Meeting with naturopath Lisa Nguyen
Since the creation of Yodi, Hélène Azancot has enjoyed forging links with wellness experts who share the same values of transparency, cleanliness, naturalness and sustainability.
In order to share these exchanges with as many people as possible, she decided to organize events at the Yodi boutique at 27 avenue Victor Hugo in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, to highlight these inspiring people.
These experts come from different backgrounds: naturopath, author, designer, interior decorator... but they all have one thing in common: they want to make things evolve towards a healthier future.
Today, Hélène met Lisa Nguyen.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Lisa Nguyen, I'm 35 years old, I'm a naturopath, trained at the Institut Supérieur de la Naturopathie and certified by the Fédération française des écoles de naturopathie since 2019, specialized in well-being massages and health speaker.
I work from my office in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, as well as in hotels in Paris and at the Maison Bien Être with Holissence.
I also give conferences and fun, practical workshops to raise employees' awareness of stress management, sleep and nutrition.
How did you discover this practice?
I've been involved with health and environmental associations for many years.
I'm very involved in community work for causes that are close to my heart (helping the homeless, fighting food waste, environmental issues).
In particular, I've done volunteer work for the Goodplanet Foundation and Générations Cobayes (an association raising awareness of endocrine disruptors for 18-35 year-olds).
Sharing and transmitting information on subjects related to health, food and the environment thrills me every day.
And it was through these workshops and various events where I tackled the notions of healthy eating, aromatherapy and phytotherapy that I discovered the naturopathic profession.
What are the principles of naturopathy?
Naturopathy aims to preserve and optimize an individual's overall health (physical, energetic and emotional), and to help the body regenerate itself through natural means (dietary advice, stress management, physical and respiratory activities, aromatherapy, phytotherapy, massage).
The aim of a vitality assessment? To measure your state of fitness by taking stock of your body's strengths and weaknesses.
During this 1h30 vitality assessment, I observe your morphology with a study of the shapes and proportions of your body, face, hands...
Then I take a detailed history, asking you questions about your family history, eating habits, sleep patterns and lifestyle.
Based on these observations and questions, I draw up a vital hygiene program tailored to your daily life.
All you have to do is put these simple tips into practice, and your health and well-being will be rapidly boosted.
A vitality check-up can help you improve your lifestyle, strengthen your immune system or find the causes of disorders such as :
- chronic fatigue and/or sleep disorders
- stress
- digestive disorders
- joint problems
- painful periods
- hormonal disorders
- natural pregnancy support...
As a health educator, the naturopath focuses on prevention.
We are health educators.
Our aim is to train our customers to take charge of their own health.
Do you have any tips for the change of season?
As winter and the festive season draw to a close, a number of problems arise: poor digestion, chronic fatigue...
Our bodies need to be awakened, to prepare for a spring of vitality.
It's the ideal season to drain the body and relieve it of the excesses of winter.
Get rid of minor aches and pains and gently wake up your metabolism.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the liver is in the spotlight at this time of year, so if you're feeling tired, with a dull complexion, difficulty digesting, digestive heaviness or nausea on waking, it's advisable to pamper your liver.
Bitter foods help the liver by stimulating bile secretion to improve digestion, so opt for endives, Brussels sprouts, pink radish, black radish and artichokes.
Drink milk thistle tea for its digestive action and to protect our liver cells.
A hot water bottle is your best friend, and should be placed on your liver for 20 minutes in the evening, as the liver works best with heat.
Before embarking on cures or detoxes that may be too much for our organism, we check that we have enough energy, that we're getting enough regenerative sleep, that we're not cold and that our nails aren't soft or brittle. In fact, these elements indicate that we have sufficient vitality to undertake a cure.
One of spring's star cures, fresh birch sap.
Indeed, in nature, this is the time when sap rises for the birch. Birch sap is harvested between mid-March and mid-April.
Growers pierce the bark of the tree, insert a pipe and harvest the sap directly.
Make sure your birch sap is fresh, organic, preservative-free and unpasteurized.
Birch sap is beneficial for everyone. It is just as suitable for the overworked and stressed as for the convalescent and sedentary, for sportswomen preparing for or recovering from exercise...
Cleansing, draining and remineralizing, birch sap is a source of vitality, rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Drink 250ml a day for 3 weeks.
I also recommend drinking kefir, a beverage obtained by fermenting kefir grains naturally rich in probiotics to nourish our intestinal microbiota.
My favorite brand? Kefir and Me: an artisanal production of water kefir combined with superfoods and 100% organic seasonal fruit.
Both beautiful and good for the body, I use it regularly as a treatment.
For some people, spring also means seasonal allergies, with their share of symptoms: sneezing, red and irritated eyes, runny nose... how can you help yourself with natural tips?
A rich diet is essential:
- in anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic quercetin: onions, garlic, broccoli, apples, citrus fruit
- vitamin C, anti-inflammatory and antihistamine: parsley, kiwi, citrus fruits, peppers, blackcurrants, broccoli
- reduce histamine-releasing foods such as charcuterie, fermented cheeses, white wine, labière, shellfish and chocolate
- To reduce your consumption of mucus-stimulating dairy products, it's time to discover or opt for alternative plant-based milks and creams in the kitchen.
- regularly cleanse the nose with Quinton water or Stérimar-type spray, and cornflower floral water to soothe red, irritated eyes.
- In gemmotherapy, blackcurrant bud is also recommended for its rich flavonoid content, which gives it a natural antihistaminic action.
It will also help and support your immune system and help against general fatigue.
Do you have anything to add?
It's important to return to a more natural lifestyle.
We tend to neglect our bodies, or not listen to the warning signs (chronic fatigue, digestive problems, recurring migraines, stomach aches, painful periods).
Yet it's our vehicle, our sacred temple...
There's an Indian proverb that says "Do good to your body so that your soul wants to stay in it".
Sometimes, illness or burnout forces a person to ask questions, to question his or her daily routine, thought patterns and routines, which were not necessarily adapted.
In naturopathy, we say that the microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything, and that it's by promoting health that we ward off disease.
That's why taking the time to get to know ourselves is so important: our health has an impact on our private and professional lives.
To get moving and act locally :)
Find out more about Lisa Nguyen