Shape Our Future, Use Our Voice

Hello Bright Bod!

March marked 50 years of Dietitians Australia where we reflected on the past and those who are shaping our future in the feild of nutrition and dietetics.

Almost 20 years ago I attended an event with Dr Rosemary Stanton, a highly respected Dietitian, who presented on a healthy diet in the context of looking after our environnment and the fact that food security is not just about having money, it is about food knowledge and food skills (i.e. shopping, cooking and growing food).

We had just had that banana shortage and today we are facing a similar food crisis with the rising cost of fuel impacting our food supply.

Rosemary also said we are in a big mess, with the amount of 'junk food' we have available. She related it to the Sesame Street skit. 'I did not make a mess I only dropped one piece of litter'. But it all adds up. We all have a role to play and responsibility to make our food environment and food culture a healthy one to promote good health and well-being. We all have so much work to do.

On behalf of all parents and children, anyone who has diabetes, takes medication for cholesterol, hypertension, weight loss, has an eating disorder, mental health condtion, cancer, IBS, reflux, ADHD, Autism and any other condition too many 'sometimes foods' have a negative impact, I highly encourage you add your voice to the Give Us An Add Break Campaign.

This is just a small start to shape a better future for our eating culture and health for the next generation. Put the health and well-being of the ones you love before big business profits.

If you want to read more and help me to shape a healthy future for the next generation, check out our socials, Bright Bods Facebook group and share widely! Thank you!

What's New

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBER....... BRIGHTSPARK!

As you may already know, I do a bit of circus. I dabble in this and that in my 1 class a week, slowly building my skills, trying something new and finally this idea has come to fruition.

I will be debuting my character ‘Bright Spark’, in a hoop performance to the song ‘You Are What You Eat’ at Roundabout Circus' AGM at 5.30pm, Saturday on 28th March.

Dressed up as the Easter Bunny, Bright Spark, will be challenging the social norm of giving chocolates at Easter, and instead be giving out vegetables and packets of vegetable seeds, embracing the true meaning of Easter, celebrating new life.

The name ‘Bright Diets’, was actually inspired by Dr Who, who always believed people were clever, but just needed a bit of help believing in themselves to take action. Bright Spark wants to be the spark to light the fire to help everyone be clever about their food choices, and that includes being more aware of why they choose to eat certain foods. It involves standing up and using your voice to make our food environment and culture a health promoting one.

In the future Bright Spark plans to spread the seeds of making healthy eating messages fun through more circus and dance performances and inspire the next generation in Zumba Kids classes.

April Fools

Have a bit of innocent fun with these April Fools tricks!

Celebrate New Life: Save, Share and Plant Seeds

Let's start some new Easter traditions and get back to our roots of learning how to grow and share food.

We have truely lost a lot of food knowledge and food growing skills over the last few generations, and it is time to build up that knowledge and skills again to recreate a healthy and resiliant food system where we can all thrive.

Check out the Bright Shop to buy some seeds from my garden 5 packs for $5

Clinic Appointments Now Available on Tuesdays

I am now working fortnightly Tuesday mornings at Central Coast Family Psychology for nutrition consultation in addition to Thursdays. Please call 02 4339 7497 or email admin@ccfamily.com.au to book your appointment.

For all other enquiries, including home visits or telehealth consultations, which I have limited availability for, you can contact me directly on 0413 77 44 11 or brightdiets@gmail.com.

Events

- 11am Wednesday 29th April- Come celebrate Zumba's 25th Birthday and International Dance Day for a special Zumba Gold class at Gosford 50+ Leisure and learning Centre my latest. If you can't make it, check out some of my Free Zumba Dances and online mini class online.

- 11m Tuesday 14th April- Build Your Own Garden Workshop For Young and old! Everything IncrEdible will be open for a tour and a mini seed saving workshop. There will be plenty of cuttings, some seeds and plant sales available for you build your own sensory and edible garden. Make food free and make nutritious choices easy choices. Kids under 3 freee. Tickets are on sale now.

If you would like us to host a nutrition workshop at your workplace or community group on the Central Coast, please get in touch with Carin on 0413 774 411 or dietitians@brightdiets.com.au

Mother's Day Gift Vouchers

Keep you and your mum fighting fit with our Mother's Day Gift Vouchers.

Our nutrition consultation gift vouchers are designed so you and your Mum can attend an initial assessment session and a first review consultation either together or seperately via Zoom.

Or keep your mum energised, happy, strong and living independently with our Zumba Gold gift vouchers for any amount of classes you desire. Available to purchase via The Bright Shop.

Grow It Know It

Pigeon Peas

Pigeon Peas, a kind of lentil, are an easy food to grow. The tree is at least 1.5m tall with yellow and red flowers. I think everyone should have one. I have a number of them in my garden as they are easy to grow and a great protein, low GI carbohydrate and fibre source.

The tree or shrub is a nitrogen fixer, great for reducing your carbon footprint and the chickens love them too.

You know they are ready to pick when the pods are hard and the seeds inside rattles.

You do need all hands on deck to depod. Then soak overnight and boil.

I place them in the freezer in portions to add to a salad for a quick balanced meal.

Bright Blogs

Chuck out the cheap chocolate and embrace some new, or perhaps old fashioned Easter Traditions with our Easter Bright Blog.

Recipe of the Month

Minty Lentil and Carrot Salad

I adapted this salad from my friend Katie's recipe. It is so easy to make, even when you are working from home and want a quick lunch.

Makes 4 serves

Ingredients

2 cups lentils/pigeon peas (pre-cooked/canned)
2 carrots
200g or 12 slices of canned beetroot with juice
1 shallot
300g Feta
1 generous handful of mint of your choice: common mint, spear mint, vietnamese mint, Basil mint, Thia mint or native mint.
Other herbs of choice: I like parsley and chives
4 Tb Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Grate the carrots
Chop up the beetroot, shallot, herbs and feta.
Place the lentils and all the other ingredients in a bowl.
Add the olive oil, beetroot pickling juice/vinegar and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Stir and serve.

For more healthy food ideas check out Bright Diets Facebook Albums.

Happy Easter!