What Kind of Tree are You?

“What an irony it is that these living beings whose shade we sit in, whose fruit we eat, whose limbs we climb, whose roots we water, to whom most of us rarely give a second thought, are so poorly understood. We need to come, as soon as possible, to a profound understanding and appreciation for trees and forests and the vital role they play, for they are among our best allies in the uncertain future that is unfolding.” ― Jim Robbins,

There is a popular metaphor within this health-sphere; one that likens us human beans to trees. Who doesn’t love a tree? (and, for that matter, who doesn’t love a good metaphor?)

It goes a little like this…

We are, each of us, a beautiful, big tree.

The soil that surrounds our tree is our foundation – and it stands for our core. It’s a representation of everything that made us who we are. It’s our upbringing and connection to our nearest and dearest. It’s our environment. It’s our ties to our family. And, along with all the nurturing and love we have received it also contains all the rubbish and pollution we have collected along the way, whatever form that may take.

The roots and trunk of our tree are our central nervous system. They are a symbol of how securely we stand in this world. They determine our resilience and our sense of place in the world. And, of course, if the soil surrounding our root system isn’t healthy, it stands to reason that our tree will develop serious health issues over time, too.

Our tree’s leaves are the individual components of our physiology – our organs, our muscles, our bones, our hormones, our bodily functions, our mental health. If we don’t look after our whole tree, by the time we find indication of ill health on our leaves, it will be impossible to cure without looking to the soil and root system of our tree.

I think it’s quite a lovely analogy…

“Some trees grow straight, while others grow gnarled and twisted. Yet none are imperfect. Perfection is merely a perception.”
― Donald L. Hicks, ‘Look into the stillness’

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If you’d like to give your tree a little shake, but you need a little support – especially if you have autoimmune issues, I’d love to help. While the diet and lifestyle principles of the Autoimmune Protocol can be transformative, they can also be a little overwhelming, too.

Together, we can put a plan in place to help you succeed…

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Joanna Frankham / About Author

Joanna Frankham helps you to make lasting diet and lifestyle choices that serve you. Jo is your AIP Mentor and Certified Health Coach who uses tools, rituals and group programs (like her foundational AIP Reset group program) to help you break down the AIP framework into manageable pieces; all to enable you to implement positive changes to improve your health. Jo’s special sauce is her ability to facilitate bringing AIPers together in a way that is informed, inclusive and encouraging. Chronic illness doesn’t have to be isolating.