Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Yummy Christmas Recipes with the Heart Foundation Tick

Fruit Mince Tarts 
Makes 12 tarts
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
11⁄2 cups sundried mixed fruit
1⁄2 cup dried figs
1 pear, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped pecan nuts
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons rum




Pastry:
2 cups plain flour
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons icing sugar (plus a tablespoon extra for dusting
60g polyunsaturated margarine*
1 egg, plus a beaten eggwhite (for brushing the pastry)
1⁄3 cup iced water
To make this meal even healthier use Tick approved ingredients
*Products available with the Heart Foundation Tick. Remember all fresh fruit and vegetables automatically qualify for the Tick.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and lightly spray 12 x 1⁄2 cup capacity muffin tins.

2. Mix the dried fruit, pear, pecan nuts, orange and lemon rinds, ground cinnamon and rum in a bowl and allow to macerate overnight if possible, or while you make the pastry.

3. To make the pastry place all of the pastry ingredients except the iced water in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running add the iced water and process until the mixture comes together to form a ball.

4. Transfer the pastry on to a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Roll the pastry out until it is 3mm thick. Cut 12 x 8cm rounds from the pastry, and 12 star shapes using a star-shaped biscuit cutter.

5. Line the bases of the muffin tins with the pastry circles and spoon a tablespoon of the fruit mince mixture into each pastry case. Place a pastry star on top and brush each tart with the beaten eggwhite. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until golden and cooked.
6. Allow the tarts to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. When cold, dust the tarts with the extra icing sugar and serve.


Pan seared fish with cucumber salad 
Serves 4

Ingredients:
600g skinless boneless fish fillets (flathead or bream)
1 tsp sweet paprika                
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
Good pinch of chilli flakes
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Olive oil cooking spray
1 small Continental cucumber, halved lengthways
1 carrot, peeled and halved lengthways
1 cup fresh mint leaves
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp pure maple syrup                      
2 tsp red wine vinegar                       
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Place the fish fillets on a tray. Combine the paprika, cumin, oregano, chilli and lemon rind and sprinkle over both sides of the fish. Heat a large non-stick frying pan on medium-high. Spray lightly with oil. Cook the fish fillets 2-3 minutes each side (depending on thickness) or until light golden and cooked through. Transfer to a tray, cover and allow to stand 3 minutes.
2. Peel the cucumber and carrot into long thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Combine in a large bowl with mint leaves and green onions. Whisk oil, maple syrup and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the salad just before serving and toss to combine.
3. Pile the salad onto serving plates. Top with one or two fish fillets. Season with pepper and serve. 

Honey mustard roast beef 
Try this delicious twist on classic roast beef.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1.25kg beef sirloin roast, trimmed
1.5 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs honey
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbs thyme leaves or finely chopped parsley
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Roast vegetables of choice to serve

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Tie the beef with kitchen string at 2cm intervals: this helps it hold its shape and cook more evenly. Place the beef in a lightly greased roasting pan. Combine mustard, honey, garlic and thyme leaves in a bowl. Spread evenly over the top of the beef.
2. Grind over some black pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C fan forced. Roast for a further 60 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
3. Cut into slices serve with roast vegetables of your choice.

For more recipes visit the Heart Foundation website: www.heartfoundation.org.au/recipes

CHRISTMAS COMPETITION!! Get your entries in!!!


MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!
From all of the Teams across the Calanna Pharmacy Group, we wish you and your families a most wonderful Christmas, and a safe & happy New Year!

Please jump onto our website to find out when your local Calanna Pharmacy will be open during the Christmas/New Year holidays, or call the store directly.

If you are taking your family on a driving holiday, please drive carefully and safely.  For all your health care needs, please stop in on your way home!  Pick up one of our handy FREE checklist, in-store for your travel needs!



CHRISTMAS COMPETITION TIME!  YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT!

Send your Family or Individual ‘Christmas Photo’ to; sales@calannapharmacy.com.au, with a brief i.e. Name of person/s, location and which Calanna Pharmacy you shop at. 
It’s important to put which store you shop at!!

Then jump onto Facebook, search for the ‘Calanna Pharmacy Facebook Page’, LIKE the page and find your picture in the Album titled by store location.  Your friends & family will be the voters, they will need to ‘like’ the actual photo in the link for a registered vote, to put your photo in the running for the Big Surprise Major Prize!

Entries must be supplied by 8pm Friday 9th December.  Then the voting begins from Saturday 10th!  The Photo with the most ‘likes’ by 31st  December 2011 will be named the WINNER!  Start sending in the best photo you have……….Good Luck!

**Entries are limited to Calanna Pharmacy Customers ONLY. One entry per family/person.  One winner per Calanna Pharmacy Store; Woree, North Cairns, Edmonton, Innisfail, Woodlands, Kirwan, Aitkenvale & Main Beach!  So there will be eight winners!

December's Top Shelf Products!

EGO SUN SENSE DAILY FACE - $24.50
A moisturising SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen ideal for everyday use on the face and neck. This light, soft cream has an oil free base and is tinted for a sheer matt finish. Ideal for combination and oily skin. Great for acne prone skin.

· Designed for daily facial use.
· Fragrance free and oil free.
· Has a non-greasy and elegant feel.
· Comes in a sheer tint for an invisible matt finish.

Available in: 75g tube, 200mL bottle
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:  Titanium dioxide 2.6%, oxybenzone 2.0%, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.0%,octyl triazone 1.0%.


CHEMISTS OWN AFTER SUN GEL WITH ALOE VERA - $5.95
 

Chemists Own After Sun Gel with Aloe Vera helps soothe and nourish your skin after exposure to the sun, sea and wind. The moisturising aloe Vera helps to prevent peeling and flaking of your skin after exposure to the weather.
Directions: 
Apply liberally to soothe skin.

Mario's Words of Wisdom.....

Merry Christmas Club Members,
From the young to the old – the same comment is made:
“Where has the time gone. I cannot believe another year has almost passed”.

For the first 30 years of my life, I always had time. Time for work, friends, socials, service clubs, mowing and gardening. There was a time each week when I could say – I have finished my “to do” list. This was before the advent of 7 day trading and Sunday became just another day.

Since that time more and more people are “busy” and it is almost impossible to say – “I have finished my to do list for this week”.

Our mindset, priorities and continual bombardment (by all forms of media) of products, options, opinions, false truths and incessant mental overload – have virtually succeeded in leading us down the track of survival, stress, meaningless changes in laws and values - and the naïve acceptance to change social common sense; without questioning or considering the consequences to the individual and society as a whole.

Anxiety and depression can become a daily paralyzing trap for all of us – unless we take the time to discern where we are at present, how have we arrived at our present situation, what do we need to change and who do we need to become – so that we can be the person we were born to be.

There is really no other way to life the best life we can - unless we accept and tune into our Spiritual persona. Who we are in our hearts and who are we meant to be.

Ronald Reagan made many speeches on love, hope, life and value of each person:

“I know in my heart that people are good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth in each and every life”

So during the break you have during this month – take some time to list your dreams, your goals, your challenges, your weaknesses, your friends, your daily routine, your fears, your bucket list.

Believe that as an individual you are special. That you are valuable and your heart (your Spiritual persona) can help to nurture and heal our society. Or it can break it. This is a CHOICE –  pursue your goodness.

GREAT TIPS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR SKIN GLOWING DURING SUMMER!
Many factors can affect the condition of our skin including the sun, air pollutants and everyday life.  This means keeping a good skin care regime is essential for healthy skin. Below are a few tips on keeping your skin looking youthful, glowing and protected everyday.

Remove – jewellery and makeup first before washing your face. Use a specific makeup remover liquid or wipes (especially on the eye area).

Cleanse – find a cleanser that works for you. You don’t need to spend a lot of money. Avoid using soaps above the neck as they tend to dry the skin and are not usually appropriate for the face. Use lukewarm water in preference to cold or hot water. Cleanse once to twice a day, there is no need to wash more frequently as it can strip the good oils from the skin. Use a cream cleanser if you have dry skin or a clear (or foaming) cleanser for oily skin.

Exfoliate - this removes the top layer of dry, dull skin cells from the surface of the skin to keep skin healthy and glowing. Scrubs should have fine round beads in them as larger beads can scratch and tear the skin. Only use a scrub once a week as overuse can lead to increased stimulation of the sebaceous glands and excess sebum (oil) can be produced bringing out more blemishes in the skin. Men – shaving daily mimics the exfoliation process by removing dead skin cells as you shave.

Mask – there are two main types of masks: deep cleansing and moisturising. The deep cleansing masks help to bring impurities to the surface of the skin.  In doing that they can produce a breakout a few weeks after the first use but this is better for the skin’s long-term health and appearance.  Moisturising masks are generally for dry and mature skin and give the skin extra hydration. Masks should be used once a fortnight in place of an exfoliant.

Tone – toners work to remove the final traces of oil, makeup and dirt from the skin and can be used on makeup wipes. Always wipe upwards and outwards from the chin to maintain the skin’s elasticity.

Moisturise – this is important for all skin types, even oily skin needs hydration and moisturisers are also a good source of protection for the skin. When skin is dry, the body’s natural reaction is to produce oil to protect it and moisturisers discourage the skin from doing this.  Sun protection is vital for keeping youthful skin as sun damage is the number one factor in getting wrinkles.  A great trick is to buy two moisturisers: one for day with SPF and one for night. Ladies – also look for SPF in your foundations for extra sun protection.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Zest for Life Newsletter - November Edition 2011

Words of Wisdom - by Mario Calanna

Hello Club Members,

The year is coming to an end very quickly. As we recap events of the past year, it is becoming more and more imperative that any changes to our community can only come from each individual committed to  taking the time to “look inside” as it were and decide that “I can make a difference” - together with others - in my house, my street, my workplace and my social  connections.

The importance of “one” has been clearly demonstrated in Local and Federal voting decisions during the year. So, one cannot say: “What good will my little effort do?” or “How can I effect a better change in the  community?”

The power of many “ones” makes the difference. We each need clear goals and a clear plan to achieve this difference. We need to believe in our self and have the hope and the faith, the optimism and the belief, the personal accountability and responsibility - that if it is to be it up to me and all the other me’s I know.

Taking a look in the mirror can be daunting – but it must be done. We each need to know what our purpose in life is and who we need to become to achieve this purpose and the legacy we are meant to leave.

Bob Johnston says: “The most important words are the words we say to ourselves, about ourselves when we are by ourselves”

I recommend two web sites:

If we ignore the importance of our self it will be as G.K. Chesterton said: “…..sometimes the self is more distant than a star”

Let November 2011 be the month we look at ourselves and believe in ourselves……….Mario


Skin Diseases | Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus) is a disease of the immune system, which affects more than 17,000       Australians. Symptoms can be vague and vary from person to person, and consequently diagnosis can be difficult. However, once diagnosed, a combination of prescribed treatment and lifestyle adjustments enables most people with lupus to enjoy a normal life.

Lupus can affect the joints and almost every major organ in the body, including the heart, kidneys, skin, lungs and brain.  The cause of Lupus is unknown but a person’s risk of developing lupus appears to be determined by genetic (hereditary).  However, the  onset of the  disease may be triggered by environmental factors such as infection, sunlight, or stress.  In autoimmune disorders such as lupus, the  immune system, which is designed to protect against infection, mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues and organs. 

The major hallmark of this autoimmune attack is inflammation.  The course of lupus varies and is characterised by alternating periods of flares (increased disease activity) and remissions.  Some people with lupus experience only mild lupus symptoms and have few complications.  Others experience frequent flares that lead to moderate or even severe complications.

Lupus is most common in women (90% of cases) and the majority develop the condition between 15 and 45 years of age. When lupus occurs in children it is usually diagnosed during puberty.

Unfortunately, the warning signs of lupus can mimic the warning signs of other diseases. Common symptoms of lupus include persistent low-grade fever, extreme fatigue, and painful or swollen joints. The so-called “lupus rash”, which often manifests as a butterfly-shaped reddish or purplish rash across the bridge of the nose and cheeks, is another common medical sign.

There are blood tests that a doctor can use to help diagnose lupus, but none of these tests are definitive and diagnosis can take years to determine as the symptoms can vary so greatly.

There are different treatment options for Lupus. The aims of treatment for lupus are to reduce inflammation in tissues and to improve quality of life. Treatment must take into account of the severity and symptoms of the disease in the individual.
 

Skin Diseases | Melanoma

Melanoma is a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world (QLD having the highest number in Australia), with over 10,430 new cases being identified each year.  Over 1,450 people die from melanoma in Australia each year.

Melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australia for both men and women.  Melanoma is a young person’s disease – being the most common form of cancer in Australia for people aged between 15 – 44 years.

Melanoma is more common in people with fair complexions as they have less skin pigment to protect them against UV radiation from the sun than people with darker skin. People with dark or olive skin have more protection against skin cancer because they produce more     melanin than fair skinned people, however, because UV radiation is so strong in Australia dark and olive skinned people still need to protect their skin appropriately.

Risk factors also include family history, exposure to the sun, repeated sunburn and certain types of moles.  Early melanoma is often curable, whilst later stages are typically fatal. Regular skin checks are essential in the Far North.

Protect  yourself in five ways:
SEEK  - Seek shade to avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am-3pm). Remember that reflection of UV radiation off surfaces like concrete, sand and water causes you to burn, even if you think you are protected. Use sun shelters or shade whenever possible (eg trees, umbrella, buildings).

SLIP - Try to cover as much skin as possible with clothing. Wear         protective shirts which cover the back of the neck. Choose clothing with closely woven fabric to keep you cool.

SLOP - Use a sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) of 30+, which is also broad spectrum and water resistant, no matter what type of skin you have. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours, after swimming or any activity that causes you to sweat.

SLAP - Wear a broad brimmed hat to protect your face, head, ears and neck from the sun. Caps do not provide adequate protection.

SLIDE - Protect your eyes with sunglasses that meet Australian Standard AS1067.