WHY I CAN TALK ABOUT STRESS FOR HOURS ON END

If you’ve worked with me, or followed me for any length of time, you’ll already know that I talk a lot about stress and stress management. My close friends might even warn you not to raise the subject—because once I start, I rarely stop.

That’s because stress genuinely fascinates me. More importantly, it’s personal. Through my own experience, I’ve come to believe that when stress is addressed in a way that is appropriate to you, it has the potential to be truly life-changing.

My story

In 2011, while living in Greece, I suffered a series of viral infections that left me with a persistent wheezy cough. Months of investigations followed—lung function tests, scans, biopsies—before I was eventually diagnosed with possible sarcoidosis of the lungs. It was frightening, confusing, and emotionally exhausting.

Clear explanations were hard to come by, and much of what I learned initially came from my own research rather than from medical professionals. I did know, however, that sarcoidosis is an autoimmune condition—and having been Coeliac since infancy, that connection made sense to me.

After moving back to the UK, further tests followed, culminating in a particularly frightening summer that included a lung cancer scare. Thankfully, a PET scan later confirmed there was nothing cancerous. The scarring remained, along with some breathlessness, but steroids helped reduce inflammation—and most importantly, it wasn’t cancer.

A shift in perspective

As my lung function gradually improved, I went on to complete my training as a Personal Trainer and Nutritional Advisor. Alongside the professional learning came a deeper personal reflection on my own health and lifestyle.

I had always been active and had eaten reasonably well, particularly during my years as a dancer—but much of this had been unconscious rather than intentional. My subsequent training encouraged me to become more mindful and more deliberate about how I lived. It also gave me the space to ask an important question: what had really contributed to my illness?

Life in Greece — and the missing piece

On the surface, life in Greece had looked healthy. The food was fresh and home-cooked, I spent time outdoors, I was active, and I was raising two young boys.

What I hadn’t fully recognised at the time was just how stressed I was. Running a business, navigating the Greek economic crisis, raising a family, and living within a mix of cultures had created a level of chronic stress that I hadn’t consciously acknowledged. I was simply “getting on with it.”

One UK consultant later suggested that stress may play a significant role in sarcoidosis. Not all medical professionals agree, of course—but it was a perspective that resonated deeply with me. Often, we don’t recognise stress until our bodies force us to stop.

My wake-up call

The viruses that initially made me ill turned out to be my wake-up call. While steroids reduced inflammation and supported my recovery, I knew I couldn’t rely on medication alone. My goal became supporting my body so that medication could eventually be reduced—and, ideally, stopped.

Lifestyle changes followed: more intentional nutrition, improved movement habits, returning to Pilates, and—crucially—learning to meditate. A six-week meditation course became a genuine turning point. For the first time, I learned how to step out of the constant mental “spinning” that had dominated my thoughts.

Understanding stress changed everything

Learning about the physiology of stress—particularly through the work of Robert Sapolsky—made stress tangible and therefore manageable. Once I understood what stress was doing to my body, it lost much of its power over me.

Daily meditation became my anchor. Alongside movement and nourishing food, it allowed my nervous system to settle, improved my sleep, supported my parenting, and helped me reconnect with myself.

Eventually, I was able to stop taking steroids altogether. I remain under observation for autoimmune conditions, but I’m healthy—and resilient to the everyday bugs and stresses of life.

Why this matters

Today, I see the same pattern repeatedly in clients: stress accumulating quietly, day by day, until it manifests as fatigue, illness, pain, or emotional overwhelm. The good news is that stress can be managed, and when it is addressed within a genuinely supportive lifestyle, the results can be profound.

I don’t share this because I’ve read it somewhere. I share it because I’ve lived it, and I’ve seen it work—both for myself and for others. It’s a large part of why I do what I do, and why I believe so deeply in helping people find approaches to wellbeing that truly fit their lives.