If I Were In Charge...
What would you do Melissa Hemsley?
I'm Nahid, "the nervous system whisperer" - Author, somatic movement educator, and creator of The Soothe Programme. After nearly losing my life by ignoring my body's signals, I've spent two decades helping people rewire their nervous systems through movement, transforming how they feel and therefore how they think.
Buy Soothe UK out now in paperback / Soothe US
Hello, hope you are well. I have been on a social whirl, which has been most welcome. I’ll write about it another time.
In times of chaos and uncertainty, I find myself drawn to ideas, hope, and creativity - they're what keep me going. I often catch myself wondering, "If I were in charge, what would I do?"
Every so often, I like to spotlight someone I've encountered in my travels - people who are both kind and brilliant, and who I've somehow convinced to share their thoughts with us. Ready?
Meet Melissa Hemsley, who, along with her sister Jasmin,e are the original food influencers. They have gone their own way, now Melissa is on a mission to make healthy cooking easy and affordable and has written 12 books! I’ve been enjoying guiding Melissa through The Soothe Programme over the last 12 weeks, more on that soon.
Who are you?
My name is Melissa Hemsley and work wise I’m a ex private chef for bands and actors and over the last 15 years, I’ve been a bestselling cookbook author of easy healthy recipes for busy tired people. I’d love to shout out my book - Real Healthy: unprocess your diet. - which has some lovely reviews from doctors, psychologists, food activists and from confident cooks and non confident cooks alike.
I’m an ambassador for The Felix Project, Mental health Mates and Future Dreams breast cancer support.
Life-wise I’m a mum of a two-year-old and I just finished the biomedicine year of my nutrition degree, which I’m studying part-time and is super challenging but really lights up my brain. I have a substack called Things that Make my Heart Sing and I turn 40 this year. I’m excited for my 40s and excited to see what adventures are ahead for me. Whatever they are, I know I’m looking for a slower pace and more time outdoors.
What’s Your Mission?
Everyone deserves healthy food, but this is far from happening - we have both a food waste crisis and a hunger crisis in the UK and on average, a UK adult eats a 65% diet made up of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), so I’m on a mission to help make it happen.
How do you look after yourself?
I prioritise learning from great teachers (hello, Nahid!) and try to put their lessons into practice each day. I fail on this all the time, so I take each day as it comes and challenge myself to do the basics, fresh sun in my eyes, quiet time - I try my best to pay attention to what my body is trying to tell me.
Also, despite being a cook, I don’t cook every day. I have a gentle weekly meal plan and batch cook meals or ingredients, freezing some to easily pull together healthy, nourishing, and delicious meals every day for myself and my family. I feel like that is one of the best ways that I can and invest in myself
If you were in charge, what are the first three things that you would do?
Show everyone how to cook a handful of simple recipes that they can riff off of - including a soup and a frittata.
End all wars and lock up the war criminals and let children grow up in peace
Teach everyone how to get to know their bodies and minds through regular meditation/breathwork / somatic movement and make sure these tools and teachers are free for everyone to access
Please recommend a book, a podcast/radio or a film/TV programme:
Book: Wise words for women by Donna Lancaster
Podcast - natural health with the college of naturopathic medicine (where I’m studying)
TV - Slow Horses on Apple TV - humour, drama, I fancy the lead actor, Jack Lowden who is apparently the next Mr Darcy.
What are you currently working on?
Currently working on my nervous system and resting up, getting ready for my next round of IVF, which can be quite gruelling, so seeking out nourishment in all areas of my life.
You can hear from me 2 or 3 times a month in my newsletter. I share recipes, of course, as well as lovely life moments, practices and people I’ve come across. You can sign up here.
I couldn’t recommend my college more for weekend courses and like mine, 3 year degrees. You can study herbalism, acupuncture homoeopathy, naturopathy and nutritional therapy. I’m so glad I signed up after years of mulling it over. I used to do food demos at the college 12 years ago, so I’ve come full circle.
P.S They have an ambassador set up so if you’re interested in finding out more, have a look on this link, you get £250 off your course if you end up booking a course, I get £250 too. Win! Win!
HOLD STEADY - Somatic Lessons For Challenging Times
NEW LIVE 8-week course. Last I wrote about how to HOLD STEADY which elicited many questions and comments, which prompted the next LIVE course will be: HOLD STEADY - Somatic Lessons For Challenging Times - the breath and movement practices that are keeping me steady when times are HARD. Book here.
The SOOTHE WEEKEND RETREAT on 10th - 12th October at The Quaives, a lovely retreat space in Kent, 51 minutes from St Pancras. I’ve already sold the cottages and the rooms in the main house. Rooms still available:
Dorm: 3 beds in the scandi-style dorm @ £650 pp
3 minutes drive up the road staying at The Tor Spa
3 x ensuite rooms 5 minutes car drive away @ £1150 pp
For paid subscribers, I’ve recorded a powerful lesson for embodied breathing.
Have a great weekend!
Stay human,
Nahid x
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