Since Simone Butchard became a health coach in 2013, it has been her mission to spread the message of health and happiness to all. Simone was encouraged to create a positive ripple effect to enrich the lives of others, either through one-on-one coaching, workshops, blogs or health products

“For me being a health coach is purely leading by example. When you walk your talk and live an authentic life, you naturally inspire others to do their version of the same,” she says. Simone now spreads this message through her blog Sunshine & Health and social media outlets.

profile: What is your approach to health and wellbeing?
simone: My approach is through kindness and awareness. Being kind to your body by nourishing it with nutrient-dense wholefoods, enjoyable exercise and just the right amount of shut eye; being kind to your mind by feeding it with positive, uplifting thoughts; and being kind to your spirit/soul by living with passion and purpose. And on those days when all this fails, it is about being kind to yourself and remembering no one is perfect.

profile: How important is it to nourish your body with healthy food and exercise?
simone: One of my favorite sayings is, “Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live in”. Our bodies are awesome machines that do so much for us on a day-to-day basis. We each only get one body in this lifetime so it makes sense to nourish and nurture it as much as possible. Eating clean, healthy food and moving your body daily, will give you the best fighting chance to thrive and ward off sickness or illness in their tracks. Just like you would fuel and service your car, it’s important to look after your body too.

profile: What advice do you have for people who need a kick start in the right direction?
simone: My best piece of advice is to begin with small baby steps. Often people try to change everything at once, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed and more likely to quit. You are better off starting out with small, achievable goals like ditching the soft drink for a month, or increasing your water intake, and then documenting how you feel after each one.

profile: What are some of the quickest and easiest ways to incorporate healthy food into your diet?
simone: Healthy food doesn’t need to be complicated, gourmet or time consuming, it just needs to be as close to its natural state as possible. For your main meals, keeping it simple is key. Granny was right with the meat and three veg, however some extra leafy greens wouldn’t go astray. A great way to super-charge your food from here is by adding some living sprouts (full of enzymes and phytonutrients), toss through some mineral-rich seaweed flakes (choose from kelp, dulse or wakame) or include a generous serving of sauerkraut (a natural probiotic for a happy, healthy tummy.)
If you are stuck for a healthy snack idea, try grabbing a piece of fruit, a celery stick filled with nut butter or an avocado topped with activated pumpkin and sunflower seeds. A homemade smoothie can be whipped up in next-to-no-time too.

profile: What is your big health no-no?
simone: Without a doubt it would have to be the heavily processed, “food like” substances, found on our supermarket shelves today. Things like fortified breakfast cereals, low fat stir-fry sauces, instant soup packets, margarine and microwave meals may look appealing to the eye, however they often come loaded with chemicals, preservatives, fillers, hidden sugars and a whole lot of artificial junk; that really have no purpose in the body. We were never designed to eat this fake stuff made in science labs, so over time it is proving to cause a huge detriment to our health and vitality. Sticking to the motto “nature knows best’ and hitting up your local farmer’s market is where it’s at I say.