Do you a recall the moment you were first interested in natural health?
I always loved cooking and baking when I was younger and I read a lot of nutritional science books which, back then, I could barely understand. But they fascinated me and led me to study at Endeavour to learn more about how the food we eat can impact our health.
What did you study at Endeavour College of Natural Health?
I studied the Bachelor of Health Science, Nutritional Medicine in Melbourne, full time over three years.
Why did you choose to study at Endeavour?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines are grossly outdated when you consider the current nutritional science. I wanted to learn at a private university that had practising lecturers with real-life, practical experience. I wanted to learn up-to-date, evidence-based nutritional research and Endeavour definitely delivered this. We were strongly educated on the fact that each individual is different, and we must approach our patients accordingly with a fresh perspective.
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What did you love the most about your degree?
I loved the variety of subjects that were covered over the course of the three years — from my favourite, nutritional biochemistry, to psychology, clinical examination and business studies. It really made me feel equipped to enter the “real world” after study.
Did you face any challenges while studying and how did you overcome them?
I found the degree demanding in time and study, but by working with friends from campus, talking out the concepts and ideas I was able to retain information and perform better in assessments.
What are three tips you would give someone looking to start a career in natural health?
- Find your passion. Pick a topic you’re fascinated with and delve deep. Perhaps it’s female reproductive health, oncology support or sports nutrition. It’s impossible to know everything about every health concern when you finish your degree, or ever! But you can get specific and find a niche early.
- Simple is sometimes best. You will learn so much through your studies but never forget the importance of basic sleep, movement, hydration and lovingly prepared meals for someone’s health before you jump immediately into expensive supplementation.
- Have compassion. It’s important not to judge people for their lifestyle choices and know that we are all at different stages in our wellness journey. Start where your clients are. Perhaps encouraging frozen vegetables or healthy takeaway options while they learn to eat real food is more useful than demanding they cook everything from scratch.
What does your wellness practice look like now?
I eat great food prepared from scratch, spend time outside, meditate (most days), drink lots of water, take notice of how my body feels each day, do work that I enjoy, spend quality time with loved ones and enjoy an almond croissant every now and then.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got a lot of amazing plans lined up including developing the menu for a healthy vegan salad cafe, developing the recipes for the next CSIRO diabetes cookbook, and I’m also launching my first digital cookbook, A Small Book of Really Good Salads. I hope to do more of these during the year with the talented food photographer Luisa Brimble.
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For more, visit megyonson.com or @megyonson on Instagram.
Endeavour College of Natural Health is the leader in natural health education and produces the experts that keep the world well. Offering courses in naturopathy, nutrition, acupuncture, complementary medicine, massage and more, Endeavour allows you to discover a career in a thriving industry. For more, visit endeavour.edu.au.
