I have been reflecting on having lunch with a Hollywood legend a few weeks ago. This was in recognition for my contribution in health and wellness space at PwC Australia where I also work. Pretty damn exciting and super chuffed to be awarded with such an accolade. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Since qualifying as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with the Nutritional Therapy Association in 2017 I have been doing my best to spread the world on the importance of nutrition in the corporate world alongside my private practice and emphasise the ramifications of what we eat on our health. I have worked hard to get the conversation on wellness in our teams part of the everyday. We are still at the tip of the iceberg but progress has been made and momentum is building. 

I love that people stop and ask me nutrition related questions in the corridor and are each becoming present to the fact that our bodies are very intelligent machines and that the everyday signs and symptoms of your body (dry feet, heartburn, headaches, PMS, bloating...) tell you a story. I love sharing that these symptoms which we just want to go away are actually giving you little messages that something is not quite right. They can be painful yet seemingly harmless but think of them as an early warning sign - a gift - that you can do something about it before it potentially develops into something more serious.

Over the last year - it has been amazing to watch people completely overhauling their approach to food. Changing their diets to eat whole, non processed food (in my eyes food without an ingredient label on it), transforming how their family eats along the way too and the way they eat - making every effort to get home for family meals for example. As a result of these changes people not only feel and look completely different but they have lost weight - 13kg in some cases - and they are educating their colleagues on their journeys too. 

So back to Hugh - was I star struck? Yes indeed - I may have had to put down my glass at one stage as I was shaking so much! I do have to put my hand up though and admit that until a few weeks beforehand I had only watched one of his films! That is no longer the case I am glad to say!

What I was blown away with however on the day was the conversation which I was privileged to be a part of. This focused on mental health in Hollywood, at Pwc and in the world after a launch of a mental health awareness program at PwC and Gus Worland who founded Gotcha4life, a charity raising awareness on mental health of males around Australia, was also in attendance. Such an important topic which needs to continually made part of the everyday conversation in an age where more and more people are struggling. This conversation was honest, insightful, authentic and powerful. The way conversations should be. It gave me a really strong reminder that more than ever we need to look out for each other, be connected and most of all be honest with each other and don't be afraid to talk up. From a nutritional therapy standpoint it is also my belief that nutrition plays a role in mental health in many ways. I will share more soon.

In the meantime I want to wrap up by saying how unbelievably lucky I feel to be able to bring what I love to work alongside my official role and with such a receptive audience. Who would have thought this is where I would be now after starting at PwC London as a grad over 10 years ago. Thank you to everyone who supports me and I can’t wait for what is next!