By Daniel Roos
Jess McLaren invites us on an adventure that began in the serene landscapes of Rishikesh, India, and evolved into her commitment to restoring health and vitality in our community.
In 2017, after high school, Jess went on a soul-searching expedition to India, where she completed her yoga teacher training in the sacred town of Rishikesh. This experience marked the blossoming of her passion for holistic well-being, earning her a 200-hour RYA accreditation. The seeds of holistic health that had been planted by her mother as a child seemed to blossom. In India, the spiritual sanctuary that became the forge shaping her philosophy: that our body’s natural state is health, and we possess an inherent ability to self-heal.
By providing the appropriate environment and essential resources, we can empower our bodies to naturally restore to a state of optimal health and homeostasis. This holistic approach has become the cornerstone of her life's work.
Her next chapter unfolds in 2018 when Jess stumbled upon a program at the University of the Western Cape. Drawn by the prospect of becoming a Naturopathic Doctor, she immersed herself into the comprehensive curriculum, exploring counselling, clinical nutrition and supplementation, medical biosciences, diagnostics, herbal applications, and much more. From 2018 to 2020, she completed her undergraduate degree in BSc Complementary Health Sciences, followed by a two-year post-graduate degree in BCM: Naturopathy.
The intersection of traditional and modern knowledge has been the driving force that propelled Jess. In 2021 as part of her post-graduate degree, she began attending clinic. A clinic situated in an economically-disadvantaged community facing public safety challenges. Being able to help people who cannot afford healthcare has deepened my passion for making a meaningful impact on the lives of community members. Patients from various backgrounds seek treatment here for a wide range of conditions, including hypertension, pain, arthritis, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, skin conditions, and many others.
Implementing holistic principles, she began making a positive impact, relieving people of their physical and mental health conditions. Jess's passion shifted from theoretical studies to hands-on healing, as she witnessed the powerful benefits of naturopathic medicine in restoring health to others. Even after graduating and opening her own virtual and in-person practice, she continues to volunteer at the clinic, where she has conducted over 200 consultations in total.
Today, she is on a mission to improve people's health and vitality as she strives to go deeper, beyond the surface, to the root causes of their issues, through Dr. Jessica McLaren’s Integrative Naturopathic and Yogic Practice. Jess's vision is one of fostering a close community that values support, education, sustainable practices, inclusivity, and diversity; with a dream to make wellness accessible to all.
In a recent interview, Jess spoke about the profound impact that yoga has had on her life. Beyond the physical postures, yoga has influenced her relationship not only with herself but, in the intricate ways that she engages with life and others. Adopting practices such as non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), and self-study (svadhyaya) has become an indispensable tool in her everyday life. For Jess, holistic wellness is about considering the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. It involves addressing the root causes of illness, not just symptoms, and providing individualized care that includes clinical nutrition, diet, lifestyle, herbal regimes, supplements, and natural therapies. Her transition from yoga teaching to naturopathic medicine was inspired by the shared core ethos of looking beyond symptoms to the source of imbalance and disease.
Stemming from her time spent in the sea as a child, she incorporates her love for the ocean through hydrotherapy in some of her patients’ treatments; allowing them access to pain relief, inflammation reduction, endorphin elevation and immune system boosts. She has found many other ways of incorporating nature's healing power into her treatment plans. Whether through herbal medicine, cryotherapy, or spending time in nature, she explores diverse modalities to support her patients' well-being. Her unique approach reminds us of the importance of taking care of ourselves, as it is the quality of this relationship with ourselves that dictates how we interact with others and the world around us.
Jess would like to debunk the myth of the constant grind, that we should slow down and take a look around every once in a while, so that we may take care of the present moment and trust in its processes. Through education on Naturopathic Medicine, and advancements in naturopathic science, she hopes to leave the world a little better place than she found it. A world filled with more compassion, care for others and a with a deeper relationship with nature.
In conclusion, Jess leaves us with a profound message; that health is a journey, not a destination. She urges everyone to make conscious choices in their everyday life, to stay connected with nature, and listen to their bodies, recognizing the inherent wisdom within.
Jess McLaren's holistic journey is an inspiration - a testament to the power of integrating ancient wisdom with modern science, fostering a community united in the pursuit of well- being for all. Jessica offers her expertise through naturopathic consultations available both online and in person, as well as through individual and group yoga classes. She also provides a variety of workshops focused on corporate and workplace wellness.
For more information or to book a consultation, please contact Jessica at +79 858 0764 or via email at dr.jessica@andbotany.com
Comments