Meet the Founder: Grace Barron of Nutritional Essence

In a world where women's hormonal health is often misunderstood or dismissed, Grace Barron stands out as a beacon of knowledge and compassion. As a Clinical Nutritionist and the founder of Nutritional Essence, Grace is dedicated to addressing hormonal imbalances at their root, empowering women to feel in control and thrive throughout their cycles.

Her journey, marked by personal health challenges and a profound connection to food and wellness, has shaped her individualised, evidence-based approach to nutrition.

Grace's passion lies in demystifying the complexities of women's health, offering support for issues like PMS, PCOS, endometriosis and more.

Through Nutritional Essence, she provides a nurturing space where women can explore the interplay between nutrition, lifestyle, and hormonal balance. In this interview, we delve into Grace's personal and professional journey, uncovering the insights and philosophies that drive her mission to transform women's health.

 

W&CF: It’s lovely to catch up with you Grace. Your journey into nutrition began with personal health challenges. Can you share how these experiences influenced your decision to become a Clinical Nutritionist and advocate for women's health?
Grace Barron: I remember as a teenager feeling like women had drawn the short straw. From the get-go my periods were not a fun time and I started experiencing regular PMS and painful heavy periods that were leading to me missing school, sports training and ending up in sick bay. Like many girls, I was placed on the pill straight away without investigation into why I was experiencing these symptoms.

Despite a lot of fearmongering from particular health professionals, I decided to trust my intuition and came off the pill at age 19.  I knew that there must be another way than just ‘putting up with it’ and suppressing my body’s natural rhythm. That’s when I discovered the book ‘Taking Charge of Your Fertility’ by Toni Weschler and booked my first appointment with a Naturopath. It was the first time in my life that anyone had properly educated me on my menstrual cycle - I felt empowered and honestly, my mind was blown with the incredible intelligence of the female body when given the right nourishment.

From that moment, I felt a strong responsibility to help other women understand their bodies and menstrual cycles. I refuse to let another generation of women view their cycle as a limitation - because with the right knowledge, it becomes an incredible tool for optimising your health and developing a deep connection to self.

W&CF: Growing up on a livestock farm in Cowra, NSW, how did your early connection to food and nature shape your approach to nutrition and wellness?
G.B:  Not that I knew it at the time, but growing up on the land was a huge privilege. As a kid, I had an innate understanding that food doesn’t just appear on supermarket shelves but there are real people that have grown every piece of produce in your shopping cart. I learnt that you are not only what you eat, but what your food eats or the soil that it is grown in.

I was also incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by grandparents who also lived off the land, grew the majority of their own vegetables and cooked delicious nourishing meals from scratch. This imprinted a personal love for cooking and food. I have witnessed them live extremely active and healthy lives which I believe is largely due to them keeping active, a love for family and eating a predominantly fresh whole food diet.

 

W&CF: What inspired you to establish Nutritional Essence and how does its mission reflect your personal values and experiences?
G.B: I established Nutritional Essence to create a safe and nurturing space for women to feel deeply supported throughout every stage of their health journey. My mission is for women to feel in-control of their health and equipped with knowledge and practical tools to support their body holistically.

Nutritional Essence is founded on the two primary principles of connection and positive impact. I want as many women as possible to feel connected to their bodies and understand how to nourish themselves through an approach that combines evidence-based knowledge and traditional wisdom.

 

W&CF: Many women feel their hormonal symptoms are dismissed or normalised. How do you approach these concerns differently in your practice?
G.B: One message that I’m very big on communicating is that if you are experiencing any hormonal or period symptoms that are impacting your ability to do the things you love, it’s time to get support. You shouldn’t feel like you only get one good week a month. Many symptoms like painful periods, heavy flows, PMS etc. are extremely common, but not actually ‘normal’. These symptoms are actually whispers (or sometimes yells) from your body that something is imbalanced.

My number one goal for any client of mine is to feel seen and supported. We get to spend over an hour together in an initial nutrition consultation and this allows us to deep-dive into any presenting complaints and get a holistic understanding of you as a person and what may be driving your symptoms. From here, my approach is simple. We tailor your nutrition and lifestyle practices to your specific nutritional needs at your phase of life. I largely use a food-first approach but where necessary will also work with specific supplements to support the body to achieve optimal functioning.

 

W&CF: Hormonal fluctuations are often reflected in our skin, from breakouts to dullness. Can you share how hormonal health and skin health are interconnected, and what signs we might be missing when our skin is trying to tell us something? 
G.B: Yes, absolutely! Our hormones play a key role in how our skin feels and looks. I’m sure we can all relate to the unwanted breakouts that can appear at certain times in our menstrual cycle.

When working with clients, I often see that when we address things like ongoing gut issues which play a big role in detoxification, blood sugar regulation and supporting the balance of oestrogen/ progesterone/ testosterone (our key sex hormones) that skin health significantly improves.

For example, acne focused on the jawline, chin, or neck is very closely linked to our levels of sex hormones and often flares when they are out of balance.

W&CF: We often hear the phrase “you are what you eat,” especially when it comes to skin. From your perspective as a Clinical Nutritionist, how does nutrition play a role in achieving and maintaining healthy, radiant skin?
G.B: What we put into our body is fundamental for supporting our skin health. Nutritional deficiencies as well as ongoing gut issues, can show up in the skin as acne, rosacea, pigmentation, eczema, psoriasis etc.

Some key nutrients to focus on for optimal skin health include adequate intake of: omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin C, zinc and overall, balancing blood sugar levels. If you’d like to learn more about this, I recommend checking out our workshop on inside out skin health coming later in the year!

W&CF: Can you explain how hormonal imbalances like PMS, PCOS and endometriosis manifest, and why addressing the root cause is crucial for long-term health?
G.B: This is a big topic and unfortunately not one that I can explain in detail here (if you do want to learn more I suggest coming along to one of my workshops!). There are many factors that can contribute to these conditions such as hormonal imbalances, inflammation, stress, poor diet, genetic predispositions, nutritional deficiencies etc. Everyone is individual here and that is why a one-size-fits all approach does not work.

Addressing your own drivers (which there can be more than one) of these conditions by working with a qualified health care practitioner is fundamental for ensuring that you are addressing these conditions long-term rather than just taking a band-aid approach. Firstly, who wants to suffer each month?!  Secondly, there are so many positive health effects from getting your body back into sync, from improved mood, to clearer skin, to more vibrant energy!

 

W&CF: Growing up it almost felt shameful to discuss periods and something which shouldn’t be discussed. In your experience, what are some common misconceptions women have about their menstrual cycles and hormonal health?
G.B: You’ve hit the nail on the head there. The first misconception is that periods are in some way shameful. This is a very old school and backwards approach. Periods are probably one of the most natural things that occur on this planet - 50% of us experience this for about 8 consecutive years of our lives.  We literally wouldn’t all be here without menstrual cycles and periods.

The second misconception is that periods are meant to be painful - this is also not true. Subtle signs of your period arriving are normal but pain that requires any sort of intervention and disrupts your ability to do things you need/want to do is a sign to get support.

 

W&CF: There seems to be more awareness on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly in beauty products. What impact do these chemicals have on hormonal health and how do you guide clients in making sustainable lifestyle changes that support hormonal balance and overall health?
G.B: Put simply, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that mimic, block, or alter our natural hormones - especially estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones - leading to imbalances and long-term health effects. EDCs can lead to hormonal imbalances, disrupt menstrual cycles, worsen acne, PMS, endometriosis and PCOS as well as impact fertility. Start educating yourself about the products you use everyday. I love the app ‘YUKA’ for my clients to start getting familiar with what’s in their beauty bag.

W&CF: What are your thoughts on the current state of women's health education, and what changes would you like to see?
G.B: Unfortunately I don’t believe enough has changed in mainstream education around women’s health issues. Many women still go through their entire schooling not being taught about their own bodies or even what PCOS or endometriosis are. We know that about 30% of girls will skip school regularly due to period pain, which can significantly impact their education.

Foundations such as Pelvic Pain Foundation are helping to change the narrative around this, however I would love to see women’s health become something both girls and boys are thoroughly taught about throughout their schooling years. If young men can also learn how to support women, I believe we can disrupt the status quo that women just have to suffer through.

 

W&CF: What advice would you give to women who are beginning their journey toward hormonal balance and seeking support?
G.B: Start with what you can control first - what can you take off your plate? Are you saying yes when you want to say no? What foods are you putting into your body? Are you drinking too much alcohol? Are you exercising? How much sleep are you getting? Our hormones are very sensitive to our diet, lifestyle and nervous system.

If you are experiencing ongoing issues that you suspect are related to your hormones, find a practitioner that you feel supported by. If you feel dismissed or unheard, find someone else. You deserve to be taken seriously and there is much you can do through supporting your body naturally before medications are recommended.

 

FAST FIVE

1. Favourite place in the world: My family farm in Cowra, NSW and a strong second place Tasmania! I love the outdoors and the scenery of Tassie fills my soul.
   
   
2. The beauty product you can't live without: Ere Perez Concealer - it’s magic! I’m fairly particular about my beauty brands and this one ticks all the boxes.
   
   
3. Book you are currently reading: I’m currently in between books because I just finished The Lost Man by Jane Harper! I loved it. It depicts the harsh yet beautiful scenery of the Australian outback and I also am a little bit of a sucker for a crime/ murder mystery novel.
   
   
4. A song that lives rent free in your head: Float by Olivia Dean
   
   
5. A life changing event or experience: Losing my Grandma and Pop in the last couple of years. They were such strong figures in my life and showed me what truly matters at the end of the day - spending time with people you love.
   
   
6. Who or what inspires you the most in life? My who - I draw much of my inspiration from the strong female figures in my life.  I am constantly in awe of their resilience. My what - being immersed in nature whether camping or hiking outdoors is most definitely the fastest route to me feeling inspired.  

 

W&CF: Thank you so much for chatting with me Grace, I have loved learning more about your journey and I am grateful for all you are doing to support women’s health x