I’m Dr Judith Boyce and I’m so glad you’re here!
I’m a physician with 20 years experience in integrative primary care medicine.
In September 2020, I took the big leap. I retired from practice & dove into reinventing myself.
I’m becoming certified as a Primal Health Coach! And I’ve moved to the south of France so I can work online and one day soon…
…host retreats for women like YOU!
“Choose to make the rest of your life
the best of your life.”
— Louise Hay
This isn’t the first time I’ve reinvented myself!
My first career was in intensive care and ER nursing. At 35, I went back to university and got a degree in Health Education/Lifestyles.
Then I applied to medical school, and the rest is history.
Here’s my CV, if you’d like to know more.
I’ve worked full time most of my adult life, live solo with my cat, Rémy, and therefore have full responsibility for my (current and future) well-being.
Don’t you agree that retirement planning takes on a whole new meaning for female singletons over 50?
When are we supposed to stop working?
Well, maybe we don’t want to … but that’s a conversation of the heart to be had one-on-one, or at a cozy retreat!
Be an Over 50 Badass!
I’m a health nut.
Not a fanatic, mind you!
I like to enjoy the good things in life.
I love to cook & I love to eat!
My passion is foraging for and preparing local, organic low carb dishes that are as delicious as they are nutritious.
After riding the wave of fad diets, up and down, for the past 30 years …
Finally, something works!
A combination of intermittent fasting and Primal eating has shredded the bulging waistline that I thought was a post-menopausal fixture. Bye bye, Belly Fat!
I love being active.
Especially outdoors.
And, adding weight-lifting back into my running/hiking cardio habit has worked wonders for toning …
& generally feeling like a badass!
Yoga has also been part of my routine for years. It is amazing for stretching, inner focus, and letting go of stress. I do a little yoga every day.
“You're an incredible inspiration, Judy, and the fact that you genuinely care about people gives us the courage to go forward when we're scared to make the first step.”
— Laura B, Bermuda
I walk the talk.
I want you to know that any recommendations that I make to you about health, longevity, self care, or wellness are tried by ME first.
In medicine, we call in an n-of-1 experiment.
That simply means that there was only one subject - and the subject of my experiments is me.
However, as you know, we are all unique individuals.
So, you must also try new health and lifestyle recommendations for a period of time to see if they’re right for YOU.
Eventually you will settle on the perfect path for you, and I’m here to help you find it.
The highlights!
Longevity = my thing for 30 years
Since the day my Dad walked into my room and handed me 2 books - Longevity: Fulfilling our Biological Potential by Ken Pelletier, MD and Health and Healing by Andrew Weil, MD. He said, “You need to be doing this, Jude”.
“Well, this one’s for you Daddy”
University of Arizona
I was honoured to be among the first graduates of the Associate Fellowship Program in Integrative Medicine. We worked closely with both Dr Weil, founder of the program, and Dr Pelletier, who was on faculty at that time. Rockstars!
The here & now
Basically, all the study and extra training I’ve done over the years in health promotion, integrative therapies, functional and anti-aging medicine and now the Primal lifestyle have led me HERE. To focus on a longer, healthier life and healthspan, and to be able to share my education and experience with YOU.
I’ve had my fair share of struggles
Nothing life threatening - 20 years of shift work, the 70s-80s party-girl lifestyle - lots of late nights, boozing, ETC - no sleep, running on empty, you were there, you get the picture. I shudder to think about it now!
I battled depression in my early 20s - during the formative years when we were all wondering who the heck we were and what we would become.
As part of that journey, I found that a fitness lifestyle and nourishing my body helped me feel strong and capable, where no anti-anxiety medication could go.
I ditched the meds and chose exercise, healthy food and sleeping at night, which put anxiety and depression firmly in my past.
Menopause, though …
brought its own special Hell - hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, weight gain, irritability, and doubts.
I was 49 years old and newly single (again).
Was I all washed up?
Who would want an old crone like me?
Was I going to be able to support myself?
So after FIVE YEARS of toughing it out, treating my menopause symptoms unsuccessfully with natural approaches, I gave up the ghost and started bioidentical HRT.
Life was good again!
The only thing that hung on was the 15 extra pounds around my belly and thighs.
But I’ve sorted that now, and I’m so happy to tell you that …
IT IS NOT A GIVEN!
AND IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START LIVING VIBRANTLY!
If you wonder if your long, crazy life before now has made it difficult or even impossible to live vibrantly in old age, YOU GOT THIS! As long as you’re enjoying reasonably good health and fitness now, your body will respond to a healthy Primal lifestyle.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s a great book to introduce the Primal Blueprint and fill in any blanks!
I’m becoming certified as a Primal Health Coach &
moving to the south of France to work online from home and run retreats for women like YOU!
I’m a highly sensitive person (HSP)
Has anyone ever said to you, “Boy, are you sensitive”?
Well, it happened to me enough that I finally did a Google search - shortly after my 60th birthday as yet another relationship was petering out.
I came across the HSP test (link above in case you’re having an a-HA moment) almost immediately, and was not shocked to see that my score was 21/22!
I’d always known that I have very little tolerance for loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, and negative, toxic people.
And, I’m such a light sleeper that - sad, but true - I really have to sleep alone to be able to surrender to that delicious unconscious state.
HSPs need a LOT of space and down time stay sane and avoid burn-out.
Because my work involves seeing a steady stream of patients with problems to solve one after the other, I need peace and quiet in the evenings.
Sometimes that means solitude.
That doesn’t work well for some partners!
Finding this information helped me enormously to understand my inborn temperament and start experimenting with lifestyle adjustments to live with it.
And hopefully, with someone else!
Why did I include this detail?
Because if you’re an HSP or an empath, sensitive to your environment and the energy of others, you’ll be relieved to know that the retreats will be set up to allow for plenty of space, private rooms, and quiet time to let you rest and recharge your beautiful, sensitive self.
I believe in the power of positive thinking
and the law of attraction.
Have you found that as you get older you start to look for answers to the big questions?
Most importantly, “Why am I here?”
I think I’ve always wondered that, even as a kid, but over the past ten years or so, I’ve spent more time delving into various philosophical schools of thought, trying to find an answer that would suit me.
And I’ve found it.
The universal law of attraction states that like attracts like.
That our thoughts create our reality, and positive thoughts create positive outcomes, in a nutshell.
I believe we have the power to create our experience, and we can create a life full of joy, abundance, good health, and love.
And for me, this is our purpose - to make the most of the amazing gift of life on this beautiful planet.