"Some mums are actually doing more than two full-time jobs, so I have a real passion for helping women realise that they don’t need to do everything." – Rachel Bird
Meet Rachel Bird, previous VLP client turned BePure Clinical Consultant and BePure Clinical Team Manager, based at the BePure Havelock North Clinic.
Rachel’s impressive array of specialties include fertility, preconception care, hormone health, mental health, fatigue and children’s health. Her passion is helping people, specifically women, to rediscover their vitality.
In this blog, Rachel explains why even health experts need support, what every busy mother needs to know and how you can treat yourself to a “warm hug” every day.
1. Can you share your health story with us?
I started in the corporate world after graduating from Canterbury University with a BA in Psychology and a commerce major in Business and Marketing. During this time I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis and I had fertility issues. I sought out a naturopath and this ultimately lead me to retrain and get my Diploma in Herbal Medicine, a Diploma in Naturopathy from South Pacific College of Natural Medicine and a Bachelor of Health Science from Charles Sturt Uni in Australia. I also completed the Francesca Naish Natural Fertility Management Qualification.
Working part time as a naturopath and medical herbalist, in addition to raising a family, I was still pretty unwell. A good friend kept telling me about this guy called Ben Warren and tried to get me to one of his seminars. At the time I was having trouble coping with my day-to-day life, let alone adding anything else in!
A little while later we moved to Hawke's Bay and then, of course, Ben’s name popped up everywhere. I started training to teach pilates, completely hit the wall and finally decided to go in and talk to Ben Warren about my health.
I knew immediately that he really knew what he was talking about and I signed up to the Vitality Longevity Programme (VLP). Ben and one of our previous BePure Clinical Consultants, Rose, were my consultants and they changed my life.
Since then I started working at BePure as a Clinical Consultant and also trained with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition as a Certified Health Coach and Holistic Healthcare Practitioner.
2. What has been the best piece of advice Rose or Ben gave you?
"Be kind to yourself."
I have a real passion for helping women realise that they don’t have to do everything. I see this most commonly with mums, sometimes they're doing more than two full-time jobs which totally puts you on the floor. I believe that the way our society runs is detrimental as we have this expectation that this is normal, and it’s not.
The way we raise our children today is not the same as it was for our ancestors. We don't live with our parents and in-laws next door or our sister around the corner. In the past, when you had a baby, you just fed the baby and slept – now you’ve got to do all this other stuff as well.
"It's that concept of running on a treadmill non stop – eventually something's going to give."
It's that concept of running on a treadmill non stop – eventually something's going to give. For some people it might be their mental health, for others it’s adrenal fatigue or their thyroid health and so on. We all fall victim to playing the treadmill game but my passion is to make people okay with being kind to themselves so that they can also give themselves a bit of space.
3. What would you recommend as a tactic for those struggling to find balance in their life?
No matter what it is, there is always going to be an opportunity cost or investment required. Most commonly that's money or time. That's ok, you’re worth that investment, whatever that investment is, you are worth it.
"You’re worth that investment, whatever that investment is, you are worth it."
What I mean by this is that it’s ok to say 'no' to being on the school committee, to being your kids' netball coach, or whatever it is. If you’re exhausted you don't need to do that additional stuff, you can’t be an effective parent or partner if you’re running on empty.
4. You have quite an impressive array of specialties, do you have an overarching passion?
I like helping people get their vitality back. 'Vitality' can mean a lot of different things but my definition is when someone gets their purpose back or the "oomph" back that makes life good. Regardless of what health concern my client might be dealing with, my passion is getting to ‘walk’ alongside that person and see them blossom in their health.
5. Where do you start with your clients when it comes to achieving optimal health?
First, you have to start with eating a clean, whole food diet, support it with quality nutritionals, and move – in whatever way works for you. Then it’s really important to start focusing on gratitude. Finding those things that make you smile and focus on them.
"You need to find those things that make you smile and focus on them."
To do that I get all of my clients to set up their day with some form of movement – whether that’s the 5 Tibetan Rites, yoga, hiking, or whatever they enjoy and finish it with a gratitude practice.
People’s spiritual business is their own so this practice will be completely different from one person to the next, it just needs to feel right for them. I like to acknowledge the things I’m grateful for in my life with a gratitude blessing, for example, ‘bless me with good health,' 'bless me with abundance,' or 'bless me with love.’
6. Is there anything you have come across on your health and wellness journey that has been a big discovery or surprise?
I’m continually surprised, both by my own journey and in the journey of my clients and friends, by how the process of someone actually walking along with you on your journey can make such a huge difference.
"The way we live now, versus how I believe we were meant to live, is very solitary."
The way we live now, versus how I believe we were meant to live, is very solitary. I don’t think that’s ideal and it’s a huge part of what we seek to remedy as Consultants at BePure. When I came to BePure I was already a naturopath. In theory I already knew 'what to do,' but in reality I could barely get out of bed in the morning and look after my children.
As I said before, having Ben and Rose as my consultants, walking along on my journey with me, changed my life. When paired with the functional testing we do, and the support we offer our clients across their diet, lifestyle and nutritional support, this combination is really powerful and goes beyond the symptoms to the cause of whatever it is you're struggling with.
7. What do you eat in a typical day?
Pre breakfast: I start every day with a huge glass of warm water and lemon or lime juice and a little sea salt.
Breakfast: OMG Bread with hummus and thinly sliced chicken. I also have a green smoothie which I like to be really green, fresh and crisp.
Lunch: Leftovers! My mum made a roast last night so today I’ve got pork belly, roast kumara, carrot and beetroot stir fried in coconut oil with broccoli and lots of spinach.
Snacks: I don’t really snack in between meals, sometimes I’ll treat myself to a turmeric latte.
Dinner: I keep dinner pretty simple. It’ll be a bone broth meal or I’ll do fresh, steamed greens out of the garden, roast veggies, and some kind of protein which is always free range and organic (sometimes this might be off our own farm).
8. What is it about turmeric lattes that make them your go-to treat?
I call this my “warm hug” in a mug and I talk about this concept a lot. A warm mug of something that is milky and frothy is just a lovely, nurturing experience – it's like a little hug that you can give yourself.
For me, that's a turmeric latte and recently I've been trying to get into matcha lattes but haven’t quite figured them out yet... but whatever your go-to warm drink is, it's that warm experience that’s a real treat for me. As far as I’m concerned tea is just not the same.
9. What's something you'd like everyone to know before they work with you as a client?
Everyone at the BePure Clinic has their own story and we really care about our clients. We all had help getting to where we are and achieving a healthier, happier life and I want the same for all my clients.
10. Can you share your green smoothie recipe with us?
This was actually inspired by a client and the proportions are just thrown together from whatever I have in the garden and feel like on the day. It's really crisp and refreshing to the palate.
I always eat something along side my green smoothie (eg. toast with hummus and chicken) as it is the physical act of chewing that gets the digestive process started in the morning.
Refreshing Green Smoothie
This recipe makes one.
Ingredients
- Handful of silver beet
- Handful of kale (red and curly)
- Stick of celery
- Handful of spinach
- Sprig of parsley
- Several mint leaves
- Juice of a lime
- Half teaspoon Super Boost C
- Water
Directions
- Blend until smooth and drink through a non-plastic straw (I use paper straws).
Work with Rachel
If you'd like to make an in-person or Skype appointment with Rachel Bird, or if you have any questions about the BePure Clinic and our Programmes, please feel free to give our support team a call on 0800 873787 or email info@bepure.co.nz.
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