We are fortunate to be featuring one of our most favourite local Nutritionists, Dr Libby Weaver! Libby Weaver (PhD) is one of Australasia’s leading nutritional biochemists, an author, a speaker and founder of the plant-based supplement range, Bio Blends.

Armed with an abundance of knowledge, scientific research and a true desire to help people regain their energy and vitality, Dr Libby empowers and inspires people to take charge of their health and happiness through her books, live events and nutritional support range.

Having sold over 300,000 books across New Zealand and Australia, she is a nine-times number one bestselling author.

Today we steal Libby away from her busy life to answer a few of our questions.

What did you have for breakfast today?

I start every morning with Organic Daily Greens and Radiant Reds by Bio Blends (part of my food-based nutritional supplement range) mixed in water. A little later after that I usually have some warm water with lemon juice, and then a little later again I will eat breakfast. There’s no set meal, I just listen to my body and eat whatever I feel like. This morning I had poached eggs, spinach, avocado and butter on dense gluten-free bread made from pumpkin and brown rice. It was all certified organic or home grown.

How do you move your body?

The type of movement I do depends on how I feel: sometimes I want a brisk walk and/or tai chi. Other times I do resistance training.

What is your favourite food memory?

There are many! One is the first meal I ever ate in New Zealand (having moved to NZ in 2007) – it was blue cod from the South Island and the most melt-in-your-mouth fish I’d ever eaten. 

Who are you inspired by?

The people who write me emails sharing their life stories about how they’ve turned genuine hardship into brave learnings and a new way of living. So often this involves dietary or other lifestyle changes.

Where in the world is your favourite eatery and why?

My own kitchen! I travel so much for work that there is nothing better for me than my own home-cooking with vegies picked from my organic garden, drinking rainwater from my tanks.

What does your dream Sunday morning look like?

I have a morning ritual that I don’t compromise, so honestly it would begin the same way I start every day. Part of my morning ritual involves creating space to be by myself. I do whatever I feel like: sometimes it’s meditation, other days it’s going for a walk, reading to learn or reading for pleasure. So my dream Sunday might involve a little extra time to curl up with a good book in a sunny nook.

Where is your ideal holiday location?

Can I say ‘being at home’? Because I travel a lot for speaking work, it is a joy for me to be at home. I do love New York City – the vibrancy, life and somewhat overwhelming nature of the city are such fun (albeit for short periods of time!). And the South Island (of NZ). Every corner you drive around, it is as if someone has painted the most perfect vista for your senses to enjoy.

What is your most-used pantry item?

Organic sauerkraut – I eat it daily. Actually, that’s a fridge item! My most used pantry item would be my Organic Daily Greens and Radiant Reds powder. 

Who would you like to host for dinner?

My favourite humans (friends) and Wonder Woman!

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Can I have two? 🙂

The first is not advice per say, as it wasn’t anything in particular they said, but my professors had the most profound impact on my thinking. They had immensely open and highly intelligent minds, as well as a rich curiosity. This helped to foster immense growth and resulted in my own curiosity and ability to question, which has led to me to research so many different things in search of the answers myself. I always want to get to the heart of the matter for someone presenting with a particular health challenge so it can be resolved not just treated.

The second is that my mother gave me the serenity prayer when I was 8 years old:

‘Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, have the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.’

This prayer brings me a lot of peace because there are things that I see in the world that I don’t like and if I can do something about it then I will but there are times when I can’t and fighting with that can be really destructive and exhausting so I feel like that prayer has really helped my mind that has a little tendency to worry about things.

What would you tell your 20 year old self?

I really wouldn’t change a thing as it all led me to where I am today, and I am so grateful to be doing what I do now. Perhaps I would have told myself to breathe diaphragmatically – this is my number one health tip!

What drives you?

The ripple effect. It’s very difficult to be kind and compassionate when you’re fuelling yourself with stimulants and food that is virtually devoid of nourishment. On the contrary, when you start looking after your own health and make sustainable changes this creates a ripple effect on those closest to you and subsequently those closest to them and so on – it’s the ripple effect I’m obsessed with!

What food principles do you live by?

I eat real whole food, or ‘low human intervention’ food as I like to call it. I grow as much as I can myself and share it around. I am passionate about certified organic food and biodynamically grown food. I don’t eat anything artificial; no preservatives, flavours or colours, but I do try to remain really flexible. If I’m at a friend’s house who has prepared a meal for us, I take the gratitude in that offering as opposed to freaking out about what’s gone into it. I call myself a flexitarian.

What will you be doing in 10 years?

I believe my purpose is to help educate people about the importance of taking great care of themselves – so whether that is through books, online courses and programs, speaking tours or something else, that’s what I’ll be doing. And probably spending more time at home in my vegie garden, with my chooks.

Dr Libby is speaking across the country in September and October with her ‘Food Frustrations: What to eat when food is confusing’ tour. More information and tickets available from https://www.drlibby.com/event/food-frustrations/

Follow Dr Libby on Instagram at @Drlibby