With Mother’s Day this weekend I wanted this post to be about my Mum and the impact and inspiration she has been, not only on my life, but my career path and now my parenting choices. As a new Mum I want the best for my little one - every Mum does!! Everyday we strive to make the right choices on their behalf. It is a huge responsibility!!!… bigger than I ever imagined. The choice of bottle or breast, cloth or disposable nappies, cleansing products, to co-sleep or not, day care programs, vaccinations, treatments if unwell, teething products, organic or conventional etc. etc… and these are only choices that we have faced this first year!!Food culture My Mum, probably without even knowing it, has had the biggest influence on our food culture and I will be forever grateful. We had a strong culture of real, wholesome food when we were growing up, Mum loved to cook, there were always plenty of herbs and spices, coloured veggies and a healthy protein - her ways feel natural for me to continue for our little family. Our family sat at the table together, we enjoyed chatting over our meals. Our meals nourished our bodies and souls. Mum knew that we should eat well, she knew the benefit of eating well, she provided us with healthy options - real whole food, with little refined/packaged options. Unfortunately, times are shifting, our lives are so busy, and many don't understand, or possibly underestimate, the importance of fuelling our bodies with real food. We need to get back to basics, we need to learn where our food comes from, eat seasonally, fresh and wholesome and pass this information onto our loved little people - this is setting them up for life. For healthy ways of living!!Food as Medicine One of Mum’s idols was Dr Sandra Cabot. She had a juice for any complaint - immune, detox, vitality, skin. Mum’s go to books were “Raw juices can save your life” and “Juicing for Health”. Before we left for the day, Mum would have a fresh juice made, from seasonal produce, organic when possible. It is these practices that I appreciate. If we ever whinged about a sore throat, the raw garlic would come out. She would cut up a clove or 2, put it on a tablespoon with some honey and tell us; “just swallow it, don't chew it, it'll kill any bug.” It was terrible, and we would need chewy to mask our breathe - but more times than not, it would prevent us from getting sick.Naturopath in the making Dad was sick when I was in year 11. He had radiation treatment. I now understand and appreciate how knowledgeable Mum was at this time. She knew the importance of a healthy diet, rich in whole foods, with little or no pesticides/sprays. She knew the importance of vitamin C infusions and requested Dad have them, along with a vitamin B shot, at least weekly alongside his treatment. She knew of the power of herbs to help heal his skin heal externally and ease the burning sensation and treated him with a product formulated by a Naturopath from South Australia. When I think of times we were sick, had terrible acne, period trouble, no energy or generally lacked vitality, Mum sought help from Natural healthcare practitioners and this is most definitely what sparked my interest in the field. I count myself lucky. I LOVE what I do. I love educating people about their dietary choices, encouraging the use of herbs and supplements over medications when possible. I love treating the cause of the disease and not simply masking the symptoms. I love that this information can now be passed onto my own family. I will be eternally grateful for my Mum’s influence, knowledge and want for us to lead healthy and happy lives, and the role she has played thus far. Thank you Mum. xFor you to take home Good food is REALLY important - it is vital to our health. We are the most important people in our little one’s life. They are influenced early on by our choices for them. Learn about food, start reading the packages and really find out what is in the things you are eating. Teach yourself about the seasons, and aim to eat the freshest produce possible, with little or no sprays - head to the markets, chat with the people growing the produce. Your attitude towards food will play a huge role (probably bigger than you think) in the way your family relate and think about food. You’re setting them up with the building blocks for life!! Let them be healthy, strong blocks. Happy Mother’s Day Mums... May you all be very spoilt!! x

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