Hi everyone and welcome to my March newsletter.
I hope that you are well and that you are enjoying the rain that we’ve been having. I have to say that I love the green of my lawn, but I wish that it would stop growing for a while. It seems that no sooner have I mowed it than it needs it again. The problem is that I need to find a time when it’s dry enough to mow in between the rain. Never mind the green makes me happy. Though I would be very happy if the humidity would drop, that’s the knockout as far as I’m concerned….
I know that Easter Eggs and hot cross buns have been in the shops for ages but it’s hard to believe that Easter will be with us by the end of the month and not long after that it will be school holidays again. Also, this month there are five Saturdays and five Sundays thus I will be doing some extra markets on those days. So do check out where I will be at the end of my newsletter.
This month’s article was again sparked by a conversation I had with a customer at a market who was enquiring as to whether or not it was safe/useful to use turmeric when you had asthma. My initial reaction was, that turmeric has been known for thousands of years as an excellent anti-inflammatory and asthma is, to my knowledge, the inflammation of the lungs and bronchioles, so yes, it should be of benefit. I do like to check these things so it was back to PubMed, Google Scholar etc to see if this was correct and whilst there was some variation in opinion it would seem from my research that turmeric was indeed something that could help with the airway inflammation and mucus buildup which is typical in people who suffer from asthma. So not only does turmeric help with your aches and pains but it can help you breathe more easily as well.
Curcumin for Asthmatic Airway Inflammation and Mucus Hypersecretion
Asthma is a very common chronic airway disorder, all over the world. It is estimated that the prevalence of asthma is about 1% to 18% of the population in different counties and regions. It is well-known that airway inflammation plays a hub role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Therefore, anti-inflammatory therapy has been fundamental in asthma treatment.
Turmeric, a widely used herb in many Asian countries, has long been commonly used in a variety of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, upper airway infection, neurodegenerative diseases, cerebral injury and hepatitis. Curcumin, the main component of the yellow colour of turmeric, is a natural polyphenol with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects in different conditions.
Airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion are two of the most important characteristics of chronic asthma. The involvement of a variety of inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, and macrophages, into the airway is considered a crucial event in the maintenance and development of asthma.
Many studies confirm that a broad spectrum of inflammatory mediators, eventually induce airway mucus hypersecretion, which is essential for the development of asthma. However, at present, there is still no effective treatment for airway mucus hypersecretion. Therefore, new therapeutic treatments for this unmet medical need are meaningful and valuable.
Simultaneously, some studies have found that curcumin could attenuate airway inflammation in asthmatic animal models. These studies taken together with the results of our studies suggest that induced airway inflammation and airway mucus hypersecretion were notably blocked by curcumin (very likely through a PPARγ-dependent NF-κB signalling pathway in both lung and BEAS-2B cells), indicating that curcumin may be considered an effective therapy for the potential treatment of asthma in the future.
This would be especially important for those people who are not able to take pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories.
Taken from: Research Article - Hindawi Journal Volume 2019 | ID 4927430 | https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4927430 Tao Zhu, et al
CURRIED SAUSAGES
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 thin beef or pork sausages
1 large brown onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
250g button mushrooms, quartered
10 curry leaves
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp TURMERIC4U
2 tsp curry powder
Method:
In a heavy based pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil.
Add garlic, onions and mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent.
Gripping the sausages between your index finger and thumb, squeeze the meat out of the casings into 3cm lengths, directly into the pan.
Add the curry leaves and stir gently until the sausage meat starts to colour.
Add the flour and curry powder and stir for a further 2 minutes.
Add the stock and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
Just before serving, stir through the TURMERIC4U for that lovely spicy taste and goodness.
If you like your curry hotter, you can add more of both the curry and the TURMERIC4U powders.
Season with salt, if needed, and serve with rice, mashed or boiled potatoes. Yummy. Enjoy!
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THIS MONTH’S EVENTS AND MARKETS
I know that Easter eggs and hot cross buns have been in the shops for ages, but it still seems no time at all since I was thinking of Christmas and the summer holidays than it really is nearly Easter and then more school holidays. With that in mind you will find that there are some extra markets at the end of the month, especially as it’s also a month with 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays.
Saturday 2nd Mar – Kempsey Riverside Market – 8am – 1pm. Back again, I can’t stay away. Held down by the river.
Sunday 3rd Mar – Blackhead Bazaar - 8am – 1pm.  Great market for all the family, I will be along the top row as before.  Â
Saturday 9th Mar - Gloucester Farmers Market - 9am – 1pm. Held at Billabong Park. Lots of great local produce and wines so, something for everyone.
Sunday 10th Mar – Forster Town Market - 8 am – 1pm. Near the campsite on Head Street.
Saturday 16th Mar - Forster Farmers Market – 7am – 12pm By the Visitors Centre.
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Sunday 17th Mar – Laurieton Market - 8am – 1pm down by the river on Short and Tunis Streets.
Saturday 23rd Mar – Tuncurry Market – 8 am – 1pm See you over the bridge at the John Whiley Park. Marine Rescue do a great bacon and egg butty.
Sunday 24th Mar – Old Bar Market – 8am – 1pm -held down by the beach next to the skate park. This s the first of my extra markets, Hope to see you there.
Saturday 30th Mar – South West Rocks Beachside Market – 8am – 1pm – the extra Sunday give me a chance to get back to one of my favourite spots down by Horseshoe Beach. Great market, great location. Do come along.
Sunday 31st Mar – Pacific Palms Market - 8am – 1pm.  At Elizabeth Beach, another great market for all the family and dog friendly, so come along for a fun day out.
For those of you who can’t get to those markets all you need to do is ring me on 0406 036 845 or you can now go to my website – https://www.achealthysolutions.com/shop and order from there, and I will arrange for it to be posted or delivered to you. The cost is the same as at the market and postage/delivery is free on all orders over $100 with a flat rate of $8 below that.
Yours in Health and Happiness
Alison Carroll
aka The Turmeric Lady
AC Healthy Solutions