My Story

Everything is happening in perfect timing. Trust the process.

It all began with a cough that would not go away.

Each day, returning home after a busy day at the bank where I worked, I would plough through my daily comfort food ritual - a fried egg - sunny side up, a few slices of generously buttered multigrain bread and a steaming cup of chai tea. This evening “breakfast” would soothe my nerves and recharge me for “proper” dinner prep for our family of four, cats not included.

A visit to my family physician, blood tests and a chest x-ray turned up nothing. The Ventolin inhaler I was prescribed also did not help.

The cough persisted. Other symptoms began to emerge. Insomnia, irritability, exhaustion, anxiety, gas and bloating after most meals, constipation, allergies to pollen and ragweed. I dragged myself through each day. And dreaded the start of the work week. This went on for months.

A chance conversation with a client at work led me to his wife – my first holistic practioner. We discovered I had multiple food sensitivities – to gluten (a protein in wheat and many other grains), lactose (the sugar in animal derived milk – in my case, cow’s milk) and several other foods. Reluctantly, I took these foods out of my diet, hunted for quality replacements, and took the nutritional supplements she recommended. 

Within days, the cough was gone. My energy began to return. My complexion improved. Other symptoms improved greatly or vanished. Most importantly, I felt alive.

In retrospect, this experience was a primer for what was yet to come.

Strong-willed and a rebel of sorts, I had always been a lover of all things natural. But now I paid closer attention to things I had not previously considered – where my food came from, how it was sourced and processed, how the animals I consumed were treated, my consumption habits, the rhythms of nature and energies of the day, the signals my body, mind and heart would give me that I previously ignored.

In short, I started to become more conscious. Conscious eating became a catalyst for conscious living and a growing awareness of myself and what felt right for me, prompting an inner exploration into long held beliefs and behaviours that no longer supported my goal and desire for a purposeful, authentic, and meaningful life.

That was 14 years ago.

My health broke down once more in 2012 and again in 2015. This time I understood what I needed to do.

I left a corporate role which no longer brought me joy. Another chance encounter led me to The Institute of Holistic Nutrition where for the first time, I felt at home. I looked forward to each day - excited by everything I was learning, thirsty for a deeper understanding of the veritable miracle of creation that is our body.

Exposed to both science-based learning and age-old healing traditions that have stood the test of time such as Ayurveda and Herbal Medicine, I began to view and appreciate health, healing, and wellbeing from a wholesome, hopeful, thoughtful and gratifying perspective.

I also began to recognize that while change, or the belief that giving up something you enjoy can be daunting, my own experience has led me to believe that the possibilities for change are endless; that when you elect to move in a direction that is important to you and embrace the process, new pathways, ideas, insights, and opportunities spontaneously emerge to support your progress with much greater ease than you previously thought possible.

The journey continues.

One that I embrace “whole” heartedly – ups, downs, pitfalls, celebrations, joys, and sorrows.

Flowers do not bloom,
Without a little rain,
Everything has its purpose,
Even pain.

To the infinite potential in each of us – for awareness, transformation, and the fulfillment of our life’s purpose.

Farida