What led me to Nutritional Therapy?

It was around the age of 14/15 when I was first introduced to Nutritional Therapy. In short, I was diagnosed with what was known at the time as ‘Adrenal fatigue’, I followed the recommended diet and everything improved. Unfortunately this didn’t last long as I was the kind of teen who lived on a steady diet of processed food, sugar, fizzy drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs…By 18 I was diagnosed by my GP with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I was told it was incurable and I would have to go on the contraceptive pill to manage my symptoms, then if I ever wanted children, to come off it and to see what happens. In short, I thought this was rubbish and didn’t believe in such a hopeless prognosis (I also wasn’t a fan of being told what to do) so I set out to ‘fix it’ myself and thats exactly what I did - 1 year later after a deep dive into holistic healing I no longer had the ‘incurable’ PCOS! At this point I knew Nutritional therapy was my calling but at the time I was mid way through a criminology degree which I wanted to finish…There was a 5 year gap between me graduating and enrolling at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION). During that time (and throughout my time at ION) I was what some might call a ‘high functioning addict’, in complete denial, and without access (or desire) to the support I so needed. I had been using alcohol from the age of 10 until 33 to numb out (a common coping mechanism for many of us) which did help me, until it didn’t anymore. My body began to express what I had suppressed - first it was the adrenals in my teens, then the ovaries at 18, and by the time I was in my 20’s I was flooded with symptoms - I had undiagnosed complex PTSD (which I am managing very well today), undiagnosed (and so unmanaged) ADHD, insomnia, suicidal ideation, self harm, acne, PMS, disordered eating, and chronic digestive issues and food sensitivities. I share these more personal details because I believe we teach what we have overcome and this is why I have chosen to specialise in the areas of mental health, female hormones, and digestive health.

Having worked through this range of hormonal, digestive, and mental health challenges, and still remain doing so, I have found simple and effective ways to manage symptoms through diet, lifestyle, psychological, and spiritual practices, all of which support mental health, female hormones, digestion, and overall wellbeing.

What led me to yoga?

The reason for seeking out my first yoga class was under the instruction of my GP (after being signed off work with ‘stress’). I was not keen on the idea AT ALL, but figured I now had the time to give it a go soooo…didn’t really have an excuse. I can’t remember much about my first class but I knew I needed to keep going back. As my practice developed I noticed the positive effect it was having on my mental health, I felt an odd sense of calm and euphoria after each class - momentary relief from my usual state of numbness and anxiety! As I experienced more clarity of mind, I had the opportunity to take a step back and really look at my life…lets just say, there was a lot to work on! Yoga brought up a lot of old trauma and I got myself into therapy and started the long journey to sobriety. It was 2020 when I finally got sober and got my life together and I couldn’t of done it without my yoga practice, therapy, and spiritual education.