Hello and welcome!

I'm Dr Karen and I'm so delighted to have this opportunity to share my passion for health and living well with you. I am looking to help you make a sustainable change. We’re looking to make a series of small changes, over time to achieve the long term goal. And then maintain it.

Lifestyle medicine is a specialized field of medicine in the same way that a gynaecologist specializes in women's health. A lifestyle medicine doctor specializes in those aspects of lifestyle that have an impact on your health and wellbeing. We look at nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, psychological factors, your social connectedness, as well as exposure to unhealthy substances. And so we look at all of these lifestyle related factors that can impact your health and aim to optimize those so that you live a healthier and happier life without the horrible complications of poor lifestyle choices.

If you look at me now, you would never say that I have struggled with weight or health issues.  This was however not always the case - I used to be obese, pre-diabetic with high blood pressure and an underactive thyroid.  I would not have been able to do 5 minutes of Zumba, let alone dance for hours every week!. (I currently teach group fitness, high-intensity Zumba classes 5 times a week) So I understand what it means to live with compromised health and excess weight.  But, I believe strongly that we have the tools - nutrition, healthy movement, stress management, sleep hygiene and mindfulness - to take control of and improve our health, without the need for medication (most of the time).

I have a passion for improving well-being and vitality, rather than simply treating medical conditions when they arise.  I try to provide a living example of health for my patients.