KAILO Kommunity: Meet Michelle from OVA

There’s something powerful about hearing how other women take care of themselves, especially when life is busy, full, and constantly demanding.

For many of us, wellness can feel overwhelming. We know we should slow down, eat well, take care of ourselves, but in reality, it’s often the first thing that gets pushed aside.

In this KAILO Kommunity feature, we spoke with Michelle from OVA about what it really looks like to support your wellbeing in everyday life, from simple habits to the mindset shifts that actually make a difference.

What do you love most about the work you do, especially supporting women in this space?

There are so many facets of my work that I absolutely adore. What I love most is that OVA is a place where opportunity is created for everyone - our patients come into our spaces and have the opportunity to feel more at home in their body, an opportunity to reconnect with themselves, an opportunity to feel more empowered in their body, and an opportunity to take a different approach to their health.

As a business owner I love that OVA creates career opportunities for my team in a workplace that values wellness, prioritises culture and consciously creates psychological safety. We've created a community that truly supports one another, and as our patients are predominantly women, it reminds me how important it is to prioritise our health as women are so often the first to support everyone around them while leaving themselves last.

It is an honour to take care of the women that are often the glue holding our communities together, and I love that we support women through every season of life.

What is something you wish was more openly spoken about when it comes to women’s health?

In the fertility space I wish we spoke more about sperm health and the role male factor fertility plays in modern fertility. Unfortunately this remains a taboo topic, and I wish as a culture we can move beyond seeing male infertility as a personal moral failing, and instead understand declining sperm health as a global phenomenon and a reality that we can't ignore. 

There's so much we can do from an integrative health perspective to support male fertility, yet all too often I witness the female partner undergoing investigation after investigation while poor sperm health remains overlooked. I also believe we're doing men a disservice by skirting around the topic and we're underestimating their capacity to be an equal partner on the fertility journey for heterosexual couples. 

Second to sperm, I wish young women and girls were taught about their hormones and reproductive health from an early age. When we understand our bodies we are better positioned to make informed choices when it comes to our body - we should be teaching young women and girls about their period, how to eat for hormone health, the importance of ovulation and how to live in flow with their cycle.

You spend so much time caring for others; how do you make space to care for yourself?

I fortunately learned early in my career how important it is to fill up my cup, because as cliché as it sounds, you can truly only pour from a full cup.

I prioritise slow mornings, and typically start the day with a long walk with my dog, usually without headphones so I can start the day with a clear head and mindful walk. I've just started working out with Lagree and while the classes are so hard, the pace of the workouts mean I leave feeling like I've taken care of my body while feeling so strong and capable.

I see self-care as part of my work, and I am not shy about leaning into taking care of myself - I get acupuncture weekly, aim for a weekly sauna, monthly facial and monthly remedial massage.

I have PCOS and adenomyosis, as well as a history of chronic fatigue, so I take caring for myself seriously so that I can continue to show up for my patients from a place of vitality. This means I take a lot of supplements as well as Chinese herbs, I don't drink alcohol and I prioritise 8+ hours of sleep a night, with the help of KAILO Sleep Well as part of my nightly routine.

I also try to get to a health retreat once a year for a digital detox. While leaving your business for a week can feel stressful, it’s one of the best things I do for my mental wellbeing.

Are there any daily rituals or small practices that help you feel grounded?

My morning coffee. Over the 15+ years of my wellness journey I have had periods of cutting most things out of my life, but coffee is the one vice I'll never live without.

I adore sitting on my balcony and having a quiet moment with my pup, sipping my coffee before the world wakes up. These days I opt for decaf, which feels much better for my nervous system.

I try to find joy in the simplest moments and remind myself that the life I have now is the life I used to dream of.

I also have a steady gratitude practice, meditate daily and journal often, these practices have become part of how I live.

What are a few simple things you always come back to for your own wellbeing?

Honestly, they are so simple. Drinking enough water. Getting my 10,000 steps. Sleeping 8 hours a night.

It is so easy to overcomplicate health, but for me it’s about consistency with the basics over time.

I often remind my patients that before focusing on trends, it’s important to focus on foundations, eating enough protein, getting enough fibre, prioritising sleep, moving your body, and setting boundaries.

There is no quick fix or magic solution, just consistency.

How do you approach nourishment in your own life, especially during busy seasons?

I always make sure I feed myself well. When I am in a busy season, like when I opened my second clinic in November 2025, I knew that I would be time poor in the final few weeks before opening and preparing nourishing meals just wouldn't be a reality for me. 

In times like those, I am happy to pay for a meal service to ensure I have healthy meals and juices at my disposal. I'll usually order a 5 day juice cleanse & add in some salads and soups so that I am fuelling my body well. It's important for me to know that despite how busy life can get, I am still fuelling my body. 

During especially busy seasons I always prioritise my morning walk with my pup so that even if the day  gets away from me, I have at least started it well. For me my mindset is always my priority and I will gladly skip a workout if it means I am prioritising sleep and starting the day mindfully. 

I am also really lucky that I have a hugely supportive team and during busy seasons they will lovingly remind me to book my own acupuncture sessions in, and take care of me. 

What are a few things you think women often overlook when it comes to their health?

Oh I am not sure if we have long enough for me to dive into this question! One of the reasons I fell in love with Chinese medicine is that we see health as so much more than what we eat and drink. In Chinese medicine each organ has a corresponding emotion, and our emotional wellbeing is just as important as our physical wellbeing. So often joy is overlooked when it comes to women's health - are you happy in your life? Do you do things that spark joy? What is something that you absolutely love? I often ask my patients "what do you do for fun?" or "what's lighting you up at the moment?" and all too often they are unable to answer the question. 

We deserve to experience joy, and in Chinese medicine joy will support your heart health. Another aspect of emotional wellbeing that I love in Chinese medicine is the importance of creativity and it's connection to the liver. The emotion of the liver is anger and resentment, and we see lack of creativity and an inability to express oneself as ways to cause stagnation of the liver in Chinese medicine. I often ask my patients "when was the last time you felt creative?" and again, so often they're unable to answer it. 

Focusing on joy, creativity, connection, expression and laughter are so often overlooked when it comes to women's health - I encourage women to zoom out to see their whole health picture as so much more than how they move their body and what they eat. Laugh more, love more, experience more joy, and begin to notice how these things may just influence your health. 

What does “feeling your best” look like for you at this stage of life?

Oh I love this question. Feeling my best has certainly changed over the years, and now that I am in my mid-30's feeling my best comes in so many different shapes and sizes. I feel my best when I reflect on my business and how far we've come in three short years. 

I feel my best when I am practicing in the clinic and I witness the shifts my patients experience in real time. I feel my best when I am moving my body daily and feel strong and capable. I feel my best when I am playing with my nieces and nephews and teaching them how to cartwheel. 

I feel my best when I see my team thriving and embodying the values of OVA to support their own patients. I feel my best when I go to sleep at night knowing that I did my absolute best, and that I continue to show up from a place of love and living in alignment with my values. 

What stands out most from Michelle’s story is how simple wellness can be.

It’s not about doing everything perfectly, it’s about:

• showing up consistently

• building small daily habits

• making space for yourself

And finding ways to support your routine, whether that’s through food, movement, or simple additions like KAILO in your daily rituals.