About Jacqueline Kong

Like most natural health practitioners, I have experienced and still am experiencing my own health journey. Growing up in a Chinese family I was exposed to alternative therapies, like reflexology and herbal remedies, however I did not appreciate this approach to wellness until my early twenties. I was a Nutrition student, living the toxic life of a typical Otago university student; drinking, smoking, not sleeping much, loading my body with sugary energy drinks and fast food. Talk about not practicing what I was studying!

In my 2nd year of university I was diagnosed with stage 2 thyroid cancer; the physical, mental and emotional challenges were real. At my worst I was a depressed insomniac who was overweight with severe cystic acne, which just made me more depressed. I started taking charge of my health and this was when I would question the conventional approaches.

They removed my thyroid/cancer but why am I still not the person I use to be? Is taking a tablet daily now all that I have to do to make sure I don’t get sick again? Why is my cholesterol high even though I am having a low fat diet? If I had addressed my hyperthyroidism holistically, instead of waiting in line for surgery would I have avoided cancer from developing? (I truly believe the answer is yes!) That means I could I have kept all of my body parts and not have to rely on thyroid medication for the rest of my life?

After I finished my under-graduate I went on to doing a post-graduate diploma in Auckland whilst working in a natural health store. This was when I first came across naturopathy. Prior to that, I had never heard of such thing. I dropped the post-graduate programme and enrolled at the Naturopathic College of NZ and started my Naturopathy journey. I think that was when my healing journey really made a turn.

I am now in a place where I have the health and energy to help other people who have come to a point where they know a magic pill is not going to fix their health problems. My natural health practice is one of the things that truly brings me most joy and purpose. I truly believe that when you do what you love and believe in, things just fall into place and happen.

My main area and focus now is women’s health, fertility, pregnancy and postpartum health. I love and am so grateful that the knowledge I have has helped me with my own fertility and conception journey. I had not even started dreaming about becoming a mum before I was told at the ripe age of 21 that I would struggle to fall pregnant due to my medical history. I am grateful that I could practice what I teach and now I am a lucky mum to my beautiful son. Knowledge is power and I hope that my knowledge will other women with their health goals.