“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates
I believe in my body’s ability to heal; I believe in the wisdom of our planet, that Mother Nature already has everything we need to prevent disease and to heal; and I believe that healthcare begins in the home.
In my quest for remission from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (which you can read in About) I have become more conscious about what I put into my body and on to my body and eventually came to a realisation: the quality of our modern food has been severely degraded due to factory farming, mass production and over-processing of raw goods, leading to even the soil now being deficient in the trace minerals it always held and that are so integral to our health but that many of us are now deficient in.
In our grandparents’ lifetimes, all food was ‘organic.’ Today our fruit and vegetables are covered in dangerous amounts of chemicals like pesticides and insecticides. Animals are mass farmed in cruel conditions and are pumped full of antibiotics, growth hormones and steroids, which remain in the meat and are carried through to dairy and eggs.
The reason farmers and food manufacturers need to do this is because of the vast growth in population which means huge demand on these industries. They need to grow and rear these foods quickly with minimal damage, but in turn this has damaged the environment, and subsequently, our health. Cancer cells feed off of chemicals and autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system isn’t supported enough through a healthy lifestyle. Those with certain genetic predispositions will suffer first. The good news? Even our genes don’t determine our destiny. We do. (Read more about this here).
My philosophy is that nature knows best. Choose organic, grow your own where possible, and prepare your meals in a way that keeps the food as close to their natural state as possible. Soon you will feel the difference – increased energy and a feeling of purity from within. The aesthetic rewards (weight loss, glowing skin, strong hair and nails) are just an added bonus!
This carries through to our entire lifestyle, not just food. Our increased exposure to toxicity is, I believe, what is causing so much disease; the toxins in food, cosmetics, household products, toiletries, how we over medicate and over vaccinate our children. How can we possibly expect to be healthy if with every breath we take we are putting more and more toxins into our delicate bodies and those of our precious children? Cancer cells feed off toxins; autoimmunity begins with low immunity, and the more toxins we are exposed to, the weaker our immune systems become. And of course, the gut controls the immune system so what we eat will directly impact the results. Around 60-70% of us have ‘faulty’ genes, or genetic mutations such as MTHFR, meaning our bodies simply cannot detoxify properly. For those of us who have this, it only takes an influx of toxins or stress to trigger an illness we may already be genetically predisposed to. I have made it my life’s purpose to reduce toxicity to a minimum for my family, and to teach others to do the same.
There are already many people worldwide on this same journey, striving for a healthier future for themselves and for their children. On the way, you might learn some things you wish you could unlearn (like the ugly truth of factory farming, or just exactly what refined sugar does to your body, or what really goes on in the pharmaceutical industry) but I hope you will join me on this path to a healthier you and a happier planet. (If you’re interested in learning more please join the Arnica Network on Facebook.)
I am not medically trained (though I do believe even their training is now biased and regulated by how their student doctors will directly impact the pharmaceutical industry); I am a qualified nutritionist, specialising in childhood nutrition, and holistic wellness coach, aiding people back to health naturally. Most of what I have learnt comes more from my incessant need to research than my actual qualifications. I have put a lot of energy into finding the recipe for being my happiest, healthiest self. Below are some of my tips, but remember to start small; don’t get daunted and just do bits at a time until it all fits together, which it will! On this website you will find tips for improving your nutrition, making changes in the household IE cleaning products, parenting and more.
This lifestyle is for sure more time-consuming and more expensive than just taking a pill and seeing a doctor once a month, but the benefits far outweigh all of that because, well, I’m not in a wheelchair anymore! I really hope that by making small changes, you see the same results. Take it one step at a time, making one small change each week, and within a year you will not believe the results.
I have discussed most issues that I’m passionate about in Articles. Feel free to scroll through these. And don’t forget to check out my book, My Enemy, My Friend, on Amazon.
For more advice or for a holistic wellness consultation, please get in touch. And please remember to follow me on Instagram and Facebook!
Love & health,
Lauren <3