Currently I have content on YouTube channel, Instagram, Website, Facebook.
I am wife, mother, qualified chef, health coach and during my lifetime have dealt with a variety of health issues with myself and family. Things like heart disease, my husband had a cerebral aneurysm at 31. I have two daughters one at 28 has a pacemaker and history of asthma the other suffers endometriosis and food intolerances. Personally I have had health issues including asthma from a young age. Have dealt with Bulimia for several years and in 2003 after a back injury had 2 spinal fusion surgeries resulting in 13 years of chronic pain. Looking back years and years of being given ever increasing doses and combinations of medications.

Several years ago it dawned on me how toxic my body must be having had processed so many chemicals. Numerous Medications from as young as 3…. I was about to turn 50!!! If This was life now my future and old age was looking Bloody grim I thought!

In that moment I decided to take back responsibility for my health that had for years had been managed by medical
professionals . I started listening to my own intuition(which was always there) and being guided to what I thought my body needed to do to heal.

You know what it’s NOT an easy fix it’s a continuing journey that has had many ups and downs many tears, frustrations a lot of going backwards then finding a better way to get ahead.

It has required, hard work, persistence, consistency, self care, good nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and meditation. The realisation that not only was my body toxic but a lot of things in my life had gotten out of control. I wanted quality of life and things to look forward to back in my life. I was so exhausted! Pain does that to you. You will understand what i mean if you suffer from it. You can’t get away from it. Your life revolves around it and it effects every aspect of it. People can’t see pain! Here I apologise to my family especially my husband Simon and daughters Nellie and Sam. My pain effected them all in some way or another and and sometimes I wasn’t nice to be around, feeling miserable and sorry for myself had to deal with the fall out. They supported me, encouraged me and I love them all for putting up with my tantrums and their fathers cooking!

I’m very grateful for is having that thought that I had to make changes if I wanted a different outcome.

Where am I now? What did I change?

You can see more of my story here., as I have come to realise that so many things throughout my life got me to this point.

Were there rewards? – Yes there certainly were my life is completely different- I’m mostly pain free, it does require daily work and I have learnt techniques that work for me. Now I take NO medication for pain, blood pressure or asthma.

There is occasion that things flare up and can become acute. I now recognise that it has been when my intuition has said stop and my brain has said just 2-3 more reps, that’s when you should listen to your intuition.

I’m not saying I will never have to take medication again…… but occasionally is nothing compared to the cocktail I was taking daily.

Taking control and accepting responsibility was life changing.

I was taught from a young age that drs had the answers, my great grandfather was a dr and my mum and her sisters were nurses.

The medical professionals were put on a pedestal and it took me 50 years to take back control and feel the best I have in my lifetime.

The changes that I’ve made have not been difficult, not expensive. You can make changes and take control to living a longer better life not a longer sicker one.

In November I became a Functional Nutrition Graduate. It was very challenging as I left school at 15. I procrastinated ,was full of self doubt, self sabotaged. My determination to help others make better choices to live a healthier happier life is what drove me. I set my intentions of what I wanted to achieve and completed it.

Now I can offer all my skills to help others. As a chef my with my passion for food, continued learning and having
knowledge and of how incredible our bodies are and it’s healing capacity, when given the right food, conditions and environment is what I want to share with anyone who wants to learn and help.

My website offers services, products, my YouTube recipes and videos. I have food tours to some amazing markets in Melbourne and am interviewing farmers, organic growers and artisan producers . Sharing their passions for producing ethical quality food that feeds our bodies with real food and why they do what they do.

When I graduated I visited my local library to see if they would be interested in food demos and a health talk which they jumped at and I have done 3. That pushed me way out of my comfort zone but people were so interested and shocked by some of the things I shared I have 3 more booked in the next few months.

So if I can make changes anybody can and I want to help anyone that is ready to take responsibility for their health and to feel renewed.

By incorporating the five pillars of health which are sleep,nutrition, light, lifestyle and movement I think is the answer to creating a healthier you.

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/joskitchencapers

Kind regards, Jo