A wellness chef who trained classically in the kitchen, then studied again to become an integrative nutrition and functional medicine health coach — and, underneath all of it, the conviction that the women who walk through this door deserve to be heard for longer than fifteen minutes.
I came into this work the way most functional medicine practitioners do — through a family history of cancer. I have a long cancer history in my family, which is why I wanted to find out more about prevention and how food and lifestyle can affect your outcomes.
When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, walking that journey with her forced me to take a long, hard look at my family's health — and to study again. Ten years and three intensive courses later, I'm a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition and Functional Medicine Health Coach. The kitchen came first, though: I trained classically at Cordon Bleu under Christina Martin in 1994, because the food itself is half the medicine.
My early forties brought weight that wouldn't move, sleep that wouldn't hold, mood that arrived without invitation, and insane anxiety. My GP was kind and well-meaning. She also had six minutes per appointment and a prescription pad. I left every visit with the same thinning feeling that nobody was actually listening.
What I know now is this: women in the second half of their lives are systematically under-served by the conventional medical system, and the gap is widening, not closing. The women who come into this practice are not difficult patients. They are women whose bodies have changed and whose conventional care hasn't kept pace. The work is to meet them where they actually are. To date I have helped hundreds of women to lose weight, restore confidence and thrive through my various programmes and workshops.
In a regulated profession, credentials matter. These are mine.
I speak on women's health, metabolism and longevity at corporate wellness events. Audiences have included:
I am not a medical doctor. I do not diagnose disease, prescribe medication, or perform medical procedures. I work alongside your medical doctors — and I have relationships with several practices in the northern suburbs to whom I refer where appropriate. If your situation needs medical intervention, that is where you will be sent first.
The Health Yourself rooms are in a quiet corner of Bryanston, ten minutes from Sandton, fifteen from Hyde Park. The space is small on purpose — no waiting room of strangers, no clinical fluorescence, no rushed reception. You arrive, you have tea, you sit in a real chair, and the conversation begins.
The kitchen sits next door. Much of what we cook in the workshops and prepare for the Reset Packs comes from Christine's own urban food garden, a few minutes away.
Health Yourself is built around the practitioner-client relationship. Christine personally leads every 1:1 session, programme, workshop, and protocol, and prepares the Reset Pack and workshop food in the Bryanston kitchen. Where a client needs medical sign-off, HRT, or care beyond the functional medicine scope, she works alongside the doctors and specialists they already see.
Most women begin with the free 20-minute discovery call. We use it to understand what brought you here and to find the right entry point — sometimes a programme, sometimes a single workshop, sometimes just a Reset Pack to see if the food alone moves the needle.
A few of the reviews clients have shared after working with me. More on request.
"I have done many of Christine's Health Yourself programmes and they have literally saved my life. After kids and a very stressful job I was in a bad way — the programmes completely changed the way my family and I eat. We're rarely sick and have energy for days. Thank you, Christine."
"My experience with Christine has been nothing short of remarkable. Her attention to detail, menu and food preparation is unmatched. Rather than generic advice, she takes the time to understand your unique needs. Transformative and invaluable — I highly recommend her to anyone on a wellness journey."
"Thanks for encouraging us to do your detox week — we thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back. I trimmed 5cm off the boep with healthy eating and no booze. Well done on the quality and variety of your meals; I can see why you're so highly regarded in your field!"
"Really enjoyed your 5-day detox. Some days were hard, but you kept encouraging us and I couldn't thank you enough. My husband and I feel so much lighter and more focused on our healthy-eating journey."
"Three weeks and it truly changed my mindset — I'm so much more conscious of what I eat and when. My stomach is flatter and my clothes feel better on me. Thank you for creating something so impactful; it's been a life-changing experience and I'm excited to keep these habits."
"So much has changed: I drink 3 litres of water a day, intermittent fasting is a way of life, I've increased my protein and I exercise more. My clothes are looser, I walk more upright, and I'm enjoying the new me that's emerging."
"I took part in your inflammation programme. It really worked wonders for my constant lower backache — I wasn't able to bend down or pick something up from the ground, and that has changed."
"I came across Health Yourself at a time when the results of the Covid period had been unkind and harsh to my body — I had gained over 10kg. It turned things around for me."
"Christine has not only inspired me, she's taught me valuable advice — coaching me on my health and changing the way I think about what I put into my body."
"Rebounding! Just wanted to pop you a five-star review. I've only been attending rebound classes for four months but I can physically see the change."
If the work fits, we map the right entry point together.