Call me Mrs Yen

OK, you can still call me Laura.

But I did get married on the weekend... 

Jono and I had an intimate (and somewhat secret) ceremony with our family at a gorgeous holiday house on Hyams Beach. It was magical, romantic and everything we had wished for.

And now I will change my name.

Don't be alarmed when you start seeing posts and emails pop up from Laura Yen. It's me! I will gradually start rolling out my new name over the next few weeks.

Burton Health will stay the same. 

When I started my business and came to the point of registering a business name, I was faced with a difficult decision.. Come up with a fancy name, use my name, or take the chance to use my business to pay tribute to my family. I chose the latter.

I knew way back then that I wanted to marry Jono and I knew that when I did, I would want to take his name. Since there are no male grandchildren to carry the Burton name, I decided to name my business Burton Health in a nod to my grandparents and parents.

I also thought it would be useful when old patients looked  me up by googling "Laura Burton".

So, there you have it, SURPRISE! 

Thank you for the love, support and well wishes we have received so far. Here's some happy snaps from our special day :)

Healthy skin from the inside out

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Laura

Do you struggle with your skin?

Whether its acne, drying, or premature aging, your skin health is a reflection of your inner health and what you eat really makes a difference.

Here are a few foods you can include to help improve the health and appearance of your skin:

1. Include plenty of oily fish such as salmon.
The omega 3 fats help to reduce inflammation, hydrate, and plump up skin cells promoting a clearer, smoother and more radiant appearance.

2. Eat plenty of foods rich in zinc such as almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts, oysters and meat.
Low levels of zinc can be a contributing factor in acne and slow wound healing.

3. Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables every day to get anti-aging antioxidants and vitamins.
Vitamin C helps the body to produce collagen, and antioxidants fight the free radicals that cause premature aging.

4. Foods high in beta-carotene will help to prevent those unsightly red bumps on the backs of your arms.
Include sweet potato, carrots, mangoes, peaches and spinach.

5. Dehydration can cause dull, wrinkled skin and also reduces the body’s ability to detoxify.
Ensure you drink plenty of pure water each day to promote clear, youthful skin.

6. Tomato, watermelon and grapefruit are high in a substance called Lycopene.
Lycopene has been shown to help protect the skin from UV damage as well as giving it a smoother appearance.

In general, if you aim for a diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables, oily fish, pure water and reduce processed, packaged, sugary foods you will be well on your way to improving your skin health.

Gluten-Free Chicken Schnitzel

This is another recipe that I developed for my detox clients.

I love to eat food that is healthy but doesn’t feel like it! Comfort food is the best!

It gives me the greatest pleasure to sit down with friends and family to a meal that feels indulgent and naughty but is actually full of hidden veggies, healthy and guilt free!

My Gluten Free Chicken Schnitzel is one of those meals that tastes too good to be healthy.

I’d go so far as to say that it might just rival the traditional schnitzel. I don’t follow a 100% gluten free diet, but I do try to minimise my gluten intake and I believe that even non-coeliacs should try to be aware of how much gluten they are consuming. I think we eat too much gluten and that is why so many of us are suddenly finding ourselves intolerant.

Recipes like this help us to reduce our gluten intake while still enjoying delicious food.

So here it is, my Gluten Free Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredients

•   2 chicken breasts
•   1 egg, beaten
•   1/2 cup macadamia meal (made by processing whole macadamias)
•   ¼ pumpkin, chopped
•   Rocket, cucumber, red onion, capsicum for side salad

Method

1.       Place pumpkin on oven tray and roast for 20-30 minutes until soft (approx 180 degrees).

2.       Spread the macadamia meal on a shallow bowl or plate

3.       Dip the chicken in the egg and then roll in the nut meal

4.       Place the schnitzel on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 7-10 minutes each side until cooked through

5.       Chop up salad ingredients and arrange on plate

Serve and enjoy!

Why you should avoid certain foods in pregnancy

“We could eat whatever we wanted when I was pregnant!” This is one of the most annoying things I hear older women say to my pregnant friends (I’m not sure if my friends find it annoying, but I certainly do!).

 

What could have happened to change things from being able to eat and drink whatever you like during pregnancy, to now being given a long list of things you should avoid?

It’s called experience, learning, research and knowledge.

Yep, we’ve learnt a lot in the last 30 years!

But because our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, neighbours and well-meaning strangers like to contribute their two cents, a lot of women are now confused and overwhelmed when it comes to eating right during pregnancy.

The main thing to remember is that most of these dietary recommendations are given to protect you and your baby.  Avoiding certain foods during your pregnancy reduces your risk of harming or losing your baby.

Soft cheeses, for example, are known to be breeding grounds for the bacteria Listeria which causes symptoms such as fever headache and diarrhoea. In pregnant women it can cause miscarriage, still birth or premature labour. Pretty good reason to avoid soft cheese for nine months I reckon!

Deli meats, BBQ chooks,  pre-made salads (and pretty much cold, pre-made anything), raw eggs and poultry are other common culprits for listeria and food poisoning. These bugs are destroyed by heat so if food is properly cooked it does not pose a risk.

Alcohol is known to cause foetal alcohol syndrome which results in children having growth and learning difficulties. It is not known how much alcohol it takes to produce this syndrome, so alcohol, whether it’s one glass or one bottle is best avoided.

So you see, these recommendations have been put together with a prevention mindset and really, when you’re presented with a glass of champagne, piece of soft brie, or ham sandwich during your pregnancy all you need to do is think “OK I know the risks, is it worth the few moments of deliciousness?”

And when well-meaning women say “ohh they didn't stop you eating cheese in my day, it's ridiculous!” you can suggest that perhaps the reduction in stillbirth since then can be attributed to these recommendations. Or you can just ignore them and save yourself the debate!

Here’s the list of the foods that I give to my
clients to avoid during pregnancy:

• Soft cheese e.g. brie, camembert, feta, ricotta
• Precooked (cold) food e.g. BBQ chicken, deli meat, pate, smoked salmon
• Raw meat and seafood e.g. sushi Shellfish
• Raw egg including mousse, homemade mayo and ice cream
• Fish likely to contain high levels of mercury e.g. shark, swordfish and tuna
• Alcohol
• Caffeine e.g. coffee, energy drinks, soft drink
• Junk food e.g. lollies, chips, fast food

Not quite at the pregnancy part yet?

If you're wondering what you need to do to start preparing for pregnancy, pick up a copy of the Holistic Fertility ebook written by acupuncturist Kim Gatenby.

Kim will step you through how to prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy. Get It

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Gluten Free Pesto chicken Pasta

I invented this one for my Burton Health Cleanse participants. Its dairy free, gluten free, quick to make, delicious and super healthy!

I use a Betti Bossi Veggie Twister to make my noodles but you can also do it with a julienne peeler, grater or normal veggie peeler for thick ribbons.

Ingredients:

•  1 large chicken breast
•   2 zucchinis
•   ½ bunch basil leaves
•   ¼ cup olive oil
•   ¼ cup pine nuts or almonds
•   1 clove garlic

Method:

1.       Place chicken in a pot of simmering water, simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat, cover and sit for 20mins

2.       Process/blitz basil, pine nuts, garlic and oil to make your pesto

3.       Make noodles out of raw zucchini using veggie twister, grater or julienne peeler

4.       Fry noodles in small amount of oil approx 2 mins

5.       Remove chicken from water and slice

6.       Mix sauce though noodles and allow to heat through, mix chicken through or place on top

7.       Can serve with a little goats feta if desired.

Introducing After Par-Tea!

After Par-Tea is the newest organic herbal tea in our online store. The ultimate recovery tea. Naturopathically blended from organic herbs to help you feel brand new.

This blend contains Dandelion root, Passionflower, Skullcap, Catnip, Rosehip granules and Ginger.

This is my go-to blend when I come home feeling like I might've had just a little bit too much fun and my body needs a helping hand to make me feel like my usual self!

Dandelion root has been traditionally used to assist liver detoxification, passionflower and catnip to reduce anxiety, skullcap to ease headaches, rosehip granuels for a boost of vitamin c and ginger to calm an unsettled stomach.

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