Melissa McIntosh guides clients to discover their healthiest self
Published:Wednesday | June 21, 2023 | 12:12 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Inspiring wellness has always been the plan for health and fitness expert, Melissa McIntosh. Armed with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, this holistic nutritionist and certified health coach found that a focus on mental health impacts one’s physical wellbeing.
She tells Lifestyle, “I generally work with individuals with chronic illnesses, especially individuals with autoimmune diseases. The programme I offer focuses on improving health while honing in on key areas like immune system support, stress management, liver support, and gut health. My clients come to me with all sorts of symptoms like digestive health issues, skin issues, fatigue, and chronic inflammation,” the creator of Imperfect Wellbeing shared.
Although she has worked in the mental health field for quite some time, things didn’t really hit home for her until she had children and came face to face with her own health issues. Digging deeper into nutrition, her husband noticed her interest and decided to gift her a nutrition course. Life, as she knew it, would change forever.
“After completing the course I realised how much I loved it. So I went back to school and completed a holistic nutrition course and a health coaching course. I have never regretted it and within the past year, I also completed an autoimmune nutrition course and a weight management course,” she shared.
One of her biggest takeaways from the new journey is examining the idea of what healthy really means. Yes, the primary motivation for most people to eat healthier and exercise is the positive physical changes that come with a healthier lifestyle. But being healthy involves so much more than that.
“We are motivated with the desire to look thinner and appear more attractive, neither of which is a clear indicator of true health. It involves so many more entities like emotional and mental health. When I understood that all of these entities are connected, I started focusing on all of them and this was when I saw results and felt so much better overall,” she said.
Her journey has been eye opening, as she continues to be a consistent student of health. “When we choose a healthier lifestyle, we tend to follow the current trends. But a part of becoming healthier is discovering which part of you needs improvement and what methods will work for your unique situation. It took me a long time to get here, and I am still learning daily. Health is really an ongoing process, but I certainly feel better. Physically, I am stronger and more energetic, while mentally, I feel confident in knowing I am doing the best I can to take care of my body,” McIntosh highlighted, explaining that she looks forward to taking on new courses, reading new articles and sharing what she has learnt with her clients.
Noting that everyone has their own wellness goals, she offers a programme that focuses on a holistic approach to health. This includes stress management, diet and nutrition, weight and fitness management. “Some want to learn how to eat for their particular health issue, help implement an exercise routine, or learn to manage stress. While others need help losing weight with chronic illness or need a total health overhaul,” she pointed out.
Her role as a holistic health coach is to focus on all these areas. If one area is out of balance, this could affect your overall health scale. “The goal is to help my clients discover their healthiest self with diet and lifestyle goals that are realistic and sustainable.”
As the business owner for Imperfect Wellbeing, she hopes to help as many people as possible figure out what diet and lifestyle choices work best for them. “The best place to start when looking to embark on a wellness journey is to figure out your goal. Ask yourself what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. Whatever goal you set, make it something you can realistically achieve. When you figure out your goal, then you figure out the plan to achieve this goal. Start small, be consistent and improve as you go. And honestly, don’t wait for a perfect time to start, there will never be one, just start.”