Kat Chan is a London-based nutritional therapist and founder of Full Serving, a practice for whole-body health. On her newsletter, she takes a practical, fuss-free approach to all things health and wellness, considering the intricacies of people’s real lives rather than striving for total optimization (see: her case for breakfast soup and a sweet treat, or her guide to eating out).
Those interested in working with Kat 1:1 can schedule a consult here.
#105: Kat Chan
Aries/Gemini/Taurus
London, UK
What does health, or being healthy, mean to you?
Being healthy means feeling good most of the time, for a long time. Energized in the day, relaxed at night, and having enough strength, discomfort, joy, or sadness relative to what the experience calls for, rather than chasing an unrealistic state of constant perfection. When you’re healthy, you can do “imperfect” things and still feel good.
It relates to the idea of being adaptable, which to me is a key tenet of health. The opposite is rigidity — inflexibility with ideas, inability to deal with friction, body feeling all stiff. Not great.
If I can feel good in a packed morning train, stay resilient during challenging times, and feel great sunning on a beach…that to me is a good indicator of health. Healthy most of the time rather than hoping and waiting for the right conditions.
How would you describe your current lifestyle?
Instinctive. A bit hodgepodge, in a good way. My lifestyle is really a mashup of being super present for short spurts, then allowing space for creative projects, spontaneous socializing, and whatever unexpected thing lands on my plate. I’ve learned to trust my choices without constantly questioning them when it comes to health — that alone has lightened the cognitive load considerably. I also live and die by my Google Calendar; everything that matters to me goes in there. I’m no longer a time optimist and it’s freed me. Get real, do what you say, stop overcomplicating it.
How do you start and end your days?
Open the curtains so daylight can stream in. Head to the kitchen to boil the kettle so I can rehydrate with hot water — I’ll go for about half a liter first thing. While that’s happening, I brush my teeth, light an incense cone, and send a “morning” emoji to my parents who are halfway across the world. Then I’ll eat a couple of bites of something before heading out for a walk with my boyfriend. I tend to leave my phone at home.
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