Living Your Life, Loving Your Lymph, A Journey Toward Wellness

As I reflect on my own journey with health and wellness, I find myself wondering: What drives us to make change in our lives, particularly when it comes to our health?

Is it only when we face a crisis—whether it’s mental health struggles or physical health—that we start paying attention to our overall well-being? Or could we adopt a more balanced, authentic mindset that prioritises health before things spiral out of control? Could we nurture a culture of self-care and prevention, where we learn to recognise the early signs and take action before things worsen?

Growing up, health was never something I had to think about consciously—it was part of the fabric of life. I was raised in an environment where everything had its place, and food, in particular, was central to our family's life. I was bought up in an era that every home had a backyard vege garden, my Dad nurtured the vegetable garden, growing fresh food with love, while my mum baked and cooked from the heart, she would prepare preserved fruit, jams and chutneys and they would colourfully adorn the pantry with pride, our honey we collected from the local bee man, milk was delivered in beautiful clangy glass bottles, our meat my Dad would purchase from the local butcher or my Grandparents farm and prepare at home for the freezer, we knew where our food came from without a thought, it just appeared and was beautifully prepared even the steak and kidney pie that I think every child despised!

There was a sense of connection to where our food came from, a time when we didn’t question what we ate because it was pure and simple.

My memories also involve a time when we had plenty of space for play. it wasn't something we had to work on to create or make happen, as children we played on the street, I always loved playing out in the dark, getting called in for tea, something magical about being out after bedtime, we gathered together with all the children in the neigbourhood, we laughed, we connected and we had imagination, there were no competitive thoughts, no overwhelming sense of time running out—we simply enjoyed the moment. We were blissfully unaware of the importance of time, yet I realise now it was a valuable part of our well-being.

Fast forward thirty years, and health is something I now think about actively. But unlike when I was younger, it's no longer automatic—it's something I need to focus on intentionally. It wasn’t until my health began to unravel that I had to start rethinking everything I had once taken for granted.

After a series of health issues—chronic pain, emotional upheaval, and a breakdown of my lymphatic system—a diagnosis was finally made. These events forced me to confront my own "why."

Why was my health deteriorating? How could I shift my focus to prevent further decline? In the face of struggle, deteriorating health ,the person you’ve always prioritised last—yourself—suddenly needs to be put first. For me, that realisation was a turning point.

This is why I’m passionate about health coaching—especially for others facing conditions like Lymphoedema and Lipoedema. When someone is diagnosed, especially with a chronic condition, it forces them to stop and take stock of their life. It’s almost like a shock to the system, where the focus shifts immediately to self-care and managing the condition. There’s often an emotional journey: denial, frustration, and anger at first, followed by acceptance and the willingness to do the work.

One question, posed recently by a fellow health coach, really made me pause and think:

"When you were first diagnosed, what would you have wanted to happen? What did you need?"

This question was so simple, yet it unlocked something deep within me. At that time, what I needed most was someone who could understand—someone who had walked a similar path and could listen, offer support, and help me navigate through this new reality. It was the presence of an ally who could provide the compassion, empathy, and space to explore what really mattered in the wake of the diagnosis.

And that's where the magic happens. In this space of acceptance and learning, we find ways to reclaim control over our health. For me, it’s been a journey of reconnecting to my values—those long-embedded principles of hard work, commitment, and care—but learning to apply them to myself for the first time.

I always communicate to those that have come my way, that the road to self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all path. There’s no uniform solution, because each person’s body, experiences, and circumstances are unique. What we need is a community—one that supports us, celebrates our individuality, and honours our health journey.

This is why, today, I am a health coach, to support others to take back their health, to reconnect with their purpose, and to create a life that truly matters—in every sense of the word.

So, as you think about your own health, ask yourself: What matters to you? And remember, it's never too early to start prioritising prevention over cure—your future self will thank you.

Explore what matters. Living your life. Loving your lymph.

J

A blissful stroll on Oreti Beach, Southland, New Zealand