Wellness Warrior Tour in Brisbane

Hi all, hope life has been treating you well. I just wanted to share something that I had been looking forward for a little while. Last week I went to Jess Ainscough’s Wellness Warrior Tour in Brisbane. I booked the tickets for my mum and I when I first found out she was going on tour. I have been following Jess’s blog for a little while and recently enjoyed reading her new book, Make Peace With Your Plate. Her story is so inspiring, but definitely hearing it in person even more fantastic.

On her Brisbane tour she had a few special guests. They were singer Wes Carr, nutritionist Cyndi O’Meara and the filmmaker behind Food Matters and Hungry For Change, James Colquhoun. I had no idea that they where going to be there or what I was in for that night. In fact it was nothing like I expected. I thought it was going to be like David Wolfe’s tour. I was kicking myself that I forgot a pen and paper, so I could write down all the things I needed to add and subtract from my diet. Actually Jess’s show was not designed to telling you what you should and shouldn’t be eating, but rather to hearing different experiences and point of views of amazing people who are passionate about health and well being.

Before Jess came on stage, they showed her video. It was a little different to the video on her blog. It showed short clips of how she lives her life everyday as a wellness warrior. Besides being upbeat and inspiring, it was also very funny. There was a short clip from The End, with Seth Rogen discussing going on a cleanse. It had everyone in stitches. After that she came on stage and told her story of how she got to where she is today. From her former life as a Dolly Magazine journalist in Sydney, to her cancer diagnoses and the journey she made to healing her body the natural way. I won’t give anymore away, but I really recommend her book. Her former lifestyle is very similar to the way I use to live when I was in my early twenties. So it was definitely something I could relate to.

After Jess shared her amazing story, she introduced Wes Carr on stage. I don’t follow Australian Idol, so I wasn’t sure who he was. But I have to say second to Jess, his story touched me the most. He has been struggling with the same disorder that I have, Pyroluria. He just recently found out by chance by a Kinesiologist suggesting that he got tested. Pyroluria is not something that many people know about. It is a Blood disorder that depletes the brain of Vitamin B and Zinc. It inhibits the Anti Anxiety and Anti Depression hormones in the brain from activating. I found out a few years back when I visited a fantastic nutritionist. It was the same visit that I also found out about my intolerance and leaky gut. But this was the first time I have heard anyone speak out about it. Although I have not had the same experience as he did, it is something that does continue to impact my life even now. I never went on any medications to control my anxiety, I just learned to live with it. I suppose I am more lucky than others whose symptoms are much worse then mine. I still don’t drive and occasionally get anxiety attacks but now that I take vitamins to balance my levels I have really noticed the difference.

Next on stage was Cyndi O’Meara. I was also not familiar with Cyndi before this evening. She has written two best selling books on nutrition and also speaks at many health seminars. Unlike others who found health and well being through bad health, Cyndi was brought up with the same ideology that she holds today. She believes in whole organic foods and a chemical free lifestyle and disagrees with fad diets and unnecessary medicating. I was intrigued by her point of view and was really excited to hear someone given an Australian perspective on health and wellbeing. Much of the information I read and watch is aimed at an American audience. So it was good to hear someone talk about issues about our health and farming system in Australia. I ended up buying her book after the show. Although she is not vegan and does believe in including animal products, I still believe she has a very powerful message.

The last guest on stage was another Australian, James Colquhoun. I have never heard him talk either. I have seen his picture on the Food Matters website, but never realised he was Australian. He’s a really funny guy and really lives his own ideology. If you haven’t seen his documentaries I really recommend them both. They really did change my way of thinking about food and health and made me really concerned about how I was going to change my life. His story is also really amazing, on how he helped his own father’s quality of life through nutrition and love and then made a movie to share with the rest of the world what he had learned along the way. If you watch his documentaries you wouldn’t of known where he came from, but the fact that is how it originated makes me value his work even more.

So that was my Thursday night. I’m so glad I went to this event and wish you could of all joined me too. All four of these guys are definitely leaders in this industry and their stories are not only inspiring, but also sincere. They may not all live on the same life style diet, but they all share the same ideology that living and eating the natural way is the best thing you can do for you and your families health.