“It's the little things that paint the big picture and you never know what cloud someone is walking under.” – Sarah Wilkinson
Meet Sarah Wilkinson. She is one of our incredible BePure Clinical Consultants, based at the BePure Clinic Auckland, and is one of our experts when it comes to hormones, fertility, skin and our gut health.
After suffering from severe sinusitis as a child and being told at a young age that she would likely never be able to have children, Sarah began her health journey in search of a solution. After finally being able to reverse what she was once told about her fertility, Sarah’s passion is helping others find the answer to their health solutions.
In this blog, Sarah shares her health story, what everyone can do to improve their gut health each day and why when it comes to our health (and life), we don’t need to “settle” if a solution doesn’t sit with us.
1. Can you share your health journey with us?
My health story started when I was quite young. I suffered from severe sinusitis issues and hormonal concerns. Luckily I have an amazing mum. She took me to see a medical herbalist, which really helped to relieve some of my sinus symptoms, and ultimately sparked my interest in health and wellbeing.
When it came to my hormonal concerns I was seeing a number of specialists, my gp, gynecologists and endocrinologists, with no positive outcomes. Part of my hormonal concerns was being told at quite a young age that I would struggle to have children when the time came. I was told to go on the pill as a short term solution and to not worry about fertility until I wanted to have children. This was really no solution at all, it was masking my symptoms and asking me to forget about the implications of doing so. For me that was the dealbreaker, it’s what really propelled me to start exploring other options, knowing there must be a better option for my body, hormones and fertility.
At this time I was working for the government in Australia as an Investigative Officer and recognising the power of nutrition I started looking for ways to bring this into my work. This interest grew when I moved to London. It was then that started shifting away from law and psychology to study nutrition while I was working. This was a real lightbulb moment for me, I realised that it was exactly what I wanted to do, so I returned to New Zealand to study full time at the South Pacific College of Natural Medicine – definitely not a decision made lightly after having already spent 7 years studying!
It was in one of my nutrition lectures that I first heard of Ben Warren and BePure. Ben and Andrew presented a seminar for the students and I at that point I knew that I really wanted, or even really needed, to work with these guys. After quite a few email conversations I went down to Havelock North and see what they were doing with the BePure Clinic. I flew down in my uni holiday break and I loved it. Eventually I packed up my little car, moved down to Havelock and that’s how it all started.
2. At what point did you realise you wanted to become a Clinical Consultant at BePure?
With all of the work I’ve done, it’s only in the last year that my hormones have come back into balance. Amazingly though, I’ve been able to reverse what I’d been told years ago about my fertility.
Living my own health journey has become the biggest drive for me in being a consultant. I’ve seen so much positive change in my body and I want to support and make a difference like this for other people with their own health concerns.
3. When it comes to health and nutrition what is your passion?
I love hormones and I love fertility. I think that’s because I’ve walked through these on my own health journey and have a personal connection with people in a similar position. I’m really passionate about the gut and skin connection and I love working with children. When I first moved to the BePure Havelock Clinic I was working with several children who were very unwell with gut concerns and severe eczema and I had some really great wins with them which was hugely rewarding.
4. If someone is struggling with gut or skin concerns what’s your top piece of advice they can start doing now?
The gut, liver and your skin are all interlinked, it’s a real circle, so start by getting yourself a mighty good probiotic and supporting the liver.
In addition to that, I’m a big fan or apple cider vinegar or lemon water. Every morning, without fail, I add a good tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a cup and add some warm water and drink it first thing in the morning.
If you are having any difficulties and want to make improvements I’d say those things are all non-negotiable.
5. As a BePure Clinical Consultant has there been a big surprise or discovery?
Constantly! I’m always surprised by the people sitting with me as clients, it’s that whole iceberg analogy. I’ll think “wow” this person seems like they’ve really got it together, but there is always something going on under the surface. In general, it's the little things that paint the big picture and you never know what cloud someone is walking under, or what they’re holding onto.
6. What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
One would be “let go.” Let go and enjoy the ride. Also “don’t settle,” which is a little conflicting I guess. But for example, when I was told that I might not be able to have children, in that instance don’t settle. If it doesn’t sit well find a way so that it does.
7. What’s a challenge you face?
For me it’s really important to find a way to get to the ocean, I do it once a week if I can – it’s a little bit trickier in winter, but I still do! I also make sure I get out in nature. I love going for a walk in the morning when the world is still asleep. Getting out of the city on the weekends and going to the beach to get that sense of ‘spaciousness,’ which living in the heart of Auckland I sometimes find is missing.
8. What is the best part about the BePure service?
It’s so comprehensive! I think what we offer is pretty exceptional. The BePure Clinic programmes dive so deep into your health story with our testing and personalised solutions. This really provides the quickest way to help people achieve their health goals.
I always think if I’d known what I know now 10 years ago, we could have tested my hormones and it wouldn’t have taken so long to bring them back to where they should have been naturally. But it has also been a real learning curve and it’s why I am here today.
Above it all though is the quality of care. Everyone who works at the BePure Havelock North and Auckland Clinic has this beautiful balance of empathy and knowledge and real sense of wanting to help.
9. What is your favourite go-to treat?
There’s a few, I’m a mixed carbohydrate type, leaning quite heavy to carbs and I’m a real gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar-free, treat kind of girl. I love treating myself to something delicious from the Raw Kitchen - one of their beautiful whole food brownies or slice of raw cheesecake.
At the moment I’m in love with, what I call my "autumn smoothie" and I’ve been having it a lot. I actually don’t like bananas which makes smoothies a little difficult. I’ve always that awkward person who is like, “Please no banana, can you swap it with something?!”
Sarah’s Autumn Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pear
- 400ml of water/ coconut water/ almond milk/ mixture of all three
- 1 drop Doterra cinnamon oil
- Heaped teaspoon of cinnamon (a lovely warming spice)
- Big handful of spinach
- Teaspoon of Biotic Jnr. probiotic
- 1 scoop of thermophase (to support my liver)
- Dash of maple syrup
- 1 scoop of my favourite Amazonia protein powder
Instructions
- Mix in a high-speed blender and serve.
Ben Warren presents
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