage), this recipe originally called for beef. Free-range venison works well in this recipe. Being a flavourful yet very lean meat, it helps balance out the fat content from the cheese. This recipe could be easily made wheat-free by using spelt bread in place of the Italian bread, and by serving the burgers on spelt buns.

Ingredients

3/4 lb ground venison

2 tsp mustard

1 clove fresh garlic, pressed

1/4 tsp salt

dash, pepper

1/2 cup soft Italian bread crumbs2 tbs milk

4 sticks Swiss cheese

-- (5 x 3/4 x 1/2 inch; about 6 oz)

4 ea 7-inch French rolls

lettuce & red pepper slices for garnish (opt.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In medium bowl, combine venison, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, and milk. Mix lightly with a fork. Divide mixture into fourths.

Mold meat mixture around Swiss cheese sticks, covering completely. Arrange on a cookie sheet.

Bake 15 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and meat is cooked to desired doneness. Heat rolls until crispy.

Place burgers in rolls. Garnish with lettuce and sliced red pepper.

"Fabulous!"

From the kitchen of Lynn Russell

"The lower fat content and higher protein levels in venison are the qualities that dictate how it must be cooked. Most recipes call for the addition of fats, such as olive oil, to compensate for the lack of fat in the meat. Venison must be cooked at high heat - fast, and removed from the heat source early since the higher protein level means the meat will continue to cook on its own for a little while." (Ontario Deer & Elk Farmers Association)

TASCHA’S SMOOTHIE MIX

1L Mixture must include the following items (halve for 500ml).

2 large carrots.

2 medium-large sized pears.

2 heaped tablespoons of raw oats.

1 heaped tablespoon of lecithin granules.

1 heaped tablespoon of wheatgerm.

1 heaped tablespoon bran.

1 small baby pot of yoghurt (soya or low fat dairy).

OPTIONS

1. YOU CAN ADD 2 ADDITIONAL FRUIT TYPES, for example: strawberry and banana, or berries, apples etc…

2. YOU can also add your Chlorella powder if you wish (about 1 heaped tablespoon) REMEMBER THIS WILL MAKE THE SMOOTHIE GREEN.

3. You may also add your seeds into this mix – 1 tablespoon mixed seed.

4. You can also use ginger or cinnamon to flavour your smoothie.

When you have placed all the ingredients into the blender, (finely chopped where necessary), fill to 1L and BLEND/MIX until smooth.

ENJOY! It will keep for 2 days in the fridge.

The Wild rice and smoked trout (OR SALMON) salad.

Serves 2: Cook 100g wild rice according to pack instructions. Brush 1 sliced courgette, and 125g of asparagus spears, each cut into 3, with olive oil. Cook on a hot griddle for 2-3 minutes – each side until beautifully tender. Drain the rice and place in a serving bowl. Mix either 125g of hot, flaked, SALMON or TROUT. Then add the courgette slices and asparagus spears. Now drizzle 2 tbsp of ginger mandarin dressing and toss gently.

NOW…enjoy.

Radio Wey

Coming Up!

Schedules!

Celebrate Artist's Birthdays and send in your Requests every Tuesday evening with Colin Spencer . . .

This week the great Tony Bennett features!

TODAY from 5pm - Ray Darrell be interviewing Dave Thomas, founder and MD for the Senior Citizen Rock Chorus and Band calling themselves "The Wonderyears". The group are already booked at appear at Guilfest, also the Magna Carta Theater on 1st/2nd Oct.

LISTEN AGAIN to the Low Barnets playing 'live' in the studio - Sat 8pm