When it comes to health & a holistic approach to wellness, Shannon Stokes of Shannon Stokes Naturopath has always been my go-to girl. She tackles a diverse range of wellness issues including pre & post-natal health, the gut & digestion & children's nutrition, all while excelling at #Mumlife. Check out her Instagram here if you’re keen to follow along & get little nuggets of health & wellness info in your feed. 

I’ve been a client of Shannon’s for months now, so it was a no-brainer to sit down with her for the Mee & You Beauty blog & chat all things naturopathy, self-care as a busy Mum & what we can expect to see from her in 2020! 

PSA, if you’re one of our beautiful clients, expect to see much more of Shannon as she has just moved into the Mee & You Beauty salon! Shannon has included a special discount at the end of our chat, so if you want to see Shannon in her new space, don’t miss that!

In the meantime, here’s my chat with Shannon… 

What is naturopathy & what can it treat?

Overall, naturopathy takes a holistic approach to wellness. The foundations of naturopathy are based on the importance of a healthy diet, clean water, sunlight, exercise & stress management. We utilise herbal medicine, nutritional supplementation & dietary prescriptions to achieve greater wellness. 

Prevention is always better than a cure, so naturopathy aims to educate the client to look after their OWN health & the health of their family, minimising symptoms of any illness, supporting the body's capacity to heal & balance so illness is less likely to occur in the future. 

Typical ailments that a naturopath can treat are: 

• Hormonal imbalances 

• Mood disorders such as anxiety & depression 

• Fat loss & muscle gain

• Gut health & digestion

• Fertility 

• Stress management

• Sleep disorders

• Nutritional deficiencies 

• Autoimmune conditions

• Allergies 

• Skin conditions 

& so much more, the list could go on forever!

What do you specialise in?

I have been a Naturopath for 16 years (yes, I’m old!), & my focus has always been on hormonal imbalances, fertility, pregnancy, postnatal care & gut health. Gut health is particularly interesting as it includes a microbiome assessment, food intolerance testing & skin health, which I believe to be a byproduct of all of the above! 

As a busy Mum & business owner, what does self-care look like to you? 

Self-care… The most important thing we can do as human beings is to care for ourselves. We cannot pour from an empty cup, & as a Mum, we are the apple of our little one’s eyes so if we aren’t well, we cannot parent well. For self-care, I wake up before the sun rises & take an hour out of the day just for myself to exercise, it makes me feel so happy. I also love to enjoy a hot coffee before the little people wake up, or get my brows done! Is there anything better than fresh brows?

What is one thing you believe everyone can do to improve their health? 

Drink more water, 2L plus per day to ensure our cells are hydrated & not shrivelled up little prunes. How can you expect to function well if you are chronically dehydrated? Buy yourself a beautiful new water bottle & get drinking. I am water bottle obsessed, if I buy another I will probably be divorced. 

What is in the pipeline for Shannon Stokes in 2020? 

Wow, 2020 is already shaping up to be huge for me. I plan on adding an extra day to my clinic week, uploading more IGTV educational videos for my Instagram followers to connect with & really becoming the healthiest version of myself so I can better help my clients achieve their goals. Oh & perhaps taking on some educational events… you will have to wait & see. 

Lastly, are you ready for the exciting collaborations to come with Mee & You Beauty? 

Oh I cannot wait! Our team will have impeccable gut health, glowing skin & brows that are always on point.

You can learn more about Shannon and the incredible work she is doing on her website, and make sure you follow her on Instagram too! Shannon is offering Mee & You Beauty clients $50 off their first consultation - you can make a booking here if you would like to spend some time with Shannon in her new Paddington space - I highly recommend it!