Nutrition and health have always been my lifelong passion.

During my teens and early twenties I was very overweight and chronically unwell. After several years of trying various allopathic treatments and also at times extreme dieting (several times being told my problems were all in my mind), I realised that allopathic medicine wasn’t going to help and so began my passionate interest in health through natural methods.

I started by experimenting with various different diets and incorporating some basic food supplements. One of the suggestions I found very helpful at that time was a book called ‘Eat Fat and Grow Slim’ by Richard Mackarness, which was originally published back in 1958.

The dietary recommendations in this book are the predecessor of the modern ketogenic diet and long predate those ‘Low Fat’ recommendations, the widespread adoption of which has been partly responsible for the obesity epidemic (the fat in processed foods is often replaced with sugar and high fructose corn syrup and as many of our vital vitamins and nutrients are fat-soluble, a low fat diet can also cause nutrient deficiencies). I also tried the ‘Food Combining’ diet, which didn’t work for me at all.

These experiments showed me that ‘one size fits all’ dietary recommendations are absolutely incorrect. There is no such thing as a universal healthy diet. What is good for one person is not necessarily good for another.  

The adoption of the diet that was right for me improved my health for several years, but after the birth of my children it again started to deteriorate. At this point I was fortunate to meet a Naturopath who advised the removal of the metal fillings in my teeth and I then quickly and completely recovered. This experience filled in the gaps in my understanding about how environmental pollution and toxicity can contribute to chronic illness.

In the late 1980s I owned and ran what was at the time a very innovative Natural Food Store, selling all organic groceries, fruit, vegetables and meat, as well as food supplements. Later, before I embarked on my career in nutritional therapy, I lived in Amsterdam for several years, employed by a company that publishes scientific and medical journals. This provided some great insight into the world of evidence-based medicine.

My personal experiences, research, and education have given me extensive knowledge when it comes to nutrition, exercise, the effects of stress and psychological struggles.

I’ve been there, and I’m passionate about helping others find their own way to good health.

• Diploma in Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy including supervised Clinical Practice

• Certificate in Muscle Response Testing

• Diplomas in Nutritional Therapeutics and Advice

• Compliance with the National Occupational Standards for Nutritional Therapy.

• I am a full member of the Naturopathic Nutriton Association and Associate member of the General Naturopathic Council