It's not all in your genes!

We are all aware of our genetic makeup playing a big part in our health and most of us are aware of family traits and typical illnesses that we see amongst our loved ones. There are some horrific diseases that so many people think are not avoidable but I hope that this article will help you to realise that actually, you have the ability to take control, break habits and patterns and live a healthy life.

Look at type 2 diabetes, known as the Black Death of the 21st century. It can lead to amputations, blindness, kidney failure and death. Sounds very scary and yet it is almost always avoidable and reversible, with the right changes to diet and lifestyle.

My client thought, like many people do, that to be obese and probably end up with diabetes or heart disease is genetic. She had pretty much resigned herself to the fact that that was how her life would go. A life of struggling and battling with her weight and health, as she has been since her teens. For me the tragedy is this resignation, well before the terrible end. It is unnecessary and I find it criminal that my client, and many others, aren’t given the choice and the information so that they can be healthy and happy. I think that everybody deserves this.

Amongst my client’s family is an epidemic, not of “bad genes” as she puts it, but of bad eating habits and lifestyle. A life of fatty foods, junk foods, sweets, ready meals and takeaways, and virtually zero exercise, was all that she knew growing up. Sweet things and junk foods like pizza and crisps have been her comfort when she’s down or over worked, and when she’s relaxing they’ve been a nice addition to her winding down. Family gatherings have meant enjoying treats of huge dinners and puddings and most Sundays or special occasions generally include copious amounts of wine or beer. This has been her way of life, until now that is.

My client wants to make changes because she wants to be healthy and happy. She knows that it will be hard at times but she is determined that she can do this, and I know that she can too with help and support. So what we are going to do is to start with dietary changes and I’ll help her to learn how to cook some really healthy tasty meals from scratch. When I asked her about meals she said that to her, a healthy meal was some filled pasta and a jar of sauce poured over it. Maybe if she was feeling really good she’d open a bag of salad. That was as good as it got! She didn’t realise the importance of cooking fresh meals on a regular basis. I explained to her that we can’t expect to see positive results until she starts to learn how to cook, so that’s where we have started, basic healthy cooking and a nice food plan that will help her. The good news is that not only are the rewards to your body and mind incredible from cooking healthy meals, it’s actually really enjoyable and much easier than you might think.

My client will benefit more than she can imagine and straight away she is starting to feel healthier. She knows that she will have to put the effort in and work hard, but this hard work will mean she can reverse diabetes, lose weight and prevent future illness. She has much more chance now of living a long and healthy life that is of good quality.

So what am I advising you do if you feel worried about your eating habits and way of life? Or if you'd just like to make sure that you are doing all you can to stay healthy? Not everybody can afford to see somebody privately, although I do argue that for the cost of consultations generally, compared to going out for a meal or even a few drinks in the pub, buying new trainers or getting a tattoo, it's money well spent and an investment into your health. But I'm realistic and understand that we all have different priorities and can spend our money on what we like, so I do suggest that you empower yourself. You take your health into your own hands, because there is nobody else that can do that for you. Read, gain as much knowledge as you can, listen to your body, move more, eat vegetables, deal with stress and your mental health (more important that the diet to my mind), drink water, stop smoking, a lot of obvious stuff you might think, but not to everyone. And if something is being sold to you, don't trust it! That's not saying it's bad, but it certainly isn't necessarily any good for you either, and it probably costs lots of money. Coconut oil will not save you, neither will turmeric (although I do say have it every day). All the supplements out there, the "natural" or "herbal" ones and all the latest "superfood powders" are all big business. These companies just need to make money, like we all do, so they will sell these products to you in a way that is absolutely no different to anybody else trying to make a living.

I am also trying to make a living, but I will always tell you the truth, and I will tell you to first of all sort your diet out, stop smoking and drinking too much booze, stop all the supplements you're taking unless there are some you have been prescribed by a professional, deal with stress, start exercising, drink water, practise meditation and yoga regularly, have fun, socialise, be creative, talk; these are some of the things that I think of to ensure complete health. And of course do visit your GP for serious health matters.

I do understand that although for some people making changes is easy and they enjoy reading up on healthy eating etc, some people do need some support and guidance. At the end of the day there is so much information out there. I see on a daily basis some pretty rubbish information eg groups on facebook made up of wealthy people who can shop in sweet little delis where they can spend £50 on a handful of gluten free, vegan, sugar free, hand made, organic, local and lord knows what else free...….stuff. And they come out of the deli with their organic recyclable paper bag feeling great, because they have some fancy things that you can't get in the supermarket (but you probably can). After all, how could just buying cabbage, beetroot or herbs and spices from a normal shop possibly be good enough? They're far too basic and they haven't been advertised in any of the lovely natural health/yoga magazines, and they're far too cheap! If I sound cynical it's because I am lol.

So, I urge you to take responsibility for your own health, but, if you would like my help please get in touch. I'll help you where I can by giving you advice for free if I can. I run programmes and consultations and have regular special offers and I will always do my best to help you out financially if necessary. My passion is to make natural healthy living available to all, not just to the "elite" as my friend once put it when we were chatting about who pays for complementary health. I am running some great programmes where you will receive personal counselling for your health and wellbeing. You’ll receive advice and support throughout the programme and each week we will have a consultation either at my office in Newquay or as a video chat. You will receive information to keep, audio recordings, recipes and food plans, motivation advice and recordings, lifestyle changes and much more. This programme is jam packed with information that is science based (no hidden agendas or funding from companies) implementing Ayurvedic principles and my own knowledge over the years of working with many different clients. It is a true investment in your health and it will change your life. If you prefer not to follow a programme you can book a consultation or receive tailor made information online. There is always something that we can do together that will help you to be healthy and I look forward to helping you.