Folks We Love with Maria Harpas Naturopath & Clinical Nutritionist
We reached out to Maria when writing our book Zen Mamas to discuss some of the important superfoods women can incorporate into their diets before, during and after pregnancy. Maria is the director of Natural Health Medicine, Clinical Nutritionist and a Naturopathic practitioner, and has been practicing for 10 years. She has recently written an e-book “Super Nutrients for Baby Making” we think is an amazing and informative read when you are preparing your body for baby. We chatted with Maria to talk about her work and journey to become a Clinical Nutritionist and Naturopathic practitioner.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I’m from Adelaide in South Australia and have lived here my whole life.
WHO IS IN YOUR FAMILY?
My husband Peter and our two beautiful sons (I am definitely biased!), Nikolas and Adam who are 20 and 17 years old.
OCCUPATION?
I am a naturopath and clinical nutritionist, practicing now for 12 years. I used to work for Ansett Australia the Australian carrier before they went under, unfortunately! I have always loved the jobs I have had, I’m very fortunate.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN NATURAL HEALTH MEDICINE?
I started studying when Nikolas was 1 year old, and really did it as a hobby because I was so interested in it, at the time my main focus was my boys. I was a stay at home mum and student, it took 8 years to finish my studies. As I was moving closer to finishing I felt I could really help people, so once Adam started school I found a tiny room in a health spa to rent very cheaply and begged all my friends and family to send me clients. In the early days I would sit and call other health related businesses such as gyms, chiropractors, physiotherapist etc asking for cross referrals.
WHAT IS A NATUROPATH?
A Naturopath, looks at healthcare by incorporating a range of natural therapies. These include, lifestyle factors, such as looking at diet, sleep & exercise habits, environmental influences such as chemicals, additives & wifi exposure, social connections & relationships as well as stress management techniques. The relationship is a very interactive one between practitioner and client (rather than seeing the person as a patient, the idea is to empower the relationship to one of equality), discussing strategies together, using a practical approach, addressing the whole person rather than isolating the person to their symptoms.
It’s about functional medicine, nutrition, the use of whole foods, using medicinal herbs, rectifying nutritional deficiencies and insufficiencies. I also assess biochemical pathways which might not be working efficiently in doing their job, incorporating pathology tests to establish how these areas are operating and finally also looking at genetic weaknesses. All this information establishes a bigger and better picture of one’s health and allows progress to be measured beyond symptoms which can at times be subjective. It’s a brilliant way to resolve illnesses, improve symptoms and also prevent disease. I see it as a look under the bonnet to really know where your health is and what the future trajectory looks like.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOMING A NATUROPATH AND CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST?
I grew up in a very conventional family unit, my mum cooked all our food from scratch, so that was quite normal to me but I was a very fussy eater! My first insight into alternative living came from a family who lived next door to my grandma, they where as hippy as you can get and I got along very well with the girls in the family, who where my age, so we used to spend a week every school holidays at a farm they had in Kersbrook eating unprocessed foods (I conformed to their eating when I was there), eating damper, climbing trees and roaming the land I just loved it, it felt so “right” to me!
In my early 20’s I was really sick of my allergies, and sick of being given medication for it. That’s when I started reading about natural therapies and I started changing my diet this started to improve not only my symptoms but also my energy levels which I didn’t even realise at the time weren’t that great. I started to become more and more interested and intrigued and began studying. So what started as an interest and hobby very quickly developed into a clinical practice.
HOW DID YOU MEET TERESA AND HER PARTNER IN LOVEWELL CHRISTIANE?
I met Christiane through my brother many years ago. Then last year Christiane asked me if I could do an interview for Lovewell and that is when I met Teresa and lucky enough to be involved with them. I have really enjoyed it, it’s a different way of serving and it’s very exciting.
DO YOU FEEL PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN CAN BENEFIT FROM SEEING A NATUROPATH?
Absolutely this is such a life changing time in a woman’s life and there are so many biochemical changes happening, whilst absolutely wonderful it can also be unsettling and exhausting. Ensuring emotional and nutritional support is critical not only for growing bubs, but also to support good mood and energy levels for mum to be. Nutritional needs change during the various trimesters and checking and meeting these changes is so important.
DO YOU FIND THAT AUSTRALIA IS MORE CONSERVATIVE OR MORE PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE?
I think western countries in general are not as progressive and are more pharmaceutical focused, rather than dealing with health concerns from a more practical natural approach. In saying that, things are changing at a fast speed and many people no longer need convincing that diet, sleep, exercise and stress play a massive role in their health. In fact it was only 18 years ago when I would have to order organic milk from the supermarket, they would get it in for me, and I would visit various different outlets to find the health foods I needed for my family. Today you can get everything from a good supermarket. The foods I eat now no longer look weird to people but 20-30 years ago they where!
It’s also understandable that alternative medicine was pushed aside for a while, with the discovery of antibiotics as it saved many lives and still does, and the beginning of the oral contraceptive pill changed how woman lived giving them so much more freedom to decide how many children they had and when they had them. Decades later we are at the after math of this excitement and we are starting to see there is also a downside to these medicines. So it makes sense that we find a sweet spot and use them with care and weigh up their strengths and limitations both short term and long term. We need to focus back on the fundamentals of natural medicine, because it offers so much more than many may appreciate. We really understand the importance in preserving our gut flora now, and the importance of adequate nutrition to support mood, energy and immune pathways.
HAS YOUR WORK SHIFTED DURING THE TIME OF COVID 19?
It was quite confronting in the early stages, dealing with the lack of understanding about the virus and what sort of real threat we where under was the first thing. Initially I thought my whole business was going to be shut down and my husband and I had to consider what we would do and we particularly did not want our boys to panic, it was very surreal. Fortunately only part of my business was effected, and the Australia government have come in with some brilliant incentives for small businesses, which I have been so grateful for. There may be some longer term business effects, we will need to wait and see, turning to meditation, prayer and mindfulness has been wonderful, while we wait and see how things unfold.
WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR STAYING HEALTHY DURING THIS PANDEMIC?
Sure, because most people’s routines have changed during this time, we are exercising less, more time at home might include more visits to the fridge and pantry eating more packaged foods. So building in a new routine to accommodate the change to living at home is important. I have helped clients map out a plan from waking to bed, so this has included: waking at the same time in the morning, doing a 30 to 60 minutes movement routine of some sort, starting with a nourishing breakfast, and allocating appropriate break times through the day. We have also included social times with friends and family. This time slotting of things has been extremely useful.
WHAT CHANGES HAS COVID PRESENTED YOUR BUSINESS?
Many of my consults moved via phone, skype or zoom, although this is now changing as Adelaide has had no cases for weeks now. Some of my practitioners, such as the body workers were unable to work, that is starting up again now in Adelaide. When things initially shut down there was an influx of clients wanting things to support their immune systems, that is all now settling back to normal.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR E-BOOK?
My supernutrient for baby making e-book is a great resource for anyone who really wants to know which nutrients are needed for a healthy pregnancy and when they are needed. You get a nutrient checklist in detail and how to find those nutrients in your diet. There are charts that show you the foods highest in the most important vitamins and minerals, to make a healthy baby. You learn about the nutrients that are needed at each stage of pregnancy and exactly what role each nutrient performs in your developing baby. There are also great tips on how to apply these foods in your everyday food regime. I also include a list of pathology tests to consider so you are sure you aren’t missing out on anything vital. Whilst its specific to vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians – meat eaters will find it just as valuable. I also have some practical experience because I was a vegetarian during both my pregnancies.
WHERE DO YOU FEEL MOST INSPIRED?
I get so inspired and absolutely excited when I help people make changes to their lifestyle, or identify a nutrient issue or pathway that, once rectified results in them having more energy or better mood or some other health issue they have been dealing with. This is such a rewarding feeling, to know I have been part of improving someone’s life, because it results in a better quality of life for them and when people have health, the quality of their lives is so much better.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE STRESS?
I am naturally a problem solver and this certainly helps manage stress for me.
I use relaxation techniques such as meditation and breath work for when I need to give my central nervous system a break!
One of the biggest things that I learnt over a decade ago was “the work” of Byron Katie, it absolutely changed the way I view the world. This work taught me to let go, to really question my thoughts so they don’t continually bother me, to understand that everyone is doing the best they know how, it taught me to accept things as they are and take responsibility for my part in any situation. All these concepts have given me much peace. I also have faith in a higher power, which really helps me, especially because of how vulnerable we are in this life. All of these have been fantastic in my stress management and I am very appreciative of this.
HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE SELF CARE ?
I eat really well, wholefoods 95% of the time (except on holidays!). I am pretty strict with my sleep these days as it really makes a difference to how I feel. I walk regularly with friends and also run, and now that I am getting older I have become more serious with weights for my bone health.
I love the occasional bath with candles and reading a book. Every month I have a ritual of setting up candles in the bathroom and using flaxseed oil with beautiful essential oils and rubbing it all over my body, I do this when there is no one in the house.. JAll these things have become so much easier now that my kids are older.
I have a relaxation massage every three weeks. I absolutely love having little coffee meet ups with friends. I am addicted to little holiday breaks to give me a break from my usual schedule and allow me time to reflect on my life, as well as getting me off the computer!
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE LEARNED?
Ooh there have been so many things I have learnt in my 50 years, here are a few!
1.Without our health or that of our loved ones, it’s difficult for anything else to have meaning.
2.Family & relationships are the most deeply meaningful achievement of anything else in life.
3.Kindness trumps all, and is the most loving experience for me, both in giving and receiving.
WHAT ARE 4 THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?
My family, safety, freedom, health and love – that’s 5! xx
