My full story
One of the best ways to learn something new is to experience it. It’s a bit like kinaesthetic learning, the art of learning by doing. Well that’s exactly what I did with my health. I learned how to improve my health through the use of nutrition, over many years. It transformed my life, which is why I trained in nutritional medicine to be able to help others.
‘Not feeling right’
I suffered through childhood with constant colds and a runny nose (the butt of family jokes). In my teens I started experiencing sinusitis, headaches, bloating, abdominal pain, nausea – IBS often starts in teen years. I sought over the counter remedies, tried old wives’ tales and went back and forth to my GP, each time helping in a small way with symptoms but never addressing the cause. At times, I felt really miserable, but I learned to ‘live with it’ for many frustrating years. It was ‘my normal’.
I understand your frustration of ‘not feeling right’
Vicious cycle
Later on, I suffered constant thrush, cystitis and urinary tract infections with months spent on prescription medications only for it to come back as soon as I stopped. Back to the GP for yet more antibiotics. It became a vicious cycle. The more antibiotics and anti-fungals I took, the worse my digestive symptoms which started affecting my quality of life partly due to the anxiety it caused. I just didn’t know what to do or where to start.
I appreciate your anxiety concerning your health.
Food is medicine
It got so bad, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. Following the adage that ‘food is medicine’, I started researching dietary approaches. Anything was worth a try to ease the maddening symptoms I had. I researched more and then more again. And then I put what I had learned into action.
And WOW! Within 10 days of starting my new self-styled dietary regime (not recommended without the advice of a trained professional!), many of my symptoms disappeared.
Overjoyed with relief
I couldn’t believe how such small changes made such BIG differences to my wellbeing. I also couldn’t believe I had waited this long. However, despite great improvement, I felt that I still needed professional guidance and help; there was only so much I could research with limited scientific knowledge. Deciding on the myriad of supplements to choose from confused me (I had wasted enough money in the past on ‘miracle cures’!) and I knew I needed access to laboratory tests not available on the NHS. But I had first-hand experience that this nutrition stuff truly worked for me and needed to know more.
Finding nutritional therapy
I rang a Nutritional Therapist. During a free 20-minute telephone consultation, I was reassured that nutrition may indeed support the individual biochemical processes of my body and that due to my history of IBS symptoms, she recommended having a stool test to assess the bacterial balance and possible parasites in my digestive system considering my history of antibiotics and long term chronic issues with digestion. She explained how my digestive and immune systems were out of balance, each one making the other malfunction. Most importantly, she reassured me that she could provide support. I cried with relief that someone could help me and provide me with answers.
Those 20 minutes transformed my life which is why I am passionate about providing the same free initial consultation for you
My gut ecology was quite unique!
Over the next few months I had various laboratory tests which provided a stable basis for moving my health forward. I had been harbouring many unwelcome guests in my gut – bacteria, yeasts and parasites which had contributed to my symptoms. Yuk! I followed a personalised supplement programme and changed my lifestyle habits in order to modify my gut ecology and eliminate the little critters affecting my health. Although some issues stubbornly remained, many were improving or disappearing.
My calling
It was at this time I decided this was what I wanted to do for others. Call it a calling.
I had experienced first-hand the power of nutrition to improve my health and eagerly wanted to do the same for others – for people like you.
I felt so much better yet honestly believed that I could feel even more so. So I signed up at the renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition to study nutritional therapy and started planning a career change.
Then my learning really started
During my four years of training, wide-eyed with my amassing knowledge, I learned even more. I was solving pieces of my personal puzzle, trying elimination diets, doing more laboratory tests on myself. I found out I was genetically lactose intolerant (years of living on milk products as a child led to many of my IBS symptoms) and gluten intolerant (making my IBS symptoms worse – I was a carb junkie for years!). Additionally I was vitamin D deficient (sunscreen obsessive) which was affecting my immunity and years of cumulative stress (both physical and emotional) had also taken its toll on my health. I was also iron deficient – no wonder I was so tired all the time!
Superwoman isn’t real
I was your average working woman: wife, mother to two energetic boys, sibling, best friend, a carer for ageing parents AND a student, struggling to keep everyone happy. I rarely put myself first, there was no time to. After 3 personal losses in 3 years, the struggling intensified. However at the time I was studying nutrition, so I knew that grief and emotional stress can have huge effects on the body. Even with my vastly improved health, excellent diet and healthy lifestyle, it was still a massive eye opener to comprehend the effects of both physical stress (intolerances, infections) and emotional stress (being Superwoman, grief) on my well-being. What a steep learning curve I was on; but I was only going in one direction – upwards!
I learned to slow down and accept that Superwoman isn’t real (really, she’s not!).
I learned we are all physiologically unique and what works for one person doesn’t work for another.
I learned to listen to my symptoms and not to mask them with medication, but to find the cause and support the underlying imbalance.
I learned that history, genetics and lifestyle choices all affect wellbeing, and most importantly, that they can be modulated with wise food choices.
I learned to nurture my mind, body and soul.
I keep learning every day I practice.
And now I want to share that learning with you.
Jane is a nutritional therapist helping adults and children with digestive issues take control of their health through nutrition. By getting to the root cause of your health issue, she can help you cut through the confusion of what to eat and create a plan that’s made just for you. She practises in Guildford, Surrey and on Skype. For a free 20 minute chat call Jane on 01483 697121.
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