Testimonials
"I received consultation services from Iona at A Healthy Beginning during my last trimester of pregnancy. My goal was to take stock of my home and ensure that the products we were using and our general home environment were safe and healthy for our growing family. I already had some knowledge of green products and their benefits, but one of my main concerns was the overwhelming amount and often contradictory information available online; what I really was hoping for was trustworthy advice to help me make the best decisions on healthy and environmentally responsible products.
During our initial consult I found it very easy to talk to Iona as she was warm, caring, and very personable. She asked great questions to get a thorough understanding of my goals. Iona’s professional demeanor during the home inspection made me very comfortable with her reviewing our current products and home environment. A Healthy Beginning provided a personalized Greening Guide at the end of the consultation that suited my needs perfectly. The guide is concise and practical and provides great suggestions that can be completed immediately or over time, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed. Iona also provided several trustworthy online resources that have been invaluable in understanding product health, safety, and environmental footprint. A Healthy Beginning even took the time to provide a source of new information about a specific question that I had after our consultation was complete. She really went above and beyond and her services helped us tremendously in preparing our home for the arrival of our son."
"With our first baby on the way, I had some concerns about the smoke smell in our future nursery (the previous owner smoked in that room). Iona helped us in addressing that very specific issue, as well as help guide us in making healthier / greener choices in things like baby furniture and everyday items such as cleaning supplies. Her wealth of knowledge was incredibly helpful since it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the information out there! The resource guide she made tailored to our circumstances is amazing – I still refer to it regularly, even several months after the consultation!"
Iona helped me a great deal at a very sensitive time in my life. She provided a robust and thorough consultation and report following from a tour of our home where she patiently answered our questions about home and lifestyle choices that would support a healthy pregnancy and a healthy and environmentally friendly home for a new baby. It was so comforting and helpful to have someone with her depth of knowledge answer questions about health, environment and pregnancy itself. The follow-up meeting was perfect to discuss challenges with implementation and ask further questions. I feel very grateful for the time spent and the confidence I now feel going into the pregnancy."
- Ann Cassidy
"My husband and I try to live an eco-conscious lifestyle, and keep our home and the products our family uses as free as possible of toxic chemicals and contaminants. There is a lot of informational available to support us in this, but sometimes the quantity of information can be overwhelming. We really appreciated Iona’s guidance on these subjects. She is knowledgeable and up-to-date on current resources and research. The personalized resource guide that she provided us with at the end of our consultation was full of great tips for additional things we could be doing that were both practical and low-cost. Overall, an extremely valuable and enjoyable process!"
"Iona’s workshop provided simple and effective action steps I can take TODAY! All areas of home / work / family were covered. The best hour I’ve invested in my family’s health!"
"Anyone who wants to live a healthy and informed life – whether you’re a parent or not – would benefit from time spent with Iona! Her sessions are informative and her style is approachable. Thank you for doing what you do!"
"Iona is a great resource for learning how to improve your life by reducing the toxins that influence us whether we know it or not. She has helped me question the products I use in my family’s everyday life. Thank you!"
"The DIY Holiday and Lotions Workshop was a great introductory course on DIY all natural products used everyday! A must if you love hands-on projects or if you love all natural products!"
"The DIY Holiday Lotions and Potions Workshop was very practical and informative. Iona is very knowledgeable."
"The Art of Making Lotions, Potions, and Scrubs Workshop was really well organized. Great that ingredients were pre-measured. Ingredients were explained well…benefits, tips, cautions. I smell fantastic! A great workshop for anyone who wants to make their own healthy products. Simple and easy. Iona is friendly and informative."
"I attended one of Iona’s workshops and it was well organized with all the ingredients we needed being available and stations were set up ready to go for attendees. We walked away with the products we made which was great. My favourite so far was the tinted lip balm, I used less mica than recommended as I wanted a less dramatic look and the shade turned out great! I love how all the ingredients are all natural and I feel great about using it every day multiple times a day. The workshop was interactive and it was great that we got to bring the recipes home with us too. A big bonus is that all the products are baby and pregnant women safe. The only thing I wished was different was that we could have more time to ask the questions about things like the essential oils we were using. It’s easy to tell that Iona has a lot of knowledge and passion for the work she does and I’ll likely continue to try and make more of my own lip balm once the ones I made run out. If asked whether I’d sign up for this workshop again knowing what I know now, the answer is yes!"