In our expert spotlight series, we speak with experienced practitioners across NZ and beyond to get an inside scoop on health, wellbeing, and how they are using Mitchells in a clinical setting.
Introducing Becca Smith, Holistic Health Coach and soon to be a Qualified Naturopath and Nutritionist at The Well Being.
Photo credit @tripsy_studio
Becca, you’re a holistic health coach, tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.
Hey, my name is Becca Smith. I am the founder of The Well Being – a holistic health coach practice that guides people to achieve their health goals and address health concerns through nutrition and lifestyle changes. I create individualised wellness plans and provide support and accountability as client’s make changes to improve their health. Health goals are set collaboratively and are unique to their situation and lifestyle. I am also a student and will graduate next year as a naturopath and nutritionist, which will expand the services available at The Well Being.
What got you into nutrition and holistic health coaching? And what was the inspiration to start your business The Well Being?
I had my own health issues in my early-20s due to my lifestyle, which started a journey to improve my personal nutrition and lifestyle habits. A passion for natural health began to emerge, and once I had my two daughters Harlow and Indie, this elevated even more. Family and friends who followed my journey naturally began to ask questions, and I found myself sharing wholefood recipes and lifestyle tips. I really enjoyed helping others and seeing their success, which lead me on a path to discover holistic health coaching.
I am very passionate about natural health and getting the foundations of good health set first and foremost. This is the inspiration behind starting my business The Well Being. I often see simple adjustments changing the health of people in big ways, which is so rewarding.
Bloating is pretty common these days, we’d love to get your insight. Is bloating always an “issue”?
Bloating is a very common symptom and can be incredibly uncomfortable. It is your body communicating to you that something is out of balance and there is always an underlying cause. It is important to get to the root cause, especially if it is a regular symptom. There can be several reasons why someone is experiencing bloating, however often it is a sign of an imbalance in the gut. Good gut health is crucial for good overall health of the body, and often bloating can come hand-in-hand with other digestive health symptoms.
What are some common causes of or reasons people experience bloating?
Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the gut bacteria which can also cause bloating. This can be caused by SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), long courses of antibiotics, processed food, stress, etc. This results in the imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in our digestive system which can lead to bloating.
Stress also has a huge impact as it affects the motility of our digestive system. Digestion is compromised when we are stressed, as our sympathetic nervous system is activated and digestion is not a priority! Stress also affects gut health by altering our gut health's composition which can lead to unwanted symptoms such as bloating.
Eating too quickly can lead to swallowing large amounts of air with your food. Also, when we rush eating meals, we often don't take time to chew our food well. This causes a lot of pressure on the rest of our digestive tract to break our food down.
Insufficient stomach acid or digestive enzyme production can also be an issue. We need optimal stomach acidity and digestive enzymes to break down our food so it is easier for our body to absorb and therefore less likely to feed the dysbiotic bacteria that can cause bloating.
Food allergies, intolerances & sensitivities can cause bloating. Common food intolerances include dairy, gluten, corn, yeast and soy. They have potential to irritate our gut lining and cause intestinal permeability (also known as leaky gut). A diet high in processed and refined food can also cause irritation and inflammation to the gut, causing unwanted digestive symptoms.
Photo credit @tripsy_studio
What are some simple ways we can reduce bloating and support gut health?
Prioritise time to sit down, eat slowly and chew your food at each meal. It is recommended to chew up to 40 times before swallowing!
Implement daily stress management techniques that work for you and your lifestyle. Diaphragmatic breathing is a quick way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and let our body know we are safe. Time in nature, cold water exposure and meditation are other ideas.
Eat a variety of fresh whole foods to support gut health and feed the good bacteria in our gut. Gut bacteria love to feed on a variety of fibre so include a range of different fruits and vegetables in your diet. Build awareness of any food in your diet causing unwanted digestive symptoms. A food and symptom diary can help here.
Take a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 5-15 minutes before a meal to help boost stomach acidity for optimal digestion.
Where might you thread the Mitchells Nutrition products into your recommendations when supporting clients with bloating and gut health, and why?
Gut health is number one when looking at relieving digestive symptoms. Bone broth and collagen are incredibly nourishing and healing for the gut lining. Mitchells Nutrition Bone Broth Powder is a traditional product with wholefood ingredients. People need easy solutions to fit high-dense nutrition into their modern, busy lifestyles and Mitchells Nutrition products make it simple to do so. Their Bone Broth Protein Powder range is another nourishing option for people to easily add into a smoothie or drink to support their gut health.
Do you have any client testimonials or feedback from using the Mitchells Nutrition products?
I only sell nutrition products and supplements I personally have tried and love myself. When I tried the Mitchell's Nutrition products, I knew my clients would love them too. I believe the texture, nutrients, clean ingredients and flavours of the protein powder are unmatched. I often hear the same from clients! Clients who don't like the taste of meat or bone broth but want the nutritional benefits find the protein powder a simple and tasty way to include this in their diet.
Photo credit @tripsy_studio
What’s your favourite way to enjoy any of the Mitchells Nutrition products?
I am a massive fan of Mitchells Nutrition Bone Broth Protein Powder so most days I will have a smoothie or smoothie bowl with this in it. My kids love it too! I also like to make a hot cacao drink with Mitchells Nutrition Bone Broth Chocolate Protein Powder. The Bone Broth Powder is great to sip on through the winter months, I like to add a generous pinch of salt and some apple cider vinegar to mine.
If interested, where can our readers find you.
I can be found on Facebook under The Well Being, Instagram at @the__well__being and on my website www.thewellbeing.co.nz.
Related Blog Posts: