Meet Jess, a Health & Wellness coach based in Toronto. She is helping women who are experiencing hormone imbalances to improve their symptoms through diet and lifestyle shifts, and to find the root cause of their issues to be able to address them properly and heal. The types of issues that Jess works on include painful periods, PMS, acne, PCOS, energy and mood imbalances, and stress management.
I know Jess because we lived together when we studied at Edinburgh University, and I can confirm that she loves, and got me to love hot chocoalte!! (especially the Starbucks one).
Read on for some great tips and insights into how to keep up good habits, figure out what works best for you, and find a balance!
How do you unwind in the evening? I’m obsessed with a good evening routine! I’m
usually dimming the lights an hour or two before bed to signal to my body that it’s
time to wind down, and I try to limit or avoid screen time for 30 minutes before
turning the lights off (some days I’m better at this than others). Otherwise, I like to
switch up. Right now, it’s dry brushing, moisturizing and meditating before bed.
Tell us about your ideal Sunday plan... My ideal Sunday involves grocery shopping for
the week, doing something restorative like a pilates class or hot/cold therapy session,
going on a long walk with my dog and favourite podcast, and cooking a meal at home.
Something great you’ve learned recently? To not underestimate the impact of stress
on your overall health. Having an understanding of how our stress hormones and
adrenal axis impact the rest of our hormone and gut health has been such a game
changer in my understanding of the importance of stress management. It’s about way
more than feeling relaxed – it can have a real impact on your overall health and might
be the thing to really move the needle.
What’s the best piece of health advice that you’ve been given, that has worked for
you? Consistency is key!! Moving away from an all or nothing, “diet starts Monday”
approach is a game changer. Consistent effort and an 80/20 mindset is so much more
sustainable and happier.
What do you do when you are 10/10 stressed? Exercise! A good cardio workout and
sweat when I’m stressed is the best reset for me.
What’s your go-to breakfast? My go-to is scrambled eggs with avocado, broccoli
sprouts, and tomatoes. It’s so quick to make and high protein, which makes a big
difference in maintaining my energy and blood sugar throughout the day.
What’s your go-to snack? I’m really into coconut kefir with cacao nibs, chia seeds,
ground flax, and whatever fruit I have at the time. I also love brazil nuts when I’m in a
rush or just need something small.
What’s your go-to dinner? It’s starting to get cold in Toronto and so I’m really leaning
into soups and stews. Anything warm and nourishing really. A recent go-to is lemon
roast chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. This recipe is in my
healthy hormone cookbook!
Favourite quote to live by? “You are far more influential than you think.” I hope this
doesn’t sound arrogant, but I’m a big believer that individuals can have a real impact
on others and the world. Being nice and advocating for things you’re passionate about
– these things can make a big difference. And “you don’t eat the fruit the same day
you plant the seed” – this is as big one as I navigate being a new business owner.
Any health gadgets you’ve got your eye on? I really want to try a continuous glucose
monitor and, not sure if this counts as a gadget, but I need a good water filter asap.
Accepting recommendations!
What do you do for exercise? I do a bunch of different things depending on what I’m
in the mood for and where I am at in my cycle – a lot of walking, pilates, yoga, and
cardio bootcamps! I really want to get more into weight lifting as well so that’s my
next goal.
Acupuncture or reflexology? Acupuncture! But in fairness, I haven’t tried reflexology
so that’s next on my list.
Coffee order? Matcha with almond milk.
Health goal for 2024? Continuing to work on developing a consistent meditation and
breath work practice and getting into weight lifting. I’ve felt for a while that having a
consistent meditation practice will be really transformative for me, but there’s always
been some block, so I’m really committing to working through that in the next few
months to set myself up to maintain it throughout 2024. And weight lifting to set
myself up for future strength and good health as I age.
Something you’re proud of this year? Launching my 1:1 hormone health coaching
program! Having my own program has been a dream since I started my holistic health
journey. I am so excited to be working with clients and helping other women feel their
best.
When did you feel your best? After a cozy dinner with friends. I’m an extrovert and
get so much energy from being around people I love and eating good food.
What is your guilty pleasure food wise? I love hot chocolate!
Favourite podcast in the health and wellness world? I’ve been a long-time listener of
The Skinny Confidential, which is one of my favourite health and wellness podcasts.
They have so many amazing guests and it’s easy listening. I also am recently very into
the Dream Bigger podcast, by Siff Haider, which is so inspiring and informative as a
wellness entrepreneur.
Do you have any health struggles? If so, what and how do you manage it? I’ve
experienced issues arising from hormone imbalances since a young age – PMS and
painful periods have been two big ones for me. Healing these symptoms and finding
balance is not linear. I manage my hormone health through understanding my cycle,
eating and exercising for it, focusing on detox, managing stress, and taking
supplements that support my health.
What / who inspires you? My friends!! Seeing the women around me working hard,
taking risks, growing, and accomplishing amazing things is so inspiring and
motivating to me.
Do you have a morning routine? What does it look like? There are a few things I try
to focus on in the morning, though I’m certainly not perfect at it. The first is having a
high protein breakfast within an hour of waking. This sets me up to have good energy
and balanced blood sugar for the day, and I really notice the difference when I don’t
do this. The other big one is getting some kind of movement in – I love working out
in the mornings but some days this is also just a walk around the block with my dog.
Biggest health FAD? I’m not the biggest fan of juice cleanses. I know that there can
be many benefits to fasting so I’m not writing it off completely, but I think that for a
lot of people, unless you’re properly set up for it, it messes with your blood sugar,
stresses your body out, and results in breaking down muscle mass. In my opinion,
long-term and sustainable changes > short-term, restrictive diets!
To find out more about Jess and how she works, visit her website here.