Passionately committed to good health through naturopathy
Elaine Bruce Director of the UK Centre for Living Foods interviews Dawn Campbell
EB: I know from training you and in the years since then that you’ve become a great proponent of living a disciplined, balanced life. How does it all work for you in practice on a daily basis?
DC: Well, quite simply the more I know and learn, the harder I push the boundaries. I’ve been a perpetual student all my life on one subject of another, though health has always been one of my core subjects.
Combine that with the good grounding I had as a child where I was brought up a vegetarian, one thing has simply led to another. For instance, vegetarianism led me to vegans which let to raw foods when I started reading the Fresh Networks wonderful magazine Get Fresh. The information about the raw movement was new and exciting so resonated with me deeply. However, it wasn’t long before I decided to improve my diet further by concentrating on living foods that for me was the missing piece in the jig saw. That part of my journey really started when I came to your school The UK Centre for Living Foods and will continue to play a major role in my health protocol.
Since then, I’ve worked hard at changing my habits to improve my sleep pattern so my energy is more consistent. I even exercise (well, not as often as I should, but now I have a goal of training for the Great North Run 19/9/10 so I’m improving), I also do a lot of walking and rebounding which is so easy on your body at the same time great for every part of it! I take weekly enemas and have at least four colonics a year. Most weeks I enjoy a juice fast day and wheatgrass, the rest of the week I concentrate on eating simpler combinations, especially in the summer.
I also benefit from an annual internal cleanse (currently I’m doing the Arise & Shine 28 day cleanse). Basically I love to experiment with products and procedures and test things out on myself before I mention them to clients so I have first hand experience. In addition, I’m a Vipassana mediator so that technique of scanning the body, releasing the ego (me, mine, and I) and observing silence on a regular basis has been a great help in keeping me balanced and hopefully, a nicer person to be around.
EB: What do you say to anyone whose health is suffering because they struggle to find the motivation to improve their life through exercise, lifestyle choices or change bad habits?
DC: First of all I empathise with anyone who is genuinely struggling either with motivation or lack of skills to get better. I’ve been there and it’s taken years of tweaking and studying to deal with my own demons before realizing the good health, both physically and mentally that I enjoy today.
However, we know in our hearts that anything worth having longer term takes a certain amount of effort, determination, planning, goals and on-going motivation to be successful. It’s that kind of work that creates lasting solutions to achieving good health.
I remember you said, and I often quote you ‘it’s what you do most of the time that counts’ and for me, that means when you recongnise you’re off track, get back on track until eventually, the time you’re off track gets shorter and shorter but more importantly, when it does happen, you are more accepting of the fact that it happens rather than beating yourself up about it.
Now, I tend to think of resolutions as shorter term, say dropping 7lb in 7 days. It’s easier, quicker and takes a lot less effort and planning and if you only want a short term fix, that’s great. However, to fix concerns properly once and for all (including addressing any number of issues such as weight, sleep, eating disorders, lack of energy, depression through to more serious illnesses), then a sticky plaster tactic won’t offer any kind of a real solution.
Having said that, just because it’s going to take longer to undo what’s been done, don’t get trapped in the mind set that it’s necessarily going to be hard. It’s all a matter of attitude. Sometimes, we have to reach rock bottom before we really change our attitude and habits. When we do, that’s when we develop the kind of resolve that’s required to embark on a quest like optimum health. What ever the trigger is, when we’ve finally realized what we want more of instead of focusing on what we don’t want, and then it gets easier to get clearer about our goals.
So I say it’s never too late to start living the life you deserve, just start with baby steps. Embark on a journey of self-improvement though networking, research and study. Learn how to listen and respond to your body so you become your own guru and finally, delight in taking one day at a time.
EB: So how do you help people realize their goals then?
DC: I educate, inspire and mentor my clients to achieve their goals. We achieve this by creating their own tailored program based on their individual needs. This is established through one-to-ones, tailored retreats, small friendly workshops and longer term, over the phone using proven techniques and effective life skills.
Once the momentum to change has been established and new skills learnt, on-going support is often needed when clients go back home to their own world. That’s where my tailored after care too comes in. I mentor clients to achieve their goals of increased vitality (how many people even remember what that feet like?), natural longevity without disease, inner happiness, sexiness and blooming with confidence!
Obviously for a lot of clients, it’s not as simple as learning new techniques in the kitchen, it’s often about addressing the mental issues that sabotages us so we have identify and fix the various weak links, create a new health protocol and work on motivation. We achieve this together by understanding more about the role of nutrition and being more self-sufficient in a ‘non-preachy’ way (so said Sara). Also, learning how quickly and simple it can be to produce tasty vegetarian, vegan meals as well as create transitional and raw food dishes. All the while exploring how best to utilize super foods and equipment for speed and convenience. Soon these things will be available on my site to purchase on DVD and mini videos clips for those clients that can’t come to me in person.
EB: Sounds good, so if you had to sum up say your top tips for healthy living, what would your list include?
DC: Having health as the number one goal because I think if you’re rich in this area, the rest of your life will be pretty wealthy too. Obviously having discipline because it’s that commitment and vision that will guide you through the tricky times and we need to be realistic because there will be tricky times, we just need to accept them and let them go. Being grateful for where you are on your journey and that you’re improving day by day (this is a great opportunity for establishing a journal too), being honest with yourself and your needs, listen to others but trust in yourself first and foremost.
I’ve experienced good health as many different components. It’s not just about what I eat, assimilate or eliminate, it’s not just about excercising, sleeping well, breathing deeply, and it’s a lot to do with spirituality and much more. So I take a holistic approach because I appreciate one way doesn’t suit everyone so I’m very tolerant and open about that.
EB: What can we expect from you in the future in terms of your legacy Dawn?
DC: A series of food related books; more workshops and a lot more YouTube clips to raise awareness about health related issues particularly around the importance of colon care. I’d also especially like to be offering more support to people struggling with eating disorders; I think I can really add value in this area.
EB: thank you, that was interesting and good luck with all your ventures, I’ve always loved your energy!
DC Thank you Elaine, it was a pleasure speaking with you again and thanks for your continued interest and support