I spoke at a public event recently and afterwards, there were a lot of people who came to ask for help. I could have been there for hours consulting people.

The last two people I met were sisters. One of the sisters had dragged the other to the event. The first sister had lost over 20kg on the Fat Loss Protocol and was feeling amazing. The second sister (let’s call her Lisa) was a nurse, who worked hard and had a daughter who she was putting through a very expensive private school in Brisbane. She also had an autoimmune disease – rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I felt an instant empathy for her; you could see she was driving herself into the ground, suffering with RA and trying to do the best she could for her daughter.

Lisa asked me to sign her book and put something inspirational into it. I wrote:

To Lisa, Happy Changing Habits. Bit by bit, step by step, habit by habit you will improve your health and energy and be an inspiration to your daughter.

I then read it to her and she began to cry. She told me her daughter was 14 and over 100kg. I didn’t know this when I wrote the message but it really resonated with her.

As a parent Lisa was doing the best she could. She was demonstrating hard work, but she wasn’t eating the right food, taking time out to heal and basically looking after herself.

Losing Our Culture and Traditions

Our children from 0 to 7 years of age live an unconscious life, soaking in the surroundings, watching people around them and then creating meaning about their life. As parents we have a responsibility to teach by example how life can be managed. We can teach care of the human form and resilience, as well as how to live a fulfilling healthy life.

As hunter gatherers we had cultures and traditions that taught these things. But our lives are so very different and we’ve lost our cultures and traditions. Instead of teaching by example and discipline, many children have a television or screen in front of their face teaching the unconscious brain of the 0-7 year old what life’s all about.

Lisa told me that she and her daughter had just been to the dietitian and she showed me the diet. I saw calorie restriction but not quality of food being impressed upon both Lisa and her daughter. One particular food that was prescribed was an instant pasta. The ingredients read like a chemical label with colours, flavours, acidity regulators, yeast extract, salt and wheat.

We know that ill health, whether it is an autoimmune disease, eating disorder or obesity, is multi factorial. And what works for one doesn’t always necessarily work for another. Prescribing a diet and only a diet can narrow the chances of success. Prescribing a calorie-restricted diet with no attention to quality of nutrients and macro nutrients is fraught with failure.

I was listening to a podcast recently on autoimmunity, where they interviewed Dr K (Datis Kharrazian), who I’ve been following for a decade now. I was shocked when he declared that autoimmunity is still a mystery and what works for one doesn’t always work for the other. He said sometimes we see the gut involved and other times everything seems normal in that area of the body. It’s a step-by-step process figuring out what brings the disease under control. He said there was no cure to autoimmunity and people had to work for the rest of their lives to keep it under control. He believes throwing everything at the disease was not advantageous, but instead recommended to tread carefully with protocols and see what works. 

I find this same scenario with many health issues, including obesity. If diet worked, then it should work for all, but it doesn’t

Change Equals Education and Action

Dr K said that success takes two things, firstly education and secondly a highly engaged proactive client. 

I couldn’t agree more. 

At Changing Habits our first aim is to educate. When we have a highly motivated proactive client, then we see massive change. The Fat Loss Protocol has been part of Changing Habits for nearly a decade. I’ve heard many stories where people have taught themselves and their body what works for them and then made the changes to take control of their weight and/or health crisis. Food has not been the only thing, lifestyle is also important: movement, sleep, rest, relaxation, connection, sunlight, fresh air and reduction in non-native EMFs are all important factors.

I’ve heard stories of massive weight loss, baby blues disappearing, energy increasing, the management of autoimmune diseases, aches and pains vanishing and so much more.

Lisa loved my talk. I spoke for just under two hours and she sat in the front row, intensely engaged the whole time, taking it all in. I gave her new messages that obviously resonated. By the time we said goodbye I could see that she was truly inspired to make changes, not only in her own life but also becoming the example for change in her daughter’s life and wellbeing.

One talk is not the fix, once we’re inspired it’s important to learn more. Lisa purchased my book and cook book, so hopefully she will make the changes bit by bit, step by step, habit by habit and at the end of 12 months, both her health and that of her daughters will change.

Furthering her education I would suggest my Introduction to Nutrition Course. It’s an excellent course to do after reading my book Lab To Table. It goes in depth and helps people take personal responsibility and become proactive in their own health outcome. I’m proud of this course and it can help individuals become educated so that they know what to do to change. We had a recent nutrition graduate do her work placement with us and one of my team members suggested she do our intro course. I asked her how she liked it and she remarked that in her three years at university she had not been taught anything that was in The Nutrition Academy’s Introduction to Nutrition Course. To say the least, I was shocked. For me, this information is important when teaching others about food and health choices. But then, having said that, what I saw the dietitian give to Lisa and her daughter showed no recognition of the importance of the quality of food and that of other lifestyle choices.