Healththread winter july2013

WINTER NEWSLETTER

NEW ENGLAND

FACEBOOK.COM/NEWENGLANDMEDICARELOCALTWITTER.COM/NEMEDICARELOCAL

JULY 2013 | ISSUE 4 WWW.NEML.ORG.AU

Shape uphealth coaching via social media

Gp SynerGy update

Training the next generation of GPs

Getting your Balance

Aged Care Access Initiative

aboriginal health Snap Shot - Men’s Business

Speech PathologyChildren’s Chatter Matters to NEML

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CONTENTS

a word from the Chair & CEO of NEML...................................................................3

What’s happening on social media........................................................................5

preventative health: Shape up - health coaching via social media.........................6

australian dietary Guidelines 2013........................................................................7

Gp Synergy update: Training the next generation of GPs.......................................8

Clinical: Getting your Balance Aged Care Access Initiative......................................10

Clinical continued: Children’s Chatter Matters to NEML Speech Pathology...........11

aboriginal health Snap Shot: Men’s Business.......................................................12

national rural health alliance................................................................................13

neML Website re-development..............................................................................13

Book review: Crossing to Safety Reviewed by Janet Robilliard.............................14

Food: Healthy Chili Recipe Recommended by Dietitian Renaye Gadsby...............15

new england Medicare Local | Page

Chair of NEML Board DR. DAvID BRIGGS

In this Newsletter we will see articles that address some of the diverse activities and services of NEML, our members and partners. These include information on our Aboriginal men’s health programs, a new initiative utilising social media to improve health and fitness, details of changes to the Australian dietary guidelines and of programs for the aged around balance; speech pathology for children; and events, activities delivered by GP Synergy. This is just a small sample of the daily events of NEML, our staff and partners across the region.

It speaks volumes about the breadth and reach NEML has already achieved and, of course, helps to demonstrate the importance of having a local framework such as NEML to ensure primary health care is available and accessible for the region.This importance needs to be emphasised as we move into the election phase at the Federal level and as the various political entities and individual aspirants for office prepare for this contest.

We need to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of local primary health care organisations, however titled, in delivering relevant services to local communities and in supporting general practitioners and other Primary Health Care professionals in their important primary role with their patients and communities.Recently, we lost the services of two Board members for work related and personal reasons and this was disappointing given their early and effective contribution to the Board. These vacant positions have been advertised and we received some fifteen applications. Hopefully, we will be announcing new appointments from this number shortly.

At the Board level we have developed a Board communique as an initiative to ensure Board considerations and decisions are publicly available and widely distributed. We appreciate a lot of issues and material are considered by the Board and we have been a little slow in responding with general feedback. Hopefully the communique will help address and improve that communication.

Recently our Board and Chief Executive met with our counterparts from the Hunter New England Local Health District in order to build on existing relationships. We have reached, in principle, agreement to develop an alliance to work together and to focus on key areas that we have suggested. This includes local consultation between the parties on our respective activities, greater availability of data to be shared in the prioritising and planning of services, particularly with the emphasis we wish to give to prevention and increased collaboration around the recruitment and retention of health professionals, a mutual priority.

We hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter and we look forward to your feedback and to future contributions recognising your collective contributions to our communities.

A word from the Chair

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Chief Executive Officer GRAEME KERSHAW

A word from the CEO

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In the first week of July the New England Medicare Local (NEML) reaches a very significant milestone - it turns one!

We consider the first 12 months from the July 1, 2011 a lengthy, but necessary, gestation period when much of the work the Medicare Local would assume was still contracted to the Divisions of General Practice. It was only on July 1, 2012 NEML really came into the world; when 120 staff transferred across to begin delivering services under the New England Medicare Local name.

Those numbers have since increased and, as I’ve previously commented, there are around 200 people actively engaged with NEML delivering services to communities in the region. That is a lot of people engaged with our primary health care organisation but is still quite small compared to all of the health providers engaged in private and public practice across the region.

We need to make sure our efforts to the health care of the community count, but more importantly we need to work closely with those other providers: GPs, nurses, HNE Health staff, pharmacists, allied health practitioners and others to make sure we complement and support their efforts.

If our first year was gestation in which we fixed much of the behind the scenes work that needed to be done to merge three organisations; then our first year out in the world has been finding our feet and starting to make our way in the world.

From July 1 this year we really mean to build on what we have learned so far and make a difference. One of the ways we’ll do that is with an expanded range of services and programs. Some you’ll read about in this publication and some that are yet to come to fruition - we’ll keep you informed about those.

We’ll also go into our second year with an expanded range of members that have joined the organisation. A few months ago we opened up membership of the Medicare Local - from the original three Divisions of General Practice - to other organisations. We initially invited general practices to join and along with applications from them came applications from other entities in the region. To date we have 20 member organisations. Next month we will invite a fresh round of applications from allied health practices, Aboriginal Medical Services, pharmacies and aged care providers.

The Board wants the Medicare Local to be a broadly based general practice and primary health organisation; connected to the local communities it serves.

This newsletter gives you a taste of the breadth and depth of some of the programs and services NEML is involved with from diabetes education for Aboriginal people to perinatal depression specialist care, and education programs for health professionals.

I’m delighted to look down the barrel at another birthday (hopefully not the “terrible twos”), with the chance, again, to reflect on what can be achieved in 12 months.

I hope you enjoy the content in the Newsletter and as always invite your comment and contribution to the New England Medicare Local.


FACEBOOKFacebook.com/newenglandmedicarelocal

Like us on FACEBOOKFacebook.com/newenglandmedicarelocal

TWITTERtwitter.com/neMedicarelocal

Follow us on TWITTERtwitter.com/neMedicarelocal

Carol Practice Manager from Bridge Medical Centre was the lucky winner of the Prevention in Primary Healthcare Program Survey! Pictured here with our friendly Provider Support Officer Nicole Falkiner

@newenglandmedicarelocal

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Tamworth's Lyn Stewart, the Practice Manager of Peel Health Care has been named "Practice Manager of the Year" for NSW by the AAPM. @neMedicarelocal

Dietitian Renaye Gadsby hosted a shopping tour @WeeWaa. Participant Niki Wohling pictured with Susanne Kable said prior to the tour she didn’t know toddler juice wasn’t different or better for her child than normal fruit juice.

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new england Medicare Local | Page 6

PREvENTATIvEHEALTH

new england Medicare Local’s primary health care and partnerships stream has launched an innovative pilot project, “Shape up”.

“Shape Up“ is a health coaching project designed to examine the effectiveness of delivering health coaching using social media sites, Facebook and Twitter. Program manager, Anne Williams, said she was excited about the pilot project. “I really think this will prove to be a great way to increase access to health coaching and overcome the barriers of cost and social isolation,” she said. “It is free and accessible to many people in our community and cost effective for NEML.”

The project has engaged the services of a social media consultant to set up the program’s Facebook page and Twitter account, and to monitor the program. Tamworth allied health providers, Dietitian Anne Segboer, and exercise physiologist Andrew Mahony, have come on board to develop the program, provide advice, coach participants, and answer any questions.

The pilot program has been advertised and promoted in New England Medicare Local’s western network area which includes: Moree, Gunnedah, Narrabri and surrounding towns.

Participants have been directed to the Shape Up Facebook page through a specially devised advertising campaign, which includes targeted Facebook advertising and working with the media in the network area.Flyers and posters are displayed in the appropriate NEML offices, and in the offices of

health providers, local pharmacies and general practices.When a person gets to the Shape Up page they are able to find out more about the program and can register to participate using an online form. They are then be assigned to a Facebook group based on their needs.

The program of activities, advice and general health coaching runs for four weeks. Prompts to complete activities or motivate participants throughout the day will be delivered via Facebook messages and Tweets. “For example, at 3pm a reminder to have a glass of water and a piece of fruit to keep energy levels up for the afternoon,” Ms Williams said. “Videos of how to exercise correctly can be uploaded to the page too. “Participants will be able to ask questions directly to the health staff as well as share their own stories, successes and challenges with other group members.”

Ms Williams said the pilot program was short and it wasn’t expected participants would lose significant amounts of weight. “But, if during the program, we can increase people’s knowledge base and their confidence to choose healthier lifestyle options that will be a great outcome,” she said. The Shape Up program will also help to link the participants with local services, facilities, sporting groups and events.

July is time to Shape Up!

Health Coaching via Social Media Pilot Project

www.facebook.com/ShapeUpHealthCoaching


Guideline 1: To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.

Guideline 2: Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five foods groups every day

• Vegetables (different types and colours) and legumes/beans

• Fruit

• Lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds and legumes

• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives (reduced fat)

• Grain foods (whole grain, breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous)

Guideline 3: Limited intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, sugars and alcohol.

• Limit intake of foods high in saturated fat such as biscuits, cakes, pie and other savoury snacks

• Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added salt

• Limited intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as soft drinks and sports drinks

• If you choose to drink alcohol, limit your intake

Guideline 4:Encourage, support and promote breast-feeding

Guideline 5: Care for your food; prepare and store it safely

More information on the guidelines or copies of them in full can be found by visiting:

www.eatforheatlh.gov.au www.alcohol.gov.au

new england Medicare Local has put together this easy to digest insight into the guidelines, which are developed each year with the intention of encouraging australians of all ages to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

The new guidelines were developed based on scientific evidence of what we should all be eating.

According to the National Health and Medical Research Council the guidelines are based on whole foods like vegetables and meats, not vitamin supplements. They are not recommended for people with medical conditions; people who require a special medical diet or for the frail or elderly who may be at risk of malnutrition.

This series of guidelines took three years to refine and were originally displayed for public comment in 2011.

When the National Health and Medical Research Council released the guidelines they said more than 55,000 journal articles had been used as evidence to support their development.

The 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines are the first to include recommendations for infants and, people over seventy.

“They focus on the quality and quantity food and the dietary patterns of Australian families, rely on resources that promote food groups rather than macronutrients, like carbohydrates and fats, and consider sustainability issues too- like the impact of too much fishing,” a spokesperson said.

The new guidelines feature a number of changes in terminology too.

“Extra” or “sometimes” foods are now called “discretionary” foods, none of which are recommended for the average person.

There is also a strong support for drinking tap water, rather than bottled water.

New England Medicare Local dietitian Renaye Gadsby said the Guidelines were useful because they were easy for people to understand.

“They talk about food groups rather than carbohydrates or fats which can cause confusion,” she said.

Ms Gadsby said she used the guidelines to develop her programs and deliver education to clients.

“They are evidence based and include a series of simple messages,” she said.

Australian Dietary Guidelines 2013the latest australian dietary Guidelines, produced by the national health and Medical research Council.


– A GP training update

Becoming a GP takes many years of training. After several years at university, doctors are required to spend at least two years of further training in hospital and additional time training in a specialty of their choice.

Of the doctors who choose to specialise as a GP, most join the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, and spend three to four years of training in supervised hospital and general practice environments.

Known as GP registrars, these doctors undertake their training through a regional training provider, like GP Synergy, which delivers prevocational and vocational general practice training across the New England North West region.

At any one time there can be up to 50 or more GP registrars training in general practices and hospitals across the region.

The New England North West region has an excellent reputation for procedural skills training, thanks largely to the continued dedication and support of specialist supervisors at Tamworth and Armidale hospitals.

Procedural skills training is available to GP registrars and fellowed doctors in areas such as anaesthesia; obstetrics and gynaecology; emergency medicine and mental health.

There are a number of GP Synergy registrars currently training in procedural skills and interest in these placements is increasing.Applications for 2014 placements open on July 25 and close on August 15. For more information is available on the GP Synergy website.

To encourage more GP registrars to consider training in an Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS), local AMS facilities - Armajun AMS in Inverell and Pius X AMS in Moree - recently collaborated with GP Synergy to develop a 15 minute promotional video. The video features AMS staff including GPs and GP registrars who share their AMS experiences. The video can be viewed on GP Synergy’s YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/GPSynergytraining

How do doctors become GPs?

– 2014 applications open 25 July

Video to promote training in Aboriginal Medical Services

TRAINING THE NExT GENERATION OF GPs


To promote the benefits of a career in rural general practice and help students and junior doctors fine-tune their suturing and skin excision skills, GP Synergy recently hosted a skin excision practical skills workshop for junior doctors, and University of New England and University of Newcastle medical students. The session was facilitated by former GP Synergy registrars, Drs Lauren Cone and Sonia Purcell and was a great success.

Within each university across Australia there are GP Student Network (GPSN) clubs which have been established to promote general practice as a career choice. The University of New England (UNE) GPSN club recently held a trivia night with over 100 students in attendance. It was a great night and two lucky students each went home with a stethoscope donated by GP Synergy.

A new federal government training program is being rolled out across the country for doctors who obtained their medical qualifications overseas. The training program, called “OTDNET”, provides individualised training and support for overseas trained doctors towards achieving fellowship or completion of Australian Medical Council exams.Applications for the OTDNET program are now open.

On August 23, local GP and GP Synergy supervisor Dr Miriam Grotowski, will join three other doctors and GP Synergy staff to take on some of Sydney’s toughest bush terrain. The group will walk 100km over a period of 30 hours as part of the Oxfam Trail Walk Challenge to raise money for charity. To donate to the team or follow their progress when the walk starts visit - https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/14602

For more information about Gp training, please contact Gp Synergy – 02 6776 6225 or visit www.gpsynergy.com.au


CLINICAL

living by helping to maintain, or increase the ability to undertake the activities of daily living such as showering, getting dressed and preparing meals,” she said.

“Through the program we are providing each participant with tools and knowledge for independent self management to ensure long term adherence and maintenance.

“Along the way we are also increasing their cardio respiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, improving their balance, mobility, flexibility and overall health.”

BALANCEGetting your

a new england Medicare Local program underway in tamworth has been helping the elderly to get their balance physically, mentally and emotionally.

Across the New England the Aged Care Access Initiative is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and administered by New England Medicare Local.

In Tamworth, Rural Fit Exercise Physiology and Sports Science has put together a 14 week exercise program for residents in Aged Care Facilities which includes: graded weekly group exercise progressions; weekly education and information sessions including topics focused on independent self management and living; a healthy lifestyle habits for improved wellbeing and quality of life; and falls risk and prevention exercises.

New England Medicare Local program officer, Miranda Wright, said the program aimed to reduce the incidence of falls by improving balance, mobility and lower limb strength; as well as management or prevention of health complications including heart disease, stroke, cancers, diabetes, dementia, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

“We also hope the program will improve participant mental health and wellbeing and influence healthy lifestyle changes,” she said. “Those healthy lifestyle changes are shown to improve concentration and self confidence, and reduce feelings of sadness, stress and anxiety.”

The program also focuses on maintaining independence.

“Physical activity can contribute to independent

alysia Bonnett Rural Fit Exercise Physiologist Larissa hanlon

Rural Fit Exercise Scientist


New England Medicare Local employs two Speech Pathologists to provide services for children in Wee Waa and Boggabri.The NEML services help to address some access issues and waiting times for existing services. They also act as a “top-up” to support existing services provided by the Area Health Speech Pathologists from Narrabri and Gunnedah.

Anna Haire works in Wee Waa every Thursday. She lives in Wee Waa and is well known in the town. Ms Haire said the NEML service meant families had more choice and as a result, no longer had to travel to Narrabri to see a Speech Pathologist if they were unable.

“ Speech Pathology services in rural and remote areas can be difficult for

families to

access due to distance, long waiting lists and lack of consistent service,” she said. “Services in small towns are usually provided by Area Health Speech Pathologists based in larger towns and these services are vulnerable due to recruitment difficulties, staff annual or maternity leave and illness.”

Anne Williams visits Boggabri between two and three times each month. Services in Boggabri were suspended when the Gunnedah based Speech pathologist went on maternity leave. Ms Williams service helps to meet the need left by that vacancy.

“The New England Medicare Local Speech Pathology Service is for children only and is free. A GP referral is required to access the service. Both services are busy and

well utilised by the GPs in both towns,” Ms Williams said.

“Fail to attend rates are low and waiting

times are generally less than a month.”

Anna and Anne are keen to promote

the benefits of Speech Pathology in their working region.

At the beginning of June New England Medicare Local donated Speech Pathology Australia’s “Books of the Year” for 2012 to the libraries, schools, childcare centres and preschools in both towns.

“Good spoken language skills are really important to learning literacy skills” Ms Williams said.

“There are strong links between good listening skills, understanding and speaking skills and success in learning to read”.

Speech Pathologists play an important role in developing children’s sound awareness and oral language abilities from which reading skills develop.

“One of the best things parents can do to prepare their children for school is to read to them,” Ms Williams said.

“Reading to your kids will teach them a love of books which will last a life time”

Speech Pathologists assess, diagnose and treat speech and language difficulties in young children.

The New England Medicare Local is pleased to support many services aimed at increasing the health of our communities.

Children’s chatter matters

to NEML

access to childhood Speech pathology in the western region has experienced a boost.

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ABORIGINALHEALTH Snap Shot

aboriginal men joined together in tamworth to celebrate Men’s health Week on Monday June 18. Eleven men aged between 20 and 55 met at the Tamworth Community Centre for breakfast before embarking on a health walk around the Coledale Community.

New England Medicare Local Aboriginal Health Worker Bill Allan presented a diabetes education workshop on the day.

Men invited to participate in the health walk have been involved

Men’s Businessin two of New England Medicare Local’s Aboriginal Men’s Health programs, delivered by Aboriginal Health Worker Jay Ramirez. Mr Ramirez said the aim of the walk had been to engage Aboriginal men of all ages and educate them on some of the health issues all men face, while participating in a healthy activity.

“We were pleased there were so many men participate in an event that was in the morning and on a week day,” Mr Ramirez said.

Over the past six months men involved in the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families and Soul Brother’s programs have achieved a number of outcomes.

Through the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program men have participated in a number of supportive programs to help them enhance their life skills.

Finance sessions were established to help educate participants on how to manage their money, put a family budget into place and pay their bills.

Other elements of the program have included finding suitable

employment, healthy family relationships and antenatal support.

Mr Ramirez said the program had been developed with input from the participants and that was proving to be a winning formula.

“All of the men involved indicated the things they wanted assistance with at a camp held at the end of last year and we developed the program from there,” he said.

“We have seen some great results and I think that comes from the fact the participants had ownership and could contribute to what was included in the program.”

The Soul Brothers program, a joint initiative of New England Medicare Local and the Yaamanhaa Men’s Group, which strives to help cement mens and fathers health and wellbeing by conducting exercise sessions twice a week is also kicking goals.

Held on a Monday and Wednesday night, the group is open to all Aboriginal men and fathers and promotes healthy living, exercise and relationships.


New England Medicare Local has renewed its membership of the National Rural Health Alliance, Australia’s peak non-government organisation for rural and remote health.

The NRHA’s vision is good health and wellbeing in rural and remote Australia and the organisation has set itself the goal of equal health for all Australians by the year 2020.

Fundamental to the Alliance’s work is the belief all Australians, regardless of where they live should have the opportunity for equal health outcomes, and equivalent access to comprehensive, high-quality and appropriate health services.

The Alliance comprises 34 Member Bodies, each of which is a national organisation.

They include consumer groups, such as the Country Women’s Association of Australia, representation

from the Indigenous health sector, health professional organisations (representing doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, dentists, pharmacists, paramedics, health students and health service managers) and service providers - such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Rural Hospitals Forum of Catholic Health Australia, and Frontier Services of the Uniting Church in Australia.

With such a broad representative base, the Alliance is in a unique position to represent the views on health and health-related issues of people in rural and remote Australia.

It collects and disseminates information so that it can determine the key issues affecting rural and remote areas and provide a coherent view on them to governments, the public, educational and research institutions and other bodies.

national rural health alliance

NEW ENGLAND

new england Medicare Local has been working behind the scenes to develop a new, user friendly and up-to-date website. The design team hopes to launch the site for the general public in August. Information included on the site will include all of the different things New England Medicare Local does as an organisation including: our programs and services in the community, workforce and health professional support, information about who we are and what we do, as well as career information.

The new site has been designed to focus strongly on making information about our health services and programs more readily accessible to the community. Health Professionals can expect to find pages dedicated to their needs whether it be provider support, access to resources or information on their Continued Professional Development. Prospective members are also catered for on the new site and we encourage anyone interested and eligible to visit when the site goes live and fill out an application form. The new website channels to our social media pages, Facebook and Twitter, to ensure when there is New England Medicare Local news it reaches you.


EvENTSBOOK

REvIEW

Title: Crossing to Safety

Author: Wallace Stegner

When a friend told me that she had enjoyed this book and suggested I would enjoy it too, for some reason I took my time before starting it, always selecting a different paperback from my library when I came to look for something new to read.

However after only a few pages I soon discovered my mistake. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. Beautifully written and yet the sort of book where one is anxious to keep reading, it is a tale documenting a friendship, begun during the Depression when a young couple arrive in Madison Wisconsin where the husband is to teach English at the university.

Larry is an aspiring writer, and hopes eventually to be able to make his living from writing and it is he who narrates this story of marriage and friendship. He and his wife Sally are invited to a dinner party at the home of Sid, another junior man in the English department, where he met people “undistinguished by song, plumage or resting habits from a dozen others” but it was a dinner party that changed his life, for the hosts were to become his and Sally’s firm friends all their lives. Sid and his wife Charity, both blessed with intelligence and money, take the new arrivals under their wings, and Charity starts on a crusade of keeping her new friends happy and occupied.

At this stage in their lives both couples are idealistic and feel that their world is full of promise, with books to be written and metaphorical dragons to be slayed. Unfortunately life is to deal each couple inevitable blows: Sally becomes severely ill with polio, and after her recovery is left with some paralysis. It is while she is ill that the Langs provide moral as well as financial support, and the importance of their friendship is not to be underestimated. Meanwhile Sid has not become the writer he would have liked

By

JANET ROBILLIARD

to become, in part due to Charity’s controlling his writing but also with his memories of his father’s scathing comments about poetry, and there are a few scenes where she is inflexible in her commands to Sid. Charity is the strongest character in the book, and is kindhearted, enthusiastic and brave but used to getting her own way, and sometimes insufferably controlling and bossy, particularly where her husband is concerned, and there are a couple of slightly discomforting scenes where Charity’s inflexible will forces her husband to comply with her wishes, to the embarrassment of their friends.

The book is a document of the times – pregnant women drink cocktails with alacrity while a salad is described as “something embalmed in Jell-O”. The women were expected to stay home with the children and despite their obvious intelligence, not able to choose whether or not they work except as wives and mothers. It is also a story about life’s triumphs and vicissitudes, as well as the balances that occur within all successful relationships, along with the give and take that has to happen in any marriage.

The book is eloquent, wise and moving, and is another story whose tale resonates with the reader for a long time after it has been put back on the shelf.


EvENTSFOOD

Winter Warmer Healthy Chili

Ingredients• 2 medium onions, finely chopped• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced• 3 cans beans of your choice (try a combination of pinto, pink, and black beans), drained and rinsed• 1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid• 1 can tomato sauce• 1 to 2 jalapeño or other hot peppers, seeded, minced, or 1 can mild or hot chopped green chiles• 1 tablespoon good-quality chili powder• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder• 2 teaspoons dried oregano• 2 teaspoons ground cumin• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste• Chopped ripe tomatoes for garnish• Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Method1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender and the flavors have melded.

2. Season with salt and pepper, and adjust the other seasonings. If time allows, let the chili stand for up to several hours before serving. Heat through as needed. The chili should be nice and thick; if it is too thick, stir in a cup of water. Serve in individual bowls, garnished with tomatoes and cilantro.

Variations and optional garnishes:• Add a cup or two of cooked corn kernels toward the end of cooking time

• Add a medium or large firm-cooked sweet potato, peeled and diced

• Add a diced zucchini or yellow summer squash about halfway into the cooking time

• Serve with grated reduced fat cheddar cheese on the side for garnishing individual servings

• Put in extra “hot stuff” like minced fresh chili peppers, dried red pepper flakes, or hot sauce for those who like their chilies extra-spicy

Serves

12Cook

40Mins

easy

For healthy tips, hints & ideas from our NEML Dietitians & much more.www.facebook.com/newenglandmedicarelocalwww.twitter.com/NEMedicarelocal

this delicious dish comes highly recommended by neML dietitian renaye.

Found at http://blog.fatfreevegan.com

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NEW ENGLAND

NEW ENGLAND

www.neml.org.au

Time to get your walking shoes on...

It’s ComingStart your engines People.

tamworthSuite 3, 180 Peel St

PO Box 1916Tamworth 2340

t: 02 6766 1394f: 02 6766 1372

Inverell7 Glen Innes Rd

Inverell 2360

t: 02 6721 4117f: 02 6721 4118

MoreeShop 5, 96 Balo St

PO Box 804Moree 2400

t: 02 6752 7196f: 02 6752 7397

Gunnedah99a Barber StPO Box 687

Gunnedah 2380

t: 02 6742 3633f: 02 6742 3699

armidale213 Rusden StPO Box 1321Armidale 2350

t: 02 6771 1146f: 02 6771 1170

Glen Innes188 Bourke StPO Box 750

Glen Innes 2370

t: 02 6732 4189f: 02 6732 4181

Tenterfield119 Douglas St

PO Box 630Tenterfield 2372

t: 02 6736 5352f: 02 6736 5353

narrabri93-95 Barwan St

PO Box 430Narrabri 2390

t: 02 6792 5514f: 02 6792 5518

Office Locations

Documents

Healththread winter july2013