I’m a true believer that ill health often arises due to a combination of factors, including trauma, environmental factors such as diet and stress, and genetic predispositions. Here I’m going to share why, and how my journey has led me to today.

“Ill health often stems from the hidden burdens of stress, trauma, and poor diet; embracing natural therapy and nutrition nourishes both body and mind, paving the way for true healing and renewed vitality.”

It was new year, January 2006, I was an overweight 26 year old. My diet largely consisted of takeaways, particularly cheese and pepperoni laden pizzas of a low quality. I was completely sedentary, in a challenging relationship and a very stressed human – the latter hasn’t changed much, so is something I’m still working on!

My world changed irreversibly, when my mum was diagnosed with leukaemia at the young age of 59 and after a 6 week course of intensive chemotherapy, she died suddenly of a blood infection in mid-February.

My coping mechanism was the stiff upper lip approach; carrying on as if nothing happened and immersing myself in work and my negative relationship, and numbing the pain with frequent alcohol binges.

In 2007, I suddenly experienced a neurological episode characterised by muscle weakness on one side of my body and temperature sensory disturbances on the other. I was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis and informed that it might be an initial episode of multiple sclerosis. After a brief course of steroids, I left the hospital determined that it would never happen again—and thankfully, it hasn’t.

You’d think I would have revamped my lifestyle after that warning, but I continued to ignore it until in 2008 I contracted a case of ‘gastroenteritis’ that wouldn’t go away. After 2 weeks of being unable to eat and losing 2 stone (every cloud and all that), I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease; a chronic autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease, meaning I now had a future taking some serious medications.

I was lucky, the medication worked for me and I largely live symptom free as far as my Crohn’s is concerned. However the medications carry risks of side effects including skin cancers – something I’d later discover I’m also genetically predisposed to.

By 2013, I’d still not sorted out my diet and lifestyle (this girl did not learn sometimes), but I had met my future husband and was in a much happier healthier relationship. My dad’s health deteriorated and we were told he had cancer; a melanoma on his back which has metastasised to his adrenals and brain. Within 2 months we had lost him.

My usual coping and numbing mechanisms kicked in. However this time I knew I need to do something to improve my health. I contacted a personal trainer and went on to lose a substantial amount of weight and dramatically improved my fitness. I even walked up a mountain, raising money for cancer research. It was while in Wales for this hike, I received a call to tell me a suspicious mole I’d had removed was in fact a stage 1 melanoma, and once again everything changed for me.

During my weight loss journey however, something had changed. I’d learned about nutrition and my diet had vastly improved. I realised that I had a real passion for nutrition, and the impact of diet on health. A long term goal to heal my body, support my immune system and one day be medication-free started to form.

Fast forward to now

A lot has happened since this time – marriage, pregnancy loss, motherhood, Covid-19 and lockdown, weight gain, post-natal depression and anxiety. These are stories for future posts, but inevitably my journey to my purpose stalled on many occasions.

But I still can’t quieten the voice that tells me this is my calling, and that now is MY time. So I’m embarking on a journey of weight loss, fitness, and self-healing, alongside studying to become a certified Nutritional Therapist. I’ve almost completed year 1 of my 3-year course, so I welcome you to share my journey with me and who knows, maybe I will help you too.

Lou x