Dr Amina is a GP and founder of Integrative Health, Leeds. She is helping women understand what is changing in their health, and what they can do about it.
We spent some time with Amina to learn all about what she does, but, also, as a woman in the wellness space, what does she actually do to elevate her everyday?
Q. Tell us about your wellness business
A. We’re a clinic rooted in functional medicine, which means we look at what might be driving someone’s symptoms and what we can do to support their health in the long term. Food as medicine and preventative health are a big part of that. We see people with ongoing health problems as well as people who want to be proactive about their health, but our main focus is women over 40 going through perimenopause and menopause. We bring together nutrition, lifestyle and conventional medicine, including personalised hormone treatment where appropriate. It’s about helping women get back to themselves, regain that sharpness and feel like they’re back in control of their lives again.
Q. How did the business start
A. It probably started years before I ever saw my first private patient. I was burning the candle at both ends and felt tired all the time. I’d been told everything was normal, but I still didn’t feel right. I started reading about food as medicine, and that was the first time I realised how much I could change how I felt just by changing what I ate.
A few years later, I trained in functional medicine while I was working as an NHS GP. My plan was to bring what I’d learnt into my NHS practice, but I found it difficult to make that way of working fit. The business actually found me by chance. I’d written an article about the course I’d been on, and someone read it and travelled up to Leeds because they wanted a functional medicine consultation with me. I thought, “Well, why not? Maybe it’s a sign.” So I rented a room and saw my first functional medicine patient in 2018.
That made me realise this was how I wanted to practise. I started building the business in my thirties, making it up as I went along. It was growing steadily when COVID meant I had to close it. I left the NHS for good in 2021 and reopened the clinic in its current form in 2024. It was my first fully independent private practice.
Q. What does wellness mean to you
A. Wellness means freedom. For one person, that might mean being able to move without pain. For someone else, it might mean finding a way to enjoy the food they love while looking after their health. And I think there’s something really important about feeling safe and at ease in your own body, without feeling like you’re on high alert all the time.
There’s a fine line where, in the pursuit of wellness, you can start to lose some of that freedom. You can get so caught up in what you should or shouldn’t be doing that you forget to ask what actually makes your life better. I love a good gadget and I’m interested in what’s out there, but I think wellness should be accessible to everyone. Going for a walk, being out in nature, laughing with a friend or taking a bit of time to yourself can all be part of it.
Q. If you could get me to change one thing to elevate my everyday what would it be
A. Do one thing every day just for you, just because you want to and it makes you feel good. It can be something really small. I think being kind to yourself is giving yourself permission to do something just because you enjoy it, without feeling like you have to earn it or make it productive.
Q. What’s your must have to feel great
A. I’ve actually got three. A free one, a middle one and a fancy one.
The free one is going back to basics. Going to bed on time, drinking more water and taking breaks from my laptop and phone. Sometimes it’s as simple as looking up, taking in what’s around me or looking out into the distance. Those are the things I find easiest to overlook when I’m busy.
The middle one is a supplement blend I found by accident a few years ago. It has magnesium and L-theanine, ashwagandha, and some vitamins, and I find it helps me feel a bit more resilient through the everyday ups and downs. It’s the one thing I have been repurchasing for years and I notice when I don’t have it.
And the fancy one is full-body red light. I felt so good getting out in the sunshine this summer that I decided to give myself permission to make this a regular treat over winter. I come out feeling warm and energised, like I’ve just been on holiday and spent an afternoon lying in the sun. I usually find the short days, dark evenings and cold a bit of a struggle, so I love having something to look forward to this winter.
https://www.draminadavison.com/
