WELCOME to the first issue of Pure Health Hub!

We are so excited to bring you this resource!

Following a lifetime in global tourism, the wrecking ball that was the onset of COVID-19 in January 2020 brought our brand-new business in cross-border health to a grinding halt.

Despite this, COVID-19 did me a favour. For not 2 weeks later and for the next 4 months I was diagnosed with multiple illnesses and conditions that made me take a long hard look at how I’d been physically and psychologically treating myself!

My history, namely childhood, was one of serious physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse. It’s too big for this letter but I will share pieces as we go forward because I know I’m not alone but, this history is the reason I’ve spent my life living in survival mode.  A very damaging way to live and I’m working hard to retrain my mind from living in perpetual fight or flight. As many of you know, it’s bloody exhausting so it’s super important to acknowledge it and make the changes to reverse this mental state and begin to see and feel real joy. For the first time in my life, I am. 

I will go into more detail over the coming issues about this history as it relates to stories, but what’s important here is the reason for Pure Health Hub. After these diagnoses, from T2 Diabetes to thyroid goitres, that they couldn’t establish were malignant or benign (fortunately benign after having half my thyroid removed), degenerated discs rendering me immobile for periods of time and living with chronic pain plus scoliosis and genetic osteo-arthiritis, all this combined with anxiety disorder!  Head to toe!

I tried to find as much information as possible so I could start to work on self-healing but, all I came across was dry medical speak and fragmented, although quality, information in holistic health.

You see, women’s health and hormones are not a one-size fits all. Genetics gets involved and it’s a minefield! So, when you are diagnosed with something, or IF which is a problem in itself, there could be multiple reasons for it and even more ways to reverse, heal or manage it. We need to drill down into that ourselves to understand it. It’s for this reason I implore all women to ‘own your own health journey’ and the Hub is here to help.

The other kicker for me was learning that the majority of medical testing is conducted on male mice, not female mice (ethics aside for now). So most medication has been developed without female hormones being considered.  Ever been told ‘it’s all in your mind?

This resource, dedicated to women 40+, is the place where we aim to share world’s best practice from the world’s best practitioners in women’s health – both medical and holistic health.

We understand those sometimes feelings of overwhelm, the physical and mental toll as we go about raising families, running businesses, working for our money, being a great mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. It’s ok if we drop these balls occasionally. Though we want to help you catch them.

I may have visualised Pure Health Hub but it’s the team is who brought it to life. They believe in it as much as I do and, I couldn’t possibly do it without them.

Establishing the editorial integrity for Pure Health Hub is Aleney de Winter. Aleney is a career writer, who spent many years in travel and tourism, who also has been on a personal health quest for the past few years and has turned her physical and mental health around. Her genuine interest in women’s health, her journey to date and the wonderful way she communicates and injects humour into the real stuff is what we love about her and I’m sure you will too.

Dr Emily Handley is a Tasmanian who went to work in medical research in Germany after earning her PhD 2019.  Her project explored the protective role of female hormones in brain conditions such as motor neuron disease and dementia. This uncovered gaps in our knowledge of women’s health and the lack of understanding in the field of female hormones. Emily also mentors girls from rural areas who want a career in science. I am so grateful she has agreed to work with us. Our gem, Em.

My right-hand woman is Claudine Clarke, a holistic practitioner, committed, multi-tasking, unflappable gem that I had the fortune of meeting only recently but who is someone I already can’t do without.

Our ecommerce and product specialist, Cassie Brown spent 5 years with a leading women’s supplements company, from launch until recently, deciding she wanted to spend more time with her beautiful little boy. We are fortunate to have her expertise in these areas. She also studied Yoga in India a few years ago and taught children for a time, so she brings a sense of zen with her to the office.

Topics in this issue.

Adrenal Fatigue – Addison’s or Adrenal Insufficiency depending on which side of the health spectrum you come from is a very serious condition that has been under diagnosed and is what I found to be my own condition after years, in fact, a lifetime, operating in survival mode. This story, written by Aleney de Winter digs deep with renowned naturopath and women’s holistic health specialist, Victoria O’Sullivan.

Victoria’s extensive experience helping women return to good health and joy through holistic health treatments is best shared through her programs ranging from, the Upgraded Life, It’s Now or Never and Metamorphous amongst others.

Hormones and Mental Health

Written by medical researcher, women’s health advocate and Pure Health Hub advisory board member, Dr Emily Handley

I feel like I spent the first part of my career pretending there were no differences between men and women’s hormones, everything was hunky dory because I didn’t want to be prejudiced in my career. It didn’t matter, in the airline and tourism industry sexism was rife!

In fact, I remember applying for a role at an international airline and asked the manager, who I knew fairly well, why I wasn’t considered, he blatantly, without any sense of irony simply said, well you’ll just go off and have children!  I persisted but it didn’t help my chances. I didn’t get the job.

So, reading this I felt a great sense of protection for us women. It’s important that we share this and make it a common discussion. Our life is balanced with multiple hormones but equally skilled minds. We are never to be considered less than men because of them, in fact, we have a unique ability to view things from a holistic perspective and that makes us an enormous asset to any organisation.

The Mental Load

Aleney’s piece on mental overwhelm is something that is so close to my heart, it had to feature in the first issue. I recall being in the trenches, running the company, travelling all over the world to manage conferences, raising our boy, getting him to and picked up from care and running the house all with zero help and trying to have a social life that consequently became somewhat over the top because I was trying to have some downtime.

Sure, I kept the balls in the air for a while but, inevitably they came crashing down and so did my mental health.

The overwhelm that had been an intermittent issue for me became a daily position of heightened anxiety and deep lows, this went on for years.

There is so much more in this issue and we hope we have hit the mark for you this month.

As a group, we have all experienced so much and we are committed to sharing with you best practice and tips and tricks to help you improve your mental and physical health.

I hope you enjoy our first issue and I’d love to hear your feedback. Please feel free to email me at lindya@purehealthhub.com or message us on our socials.

Take care of you.  Lindyx