COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: FELICIA & ALASTAIR, FOUNDERS OF THE WHOLE HEALTH PRACTICE

Felicia is a certified nutritionist who wears AKINN. Together with her husband Alastair the duo founded The Whole Health Practice a health coaching, nutrition, and lifestyle practice. Adopting a comprehensive outlook on wellness The Whole Health Practice helps individuals achieve better physical, mental, and social well-being. 

As the daughter of a practicing traditional Chinese doctor, it’s no surprise that nutrition and well-being throughout her life and in her current clinical experience. Her background in traditional Chinese medicine drove her to acquire a formal education in the field, earning her a Master of Human Nutrition from Deakin University. 

Felicia embodies what AKINN believes in - staying inspired involves being open to new experiences and ideas. By incorporating Western biomedical practices while retaining the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Felicia’s arsenal of skills enables her to tackle the problems her clients encounter with greater success. 

Being an avid lover of Taiji, gardening and forest bathing, Felicia further cements the idea that wellness goes beyond the food we consume. ‘Whole Health’, as its name suggests, is about looking at health holistically (no pun intended!) - from our physical fitness, our relationships with others, to even the clothes we wear. 

Read on as we share inside knowledge, tips and professional expertise that you can benefit from! 

With the current restrictions, what are some ways which we can cook healthier meals at home? 
Reassess what and how you eat - add more fruit and vegetables to your dishes. Have fun experimenting with different recipes and styles of cooking. We’re learning traditional Malay and Indonesian recipes for vegetables and using local herbs/spices to encourage a healthy microbiome and counter inflammation.

Working from home has messed up my body clock. Is it bad to eat after 8pm? Will not eating at “normal” meal times mess up my metabolism? How much caffeine is too much?
As a rule of thumb, have a good breakfast and don’t eat dinner within three hours of going to bed. I enjoy coffee, but limit it to one per day and take it in the morning. Caffeine can affect your sleep even if you don’t realise it.

With so many ‘trendy’ diets e.g. gluten or dairy-free, vegan etc., how do I know which one works for me?
There’s no one size fits all diet. Everyone’s nutritional requirements are different: Age, activity levels and health goals all play a role. Eating whole, or minimally processed, plant-based foods is the healthiest diet and you can still enjoy some animal products if you want to. The problem is that most people eat too much animal protein and ultra-processed foods.

Your programmes all feature health coaching, how does it work?
Your health is complex and involves work-life balance, stress, relationships, even your physical environment. We work with our clients to analyse their motivations and health goals, create customised and actionable plans and give them the resources and support to achieve them.

Can fashion play a role in health?
Absolutely, yes! Health comprises of physical, mental and social well-being. Feeling good about oneself, having confidence and dressing up is part of self-care and well-being. There will always be life’s ups and downs to deal with but have fun and live life to its fullest!

To learn more about Felicia and The Whole Health Practice visit www.thewholehealthpractice.com Still have questions? Drop us a message under “contact us” or on our Instagram / Facebook for a chance to get them answered.