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A slice of carrot cake, a classic 90s movie and the sound of the wind and sea are just some of the things a local lifestyle medicine coach turns to when she wants to relax.
Dr Jo Darwood is the founder of Inspired Life, a Lifestyle Medicine Education and Coaching service which aims to help people live their "healthiest, happiest lives without having to resort to medication or surgery".
Lifestyle medicine looks at someone's diet, mental health, their work-life balance or how they sleep, and as such, Jo knows the importance of unwinding and doing things that make you feel good.
"A big driver to setting up my own clinic was to allow me to have more flexibility to work around family life and to have time to do the things I know are important to be healthy and happy – eat well, move lots in the outdoors, spend time with family and friends and on my passion for learning," she explained.
"I don’t always get the balance right but I’m trying! In answering these questions, I wanted to be honest, not just provide answers that show just how well I practice what I preach in my Lifestyle Medicine clinic.
"We’re all imperfectly perfect humans, just doing the best we can, and I’m certainly not flawless anywhere near the whole time."
When she's not busy giving others tips about how to unwind, here's what Jo does...
...Well, that pretty much could be my answer – to unwind, I eat.
I love cooking and I love eating, especially with friends and family. While I try to stick to a healthy diet most of the time, nothing beats a big slice of carrot cake at Staks or an ice-cream while watching the waves in St. Ouen’s Bay.
...tea. Constantly. I blame my Irish roots.
As I “mature”, I’ve found I’m a bit more caffeine sensitive so tried to swap to herbal tea, but it’s just not my thing. So decaf it is! When I’m socialising, I do like a glass of red wine, but kombucha is a new, sparkly favourite that goes down brilliantly at a beach BBQ.
...the wind and the sea.
I’ve never really relaxed with music and am possibly the last person in the world still using an iPod shuffle (which explains why I don’t listen to any music from later than 2012), but I find tuning in to the sounds around me when walking or running really helps me destress.
I also have a growing appreciation of listening to my son’s jokes. His latest offering: “What’s the hardest fruit?... A pome-granite.”
...and read, and read, and read!
Whilst I do love a non-fiction book, especially a Lifestyle Medicine one, I often find in the evenings they leave my brain buzzing when I’m trying to get to sleep.
In that case, I resort to whatever novel I’ve grabbed in the library – leisurely selection is never possible with my son in tow. I quite like that, though – I’m never sure whether I’ll be reading a Booker prize winner or chick lit.
...movies. Again, my tastes haven’t really moved on since the early 2000s, and, as anyone who’s been to one of my menopause talks knows, I am still besotted with Keanu Reeves.
If I’m feeling particularly stressed, it’s Point Break, tea and some dark chocolate. When I’m feeling more energetic, I like running the cliff paths or mountain biking with my husband. The mountains aren’t mountains here but they’re still really fun and the scenery is just the best.
