Alternative Health - ‘It’s important to be able to talk about it openly, and hear other opinions, and only then can we can truly educate ourselves.’

Steph and I met just over a year ago at a bit of a life crossroads; we were both just a few weeks away from giving birth, both very much invested in our careers (juggling corporate / consulting work with our own businesses) and both excited about what the next chapter of our lives might look like. 

In the time we’ve known each other I've learnt so much from Steph, she’s one of those rare breeds who is so academically smart, yet so down to earth and open to other people’s opinions. To me, one of her greatest skills seems to be her ability to listen and be generally curious about other people’s views and belief systems. 

I knew her passion lie in alternative health and so I wanted to give her a platform where she could speak openly about it, we could all learn something from Steph or at the very least get curious about a different route to living a healthy life... 

I’m excited to share an alternative view on health, I’m a big believer in natural health in balance with conventional medicine. I think at the moment it's very hard to talk about with everything around vaccinations and it’d be really nice to have an open chat about it. 

Take it back to the beginning, how did you first find out about alternative health therapies?  

It all stems from my mum, she was a big believer in alternative health and I grew up with that weaved into my daily life. I didn’t have all the typical childhood vaccinations. When it came to treatments of general health my mum trained as a homeopath and treated me that way when I wasn’t feeling well. Homeopathy is a natural alternative medicine. The philosophy of homeopathy is to take a tiny extract of something natural that would cause the same symptoms you are experiencing in a healthy person and use that to stimulate the body to heal itself. Ironically, it uses a similar logic to that of a vaccination but it’s entirely natural. 

Homeopathic remedies are mainly made from plants and minerals. The other thing to note about homeopathy is that it is very holistic, a homeopath will ask you a lot of questions in their quest to find you the right treatment…and that’s because they want to find the right remedy specifically for you. 

Obviously, there were occasions when I would need to see a traditional doctor or visit a hospital but where it was possible to treat me homoeopathically that’s what my mum would do as a first measure. 

How did you feel about it growing up? 

Conflicted. Now, I know exactly how I feel about it but it was harder to accept and advocate for when I was younger. 

I am a scientist, I studied medical science and pharmacology at university. I literally studied drugs which is surprising to a lot of people who meet me because I tend to take the alternative treatments as a first resort when something goes wrong. A lot of people presume that I’m anti-medication and anti- conventional medicine but I spent years researching pharmaceuticals and think medicine can be incredible, I would absolutely turn to it if I needed to.  

When I was growing up my mum really leaned into alternative health, my two brothers were much more conventional with their views – very logical with their beliefs, they are scientific and evidence-based people so there was a clash there. I felt slightly torn between the two sides. 

I love science and logic and sometimes alternative therapy doesn’t have a lot of evidence or scientific facts associated, it often requires a certain amount of faith and belief which, when I was younger was very weird for people to understand. The world is more open now but it was hard to find my place in it all when I was growing up. 

My health and immune system were amazing growing up but there was a huge stigma around my mum’s beliefs and what she did so, sadly, there was a lot of hiding it. 

Have you felt any pressures recently around the coronavirus, pregnancy or birth of your son when it comes to alternative health? 

Coronavirus has bought up a lot, the main conversation being around vaccinations. Even in 2022 when alternative health is much more widely accepted, there are a lot of negative connotations for those who don’t go with what the majority are doing. 

When I was younger people used to question everything I did connected to alternative health, now those same people are totally immersed in alternative healing. I’m so pleased for them; I only have positive feelings about it and hope that alternative health can help as many people as possible. 

Yet even through all the change that’s happened and the fact I feel so much more comfortable talking about alternative therapy with my circle, the one conversation I still don’t feel is possible to have is around vaccinations and it’s a real frustration for me. I’d love to say it’s a debate but it’s really not as it feels like anyone who raises any ideas outside of pro-vaccination is dubbed an anti-vaxxer. I’ve been called that which is frustrating as I do have vaccinations but I simply research which ones are appropriate for me and my body and have them on a case-by-case basis. I’ve had my two coronavirus vaccinations and when I went travelling, I had my yellow fever vaccination however, I decided against a few of the others which most people get. For me, it's about investigating and deciding which ones are right for you and your body.  

It’s just such a difficult topic and people feel so strongly about it. There is so much anger around the subject and it makes it so hard to even have a conversation, my personal opinion is that you should be able to have a conversation about something. It doesn’t matter what your views are about anything – it’s important to be able to talk about it openly, and hear other opinions, and only then can we truly educate ourselves. I want to listen to opposing views and I want to be challenged so that I can make good informed decisions and I want that for other people too. 

It's easier to go with the majority and it takes significantly more effort to think about it but I personally believe your body is everything and is so important. The thinking time people spend about mundane things like where to go for lunch often seems so much more vs. something like a vaccine that could potentially change your body forever. 

I had a son last year and a real challenge has been the schedule of vaccinations that are recommended (a group of injections and drops from 8 weeks old). I decided not to go for that option. 

I researched which ones I felt he needed, didn’t need and which he could wait later to have. I ended up going with a private practise to have a different schedule of vaccinations which he didn’t start until 3 months. This is not a conversation I feel I can have with people; I am part of a mum’s group which is full of lovely women, intelligent women and when I started talking about vaccinations I was met with ‘what do you mean?’, I was shut down really quickly and I knew immediately it was not a topic for discussion. 

I don’t think anybody is wrong for going with the recommended schedule, I really battled with the decision myself but I do believe it’s important to spend time thinking about it and have a conversation about it. 

Is there anybody in this field you find inspirational? 

Lots of people have helped me throughout my life but I think it’s probably more important to look into types of therapies that might help you. I like reiki, homeopathy, pranic healing and I regularly see McTimoney chiropractors. My mum even sends me reiki from a distance as we live in different cities. 

More recently from a trip to Bali I’ve been trying breathwork and hatha yoga. Anything that helps you to look inside of the body for a while I find really interesting. 

I believe that the majority of physical ailments come from a mental health concern; stress and anxiety are probably the most common issues. When you learn about the effects of cortisol (the chemical that stress releases into your body) from a scientific point of view you come to understand that it is a phenomenally challenging experience for your body even in the smallest amounts. There are so many physical signs of stress and when your body experiences these it tends to be a last resort, so I personally look inward when I feel unwell; I ask myself ‘how am I doing mentally/emotionally?’  

Alternative medicines and treatments also tend to focus more holistically rather than focus in on a certain area which can be hugely beneficial. When we go to the doctor, we typically focus on one symptom and for a time were encouraged to book separate 10-minute appointments for different symptoms. The reality is that often those symptoms are linked and the treatment answer may be different when looking at them together. Alternative treatments look at the bigger picture of the body rather than focusing in on one tiny area. 

I would suggest next time you are feeling unwell that you research to see if there are any alternative therapies which may help your health concern. A lot of alternative health treatments are non-invasive and can’t cause any harm. Speak to the therapist about the philosophy behind the treatment, any other areas they practice in and why - be curious!  

It’s about trusting your instincts, asking enough questions and deciding what feels right for you and your family.