I never imagined in a million years that I would end up here. But now that I know, I wish I had learned and understood this twenty years ago.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of Qi (pronounced "chee") refers to the vital life force that flows through our bodies. When our Qi is balanced and flowing freely, we experience physical health, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Life flows well. However, when our Qi is blocked or depleted due to poor diet, stress, environmental toxins, or emotional trauma, our bodies react with illness and discomfort.
I learned to understand this part of the concept when I studied mindfulness a few years ago, but I admit I was limited to practicing it from a spiritual and emotional perspective—it never dawned on me to include my body. I am not sure why I never realized this, but here we are! LOL!
What I am learning, however, is that to maintain harmony, we must nurture our Qi through mindful living, including proper nutrition... Now it's all starting to make sense; proper nutrition fuels our energy, and meditation and breathwork help regulate the flow of Qi, movement and exercise keep energy circulating, and connecting with nature restores balance.
But, the problem is, we don't learn this - at least I didn't. Please, leave me a comment if you didn't have anyone explain this to you. If you knew this, I envy you because I wish I'd known and understood all of this a lot sooner. Don't get me wrong, I understood that fundamentally, nutrition is an important part of well-being. but I didn't understand HOW it works IN the body.
What I do know, is that we often separate our health into compartments—one for diet, another for mental well-being, and another for physical fitness. But the truth is, health is holistic; one cannot thrive without the other. This is why I have chosen to study and become a herbalist, in addition to being a nature therapy guide, guided meditation facilitator, and mindfulness educator—because it just makes sense (now)! Mind, body, and soul!
We need to eat better. The foods we consume have a significant impact on our energy levels, mental clarity, and overall health and vitality. Nourishing our bodies with whole, unprocessed foods supports our natural detoxification systems and keeps us functioning optimally. I started a liver detox last week, and eliminating those foods was primal in its success to give my liver a chance to breathe. I started a liver detox supplement created by Dr. Willard of Wild Rose of the College of Herbal Medicine, where I am studying.
For 15 days, I have been giving up all processed foods, yeast products, dairy, refined sugars, and junk food and eating more vegetables, some fruits (no tropical fruits - not even bananas, which I love!), lean proteins, nuts, and whole grains. For me, this was a good place to begin considering my symptoms - turns out my gastro issues are likely linked to my liver's inability to properly detoxify my body due to it being saturated with toxins it doesn't know how to process... worth a try, right? I am doing much better than I thought, except for a few cravings here and there, it's been good. No regrets!
But you and I both know how difficult this is. We have too many easy options, mostly unhealthy, but easy options that save us time and energy. Often the unhealthy stuff is far less expensive than the healthy stuff - so in a world where healthy and nutritious foods are more expensive than all the other, not-good-for-us foods, we will grab those instead. I do it too! That bag of chips on my counter is incredibly enticing. It's late and I don't feel like cooking, let's get Wendy's, I get it! But, it comes at a cost. Every single time. Because every time we go for processed, unhealthy foods, our bodies don't know how to deal with those artificial chemicals...
We need to move our bodies more. Regular exercise is essential for maintaining strong muscles, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being. Movement increases circulation, (which by the way, is essential for moving the toxins out of our bodies!), supports detoxification, and helps regulate stress hormones, keeping us physically and emotionally balanced. I don't think I need to tell you the benefits of exercise, but, if I asked how many of you exercised today for at least 20 minutes, how many of you could honestly say you did?
This is not a judgment - I promise. I am guilty of this too! We work hard all day, plus the stress of life, and responsibilities, and some of you have a lot going on. It's exhausting. Time is limited, and when fatigue sets in, who wants to work out? Again, I get it. But, not exercising also comes at a cost.
Committing to at least 20 minutes of physical activity, four days a week is a great start. I walk 1 KM at least 5-6 days a week. I committed to that as a minimum. I am fortunate to have green space in my backyard with trails where I get out and take the dog for a walk (he needs exercise too!). In the last year, I have also been doing 10 minutes of pilates-style workouts at least 4 days a week - though I have to admit, I am not super consistent with this...
We also need to meditate and practice mindfulness. Our minds are constantly overstimulated, leading to stress, anxiety, and emotional burnout. Mindfulness and meditation offer a way to reconnect with ourselves, find balance, and reduce the harmful effects of stress on the body.
Meditating for me, is contemplation. It's my "me time". I don't meditate in the traditional form - because I can't. But in my own practice over the years, I found a method that works really well for me because I found that I got the benefits of relaxation, while also learning to connect with my intuition to find clarity on the many issues consuming my mind. What I started to notice was how when I tuned in to myself in this way, I was able to figure out a lot of stuff. And also let go of a lot. The results I got from this type of meditation in a huge way is what drove me to get certified as a Guided Meditation Facilitator. This unique style allowed me to tune in, listen to and start trusting my intuition.
We need to be more self-aware. Understanding our thoughts, behaviors, and triggers allows us to make conscious choices that align with our well-being rather than operating on autopilot. Self-awareness is the key to breaking unhealthy patterns and creating lasting change in how we experience life.
I have been practicing mindfulness now for over a decade - it's changed my life. How I respond to life, stress, situations, circumstances, and people has changed dramatically. I still have my moments... but, more of then than not, I handle life's challenges a whole lot better. We have to teach ourselves to tune in, so we stop tuning out and living on auto-pilot. The only way to do that is to learn more about ourselves. This can happen through meditation, but it does require an effort to look within to identify thoughts, behavioural patterns, and results and to understand where they come from - particularly the more destructive ones. It's about becoming the observer of the self and asking ourselves critical questions through self-evaluation. Change always begins from within. But again, it requires work. It's not complicated, but it can be hard. It's hard to face to difficult parts of ourselves. It's hard to face our shadows. So too often we don't because it's too painful.
I get it. I've been there too! I shed an amazing amount of tears, anger, and resentment through my own process. It's not easy. But again, not doing it comes at a cost.
We need to be with nature. Nature is not just a beautiful backdrop—it is medicine. Time spent outdoors, whether through forest therapy, grounding, or simply breathing in fresh air, has been proven to reduce stress, boost mood, and enhance overall health. Daily time in nature is essential for rebalancing and reconnecting with our bodies. When we connect with nature in the way that you do when I guide you, we learn to be in the present moment awareness. That act alone activates your parasympathetic nervous system, and on a physical level you begin to improve your Qi, due to the healing properties of trees and plants (phytoncides), but it also makes room for you to connect to yourself...
And the newest addition to my life's work is herbal medicine. I didn't know how much I needed this until I started studying it. What an amazing planet we live on! We need to take much better care of it because it has so many medicines to offer us... Our ancestors knew the power of plants for healing, and modern science continues to confirm their benefits. Herbal remedies support our immune system, aid digestion, and help restore balance to our bodies in ways that synthetic medications often cannot.
Our bodies are designed to heal and regenerate, but modern lifestyles introduce a range of artificial toxins that disrupt this natural process. Processed foods, environmental pollutants, and chemical-filled products and clothing put stress on our internal systems, leading to imbalance and, ultimately, illness.
This is a really simplistic explanation but...when the liver becomes overburdened with toxins, it struggles to filter and process waste efficiently, putting extra strain on the kidneys. As the kidneys work harder to compensate, they can become fatigued, which then affects the lymphatic system—a crucial component in immune function and detoxification. When the lymphatic system becomes overwhelmed, our body's ability to fight off illness is compromised, leading to inflammation (in varying parts of the body, including the heart), chronic fatigue, and diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurological conditions like MS. And of course, stress compounds these issues. Chronic stress floods our system with cortisol, weakening our immune response and contributing to widespread inflammation. All of this creates the perfect storm for physical and mental breakdowns.
How Holistic Modalities Help
This is where holistic health makes all the difference. By addressing the root causes of imbalance rather than just treating symptoms, we can support the body's natural ability to heal. Through nutrition, we provide the body with the essential nutrients it needs to function optimally. Through mindfulness and meditation, we regulate stress and bring our nervous system back into balance. Through self-awareness, we develop habits that promote well-being rather than perpetuate harm. Through exercise, we enhance circulation, detoxification, and overall strength. And through nature therapy and herbal medicine, we strengthen our connection to the earth’s natural healing resources.
This is why I do what I do. Knowing all of this, I have chosen to dedicate my life to guiding others on their journey to holistic wellness. The modalities I have chosen to follow have somehow beautifully interconnected so many levels, and I believe that what I have to offer is beautiful. Because health and well-being aren’t just about one thing—it’s about everything working together in harmony. It's the yin and the yan, it the four directions, it's the seasons, its the four elements, its the stages of life... it's beautiful. And for the first time in my life, I get it. It's the Qi.
If you are interested in learning more about how I can help you or your organization, please feel free to reach out or check out my website. I offer self-discovery meditations, nature therapy walks, and workshops on mindfulness and self-awareness. I'd be happy to work with you on creating a package that will work for you!
And soon, I will graduate as a practical herbalist (and in 3 or so years, as a Clinical Herbalist) and will be in a position to offer these services also. Stay tuned!
Perfectly Imperfect,
Steph
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