Dietitians need your help! We don't want to do politics but . . . 

For a profession who nurtures others with the power of food, we are really not feeling nurtured at all right now. 

Firstly, over the last few years many NDIS participants have had their funding cut for Dietitans and Allied health, against the clinical recommendations advocated for best practise to meet the participant's goals in our NDIS reports. Many reports are simply not being read. 

Secondly, Dietitians' NDIS rates have been cut by $15/hour over the last 2 years, less than other Allied Health for no reason.  All Allied Health awards are the same rate so there is no reason for Dietitians, who are the most medical of all Allied health, who underpin the success of all other therapies to be devalued in this way. We are not the frauders!

Dietitians significantly enhance downstream outcomes related to healthcare and people's ability to contribute to society.  There are just under 10,000 Accredited Practising Dietitians in Australia (mostly female) and we are an incredibly valuable resource.  Many Dietitians leave the field due to lack of work available in a country that has such a high need for our service. 

Thirdly, The Thriving Kids Program is planning to be rolled out without adequate consultation with Allied Health Profesional Bodies. The plan is to kick these kids off the NDIS and not allow Private Practise Dietitians/Allied Health (who are regulated by and abide by a Code of Conduct, required to do CPD to stay qualified and eligible to practise), to service these people. However, currently Private Allied Health practitioners are the main providers of services to these kids and there is no plan for Health Departments to increase their Allied health and they are already stretched to their limits. You can read more here.

I ask you kindly to make a submission if you can to support Private Practise Dietitians in the NDIS and Thriving Kids to service the people who are most vulnerable in our society.  It does not need to be long or perfect but just express your experience and your voice.  See the letter you can adapt for yourself or in my Bright Bods' file.  

Lastly, Allied Health students have been granted allowance for paid placement where Dietitians have not.   You can read more here

Please share my posts on Facebook about how beneficial Dietitans are and send us some love! Thank you!

Book Week

If you want your child to learn to eat a wider range of foods, Pierre Learns to Eat a Rainbow, is a great helping hand.  Carin Clegg has created this e-book for both children and parents to learn and talk about the steps to eating new foods. 

Review by Mel: '5 out of 5 stars Great for kids who are not sure about trying new foods. Brilliant book encouraging kids to try different foods.  The "10 tastes before your tongue likes it" idea is great! Lovely pictures and easy to understand story that is relevant to young kids.'

Purchase at The Bright Shop and let me know what you think!

Upcoming Events

- Zumba Gold Million Moves Free classes: Friday 4th September at 11am Narara Eco-Village, Wednesdays 2nd, 9th,16th September at 11.15am Gosford 50+ Leisure and Learning Centre

Call 4339 7497 or email admin@ccfamily.com.au to book your place.

- Bright Bods Eco- Kids School Holiday Program, 11am, Monday 5th October at Narara Eco Village

- Zumba Kids Holiday Classes - Fridays, 10am at Narara Ecovillage in School holidays

- Nutrition Therapy For Autism and ADHD: October date to be confirmed!

All events are on Facebook for you to share and invite your friends.

If you would like us to host a nutrition workshop or Zumba Gold Class at your workplace or community group on the Central Coast, please get in touch with Carin on 0413 77 44 11 11 or brightdiets@gmail.com.

ZUMBA PARTY!

Thanks to everyone who danced their heart out and helped us raise above our goal for FIGHT MND research.

Million Moves Campaign

Bright Diets is Teaming up with AUS Active as part of the Million Moves Campaign in September to help everyone increase their movement. We are all encouraged to do 75 moves a day for 21 days to represent the 75% of Aussies not moving their body enough. And it takes millions of us to create a movement to change this statstic.

Join Carin's team invite your firends and lets make a movement ot change together whilst having a whole lot of fun!

Zumba Gold is a low impact, uplifting dance class for:

- people new to dance or coming back to dance or fitness, including post pregnancy

- older active adults (bit of a falls prevention class)

- people with an injury who want to stay active (low impact: no twisting or jumping),

- neurodiverse individuals or those with disability (keep your their busy mind active in a positive way and connect your mind to body.

- anyone who wants to increase balance, co-ordination and confidence with dancing to music

- anyone who is not too keen on the regular Zumba class: we have slower moves and less Latin/ electronic music.  

Further class details here including 4 free online dances and a free 30 minute class.

See you on the dance floor!

Zumba Kids Coming Soon!

I am excited to start my Zumba Kids classes at 10am, before Zumba Gold in the school holidays at Narara Eco Village.

Zumba Kids is a space kids can:

• express their personality
• explore their creativity and imagination
• learn respect, leadership and teamwork
• build pride and self-esteme
• improve their co-ordination and confidence

With no uniform or performance pressures we will travel the world, learn about different dances and cultures and have some fun dance games too.

Book here or contact me on 0413 77 44 11 or email brightdiets@gmail.com  if interested. Please share the flier here.

Next year in Term 1, I am looking at Mondays at 11am at Gosford (Roundabout Circus) during school term only for 4-6 year olds. Please get in touch if you are interested.

Bright Bods Eco- Kids Holiday Program

I am super excited to announce that I am starting some Eco-Kids holiday programs next school holidays on Monday 5th October- yes it is a long weekend! 

Bright Bods Eco- Kids is a space where kids can express themselves with Zumba dances from around the world, learn life skills and connect with nature with eco-activities and create a nutritious lunch that also grows their love of fresh nutritious foods. 

Eco- activities may include seed saving, making paper pots +cuttings, mushroom jars, moth sachets, green bags, Christmas crackers and take home activities are also included.

Creative and Active Kids Vouchers are accepted too! Bookings here or get in touch at brightdiets@gmail.com or 0413 77 44 11.

Find The Intuitive Eater In You with this month's Bright Blog. 

Peas, Snow Peas, Sugar Snap Peas

Peas, Snowpeas and Sugar snap peas).  There is nothing like the crisp crunch and sweet taste of a fresh pea, snowpea or sugar snap pea from the garden. And they are so much cheaper too! 

Peas are easy to grow but can be prone to little critters munching on the plants so this is where your diverse ecosystem comes in to protect and support your future harvest. Through Autumn, Winter and even early Spring, start peas off from seed indoors in a sprouting kit or just a bowl with seive and change the water daily. Despite what the packet instructions say, planting in groups of at least 5-6 seedlings together with a trellis will help you get a successful yeild.

Remember to leave a few beans on your best vine to dry for planting next time.

Peas are packed full of fibre, vitamn C, Vitamin A, B group vitamins, a little protein and carbohydrate depending on how bug the pea inside.

Peas are great to add to all your soups, stews, casseroles, stirfries, and even pasta dishes.  I love snowpeas with a dip, in a crunchy stir fry, lightly steamed, in a garden salad or simply as a fresh picked garden snack. How do you enjoy yours?

Philli Pumpkin Pasta Salad

This is one of my go to pasta salad recipes, with or without the philli cheese or pumpkin and I often add many other types of veggies depending on what I have in the fridge or garden.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 250g pasta 
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup peas, snow peas or sugar snap peas
• 500g chicken
• 1/2 leek
• a few sprigs of garlic chives
• 1 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil
• parsley and/or other herbs of choice like sage, taragon or rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Chop up all ingredients first. Chop up pumpkin into 1.5cm cubes, zucchini into quarter slices 3mm thick, leek into thin circles, finely chop the garlic, garlic chives and herbs. Cut up chicken into 1.5cm pieces. 
2. Boil the pasta as per the packet instructions and add the pumpkin to the pot at the same time as pasta so they both cook together.
3. Place a medium frying pan on medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon of oil.
4. Stir fry garlic until fragrant, then saute the leek until soft.
5. Then add zucchini and stir fry until just cooked
6. Add the peas and herbs including garlic chives and stir fry for a minute to keep crunchy or until soft if desired.
7. Remove the vegeables form eth pan and place in a serving dish.
8. Add oil to the pan and cook the chicken
9. Drain the pasta and pumpkin and add back to the pot.
10. Add the philli cheese and the vegetables to the pot and stir until the philli cheese melts and becomes a light sauce or cheesy pumpkiny coating to your pasta. 
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Serve with desired herbs on top either hot, warm or cold the next day. 
13. Bon Apetite!

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