inpractice Food and environment: nutritional therapy and hand in hand

How long did it take for you to I was always interested qualify? in natural medicine and had I started out studying alongside tried various short courses in my full-time job in IT. After two and massage over years, I left my job to concentrate the years, but it wasn’t until I on studying nutritional therapy came across a few naturopathic and herbal medicine full-time. All medicine articles online in all it took three years. that I decided to enroll on a I continue to study and learn naturopathic course. each year. In the last few years I have branched out within the How long have you been in practice? enjoyed wonderful courses, Since 2008/2009. includingfield of herbal distilling medicine. Aromatic I have Waters in Wales, making essential Who or what has been the oils in France, and learning the main influence/inspiration on application of Gemmotherapy. your practice? I’ve drawn inspiration from Where do you practise? numerous sources along the way I currently practise in both Name: Susse Wedel. and still do. Many of my course London and Ibiza, although I Website: www.sussed-out.com. tutors were greatly enthusiastic started my practice from several Qualifications: MA, Diplomas in , Nutritional and motivational, and I went on multidisciplinary CAM centres in Therapy, Herbal Medicine, , Behavioural Iridology, to do additional studying with central and east London, one of Colonic , First Line Therapy (FLT). some of them. which I still enjoy practising from Training: College of Naturopathic Mecidine London for I’ve always been fascinated by today. In London, my approach naturopathy, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy and the water cure clinics of Central is more functional medicine iridology. Further training includes colonic hydrotherapy, Europe in the mid to late 1800s. based, but in Ibiza I integrate behavioural iridology and Ayurvedic medicine. The works of Dr Edward Bach, Dr the energetic aspects of plant Bernard Jensen, Alfred Vogel and medicines into my practice more, Dr John Christopher have also as I have access to grow and hand in hand. This I tend to do between us, our food and our guided my work. harvest plants and make herbal by encouraging clients to enjoy environment, the level of impact remedies. and sustainability. What conditions or types of culinary herbs in their diet and as client do you see most? What’s your main therapy/ herbalthe therapeutic teas, and benefits external of herbal Why did you decide to become Coming from a banking modality and why? remedies. Where possible using a practitioner? environment and having my I guess it would be naturopathy. herbs already in their gardens or After a ten-year career of practice based in the City gave me I love the freedom of using growing on their kitchen sills. banking/IT in London, I began to a great insight into what stress different tools from my CAM box. I’ve noticed a strong movement can do to the body and mind. So I I like to use nutritional towards food as medicine in less connected to the industry and found myself working with cases therapy and herbal medicine Ibiza; the interaction/relationship wantedfeel increasingly to explore unfulfilled other options. and of adrenal fatigue quite a bit,

44 cam-mag.com I JANUARY 2016 including the works of Lindlahr, of practice. Alongside dietary together with The Healing Power Food and environment: especially for the first few years changes, introducing stress of Illness, by Dethlefsen and management techniques and Dahlke. lifestyle changes often proved to Not long after starting out be the key in many cases. in practice I read Maurice nutritional therapy In general though, I see a Mességué’s Of People and Plants, wide variety of health concerns. and since then I have always I have noticed a lot more cases incorporated herbal hand and of auto-immune conditions, foot baths into my practice! and herbal medicine especially in the last few years in I am currently reading The London. I’ve gravitated over the Ringing Cedars series of books, last three years to having more which starts with Anastasia by of a particular interest in skin Vladimir Megre. conditions and environmental hand in hand health concerns and do quite a Why do you do what bit of functional medicine testing you do? as a result. Because I get to exercise my logical and creative sides. What do you find the easiest Making a difference. Seeing to treat? And why? lasting change in clients: it’s Clients who are willing to so motivating, it propels you learn how to improve their forwards. health. Those who want to take responsibility for their health educate and enlighten them. how to be responsible for our and are committed to take No matter what the challenge ownI find health it’s important(mentally, physically,to learn the time to make the relevant is, there are always steps that started to make a range of emotionally) and that of the changes in their diet, lifestyles can be taken to support a client’s organic skincare, mostly for environment that sustains us. It’s and attitudes for the better, even health. family and friends, but hope to all connected. I’m always reminded of the expand it to the public at some onion strategy, especially for point over the next year or so. If money, time and effort were Whatif it seems is your difficult favourite at first. type of more complicated cases: start I do contribute to articles for no object, what one thing client? dealing with a layer at a time, magazines/websites when I get would you change about your Clients who challenge me! the chance. practice, or complementary Those who wish to learn about My partner is a POSE running and in preventative medicine. Whattackling one the thing outside is absolutelylayers first. coach who uses movement general? Clients who want to essential to you in your analysis with clients, so I am I would set up an organic herb understand the root cause of practice? hoping to start a new project farm with an onsite integrated their ill-health and actively Really listen to your client and with him in London and Ibiza health practice with CAM and develop long-term health understand their needs. Be to combine the wonderful orthodox medical practitioners. solutions. practical, realistic and positive. world of natural medicine And my iridology torch! practice with physical exercise What piece of advice What is the most challenging and well-being. would you give to newly type of symptoms/illness/ Do you enhance your business qualified CAM practitioners problem that you get with any projects outside of Which CAM book has helped who are just setting up a presented with? your clinic? or inspired you most, so far in business? There are times when clients are As part of my practice I make your career? Invest in yourself! Look after sceptical about the usefulness of herbal medicines, including There are so many inspirational yourself physically, mentally, CAM therapies when they come tinctures, creams, essential oils books out there. I’m always to see you. Whether it’s due to a and aromatic waters. This takes diving in and out of them. your practice well. previous bad experience, lack of up quite a bit of my time, but is I’m fond of the older emotionallyWhen you – enjoy it will what reflect you on do also a passion. naturopathic and herbal books I it will shine through, positively it’s up to you the practitioner to Outside my practice, I have read during my earlier studies – impacting those you work with. knowledge or media influence,

The CAM Awards are hugely successful, but we’re aware they only reward and recognise a handful of practitioners and clinics each year. Meanwhile, we know that CAM practitioners are quietly getting on with changing people’s lives, every day – and we want to celebrate and share the inspiration. So we’ve re-vamped our popular In Practice series. It is coordinated by regular CAM contributor Rebecca Smith, who runs a successful practice of her own, established 20 years ago. Contact her direct to be part of the feature: [email protected], and follow her on Twitter: @NCHealthClinic.

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