Jo Brownlow Holistic Health

Jo Brownlow Holistic Health Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach, Personal Trainer and NLP Practitioner. Helping people find their path to a healthier, happier life

I grew up thinking thinner meant healthier. 😕A lot of that came from the messages around me. Low fat meant healthy. Smal...
30/08/2026

I grew up thinking thinner meant healthier. 😕

A lot of that came from the messages around me. Low fat meant healthy. Smaller portions meant you were being “good”. And I watched my mum go through very clear good-food / bad-food phases, so that way of thinking felt completely normal. 🥗⚖️

For a lot of my teens and 20s, the scales, the size of my jeans and how flat my stomach looked mattered far more than they should have. It definitely affected my confidence too.

What changed for me was not trying harder to be smaller.

It was lowering inflammation, supporting my hormones properly and eating in a way that actually supported my body.

I found I could eat more, feel better and stop fighting the scales. I don’t even weigh myself anymore, and I’m much less focused on restricting what I eat.

Now I care far more about feeling strong, having steady energy, sleeping well, thinking clearly and feeling satisfied after eating. ⚡💪

And yes, weight can still matter. But getting smaller at the expense of muscle, energy, sleep or your relationship with food is not the kind of progress I’m interested in.

If you’re struggling to shift from “skinny is healthy” to building a body that feels strong, well and properly nourished, that’s something I can help you work through. 🫶

I’ve tried to rename my Bootcamp classes several times. And somehow I always end up calling them Bootcamp again. 😅The pr...
27/08/2026

I’ve tried to rename my Bootcamp classes several times. And somehow I always end up calling them Bootcamp again. 😅

The problem is, I think the name gives completely the wrong impression.

There are no military-style drills, no stressful hill sprints and nobody is being shouted at. It’s really a strength-training class for women who want to feel stronger and more confident using their bodies. 💪✨

I became a personal trainer in my 40s, which still makes me smile when I think back to school. I was very much considered the non-sporty one because my hand-eye coordination was dreadful.

What I eventually realised was that I didn’t dislike exercise at all. I just hadn’t found the type of movement I enjoyed.

Strength training changed that for me. 🏋️‍♀️

And now I particularly love helping women who are a little nervous about starting, or who think they need to “get fit first”.

You don’t. 💛

So… I think Bootcamp may finally need a new name.

Vote for your favourite below — because apparently I cannot make this decision myself.

Protein has been the hero of the health world for a while now — and rightly so. 💪✨I ask a lot of my clients to increase ...
24/08/2026

Protein has been the hero of the health world for a while now — and rightly so. 💪✨

I ask a lot of my clients to increase their protein too.

But there’s a bit more nuance than simply “eat more protein”.

Protein matters for far more than muscle. Amino acids are needed to make enzymes, neurotransmitters and immune proteins, and they’re involved in many of the liver’s detoxification pathways. 🧠🧬

The bit that gets talked about less is digestion.

Protein has to be properly broken down before your body can use it. If digestion isn’t working well, more undigested protein can reach the colon, where gut bacteria ferment it. In excess, that can produce compounds that are less friendly to the gut lining and shift the microbiome.

So yes, increase protein if you need to. But don’t make it all about hitting a number.

Think about the quality too. A protein bar full of sugar and additives isn’t the same as eggs, fish, meat, lentils, Greek yoghurt or a homemade nut and seed bar.

And keep feeding your gut at the same time — fibre, colourful plants and polyphenols still matter. 🥦🍓

A protein smoothie when you’re rushing to work? Absolutely useful.

Just remember that how you eat matters too. Sit down when you can, chew properly, eat in a calmer state and spread protein through the day rather than trying to cram it all in later. 😌

Protein is important. More isn’t automatically better if you can’t digest and absorb it!

If you’re eating well and still not feeling great, my Root Cause Assessment can help you look a little deeper at what may be getting in the way. PM me and I’ll send you the link. 🔍📩

Before I studied functional medicine, I didn’t realise how important it was to work in a specific order. 🧠🌿I thought eat...
21/08/2026

Before I studied functional medicine, I didn’t realise how important it was to work in a specific order. 🧠🌿

I thought eating well, exercising and taking the right supplements should be enough.

But when you don’t understand what may actually be driving your symptoms, it’s very easy to keep adding more, changing direction and wondering why nothing is really shifting.

Podcasts, articles and ChatGPT can all be useful. But information is not the same as knowing what is relevant for you.

Sometimes the biggest difference comes from stepping back, looking at the full picture and knowing what to focus on first. 🔍✨

That’s what I help my clients do: identify what may be going on, simplify the noise and create a plan that makes sense for their body.

If you’re not sure where to start, try my free Root Cause Assessment. Please comment Root Cause or PM me and I’ll send you the link. 📩

I’ve just traversed the whole perimenopause-to-menopause pathway, and one thing I’m very glad I did was work on inflamma...
19/08/2026

I’ve just traversed the whole perimenopause-to-menopause pathway, and one thing I’m very glad I did was work on inflammation and autoimmunity beforehand. 😌🌿

I’ve been lucky in some ways. No hot sweats. No overriding anxiety.

The brain fog though? Very real.

And this is where I think it gets tricky.

Because when you’re in your 30s, 40s or 50s, it’s very easy to put everything down to menopause.

Sometimes that’s absolutely part of it.

But poor sleep, low mood, constipation, weight changes, fatigue and brain fog can also be influenced by thyroid function, blood sugar, gut health, nutrient status and chronic stress. 😴🧠

And those systems all affect each other.

So if you’re doing the usual “well, I suppose this is just menopause now” thing, it may be worth looking a little wider.

Not because menopause isn’t relevant.

Because it may not explain all of it.

This is where identifying what may actually be driving your symptoms can make things feel a lot less confusing.

If you want to dig a little deeper, try my Root Cause Assessment — it can help you start spotting where your own patterns may be coming from. 🌱📝

Comment Root Cause and I'll PM you the link!

I’ve had first-hand experience of what it feels like when your cortisol rhythm is completely off. During Covid, I hit wh...
17/08/2026

I’ve had first-hand experience of what it feels like when your cortisol rhythm is completely off. During Covid, I hit what I used to call adrenal burnout. 😮‍💨🧠

My sleep was all over the place, I had no energy when I actually needed it, and I ended up taking adrenal cortex support for a few years just to keep myself going.

What I understand much better now is that cortisol isn’t simply a “stress hormone” we need to lower. We need it. It should rise in the morning to help us wake up, feel alert and mobilise energy, then gradually come down through the day so we can switch off and sleep at night.

The problem is when that rhythm gets disrupted. Cortisol can be too low in the morning, too high at night, or flatter across the day than it should be. 📉

Chronic stress, poor sleep, hormone shifts, under-eating, too much intense exercise, illness, inflammation and constantly living in “go” mode can all play a part.

So if you’re exhausted in the morning but suddenly wide awake at bedtime, it may not be that you simply have “too much cortisol”. The timing and regulation may be off. 😴

Save this if the cortisol conversation has left you more confused than informed.

Fibremaxxing is everywhere at the moment — and I’m actually quite pleased fibre is finally getting some attention. 🌿But ...
12/08/2026

Fibremaxxing is everywhere at the moment — and I’m actually quite pleased fibre is finally getting some attention. 🌿

But as someone who used to suffer with a lot of bloating, I’ve had to tread this path carefully. Because simply adding more fibre isn’t always the answer.

Different fibres do different jobs. Some absorb water and help with bowel regularity. Some add bulk. Some are highly fermentable and feed your gut bacteria.

And if your gut is already struggling, ramping up the wrong type too quickly can make bloating, gas and discomfort worse. 😣

This is where it gets more individual. You may do better increasing soluble fibre first. You may need to go more slowly with highly fermentable fibres. And preparation matters too — soaking chia helps it form that gel-like fibre, while grinding flax helps you access more of the nutrients inside the seed. 🌱

For me, it was very much a case of building up slowly and noticing what my gut actually tolerated, rather than assuming more was automatically better.

So yes, fibre matters. But don’t just fibremax.

Vary your sources, increase gradually, drink enough water and pay attention to what your gut is telling you.

Save this one if you’re trying to increase your fibre without making your gut miserable. 🩵

For years we've been told weight loss is simple.Eat less. Move more.I believed it too.For years I was always trying to l...
02/08/2026

For years we've been told weight loss is simple.

Eat less. Move more.

I believed it too.

For years I was always trying to lose "just a few more pounds". I was eating less, exercising more and never really relaxing into my body. There was always this underlying belief that if I stopped trying so hard, the weight would come back.

What I didn't understand at the time was that my body was adapting.

When food is scarce, your body has evolved to protect you, not help you lose weight. One way it does that is by reducing active thyroid hormone (T3), which helps regulate how much energy your cells use.

As T3 falls, your metabolic rate slows. It's a survival mechanism that served us well thousands of years ago when food wasn't guaranteed. Not so helpful when you've spent years eating less and moving more.

So what do most of us do?

We eat even less.
We exercise even more.

I certainly did.

The frustrating part is that you can end up working harder just to maintain the same weight because your metabolism has adapted to prolonged calorie restriction.

This isn't about saying calories don't matter. They do.

But weight loss isn't always as simple as "eat less, move more", especially if you've spent years dieting. Your body isn't trying to sabotage you. It's trying to protect you.

That's why, in functional medicine, we look beyond calories. We ask what's happening underneath. Is your thyroid adapting? Is chronic stress playing a role? Are hormones, sleep, gut health or blood sugar making it harder for your body to let go of stored energy?

If you've been eating less, moving more and your weight still isn't shifting, here's one question worth asking...

Has your Free T3 (FT3) ever been tested?

It's often not included on standard thyroid blood panels.

If you're curious to know more or would like to arrange comprehensive thyroid testing, send me a DM. I'm happy to point you towards a clinic that can help. ❤️

One of the things I’ve realised over the past few years is that health isn’t just about what we eat or the supplements w...
28/07/2026

One of the things I’ve realised over the past few years is that health isn’t just about what we eat or the supplements we take.

Sometimes it’s about creating enough space to actually hear ourselves think.

I’ve been guilty of filling every minute. Work, family, exercise, life admin… always feeling as though I should be doing something useful.

It wasn’t until I started stepping away from my normal routine that I realised how much clarity comes from slowing down.

You stop reacting.

You start reflecting.

You notice what has been draining your energy.

You remember what actually makes you feel good.

As a functional medicine health coach, I spend a lot of time helping women understand the root causes behind fatigue, hormone changes, gut issues and brain fog.

But knowing what to do is only half the battle.

We also need the time and headspace to reflect, find the right plan, and actually follow through with it.

That’s why Camilla and I created Batu Batu Balance.

And it’s also why we asked Cornelia to join us — to bring a deeper layer of self-reflection and help women explore the patterns, beliefs and loops that may be keeping them stuck.

The retreat isn’t about throwing more information at you.

It’s about stepping away from everyday life, spending time in nature, learning about your body, calming your nervous system and creating the space to work out what needs to change next.

If you’ve been saying, “I’ll focus on my health when life calms down,” perhaps this is your reminder that sometimes we have to create that space ourselves.

We’d love you to join us. 💛

Halfway through the holidays, it’s easy to think, “I’ve blown it now… I’ll get back on track in September.” 😅But I’ve le...
26/07/2026

Halfway through the holidays, it’s easy to think, “I’ve blown it now… I’ll get back on track in September.” 😅

But I’ve learnt over the years that staying healthy isn’t about being perfect on holiday. It’s about knowing what keeps you feeling well. 🌿✨

For me, that’s staying gluten-free and alcohol-free. They’re my non-negotiables because I know how much better I feel when I stick to them.

Everything else? I relax a little. I enjoy the meals out, the ice cream, the slower mornings and the odd later night.

One thing this trip around New Zealand has reminded me is that health isn’t just about food. It’s also about giving your nervous system a chance to recover. 🇳🇿

Sea swims, long walks, family time, beautiful scenery and leaving enough space in the day to actually relax have probably done my health just as much good as what’s been on my plate.

So rather than trying to be perfect, ask yourself: 🤔

What are my two or three non-negotiables that help me come home feeling refreshed rather than exhausted?

I’d love to know what yours are. 💛

Address

Singapore

Telephone

+6585354504

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Jo Brownlow Holistic Health posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category