About Me

In the last 10 years, I began to scratch the surface of all things nutrition and health, in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the seemingly complex nature of this. In hindsight, this was probably triggered by an article I read about there being 2 basic types of sickness, namely horizontal sickness and vertical sickness.

Horizontal sickness referred to an individual who was laid flat by a specific illness, as in their own bed at home, or a hospital bed. As a society, this is when we recognize/acknowledge that someone is sick and requires some form of appropriate intervention.

"I am passionate about empowering other people with my gained knowledge, working with them as part of a team, and assisting them to begin on a path to a happier and healthier future."

However, what was of real interest to me was the concept of vertical sickness. This is where an individual can function on an everyday basis (perform multiple tasks, such as attend work or school, nurture other family members, and partake in social activities), but does so in a far from optimal way.

Does this sound familiar to you? There are many levels to this, completely dependent on the overall health of the individual. I found this idea fascinating and I began to look more closely at my own existence, trying to gauge what level I was on. To be honest, I wasn’t happy with my findings. However, self-acknowledgement is an excellent starting point.

As well as this being a personal journey for myself, I am passionate about empowering other people with my gained knowledge, working with them as part of a team, and assisting them to begin on a path to a happier and healthier future. Whether we work together in the future, or not, I wish you every success, and remember to be kind to yourself every day!

When I was a kid, I was always involved in some form of sport, mainly athletics. In hindsight, I suppose that I always had an innate understanding of the direct correlation between exercise, nutrition, and health. However, I certainly did not practice what my gut was trying to tell me. During my teenage years, life/responsibility took over and my interest/participation in sport dwindled greatly. I found that as I entered adulthood, I had the freedom/independence to indulge in the “bad things”. Overall, I'd say that my diet was average, usually veering into the unhealthy at weekends. Also, I became a firm believer in the concept that we all need to treat ourselves (usually with poor choices).

I have always used walking as a form of basic exercise (up to this point, I have never owned a car, and, at my age, probably never will), as the innate feeling that movement was essential never left me.

"I believe that the human mind and body are intrinsically linked, and that every cell in our body knows what we are thinking (cellular intelligence)."

During this protracted time period, one thing I never struggled with was the fact that I was never overly hard on myself, whether it be a lack of movement or poor food choices. Without fully comprehending it, this resulted in diminished stress levels, an essential ingredient in overall health. I eventually came to the conclusion that the health of an individual was completely dependent on the balancing of nutrition, exercise and stress. Sure, there are other factors involved, but if we slowly start to gain an understanding of this, and begin to practice it, then the many positive benefits will naturally follow. I believe that the human mind and body are intrinsically linked, and that every cell in our body knows what we are thinking (cellular intelligence).

I became hungry for information, as well as better quality foodstuffs. As part of my daily routine, I began reading articles/books, listening to an array of podcasts, viewing YouTube/online material, and began discovering the power of nutrient-dense wholefoods and where to source them. To this day, that hunger has never left me. I naturally began to reject processed foodstuffs (this takes time, as we are so conditioned into believing that this is the correct/modern way. However, I believe that this is a toxic combination of both convenience and disposability).

Slowly, yet steadily, I began to feel better in myself, and to reap the many benefits (I also see this today with the clients that I work with).

For me, the next logical step was to seek out relevant/exciting college courses, as I firmly believed that this was a necessary step to make sense of it all (I had discovered, all too easily, that there is a massive amount of information available, contained in which is a massive amount of conflicting/confusing information. An ocean of notions!).

Firstly, I completed a Nutritional Advisor course at the Portobello Institute, followed by an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition and Health Coaching at the Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health (IINH), in conjunction with a separate qualification of a QQI Distinction in Nutrition and Health.

My time/studies at the IINH was the turning point for me. At last, I felt that I had attained some proper clarification, in relation to the powerful connection between nutrition and health. And this is where I find myself today, always eager for new information and new learning.