“If your body is constantly in the flight and fight mode then you’re not going to heal, no matter how well you eat.” - Katie Griffin

Meet Katie Griffin. She’s part of the incredible team of holistic health consultants based at the BePure Havelock North Clinic.

After going through a long personal health journey of trial and error before finding the right path, Katie’s passion is working with her clients to find the cause of their health concerns and restore their zest for life.   

In this blog, Katie explains why finding ways to relax and manage stress are so important, she explains why the concept of ‘being healthy’ can be so confusing and she also shares her morning self-care routine.

1. Can you share your health journey with us?

My interest in health, ‘being healthy’ and working to achieve optimal health goes back about 12 years. For most of that time, I thought I was being super healthy; I was eating a super clean diet, exercising, working and basically trying to do it all.

Unfortunately, with how much conflicting information there is in the media about health, it’s very easy to be swayed and get it wrong. I was trying to fit in everything I thought I needed to do and eventually I burnt out and hit rock bottom. I became extremely adrenally fatigued and I had so many digestive complaints that I could hardly eat anything without getting a really sore stomach.  Most of my health problems stemmed from the fact that the way I was living, was really stressing my body.

"I thought I was being super healthy; I was eating a super clean diet, exercising, working and basically trying to do it all."

It’s taken me quite awhile to get back on track and it’s an ongoing journey but through this, I found my passion for helping others on their personal health journeys.

At university I studied marketing and applied science, majoring in food science, but I wasn’t satisfied with the work I was doing. I retrained as a certified holistic health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition so that I could help other’s work out what’s right for them without having to go through such a huge process of trial and error.

2. What is your specialty as a holistic health consultant?

It’s hard to narrow down a specialty when at the BePure Clinic we work with a wide range of clients who present many different health concerns. I honestly enjoy working with everyone!

My passion is getting to work with an individual on their own health journey and help them to find the root cause of what’s going on through the functional, gold-standard testing we offer at the BePure Clinic. Then it’s looking at the bigger picture and treating the client through a multifactorial approach so that they can get back on track and regain their zest for life.

3. What has been the best piece of advice someone has given you?

Optimal health doesn’t happen overnight! It’s an ongoing journey and it will require long-term commitment and lifestyle changes. What's really important, is being able to enjoy the journey and find happiness at whatever stage you are in.

4. Can you share an example of a successful moment you have recently had?

"There is no magic bullet or quick fix when it comes to achieving optimal health."

Recently a client came in with three specific goals in mind – to lose weight, lower their cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. Within two months he had achieved all three! There is no magic bullet or quick fix when it comes to achieving optimal health and one of the most rewarding parts of my job is empowering clients with knowledge and tools during our consultations and seeing them commit to their health and implement positive changes to achieve their goals.

5. How do you practice holistic health in your life?

For me the absolute priority is self-care! As a consultant, it’s really important to take care of myself so that I can best help others. I eat natural, whole foods – organic and free range where possible – and eat right for my macronutrient profile type. Eating this way stabilises my blood sugar and energy levels, and supports my adrenals. I also take high-quality nutritional supplements, so that’s my base supplements and any extra supplements depending on my specific health needs at the time.

"Rest and digest is an essential part of everyone's health journey as it calms the nervous system through stimulation of parasympathetic nervous system."

Rest and digest is an essential part of everyone's health journey as it calms the nervous system through stimulation of parasympathetic nervous system. Mornings are my time to focus on this. Obviously, life happens and this doesn’t always work out, but I like to get up and get ready for work much earlier than I actually need to. I like to allow for half an hour for a calming practice, either to practice yoga, meditate, go for a walk in nature or even to just sit down with a cup of herbal tea and set an intention for the day. I don’t do all of these things at once or even every day but when I do start the day with this self-care routine it helps me create space and flow throughout my day – rather than rushing from one thing to another.

6. What has been your biggest challenge and how can someone else struggling with this overcome it?

From a nutrition point of view, chocolate would have to be my guilty pleasure! So for someone who is struggling to control their sugar cravings, I recommend a principle called ‘crowding out.’ Instead of focusing on all the foods you can’t eat, focus on all the nutritious, healthy, tasty foods you can eat.

Fill your plate with these foods and add lots of flavours using herbs and spices. I like to get a little bit creative in the kitchen when I can! I also find that root veggies are a good way to get that sweet taste on your plate so you don’t feel like you're missing out. When you consistently eat for your macronutrient profile type, you'll find that these cravings will eventually dissipate.

An occasional, mindful sweet treat is good for the soul and my go-to in these situations is a superfood hot choc or a couple of square of dark chocolate, 85% or darker.

7. What is a simple exercise everyone can do on a daily basis to improve their health?

The main thing is just finding ways that work for you. It doesn’t have to be like my self care routine or take up a lot of time, but finding a technique that brings you back to that rest and digest state and fits into your lifestyle, is so important. If your body is constantly in the flight and fight mode then you’re not going to heal, no matter how well you eat.

"If your body is constantly in the flight and fight mode then you’re not going to heal, no matter how well you eat."

When we’re busy or stressed, lifestyle factors are usually the first thing to go. A simple technique I like to teach my clients is called ‘double down breathing.’ This is an easy, cheap, quick thing we can all do to bring our body back to that rest and digest state.

To do this you simply focus on your breath and breathe in for the count of four, hold your breath for the count of seven and then let your breath out through your mouth for the count of eight. Then you repeat that four times. This grounds you in the present moment and as the exhale is longer than your in-breathe it’s also a really effective tool to calm the nervous system and bring you into that rest and digest state.

8. What is the best part of the BePure service that people might not know?

I think the lovely part about the BePure consultation service for our clients is the set time frame that helps to hold accountability. As a consultant, we create a safe space for our clients so they can share their health journey without being judged and work one-on-one with us to achieve their goals.