​ ​Are you wondering why so many people are going gluten free?
Why there are special sections of the grocery store allocated to gluten free? or
 Why most new age restaurants offer a lot of GF items on their menu? and Why now?

Let’s go back a few steps and nut out what even is Wheat and Gluten and how they are different.

Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain which is a worldwide staple food.
Gluten refers to a group of proteins called Prolamins that are found inside those seeds or cereal grains (wheat, barley, rye). Gluten is the magic ingredients that gives bread that delicious stretchy ability and also why a lot of gluten free breads and wraps fall apart easily (fellow Gluten Free friends will know what I’m talking about). Gluten makes up about 75-85% of the total protein in wheat. Gluten free foods will always be free of wheat but wheat free foods won’t necessarily be free of gluten.
 
What happened?

I am led to believe that the wheat that is consumed in today’s western diet is far different from the wheat that that was consumed decades ago. A man by the name of Norman Borlaug won a Nobel Peace Prize for his creation of high-yielding short-strawed, disease-resistant Wheat also referred to as Dwarf Wheat. Norman had good intentions and his goal was to create new cereal strains in order to feed the hungry people of the world. This new breed of wheat was now extremely hardy, weather resistant, pest resistant and grows a starchy kernel. Dwarf Wheat is high in Amylopectin A (super starch) which is why bread in fact has a higher Glycemic Index than sugar!  As this particular starch has been bred (excuse the pun ;)), it has more genes, more proteins, more gluten which therefore makes it more inflammatory than typical wheat. To make matters worse they then preserve the wheat in Calcium Propionate which is a preservative that keeps the flour fresh and is strongly linked to Autism/ADD and behavioral issues as it is a neurotoxin. This has been proven through animal studies when they inject an animal with Calcium Propionate they show Autistic tendencies almost instantaneously.

Part of the problem however is in the way that it is harvested, the majority of wheat that is used for food production in the country is sprayed with Glyphosate (Round Up) to make the harvesting process easier. This very ingredient has been shown when consumed over a longer period of time to cause cancer and a whole host of health issues.

It is not only the type of wheat or the way it is sprayed that is the problem it is also the over use of wheat and gluten as a food additive which has increased three-fold in the last 15 years. For those that currently are on a gluten free/wheat free diet or shop for someone who is will realize pretty quickly when actually reviewing labels that it is in EVERYTHING used often to preserve or thicken.

Further to this Gluten has been linked to damage the gut through the protein Zonulin that modulates the permeability of tight junctions between cells of the wall of the digestive tract leading to intestinal permeability or you may have heard it referred to as ‘Leaky Gut’ (something I unfortunately know a lot about). Leaky Gut is where you no longer have tight junctions between the intestinal mucousal cells which now allow proteins such as gluten, undigested food, and pathogens and other nutrients and waste into your blood stream causing many auto immune conditions, bloating, gas, food sensitivities, aches and pains and much more.

The bigger picture is that our gut isn’t as strong as it used be, making us more susceptible to things like Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity because gluten followed closely by casein in dairy is a difficult protein to digest. However we are constantly living with so many health issues on a daily basis which we are becoming more susceptible too because of our weakened gut health and therefore weakened immunity. The increasing decline in gut health is due to many reasons but some common ones include;
- Eating far less plants than our ancestors
- Increased use of antibiotics which wipe out good bacteria and bad in the gut
- The rise in Caesarian deliveries, which bypass the mother’s usual transfer of bacteria to the baby
- The fact that we are too clean, which theorizes that our immune systems don’t develop properly anymore because our super-clean homes don’t give them enough early exercise
- The over consumption of processed foods
- Bugs and pathogens in our drinking water
- Daily stress
- Poor sleep hygiene and the list goes on

Research has shown that there has been an increase in Celiac Disease in the last 50 years by a massive 400%. Something to consider alongside this interesting statistic is to be properly diagnosed as a celiac you need to be eating a full gluten diet which a lot of people are choosing not to do because they know it makes them sick. This however is the key to having enough gluten in your system for an accurate diagnosis. It is also important to consider the fact that being a celiac doesn’t necessarily show in just digestive symptoms it can show up in your body in different way such as regular headaches, fatigue or brain fog. It is important to make a proactive decision to be tested if you do have any family history or suspect that something else may be at play.

The biggest take away I want you to grasp is that gut health is EVERYTHING. Ensuring you look after your gut really is the key to optimal health. I will be sharing much more about gut health so stay tuned to keep your pipes clean and healthy.

So there you have it, that’s my educated view point on why we are seeing so much more gluten sensitivity. Get in touch if you learnt something new or enjoyed this article till next time.

Big Love
Meghan  xx

​Surely I am not alone in being so confused with what is the best dairy alternative to choose with so many conflicting statements about the effects of non dairy milk on the environment, whether they are high in saturated fat, low protein, high in sugar and the list goes on. So I decided to take a closer look and do my best to try and sift through the information about what milk alternatives will suit me the best. It is important to note that it really is an individual decision with what milk agrees with your digestion and caters to food allergies, is the most nutritionally dense for your individual needs but also what feels like the best fit when it comes to your personal consumerism.

When considering the environmental impacts that each dairy alternative has also remember that as research has shown producing a glass of dairy milk results in almost three times more greenhouse gas emissions than any plant based milk and it consumes nine times more land than any of the milk alternatives.

First up is Almond Milk

• Low environmental sustainability (3.5-4L of water needed to grow a single almond)
• Often high in pesticides
• Low in protein
• Low in kilojoules and saturated fat. 
• Low Glycemic Index (25)

• One cup contains approx 4-7 almonds depending on the brand.

Cashew Milk

• Lower environmental sustainability due to cashew crops being low yielding.
• Rich and creamy nutty flavor
• Great low calorie option
• Packed with magnesium
• Low Glycemic Index (21-27)

 
Coconut Milk

• Higher environmental sustainability as they require low water and coconut trees filter out Co2. However because coconut trees only grow in tropical climates, the pressure to meet global demand is causing exploitation of workers and destruction of rainforests
• To avoid supporting unsustainable practices, choose coconut products that are certified Fair Trade.

• High in Saturated fat with around 90% of the calories from coconut milk coming from saturated fat, including a type of saturated fat known as Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) however only in small amounts (1 glass is ¼ of your daily level of saturated fat).

• Creamy consistency great for cooking
• Relatively strong coconut flavor
• Low Glycemic Index (41)
• The coconut milk beverage is different to the coconut milk typically sold in cans in the Asian cooking aisle of the supermarket (It is more watered down).
• Coconut milk has the lowest protein and carbohydrate content of the nondairy milks. It may not be the best option for those with increased protein requirements, but it would suit those looking to reduce their carb intake.
• Low in carbs and kilojoules.

 
Hemp Milk

• Higher environmental sustainability
• Hemp production is very eco friendly, the plant is hardy so a lot less pesticides and sprays are required.
• Helps filter out carbon dioxide from the atmosphere plus just about every part of the hemp plant is usable resulting in less waste.
• Higher in fat
• Doesn’t separate
• Strong nutty flavor
• It is a good option for vegans and vegetarians, since one glass provides 2–3 grams of high quality, complete protein, with all the essential amino acids.
• Source of two essential fatty acids: the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid. Your body cannot make omega-3s and omega-6s, so you must obtain them from foods.
• Unsweetened hemp milk is very low in carbohydrates, making it a great option for those who want to reduce their carb intake.

 
Macadamia Milk

• Higher environmental sustainability.
• Lower water footprint than almonds and typically grown in less water-scarce regions
• Macadamia milk is made mostly of water and about 3% macadamia nuts. It’s fairly new to the market, and most brands are made in Australia using Australian macadamias.
• It has a richer, smoother and creamier flavor than most nondairy milks, and tastes great on its own or in coffee and smoothies.
• It is very low in calories, with only 50–55 calories per cup (240 ml). This makes it a great option for those trying to reduce their calorie intake.
• Great source of healthy monounsaturated fats.

 
Oat Milk

• Low environmental sustainability due to pesticides but higher in the scheme of actually growing the oats.
• Takes considerable energy (like a lot of plant based milks) oats contribute less carbon to the atmosphere and require less water to grow. It takes approx six times as much water to grow almonds than It does oats.
• Oats are typically not associated with deforestation in developing countries however most oats come from mass-produced, monoculture operations where they are sprayed with the Roundup pesticide right before harvest. A study by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup and a possible carcinogen, in all the foods it tested containing conventionally grown oats and even in one-third of products made with organic oats.
• Oat milk is high in total fiber and beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that forms a thick gel as it passes through the gut. The beta-glucan gel binds to cholesterol, reducing its absorption in the body. This helps lower cholesterol levels, particularly LDL cholesterol, the type associated with an increased risk of heart disease
• Oat milk is relatively low in fat and saturated fat, and offers a moderate amount of protein. . 
• Some products aren't calcium-fortified, and oat milk may not be suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

 
Rice Milk

• Lower environmental sustainability as it requires a lot of water to produce.
• It produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other plant milk.
• Bacteria breeding in rice paddies pump methane into the atmosphere and large amounts of fertilizer pollute waterways.
• Watch out for GMO Rice and Arsenic Contamination.
• Low protein
• Hypoallergenic
• Higher in carbs than other milks
• Low in fat and saturated fat
• Rice milk has a high glycemic index (GI) of 79–92, which means it is absorbed quickly in the gut and rapidly raises blood sugar levels. For this reason, it may not be the best option for people with diabetes.

Soy Milk

• Lower environmental sustainability as it requires massive chunks of land and pesticides to produce.
• The crop is also commonly genetically modified to better withstand better growing conditions and pests. There are large areas of the amazon rainforest that are being destroyed in order to grow soy.
• High in protein compared to most non dairy milks
• Soy milk does not contain estrogen, but it does contain phytoestrogens. These are primarily present in the form of isoflavones.
• Lots of mixed research out there of whether to consume or not, I would encourage you to do your own research however I choose not too consume it.
•  If you have hypothyroidism and are treated with synthetic thyroid hormone, you should avoid drinking soy milk or eating other soy food products within 4 hours of taking your medication

Pea Milk

• Higher environmental sustainability
• Pea milk or even better is pea protein milk which is a great option for eco-conscious consumers. Peas can often grow without irrigation and are easily rotated by farmers, naturally fixing nitrogen in soil and reducing the need for artificial fertilizers. Growing peas requires up to six times less water than almonds, and this milk alternative has a much smaller carbon footprint than dairy.
• Enough omega 3’s and calcium to compare with traditional milk
• Higher in omega 6 fats
• Can have a chalky texture
• Low calories and low in saturated fat
• A more costly option currently as it is a newer milk, it will likely come down as more people start consuming it.

​








You are probably wondering what is the best option, it really comes down to what is the right choice for you. Whether you are wanting to put on, maintain or lose weight, whether you have an illness or food allergies that certain ingredients are going to effect, how much protein you need in your diet, what environmental concern you are willing to accept to get the milk you prefer. As you can see there are too many factors for me to say which is best. I currently make my own hemp milk but I am still adjusting to the taste therefore I also add in coconut milk and macadamia milk. There is also no issue to mix it up from week to week to change between a few as well. 

General Pointers

• Always choose organic and fair trade where possible
• Always choose unsweetened, check to see that the store bought milks are not high in sugar. 
• Avoid products that contain Carrageenan, used as a stabilizer and thickening agent. It has been linked to digestive problems and possibly even cancer. 
  
• Check the different brands for increased fortification of vitamins ie Vitamin D, Calcium
• Research different companies to ensure you are buying as local as possible or make your own milk.
• Don't stress out if you are out buying a coffee and cannot get your 'choice' of milks choosing almond/soy (which are 2 of the most common in coffee shops in Australia) is still a better option than dairy, but then use the best alternative for you most of the time. 

Hope you found this helpful, happy milk making/shopping and can pick one that is just right for you and your family. 

Big Love 
Meghan xx

All aboard, it is time to exit motherhood’s expectation station. Having expectations is a dangerous game, but how can we not as we are incredibly privileged to get to make a lot of the decisions around our birth experience however it can also set us up to fail if things don’t go to plan during the process of birth/becoming a mother.

Don’t get me wrong for some people it is reassuring to go into birth with a plan of all the things you want (I thought I was one of those). For me I wanted to create a beautiful zen environment with salt lamps, essential oil diffusers, positive birthing affirmations on the wall, meditation and dim lights. Allowing me to create an energy force flowing through me where I could channel it into successfully birthing my baby into the world without drugs or too much assistance from others. Once my baby was earth side I had this vision of breastfeeding my baby the essential nutrients to set up their life, establishing an unbreakable bond and just snuggling in our little bubble for the first few days before the world entered. To say reality was a big fat slap in the face was probably the understatement of the century.
​
​I feel incredibly grateful to have been able to experience the true miracle of childbirth and watch in awe of my body that not only created (with the help of my beautiful husband) but grew, birthed and supported my baby. However things didn’t quite go to plan, all of my zen wishes were out the window once I experienced the bone chilling indescribable pain that is child birth. Some people seem to sail through it but for me given that I am incredibly sensitive and in tune with my body I felt every niggle, spasm, contraction and adrenaline rush bit by bit.

I labored for 20 hours before being told that bub was now head butting my pelvis and my cervix was starting to swell basically my birth was now going backyards- say what?! Trust me this is the last thing you want to hear 20 hours in! The only thing I could now do was to buy time and force my tired body to relax through the help of an epidural (the one part of the pre-natal class I tuned out of because I thought there was no chance I was having a needle that big in my spine). Low and beyond there I was lying on my side embracing the fact that the anesthetist had 3 goes at my epidural because apparently my back was too straight. About 4.5 hours later bub was in distress, his heart rate kept dropping and he had swallowed meconium (yep his own poop – gross I know) which is toxic if he drinks it and of course he did.

By this stage I was told that if I need to have an emergency C-section it was now incredibly dangerous because the baby was too low in my pelvis and by pulling the baby up there was a high chance that it was going to damage my reproductive organs which could affect future fertility and damage my bowel and other internal organs as well. So we were prepped for surgery and the doc called in another OB to help as this was not going to be an easy delivery. I will save you some details but baby was delivered naturally via forceps and we narrowly escaped a very risky C Section! Due to the stress of the birth, I didn’t have a milk supply for 5 days which meant I had to bottle feed (those who know me well would know this really rocked my boat), my son spent the first few days of his life choking on mucus (Meconium), I ended up with limited mobility thanks to a catheter and a lot of stitches. I couldn’t bare to have visitors because I was totally and completely  exhausted, I was bleeding, sore, and I felt like I was lost in an unknown town during a cyclone without shelter.

Why I am sharing this story with you, is not because I want any sympathy but for a few key reasons which I feel are incredibly valuable especially for new mums, soon to be mums or women who want to have children in the near future. It is 5 things I wish I could go back and tell my new mum self.

1.  Be kind to yourself, and then be kinder.
Woman are so incredibly strong, powerful, selfless and nurturing but yet incredibly judgmental of themselves, their bodies and their abilities. We are not merely as kind to ourselves as we deserve to be. Regardless of the delivery type you must take time to honour the incredible journey from the woman you were, pregnancy, birth, postnatal to the new mother and woman you now are. Be kind to yourself during every stage of pregnancy, labour, delivery, recovery, sleepless nights, breastfeeding, your changing body and managing your new demanding schedule and life. It is such a blessing but it’s also bloody tough so be kind always.

2.  Everyone’s birth is beautiful and unique and do not compare to others
We are human beings and it is such a natural process to compare our experiences to others, don’t allow yourself to feel less valuable as a woman if you didn’t have the ‘perfect’ pregnancy and birth. Whether that be through IVF or natural conception, morning sick or not, induced or natural contractions, short birth vs  long birth, a C Section vs  vaginal, traumatic vs empowering, hospital vs home, quick recovery vs long recovery, big baby vs small baby, supported vs unsupported, drugs vs no drugs etc. Regardless of the situation or experience you had, that birth belongs to you and your baby. No one can ever make you feel less of a woman for your birth experience unless YOU let them. Honour your journey regardless of the process because at the end of the day you birthed a beautiful and unique baby into the world. You did that!

3.  Say goodbye to your expectations
I had to learn this the hard way because just about everything I wanted in my journey didn’t happen and this left me feeling like a failure, did I mention that by this point I had only been a mother for 2 days! Allow yourself the space to pivot and embrace whatever happens as unique and special to your journey and not only be comfortable with that but freaking proud of it!

4. To your baby you are their entire world
On the days when you feel like you aren’t a good mum remember this. Your baby chose you, you are their entire world, you have everything they need, want and love just by being you.

5. Just follow your instincts and stop worrying about everyone else
Stop listening to everyone’s opinions, stop caring what people think and just be the amazing mother you are. There is no other baby in the world the same are yours (read that again) therefore not all advice is going to be relevant or useful for you. If you don’t want visitors- don’t have them, if you want to bottle feed- do it, if you want to cuddle your baby to sleep – go right head. This is YOUR journey, don’t let the opinion of others dictate that.

For me the first 6 weeks were a blur, it was bloody tough- I felt like I didn’t enjoy them as much as I could have. I was caught up in the should’s, apps, baby books, juggling opinions of what motherhood was supposed to be or what I was supposed to be doing, I felt like I was continuously apologizing, I felt like I was fighting a war inside my head instead of surrendering and just doing what I wanted, what I felt in my heart was right for my baby, my body and my journey. I wish I knew then what I know now and that is to fully embrace and just enjoy the one journey that is the ultimate gift (even though some days it doesn’t feel like a gift).

For me especially being told that I may never get to experience birth and motherhood first hand now makes me appreciate it so much more. Especially for all the women that would make amazing mothers and haven’t until this point been able to conceive, had angel babies and are constantly living with the grief and heartache around fertility and miscarriage my heart breaks for you. The one thing we can all do as mothers is appreciate and be grateful for the privilege of this blessing every single day.

My parting words to you, thanks for reading this far, I hope you have gotten something out of my words shared and I hope that you too can exit expectation station- PRONTO to live a happier and more fulfilled life.
​
Big Love
Meghan xx

Let’s get real, what do you tell yourself when you walk past a mirror and catch a glimpse of the person staring back at you? What feelings fill up your body when you look at her? Can you relate to phrases and feelings like;

‘Oh god, look at those bags under your eyes, do you even sleep woman?’
‘Pretty sure you have more freckles than you did last week and you haven’t even seen sunlight!’
‘Your eyebrows are going to host their own TV show soon’
‘You need to make more of an effort, who would find you sexy?’
 
Or even worse, you don’t even look at her anymore because you would rather not feel those feelings at all.
 
This used to be me! And the sad thing is I am pretty sure I am not alone.
 
Now it’s a different story, I happily walk past a mirror and give myself a big smile and can comfortably tell myself these beautiful phrases and better yet, believe them:
 

• I am so proud of the person you are
• You are so beautiful
• You were really kind today
• You have the most unique life lines (aka scars) with their own story to tell
• You should smile more, it suits you
• You are shining bright sista- friend
  
  

Don’t get me wrong, I still have days where my inner mean girl comes out to slap me across the face but it’s a hell of a lot less that it used to be- and thank goodness for that! I started changing the way I speak to myself about 12 months ago when I realized that I had been speaking mean to myself for over a decade and that hadn’t got me anywhere so I had nothing to lose. Let me tell you it is hella uncomfortable at first, but it shifted so many things for me and was a corner stone of my healing journey. It sounds weird, I know but the person you spend the most time with and who has the biggest impact on you, is you my friend.

For those that have never tried this and can relate more to person A than person B all you have to do is follow these 5 simple steps.

1. Start by acknowledging her existence, get comfortable with staring back at her
2. Write a mantra on your mirror in either lipstick or on a sticky note to remind you to do this every day, something like “You are enough”, “I Love You” ,“You are beautiful”
3. Tell her what you wish you could have told your 12 year self
4. Start with just one thing you love about her and increase it every day for a week
5. Show up for her every single day and fill her with the love she deserves, keep telling her over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over….. and well you get the picture repetition and consistency is KEY!

It soon will become engrained in you to look for the beauty within you, which will raise your vibration and heal those broken pieces bit by bit.

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all? Why you are of course and never forget it!

Now go on and bask in your awesomeness.  
​
Big Love
Meghan xx

​The truth is we can’t afford not to.
 
You can bet that if we don’t make time for our wellness, we will be forced to make time for our illness so we choose to make educated choices about improving our health every single day! This detox is one of the most powerful, scientifically researched, full-body detoxification, weight loss & wellness systems available and I wish everyone could give this a try (I am working on it ;)) I’ve been in the trenches battling a whole host of debilitating health conditions and you never want to land yourself there- trust me.  
 
Let me break it down a bit further for you, yes our bodies are always doing their best to detox on a daily basis but due to a whole host of environmental toxins including chlorine, fluoride, flame retardant materials, bromides in food, BPA, pesticides, preservatives and tens of thousands other man made toxins that pollute our environment and body on a DAILY basis our bodies can no longer keep up. Our immune system and livers are working 24 hours a day trying to clean our blood from the chemicals around us. Our liver is like our body’s vacuum cleaner filter cleaning everything in your blood 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without a rest. Yep! When’s the last time you cleaned your filter? We should all start thanking our dear livers for keeping us alive.
 
In order for our liver to maintain optimal function it must get a daily adequate supply of B vitamins, vitamin C, antioxidants, amino acids and minerals. If it doesn’t get those nutrients our liver can actually begin to get clogged up with bile and toxic sludge like material that needs to be removed for a healthy functioning body. I can say with a lot of certainty that a lot of people are already suffering from this exact thing but don’t actually know it’s happening. The common impacts are through skin, energy, mood, weight, sleep and health all copping the brunt of this one.  
 
Lean in closer….. the biggest secret (which is actually 6000 years old) is the process of Autophagy. You are probably wondering what the heck that is. Well it’s pretty powerful actually that it won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2016!! It is the process of where your own immune system is able to eat up toxins, bacteria and even cancer cells in your blood like a PAC-MAN! Cool right?! But the only way it can do that is via fasting. Our bodies were built to fast for periods of time back in the cave man days but in our modern world we are so exposed to processed food sources that our bodies are so overloaded with toxins and can no longer keep its blood clean which leads to a whole host of illnesses (no wonder there is so much dis-ease in the world today, right?).
 
Consider a high quality functional medicine detox as hitting the reset button on your overworked computer. The detox that we choose to do is scientifically supported and uses a combination of Daily Nutritional Support protein powder, quality supplements and whole foods. This detox allows our bodies a much deserved rest allowing it to recover and heal itself. 
 
For more information on the type of detox we choose and hear reviews from people all over the world transforming their health visit https://equilibriumnutrition.com/products/dr-cabral-detox. It is an American based company however I am working on trying to find an Australian product that is more affordable but still meets a high quality of standard (so stay tuned). I would recommend seeking professional health advise before undertaking a detox. 
 
We know that this is crucial to the health of our family to flourish and I hope you have learnt that we can no longer live the current lifestyle we do without being proactive and supporting our bodies with the nutrients and rest it needs to stay well! Besides we only get one body to live in for the rest of our lives so we CHOOSE to take the best care of ours that we can.
 
Get in touch if you want to know more.
 
Big Love Meghan xx

​Recently I had the incredible opportunity to meet my health mentor, Doctor Stephen Cabral who is not only an incredible Naturopathic, Ayurvedic and Functional Medicine Doctor but an incredibly generous, kind and humble man.  Words cannot do him justice to capture how much he truly changed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I worked with his amazing health coach Julia on my wellness program via Skype as their company is based in Boston, MA (literally on the other side of the world!). Therefore I had never even spoken to him on the phone so to not only be in the same room as him, but to hug him, express my gratitude and learn from this intelligent and humble human was an experience I can’t even quantify.

Some of my key take a ways were:

1. That Stephen Cabral is a normal human being
Ok so this may sound a bit strange, but when you personally and professionally look up to someone so much that sometimes they can feel like they aren’t truly real. Turns out he is! He is a lot shorter than I imagined (hey nothing wrong with that), is approachable, has a wife, 2 beautiful daughters and a dog named Moose, he struggled with his health (worse than I did), he has all the same fears and above all else shows up every damn day and as a result is changing the face of natural health around the world!

2. I am in fact, NOT on my own
For the longest time I have felt like I was on my own throughout my health journey, that the doctors never understood what I was going through (just telling me that I was feeling things that weren’t really there, that I was ‘healthy’ and I just need to stop being a hypochondriac), my friends and family couldn’t understand what I was going through, I was the 1 person at the party not drinking, hiding a zip lock bag of pills to take after my meal (to allow my body to not fully shutdown every time I ate), receiving judgment from people when telling me I was too thin or that I would cook you a meal but you can’t really eat anything, going for dinner and feeling like the ‘difficult one’ when the food placed in front of me was filled with inflammatory ingredients or the fact that I was now working with a health coach on the other side of the world to get better- that is just unheard of.
What I learnt was that there is an entire community of people that have been and are in the exact same situation as me at some point and my goodness I have never in my life felt more energized, at home and comfortable knowing that there are others just like me!! I arrived at this event where they were serving the breakfast smoothies I have every morning and right there at the breakfast bar was a girl with her zip lock of supplements. That’s when I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

3.  That the biggest thing standing in my way is me
For the longest time have been trying to work out what it is that lights me up from my core, that If I had to spend the rest of my life doing that one thing without getting paid what would it be. Its helping others heal so that they can flourish in life and go on to create what their soul was bought to this earth to do. However I have always (subconsciously) put up my own road blocks. This event made me realize that my journey so far hasn’t been about me, it’s happened to me so that I can help others. All I need to do is spread my wings and just fly. I have access to all I need to be an incredible health coach, I just need to trust myself enough and remember that my obligation to others is so much bigger than my fear. I learnt that there are people less qualified than me, doing the things that I want to do simply because they believe in themselves.

4. There is such an important need for health coaches right now
Before going to this event I was questioning whether there were already enough health coaches out there and I had a feeling that it was such a saturated market. What I learnt however is that people are sicker than ever and that there is a whole community of people just waiting for me to step into my power and serve them because people will connect with me because of my story, my journey and my authenticity.

5. I have my own powerful and important identity outside that of a mum and a wife
When I was leaving to attend this event I felt a lot of different emotions, mostly that of mum guilt (of course, it never truly leaves us) I am a fulltime mum now maybe I should just stay home and do what I am ‘off work’ to do and that is to look after my family.
What I realized is that for the first time I was there on my own, standing in my own power interacting with people that had nothing to do with my baby. They were genuinely interested in my background, interests and my business plans which is only just a tiny little seed thus far. It gave me an immense amount of confidence and reminded me of how passionate I am about helping others and that I have an entirely separate identity to that of a mum or a wife and that was a truly powerful thing to be reminded of.
​
Big Love
Meghan xx

During a recent trip away I had a light bulb moment. That life is very much like a plane ride. That on the ground before you board you are in your comfort zone, you feel safe and not threatened (unless you are anything like me, a small town country girl in a chaotic city sanitising everything you touch). As the plane is boarding you might be seated next to a stranger and find it awkward and uncomfortable. As the plane starts on the runway you feel every little bump and jolt from the ground beneath you. As the plane gets faster and faster you feel your heart rate increase and plan for takeoff, not knowing what lies ahead. As the plane leaves the ground you feel your tummy drop, ears pop and experience some level of turbulence until all of a sudden you are floating, high enough up that you now have a birds eye view of the world beneath you and then you soar through the clouds.

A very different perspective of the world you are used to. Life is like that too. You have to go through ‘turbulence’ or the uncomfortable stages of change (judgment of others, breaking bad habits, setbacks, believing in yourself or whatever that might be for you). Although most people would like to live life high in the sky they aren’t willing to embrace the challenges/fear that comes along with rising to the top and achieving success. I learnt a very valuable lesson during this trip away (although it’s obvious, hearing it come out of the mouth of people I idolise in my industry was a much more real experience). The lesson being even the most successful people/speakers still get sick, still question their worth, still get pressure from their inner critic/mean girl and still have what feels like endless challenges to overcome. However the one thing they have in common is that although they experience all of these things they still choose to show up *every*single*time*. They put in the work and just put one foot in front of the other. In a sense they embrace their ‘turbulence’ not fear away from it so they can live a life beyond the clouds. If their ‘plane’ gets thrown around from the wind and has to land they just get back up, fix their wings and start their engines and do it all again.

 Sometimes we feel like we are the only ones who experience these feelings of not being good enough, smart enough, popular enough, educated enough or powerful enough however we are all humans and this is just a normal human experience. It is so important to tell yourself every damn day that *you are enough* in every aspect of your life. We are all in control of our own life, even though we cannot control all aspects of our lives we can control how we react to the things that get thrown our way.

It is time, to board your plane, strap in and enjoy the ride even through the turbulence. With the turbulence comes valuable lessons and it’s up to us how we choose to view these challenges. As failure or that you have learnt a valuable lesson which has allowed you to grow? That’s your choice. Happy flying.

Big love Meghan xx

​When you feel like you have tried everything, spent thousands of dollars on endless supplements, practitioners, doctors, protocols, diets, tests and nothing can give you the answers you need, all you feel is helpless and without hope of ever getting well again. That is exactly how I felt until I found my holy grail of health! And oh my, I thank my lucky stars for finding the incredible human that is Dr Stephen Cabral.


Dr Cabral is a Naturopath, Ayurvedic, Functional Medicine & Integrative Health Practitioner who went on a journey to heal himself after experiencing health complications at the age of 17. He saw over 50 different doctors, tried over 100 different treatment protocols, but still saw no hope of recovery. It wasn’t until he met an “alternative” health doctor who explained to him how he got here and how he could become well again, that he began his recovery process. It was at this young age that he knew his life would be dedicated to helping others rebalance their bodies and renew their health. Dr Cabral who after 2 decades of research, reading 3,000+ books, and 150,000+ client sessions has uncovered exactly what works – and why. His motto Is ‘CHANGE YOUR BODY CHANGE YOUR LIFE’ and that’s exactly what he helps people do! I have been lucky enough to test his theory (the Cabral Concept) and see incredible results. His theory is based on testing the body for imbalances and re-correcting via lifestyle and supplement protocols to bring the body back to equilibrium.

My main mission in getting well was not only to just regain my health so that I can improve my quality of life but not so long ago I went to see a very well known subspecialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility to better understand the issues I was having with my cycle and investigate to ensure that there was no major issues that would stop me from having children. I knew something wasn’t quite right and wanted answers before I started trying for a family and found out too late down the track. This particular specialist did some investigative surgery and confirmed not only that I had Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) but part of my right fallopian tube was actually dead and had to be repaired. His professional opinion was that my best chance to have a family was to go through IVF due to the PCOS and fallopian tube damages. My whole body didn’t accept this method as I was so sensitive to chemicals and I didn’t want to go down this path at that early stage. In my determined ways I decided that wasn’t the path for me and I wanted to try more naturally first.

I worked my butt off doing the Cabral protocols, using a FAR Infrared Sauna (to eliminate toxins), seeing an amazing chiropractor who treats using kinesiology, used doTERRA Essential Oils (in particular ClaryCalm), practicing self love, meditation, journaling, moving my body- daily, eating as organic as possible, being mindful of dangerous Electro Magnetic Frequency (EMF) more on this later, reading quality health literature, tongue scraping, reducing stress and toxic chemicals and doing more of the things I love. Within a matter of months of completing my protocols and doing the above mentioned things not only did I feel amazing and a lot of my symptoms went away I also fell pregnant naturally and in October of 2019 gave birth to a healthy son.

​To say I got my life back is an understatement and because of this amazing human and his protocols I was able to live out my lifelong dream of becoming a mother. I now feel it is my service to share my experience with the world. I want to pay it forward and help others heal and live the life that they always dreamt of living. Without your health there really isn't any drive to live out your dreams... trust me I have been in the pits of agony and didn't think I would find my way out until I did. 

From what I have learnt, yes having mentors to guide you in the right direction is important but for the remaining 23 hours of each day the healing power is in your own hands to show up and do the things you need to do especially when you don't feel like it. Although I have come a long way on my health journey I still have a long way to go to reach my health goals however I now have the blue print to achieve this which lights me up from the inside!

So many people take their health for granted and the interesting thing is that many people's bodies are suffering but the symptoms haven't quite hit yet and won’t surface until later in life. Our bodies were not made to deal with all the toxic chemicals in our food, products and environment that we endure day in and out. In the near future I will be studying to become an Integrative Health Practitioner that will allow me to coach you so that you too can achieve wellness again so stay tuned for this amazingness!
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Big Love
Meghan xx
 

 Starting from the start, how did I get here.. being a female teenager is tough. There is so much pressure to be what is socially perceived as 'perfect' a word I now know doesn't even exist. My health hit rock bottom when I gave in to society and thought I needed to be skinny to ‘fit it.’ Something I now see as a lesson I needed to learn but my health felt the full force of this one. 

 This lesson showed up in such a physical way for me, I slowly started developing intolerances to food, became highly sensitive to chemicals and medications, I was always tired, had bad brain fog and as the years went on I would get terrible pains after eating. Naturally I would become anxious whenever I had to eat which isn’t the best recipe when trying to put weight on. The amount of social events I couldn’t go to, I lost track of because I was too unwell and the ones I did go to I felt I was being judged because I couldn’t eat the ‘normal’ heavily  gluten. dairy and allergenic foods that has become so engrained in our western culture. I remember so many times just crawling in a ball crying and not wanting to get out of bed because every day was such a task. I would often sit up all hours of the night/ morning wrapped in heat packs just waiting for it to pass. The hardest part is not knowing what is causing it so I would be in a similar position in a few days time. Even after spending thousands of dollars on different health treatments/protocols nothing seemed to work and my quality of life was severely impacted.

 That is the thing about chronic disease is you often cannot see it from the outside. Many people are suffering behind their smile, trust me I was there not so long ago.  I went to many doctors and specialists, had a few colonoscopies and endoscopies and still had no answers. I still remember afterwards for my follow up the doctor sitting me down and saying that ‘ because your test results have come back clear I believe that you may be feeling pains that are not really there.’ To be holding onto some kind of hope that they will find SOMETHING, ANYTHING that would explain all of my pain and to be told that, was another blow. For most teens they were out partying thinking about what drinks they were going to have that weekend but for me I was drinking the awful colonoscopy drink that is used to completely clean out your bowels (sounds fun, doesn’t it?) and going in for day surgery. The pain is hard to explain but the closest way I could describe it was like all my internal organs were concreted together and every time I ate it would just get more and more compacted. I am so grateful that I now only in the last 12 months (after a lot of searching and trial and error) found the root cause of all my problems and now know the blue print to treat them (only a short 8-10 years later) but thankfully I figured it out! (More on this later)

 Hindsight is a beautiful thing, I can now talk about my eating disorder without getting upset (this took many years to conquer) but I now feel that I have been taught a valuable lesson instead of feeling regret, guilt and shame. Although I still feel guilty for putting my poor parents through the stress of  it all I hope that they can see that it has helped guide me on my journey and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their continual support. What I have learnt though which is important for not only the young people that may read this but just as importantly the adults as well that majority of the human population feel that they are not good enough and that was me included. A lot of this comes from the adults passing down this belief through the generations, which is why it is so important to heal and  to stop that self belief in its tracks affecting our society in more ways that we realize. I witnessed this recently when I attended a self development course in Brisbane and out of the 50 people in the room when asked a fear that they wanted to overcome, every single person’s boiled down to not feeling like they were enough. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing but I get it as I had felt the same way, we all think we are on own but we really aren’t, we are all human and having similar human experiences.

 It has taken hard work diving deep into my wounds to now fully love myself and honour my temple and my goodness it feels amazing!  The cause of this particular illness was the lack of self love that I had for myself which spiraled into a whole host of physical symptoms all because I had caught comparison-itis. I felt  like I had to be like everyone else when actually I just needed to be me. What I come to realize is that I am and you are the most unique being in the entire universe so just be yourself and let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful and magical person that you are. People will judge, hey there are probably people judging me right now but often the ones who judge are covering up their own insecurities. Be kind because everyone has something going on that you know nothing about. Plus to be unafraid of the judgement of others is the greatest freedom you can have!

 Big Love, Meghan xx
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