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My personal life journey and decades of working with women have shaped my ideas and holistic philosophy of self-care, both for myself and when caring for my clients.
I now think of things as connected rather than separate; it’s like joining dots or finding the missing piece of a jigsaw, then revealing the whole picture. Realising that the body, mind, and spirit (if you’re tuned into this) are all connected and constantly communicate with each other is definitely one of my life’s most significant (albeit gradual) lightbulb moments. It also means that when my stomach feels unsettled, my energy is low, or my mind is in overdrive, I can pause and ask why, rather than feel irritated or inconvenienced.
Modern life means we often feel stretched, overstimulated, and exhausted, with busy schedules and family to care for—sometimes young and ageing—and the pressures to ‘do it all’. That’s why I believe having a holistic compass helps you to better care for yourself and those around you.
Being holistic isn’t just thinking in terms of simple connections, such as my back hurts, I know my posture has been bad, and I’ve sat at my laptop for many hours. It goes much deeper into the area of trauma. Very much a buzzword of the moment, but with real relevance for many as a potential route to a deeper understanding of our thoughts, feelings, and life experiences. I’m fortunate to know people who work and study in this fascinating field. You may be familiar with the famous doctor and author Gabor Maté, who has extensively researched this area of human psychology. I highly recommend his book, When the Body Says No (The Cost of Hidden Stress), if you’re interested in learning more about the effects of stress and trauma upon the body.
Developing a holistic mindset is open to anyone curious, and it doesn’t need to be about making significant changes; it’s about having awareness and an open mind to the connections that exist, even if you don’t have all the answers.
Here is a personal example of how exploring the why has meant that I can hopefully avoid medication (with potential short- and long-term side effects). Around 18 months ago, I noticed that I had begun burping quite a lot after eating and was struggling to swallow some of my supplements. Initially, I thought it was a diet-related issue, so I wanted to find out which foods might be irritating me. Burping a lot isn’t very pleasant, so I had a food intolerance test, which revealed that I was intolerant to a few things, with the main one being dairy.
After the follow-up appointment with the nutritionist, I started an elimination diet that lasted several months. Unfortunately, it still didn’t eliminate my burping and had no impact on my swallowing. So, I decided to see the doctor and attempt to find out the root cause. My doctor arranged several blood tests and an ultrasound, but to no avail.
Next, the doctor wanted to put me on a drug called Omeprazole for reflux. I didn’t believe I had reflux, so I asked for an endoscopy to get an actual diagnosis. In the meantime, I read a newspaper article about digestive issues by Professor Antony Hobson, I decided to read the few comments that had been left by fellow readers and two waxed lyrical about a device called IQoro, (designed to treat several conditions, including Hiatus hernia (reflux, heartburn, lump-in-the-throat feeling).
It works by training the muscles that support swallowing, which can weaken with age. I decided to give it a try while awaiting my endoscopy appointment. I used the IQoro™ three times a day, as recommended. Within a month, I noticed a real improvement in my swallowing and was able to resume taking my usual magnesium supplements at bedtime. Two months later, my endoscopy revealed mild erosive gastritis, with a recommendation of 4-8 weeks of Omeprazole. But rather than jump straight to taking medication, I researched natural solutions to help repair my affected gut lining, along with avoiding foods that are known to irritate gastritis (coffee, tomatoes, citrus, and alcohol).
So far, the IQoro™ device has been a revelation, and I’m hardly noticing any problems swallowing pills or other natural supplements designed to repair my gut lining. I’m finally beginning to see an improvement in my symptoms. What’s behind sharing my story is that symptoms aren’t an inconvenience; they are the body’s way of communicating. Our task is to listen, interpret, and help out where we can.
Where to start with holistic self-care
The first thing to acknowledge is that self-care is not selfish or indulgent. To some, it comes easily, but I’ve had countless conversations where women say or indicate guilt for taking time out, spending money on themselves or prioritising their needs. Self-care is about being proactive and responding to your needs, rather than giving yourself what’s left of your energy and time.
What areas of your life should you think about
For those old enough to remember the Mars advert? (and for my younger readers) The slogan was, ‘A Mars a day helps you work, rest, and play!’ Well, I think we all know that’s a terrible idea now. But work, rest, and play are the areas to consider. Are they balanced, or do you need more rest or more fun and social time?
Holistic therapies
We are fortunate today to have a great wealth of holistic activities that can help you tune in with your body, relax your central nervous system and bring other health benefits. My personal favourites are floatation pools, Yin yoga, Tai Chi, Bikram yoga, massage, meditation and my Bed of Nails. Over the years, I’ve tried Indian head massage, Thai foot massage, Myofascial massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Cupping, face massage, Gua Sha, and Gong Bath. Taking regular time out like this allows your body to recalibrate its nervous system and can be an ideal way to manage the stressors and pressures of everyday life.
Choose one thing
I often try to take on too much. Does this sound familiar? So, as I write this, I’ll remind myself that we can’t achieve everything we want in one go. So if your diet is poor right now and your sleep is too (remember they will be connected), focus on one thing, perhaps your diet first, as this will likely help your sleep as a potential side effect.
Holistic skincare
In essence, this means recognising that the skin is more than what you see on the surface. Our skin is intelligent and known as a first responder. It will communicate in the way it feels and looks. So, as a simple guide, redness, inflammation, irritation, breakouts, acne, and other symptoms are the skin’s way of talking. Discovering corneotherapy almost four years ago was the missing piece of the puzzle in how I approached skin. As a corneotherapist, I now ask why, when I’m presented with an unhappy skin which is out of balance. I then look to address the cause rather than the symptoms to repair and restore the skin’s health.
Corneotherapy is a skin philosophy based on the science of corneobiology, emphasising the importance of maintaining a healthy skin barrier for overall skin health. In practice, this means avoiding harsh cleansers, scrubs, exfoliation, skin peels, and other aggressive treatments. Instead, use skincare that is physiologically similar to the skin itself (biomimetic). Avoiding harsh skin treatments (often those that promise instantly transformed skin) and using skincare that provides the skin with what it needs (minus any harmful ingredients) will ensure the skin’s barrier remains robust and that skin health is maintained.
Key Takeaway
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: your symptoms and your skin aren’t “being awkward”, they’re communicating. A holistic approach simply helps you slow down, get curious, and respond with care rather than frustration. Start small. Pick one change that feels doable, try one supportive therapy, or begin by protecting your skin barrier and noticing what improves. The dots will start to join up, and over time, you’ll feel more grounded, more informed, and far more supported by your own body.
If you are experiencing eczema, rosacea, acne, sensitive skin or facial redness, corneotherapy is known to be an extremely effective skincare approach. Learn more here on my corneotherapy page.