RIYADH: Renowned Australian health lecturer and wellness influencer, Barbara O’Neill, travelled from Australia to the heart of Saudi Arabia to host a three-day curated workshop at Huna Takasoussi in Riyadh from September 17-19.
Arab News spoke exclusively to O’Neill during her first visit to Saudi Arabia to learn more about her workshops and her hopes for the future.
“The Saudi people, like the rest of the world, are concerned about their health,” she told Arab News. “Today, many people are becoming disillusioned with medical cures. If there is a problem, there is medicine. And my teachings have become quite popular here in Saudi Arabia, in Dubai and in many parts of the world.”
The daughter of an inventor, O’Neill’s father would often turn things upside down to find out how they worked. The family dynamic encouraged her and her siblings to always explore the “why” of everything. Why does this work? Why doesn’t it work? That overarching question was how she was able to unlock her potential, first in her family and then in her unconventional career path.
O’Neill, 71, has raised six children. When she was 25, her young son developed an ear infection. An 85-year-old neighbor suggested she try an onion compress, and O’Neill immediately applied it to her son’s ear. It worked. This simple action inspired her to choose natural methods and prioritize organic ingredients to treat everyday problems.
Essentially, she turned to Mother Nature for guidance and tried to find something in the soil that would help her unless she needed major surgery or was in a very serious health crisis. Despite some rumors, O’Neill is adamant that she is not against modern medicine or doctors, but rather prefers healing through natural means first.
The first day of the workshop focused on creating a balanced life amidst chaos and hormonal health, the second day explored heart health, obesity and diabetes, and the third day was an interactive workshop centered around compresses and natural herbs.
O’Neill first rose to online fame four years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her videos delivering health and wellness lectures went viral on TikTok and Instagram, garnering hundreds of millions of views.
Her “simple” methods and tips have become a popular choice among people browsing social media channels during the lockdown.
She brought her life-changing expertise in holistic health and naturopathy directly to the Kingdom during seminars in Saudi Arabia, and many of you may have discovered her through social media.
With Saudi Arabia placing an emphasis on health and wellness, O’Neill’s visit couldn’t have come at a better time: the venue, Funa Takasasushi, a hybrid co-working space and community hub, handpicked O’Neill to share her wisdom and support.
Falah Taher, head of events and partnerships at Funa, told Arab News that the company was excited to have O’Neill part of its programs.
“Seeing Funa come to fruition, being involved from day one, picking up the pen, and seeing it grow from a construction site to a community-filled space, and now spreading to Jeddah and soon to AlUla, feels like a full-circle continuing moment,” Taher said, “And what better way to sustain that than with guests like Barbara, who remind us to focus on our wellness and our connection to nature.”
O’Neill’s trip to Saudi Arabia was precipitated by a series of interconnected events: She was hosting a retreat in Thailand with her husband in May when she met Andreb Wanny, a consultant from Dubai who helped organize the first retreat there, and after its huge success, Saudi Arabia was on the radar.
“I always say yes. It is very difficult for me to say no, but I am happy to say no,” O’Neill told Arab News, recalling how she came to Saudi Arabia.
During her speech in Riyadh, she spoke about the importance of sunlight and its impact on health, an area that is particularly relevant in the Saudi Arabian context.
“Sunshine is very important,” she said, noting that Saudi Arabia has a historical deficiency in Vitamin D. So are sleep, rest, exercise and drinking plenty of fresh water. She reminded the packed audience in Huna to schedule their day well: eight hours work, eight hours play and eight hours rest.
O’Neill also explored practical advice for tackling modern lifestyle challenges such as burnout and sleep disorders that are exacerbated by the excessive use of digital devices, which he described as “shining like Christmas lights”.
“The blue light that devices emit is a different frequency than the blue light in sunlight,” she added. This insight is especially true in today’s technology-driven world, where balancing screen time with natural light is crucial for maintaining good health.
Perhaps O’Neill’s most unpopular move was when he advised his audience not to drink coffee because it was addictive and disrupted the body’s natural rhythms.
But she won the crowd back with a mention of Saudi Arabian dates and how the fruit serves as a natural sweetener.
O’Neill’s research highlights the importance of integrating preventive health measures with local knowledge, making her contributions valuable to people around the world.
“My program is very tight. I’m booked out a year in advance and finding a place (for the Saudi Arabia workshop) was not easy, but we found a place. Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” she said.
A major theme of O’Neill’s workshop was the role of conventional medicine compared to naturopathic medicine. She highlighted the limitations of current medical practice and noted that despite advances, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the world.
“The number one cause of death in the world right now is heart disease. I’m just amazed that after 40 years it’s still the number one cause of death. In other words, the things that medicine is doing to combat this don’t really work. They’re almost like Band-Aids,” she said.
O’Neill also spoke about the important role that prevention and lifestyle changes play in combating health issues.
“I always start by saying that everyone with a heart should come here. There’s an old saying that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'” she added.
Another focus of O’Neill’s workshop was on burnout and the importance of a balanced lifestyle. She shared her own routine and principles, saying, “I’ve found a formula, and it’s the persistence principle. Wherever I am, I eat very well, drink a lot of water, and stick to my routine wherever I am.”
Her career began with a focus on her own family’s natural health and has grown into a vibrant platform for educating others. Her personal experience with naturopathic medicine and wellness has become the foundation of her professional journey.
Her latest book, “Sustain Me,” was born from her wealth of knowledge and practical experience. As people continued to reach out to her for advice and tips, O’Neill unknowingly built the book up from notes.
“People would email me and ask, ‘What can I do for osteoporosis?’ So I would write things up, and then one day I thought, instead of reinventing the wheel, I’ll just write it in the notes section.”
A book was born.
The book is a collection of practical advice on a range of health issues and is intended to be an everyday resource. The book was sold during the Huna sessions.
O’Neill’s visit to Saudi Arabia also included discussing natural remedies unique to the region: “I was given some dried lime yesterday and I’ve heard that if you pour boiling water over it, it works. I’d love to try that,” she said.
