HI, I’M SANDIE
Health Coach, Writer & Speaker
But the truth is, it took hitting rock bottom for me to finally pay attention to my health
HI, I’M SANDIE
Health Coach, Writer & Speaker
But the truth is, it took hitting rock bottom for me to pay attention to my health
Let me tell you about my lifeshock, the one that finally woke me up
In my ‘past life’ self-care was just a footnote on my list of priorities. Like so many women I know, I was moving through life at warp speed and giving little thought to how that might be affecting my health. Juggling family, a demanding career in the city and a relentless to-do list, I felt like I was just about treading water and paddling hard to stay in control. When it came to my kids, I was highly skilled at ensuring their lives ran smoothly. I wanted to be the perfect mum! From piano lessons to playdates to school exams; I thought I had it all covered. But what I wasn’t taking care of was myself and my health.
The absence of healthy habits in my daily routine had left me with a toxic lack of balance. Fuelled by caffeine, I grabbed food when I could, considered exercise to be a luxury (despite a drawer full of gorgeous Sweaty Betty outfits) and I rarely took the supplements I’d spent a fortune on. I felt like a prisoner to fatigue and looked forward to the end of every day when I could climb into bed and watch Netflix. Despite all of that, I somehow still thought I was invincible and took it for granted that my body would cope.
The importance of making diet and lifestyle changes in our forties just wasn’t on my radar
I only wish I’d known then what I know now
The scariest thing about burnout is you just don’t see it coming
In fact, it tends to happen when you’re busy living a life you’re quite good at! In June 2014, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and told I needed a mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy. I was just 44 and I felt blindsided. It wasn’t until the wheels came off that I really started to pay attention to my health. It was also the first time I looked into the impact of stress on our bodies. I was certain mine was a burnout-related cancer, so this was a light-bulb moment for me. I know I didn’t burn out because I was weak, I‘d simply tried to stay strong for too long.
I realise now that my body had been sending me signals to pay attention. Dull skin, fatigue, aches and pains; I had a growing list of symptoms. A nagging voice in my head had been telling me to prioritise my wellbeing but I thought it could wait until the children were older. I couldn’t have been more wrong and now I needed to get in the driving seat fast. What could I do to heal and thrive naturally? How I could avoid a recurrence in the future? When I started to look at my health from a lifestyle perspective, everything changed.
How you age isn’t just down to luck or genes…
IT’S UP TO YOU!
My Philosophy
Food really is medicine, but nutrition alone is not the golden ticket to good health. How we move, our emotional state, how we cope under stress, our connection to ourselves and to others; it all matters.
You are what you repeat! I’m obsessed with the science of habit change – how altering our daily behaviours and thought patterns can massively impact the trajectory of our health and happiness. Most people already know how to be healthier – the problem is they just aren’t doing it.
My Qualifications
My first instinct after being diagnosed with cancer was to learn everything I could about the power of nutrition. This led me to the College of Naturopathic Medicine where I completed The Nutritional Food Chef Diploma. It gave me a practical approach to nutrition for everyday living, which is exactly what I teach my clients today.
I also trawled through countless books, podcasts and TED talks and went on to study for a further year to become a certified health coach (UK Federation of Holistic Therapists) and a habit change expert. My education includes behaviour psychology, brain science and healthy lifestyle design.
My Philosophy
Food really is medicine, but nutrition alone is not the golden ticket to good health. How we move, our emotional state, how we cope under stress, our connection to ourselves and to others; it all matters.
You are what you repeat! I’m obsessed with the science of habit change – how altering our daily behaviours and thought patterns can massively impact the trajectory of our health and happiness. Most people already know how to be healthier – the problem is they just aren’t doing it.
My Qualifications
My first instinct after being diagnosed with cancer was to learn everything I could about the power of nutrition. This led me to the College of Naturopathic Medicine where I completed The Nutritional Food Chef Diploma. It gave me a practical approach to nutrition for everyday living, which is exactly what I teach my clients today.
I also trawled through countless books, podcasts and TED talks and went on to study for a further year to become a certified health coach (UK Federation of Holistic Therapists) and a habit change expert. My education includes behaviour psychology, brain science and healthy lifestyle design.