RIYADH: Barbara O鈥橬eill, a prominent Australian health lecturer and wellness influencer, journeyed from the Australia to the heart of the Kingdom to host a three-day curated workshop at Huna Takhassusi in Riyadh from Sept. 17-19.
During her first visit to the Kingdom, Arab News spoke exclusively to O鈥橬eill about her workshop and hopes for the future.
鈥淭he people in 抖阴短视频 are interested in health just as much as everywhere else in the world,鈥 she told Arab News. 鈥淎 lot of people today are becoming disillusioned with the medical way of treating things. You鈥檝e got a problem, here鈥檚 a drug. And my teachings have become quite popular here in 抖阴短视频, in Dubai, in many parts of the world.鈥
The daughter of an inventor, O鈥橬eill鈥檚 father would often turn things inside out to see how they worked. Her family dynamic always encouraged her and her siblings to constantly explore the 鈥渨hy鈥 in everything. Why does this work this way? Why does it not? That key question was how she was able to unlock her potential, first in her own household, then in her unconventional career path.
The 71-year-old has raised six children. When she was 25, her young son had an ear ailment. Her 85-year-old neighbor told her to use an onion poultice, which O鈥橬eill immediately put on her son鈥檚 ear. It worked. That simple act inspired her to take the natural route and prioritize organic ingredients to treat daily issues.
In essence, she turned to Mother Nature to guide her and 鈥 unless someone required major surgery or was plagued with a very serious health crisis 鈥 to try to go to the earth to find what helps. Despite some rumors, O鈥橬eill is adamant that she is not against modern medicine or doctors but prioritizes using natural ways to heal first.
Day one of the workshop was dedicated to carving out a balanced life in the middle of chaos and focusing on hormonal health; day two explored heart health, obesity and diabetes, and day three was an interactive workshop, centering on poultice and natural herbs.
O鈥橬eill first skyrocketed to online fame during the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago, when videos of her lecturing on health and wellness went viral on TikTok and Instagram, amassing hundreds of millions of views.
Her 鈥渟imple鈥 methods and tips made her a popular choice for those scrolling social media channels during lockdown.
During her Saudi seminars, she brought her life-changing expertise in holistic health and natural therapies directly to the Kingdom. Many knew her from social media.
As 抖阴短视频 focuses more on health and wellness, O鈥橬eill鈥檚 visit was perfectly timed. The venue, Huna Takhassusi, a hybrid co-working space and community hub, handpicked O鈥橬eill to come and offer her wisdom and support.
Farah Taher, head of events and partnerships at Huna, told Arab News that they were excited to include O鈥橬eill in their programming.
鈥淭o see Huna come to fruition and being a part of it from day one, putting pen to paper, construction sites to fully occupied spaces by the community and now spreading to Jeddah and soon AlUla, feels like an ongoing full circle moment,鈥 Taher said. 鈥淎nd what better way to sustain that than with guests like Barbara, who remind us to focus on our health and connecting with nature.鈥
O鈥橬eill鈥檚 journey to 抖阴短视频 was spurred by a series of interconnected events. She was hosting a retreat in Thailand in May with her husband when she met consultant Andleeb Wanee, from Dubai. Wanee helped her organize the first Dubai retreat, and, after that wild success, 抖阴短视频 came into the picture.
鈥淚 always say yes. It鈥檚 very difficult for me to say no 鈥 but I was happy to,鈥 O鈥橬eill told Arab News, reflecting on how she came to be in 抖阴短视频.
In her Riyadh talks, she addressed the importance of sunshine and its impact on health, an area particularly relevant to the Saudi context.
鈥淭he sunshine is very important,鈥 she said, highlighting historical vitamin D deficiencies in the Kingdom. Equally important is sleep, rest, exercise and consuming enough fresh water. She reminded the packed-house at Huna to split their day well: To have eight hours of work, eight hours of play and eight hours of rest.
O鈥橬eill also explored practical advice for dealing with modern lifestyle challenges, such as burnout and sleep issues exacerbated by excessive use of digital devices, that she said 鈥渓ight up like Christmas lights.
鈥淭he blue light that the device gives off is a different frequency to the blue light of the sunlight,鈥 she added. This insight is particularly pertinent in today鈥檚 tech-driven world, where balancing screen time with natural light is crucial for maintaining health.
Perhaps O鈥橬eill鈥檚 most unpopular move was urging the audience not to drink coffee, for its addictive nature and how it disturbs the body鈥檚 natural rhythm.
But she won the audience back when she mentioned Saudi dates and how useful the fruit is as a natural sweetener.
O鈥橬eill鈥檚 work underscores the importance of preventive health measures and the integration of local knowledge, making her contributions valuable to audiences across the globe.
鈥淢y program鈥檚 very tight. I am booked out a year ahead, and so it was not easy to find a spot (for the Saudi workshop), but we found a spot. If there was a will, there鈥檚 a way,鈥 she said.
A key theme of O鈥橬eill鈥檚 workshop was the role of conventional medicine compared to natural health approaches. She highlighted the limitations of current medical practices, noting that despite advances, heart disease remains the world鈥檚 leading cause of death.
鈥淭he number one killer in the world today is heart disease, and it just alarms me that it鈥檚 still the number one killer 40 years later. In other words, what medicine is doing to combat this really isn鈥檛 working. It鈥檚 almost Band-Aid stuff,鈥 she said.
O鈥橬eill also spoke about the crucial role of prevention and lifestyle changes in combating health issues.
鈥淚 usually start by saying, everyone that has a heart should be here 鈥 what鈥檚 the old saying? 鈥淎n ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure鈥,鈥 she added.
Another focus of O鈥橬eill鈥檚 workshop was addressing burnout and the importance of a balanced lifestyle. She shared her personal routine and principles, saying: 鈥淚 found a formula 鈥 it鈥檚 the sustainment principles. No matter where I am, I eat very well, I drink a lot of water and I keep to the routine no matter where I am.鈥
Her career trajectory began with a focus on natural health for her own family, and has grown into a thriving platform for educating others. Her personal experiences with natural remedies and health practices laid the foundation for her professional journey.
Her latest book, 鈥淪ustain Me,鈥 emerged from her extensive knowledge and practical experiences. O鈥橬eill unknowingly created the book through notes upon notes because individuals kept asking for her advice and tips.
鈥淧eople email me and say 鈥榳hat can I do for osteoporosis?鈥 So, then I鈥檇 write things. And then I thought one day, instead of reinventing the wheel, I鈥檒l just go to my notes section.鈥
The book was born.
It compiles practical advice on various health issues, aiming to be a resource for everyday use. It was on sale during her session at Huna.
O鈥橬eill鈥檚 visit to 抖阴短视频 also included a discussion on natural remedies native to the region. 鈥淚 was given some dried lime yesterday, and I hear that you can pour boiling water on it, so I鈥檓 eager to try that,鈥 she said.
