Healthy, Noble and Wise

ASTUTE AUSSIE IN LONDON | For Australians in London, an English winter can mean illness, energy slumps and low moods. The key to a happier and healthier life could be as simple as a change to diet, with these tips from holistic coach Polly Noble.

YOU are what you eat and Polly Noble, certified Holistic Health and Raw Food Coach, is well placed to know. Last week Ruby UK, a network for professional women, kicked off its first event for the year with the theme, “New Year, New You”. Noble, the keynote speaker, shared her inspiring story of cancer survival and her recipes for healthy living.

It’s true. Most of us take our bodies and health for granted. Yet in order to run our businesses and our lives, we need to stay in good working order. We tend to take better care of our cars, our computers and our pets. The most important tool, our body, seems to get the last look in.

Noble, who now runs a successful coaching business, admits to having been a real party-goer. “Before my diagnosis, I was a regular on the party scene working as Personal Assistant to the Vice President of Sony Playstation, taking my body and health for granted”. But a diagnosis of cancer changed her view of her behavior. Noble survived cancer not once, but twice. After being diagnosed with cervical cancer at the young age of 24, Noble decided to make it her mission to inspire others to live a healthier and happier life. She has since written several books and confesses to being a juice junkie. Noble says she has created a life she loves, and encourages and supports others to do the same.

So how can you use food to nurture rather than abuse your body? Noble advocates eating an anti-inflammatory diet by reducing the amount of highly acidic foods such as meat, dairy and processed foods. Instead, consume alkaline foods such as leafy greens, juices, nuts, smoothies and sea vegetables. “These foods can increase your energy levels, improve your mental clarity and creativity, help you sleep better and lose weight if you need to”.

If you are convinced your busy lifestyle leaves no time to eat properly, Noble suggests increasing the amount of raw “living” food you consume with each cooked meal. The enzymes in the raw food help your body digest the cooked food. Noble says, “The conserved energy means you are not slumped at your desk at 3pm. By eating and living consciously, and creating an awareness around what you are fuelling yourself with, you can upgrade your health and ultimately upgrade your life”.

For Aussies not used to English winters, Noble recommends her flu-busting, immune-boosting “Ginger Zinger” juice. “Juicing is the fastest way to flood your body with immune-boosting vitamins and minerals” she says. “The Ginger-Zinger is far better than coffee, for waking you up in the morning”.

Surviving cancer twice and running your own business is no small feat. Noble’s own story is her testament to how a healthy diet is linked to a long and healthy life.