When describing Chia Cheng, the words vibrant and energetic instantly spring to mind. Despite being a solo mum to three kids and running her own business, Chia has a youthful glow and a spring in her step with a full-of-life energy that’s enviable.
When pressed, Chia puts her vibrancy down to living and breathing what she preaches – and having fun along the way. An avid cook and entertainer, Chia is renowned for her ability to whip up healthy culinary delights, but it wasn’t until her eldest son, Etienne, was born a decade ago that her journey to becoming an integrative health practitioner and wellness coach began.
When Etienne started eating solids, a raft of food sensitivities unfolded along with eczema and diarrhoea, hay fever, asthma, a salicylate sensitivity, and ADHD behaviours. By the time Etienne was three years old it was clear that the prescribed pharmaceuticals were only masking the problem by temporarily relieving the symptoms. Wanting to discover the root cause of his issues, Chia began educating herself on more holistic, natural approaches. Focusing on diet and gut health, Chia completely adjusted Etienne’s nutritional needs and the results were remarkable. While it has been a long journey requiring a lot of dedication, Etienne is now a happy, thriving young boy and no longer experiences any of his previous symptoms.
“It was mind blowing to witness the change in him,” says Chia. “I had to restrict a lot of healthy food groups and remove processed foods, colours and preservatives to help reduce inflammation in his body. Everything needed to be homemade and chemical-free, and although this was hard work at the time, it gave his body the opportunity to rebalance and was so worth it in the long run. He can now eat a well-rounded diet again.”
Having seen what an incredible effect diet alone can have on a physical, mental and behavioural level, Chia decided it was something she wanted to keep learning about and, better yet, share with others. Through correspondence – studying in the early mornings before her kids would wake, or in the evening after their bedtime – Chia chipped away at an integrative health practitioner course, graduating in 2021 as a certified coach. Earlier this year she launched her own business, Wellness with Chia.
“I’m passionate about helping people lead their best lives.
I strongly believe that our environment and what we put into our bodies has a huge effect on how we function. Optimal health doesn’t come easily or even naturally for most people. So many men and women are walking around feeling stressed, sluggish, lethargic, and unhappy. And then there are food sensitivities, skin issues, insomnia, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles – the list goes on. My job is to discover the root cause of symptoms, then empower people with knowledge so that they can make positive changes.”
Taking an holistic, integrative approach, Chia uses a combination of functional lab testing, Ayurvedic and bio-regulatory medicine, Chinese medicine, Eastern philosophy, traditional naturopathy, and supplementation to help bring her clients back to optimal health.
“My point of difference is that once I get to the root cause of someone’s issues, I take a very real, practical approach that works for them and their lifestyle. I want people to succeed at their health goals. I also understand that no one can be 100% pure all the time, so it’s about implementing changes that are achievable and individual to that client.”
Chia swears by implementing seasonal functional medicine detoxes: “I recommend this to almost all my clients. We religiously service our cars to help maintain performance and longevity, but don’t apply the same level of care to our bodies, which is just crazy. Over time, our body accumulates toxins, pollutants and chemicals which can wreak havoc on our health, leading to weight gain or loss, brain fog, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, sleep issues, and more. Regular detoxes will help remove this harmful build-up in the body and is also a powerful weight loss tool, helps with anti-ageing and restores nutrient deficiencies within the body.”
Along with Chia’s one-on-one coaching and various workshop options, she has also recently launched a meal-planning service which tailors meal plans to match lifestyles, dietary wishes, and needs. Alongside the plans, Chia will also give advice and tips on how to create well-rounded, nutritious meals for the whole family.
“Too many people are running from one thing to another, working too hard in a far too demanding job, grabbing food on the run, and drinking too much coffee and alcohol. If I can make someone’s life easier, and make them feel great at the same time, then I know I’m doing my job well.”
