My Story
Where Retreat Remedies began…
Listening to my gut…
I spent all of my thirties developing my knowledge, skills and intuition and am now confident in calling myself a 'Healer'. I discovered I had an amazing sensitivity, or perhaps you'd call it a 'gift' when it came to reading the body, when I became a massage therapist in my twenties. Therefore I wanted to understand the body on a deeper level, the physical, the spiritual and the energetic body. I furthered my training and became a 'Tui Na' Practioner (Traditional Chinese Medical massage) learning the eastern way, where they look at both the Physical and Energetic bodies. I then developed my intuition and knowing of the spiritual body, the mind body connection and trained in different forms of 'Energetic Healing' Meta Physics and Mindfulness. I learnt where we hold our different emotions in the body, and about the chakra system in depth. So I understand that when we feel pressure, lack of control and stress we become out of balance in our Solar Plexus which governs our gut health. This is like our engine room, it’s our pilot light, our energy centre so a stressed and depleted gut leads to ill-health and stagnation and often inflammation, be it; skin conditions, fatigue, pain, illnesses or disease. I recognised this with many of my patients I treated in my 'Retreat' where I loved to re-lax, re-lease and re-balance people and be part of their healing journey. You'd think knowing all of this I'd avoid making the same mistake myself, sadly not, as I over-worked and felt the pressure of a busy life I too burnt myself out, so I too learnt the hard way...
My health journey..
About 5 years ago, I was exhausted and suffering terribly with breakouts on my face and eczema. I was trying everything to reduce it topically with little joy. I noticed that dairy really triggered it, red meat, sugar and nightshades made it worse. I was cutting so many foods out, along with my social life, becoming more controlling, miserable and stressed. I knew this was compounding the problem but I was in that negative cycle, I was tired! Yoga, and healing therapies were helping but I knew I needed to repair my gut and the damage that was done from this inside. I wanted to heal myself as naturally as possible using Mother Nature. When I read over and over how Apple Cider Vinegar was one of the best things to help heal the gut, I couldn't wait to try it. However when I tried drinking ACV this quickly changed, it made me wretch, I couldn't bare its horrid taste, I didn't care how good it was for you....
Later that year I was on a herbal remedy course, feeding another growing interest. We were taught the ancient recipe 'Fire Cider'. Not only did this seem a great way to support my immune system (especially when working closely with poorly people) but it was a way of flavouring the taste of plain ACV, so I couldn't wait to try making it....
It was punchy, but I liked it far more than plain ACV. So I started taking it daily and I could feel and see it working! I enjoyed the therapeutic process of making it and I wanted to share this nourishing infusion, so it seemed like the perfect homemade Christmas gift for family, friends and patients.
I don't think I realised what I had started! Everyone wanted more. Before I knew it I was ordering bottles, making batches and spending more and more time in my Kitchen.
Ancient teachings...