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Secrets for Healthy Living

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A certified integrative nutrition health coach, Ms. Daniela Rosu moved to the Gulf region in 2003. After 5 years of working in Kuwait, she relocated to Bahrain. Having lived and worked in Europe and the GCC and with an unbeatable experience in recruitment, human resources and hospitality, Daniela is currently one of the most sought after health coaches in the kingdom. The Bahrain This Week team got in touch with her and Daniela was kind enough to share with us her experience being a health coach and her new health coaching practice All in All Health.

“A Health Coach offers guidance and inspiration to help clients shift their behavior to healthier habits by making step-by-step changes to their diet and lifestyle,” she begins. “A health coach is a guide and mentor who empowers clients to take responsibility for their own health and supports them to implement and sustain lifestyle and behavior changes that will contribute to the achievement of their personal wellness goals.

“In our current healthcare system, almost no time is spent discussing daily diet and lifestyle. The world needs well-trained professionals to teach people to adopt a healthier lifestyle,” Daniela comments. But with more and more awareness being spread, not only are doctors hiring more health coaches than ever before, but patients are learning that working with a health coach is one of the most effective ways to improve their health.

“A few years ago I had the desire to study more on nutrition, wellness and a healthy lifestyle. After some research I decided to enroll as a student with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York where I was trained in more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods,” she says, speaking of her beginning in nutrition and well being. “This was truly a life changing experience for me; it was the catalyst to find my passion to work with people who are open to discover themselves and ready to build a happy, healthy and wealthy life for themselves and their families using a holistic approach. Currently I’m pursuing my education to become a Certified Corporate Wellness Coach from the Spencer Institute.”

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When we asked her about a typical day as a health coach, Daniela smiles and says, “Believe it or not, even health coaches have different days. I have my own routine which has been part of my life for many years, so becoming a health coach came very naturally to me. I have always been an early riser but living in the Gulf made me a permanent early bird; as I wake up very early to avoid the heat when walking with my best companion – my rescue dog from Kuwait.”

Telling us about her daily schedule, Daniella says that after her morning walk, she prepares some warm water with freshly juiced lemon and her morning juice or smoothie. When time is short before she heads to work, she grabs her smoothie to go. “Breakfast and lunch are my main meals of the day; usually I prepare them the evening before. Lunch is usually a salad with vegan protein and / or fish and seafood. Dinner usually is very frugal and I always try to have it before 6.30pm as later I usually attend some yoga classes, have a few online coaching sessions, or skype with my family and friends. Before bed I’m always catching up on some good reading. Week-ends of course are a little different and I always spend some time for much needed self-care,” she says.

All in All Health is the brand name of her health coaching practice. There are a few opportunities in the near future for setting up a wellness centre, but this is just at the initial phase of discussions, Daniela tells us, clearly excited about her health coaching practice. “The concept behind the brand All in All Health is an integrative approach which offers a clear path to healthy living. It addresses the full spectrum of nutrition and offers healing on many levels. The idea is to incorporate services which can support all aspects of our life which affect the way we eat and ultimately our health.”

She adds, “As a huge animal lover, I’ll enroll soon to study to become a holistic pet nutritionist. In this way I’ll offer both people and pets complete holistic programs which are integrated in my health coaching practice.”

When we asked her to comment on the major health concerns she notices in this part of the world, she says, “The Middle East is undergoing a rapid transition towards diseases that dominate in US and Western Europe, such as heart disease, depression, diabetes. Potentially preventable risk factors such as poor diets, high blood pressure, high body mass index (an indicator of obesity and overweight), lack of exercise and smoking are contributing to the growing rate of these very diseases. So Yes! It’s true; lack of exercise and obesity are few of the major health concerns associated to the increasing rate of diet related diseases.”

Daniela continues on the dangers individuals face when struggling with low self esteem. “Part of the reason some people have poor self-esteem is a discrepancy between expectations and reality (though this reality is usually distorted). Deep down we have all unconsciously constructed an idea of who we ‘should’ be: how we should look, act, think, feel and be regarded by others. Not meeting these ‘shoulds’ can have a negative impact on self-esteem. When we fail to match those standards, the response may be frustration, anger or even hatred for the parts of ourselves that don’t measure up.” Continuing on its effect on general health she adds, “Low self-esteem is dangerous for your mental and physical health. When feelings of low self-esteem are accompanied by negative emotions such as anxiety, depression and stress, then this fatal combination increases the risk of heart diseases. On the contrary, high levels of self-esteem strengthen mental and physical health.”

Daniela’s sessions are well known for offering a non-judgmental place, where, as a health coach she empowers her clients to find their own answers and then support them in their journey; their road map to health. She ensures that they understand the concept of primary foods that feed us, but don’t come on a plate: relationships, physical activity, career and spirituality. As she states, “When primary food is balanced and satiating, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.

“My unique approach is that I’m teaching clients to become self-sufficient by observing their own unique responses to various modifications and choosing health-promoting behaviors that work for them at their own pace.”

Daniela has a special message for the readers of BTW: “It’s never too late to change your life for the best. It is possible to shift bad behaviors; our body has the power to heal itself by itself once given the chance!”

Daniela ends our enlightening conversation by telling us that, “This is your life, not a dress rehearsal! One of the easiest and more effective ways of making changes in your life is to change the way you eat. The body will thank you! The foods you intake, together with primary food, creates the fuel for your body, mind and spirit. Health and happiness are strongly linked. The better you feed yourself, the better you feel.

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