Our team of experts write regularly for the magazine and present information from a variety of stand points:
Dr Sarah Brewer MSc (Nutr Med), MA (Cantab), MB BChir RNutr MBANT
Dr Sarah Brewer qualified from Cambridge University with degrees in Natural Sciences, Medicine and Surgery. After working in general practice and sexual health, she now specialises in health communication.
Although her first love is medicine, her major passion is writing. She writes regularly for a variety of newspapers and magazines, being open to holistic approaches that include complementary medicine and nutritional medicine she is well placed as editor of yourwellness.net.
She is the author of 50 popular self-help books, including the Natural Health Guru series (www.naturalhealthguru.co.uk). Sarah was voted HFMA Health Journalist of the Year in 2002. She is both a Registered Nutritionist and a registered Nutritional Therapist.
Christopher Pick N.D. D.C.N. D.H.H. D.L.I (Inst)
Christopher Pick is one of the bright lights on the mostly dark sky of the healing profession. He is one of the leading authorities in the field of whollistic healing and diagnostics.
His meticulous research ( based on 825 nutritional urine screens and published in the Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine - April 2002) has confirmed the link between several illnesses and the specific life-style choice people make.
Yes, genetics do play a role, but first and foremost, it is the choices you make with food, exercise, air, water, sleep, and relaxation, that will determine how your body copes with "ageing", "virus", "infection" and other influences that are labeled by the allopathic medicine as something that happens to you as if you had no control over the situation.
Chris has lectured to thousands of post graduate students and seminar attendees, is well known for his honest approach to Wellbeing and is a leading author in his own right.
Francine White BSc Hons C.H.Ed Dip Nut Th
Francine’s passion and knowledge of food and nutrition was sparked when working in restaurants throughout her school and college days. After graduating from Leeds University in 1998, she spent 2 and a half years travelling extensively through Asia and Australia where she actively sought to learn about different cultures, lifestyles and cuisines.
It was whilst travelling and working through South East Asia Francine first became aware of the physical and mental benefits and healing power of optimum nutrition. After returning to the UK she worked with a restaurant owner and chef with a passion for locally produced foods and traditional cuisine, she was introduced to the SLOW FOOD movement and inspired to keep researching into nutrition.
After completing her Diploma in Nutritional Therapy, Francine went on to train as a Clinical Nutritional Therapist. Whilst working at the training Clinic in Torquay, Devon, she was involved in a number of re-balancing retreats catering to the client’s personal needs and goals. These retreats involved a combination of alternative therapies and practices alongside the nutritional therapy including; yoga, hydrotherapy, massage therapy and iridology. Though weight loss was the most common goal, other motivations included fertility problems, skin disorders, heart conditions and mental disorders.
In London, she worked alongside personal trainers and fitness instructors with a wide range of clientele from competing athletes, to regular gym users to heavily obese clients referred by medics.
Francine has worked on many community based diet and nutrition projects in the UK with physically and mentally challenged youths as well as obese families from disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently in Goa, she is involved as a nutritional advisor to organisations working with HIV/AIDS victims and orphaned children afflicted with the disease.
Francine is currently training in Integrated Clinical Hypnosis.
Dr. Arjita Kumari BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic medicine and surgery) Yogini (yoga guru)
Dr Arjita Kumari is a qualified Ayurveda doctor from India. India The land of the holistic science (Ayurveda) has got so much to offer to humanity through the ocean of knowledge written in the ancient text.
Dr. Arjita always wanted to learn Ayurveda as her grandfather was a famous Ayurveda practioner and from time to time he use to explain to her the basic concepts of Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words and it explains everything about it. The words are Ayush & Veda which means the science of life. She studied Ayurveda for five and half years at gomantak Ayurveda mahvidayala and research centre. At the start of her career she worked in many Ayurveda centers as the chief Ayurveda consultant and panchkarma practioner. Presently she is working in The Beach House Goa which is an exclusive retreat as an Ayurveda specialist.
Her areas of expertise are skeletal and muscular disorders, skin disorders, digestive disorders, menopausal related problems, obesity and metabolic disorders, diet consultation from Ayurvedic point of view etc.
She is also yogini trained from the shivananda yoga institute and conducts various yoga classes depending upon the individual needs of the patients. She believes strongly that yoga is not just a form of exercise but it’s a lifestyle through which you can obtain a healthy body, mind and soul.
Presently she is studying integrated clinical hypnotherapy from California hypnosis institute of India.
Gemma Ferns BA (hons) P.G.C.E in FE, HE. Dip hypnotherapy/NLP. Dip aromatherapy
Gemma’s dedication and passion for therapy and healing started in Thailand 15 years ago when she embarked on her own journey of self discovery, meditation and healing. Here, she was taught by the Buddhist monks within the temples of the Grand Palace in Bangkok and meditation became a regular practice in her life. She explored many types of meditation but today currently practices with the Sahaj Marg group in India.
Her heart and passion lies within facilitating opportunities for others to grow and realize their full potential and from an early age she trained as a Reiki Healer and Reiki Master. She has worked as a Reiki healer now for over 12 years in the UK and Australia. Reiki deepened her interests further into ‘Therapy’ where she trained as an EFT Emotional Freedom Technique Therapist and for a diploma in Aromatherapy; practicing both privately and within wellness clinics within the Manchester area. Gemma currently offers EFT therapy at the Beach House Goa.
After her degree in Fine Art Gemma realized the powerful effect of expressive Art on one’s personal growth and inner healing. She was inspired to share her skills, inspire, motivate and facilitate growth in others which led her to gain a post graduate qualification in Art Education. She spent 7 years teaching Art, Design and Photography in further and higher education colleges within which she became involved in studying counseling concepts, to further assist her students. After leaving Art Education, Gemma set up her own Photography and Art business for 2 years working as a freelance photographer and exhibiting her work in galleries around Manchester, whilst continuing to work in her therapies. One of her aims being to fuse both fields together in the future.
Still in search for answers to her own questions about life and yearning for peace and happiness, she discovered the beautiful Art of Tai Chi. She trained for 3 years under the founder of the Infinite Tai Chi system, Master Jason Chan. Here she studied and trained as an instructor in Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Meditation. Through many international retreats, seminars and intense daily training, she began the acquisition of discipline, dedication, mindfulness and the understanding of her own truth. Gemma’s passion to share this transformational art and wisdom inspired her to set up her own classes and workshops in the UK. She currently offers Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Meditation at the Beach House Goa.
The ultimate cohesion of her experiences bought her to Hypnotherapy, where she trained in the UK and in India in integrated Clinical hypnotherapy and NLP. Gemma works at the Beach House Goa as a Hypnotherapist. Her motivation is to facilitate the transformational life changes and inner peace for others though hypnotherapy and the integration of her other practices and therapies.