Our story

I never imagined that, as an ex-construction worker, I’d end up opening a health food store. Health wasn’t something I thought much about at the time. Until I was forced to.

In 2018, I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I was told by specialists that I would never fully heal and that medication would be a lifelong requirement to manage my chronic symptoms.

At 28, I should have been in my prime. Instead, I was chronically unwell and severely debilitated. I experienced significant weight loss, frequent blood in my stools, and very limited bowel control, at times needing to go to the toilet up to 30–40 times a day.

The photo shown here was taken during a night shift while I was working in the construction industry. Around this time, I had started noticing blood in my stool and felt extremely drained, confused, and vulnerable. I took the photo as a personal reference, unsure of what was happening and worried about what it might mean.

This period marked the beginning of a deeper search for answers, driven by the realisation that ignoring my health was no longer an option.

If I was going to have any real chance of healing my body, I had to make some big changes in my life. That meant stepping away from the construction industry, selling my shares in my business, and moving back home to Newcastle so I could be around my support network and actually focus on my health.

Slowing down changed everything. More time outdoors, regular time in the ocean, and removing myself from constant stress gave my body the space it needed to respond.

For the first time in years, my nervous system began to settle. I was able to rebuild my circadian rhythm, significantly reduce stress driven inflammation, and actually support healing rather than just managing symptoms.

I was told by my naturopath that recovery would take at least two years, and only if I fully committed to my healing protocol. Nearly two years to the day later, I was off all medication, symptom free, and had fully reversed my IBD.

Once I had healed, I had a decision to make.
Go back to the construction industry, or use what I’d learned to help others who might be in a similar position to where I was back in 2018, confused, exhausted, and extremely unwell.

The more I reflected on my journey, the clearer it became. If I had followed the advice I was given early on without question, I would still be sick today, managing symptoms with medication rather than addressing the root cause. My life would have looked very different.

Instead, I experienced firsthand what was possible when the body is supported properly and given the time, space, and tools it needs to heal.

That realisation lit a fire in me to build something where I could help others. I wanted to provide the very things that helped me heal. Naturopaths. Herbal tinctures. Clear education. High quality products chosen with intention. And a space where people feel heard, supported, and not dismissed.

So in 2021, Nourish Health Hub was born.