It took me a while to understand that healing from leaky gut, IBS, parasite damage and gluten damage to my intestines and overall health was going to be a journey, and that there we’re no quick fixes to it. (as much as I wanted to snap my fingers and it be done)

My goal was to find balance, a gut that felt healthy and flourishing, and to make all of these new healthy ‘things’ fit easily into my lifestyle. I didn’t want what it took to heal my health to change my life or rule it for that matter.

Here are my 11 Healing Lessons and Mistakes I’ve learnt along the way: (in no particular order)

– You’ve got to listen to your body. It’s giving you signs all the time, however I was blind to them and there was so much ‘noise’ around I wasn’t listening to my body. Seeing the broken figure nails, WHY blemishes where on my skin, why I had cloudiness and a lack of energy.

– In 98.9% of cases your body knows better. Better than what you think will help, better than what others think will help and better then forcing something upon yourself. (again, listen to your body) This lesson has taught me to hear, understand and trust my intuition too.

– It’s important to find balance. Balance between work, home life, relationships, family, inner balance, balanced foods, physical balance – become BALANCED.

– Everything in moderation. While you’re on the healing journey there will be a period of time in which you will be changing. Resetting your insulin levels, taste buds, weight, gut flora, cleansing and detoxifying the liver etc. During these times stick to your GAME PLAN, even if it’s strict. It’s only strict for a small period of time (less than a year). However after you’ve done the removing, replenishing and reintroducing phases learn to balance your health (life too) in moderation. Have a glass of wine with friends occasionally (organic of course), splurge on chocolate when you’re craving it every once in a while (dark cacao is best). Just don’t go over the top and keep everything in moderation.

– Some people need a piece of paper to tell them exactly what is the challenge (what they foresee as wrong). I’m of the belief that guidance in this area definitely helps however I also belief that if what you are already doing makes you feel, think and live better than keep doing it. Don’t stop. Just because you don’t have a dairy intolerance does not mean you have to eat diary. As above – listen to your body and trust yourself. This was me. I loved cheese, still do. However I know that my body feels better without the dairy, I’m not allergic nor do I have an allergy. So I live dairy free and my body loves me for it now.

– Eat for yourself, no one else. Time and time again friends would say oh come on just have some, it won’t kill you. Ha. No it won’t but I can choose not too. We can all make our own decisions. The people around you don’t know how you feel, or how you want to feel, look and be. Don’t compromise yourself for the sake of others. I use to do this with an ex partner, just making him dinner and eating it cause it was easier than making two meals. And that contributed to me getting sick. Today with my partner I make two meals, he eats meat and I rarely do, he eats lots of rice – me hardly ever. I stopped compromising for others and eating for myself, and my body.

– Be prepared. Wherever you are going, what ever you are doing be prepared. Pack snacks, spare change of clothes, extra water (always take more water!), have your vitamins with you. (I carry Digestive Enzyme’s and Vitamin C with me everywhere, everyday). Have a busy week coming up, prepare. Pre-make, pre-plan and you won’t slip up. I’ve slipped up many of times, missed meals and had to starve some days because I didn’t plan. Never again!

– MOVE. Move your body every day, whatever it is – nourish your beautiful machine. When I stopped moving I gained weight and stopped digesting food properly. Even when I was in pain I would walked. When I was bloated I massaged my tummy. Yoga, walking and swimming are my favourite forms – followed closely by stretching (stretching as I type this actually).

– BREATHE. I never use to breathe. Now if I didn’t I know I’d be dead, but I mean breathing with intention. Breathing before I ate, breathing to release toxins, breathing to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Just take a deep breathe!

– PRACTICE. My yoga teacher has taught me this the best. Yoga is not a practice, yoga is life. Your health is not a once a day practice, health is your life. Practice daily, with consistency and passionately.

– DO it for you! Last lesson – don’t change, grow, learn or evolve for anyone else but yourself. (maybe your kids cause if you can on teach to them wonderful) But what ever journey you’re taking, foods your eating, adventure your on, program your starting – anything. Do it for yourself, no one else. You deserve it!

ps. check out more of my story here

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