Linda - Hardy's Bay of Plenty

Linda Macnamara, Natural health consultant and Hardy's store owner

Hi, I’m Linda Macnamara. Like so many of my colleagues in natural health, my own illness was my introduction. After going round the houses with Alopathic medicine and getting nowhere, I was introduced to a naturopath who led to my own healing. It was a revelation. So I gave up my secure, well paid, vocation and learnt aromatherapy and massage therapy at Wellpark College. This was invaluable.

After numerous life twists and turns I’ve ended up co owning four Hardy’s stores in the Bay of Plenty with my partner Bruce. Because natural health deals with the cause of illness, healing our customers is an extremely rewarding and satisfying occupation. In many cases we’re the end of the road for many, who’ve wearily tread the pharmaceutical path with no result.

A major benefit of working in natural health is my ability to help my family with their health issues. We call our latest two grand daughters our Omega babies. It surprises me that more midwives don’t recommend pregnant women take omega 3. Sophie and Mackenzie are extremely advanced, have beautiful clear skin, and healthy appetites Every morning they chew spirulina tablets and have a spoonful of bee pollen. They give us a great deal of pleasure and we love looking after them. No, I’m not biased.

Two of our four stores are fully organic, as I believe proper nutrition is a major part of health. As Hippocrates said: Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food. It seems to me, natural health is heading in the direction of nutraceuticals. Bee pollen is a prime example, but there are more exotic products appearing each day. This is the way of the future. Learning how to live naturally yet efficiently on this shrinking planet of ours.