My love affair with nature and herbs started many years ago back in Portugal, my homeland. I grew up surrounded by the scent of freshly cut thyme and mint, by the taste of home grown oregano sprinkled on my mother’s salads and by the comfort of lemongrass and verbena infusions from my grandmother’s courtyard. Herbal remedies, often garlic and lemon, were nature’s treats to heal colds and pains.

Being passionate and curious about both nature and science, straight out of High School I decided to study biology and ended up following an academic research career, firstly with a Master Degree in Plant Biology.  Later, wanting to do something more health orientated, I moved to the UK to do a PhD in Skin Cancer Biology and I continued my research for several years afterwards. Currently, I am also working part-time in breast cancer research.

At some point in my life, the herbs from my childhood started ‘to talk’ to me again reminding me how much they had to offer and how much fun we had together back then. I listened carefully and went straight into finding a way to learn more about them and how they could help me to help others. And that’s how I went on studying Naturopathy and specialised in Herbal Medicine, which I believe allowed me to finally “marry” my two passions, plants and health, creating the rewarding formula of working with natural medicine.

MEMBERSHIPS

I am a member of the Association of Master Herbalists (AMH), the General Naturopathic Council (GNC), the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP) and the UK Reiki Federation 

VOLUNTARY WORK

I am currently volunteering at St Joseph's Hospice as a Reiki practitioner