My Journey

Hello! I’m Emma-Jayne – wife, mum to two cheeky, fun-loving daughters, and human to our feline fur baby, Mr Binx. I’ve always been a foodie, excited even as a child to order from the adults’ menu and try new dishes with my Dad. Food, to me, heals the soul (my Mum’s chicken soup is a hug in a bowl), brings people together, and fuels our bodies so that we can thrive.

Over time, I’ve learned how with the right help and nutritional guidance, you can help uncover your body’s personal needs, address deficiencies, and ease symptoms like fatigue, joint pain and low mood.

The Diagnosis

Living the NYC dream

In my early 20s, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Before that, I’d had a few niggles - a frozen shoulder, stiff hands, an achy ankle - but doctors put them down to gym workouts and stress as I prepared to move to New York for work. So off I went, ready to live my “Working Girl” dream in Manhattan whilst wearing the “Sex and The City” costume department (oh I wish).

And reader, it was magical … for a while.

The long working hours, cold winters and lack of sleep eventually caught up with me. Whilst my body was sending me warning signs, I chose to ignore them, thinking I was young and invincible. Until one night it all caught up with me – and I experienced my first RA flare - an all-over body freeze that left me terrified, in pain and calling my Mum back in the UK. Although looking back, it all seems like a blur, within 48 hours, I was on a plane home, facing the end of my NYC dream, my diagnosis and the start of my RA journey.

The Reality

Back in the UK, I changed career paths to support my recovery. The medication helped but came with side effects, including fatigue and nausea. Outwardly, I generally looked fine, but inside, I struggled. I learned to time my medication around work, taking it towards the end of the working week so that I could deal with the side effects over the weekend, whilst at home, and be ready and back at work on the Monday. I gave up alcohol, given interactions with medication, and avoided foods, including cooked cheese, which seemed to worsen the side effects.

I didn’t want to be controlled or defined by my illness; I wanted to live fully, just differently.

The Never-Ending Rabbit Hole

I was always searching for ways to support my health beyond medication. My doctors were supportive but couldn’t offer much guidance on diet or lifestyle, so I began exploring on my own - prioritising sleep, and swapping nights out for cosy evenings in. My social circle shifted, which hurt at first but I gradually got used to my new reality. As I started to understand my body better I identified triggers like pineapple juice and gluten, further adjusting my diet. I was always looking for guidance, diving down another rabbit hole, and up for trying a new supplement or diet idea that could potentially help me. And this is how I continued for years, with some changes helping me, but to be honest, I was never really able to keep them up for long, and very few actually made a meaningful long-term impact.

After my second daughter was born, I experienced a major flare that left me scared. I felt that nothing was in my control and that unexpected flares could knock me off track at any moment, feeling lost and uncertain about what the future might hold and being worried that I was running out of medical options. It was an incredibly difficult time – physically, emotionally and mentally.

That’s when a family friend recommended a Nutritional Therapist (NT). Desperate, I booked an appointment - and it changed everything.

For the first time, I felt truly listened to. With the NT’s help, I began piecing together my personal health jigsaw, starting my journey to understand what could be going on inside my body and building an understanding of how nutrition could impact and/or support my symptoms. Change did not happen overnight, but armed with the knowledge, I started to feel more confident in the choices I was making (especially around food), building new habits and starting to feel myself again. The experience gave me back a sense of control - being hopeful about my future and feeling less concerned about the flares, which became less frequent and severe.          

Finding Purpose

Helping others has always been part of who I am. I believe empathy and kindness matter deeply - life is busy and demanding, and we’re all doing our best to keep the plates spinning. Sometimes, we just need a hand to guide us and a reminder that we’re doing okay.

The Positive Side of Lockdown

Lockdown gave me time to pause and reflect. Despite the uncertainty, it helped me appreciate what I’d achieved - building a successful career in a demanding industry while living with an invisible illness, and finally getting pregnant and being lucky to be raising two wonderful, healthy daughters. It also made me think seriously about my long-term health and what I wanted for the future.

Photo taken by my daughter on the day that I decided to leap

The Jump

In 2021, I took the leap - leaving my 20-year banking career to study personalised nutrition at university, and embarking on a post-graduate degree. It’s been challenging (hello, 5,000-word essays, pathophysiological reasoning and statistics!) but endlessly fascinating. The science behind how food and lifestyle influence health - and even future generations - is incredible.

The Next Chapter

My goal now is to help others, like you, to feel empowered and informed about their health, so that they can take control, self-manage and make lasting change, alongside medical care.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that when one door closes, another adventure begins. Life is what you make it - and it’s good to be alive.

Thank you for reading my first blog post! If it resonated with you or if you found it interesting, then please let me know - and please share with others!

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