No one asked us whether the new substance belonged here.
A parable for our times by David McNeill
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We are the ones who live beside the paddock.
We are the children breathing at the fence line, the old woman hanging washing when the wind changes, the dog nosing the ditch, the cat washing its paws after walking through wet grass.
We are the swallows taking insects from the air, the worms folding leaves into the soil, the fungi threading unseen through roots, the bees reading flowers as maps, the fish waiting downstream where every paddock eventually arrives.
No one asked us whether the new substance belonged here.
It came with a label, a number, an approval, a promise. It came as efficiency. It came as yield. It came as a solution to a problem measured in tonnes and dollars.
It came with confidence from elsewhere, from another regulator, another climate, another soil, another river system, another idea of acceptable loss.
The farmer saw a treatment. The supplier saw a market. The regulator saw a pathway. The Minister saw growth. The paddock saw a fog settle on its skin.
We do not speak in quarterly returns.
We speak in hatchings, germinations, moults, root hairs, spawning, coughing, composting, mauri and the slow inheritance of residues.
What is temporary to a permit may be permanent to a stream. What is negligible to a model may be everything to a mayfly. What is โacceptable exposureโ to an adult may not be acceptable to a child, an embryo, a wetland, or a handful of living soil.
The farmer may gain this season. The grass may stand thicker. The invoice may be justified. But the paddock is not an isolated factory floor. It is connected: to field drains, lungs, gardens, milk, birds, rain, worms, neighbours, memory, and whakapapa.
We ask for a law that hears the quiet witnesses before the loudest applicant.
We ask that novelty not be mistaken for progress.
We ask that profit not be allowed to outrun proof.
We ask that soil be treated not as a surface to be managed, but as a living community with its own right to caution, to abundance.
For once a substance has crossed the fence, entered the ditch, touched the root, settled in the silt, or moved through the body of a child, the question is no longer whether approval was efficient. The question is who was made to carry the cost.
This is kaitiakitanga.
The Soil Act — the shortest and most important act for the environment. Clause 1. No person shall do anything to harm the soil. The end.
David McNeill is a member of Soil & Health’s National Council, its treasurer, and is a Soil & Health appointee on the board of BioGro NZ.
The image at the top is a concept image, which David created using AI.
We acknowledge that the rules for pesticide application would not allow this exact scenario to take place, due to requirements for buffer zones, protective clothing etc.
However the rules governing agrichemicals are not strong enough to protect public and environmental health, and these rules are sometimes broken.
https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/NewSprays_in_NZ.jpg7681408membershiphttps://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.pngmembership2026-06-29 22:30:442026-06-29 22:30:49Parable of the paddock edge
One woman. Thirty hives. Thousands upon thousands of bees. And a lifelong love affair with some of natureโs most essential pollinators. Paula Sharp interviews beekeeper Jewelle Lloyd.
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ลhope Beach in the Eastern Bay of Plenty is known for its surf breaks, salt air and sweeping coastline. But tucked quietly behind the relaxed coastal lifestyle is a woman whose life revolves around one of natureโs most remarkable creatures, the honey bee.
For local honey producer Jewelle Lloyd, bees are not simply livestock, nor merely a business venture. They are part of her family history, her everyday rhythm and deeply woven into her identity.
Jewelle laughs when she admits she may be slightly obsessed with bees. Bee earrings. Bee socks. Bee-themed gifts. Bee conversations.
โI just love them,โ she says. This is no passing hobby; beekeeping runs through generations of her family.
Her earliest memories are tied to her grandmotherโs homestead, where hives stood only a short walk from the back door. While many children kept a cautious distance, Jewelle was fascinated.
Her grandmother harvested honey straight from the hives and treated the bees with enormous respect. She spoke to them often, chatting gently as she moved around the property. To some this may sound whimsical, but experienced beekeepers understand that calm energy around bees matters. Her grandmother rarely wore a protective suit and stings were uncommon.
Jewelle remembers standing nearby, watching closely, asking endless questions and quietly absorbing knowledge through observation. โMy brothers werenโt interested in the bees at all, but I was always curious.โ
That curiosity never left. Now, decades later, the next generation is beginning to circle back to the hives as well. Her sons, now grown with families of their own, are beginning to show interest in the craft that has travelled down through the family line. A cousin is also well established in the industry, working in kiwifruit pollination.
Today, Jewelle manages around 15 hives on a coastal Bay of Plenty farm, and another 15 hives on her partnerโs property near Gisborne. The two regions provide distinctly different landscapes, climates and flowering plants, resulting in unique honey varieties and flavour profiles.
Unlike many large-scale commercial operations, Jewelleโs beekeeping is intentionally personal and hands-on. One of the most important aspects of her practice is independently raising her own queen bees, no small undertaking in the beekeeping world.
Queen breeding
The queen bee is the heart of the hive. Her genetics influence things like productivity and overall colony strength. By breeding and selecting her own queens, Jewelle maintains close oversight of the lineage within her hives. โIt means I know exactly where my queens have come from. I can monitor strength, temperament and disease resistance much more closely.โ
Each year, she introduces new queens into the hives to maintain vitality and healthy colony performance. Strong queens are essential for resilient hives, particularly as modern beekeeping faces increasing environmental pressures. Jewelleโs careful management reflects a growing movement among smaller New Zealand beekeepers who prioritise sustainability, hive health and biodiversity over mass production.
The Bay of Plenty coastline offers bees rich and varied food sources. Depending on the season, bees forage on clover, pลhutukawa, mฤnuka, wildflowers and native coastal species. This diversity contributes to the flavour, colour and nutritional complexity of locally produced honey. The Gisborne hives experience slightly different conditions, creating subtle variations in the final harvest.
Raw and minimally processed
Honey is far more than simply a natural sweetener. Raw honey contains trace enzymes, antioxidants, plant compounds and naturally occurring antibacterial properties. New Zealand honey, particularly mฤnuka honey, has gained international recognition for its medicinal properties. Traditionally, raw honey has been used to soothe sore throats, calm coughs, support wound healing and provide a quick source of natural energy. Emerging research also suggests certain honeys may assist in reducing bacterial growth due to naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide activity and other bioactive compounds.
Jewelle sells her honey raw, meaning it is minimally processed and not heavily heat-treated. This matters because excessive heating can damage delicate enzymes and beneficial compounds naturally present in honey. Raw honey retains more of its natural character, complexity and nutritional integrity.
Over time, raw honey may crystallise, something many consumers mistakenly view as a flaw. In fact, crystallisation is often a sign the honey has been minimally processed and remains closer to its natural state.
While Jewelle carefully manages the hives herself, the honey frames are sent away for extraction once ready for harvest. During extraction, honey-filled frames are spun to remove the honey while preserving the delicate wax comb structure. The honey is then lightly filtered and jarred. And nothing goes to waste.
Jewelle also sells beeswax, which is used in candles, skincare products, balms and reusable wraps. The circular nature of beekeeping strongly appeals to many small-scale producers. Bees pollinate crops and gardens, produce honey and wax, and play a vital role in biodiversity and food production systems. Without pollinators, our range of food would be greatly reduced.
Close observation
Modern beekeeping, however, is not without challenges. Across the world, bee populations face growing pressure from habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate instability and disease. In New Zealand, varroa mite management remains one of the largest ongoing concerns for beekeepers. Maintaining healthy hives requires constant observation, careful intervention and proactive management. Healthy bees are not accidental. Good beekeeping requires patience, consistency and deep respect for the natural behaviour of the hive.
Her connection to the bees also reflects something increasingly valued within the organic and regenerative food movement: relationship. Small-scale producers often know their land intimately. They observe flowering cycles, seasonal changes and environmental stressors in ways industrial systems do not. That relationship with land and environment ultimately shows up in the final product.
Outside the hives, Jewelleโs day job is teaching hairdressing at Whakatฤneโs Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. On the surface, teaching hairdressing and keeping bees seem worlds apart, but there are surprising similarities. Both require patience, creativity, steady hands and strong people skills. And while teaching may pay the bills, the bees nourish something deeper.
At local markets, Jewelle lights up when talking about hive behaviour, queen development and seasonal honey variations. Customers quickly realise they are buying from someone genuinely connected to her craft. She sells her honey at several outlets in the Whakatฤne, ลhope and Gisborne areas, as well as directly via email at iamjewelle@hotmail.co.nz or phone on 0274 260 985.
For many people, purchasing local honey is about far more than taste. It supports regional food resilience, small-scale producers and the protection of pollinator populations. In Jewelleโs case, every jar carries a story, from a grandmother chatting quietly to bees outside a homestead door, to a passionate beekeeper in ลhope continuing that tradition today.
In a fast-moving world, there is something deeply reassuring about that continuity.
If you would like my free PDF Medicinal Honey Recipes, including simple ways to use raw honey for wellness, soothing winter tonics and nourishing kitchen remedies, email me at paulasharp31@icloud.com
Want some seasonal nutrition inspiration?
Iโm Paula Sharp, nutritional therapist and founder of Paula Sharp Nutrition, supporting women to nourish their health with sustainable food and mindset habits.
If youโd like seasonal recipes, practical nutrition tips and evidence-based wellness insights delivered straight to your inbox, Iโd love you to join my newsletter. Sign up at: www.paulasharpnutrition.com
Sopa de tortilla is also known as sopa azteca or Aztec soup. It is a simple but delicious soup and, as the name hints, is full of tortillas. This soup has been on La Popularโs menu for years. Whenever we take it off, we get complaints. So it stays on.
Images and text from Provecho: Real Mexican Food at Homeby Daniella Guevara Muรฑoz, photography by Simon Bajada. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99. (Tortilla soup p.54-55)
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What makes this soup so delicious are the different textures โ crispy tortilla strips, soft avocado, chewy cheese and a dollop of cream.
The soup is made in two stages. First is the soup base (which you can pre-make and keep in the freezer) and the second is the assembly. This recipe is traditionally made with chicken stock, but if you are vegetarian you can use vegetable stock instead.
Serves 2 litres (8 cups) / 6
2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock (see page 221 for homemade) or vegetable stock
Soup base
8 guajillo chillies, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
1ยฝ brown onions, cut into chunks
700 g (1 lb 9 oz) ripe tomatoes
ยฝ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 corn tortillas (shop-bought or see page 253 for homemade), cut into quarters
20 g (ยพ oz) salt
To garnish
1 guajillo chilli, to garnish
6 stale corn tortillas (shop-bought or see below, or page 253, for homemade), to garnish
200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable oil
1 avocado
200 g (7 oz) cheese (queso panela if you can get it, but mozzarella works, too)
100 g (3ยฝ oz) chicharrรณn or pork crackling (omit for vegetarian)
100 ml (3ยฝ fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream
For the soup base, soak the guajillo chillies in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes.
Once soft, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with the rest of the soup base ingredients. Blend on high until you have a soft paste โ it shouldnโt have any grittiness. Pass the base through a fine-mesh strainer.
For the soup, bring the stock to a slow boil in a stockpot, then add the soup base. Simmer until the soup thickens, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Using scissors, carefully cut the guajillo chilli into thin rings and cut the stale tortillas into 5 mm (1โ4 inch) wide strips.
Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat to about 180ยฐC (350ยฐF). I use a thermometer to test the oil, but if a piece of bread dropped in the oil browns in about 15 seconds, the oil is at the correct temperature.
Fry the chilli until crispy โ donโt let the chilli burn, this happens in about 5โ10 seconds โ then place on paper towel to drain.
In the same oil, fry the tortilla strips until crispy, about 3 minutes โ these wonโt burn as easily. Place the strips on paper towel.
Halve the avocado, remove the seed and cut into slices. Put all the garnishes in separate bowls on the table.
Serve the soup in a large bowl. Each person can add whichever garnishes they want. I recommend: a handful of tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, chicharrรณn, a drizzle of cream, then the fried chilli. Keep adding more as you eat.
Corn tortillas
p.253
650 (1 lb 7 oz) Masa (page 250)
280 g (10 oz) masa harina (nixtamalised maize flour)
ยผ teaspoon table salt (optional)
about 375 ml (1ยฝ cups) warm water
In a mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt (if using). Gradually add the warm water while stirring with your hands. Continue to add water until the dough comes together and becomes soft and pliable.
The dough should hold together but not be overly sticky. If it feels too dry, add a little more water. If itโs too wet, add a bit more masa harina. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes to get the best result. It should be smooth and well combined. It must have a Play-Dohโ like consistency, quite soft and a little bit sticky.
A good test is to make a tortilla in a press between two sheets of thin sandwich-bag plastic (see page 253). If the edge of the tortilla has deep cracks, the masa is too dry. A rough edge is normal.
You can keep masa for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you want to use it, take it out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to use it. Knead thoroughly with your hand and add some water if necessary.
Divide the masa into small balls (about 30 g/1 oz), slightly smaller than a golf ball. You can make them larger or smaller depending on your preference.
Preheat a comal, hotplate or non-stick frying pan over mediumโ high heat. Place a ball of masa between two sheets of sandwich-bag plastic in the tortilla press (see the photographs on the following pages).
Press down firmly to flatten it into a round tortilla shape. Rotate the flattened tortilla with the plastic sheets 180 degrees, then press again gently. The tortilla should be approximately 1โ2 mm (1โ16 inch) thick.
Carefully peel off one of the plastic sheets, then place the raw tortilla (with the plastic) on the palm of your hand. The tortilla should be half on your hand, half hanging freely. Peel off the second sheet of plastic.
Lay the tortilla on the preheated hotplate or in the pan by placing the freely hanging tortilla on the hotplate first, then letting the rest of the tortilla roll off your hands.
You should come in with your hand, palm facing up, at an angle of about 45 degrees. Once the tortilla has hit the hotplate, rotate your hands about 90 degrees, rotating your palm towards the hotplate, pulling away from the tortilla.
This movement, if done smoothly, should release the tortilla from your palm without the tortilla falling on itself. This is a tricky movement, and I suggest practising this on the bench first (no heat).
Cook for about 30โ60 seconds until the edge curls up slightly. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for about 60 seconds, then flip again โ if all goes well, it will puff up on the last flip.
(Tip: Donโt try to fix a wrongly placed fresh tortilla; it will get worse.)
Remove the cooked tortilla from the hotplate and stack it with the others in a clean tea (dish) towel in a chiquihuite. The stacking is important, as it will keep cooking the tortilla. Serve the freshly made corn tortillas warm to make your tacos.
https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/Tortilla-soup-p.54-55-low-res-scaled.jpg25602018membershiphttps://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.pngmembership2025-11-28 12:57:162025-11-28 12:57:18Sopa de Tortilla โ Tortilla Soup
โChemical poisoningโ is how a long-time cleaner describes her severe reactions to using workplace cleaning products she thought would be safe. J Simons talks with Emma (name changed for privacy) to find out more.
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Emma consciously chooses a healthy lifestyle. She has been careful about what she eats and the products she uses for around 20 years.
She prefers whole foods and items without plastic packaging that โseeps inโ, and enjoys going to local markets where the produce is mostly spray-free, some certified organic.
โMy skincare routine is organic or vegan because I am a vegetarian.โ
Like many workers, Emma trusted that the cleaners she was using, which were labelled plant-based and eco-friendly, would be safe for her health and the environment.
But her story reveals that not all โgreenโ or โnaturalโ labels mean the products are completely safe, and some of them can cause unexpected reactions, depending on individual sensitivity. Nevertheless, professional guidelines, such as those from WorkSafe NZ, recommend using top-of-the-range masks to avoid fumes.
Photo: Freepik
Allergy to work โ or chemical poisoning?
The problem began when she started using a particular cleaning product at work, although she used it for about six or seven months before realising it was making her unwell. She followed the dilution instructions on the label and even added more water than suggested. Even so, the fumes were overpowering.
โFor three or four months, I was getting sick every day before I got the actual poisoning. I got really sick and couldnโt go to work.โ Emma quietly recounts the intense gastrointestinal distress โ including vomiting and diarrhea โ that she faced daily during her illness. Unsure of what was happening at first, she even joked that she must be โallergic to workโ.
โIโd start feeling ill after about 40 minutes of starting work every morning. I couldnโt work out what it was, until one day I was so ill I was keeled over in the cleaning cupboard.โ
โThe first time I phoned in and said Iโve got food poisoning. The next day, I was still sick and felt worse than the day before. I was having brain fog, which I would not have with food poisoning. The symptoms were slightly different, but I didnโt know what else to put it down to.โ
Masking up
โI went to the doctor, and he just happened to ask what I did for a job, and thatโs when he changed direction with his questions.โ
The doctor confirmed that Emma should wear a professional chemical mask, even with plant-based products. Her workplace did not provide masks, and after asking for several months, she resorted to contacting her union and WorkSafe NZ.
Although the initially provided masks were inadequate โ the cheap, single-use blue ones โ the cleaning company has now supplied better masks (Moldex 2700 P2), but not the ones recommended by WorkSafe NZ. โThey donโt want to spend the money,โ says Emma.
Read the fine print
I looked at the details of the mask now provided. Although an improvement for chemical safety, itโs not the best professional option. Emma should likely have a 99% filter rather than the 94% that has been provided. For more hazardous chemicals, especially those that can irritate lungs or eyes, masks with replaceable cartridges would be the safest.
I checked out the label of the product Emma was using. Despite its โplant-basedโ and โeco-friendlyโ claims and use of real essential oils, it contained several chemical ingredients known to cause respiratory and skin sensitivities. In particular, the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are of concern, and the product is classified as a hazardous substance.
Health and safety in the cleaning industry
Emma has been cleaning for many years. At one stage, a colleague attempted to insist that Emma and others use a banned product.
โShe was trying to get us to use something, a product that was actually banned, for safety reasons, and she was still trying to get us to use it to get marks off the sink.โ
โI did use it once after she told us to use it. I used a little bit โ it was a powder. I had to go out of the shower cubicle, it was that strong, and I felt nauseous immediately.โ Emma has often wondered if her colleagueโs lung cancer was caused by the product that was banned.
Image: vectorjuice Freepik
โHealth and safety comes last in the cleaning industry; they have all the procedures and guides you are supposed to abide by, but at the end of the day, it is about getting the job done in the least amount of time and money.โ
Emma thinks itโs hard to educate the cleaning industry, and that there is resistance to truly green products. WorkSafe NZ has guidelines, but many cleaning companies fail to follow them, and enforcement often only occurs if a complaint is made โ which can be at the risk of a cleanerโs job.
Simple natural cleaning products
Emmaโs cleaning jobs havenโt always involved intense and harmful chemicals. Recounting a positive experience with a previous employer brings a smile: โAt one place I worked at, the owner was open to making up things like using lemon and olive oil, and things like that.โ
She reacts strongly to artificial smells on the bus or at work. โWhen there are a lot of people around with quite strong perfumes, I have always had these sensitivities,โ Emma explains.
โI donโt get my nails done because I canโt stand that smell. I do try to get out into the fresh air often. Sometimes I use baking soda at work instead of the spray or other strong products.โ
Photo: iStock/eskaylim
Contributing factor?
Emma also shared that she has epilepsy, which was diagnosed in childhood, and sheโs currently awaiting a public hospital appointment.
โIโm looking at coming off medication for epilepsy due to side effects. Iโm waiting to talk to a neurologist who focuses on using a keto diet instead of medicine.โ
A recent study found that patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) show impaired autonomic nervous system responses, which can affect digestive functions.1 The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary physiological functions like breathing, blood pressure and digestion, so Emmaโs epilepsy may have contributed to the gastrointestinal symptoms she experienced during her chemical exposure at work.
Volatile vapours
I (the author) was reminded of my own recent experience with another so-called โgreenโ cleaner. It had a strong wintergreen scent, and I react to wintergreen โ both the real thing (methyl salicylate, a plant compound) and synthetic versions. Within minutes, I was dizzy, nauseated, and had an instant headache, even through a P2 mask.
Wintergreen compounds are VOCs, and in sensitive people they can trigger severe symptoms. The Safety Data Sheet didnโt list methyl salicylate, but fragrances are often proprietary blends that conceal potentially harmful chemicals under a single โfragranceโ label.
Taking charge of her health
Now taking active steps to work on her own business, Emma allocates time every day after work to researching her business outside of the cleaning industry, educating herself in her new online direction.
She is quietly optimistic about the next steps in managing her condition, and feels more confident after being supported by her union, and about her appointment with a keto specialist. Her future is looking brighter with these things underway, and I hope to catch up with her again.
โNo job is worth putting your health at risk,โ she says.
STAY SAFE WHILE CLEANING
Always check and follow the instructions for cleaning products.
Wear suitable protective gear such as gloves and masks.
Ensure there is good ventilation when cleaning.
Workplace and commercial cleaning: follow the relevant WorkSafe NZ guidelines.
AUTHOR BIO
J Simons is a freelance writer, copywriter, and food photographer specialising in organic food, health, and sustainability. J creates compelling content and imagery that supports healthy living and ecological stewardship.
One of the most complex systems supporting your health isnโt your brain, heart, or even your immune system โ itโs your gut microbiome.
Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp finds out why this internal ecosystem, composed of trillions of microorganisms, is hailed by scientists as key to health research.
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Your gut microbiome is the diverse community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes residing primarily in your large intestine.
They are microscopic, but have an enormous collective impact. They have essential roles in digesting food, modulating inflammation, and influencing brain health.
The microbiome also builds and regulates most of our immune function.
Image: DataBase Center for Life Science, Wikimedia Commons
What is the gut microbiome?
Imagine a rainforest inside your body, teeming with life. Like any ecosystem, the gut microbiome thrives on diversity and balance. This community of microorganisms works together to help you break down fibre, extract nutrients, synthesise vitamins (such as B12 and K), and produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids.
While we tend to think of bacteria as harmful, the majority living in your gut are either beneficial or neutral. These microbes co-evolved with us and perform tasks we cannot do on our ownโsuch as fermenting non-digestible carbohydrates or keeping pathogenic (harmful) bacteria in check.
Itโs estimated that the human gut contains between 300 to 1000 different species of bacteria, with every individual having a unique microbiome signature, influenced by genetics, diet, environment, and lifestyle.
The microbiomeโs role in the body
Research over the past decade has dramatically changed our understanding of the gut microbiome. Once considered a passive system, itโs now seen as an active organ in its own right, interacting with nearly every physiological process.
1. Digestion and nutrient absorption
Gut microbes help break down complex carbohydrates, such as dietary fibre, that we canโt digest on our own. The fermentation of fibre by certain bacterial strains produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate. These SCFAs are anti-inflammatory and nourish the cells lining the colon.
2. Immune system regulation
About 70% of your immune cells reside in the gut lining. A healthy microbiome helps maintain the balance between immune tolerance (not reacting to harmless substances) and defence (attacking pathogens). An imbalanced microbiome may contribute to autoimmune conditions โ in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells โ and chronic inflammation.
3. Gutโbrain axis
The gut-brain axis describes the two-way communication between the gut and the central nervous system. Through neural, hormonal, and immunological pathways, the gut influences mental health.
Certain strains of bacteria, particularly lactobacillus and bifidobacterium produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, these improve mood and cognitive function.
Image: Jill Wellington / Pexels
However, some bacteria mimic and interfere with these neurotransmitters. E-coli, campylobacter and clostridium are some of the bacterial culprits which release inflammation causing compounds (or toxins) causing mood to dip, anxiety to increase and sleep to be compromised.
Emerging evidence even links gut health to neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder and degenerative diseases such as Parkinsonโs disease.
What disrupts the microbiome?
Despite its resilience, the gut microbiome is highly sensitive to changes in our environment and behaviour. Modern lifestyles, particularly in industrialised nations, are often hostile to microbial diversity.
1. Dietary factors
Diets high in ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and low fibre reduce beneficial species and encourage the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, which are otherwise not a problem when the microbiome is balanced.
Excessive alcohol consumption and low intake of plant-based foods limit microbial diversity.
Image: Foodie Factor / Pexels
2. Medications
Antibiotics, while lifesaving, can wipe out both good and bad bacteria, potentially leading to long-term imbalance.
Medications that reduce stomach acids, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications), and artificial sweeteners all negatively alter the gut microbiome.
3. Lifestyle stressors
Chronic stress or cortisol poisoning is felt in the gut. The stress-hormone response increases intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and impairs microbial balance. This can show up as stress diarrhoea, nervous urination, nausea and โtummy acheโ in the lower abdomen. Is it just butterflies in your tummy, or compromised gut health?
Poor sleep quality disrupts the circadian rhythm of gut microbes. Sedentary behaviour has also been associated with reduced microbial diversity.
Eight ways to nurture your gut microbiome
Restoring and maintaining a healthy gut doesnโt require drastic changes. Simple, evidence-based strategies such as the following can support your microbiomeโs resilience and diversity:
1. Eat a diverse range of whole foods
A variety of fibre-rich foods feeds different bacterial strains. Aim for 30+ plant types per week, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and whole grains.
Image: Oksana S / iStock
2. Prioritise prebiotics and probiotics
Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that act as food for beneficial bacteria. Sources include garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and bananas.
Probiotics are live bacteria found in fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso. These can help restore microbial balance, especially after antibiotic use.
3. Minimise ultra processed foods
Artificial additives, emulsifiers, and preservatives in highly processed foods harm microbial communities and contribute to metabolic dysregulation.
Many of them contain MSG (monosodium glutamate), thickeners, and phosphoric acid as additives. Taste has been enhanced with lab-produced flavourings such as โcheese flavourโ, โstrawberry flavourโ, โhoney flavourโ. And the preservatives of choice are sulphates, sodium and/or sorbates. Food labels can feel like a minefield, but if you donโt recognise whatโs on the label, it can be considered ultra processed food.
4. Stay hydrated
Water is essential for maintaining a healthy gut lining and aiding fibre fermentation.
5. Move your body
Regular exercise has been linked to increased diversity and abundance of health-promoting bacterial strains.
6. Manage your stress
Mind-body techniques such as meditation, breathwork, or gentle movement like yoga can regulate the gut-brain axis and reduce inflammation.
Yoga on the beach (image: LucidSurf/istock)
7. Sleep consistently
A regular sleep schedule supports the natural circadian rhythms of your gut bacteria, which influence digestion and hormone production.
8. Consider supplementation carefully
While probiotic and prebiotic supplements can be helpful, theyโre not one-size-fits-all. Itโs best to consult a qualified health professional to tailor recommendations to your needs.
The microbiome and the future of health
Weโre just scratching the surface of microbiome science. With emerging links to conditions as diverse as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, allergies, skin conditions, and even cancer, researchers believe the microbiome may soon be a central focus for personalised and preventive medicine.
Microbiome testing and interventions may one day guide us in choosing the best foods, therapies, or even medications based on our internal microbial profile.
The gut microbiome represents a new lens through which we can understand health, illness, and healing. Itโs not about striving for perfectionโbut rather cultivating balance.
By eating real food, managing stress, staying hydrated, and treating your gut with respect, you can positively influence not just your digestion, but your immunity, energy levels, mood, and long-term vitality.
AUTHOR BIO: Paula Sharp is a nutritional therapist working one-to-one via Zoom to support womenโs health, restore gut health and digestion, hormonal balance, skin and hair, sleep, shifting weight and health pre- and post-surgery. www.paulasharpnutrition.com
She is also a guest speaker, giving talks to companies on nutrition and mindset. In London she worked in the organic fruit and vegetable industry, and now she is based in Whakatฤne, growing her own extensive spray-free garden.
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Itโs appropriate that the cover of this book features its author, Klaus Ferlow, standing beside a neem tree, his left arm reaching around to embrace its trunk in a fraternal greeting. Thatโs because Ferlow (originally from Germany) helped to introduce people in North America to the healing properties of the neem tree, after emigrating to Canada in 1975 and founding Ferlow Botanicals approximately 20 years later.
Klaus Ferlow credits his (now late) wife Rose with introducing him to neem by urging him to watch a TV programme called โWhatโs in a Neemโ, narrated by David Suzuki. Inspired by the documentary, Ferlow obtained some neem extract and applied a neem cream to the psoriasis on his scalp and elbow and got relief from this condition in just three weeks. Having previously trained as a herbalist, he decided to set up a business to bring the benefits of neem to the North American market. Ferlow Botanicals is now rum by the Ferlowsโ sons, Peter and Harald, and Ruth (Peterโs wife).
Klaus Ferlow has maintained his interest in neem and founded the organisation Neem Research โto promote neem for human, animal and environmental healthโ. His new book, Neem: Nature’s healing gift to humanity, includes profiles of neem researchers and entrepreneurs. He gives special credit to the late Professor Dr. Heinrich Schmutterer as โthe father of modern neemโ. It was his observation that neem trees had survived a plague of locusts that swept through Sudan when he was on a field trip there in 1959 that caused him to wonder if a natural insect repellent could be present that led to his work researching neem and writing the definitive textbook on neem, The Neem Tree (1995, 893 pages).
From the home of the neem tree in India, knowledge about the tree has spread to North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Australia.
Among the examples described in the book is Abaco Neem, a farm in the Bahamas that includes neem trees intercropped with fruit trees. (In all, 120 varieties of fruiting and flowering trees are grown on the farm.) Spiders and beneficial insects like butterflies and bees have thrived in this environment and hives on the farm allow neem honey to be produced as well as other neem-based health and personal care products. Some of these products incorporate beeswax from the hives. Among the products produced by Abaco Neem is a neem-based insect repellent.
ABOVE: Collection of neem seeds for the preparation of seed balls. Photo: Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi via Wikimedia Commons
The farm has organic certification and the fruit from the neem trees also has the benefit of providing food for birds; a visiting intern from France identified almost 40 different bird species on a single day.
In addition to being used to promote human health when used as a supplement or medicine, neem has the potential to boost food production. Neem extracts can be used as insecticides and โneem cakeโ made from defatted neem seeds can be used as a fertiliser that also helps to protect plants from nematodes. The book also reports that a constituent of neem (azadirachtin) is being developed as a food additive for farmed salmon in Scotland to treat sea lice infestation of the fish.
In India, a company called Nisarga Biotech has been producing supercritical extracts of neem (using CO2 to extract constituents from the plant) which may be used as botanical pesticides, or in cosmetics or personal or medicinal products. Their product line includes a neem toothpaste and mouthwash โ a modern iteration of the tradition in Indian villages of using neem twigs as a toothbrush. The company has also โsecured a patent for the manufacture of neem leaf CO2 extract for use in treating oral and colon cancerโ.
Neem: Natureโs Healing Gift to Humanity is a testament to the hard work and vision of its author and all the individuals whose businesses feature in its pages.
โข Published by Neem Research, 2016, 258 pages, ISBN 9780993727504
โข Available via local booksellers or from Neem Research.
About the reviewer: Katherine Smith is the co-editor of The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine, which first published this review in issue 54 (February 2025).
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Diana Noonan discovered a surprising bonus while following a plant-based whole food eating plan โ and shares her recipes for wholefood bliss balls and whole grain crackers.
The following is from personal experience, and is not intended as professional dietary advice. This article was first published in Organic NZ Jan/Feb 2021.
Fluctuating weight
When friends I havenโt met for a while fail to recognise me, I try to cover their embarrassment with a joke.
โI should have become a spy,โ I laugh. โI have a very unmemorable face!โ
But thatโs not quite true. The reason they donโt recognise me is that my weight has been forever on the move. And weโre not just talking by a few hundred grams. For as long as I can remember, and despite being vegetarian since I was a teen, latterly a vegan, and having at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, Iโve struggled to keep within a healthy body mass index (BMI) as prescribed by the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Instead, as someone who found it impossible to stop at just โoneโ of anything sweet or refined, Iโve been either collecting the kilos, or in the throes of a restrictive diet. From Weight Watchers to Dukan, and the Mediterranean to the raw-food diet, Iโve tried them all. Whatโs more, theyโve almost always worked. But then, as soon as goal weight was reached, and everyday eating cut back in, I was back to square one.
The plant-based whole food pantry โ let the eating begin! Photos: Diana Noonan
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Diana Noonan is a Catlins-based writer and organic gardener who enjoys eating what she grows.
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Sheryl Stivens grew up on a mixed farm in Winchmore, Ashburton. Her family were fourth generation New Zealand farmers growing a variety of crops as well as breeding stud sheep. An experience when she was a young adult set her firmly on the organic path.
Mercedes Walkham traces the life of this Soil & Health member who embodies the motto of โhealthy soil, healthy food, healthy peopleโ.
Hunting and gathering
When Sheryl Stivens was 19 years old she moved to Australia, and met her husband Hal several years later in the Northern Territory.
โIn those days we were young hunters and gatherers catching abundant fish and game in the Australian outback and sleeping under the stars,โ Sheryl recalls.
โIt was when we moved to Wagga Wagga (New South Wales) that Hal and I bought 30 acres of land, discovered the joys of growing your own food started to garden,โ said Sheryl.
A turning point came for them with the realisation that there were no freshwater yabbies or other creatures in the billabongs on their land, due to the chemical fertilisers used to grow grain on the surrounding farms. They had both grown up with families using superphosphate and like many thought it was a โbird-poo type of product that came from Nauru Islandโ and never considered it to be toxic.
This realisation made them re-evaluate all their belief systems and from that moment on they vowed that they would not use anything that would poison the soil. โIt became an unwritten law in our lives,โ Sheryl says.
ABOVE: Hal and Sheryl Stivens
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Author: Mercedes Walkham is part of a collective organic garden based in Ashburton. She is pictured here with Sheryl.
I tried jackfruit for the first time when I was in Sri Lanka a few years ago and it got me completely hooked. This is a deliciously unique curry and if you havenโt cooked with jackfruit before, this is probably one of the easiest ways to start. Theย green beans work perfectly to add a little freshness and crunch to the dish.
Dryย roast the coriander, cumin and curry powder in a frying pan and stir until they turn dark brown.
Addย chilli, shallot, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, paprika, turmeric and jackfruit to pan, making sure everything is covered in the spices. Addย coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
Addย coconut yoghurt and continue simmering over a low heat until jackfruit is tender (should take around 20ย minutes).
While the jackfruit is softening, cook the brown rice.
To make the beans
Heat sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan. Addย ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1โ2ย minutes.
Addย beans, coconut sugar and lemon juice and cook for 3โ4 minutes, until beans are tender but still slightly crunchy. Addย almonds and cook for 1ย minute more.
Serve curry and beans with brown rice and fresh coriander.
Hot tip: Addย any vegetables you have on hand. Broccoli or cauliflower work beautifully.
This recipe gets rolled out a lot in our house. The little kids havenโt taken to it just yet, but they will in time โฆ and while we wait, thereโs more for Til, Tashi and me. We also sell this as a ready-to-use marinade at The Good Farm Shop โ itโs just so versatile.
Images and text from The Good Farm Cookbook by Scott Gooding and Matilda Brown, photography by Cath Muscat. Murdoch Books RRP $45.00
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Ingredientsย
SERVES 4
1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2โ3 cm (3/4 โ 1 1/4 inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio wedges, to serve
Method
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chicken, lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio.
Mix thoroughly. Add the chicken thighs and mix to ensure they are well coated with the sauce.
Preheat the oven to 190ยฐC (375ยฐF). Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken.
Cook the fillets for 3โ4 minutes, or until the chicken is caramelised, before turning over and cooking for another 3โ4 minutes on the other side.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5โ7 minutes until cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a chopping board. Allow to rest for 3โ4 minutes before roughly chopping.
Drizzle with some lemon juice, season and serve with charred lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio wedges.
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