Ashburton Guardian | YOU and your lifestyle | April 11 2020

you

Saturday, April 11, 2020

AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

the

Importance of SELF-CARE

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 11, 2020

Keep yourself in good space “What lies behind us and what lies before us is nothing compared to what lies within us” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Connie Quigley is one half of the Lives Worth Living, Suicide Prevention team here in the Ashburton District for Safer Mid Canterbury. She shares the role with Pup Chamberlain. Earlier this week, Connie reached out to YOU wanting to get a message out to the community on how best to face the challenges of today. Below, is Connie’s message as told to us.

W

e all have a responsibility to look after our own wellbeing in the current crisis we are working through.

I am Lives Worth Living, Suicide Prevention co-ordinator for Safer Mid Canterbury, sharing the role with Pup Chamberlain.

I am one of the many Irish that emigrated to New Zealand with my family following the Celtic Tiger crash in 2012.

At this time our properties devalued significantly with the downturn of the economy.

Although this had a negative impact on our people, like in any global crisis, it again brought communities together and we all began to appreciate the simple things that life has to offer while coming together to support each other.

Through my personal journey and my professional work as a mental health clinician for over 25 years, I have become very aware of the importance of developing resilience and management of my own wellbeing. I regularly review my balance wheel and prioritise good selfcare – to be a good partner and mum, I first need to be kind and be responsible for my own wellbeing.

Through my role as a mental health clinician in Mid Canterbury, I have found New Zealanders to be resilient and solution focused in facing daily challenges.

We now, more than ever, need to focus on our inner resilience and prioritise good self-care.

New Zealanders have a great love of life and recognise the importance of family and having a good work/home lifestyle balance.

We are blessed in the country of the Land of the Long White Cloud to be surrounded by nature and beauty and now is the time to be mindful and take notice.

CONNIE QUIGLEY

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you” – Katie Reed The Ministry of Health has reiterated the importance of one single consistent message in management of our current pandemic. The following is a document created by the ministry to support families at this time.

Covid-19: Wellbeing

Wellbeing tips to help you feel good and get through: Find ways to stay connected: – He waka eke noa – we’re all in this together. Remember you are not alone, it’s important that physical isolation doesn’t lead to social isolation. Stay connected with the people who are important to you on the phone, through social media, video chats or text.

– Self-isolation doesn’t mean cutting off all communication – in fact, it’s more

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important than ever to talk and listen, share stories and advice, and stay in touch with the people who matter to you.

– Organise a virtual coffee or lunch with your friends or schedule a daily phone call with an elderly relative or neighbour.

Do things that make you feel good: – Prioritise looking after your body and mind – we know what makes us feel good and what doesn’t.

– Remember what worked for you in previous times of stress and try to recreate and repeat those feel-good factors. Get into healthy habits.

– At times of crisis it’s important to give our minds and bodies what they need to stay healthy – good food, plenty of sleep, fun, exercise, mindfulness, music, relaxation, reading, nature, laughter, space, gratitude – whatever works for you.

Keep moving: – Exercise helps your mind and body to release tension and stress; it energises you by releasing feel-good endorphins.

– Find ways to move your body and your mood every day.

– You can still go outside for a walk, run or cycle, as long as you stay in your ‘bubble’.

Find ways and space to relax: – Relaxation is especially important if you’re feeling stressed or anxious; finding things that help you breathe deeply, switch off and recharge will make you feel better.

– Breathing deeply and slowly for just 60 seconds will help you feel calm.

– It’s important to have a relaxing space to be in. If you can’t create a physical space use your imagination to create ‘headspace’.

Saturday, April 11, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

HELP IS NOT FAR AWAY Be generous – think about what you can do for others: – Giving helps us feel valued and connected – think about ways you can give your time, skills and knowledge to help others.

– Assist others who might need help and reach out to people who are alone.

– Text a compliment to someone, share

a recipe or book recommendation on social media, or call someone who might be feeling lonely.

Stick to a routine: – We cope better with stress when our lives have structure – routines keep us healthy.

– When our usual routines are upset, it’s important to create new ones.

– Go to sleep and wake up at the same

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If you are concerned and feeling overwhelmed at this time please free call or text 1737 where a trained counsellor is available 24/7.

If you would like to contact our service please do not hesitate to use the following contact details: Connie Quigley Suicide prevention co-ordinator Email: connie.quigley@ safermidcanterbury.org.nz Mobile: 027 450-0742

time every day, eat regularly, shower, change your clothes, get some fresh air, book in video-chats with colleagues or friends, do your chores and make sure you make time for fun.

Moderate your consumption of (bad) news: – Covid-19 is a global issue and the endless updates from news outlets and people on social media can be

overwhelming.

– Notice how you feel and switch off when you need to.

– Get important information from reliable sources such as the Unite against Covid-19 website.

Remember all the good things in life that aren’t being reported!

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 11, 2020

How to make food supplies I

n such difficult times like these, it is important to think of ways to make food supplies last longer and go further than they once usually would have before Covid-19 lockdown was put into place.

Not wanting to make as many trips to buy supplies, purchasing produce that stores well is key.

Including a vegetarian or vegan type approach to your diet could ensure larger meals that last for a longer duration and that are still packed full of nutrition we require to keep ourselves, our families, and our immune system healthy.

It’s also important to ensure you are maintaining optimum health from all viruses, particularly Covid-19, the main threat we are all facing currently.

This also reduces your overall consumption of meat, keeping your food bill low, and more room in your freezer or storage for a range of other supplies to make meals go further.

Purchase produce that is much lower in cost, such as cabbage, pumpkin, potatoes, onions, corn, carrots, tomatoes and peppers, and frozen peas/mixed vegetables that will help to bulk out dishes so they can go a lot further.

Or for fewer people, leftovers could make a lunch option the next day or

NATURALLY YOU with Jane Logie

another dinner, or even frozen for a later date.

Plan your meals to incorporate less meat and more vegetables, and other food products such as noodles (rice or durum wheat), pasta, rice, pulses and tubers.

When planning try and base your meals around the vegetables you have to cook with and consider the meat as the condiment rather than the centre stage of the meal, you only need a small amount for iron, zinc and as a complete protein.

Combining pulses, rice and vegetables provide a complete protein source that your body requires to stay healthy.

Include other food products like lentils, chickpeas (canned), frozen peas, frozen mixed vegetables, canned tomatoes, kidney beans, barley, cous cous, bulgur wheat and quinoa, and other such grains like barley, that can help to make soups, salads and main meal dishes.

This will ensure a variety of flavours that you may not generally serve and they will help to lower the cost, creating larger meals for more portions to be consumed at a later date.

Incorporating all these ways will help your food supply last longer and will mean fewer trips to your local supermarket.

Bulk buying and making use of your freezer and cupboard space, as well as utilising your cooking skills while you have a bit more time to spend on meal planning and cooking, trying out new recipes that you may not have had the time for before!

You might be surprised what you can create in the kitchen.

Try to purchase produce that has a longer shelf life, be kept in the freezer, fridge, pantry or cool store, basing your current meals around these products.

Or turn some of the fruits and vegetables that start to perish into soups, stewed fruit, or other dishes that can be frozen for later, such as pumpkin soup, minestrone soup, tomato soup, carrot soup, hummus and chickpea patties.

A challenge such as the one we are all facing currently can make us more creative and resourceful in the kitchen, but be mindful of keeping nutrition to the fore so it can help us stay as healthy as we possibly can be.

With the compliments of Jane Logie, a medicinal herbalist, clinical nutritionist and chef from Methven

Loo paper shaming F

rom inside level four lockdown: Well, here we are. No-one could have ever dreamt up the disaster now playing out beyond our gates.

It all happened a bit suddenly, a bit quickly and has become a bit frightening.

The yearning I once had for the city, the shopping malls, the bright lights, the crowds and bustle, simply disappeared overnight.

Instead, my gratitude grows daily of the farm, open spaces, isolation and long, straight (and empty) shingle roads.

But let me take you back to happier times ... to just a matter of weeks ago when the country, the district, decided the way we’d cope with all of this was to buy every single roll of toilet paper ever made.

If there is one thing farmy people do, it’s bulk buy. We have to. We always have done.

We can’t just pop to the shop every other second when we forget something. So stockpiling is nothing new and buying the “big box” or “value pack” is pretty normal.

Call this bad timing, but just as the loo paper lunatics were stripping shelves, I realised we were genuinely getting low, as in a roll or two left.

So I pranced down the aisles and to my delight the supermarket shelves were

FARMY PRINCESS with DONNA-MARIE LEVER

flush. I reached up for the double length 3-ply 12-pack and as I was about to plonk it in the trolley, when a woman behind me said “Oh, panic buying are we?”

What?!!

Who was this woman? I’d never seen her before in my life and I’m not normally bothered by the thoughts of complete strangers. But something odd happened. I blushed! I could feel my wee face turning bright red, I was really embarrassed!

Without thinking I returned the toilet tissue straight back to the shelf, giggled nervously and drove my trolley straight into the display at the end of the aisle.

I’d been TP-Shamed! A week passed, things got dire and we entirely ran out.

The tissue box made its way to the bathroom, but let this be a warning to you all – a public service announcement if you like.

When you run out of loo paper and your only options are eucalyptus-infused tissues or nothing – choose nothing. Trust me.

TV reporter, journalist, mum and born and bred Aucklander Donna-Marie Lever talks about life after marrying a farmer and moving to rural Mid Canterbury

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Saturday, April 11, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

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go further in lockdown Chickpea and pea patties with yoghurt dressing Makes 8-10 patties This is a high protein dish utilising both types of peas. The green peas are high in vitamin C to help immunity and the garlic makes a good antiviral in fending off any potential bugs.

400g can chickpeas 100g green peas, frozen 2 garlic cloves, small 2t dried coriander leaf 1t ground coriander 1t ground cumin 1/4 t ground white pepper 1t ground sea salt 1t lemon juice 1/2 t lemon zest Flour for dusting exterior of patties (gluten-free, plain wheat, or rice) 8-10 T olive oil for frying patties

Chickpea and pea patties with yoghurt dressing.

Photo Jane Logie

– Open, drain and rinse one 400g can of chickpeas, place on paper towels on a plate to drain excess water, then place the chickpeas into the food processor.

– Defrost the peas in hot wa-

– – –

– –

–

ter, then drain and place on paper towels on a plate.

Place the peas into the kitchen blender.

Whizz the chickpeas and peas until all chopped up and a soft fine crumb forms.

Dice garlic finely and also place in food processor.

Add coriander leaf, ground coriander, ground cumin, white pepper, sea salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and whizz until smooth.

Shape into patties and place on a plate to set in the refrigerator for two hours.

When ready for cooking patties, dust the exterior of patties before frying, set aside.

Place large pan on a medium to high heat, heat oil and

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cook the patties 2-3 minutes, both sides, or until golden brown, then place on a tray in the oven set at 50°C until ready to serve.

– Serve with salad and the yoghurt dressing or in hamburgers, or pita pockets or with a cous cous salad.

Yoghurt dressing: 1/2 C plain yoghurt 1T lemon juice 2T chopped mint

– Measure the yoghurt into a small serving bowl, add in the lemon juice and chopped mint.

– Place in the fridge covered until you’re ready to eat.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 11, 2020

Advertising feature

Smokin’ at Lake House J

ust as New Zealand went into Covid-19 lockdown the Lake House at Lake Hood had planned a spectacular opening night to introduce an exciting addition to its function, food and beverage services.

Smoke, a slow-cooked American BBQ menu and experience providing patrons the choice of a more casual dining experience in its relaxed American Smokehouse style bistro section at the Lake House Restaurant.

The Lake House team has been working hard to provide its loyal patrons an additional choice in dining experience, building on the love the chefs, David and Ken, have in preparing and serving slow-cooked, tender and succulent cuts of locally sourced meat.

The popular Lake House Fire Pit and BBQ nights were the build-up to launching Ashburton’s first true American style smokehouse BBQ bistro Smoke.

Delicious and succulent 12-hour smoked cuts of meat will be lovingly cooked in their onetonne, custom-built smoker with flavours imparted from West Coast manuka and fruit woods the chefs sourced from Central Otago.

Indulge in smoked brisket, Boston butt, pork ribs, Texas-smoked chicken and authentic American BBQ sides.

Also, once open look out for their hot wings challenge, where the tingling jalapeno sauce is the mild end of the face-burning Carolina reaper. Get through this to the end and your name will appear on their wall of fame.

Not wanting clients to have to wait to enjoy its new gourmet and Smoke menus, during Level 3 the Lake House will combine

‘

forces with The Picnic Company to offer a full evening delivery service to the Ashburton township with inclusion of alcoholic beverages. This will complete your dining experience without leaving home.

They also will encompass a new extensive heat and eat menu option delivered to the

wider Ashburton area.

The Lake House looks forward to opening so their loyal patrons can once again enjoy the ambience of Lake Hood and the newly renovated and exciting Smoke Bistro.

Visit the Lake House Facebook or website to download the exciting new menus.

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During Level 3 these are being delivered to your door.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

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Going back to our roots

Existing vegetable gardens

Top tips for the ongoing care of your vege garden

T

he last of the summer vegetables are now harvested, so remove finished crops. Collect seeds such as tomatoes, beans, sunflowers, etc.

Dig over your existing soil to approximately one and a half spades deep. Add compost to improve soil texture and structure and mix it in well.

Winter vegetables to be planted as young seedlings or sown as seed directly into the garden include: beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, onions, peas, bok choy, radish, silverbeet, spinach, (turnip, swede in colder climates), and kale. If you are not able to access a garden centre to buy seedlings, consider buying seeds online from somewhere like kingsseeds. co.nz It takes longer but is better than missing out.

Rotate areas where you have grown specific crops – different plants give and take different nutrients from the soil so rotating where crops are planted, can help you manage the soil nutrient balance.

Starting a new vegetable garden The site of your garden is essential to its success – whether in the ground or a raised bed.

It will need full sun (or as much as your backyard can provide) during the growing season, shelter from the cold, strong southerlies and it should be positioned in a well-drained part of the garden. Also, think about how close you are to a water source for easy irrigation.

The quickest way to get a vegetable

• Stagger your plantings (every two to three weeks) to provide continuous harvesting over the coming months.

• Use jars or plastic bottles to put over seedlings and protect them at night. Make your own using old hula-hoops (cut in half) and a cover with a frost cloth or even bubble wrap! Remember to remove covers in the morning.

garden up and running is straight into the ground. This works well if you have a relatively flat area that is north facing, open and sunny.

If you have access to materials, and for ease of access when planting, caring and harvesting, a raised vegetable garden is ideal.

Raise the soil level using treated timber or bricks etc to about 300mm high and fill with compost and existing soil (mix in well). If you decide to go with something bigger like a larger planter box, you will need to fill it with a mixture of planting mix and compost. Then plant out with vegetables as listed above.

Growing in containers If you have limited space you can successfully grow winter vegetables in pots or containers; try silverbeet, spinach, spring onions, brussels sprouts, broccoli, peas, bok choy and winter lettuce, etc.

Container size is important – people tend to select smaller pots but be sure the container is big enough.

Use a good quality potting or container mix as they have been specially developed for this type of growing environment.

Position pots or containers in a warm sunny, north facing position away from strong winds.

• Some insects and birds devour tender seedlings so keep them protected.

Children can help make slug/snail beer traps by digging a small hole in the soil just big enough for a saucer or jar to fit snugly with the lip of the jar level with the ground.

An adult can fill the jar with half a cup of beer; the slugs and snails are attracted to the sweet liquid and will fall into the trap and drown.

• Have good garden hygiene practices which includes cleaning up any dead leaves or foliage, and regular weeding.

This helps to keep pests and diseases at bay.

Visit www.daltons.co.nz for free gardening guides or information on the wide range of Daltons products.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 11, 2020

Native shrub Giveaway Kākābeak Josie Hill is this month’s winner with the following question: Can you please tell me when and how to prune our Kākābeak?

K

ākābeak (Clianthus puniceus), is one of our most endangered native shrubs with sadly, less than 150 plants remaining in the wild.

Although these plants are reasonably easily propagated by seed and cuttings, they tend to be relatively short-lived as they are very susceptible to attacks by the leaf miner caterpillar which decimate the foliage.

Kākābeak does not have a naturally tidy, compact form and so you must accept this when cultivating them.

They usually flower from July into early spring. To encourage a more branching form (a balanced shape) they should be pruned immediately after flowering. Do this by removing short twiggy growth that is typical of the Kākābeak plant and shorten any irregular, larger branches. During the growing season, you can also remove growth where it is not required.

Add a layer of Daltons Garden Time Mulch and Grow around the base of the plant to help protect and add nutrients back into the soil.

You may find it helpful to read our free How to Grow Guides which cover a range of gardening topics and include tips from the experts: www.daltons.co.nz/how-to-guides.

Daltons Lawn Care Pack A uniform green healthy lawn is something many people strive for

and the secret comes down to fertilising regularly and adequately with lawn fertiliser, and regular watering.

We have a Daltons Premium Lawn Care Pack valued at over $80 to give away which contain 1 x Daltons Premium Lawn Fertiliser, 1 x Daltons Lawn Patching Gold, 1 x Daltons Premium Lawn Soil, including a pair of comfortable, versatile Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products www.omniproducts.co.nz.

Everything you need to care for your lawn!

Entry details

Email goodies@theguardian.co.nz with Daltons Lawn Care Pack giveaway in the subject heading, or write to Daltons Lawn Care Pack Ashburton Guardian PO Box 77 Ashburton 7740

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:

– You must provide a gardening question for the Daltons experts to answer.

– Please include your address and phone number in email and letter options.

Giveaway entries must be received by May 1, 2020.

For more information on Daltons products visit www.daltons.co.nz

All questions supplied are entered into the draw to win a Daltons prize pack, but the Guardian reserves the right to choose which questions and answers will be published. Daltons post the prize to our lucky winner.