Naturopathic Nutritionist
Hi, I’m Wendy
If you’re going to trust me with your hopes and your struggles, it’s only fair that I should share my trust with you.
If you want to know how I ended up in this work that I love so much, read on…
A few years ago I was a busy businesswoman, in my mid-forties, arguably at the summit of a successful career in the building industry. I had always loved the work and the wonderful team, and I would often burn the candle at both ends to make the business a success.
But over time I had developed a nagging sensation that something was no longer sitting right. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why things had lost their lustre, but at the back of my brain there was an insistent suggestion that food might be the key to unlocking the answer.
How it all began …
I started to look around me.
I have ALWAYS loved food. I love the way it brings people together, the variety of it, the sheer adventure of it. Whenever life got difficult, food was a life jacket for me, and I would generally manage to cook at home and eat a fairly healthy diet. But it was dawning on me that the way that I felt about food wasn’t true for everyone.
I started to notice parallels between the way people nourished themselves and the way they showed up in the rest of their lives. How their sleep, their activity levels and especially their food habits correlated strikingly with the energy they brought to work – like in their attentiveness in meetings, their productivity, their stability of mood, and their steadiness of communication.
The more I observed and investigated, the more passionate I became about learning more so that maybe I could help myself and other people to unpick these patterns too.
So I took a very deep breath, followed my heart (or possibly my stomach!) and left my safe career to study the enthralling world of nutrition.
Back to school …
I first took a diploma in Nutrition and Weight Management to start my own practice.
The course was fascinating and eye-opening, but it was apparent to me quite early on that too much of the emphasis was on weight reduction. Macros, micros and weight management is of course an important part of the puzzle. But it didn’t feel like nearly enough of the puzzle for me, and as I saw more clients I became increasingly sure that it wasn’t enough for them either.
I have an unshakeable belief that we are whole people and not just a collection of symptoms. Our amazing bodies are beautifully complex, integrated, interconnected systems. Focusing on one ingredient, one muscle, one supplement rarely ends in a magic wand result. As more women walked into my practice with startlingly similar clusters of issues despite hugely varying backgrounds, I became even more determined to understand the underlying patterns and holistic solutions to help them.
I’m always learning …
So I embarked upon a three year qualification in Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. This biomedical science and clinic based course uses functional medicine principles, which focuses on finding root causes rather than just treating symptoms. I loved exploring the mechanics of the body and the awe-inspiring interconnectedness of its systems.
Before we even look at supplementation or changes in diet we have to understand how everything works together as a whole. Although I am now fully qualified, I have realised that I will never stop learning, because our bodies are so incredible and complex and there is so much we can do to make our lives better.
I am also a real person and do love Pizza and Beer!
If you like the way I talk about food, health and wellness click below to find out how you can work with me.
Want to find out more of what I have to say? Tune into my weekly podcast “Are you REALLY going to eat that” for great digests about digestion, nutrition and more.
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