Hi, I’m Gemma. Being sick is the best thing that ever happened to me.

 

Ok, that might sound a little cray-cray, but it’s true. My health challenges have brought me to this awesome place where I get to serve wonderful women who are changing the world, one healthy message at a time.

 

How I Became The Wellness Editor & VA

I’m a professional Copy Editor, experienced Virtual Assistant, spiritual seeker and holistic health enthusiast, happy and thriving, but it hasn’t always been this way.

Like many people, I came to the world of wellness through illness. For over a decade I struggled to cope with the ordinary demands of life.

I did my time in the corporate rat race, of course, but I wasn’t a great employee – I was sick all the time, and when I was “well” I was pre-ill. A need to dramatically improve my health and ease the chronic, low-level but persistent illnesses that had plagued me since my teens saw me embark on a personal journey towards optimum wellness.

Partly for health reasons, in 2011 I left the 9–5 behind and ventured into the scary but wonderful world of self-employment as a freelance editor and writer. I had visions of sleeping late, Mondays off and finally some time to replenish my burnt-out body. Sure, I got to choose my hours but if holding down a job was hard, the reality of running a business was ballistic. My health worsened.

After many visits to various doctors and health professionals, lots of hours invested in trying to improve my health and practically broke from the expense, I had an awakening: I had to take my health into my own hands. All the medical experts I’d visited each had a different take on what was wrong with me and how to fix it – in essence, I was trapped in a whirlwind of symptomatic treatment. And with each symptom that improved, another would rise to take its place.

I needed a holistic approach to health. So I began to educate myself.

 

Healthy Messages Like Yours Changed My Life

Rather than take each symptom on its own, I began to look deeper. I got back to basics. I confronted some hard truths and got really honest with myself. I fortified my mind and body from the inside. I read books and blogs. I attended health conferences. I watched groundbreaking films and documentaries. I listened to podcasts. I absorbed what felt right for me, applied it and discarded the rest.

A new tribe of wellness warriors were challenging many of the mainstream beliefs we have accepted without question for too long. Armed with their invaluable teachings, my health began to improve. I took control of my nutrition, listened to my instincts, and soon my relationship with health experts changed. Instead of turning up to an appointment and obeying what they told me to do, it was me telling them what I’d like to happen, sharing my thoughts on what was happening in my health. More often than not, they agreed with me. I now see them as my support team, not my overlords.

It’s been quite a ride so far, and it’s not about to end anytime soon. But I owe a debt of gratitude to the many contributors to the wellness revolution that we’re in the midst of right now. The plethora of voices that educate and serve outside the realm of mainstream medical texts – messages like yours, my friend – are the reason I now live free of prescription meds, free of debilitating back pain, largely free of recurrent colds and chest infections, with much-improved gut health and nutritional markers and an infinitely more positive mindset.

 

And messages like yours are the reason I want to support health and wellness entrepreneurs like you.

 

So I took the services I was offering and began to focus on healthpreneurs and those working to promote holistic messages in fitness, spirituality, nutrition, complementary/integrative medicine and other health-based businesses. I’ve been a professional editor since 2008 and a VA since early 2014 and I’m committed to using these skills to support businesses like yours. My goal is to help you get your message out into the world so it can empower others to take control of their health. We need health care, not disease care!

In the years I’ve been self-employed I have learned so much about being a solopreneur and the challenges of running a business. I’m uniquely placed to understand your needs, your content and your target market. I’ve been mentored by successful women entrepreneurs like Natalie MacNeil, Amy Porterfield and Kate Toon, and I can’t wait to share this knowledge with you!

 

My Wellness Beliefs

I don’t subscribe to one single health philosophy. I’m opposed to the idea that any single solution applies across the board. We are each so damn unique that it’s imperative to experiment, find what works and discard the rest.

Here are some of the wellness approaches that have helped me over time:


Gut health
Adrenal health
Thyroid health
Fermentation
Sprouting
Raw vegan diet
Green smoothies
Wholefood diet
Intermittent fasting
Sugar-free living
Gluten-free living
Plant-based paleo/Whole30
Organic, local produce
Meditation
Mindfulness
Kundalini
Yoga
Pilates
Mindset training
Naturopathy
Detoxing
Low-toxin living
Therapeutic-grade essential oils
Chinese medicine

If any of these resonate with you, we are kindred spirits and I would love to work with you.

 

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Learn more about my Virtual Assistance service for holistic health businesses.
Learn more about my Copy Editing service for holistic health businesses.
Contact me to see if I’m the right VA or Editor for you.