Celebrity Health - Jo Wood
I’m an organic girl!
Organic living guru Jo Wood has been a leading figure in the natural health world for many years. The former wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has her own range of organic bodycare products and is a passionate campaigner for environmental causes. Jo, 62, was inspired to turn her health around after being misdiagnosed with the inflammatory bowel condition Crohn’s disease in 1989. With the help of a naturopath, she overhauled her diet, cutting out all processed foods and switching to clean, organic produce supplemented with herbal remedies. Two years after her initial diagnosis, Jo was found to have a perforated appendix, ruling out Crohn’s disease. She has continued on her organic journey ever since and has encouraged her three children and 10 grandchildren to follow a naturally healthy lifestyle.
© image of Jo Wood courtesy of Joseph Sinclair
Q: It’s so inspiring how you were able to turn your life around and overcome your health issues the natural way
Jo: Yes. It changed my life and I never looked back. At one point I thought, why did this have to happen to me? But then when I discovered all about healthy eating I realised it was actually the best thing that could have happened. The naturopath who helped me – Gerald Green – changed me forever. He put me on a really clean diet with nothing refined and nothing processed. The doctors had put me on steroids but by changing my diet I was able to wean myself off the steroids and after a couple of months I started feeling like Jo again. I was so happy! So from that moment I decided that I was an organic girl. I started reading lots of books about food and growing my own vegetables.
Q: Do you still grow your own vegetables today?
Jo: Yes, I do. I grow some where I live in Camden and I have a little house in Spain where I’ve got a big vegetable garden which is raging at the moment.
Q: What might you eat during a typical day?
Jo: In the morning I will have a probiotic and then I’ll have organic muesli with almond milk that I make myself, plus a teaspoon of maca powder and chia seeds as well as some fresh fruit. At lunchtime, if I’ve been to the gym, I might have poached eggs and avocado. I went to my daughter’s house for dinner last night and we had baked salmon with asparagus and a fresh organic salad. She’s very good as she loves to cook and eat healthily like me; all my kids do in fact. My oldest son Jamie has just opened up a sustainable burger restaurant. They know that I wouldn’t go over to their houses if they didn’t have good organic food!
Q: Do you eat meat?
Jo: I don’t eat red meat. I’m trying to eat less fish now and I only eat chicken once a month. I feel better when I avoid meat and dairy. I tend to feel much healthier on a plant-based diet. I love to eat food that I’ve cooked myself and I know where it’s come from. I don’t have anything refined or processed; that’s how I live my life now.
Q: Are you interested in finding out about the latest superfoods and nutrients?
Jo: Oh yes, I love it! I’m a big maca fan because maca is great for balancing your hormones. I take a teaspoon of it every day. I also have chia seeds and I take all sorts of herbs and vitamins from my naturopath. I never see the doctor and I never want to see the doctor.
Q: What types of supplements do you take?
Jo: I take vitamin D3, fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin K and olive leaf. All sorts of things!
Q: Do you ever have any health niggles now, or would you say that you are generally very healthy?
Jo: I get the occasional thing here and there. I’ve always had weak lungs and sometimes I’ll get bronchitis. I’ve just been out riding my bike and I find that when I get home I can feel it in my chest. That’s my weak point. But I don’t really get ill.
Q: Do you enjoy exercise?
Jo: I have been boxing for the last five years, which I absolutely love. I go twice a week to my local gym and I do weights but boxing is my real love. I cycle a lot too.
Q: Are you a fan of complementary therapies?
Jo: Yes, I love homeopathy. I’ve always got my little box of homeopathic remedies. I use things like arnica for bruises. I take a natural approach to my health. It’s up to each individual to look after themselves so that they don’t have to go to the doctor. Food can cure you and can keep you fit, strong and healthy. I used to say to my kids when they were growing up: “Think of your body as a Formula One racing car. You only want to put the best fuel in it to make it run really well.”
Q: As an organic beauty guru, what’s your best beauty tip?
Jo: Well, whatever you put on your skin goes straight into your bloodstream so it’s really important to use good organic products. This is something that I’m really fussy about. I always make sure that I use a good organic face oil. Also, make sure that you have a good diet that will feed your skin from the inside.
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