As Maternal Mental Health Week is upon us (April 30 – 6 May) local mum of four, Izzy Anderson from Ripon, Yorkshire, is on a mission to let mums know about the newly launched Nourish App. She is a proud contributor of the first wellbeing app of its kind created by mums for mums. A toolkit in your pocket to help you navigate the challenges of motherhood and support maternal mental health.
Izzy is a Wellness Coach, Mindfulness and Essential Oil Educator and over the past five months has recorded five meditations and prepared information around essential oils specifically supporting the emotions as her role as Contributor to the brand-new wellbeing app – ‘The Nourish App’.
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter last summer, the Nourish App is a broad library of practical and relevant self-care tools, including positive psychology, meditations, yoga poses and mantras to help mothers ride the emotional ups and downs of motherhood and boost their positive wellbeing.
Last year, Izzy started to share her own story to inspire and empower others to take control of their health and live a vibrant life with natural solutions and mindfulness.
Izzy Anderson, Wellness Coach, Mindfulness and Essential Oil Educator said; “It has been such a privilege to be part of the Nourish team. As a mum of four, I’ve lived and breathed the challenges of motherhood for 10 years. It feels amazing to be able to help mums and future mums – offering them tools that have helped me on my journey.
“This new app is a place of pure compassion, connection and nourishment. That mothers can reach for, not only for daily inspiration in selfcare, but also in times of stress, loneliness, overwhelm and more, to help them navigate their emotions, refill their cup, boost their happiness and ultimately access their best selves – for themselves and importantly, for their families.”
The Nourish App is the brainchild of Sara Campin, a personal development coach and strategy consultant, following her own mental health challenges and her own transformative journey with self-care. Sara has brought together a team of inspirational health and wellbeing professionals with a common mission, who share their expertise and tools via the app. Sara Campin said; “Yes, there’s lots of wellbeing apps out there. There’s lots of parenting apps out there. But there’s nothing that really focuses and talks to mothers’ wellbeing and the specific emotions and challenges they experience.”
Izzy discovered the powerful mix of mindfulness and essential oils when she personally navigated a difficult period in her own life. Izzy said: “I discovered mindfulness and the effectiveness of essential oils after hitting a difficult period in my own life. I had a turbulent time before the birth of my fourth baby. My best friend died of brain cancer, 3 days later I was involved in a serious road traffic accident whilst pregnant and with my two children in the car. My children were traumatised and I was left with chronic pain and was given a diagnosis of PND and PTSD.”
“I received amazing help from my health visitor and GP but didn’t feel comfortable taking the strong medication. Doctors diagnosed me as depressed and wanted to prescribe more and more drugs… but I had had enough of thinking that drugs were always the answer. I was low, overwhelmed, exhausted and wanted something that would make my body and mind feel better, not just numb. I recognised that I couldn’t medicate my feelings away and needed to find another route.”
“It was on a playdate with a friend that I was introduced to the calming influence of Frankincense and Balance (A blend specific blend made of trees). Within seconds the relief I felt from the topical application and inhalation of these oils was extraordinary. My feelings of anxiousness relieved and I felt an increased sense of being present once again in my own body. For the first time in months I was able to fully breathe and began to get curious about how these oils could support my life… from there I started to explore mindfulness and essential oils.”
As a Wellness Coach, Mindfulness and Essential Oil Educator, Izzy’s advice on the app is a mix of mindfulness training with her knowledge of essential oils. She continues; “My advice combines mindfulness training and essential oil education to help women look after their health. I have seen how the oils I use are revolutionising the way families manage their health. I harness nature’s most powerful elements and combine this with a mix of mindfulness training and healthy living.”
Aromatherapy is using essential oils and plant extracts to treat a variety of different conditions. The oils can be used in three ways topically (massage, as pain relief, healing) aromatically (diffuser, spray or simply a drop in your hands and inhale) and internally (in food, drink or medicinally).
Izzy runs workshops around the country focusing on natural healthcare, managing emotions and selfcare for mums. She is proof that the mix of mindfulness and pure essential oils can be effective for many ailments and mental health problems.
Nourish has already launched for download on Apple’s App Store for iPhones and will be available on Google Play Store for Android Phones later this year.
