Interview with Alisha Lynch, Naughty Naturopath Mum

I’ve met lots of incredible Mums in cyperspace who are united in striving for optimal health for our children, ourselves and the world.

Todays Mumday Monday Mum  delivers her message with a naughty twist, playing April Fools jokes on her followers (she got me!)  and generally making things very real. She manages to inject an effervescent energy into the wellness world  which is very contagious!

Pour yourself a cuppa and meet Alisha Lynch, The Naughty Naturopath Mum!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a SAHM to a 1 year old boy and 2 year old girl and a naturopath.

I have a passion for good food, finding the fun and positivity in life and balancing the emotions with the Australian Bush Flower Essences.

I like to keep things as real and authentic as possible so through my Blog and Facebook page I share my ups and downs, successes and slip ups in the hope of creating awareness that its ok to be human while striving for health for ourselves and families.

I’m a big believer of the 80/20 rule for this reason.

I like to provide SAHM’s like me and people who are too busy to get to appointments, e-mail consults to determine the best bush essence remedy for them to help them get back to themselves and achieve more balance.

Why did you become a naturopath? And why are you “naughty”?

I was very fortunate to have a mother that put a lot of emphasis on our health growing up.  We went to a wonderful naturopath and homeopath more than we went to our family GP and she was the most amazing woman. I thought that I would like to be like her when I grew up.

My mum also helped me to realise that balance was the key to health. She was so strict with us in the early days (food wise) that we would do almost anything to get our hands on some sugar! I remember picking used bubblegum off the ground once and tasting it, when I was about 5 years old, as I had never been allowed to eat anything ‘pink’! Whenever we went around to a neighbours house, we always asked for Weet-bix! Mum couldn’t work out why, as we had this at home but wasn’t to know that the neighbour sprinkled sugar on it for us! I guess that’s why I called myself the “naughty naturopath” as I indulge on occasion with foods that don’t agree with my body but they certainly agree with my soul.  It also gives me leeway to have a wine or two!  I like the word naughty – to me it means fun, cheeky and a bit left off centre, anyone who knows me will describe me that way.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I don’t know where to start with this one. So much.

Firstly, the fact that it doesn’t feel like ‘work’ but more a way of life.  Even if I never made a career out of Naturopathy, I would have the skills and knowledge to look after mine and my family’s health for life.

I get huge satisfaction out of sharing my knowledge with anyone that wants to listen! I also like that it has been a passion that I can still be actively pursuing for as long as my mind wants to.  There is always more to learn in this industry and I love that.

The fact that it encompasses both sides of health, the physical via good nutrition and herbal medicine and the emotional side, which I believe to be the most important as all emotions manifest the physical, with encouragement, inspirations and the essences.  That is why I’m so passionate about using and prescribing the bush essences as they help or emotional balance.

Lastly, I love how flexible it is.  Since becoming a naturopath I have worked alongside other naturopaths, holistic doctors and acupuncturists in clinics and private practice.  I’ve been a health educator for Blackmores, training pharmacists and staff about nutrition and herbal medicine.  I’ve worked in countless health food stores all around Australia, and now, as a mum of a 1 and 2 year old, can work from home helping people with the bush flower essences via e-mail consult and sharing health tips, recipes and nutrition and herbal medicine advice with my facebook page and blog.

What is the most common bush remedy you need to prescribe? Why do you think it’s the case?

I think it would have to be Crowea.  It’s for feeling ‘not quite right’ in yourself, for continual worrying and feeling out of balance.  This is the case for a lot of my client’s and something I identify with myself (love putting Crowea in my drops!) Taking this remedy helps us to feel more confident, self-assured and back in balance.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Healthy eating = Whole Food Eating in my books! If the food you are buying is in it’s whole form and you are creating dishes out of this in your own kitchen, then that is health to me.

I am also a passionate believer of healthy eating including the PROCESS of the source, preparation and cooking of the food. Sharing that knowledge with your children and involving them from an early age, growing your own food and herbs where possible, shopping at local farmers and fresh food markets, knowing which foods to eat for YOUR body, using healthy practices in your kitchen when it comes to which fats are best to use, the importance of organic and grass fed meats and dairy, avoiding gluten, refined sugars, additives and preservatives and being mindful of the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables you are getting daily!

Again, use the 80/20 rule for this to be balanced!

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Coconut oil – refined for cooking and frying savoury foods and unrefined for baking and taking in my water of a morning along with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Chia seeds – My facebook likers and blog followers think I have a little problem with chia seeds, I add them to absolutely everything! Most of my baked goods, salads, stews, casseroles, cereal, yoghurt, smoothies, vegetables and my favourite thing ever for breakfast – chia puddings! I have many chia seed recipes and I’m sure people are thinking ‘enough already with the chia seeds!’ but they are seriously fantastic!

Almond Meal – We mostly eat gluten free in this house so again, this is the base for a lot of baking.

Tins of legumes – Chickpeas, borlotti, cannellini, I could go on but adding an easy source of protein to our veggie dishes to whipping up a quick hummus – I can’t be without them.  In my single days, I would buy dried legumes, soak and cook but with a 1 and 2 year old and limited time, these ready to use tins are a godsend.

Raw unprocessed honey – I use it to sweeten a lot of desserts, as well as medjool dates (see how I snuck a 6^th one in) 😉 and I also add to our smoothies, plain yoghurt, salad dressings and remedies for colds or sore throats (fabulous combined with warm water, cinnamon powder and lemon juice).  I must have honey in the house but it HAS to be raw for the nutrient value as well as antimicrobial properties.

What do you indulge in?

White and red wine, good quality dark chocolate and in my 20% ‘naughty’ times – cheesecake!! I have a big sweet tooth and I’m loving the amount of raw, GF cheesecake recipes out there now although I’ve been known to have any type in a pinch 😉

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Family, love, balance, health, friends, laughter, the ocean, inspiration and sleep – in that order!

What is your favourite quote?

The cure for anything is saltwater. Sweat, tears or the sea – Isak Dinesen

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

To be honest, not much these days although I am getting better! April has been self love month for a lot of women I know and we have gotten together on facebook to remind others as well as ourselves to do things for ourself, by ourself.  For me that’s a massage or a pedicure or a swim.  I also nurture myself with a couple of hours away from the kids each weekend, usually a lunch or movie date with my sister or browsing health food stores and buying something that excites me or takes my fancy. I love health food stores!

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

Park dates, hanging around the house excited that dad is home as he cooks pancakes for breakfast every Sunday! We used to go to the beach every weekend but since we moved to Brisbane 2 months ago, we do Southbank and the museum a lot as my 2 year old girl is in love with dinosaurs! We grab the odd weekend down at the beach and stay with my mum on the Gold Coast so I can get my ocean fix!

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

It  will have to be the CHIA PUDDING, I’m obsessed I tell you!

Chia puddings are the best! So easy  to make and so healthy for you. Another magnificent thing about these tasty treats is that they are gluten free and dairy free! Well mine are anyway, but you can certainly use dairy if you wish! They are so versatile that you can eat them for breakfast or dessert or even a snack! Either way, it’s always time for a chia pudding!

Now there are so many ways you can make these, I’m just going to outline how I make mine and I vary what I add to them depending what’s in the fridge/pantry/fruit bowl!

CHIA PUDDING

What you will need:

Chia seeds!! About 1-2 tblspns per pudding. For all the health benefits of chia, please read my chia blog here

50ml Organic coconut cream per pudding (here you can use almond milk, yoghurt or anything like that…)

1/2 tspn of Honey per pudding (optional) only if you need more sweetness than fruit provides…hubby and I like to add a little of this amazing creamed cinnamon honey that friends bought us on Stradbroke Island.

Fruit of your choice, I love using mango, berries, kiwi fruit, plums, bananas- just cut up as much as you’d like to serve per person. Add just one fruit or a few types depending on your fancy

100ml Almond milk per pudding (or milk of your choice)

1 tspn or 2gr per pudding of a superfood powder, this is optional but of course adding powders like maca, acai or greens (spirulina, wheat or barley grass powders etc.) really gives you an extra oomph! We use an acai berry blend powder by Nutraorganics

1 level tspn of cacao per pudding optional if you don’t want it chocolatey, but I highly recommend as it will boost the antioxidant activity of your pudding even further! 

Assembly:
Take 2 glasses or you can even use bowls, we like to use wine glasses as it makes us feel fancy and looks pretty!

First put the chia seeds in the bottom of glass and add coconut cream and honey. Give a stir and then leave to soak overnight in fridge for brekkie or for a full day if making dessert.

You will find that after soaking, you will have a nice firm pudding consistency as the chia seeds have absorbed the liquid. This is when you put your cut up fruit on top.

Then in a separate glass, mix almond milk and cacao powder, stir well and tip over the fruit.

Sprinkle superfood powder on top and voila! The healthiest, most nutrient and antioxidant packed fibre full pudding!

Connect with Alisha:

Facebook

Website