Hi, I'm Meera
I am a nutritional therapist with specialist interest in supporting clients and customers to improve their mental wellbeing and help alleviate symptoms of stress and burn-out, anxiety, low mood and depression, poor sleep and who want to improve their emotional balance, focus and resilience. I also have my own podcast Joyful Balance with my co-host, Denise Iordache, a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist where we discuss all things nutrition, neuroscience and psychology. You can check the podcast out on my website or wherever you get your podcasts.
Education
I have always been interested in psychology and the brain, and I combine this scientific interest with a passion and personal experience of how nutrition can support recovery from poor mental health. My studies have been totally dedicated to this pursuit:
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BSc Psychology
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MSc Clinical Neuroscience
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DipION Diploma Nutritional Therapy
My Personal Experience
Whilst I worked in the City of London in a large, multinational financial services institution, I experienced my first (official) bought of poor mental health. Diagnosed with anxiety and depression, I went down the traditional route of medication and talking therapy. They certainly helped at the time. After a year of this support, I moved to Hong Kong, and experienced a relapse after I took myself off of my medication (so please don't do this without consulting your prescribing doctor and doing this in baby steps).
I returned home, and had to begin a process of recovery that took me into a hospital to receive more intensive support. I recovered for a while at home, but I still wasn't anywhere near where I was before I became unwell.
But that wasn't the end of my mental health journey - it gets better, I promise!
My Road to Recovery
A close family member, had studied nutrition and suggested I change my diet to benefit my mental health. I was hugely sceptical. Up until this point, I ate whatever I felt liked and I also am troubled my nausea during my anxious periods, making food seem unappealing.
But, she appealed to my scientific mind, explaining how to feed and heal my brain. I started with a morning smoothie, and then discovered almond butter, and then a love of healthy food. I found my recovery just went in a much more linear direction: upwards.
I found I felt mentally much stronger. I was able to concentrate more, so I started learning more about food and how it supports our health with some online courses. I was beginning to enjoy eating food again knowing how much it helped my health.
My Mission
I wanted to be able to scientifically and rigorously interrogate everything I was reading and learning about nutrition and lifestyle for chronic illness and health. So I decided to complete the rigorous 3 year training at The Institute of Optimum Nutrition (ION). The focus was on nutrients, diets and lifestyle habits that have been shown in support chronic health conditions and for wellbeing. We also learned how to scrutinise scientific research to ensure it's of the best quality too. This way we can ensure we're always guided by the best of what we know about the human body and what actually works to help it work!
Since then, I've worked across supplement companies, start-ups, nutrition education and non-profit, all in the nutrition industry. I spend my professional and a good deal of my personal time on my crusade, to help anyone who's suffering with the debilitating symptoms of poor sleep, anxiety, stress, burnout, depression and a lack of focus begin to get their get their health back on track so they can live life feeling resilient and fully in the driving seat.
I look forward to working together!
Meera
