ABOUT
Hi, I’m Vanessa … a self-declared foodie, with a passion for eating wholesome food & helping you on your wellness journey.
Working in highly stressful corporate roles and as a lover of food, receiving a diagnosis of a host of gut health issues such as Candida, Leaky Gut, Inflammation coupled with hormone imbalance, was daunting news. My first reaction was "I don't have time to be unwell" as a million work projects flooded my mind ... quickly followed by the burning desire to understand “So what can I actually eat now?”. I then headed into a spin of online research that just created loads of confusion, anxiety and frustration. I mean, you may know that there are hundreds of websites to visit when you receive a health diagnosis. Some of them are quite scientific and difficult to understand, and others are just always trying to sell you their instant miracle fix! Maybe you can relate?
I found recipes that were targeted at every diet trend: gluten free, sugar or dairy free, paleo, vegan, the raw food diet, and after trial and error I found that very few could help me with MY specific concerns.
Why integrate disciplines?
I should explain that my preferred treatment methods are integrated in their approach. Primarily I’d prefer to take a holistic approach combined with naturopathy and traditional medicine. So, equipped with all the essential probiotics, minerals and concoctions prescribed by the experts, I then went on my own foodie journey to discover and develop recipes with foods that would heal my body, provide nourishment, are quick and easy to prep after a long stressful day in the office and importantly, that I enjoy making and eating.
Tuning into my body and listening to its responses allowed me to discover what has been irritating my gut and find the balance that I had been missing when making food choices as well as understanding how to manage my responses to stress triggers, anxiety and exhaustion. I love the journey so much I hit the books and studied with the Institute of Integrated Nutrition NYC to learn more about healing myself so I could share the wellness journey with you !
What role does spirituality play?
A strong spiritual practice has been something I’ve lived from a young age in order to deal with anxiety and stress, and in learning to manage grief. Believe me, just like you I’ve had the usual ups and downs of life plus some really tough times. And the fact is that daily meditation and frequent Reiki healing sessions have been my saviours to re-connect and integrate throughout my healing journey providing me with clarity in making decisions, connecting with my purpose and in managing the daily battle of finding a level of balance. It’s worked so well for me that I am now a certified Meditation Coach and Reiki Energy Intuitive so I can share these loving gifts of healing with you.
Where does your food fit into a healing approach?
I believe that food is medicine. I’ve made my own personal commitment to eating fresh wholesome food in recipes that can be easily re-created and I’ve made a dedicated choice to listen to my body. I am now well on my way to awesome health and can’t wait for you to feel the same way!
Having been in senior professional roles for 20+ years, I understand first-hand the impact of living a time poor lifestyle and juggling priorities from the office through to our personal lives, the demands the various roles we play in life daily brings and the impact of stress on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. It all takes a toll on our health.
The choices we make daily, our values, past experiences and habits all impact on our overall health - it's all interrelated. Becoming aware of our choices from how we start our day, deciding what to eat for lunch right through to managing stressful situations all impact on our health and wellness.
My passion and determination to help others is the reason I have changed my life to become an Integrative Nutrition Health & Wellness Coach. My wish is to support and empower YOU to take control of YOUR health: mentally, spiritually and physically. It may require switching things up a little from your current daily go-to’s and learning some new tricks.
The great news is that listening to your body and what works for you is well worth it. You’ll create a beautiful life for yourself that’s full of wellness. One thing’s for sure, meal times should always be a time to look forward to!
So what does Sahha mean?
An island girl at heart, living by the beachside Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, my family hail from Malta, my Mediterranean island home. Sahha is a salutation we offer one another with an intention of wishing each other good health, vitality and strength. Instead of saying, ‘ciao’ or ‘bye’ we offer each other a lasting wish of wellness. I like to think of it as a little blessing we offer one another … and Sahha is my wish for you – a lifetime of good health and happiness, in wellness and love.
Until we meet in person … Sahha!
Vanessa