Stop stressing yourself out...

I started writing this blog in response to what I was seeing in my capacity as a Naturopath (in practice, on the shop-floor, and in social media).

People were, and still are, extremely confused by the overwhelming amount of (often conflicting) information out there. Unfortunately, instead of listening to their own body, they are listening to every-body.

‘Hyped-up’ on all this information (from a variety of reputable and not so reputable sources), they over enthusiastically apply it to themselves with reckless abandon — and without proper consideration.

It has gotten to the point where many people have gotten quite precious about their diets — and for no good reason¹. The amount of so-called ‘healthy foods’ they try to cram into their daily diets is ridiculous. And, the amount of unnecessary dietary restrictions they place on themselves is baffling.

Note: These people cannot be any fun to have over for dinner … And, it can’t be  much fun for them to be so hyper-vigilant all the time? 

They believe they are doing all the right things. However, if the measures they have chosen are so wonderful — and health promoting — why then are they still seeking my help?

They come to me because they don’t feel healthy after having performed an extreme makeover on their diet. Instead they just feel confused, frustrated, and disappointed.

Check out my original ‘about’ page.

Also, when you’ve got time, take a look at So, said Lisa. Here, I’ve categorised all my blog-posts for you (from the last two years).

In my original ‘about’ page, I said:

“It shouldn’t be difficult to achieve good health and wellness.”

Well, I was wrong — I forgot that there were humans involved… Some of you are making things incredibly difficult on yourselves.

Over the last few years, I’ve witnessed screeds of people (especially females) coming to see me with what most would consider an extreme interest in health but who severely lack good health themselves:

They read all the health books and health Blogs (and listen to all the Ted-Talks & podcasts):
Dr Mercola, Dr Libby Weaver, Sarah Wilson, and Sally Fallon.

They’ve got all the trendy, healthy recipe books:
Revive, I Quit Sugar, Real Food Chef,  Little Bird Unbakery, and Petite Kitchen.

Some are even re-studying to become (or have become) Health Coaches:
That one year, online course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, in New York  (you know, the one Pete Evans, Miranda Kerr and Sarah Wilson appear to be brand ambassadors for?)

They have limited or completely removed the things that they think are bad for them:
wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.

They add in everything that they think is good for them:
Kale, coconut, Clean Lean (Pea) Protein, Kombucha, spinach, lemon, Apple Cider Vinegar, Green Smoothies, maca, chia seeds, and cacao.

They exercise — a lot:
Running, ‘Cardio’, ‘Resistence’, Cross fit, Yoga, and Pilates

And, They think they pretty-much know everything there is to know about Natural health.
In fact, they really rather fancy themselves as ‘Health-Buffs’.

Yet, as I said before, it’s clearly not working — otherwise their bums wouldn’t be gracing OOMPH’s red chair.

These people are still struggling to find their health groove. They desperately run around throwing everything possible at their health problem. In most cases, what is actually required is a more calm and considered approach to their health & wellbeing.

I don’t think that these people are Health Buffs at all — they’re actually Health Trend Buffs.

Health Buffs practice the Daily fundamentals of health — which aren’t nearly as sexy as what’s been portrayed in the media. Health Buffs get into health either because they had to (they experienced ill health), or because they want to maintain their current good health. Health Trend Buff’s tend to get into health because it’s the cool thing to do, or because everyone else is ‘doing it’.

Note: Sheep are not known for their stunning intellect.

Health Trend Buffs can actually cause themselves health issues (bloating, gas, poor thyroid function, and food intolerance). This is because they are not willing to consider that their healthy ‘Green Smoothie’ could be the cause of their new health complaint.

YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET HEALTHY BY TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE HEALTH JONES’S.

Natural health isn’t as exciting as you’ve been lead to believe and in most cases it’s really quite basic & boring. In fact, you probably wouldn’t be that interested in it if it didn’t include exciting and exotic things like: green smoothies, general smoothies, smoothie bowls, chia seed-puddings, South American super-foods, ‘no sugar’ sweet-treats, fancy recipes & ingredients, with pretty pictures of all of the above.

Good health is a very individual thing.  The more you try to eat like everyone else; to eat ‘cleanly’, and to go without certain things, the more you will end up trendy — but not healthy!

For goodness sake if what you are currently doing isn’t enhancing your health — then ‘put your hand up’ quickly and admit that you don’t really know what you’re doing. Then go and visit a qualified and experienced Naturopath (I know a good one I can recommend 😉). Re-divert the money that you are spending on your trendy (expensive) ingredients and at your trendy (expensive) cafes, into discussing your health objectives with a trained professional — someone that knows a ‘thing-or-two’ about how the body works and doesn’t work.

After I’ve toned down your diet, I can address any underlying health conditions that could be confounding your best laid plans to get healthy (adrenal fatigue, poor thyroid function, or food intolerance)

In the long run, going to a Naturopath will save you time, money, and effort. It will also save you from having to ‘learn the hard way’.

What I’m saying is this, you don’t need another generic health book, blog, or exotic superfood.  And, even though it is well intended, it’s pretty daft to follow the  ‘health advice’ of your friends, neighbours, mother-in-laws, and hair-dressers.

What you need is to get some clarity and gain some perspective. You need to get  specific, professional health advice. You also need to be trusting, realistic and patient — so that you can give your Natural Health Practitioner the time required to get the job done right.

I think a lot about what I write before I publish this blog, and before I recommend or prescribe something to a client. Anyone can report on (or simply repeat) health information — but as a Naturopath, my role is to evaluate ‘stuff’ for you.

I’ve got to tell you, a lot of the information out there is either redundant, ‘ripped off’ (and therefore repetitive), self-serving, or all of the above. We don’t need all this information. In fact, a lot of it can actually steer us toward bad health (for instance when we were told that saturated fat wasn’t good for us). This exorbitant amount of health information is just creating a lot of additional stress for us.

Stress or angst will kill us long before a crappy diet ever will.

If all this information about health is so ‘crash hot’, why is disease still on the increase? We don’t seem to be any better off for being more educated. In fact, we just seem confused, overwhelmed, paranoid, and more unhealthy than ever before.

I’ve been doing this job for a long time now, and from what I’ve seen, you are far better to simply chill-lax about your health rather than to fret about it.
Do yourself a favour, and stop worrying about your health. Instead simply develop ‘healthy’ awareness — and lighten the heck up!

Be wise. Let your Naturopath, and the other members of your health team do the worrying for you. Then, simply follow their advice, and get yourself out into the world. Live happily & healthily ever after.

You don’t have to be a health martyr.