HAWMC – I Write About My Health Because….

I write about my health because I know there must be other people who would benefit from learning more about a truly nourishing diet.

These might not be people exactly like me. They might to have spent most of their young adult life obsessing about how to be healthy whilst also totally failing to be. They might not have gotten totally confused about the differences between being super thin and super healthy. They might not have dealt with low energy as a result of too little iron, compromised fertility as a result of low fat dieting, or disrupted moods as a result of too much sugar. They might not have experienced all those things, but if they dealt with even one then I am now so sure better information about nourishing food could help.

Health is much bigger than that though. Although I only have direct experience of my situation, I want to educate myself about a spectrum of other issues. From health compromised by chronic illness, to chronic illness as a result of obesity or allergies, being healthy is no longer the default path in this crazy life. Some of us have more challenging genetics and some of us have lifestyles which at times do our health no favours. (That’s totally a note to self, BTW). Nourishing food can help with all of that! I used to be really shy about discussing my health history, but as I get older I’m trying to be a lot more open. I suppose we all have our demons.

On a more selfish note, I also write about my health, because I want to make a career of it. I’m hoping to help people, but I’m also hoping that one day people will want to pay me for this help. Writing about health helps me to organise my own thoughts on the matter and I hope it will help me to be a better communicator. That’s the main reason I’m participating in this challenge. It holds me more accountable.

Sometimes, I’m not really sure why I write about my health per se. I love writing about food too, and it’s a much less complicated subject. It makes people happy, instead of forcing reflection and (I’m guessing) boredom. My recipe related posts are always much more popular than my nutrition ones (my wine and coffee posts aside!) and they feel so much less challenging to share. Health is personal – it’s like writing about a relationship, or a child, or a partner.  So why do it? I guess because I think elements of what I write might ring true with a lot of people. Like me, you don’t have to have an eating disorder to mean the way you are eating is under-nourishing for you. I guess also because I want to show that you don’t have to live off kale juice, in order to transform your health. And I guess because I think talking about all sides of life – the frosting sides that most blog posts represent, the more studious sides that some blogs represent and the less holds barred side that posts like this represent – is important. I find it difficult not be embarrassingly honest when I write, unlike real life where I am very happy to gloss over things. Therefore, I like to give that honest side a voice, and keep my fingers crossed that it resonates with someone.

I also pretty firmly believe Maya Angelou’s quote than ‘We are all more alike my friends, than we are unalike’.

I’d also really love to hear other peoples answers… and you don’t have to be be a health blogger… I’d just love to know what motivates you to write…?

The Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge is hosted by WEGO Health. I will be writing a post a day for all 30 days. I hope you’ll join me in writing every day about health. All you have to do to join is sign up here.