It's been a long time since I've written about health on HIVE, partly because I've written a lot about it in with my involvement of a large community here focussed on alternative and natural healing. I learnt so much from people through that community. Yet still my own health journey comes down to some core things that have always been part of my life, as I was raised in a household that focussed on being healthy. Not only that, I lived in an environment that was quite health conscious - in a small town on a beautiful stretch of coastline. Everyone I knew ate healthily so it wasn't very difficult. Foraging, herbs, plants - all that was just how we grew up. No Maccas in my world...

These days, I'm much the same - I still eat a principally vegetarian diet, with not a lot of cheese - mainly paneer, halloumi and sprinklings of parmesan on pasta although most times I'll choose the vegan option. I don't have a problem with eating cheese, I'm just conscious of the industry that produces it which has a huge impact on the planet and isn't always ethical or kind. But that's a whole other debate. For me, it's about getting enough protein, and having a varied diet.

The major snackfood in our house is dates and almonds. That's what it was when I was a kid, except Mum bought figs and apricots as well, and other kinds of nuts, which Jamie can't eat (even the figs makes him sick). I do make an awesome seed loaf which puts pretty much all the goodness into one amazing loaf, including psyllium, which is good for the gut, oats for the nervous system, and lots of nuts and seeds. It's really filling and we eat a lot of it, and it always makes us feel better than eating a ton of bread.

I grew up with Mum saying things like: 'you shouldn't have the same breakfast two days in a row' and 'did you know capsicum has a lot of vitamin c in it' and 'you should have an orange with your dinner to help absorb the iron'. Of course when you're growing up that's kinda annoying but then it did help me understand health through food, and whenever I'm feeling poorly it's food I look to for the answer. What should I be eating to make myself feel better? Most often it's dal soup rich with turmeric, ginger and chilli, and some coconut yoghurt on top! Top tip: lemons with everything - they are a flavour enhancer!

Of course many of you will also know that I'm pretty fanatical about herbs. Sure, I can make a salve or a tea, but I love just adding tons of them to my diet in all kinds of ways, whether I'm nibbling on fresh coriander seeds in the garden or a few leaves of fennel or adding fresh horseradish leaves or basil to a garden salad. There's sooo many nutrients in plants that the more you can get in the diet the better.

Of course, nothing is certain. Dad's diet was immaculate and he exercised all the time with surfing and yoga and so on and he still got sick (likely due to the chemicals in Vietnam) and then I am a highly anxious person so sometimes I think I'm vibrating myself to an early grave. But as we said to Dad, of course being healthy is worth it because you live a good life on the way to the grave.

One of his philosophies was 'you just gotta keep moving'. I'm not fanatical about exercise by any means, except for surfing, but I do try to walk everyday, do my core exercises, some yoga and meditation. Move it or lose it, so they say, and I'm feeling that more and more the older I get.

I never have got my head around fad diets like keto and always have my Mum's voice echoing round my head that the only good diet is a healthy diet. That means different things for the diversity of bodies and genetics we all have but I know what it works for me. I go into meltdown if I don't eat a lot of veggies daily whereas Jamie, raised on a British diet, gets upset if he doesn't have his vegemite toast daily and baked beans at least once a week. He always said he'd be loads less healthier if he didn't have me. Grated beetroot, for example, was a foreign concept. And having something like the below on pasta was just wild. But he loves it. This one has kale, lacto fermented lemons, roast sunflower seeds, wild garlic, fennel, spinach and broccoli. Eat your greens!

I'm really blessed with being able to cook so it always takes me by surpise when people can't, or don't know how to supplement their diet naturally. I find myself pushing things like fire cider onto people. It's so darn easy and so good for the immune system. Some people might know about it but they'll be getting it from the shop which just blows my mind. Anything you need to figure out how to make you can find out on the internet.

One of those things is salves or balms. Lavender and calendula are a firm favourite. Currently I'm drying plantain to make a healing balm as many of you know my experiences with that wonder plant!

And then of course, I have a slight obsession with growing my own mushrooms.. they add protein, fibre and other goodness to the diet, as well as some pretty amazing healing abilities if you're talking turkeytail, reishi and so on.

All in all I think @anttn and I line up pretty well with our attitudes to health. You can join in his challenge here is his lovely Unity Toward Freedom community. Oh, and if you're interested in herbs as party of a healthy diet, there's a Herbal Hive challenge on at the moment so don't forget to check that out!