THE TEAM
KIRSTIN ARNESEN
Co Founder and leader
Kirstin Arnesen is recognized as a leader in the holistic movement in Norway. A certified Health Educator from Hippocrates USA, qualified as a yoga teacher with the Yoga Academy in 2018 and creator/owner up until 2019 of the leading beauty salon INCH in Norway, she has hosted Brian Clement from Hippocrates USA as well as many international yoga teachers in Oslo over the last 15 years. Kirstin is passionate about living and teaching a fully integrated approach to overall health, well-being, and beauty on all levels. As she says to her guests and friends; “Beauty starts on the inside. She can help to show you how, to begin with, your diet and lifestyle as she guides you to outer fitness and wellbeing.”Kirstin works to bring awareness of the Hippocrates vision of plant-based raw food diets to those who are searching for an authentic and responsible way to align themselves with inner and outer health.
SIMON LOW
Co Founder and leader
Simon Low BWY, SYT, Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500), is one of the UK’s most experienced and renowned yoga teachers, and a founder of Triyoga, the UK’s leading yoga studios. Simon is now Principal of The Yoga Academy offering retreats, teacher training, and continuing education to yoga teachers and students internationally.
After a career in the music industry based out of London, New York and Los Angeles, Simon undertook training as yoga teacher and therapist over 27 years ago in Los Angeles, California. Simon’s studies in many forms of yoga, are augmented by training in macrobiotics, bodywork, Chi Kung, Chinese and eastern medicines, psychology, neuroscience and philosophy. Over the years, Simon has developed a unique and personal teaching style, offering a harmonious combination of Yin and Yang Yoga; not as a set system but as teachings that can inform and enrich all approaches to yoga.
Yin and Yang Yoga offers fresh vitality and balance to yoga practice, kindness and respect to the human form, transformative breathing practices, enhanced concentration and awareness, internal enquiry, and for the mind - the space for peace and tranquillity.
In 2007, Simon released his now very popular DVD "Yin and Yang Yoga" and in 2015 a Yin Yoga App for iPhone (available at the iPhone App Store only).
JILL SWYERS
Rawfood
Jill Swyers qualified as a Hippocrates Health Educator in 1998 and regularly enhances her training at the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida, USA. Having worked in the food industry for more than 40 years, including managing restaurants in Europe and running her own successful London-based catering company, Jill now takes her wisdom, energy, and skill around the world, devoting her time to counseling, teaching, lecturing and demonstrating the preparation of PlantBased Living Foods with a Balance of nutrition, as a way to achieve optimum health and wellbeing. Her energy and drive are testimony to the great benefits of the Hippocrates philosophy. One Step at a Time with Guidance – this makes all the difference!
YOLANDE
Rawfood
Yolande has spent the last 30 years researching and developing the potential of plant-based raw food as both healing medicine and colourful, varied and delicious nutritional fare, with an emphasis on its ethical and sustainable growing.
A pioneer in the field of healthy eating and food production in South Africa, Yolande shared her knowledge and creativity through her health food store, restaurants, lifestyle-hotel, retreats and workshops, embracing and including yoga, chi gung, poetry, meditation, permaculture, and natural building within her trainings and events.
After a 4-year period of further international research in Asian nutritional foods and healing remedies through Japan, Bali and Thailand, Yolande returned to Cape Town and is now a leading light in the raw and plant-based food world with individual needs and group training and retreats. RawFitYoga.Life is one of her new homes where we welcome her joyous and enlightened being.
BOO MARIA BOAFO
Rawfood
Originally from London, Boo has a long business history in New York, London, and Accra.
Boo now lives a holistically inspired, plant-based lifestyle alongside a lifelong yoga practice. She is certified as a Thai Bodywork practitioner, Bhakti YT, as well as implementing trainings with children's yoga, and trauma-informed practice.
Having switched to a plant-based lifestyle in 2003, Boo saw the benefits immediately and immersed herself in the art of raw food preparation, creating delicious meals. Through support groups and private consultation, she currently assists in helping others find balance through healthy nutrition, movement, and conscious thinking.
'Boo is innovative in the dishes she develops and prepares and she takes pride in producing food that will be enjoyable, tasty and nutritious, even for her traditional “cooked” diet clients and friends.'
Amanda Norris
Rawfood
Amanda Norris is an English plant-based raw food, vegan and vegetarian chef, who has been preparing menus at yoga retreats and events in Spain for 17 years. With an emphasis on using locally grown, wild, and organic produce, Amanda creates tasty, nourishing and internationally-inspired dishes and cold-pressed juices with the intention of promoting optimum health and healing through the food we eat. Alongside preparing food for others, Amanda leads frequent raw food and fermentation workshops, educating and inspiring people to create healthy and satisfying plant-based meals at home.
ROBIN STUMPE
Fitness Expert
Robin holds a Masters degree in sports and exercise science and was trained by the Institute of Corrective Holistic Exercises Kinesiology in Australia and the UK.
His programs focus on postural alignment and structural integrity and utilize a variety of techniques, tools, and assessments. These include posture, muscle function and movement assessments, corrective exercise, scientific core conditioning, primal movement patterns, moving meditations and holistic lifestyle coaching.
For the past 3 years he has been working with health & wellness experts in award winning wellness facilities in Europe and Asia, and has served students from all over the world. He is currently working as an Integrative Fitness Specialist in one of the most respected alternative medicine centres in Europe.
DAVID TILSTON
Fitness Expert
David specialises and teaches movement through bodyweight calisthenics, hand balancing, yoga asana and functional movement through the use of – clubbells, kettlebells, macebells, suspension training, parallettes and primal movement patterns. As a keen martial artist he has also studied Filipino Kyusho under the guidance of Grand Master Angelo Baldissone (8th Dan) since 2009, earning his first black belt in 2014.
As Fitness Manager and yoga teacher at Samahita Retreat, David continued to refine his training and practice in yoga and pranayama, studying with world-renowned teachers, while developing a deeper understanding of fitness for the human body.
Now based in the UK David continues to lead workshops and retreats at home and abroad. He is keen to bring out the best in people by sharing his enthusiasm for life and fitness through many forms of movement.