Dear Evolvers,
A new client recently told me that, at 40 years old, his health goal was simply “not to die or have a heart attack”.
There was something almost disarming about the honesty of it.
He was not talking about running a marathon, reaching a particular weight or achieving an impressive fitness goal. He simply wanted to feel that he was doing something now to protect his health and his future.
His words stayed with me. They were both insightful and slightly frightening. How many people quietly carry the same concern? They know they should be doing something, but they are not entirely sure where to begin, what to test or which changes will make a meaningful difference.
At the same time, over the past week or two, I have had an awakening of my own.
My fingers became swollen and I was experiencing pain in my neck. I became concerned that I might have a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, and went for a scan.
Thankfully, the scan confirmed that I did not have a DVT, which was an enormous relief. But I still needed to understand what else might be happening, so I had further bloodwork done.
The results did not provide a definite explanation for the swelling or point to one specific condition. They did, however, show signs of inflammation, very low iron levels and low vitamin D.
I work in wellness, move regularly and pay attention to what I eat, yet my body still needed something more. It made me realise how easy it is, even for someone who works in wellness, to become so busy and distracted that we miss or minimise the signs our bodies may be giving us.
Like my client, I realised that I needed to take charge, ask better questions and become more responsible for my health before something more serious forced me to do so.
That does not mean becoming anxious about every symptom or trying to control every possible outcome. It means paying attention, seeking appropriate support and being willing to look beyond what we think we know.
Spring does not need to become another deadline to reinvent ourselves. It can simply be a moment to pause and ask:
What do I need to know?
What needs support?
What would feel nourishing now?
Sometimes the next step is booking the test or health consultation we have been postponing. Sometimes it is returning to movement, joining a class, learning something new, preparing a nourishing meal or simply creating a little more space to breathe.
Wellness is an evolving journey, and there are many different ways to begin.
Spring at Mind Body Evolve
Firstly, I want to thank every person who continues to bring our studio community to life.
Some of you come several times a week. Others join us when your schedule, body or energy allows. You arrive in different spaces, sometimes energised and ready to move, and sometimes tired, stressed or uncertain about what you need.
It is a privilege to watch people become stronger, more confident and more connected to themselves. Every booking, question, piece of feedback and willingness to participate helps shape Mind Body Evolve Studio into what it continues to become.
I also want to thank our wonderful instructors, who bring their knowledge, personalities, energy and care into the space. Each of them offers something different, and together they help us create a studio where people can feel seen, supported and encouraged to keep evolving.
Our timetable changes in response to the needs of the community, but its regular rhythm includes small-group yoga for all levels, with classes ranging from Yoga Healing and Yoga Restore to Yoga Flow & Align.
And this spring, we’re adding a little more movement and fun! Join Chevi for an introductory 45-minute Zumba class on Thursday, 3 September, arriving at 5.45pm for a 6pm start. Come shake off winter, dance to great music and welcome spring with good energy. We’re also looking at adding a Friday morning Zumba class at 9.30am, so watch this space!
We also offer semi-private and private sessions, sound baths, Tai Chi, special classes and events, and our very popular Pilates-Yoga Fusion class. If Pilates-Yoga Fusion is your favourite, please book in advance, as spaces are intentionally limited.
Evolve One offers another flexible way to receive focused support. It is a 30-minute one-to-one session for Discovery Vitality members with an active studio benefit, using one studio credit.
Sessions may focus on personal training, technique, alignment, movement modifications, returning to exercise or building confidence before joining a group class. Many members are also choosing to book two sessions back-to-back, giving them a full hour of individual time with an instructor.
Each Sunday, I share our latest weekly timetable in the Mind Body Evolve Studio WhatsApp group. If you are not already part of the group, click here to join. You can also find studio news, classes and events on the Mind Body Evolve Studio Facebook page.
Follow both Mind Body Evolve Studio and Keep Evolving to stay connected with everything we’re offering. Mind Body Evolve brings you classes, instructors and studio news, while Keep Evolving shares wellness, learning and professional development.
See timetable here.
Know yourself from the inside out
The lesson from both my client’s words and my own recent health scare is not that we need to test everything or live in fear of what might be wrong.
It is that we should not assume that avoiding the question is safer than knowing the answer.
DNA testing can help us understand inherited tendencies, while bloodwork and selected functional testing can tell us more about what may be happening now.
No single result tells the whole story, and testing never replaces appropriate medical care. When considered alongside symptoms, personal and family history, lifestyle and goals, however, it can help make nutrition, supplementation and coaching far more relevant to the individual.
The same applies to supplementation. More is not always better, and a random collection of tablets is not a personalised plan.
My own results reminded me that even when we are doing many things well, there may still be gaps that require attention. The aim is to identify what support may be needed, understand why, choose an appropriate intervention and monitor how the person responds.
Sometimes we are doing beautifully and simply need to continue. Sometimes we need to adjust. Sometimes we need more information, and sometimes we need someone to help us make sense of it.
Click here to book a consultation.
Facebook Live: Wellness within with Sam
Friday, 28 August at 12:00
This theme will continue in our upcoming Facebook Live, when I will be joined by my dear friend and colleague Samantha Schoub, founder of Supernova and Wellness Within.
Sam’s journey into wellness grew through her investment in and involvement with MAMI, Melrose Arch Mammography Inc. Although her professional background is in finance, her heart has increasingly led her towards wellness, personal transformation and empowering others.
Together, we will talk about what Wellness Within means to each of us, and what it really means to be well as a human being navigating a busy, demanding life.
We will explore the importance of screening and testing, understanding the risks we may carry, listening to our bodies and trusting the intuition that often tells us when something needs our attention.
But we will also talk about the person behind the test results: the fears we carry, the signs we sometimes ignore, the choices we make and the support we may need in order to take the next step.
Sam recently completed her own DNA testing with me, and we will share some of the insights that emerged from that experience, including how knowing ourselves from the inside can help us make more informed and personalised choices.
Join us live on the Keep Evolving SA Facebook page. The recording will also be available afterwards.
Follow us on Facebook.
Keep learning: Keep evolving
Looking after ourselves is not limited to food, movement and test results. It also means learning how to work with stress, change, relationships, sleep, our inner dialogue and the many transitions that shape our lives.
The Keep Evolving Learning Hub gives you access to practical courses including Mindfulness, Longevity on a Plate, Hormone Harmony, Yoga in Real Life and more.
Some courses are accredited for healthcare professionals, while remaining accessible and useful to anyone who wants to understand wellbeing more deeply.
Learn at your own pace, return to the material when you need it and keep building a more informed relationship with your health.
Explore the learning hub.
Spring on a plate
The Mediterranean way of eating is less about following a rigid diet and more about creating a consistent pattern.
It centres on colourful vegetables and fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, olive oil, herbs and spices, together with protein choices that suit the individual.
This style of eating is widely recommended as a heart-healthy pattern, but its real strength may be its simplicity: variety, good-quality ingredients and habits that can be sustained.
Healthy does not automatically mean right for every person. Allergies, intolerances, digestive health, medications, training load, hormones, genetics and nutrient status all influence what we may need.
Even a beautiful diet may not correct every deficiency, which is precisely why personalisation and testing can matter.
I am incredibly grateful to Meraki Meals, who deliver my food each day. I receive the most wonderful salads, filled with colour and variety, and they make eating well on busy days feel easy rather than aspirational.
Sometimes support looks like a test, a practitioner or a targeted supplement. Sometimes it looks like having a nourishing meal ready when the day is full. Good support is often the structure that makes consistency possible.
Spring Mediteranean Lentil Salad
This is an example inspired by the types of colourful salads I often receive from Meraki Meals. Use it as a starting point and make it your own.
Serves four as a side or two as a light main meal.
For the salad:
– 2 cups cooked lentils or chickpeas
– 2 generous handfuls of rocket or mixed leaves
– 1 chopped cucumber
– 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
– 1 cup blanched peas or sliced sugar snap peas
– 2 sliced spring onions
– A handful each of parsley and mint
– ½ cup crumbled feta, optional
– ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
– 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– Juice and zest of 1 lemon
– 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
– 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
– A pinch of dried oregano
– Salt and black pepper to taste
Whisk the dressing, toss it through the lentils and vegetables, then finish with the feta and pumpkin seeds. Add grilled fish, chicken, eggs or tofu if you would like more protein.
The lentils and pumpkin seeds contribute plant-based iron, while the lemon and fresh vegetables provide vitamin C, which can support the absorption of non-haem iron.
Contact Meraki Meals.
A simple framework for personalised wellness
All of this, movement, testing, learning, nourishment and appropriate support, can be brought back to a simple framework.
Start with the foundations. Nourishing food, regular movement, restorative sleep, stress support, connection and care for our mental wellbeing still matter.
Gather useful insight. Relevant DNA, blood and functional testing can help identify tendencies, gaps and areas that deserve closer attention.
Tailor the support. Nutrition, lifestyle coaching and supplementation should respond to the individual rather than a one-size-fits-all formula.
Review and evolve. Our needs are not static. We can monitor progress, learn from the response and adjust the plan as life changes.
Keep Evolving offers personalised wellness support through DNA and nutrigenetic testing, functional nutrition, tailored supplementation and one-to-one coaching.
So, what is your intention this spring?
Perhaps it is to return to the studio, finally book the appointment you have been postponing, understand your health more deeply, eat in a way that feels more nourishing, complete a course or simply create a little more room to breathe.
Your intention does not need to be dramatic or impressive. Choose something meaningful and make it small enough to begin.
Book the appointment. Join the class. Prepare the salad. Start the course. Take ten quiet minutes. Ask for help.
Taking charge of your health does not mean doing everything perfectly, knowing all the answers or doing it alone. It means being willing to look, listen and begin.
Do not wait until it feels too late.
With gratitude,
Hayley and the Keep Evolving team
Know yourself. Support yourself. Keep evolving.
Hayley and the Keep Evolving team
Know yourself. Support yourself. Keep evolving.
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P.S. Do you have a wellness event or product that you think our readers would like to hear about? To have your event, retreat or product featured in our monthly newsletters, drop us an email and we’ll help you spread the good news!