INGREDIENTS
700g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 2-3cm chunks
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1⁄4 cup pistachios or cashew nuts
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
1 small red onion, thinly sliced 
150g baby spinach leaves 
100g feta, crumbled 
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley 

Lemon and honey dressing 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
3 Tbsp lemon juice 
1 tsp honey 
combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a pinch of salt and shake well. 

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2. Combine pumpkin and chickpeas with oil and lemon rind, season. Arrange on a lined baking tray.
3. Roast about 20 minutes until golden and tender, add nuts and pumpkin seeds for the last two minutes.
4. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, toss gently with onion, spinach leaves and dressing. Serve salad sprinkled with feta and parsley.

Zinc is essential for supporting our immune system; we need it to help fight infection. It’s also important for normal growth and development, wound healing, maintaining our eyesight and sense of taste and smell.

How to tell if you're lacking zinc
When we don’t get enough zinc, we call that zinc deficiency, and can begin to experience health problems. Signs of a zinc deficiency include:

• hair loss
• loss of appetite, changes in taste
• problems with sexual function,
  particularly in men
• worsening eyesight
• wound healing problems
  These signs can also indicate other problems; therefore it’s best to get a medical assessment to determine whether you might have a zinc deficiency.

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How much zinc do you need?
We can’t make or store zinc, so it’s essential to consume it daily. The amount we require differs according to age, sex, and nutritional needs.
In Australia the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of zinc per day for adults is 8mg for women and 14mg for men. Men have a higher requirement than women because it plays a crucial role in the regulation of male sex hormones, especially testosterone.
The RDI is slightly higher during pregnancy to help the baby develop normally, and also when breastfeeding.

Where can you get zinc?
Red meat and certain types of seafood such as oysters, crab and mussels are excellent sources of zinc. Dairy products are also high in zinc. Some dairy alternatives and cereals are fortified with zinc, among other nutrients.
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There are also good plant-based sources; these include cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, and whole grain oats. The absorption of zinc from plant sources is less reliable than from animal foods, so those on strict plant-based diets may need to consider this when planning a balanced diet.

Zinc is available in supplements, but taking too much could cause side effects and interfere with other nutrients you need. Eating a healthy balanced diet that includes zinc-rich foods should meet most people’s requirements.

Which is better - ice or heat therapy?
Ice therapy, often in the form of a cold/ice pack, reduces blood flow, swelling, and the perception of pain. That's why shivering footy players hit the wintery sea to boost recuperation. In the first three to six hours following exercise, cold therapy can aid rapid recovery. But 24-hours afterward the benefits disappear.

Interestingly, heat therapy is also effective when it comes to the relief of post-exercise soreness. However, applying warmth continues to work beyond the 24-hour mark. It is beneficial for longer.

With that said, ice therapy has a range of other benefits. Use this therapy to gain pain relief after surgical procedures, following muscles and bone injury and dysfunction, from gout and to reduce acute pain. 

 Heat therapy has a variety of potential benefits too. Use to increase blood flow, improve muscle function and strength, and enhance flexibility . Apply to reduce pain from rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, muscle knots and more. 

How do I use each therapy correctly? 
Use ice repeatedly in an on-and-off fashion. Twenty minutes on and an hour off is the traditional recommendation. To benefit from heat, warm packs or warps can vibe applied for hours at a time. 

When used correctly, ice and heat are safe, cheap and easy to use. Do note, though, that either treatment could injure the tissues if extreme temperatures are applied; for example, an ice burn. if you have any questions, please ask. Your Adam's Back chiropractors are happy to discuss which approach is right for you. 


Picture from Pinterest 

Ingredients
4 pears, diced
4 apples, diced (or more pears)
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1 cup ground almonds
1⁄2 cup oatmeal
1⁄4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 Tbl honey or maple syrup (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground ginger
1⁄4 tsp sea salt (Celtic is good)
1⁄2 tsp vanilla

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Mix pears, apples and lemon juice. The juice helps to stop the fruit from going brown. Place into either one large baking dish or four small dishes. Leave room for the topping.
Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, then sprinkle over the fruit.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving, as the fruit will be very hot.

Optional:
- mix some chopped walnuts through the topping.
- reserve half a pear and slice thinly for decoration.​

​Fresh figs contain a wide variety of vitamins, but only in fairly small quantities. However, when it comes to essential dietary minerals, figs are incredibly nutritious, with high levels of essential elements like potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium and manganese. This is a good reason for eating them, and they can contribute to all- round good health. In particular they may support healthy digestion, decrease your risk of heart disease, and help manage blood sugar levels.

Drying figs concentrates these nutrients by lowering the water content; so if we compare the same weight of dried and fresh figs, the dried ones are much higher in dietary fibre, iron, and other minerals. Some vitamins can be destroyed by the drying process, so fresh figs are higher in vitamin C and vitamin A. Dried figs are, by weight, considerably higher in sugar and kilojoules than fresh figs, so they should be eaten in moderation.

Figs are high in dietary fibre, so they’re very good for the digestive system; some people find that they’re particularly helpful for managing constipation. The downside to that is that they can cause diarrhoea – particularly dried figs – so try adding them to your diet gradually so that you can monitor and manage any ill-effects.
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Figs are high in vitamin K, which is a vitamin that helps control the way blood clots. This is essential in a healthy diet, but people who take certain blood thinners such as warfarin should aim to keep levels of vitamin K in their diet fairly consistent.