‘Health is wealth’
With winter showing its teeth, bringing with it flu, atop the Covid-19-pandemic, staying healthy is of paramount importance.
Mental health is also under fire, given the economic crunch due to Covid-19, therefore general wellness is an all-round concern.
Elenia Kolokotronis, whose hometown is Mossel Bay, has been a clinical nutritionist for ten years and is making a name for herself.
She heads her own company focused on spherical health and wellness that includes consulting, patient treatment, a charity foundation, as well as organic food retail ranges.
And as if she is not busy enough, she is completing her doctoral studies and does consultations worldwide. Elenia found some time in her busy schedule to chat to the Mossel Bay Advertiser.
She specialises in female fertility and says there is a major link in infertility that is often overlooked: sound nutrition. Mental and emotional wellness is a strong focus for Elenia. “We need the amalgamation of both emotional and physical health to reach success. One cannot reach full potential without the other.”
What drew you to this field of study?
I was diagnosed with infertility due to my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome condition when I was already practising clinical nutrition. I was at a great place at the right time in order to document my own journey.
Tell us about your journey? It enabled me to understand and relate first hand to the emotional roller coaster that one experiences with an infertility condition. Most likely the biggest and most compromising issue is almost always hormonal imbalance because of damaging nutrition.
My findings with food show both physical and emotional aspects. Remember that your relationship with food is going to be the most important relationship you will ever have. It will either damage or nourish you. Choose wisely.
What are the biggest misconceptions about living and eating healthy?
Ghandi said that real wealth is health, not pieces of gold and silver. We are kept largely in the dark about how healing food is, having the ability to not only aid certain chronic conditions, but actually heal them. Unfortunately we live in an age of instant gratification and popping a pill for any and everything seems the norm.
A huge misconception is that food is not as powerful as chemical medication. Obviously a healthy diet cannot fix a broken bone or replace a lifesaving operation, but we do need to look at how seriously we rely on chemical treatment when what we need to be doing is strengthening ourselves nutritionally from the inside out.
Do you feel that currently there is a strong pull towards natural healing and living better, healthier?
The world has become a little wiser to an extent to the factual statistics of food on mental and physical health.
I have in the ten years of practicing seen a huge upswing in patients wanting to go the natural route not only regarding fertility but also including conditions such as obesity, child conditions such as ADD/ ADHD, diabetes and depression. Vast institutions around the world are also recognising that food is a huge determining factor on a country's population health.
Please share a few must do’s with us? Do's and don'ts regarding nutrition are really very simple. The first step is to understand that diets don't work. Don’t diet. We are inundated with a plethora of various diets promising us the world yet the human race has never been more obese and sickly. Rather understand how your body uses, stores, eliminates and needs certain foods more than others. Educate yourself on just how healing food is. Do know the difference between emotional eating and eating to sustain and nourish yourself. Do be realistic about food.
Don't eat when you are not hungry. Do eat varied foods and try eat foods in their most natural form. Don't starve yourself. Do stay hydrated. Do keep active. And most importantly, do be kinder to yourself.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there is lots of talk about boosting the immune system and malnutrition. Any thoughts to share on this?
Our immune system is our primary security against invaders. The only thing in our complete control that can either strengthen or weaken our immune system, is dependent on what we eat.
Staying healthy does not mean you will never catch a cold or become infected with a viral or bacterial infection, but what it will do is ensure your body will be strong enough to fight it out and recover faster.
Looking at our current situation regarding Covid-19 where we are all affected in some way. The safest bet is to bulk up of foods high in antioxidants, ensure you are getting enough natural sunlight, primary vitamin D, as well as vitamins and minerals.
For more on Elenia, visit www.Elenia-K. com or by instagram message on @eleniakay
* Read the full article with Elenia Kolokotronis at www.mosselbayadvertiser.com
She heads her own company focused on spherical health and wellness.