Meet Karen, a Diet & Eating Psychology coach based in Gibraltar. She loves to take advantage of the beautiful views over the Straits of Gibraltar on beautiful walks come rain or shine, has done her Wim Hoff training and fits in an ice bath wherever possible, and is always up for a fun (and different!) workout. She is a mum of 3 boys, and is helping to improve the health of her community one patient at a time.
Lets get into how she puts her work into practice personally, and finds a balance to prioritise her own health as well as that of her patients...
How do you unwind in the evening? I love a range of things that I alternate! I love my
sauna blanket (especially if I haven’t already sweat in the day), while listening to a podcast or
meditation. I love going for an evening walk with my dog listening to my favourite ‘happy’
music to destress the chaos of the day! Oh and I love removing my bra and getting into my PJ’s with my castor oil liver pack!
Tell us about your ideal Sunday plan? I always lay in on Sundays, followed by a long walk
with my dog. Sundays are all about family food and we normally have a roast as our main
meal…. I then make bone broth with the leftovers and do some meal prep for the week.
Planning ahead always helps.
Something great you’ve learned recently? Akkermansia is a very important gut bacteria!
What’s the best piece of health advice that you’ve been given, that has worked for you?
Learn to balance your blood sugar and breathe properly!
What do you do when you are 10/10 stressed? Breathwork always! Box breathing or Wim
Hof breathing.
What’s your go-to breakfast? I always break my fasts with a collagen Matcha green latte
with plant milk… my quick, easy on the go breakfast is normally goats yogurt with fruit,
nuts, seeds and added prebiotic fibres.
What’s your go-to snack? Brazil nuts or boiled eggs with salt!
What’s your go-to dinner? I love the famous Jennifer Anniston salad – I shove everything
in there!
Favourite quote to live by? “this too shall pass” -everything is temporary! Or “there’s
beauty in everything if you choose to look for it”
Any health gadgets you’ve got your eye on? An ice bath!
Skincare routine and products? I cleanse my face with Liz Earle hot cloth skin polish – I
LOVE this product and have used it for years. I use a natural moisturiser called BIO- LIFT
made by functional medical doctor Beran Parry from her GEN- XHealth range. At nightime
I’m also using some retinoids from Trinny London at the moment and loving her range!.
What do you do for exercise? Ha! What don’t I do?? I love moving – it makes me feel so
good. I walk everyday with my dog so always get my 10,000 steps in. I do weight training
twice a week. I am on my mat every morning for 30 minutes and do a range of things
depending how I’m feeling or where I am in my cycle….sometimes its yoga, pilates or Barre
and sometimes it’s a dance or hIIT workout. My favourite thing at the moment is my
rebounder – I’m slightly addicted to having a bounce!
What supplements do you take? I take a lot of supplements on rotation! I use
Supplements to fill in my gaps… for example I will take iron biglycinate with liposomal
vitamin C around my period as I can be low on iron around this time.
I’ll take liver support like milk thistle, NAC and tudca if I’m eating out for a meal with
alcohol – I’ll also take activated charcoal if I drink alcohol (which is hardly ever these days!)
It’s important to take personal supplements for YOUR needs and not to copy other people.
It’s also important not to take too many at the same time as you lose the benefits. Probably
my favourite supplement which has helped with my mental focus and health is Lions Mane.
I’m a fan of the mushrooms for immunity.
Acupuncture or reflexology? I’m a reflexology fan. I’ve never tried acupuncture! Its on
my list
Coffee order? Black Americano
Health goal for 2024? To Stay Sane! For me, health is about balance and being able to
cope with my ‘load’ physically and mentally…. It’s not about weight or flexing my muscles.
it’s about peace and happiness (even though there are challenges to this everyday)
Something you’re proud of this year? On a personal level, I am so proud of my children! I
have 3 teenage boys and they are turning into the most awesome young men. They’ve had to overcome a lot of emotional nonsense post covid. I feel so sorry for young people in this day and age! On a business level, I am so proud of my clinic and my clients! We continue to grow in a way that is mutually beneficial – helping people overcome health issues is the greatest reward I could ask for. My work gives me the biggest hit of Dopamine and Oxytocin!
When did you feel your best? Now – I’ve never felt better /stronger….and I’m
approaching age 50 in March 2024! I feel like the perimenopause is an evolution and I am
rising!
Anything that’s gone wrong ‘in the name of health’? Ive started cycling my e-bike to
work to save money and petrol fumes, only to have to breathe in everyone elses! Polution on
the roads in Gibraltar is awful.
What is your guilty pleasure food wise? OMG date bark…Medjool dates, pecan nuts and
dark chocolate – cannot get enough of this and I eat way tooooo much!
Favourite podcast in the health and wellness world? Podcasts have changed my life! I
love ‘The Doctors Farmacy” with Dr Hyman, I love “impact Theory’ with Tom Bilyeu and
“the Resetter’ by Dr Mindy Pels…. I also love DOAC with Steven Bartlett
Do you have any health struggles? Yes! I’ve always struggled with hormonal imbalance
which has had implications on my weight, eating behaviours and self esteem. if so, what and
how do you manage it? I’ve realised there is a trauma link with all these things… its never
just about the food. I continue to explore ways to release trauma and balance my nervous
system with techniques like breathwork, tapping (EFT), sound baths, meditation and
exercise! Its work in progress but gives me such empathy with my clients – so many of us are
the same.
What / who inspires you? Good hard working disciplined people who are true to their
word. My husband is one such person. He is disabled and yet refuses to be in a victim
mentality – he’s always a warrior. Jennifer Lopez is also someone I admire for work ethic.
Do you have a morning routine? What does it look like? Yes… every morning I wake up,
pee, brush teeth, dry brush, have a glass of water, then get on my mat to move and wake up
the body and mind!
