Friends from Wild Places

Rethinking Quick Fixes and Self-Perception

Subscriber Episode • • Shireen Botha/Tanya Scotece • Season 4 • Episode 6

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What does it truly mean to understand your health?

Join Shireen and Tanya on "Friends from Wild Places" as they unravel the personal and professional odysseys of individuals balancing the intricacies of business with personal growth. This episode shines a spotlight on Barb Herrera, who offers her wisdom on the effective use of medications like G1P1. Tanya courageously shares her own battle with weight and a terrifying experience with semaglutide, which resulted in a severe allergic reaction and facial paralysis. Her story is a compelling reminder of the critical need for self-awareness and the realization that not every solution is universal.

Tanya Scotece

Shireen Botha


We delve into the seductive world of quick-fix solutions, particularly in weight loss, and the societal and media pressures that fuel these cravings. Personal stories illuminate the inherent dangers and unpredictability of such methods, whether through dubious online pharmacies or unexpected side effects. 

We also touch upon the often harsher judgments we place upon ourselves and offer a practical tip for reducing self-scrutiny during video calls. This episode encourages listeners to reevaluate their priorities, find clarity through adversity, and embrace a message of consistency, healthy living, and mindful self-reflection.

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Voice over:

Tales from the wild, stories from the heart. A journey into the mind and soul of fired up business professionals, where they share their vision for the future and hear from a different non-profit organization every month as they create awareness of their goals and their needs. Dive into a world of untamed passion as we join our host, Shireen Botha, for this month's episode of Friends from Wild Places.

Shireen Botha:

Alright, welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Friends from Wild Places. I am Shireen Botha, your host as well as your boutique bookkeeper. I own Shireen's Bookkeeping Services. And first thing, I want to have a question for you.

Shireen Botha:

Out there, you business owners, Are you trying to run your business with just a CPA? Well, think again. In today's fast-paced world, managing your finances goes beyond just tax time. Meet Shireen's Bookkeeping Services, your partner in seamless financial management. We provide expert bookkeeping that keeps your cash flow healthy and your peace of mind intact. Without tailored services, you'll save time, reduce stress and gain insights that empower you to make informed decisions. Why settle for just compliance when you can thrive? And here's a glimpse into the future AI power tools are revolutionizing bookkeeping. Imagine automated reports and predictive analytics giving you a new edge in business. So if you know business owners who rely solely on their CPA, you can introduce us. Let's take their financial management to the next level, Because when your books are smart, your books can soar. All right, listeners, welcome. Welcome back. Yes, myself, Shireen, and my lovely co-host here, Tanya. You are listening to the paid version, the extra bonus content, and we've got some juicy topics for you. Good morning, Tanya. How are you feeling this morning?

Tanya Scotece:

Oh, good morning, Shireen, good morning. It's been quite the journey. It's been quite the journey this morning. What I wanted to kind of just dive deeper in is, you know, like everyone, we're all on our own journey and our own path and sometimes, you know, hearing somebody else's journey kind of gets that inspiration going and flowing right.

Tanya Scotece:

So one of our most recent guests, barb Herrera, was talking about the G1P1, you know type of medications that was so successful and you know. So I want to share with you because, um, as you know, we've talked a lot about, you know, insecurities and you know I've always shared about feeling like a weight thing, like it's. It's always been my thing and, um, you know some, a lot of people that know me personally that, um, you know, see me, don't see that and I like to share because it is a real thing to where it's like an OCD with the scale, it's an OCD with the number, it's an OCD with the weight. So if I have access to a scale, I can weigh myself, probably four or five times a day, like, and it's, it gets to like a point that it just like. That's the first thing that I think of, right? So what I wanted to shed some light on is, after Barb's podcast, I decided I wanted to try it. So I actually reached out to primary care physician and you know they said, yeah, okay, you know, but you know, not for long-term, maybe for like one month. So and I've read some, you watch some YouTubes and I guess there are people that do, you know, one month or two months and you know, drop a few pounds.

Tanya Scotece:

So I decided that that's what I was going to do and I purchased a compound which was semaglglutide and I injected myself and I ended up having a severe allergic reaction to where I actually experienced facial paralysis. Under my chin was completely numb above the eye pain, and I knew, going into it, the side effects may be nausea and vomiting, but I'm talking severe, like severe vomit. I almost needed hospitalization and I've never been that sick in my life, like ever I mean, I've had, I mean a C-section with my daughter, multiple surgeries and let me tell you I sat there and I'm like you know what, I'll keep the 10 pounds Like I was, just like this was horrible. And then turns out I was actually given double the dosage of what I was supposed to be for recommended. So that also compounded the the effects, you know.

Tanya Scotece:

So, but being that sick in that moment in time, it made me realize. You know, sometimes we kind of don't realize things until we're like at death's door, right, and then it's like you know, I don't want this, I don't want to experience this, so I don't know. I just wanted to share with you, shireen, as far as, like you know, and again, there's people who have great results and you know, no side effects, but I also wanted to shed light on, you know, sometimes it's there's more than meets the eye, you know. So what are your thoughts on that, shireen? First of all.

Shireen Botha:

Why did you not call me and tell me this? Because we just recorded Bob Herrera and we've just started releasing the episode. Just by the way, listeners, we're releasing the second one um this weekend, but like that's scary, you should have called me.

Tanya Scotece:

it's so scary. It's so scary, yeah, I really. And you know, the funny thing is it's like like I was like so caught up like let me just get the injection and, like you know, 10 pounds will be gone by the holidays and especially, like you know, now on the internet everything is like, oh, do Pilates, you'll be fit in a month and do this, and I'm sure everything is consistency, right, so, and. But I just like bought into it, did an online pharmacy. It was a compound and and I believe I had an allergic reaction to the compound not necessarily the actual, actual medication.

Tanya Scotece:

But let me tell you, being that sick I haven't been, I don't think I honestly I don't think I've ever been that sick in my life, ever Like, and it was so scary that I think I just wanted to share with you and our listeners that you know, sometimes you know we want that quick fix, right, like. It's like, you know you just go get it done. You know, and I mean you know, think about like, especially women I know we have some men subscribers out there, but especially for women it's like, if you want long nails, you can go get long nails. If you want long hair, you can get hair extensions, and I'm talking about the physical aspect of things. But when it comes to weight loss, like, that's not a quick fix. Right, Like you know, diet and exercise and healthy living is, quote unquote, the key. But why, when you could just take an injection, right Like, why? So I don't know. Yeah Again, what are your sentiments? What are your thoughts?

Shireen Botha:

I this is to be honest I don't believe that there's anything such as a quick fix in anything. Quick fix when it comes to get rich quick quick fix when it comes to lose weight fast. Quick fix when it comes anything, and I feel like because anything that's not worked hard for can very much be taken out from underneath your feet very easily and any quick fix for me means there's a lot of corners that have been cut, and when you start cutting corners, you're then starting to play with fire, and anyone that starts to play with fire is going to could be not all the time could be burnt, and so, yeah, it's very scary because it gets advertised a lot in not only social media but on TV, with all these celebrities that have been using the product and losing weight extremely fast, and as people that observe this, then we say, oh, then it must be working. Then I want some of that. You know, and I think people need to be very careful with that.

Shireen Botha:

I think it's your body is such a complex thing with so many different factors, and I'm, my body, so different to your body, and so on and so forth. What works for my body won't work for your body, and what works for your body might not work for my body, and I mean that could be said about life in general. But, um, yeah, I think it's. It's really important to do our homework, but also there's certain things you will never know until you take it, because I don't right.

Tanya Scotece:

Right, you would have known that you were allergic to that compound, right right and I think you know, like again, I have I know some people that have had great results. I mean, I think Barb's journey was just an amazing one, I mean, having gone from bedridden to finding something that worked, that you know, got her to where she is. And you know, and I am all about that, promoting it. It's not about like, oh, it's not a good product. But again, I think the media hype it's like everyone is a candidate, right, and I mean that's not a bad thing. But I just think that we may see more of the side effects and the allergic reactions and those type of things than what is publicized out there. And I think that also goes.

Tanya Scotece:

If you remember Shereen, last time this year or last time last year rather, I had tried compression therapy, remember, and that's where it's supposed to move the lymph around and it's great. I mean there's a lot of people that are doing it. There's like med spots all over Florida and I had a free pass I love most of my listeners know that I love doing the free pass kind of stuff and I tried it and I actually popped a retina in my eye. I mean I popped a blood vessel, like, and you know it was like wow, like I mean sometimes. And then when you're in that situation, you're like, can I just reverse it back to where I was and that was, if you remember, I think we, you and I were doing some podcasts at that time. That was like two weeks of a bloat, broken blood vessel in my eyeball over Christmas holiday. And for what? Because I wanted to, the quick, I mean, think about it. It's like it's the same theme, it's just changed the the difference. You know, and people that know me like they see me and they don't see that side. They just see like, oh, you're fine. You know you don't need to whatever, fill in the blank, but it's all what we feel Right.

Tanya Scotece:

And one of the best tips and again, I'm talking about the physicality today on this episode, because so many of us think of how we look and it's not really what people see and one of the best tips, the best best tips, especially since I've been on Zoom since the pandemic, so 2020, I'm on Zoom usually 12 to 14 hours a day just for meetings, calls and teaching online. And one of the things that I read and saw and took away and has been a game changer for me is there is a setting tab that you can not look at yourself like. You look in the mirror. So off the top of my head I think it's instead of having it, when you look at yourself in the mirror, there's a setting and I don't know if it's opposite of mirror my appearance. That is the best way to do it, so you're not focused on what you would normally look at or what we each would normally focus on.

Tanya Scotece:

So it was one of the best tips. So I did that setting change and again, so when I have my zoom on, I'm not seeing myself like I see myself in the mirror, I'm seeing myself like people see me, and it's not as what's the word, it's not as like in my face type of thing, because it just I don't know how to explain it. But what are your thoughts on that? Do you have any thoughts?

Shireen Botha:

on that you're talking about. Yeah, I know the setting you're talking about. Um, it doesn't really affect me much, uh, whether I change it. You know I don't really enjoy, um, looking at myself, um, but you know, at the end of the day, it's you've got to feel good about yourself, and I think people, people, forget that they need to actually start on the inside first. And you know I'm saying this and I've I've done a lot of work on myself on the inside and now looking at myself in the mirror much better, um, and there's times where I look at myself in the mirror and I can say, well, I'm pretty proud of you, shireen, you know of where you've come, and I've never been able to do that before.

Shireen Botha:

Uh, so I have come some way when regards to just accepting myself, but it only started when I started working from the inside out and going to therapy and working through a lot of the why do I think this way? You know, going through each thought and and working on it and finding out where it comes from, and all of that. But so sorry to go off the topic, but yeah, I, I think before I started working on myself, I was very conscious about what I looked like, and always looking to try and dress better, put makeup on, you know, see what's in fashion that will help certain areas of my body look better, you know. So we're always looking for those kind of things, and I and now, as you know, tanya, I think I don't even wear makeup anymore uh, the most that I'll get done is my lashes and my brows. I've done no work on my face at all and I just that's, um, that's how I am now, and and I'm quite happy to do that, uh, but I wasn't always like that.

Tanya Scotece:

So when I see you, it's beautiful and it's funny because, um, I just I don't, I didn't really even think to like say like, oh, does Shireen wear makeup or does she not wear makeup? But it's just interesting that, like your, your focus is like, as long as you have your lashes done and you're on your eyebrows, you're good, right, you feel that brings you the confidence that you feel right right, right, and that's not for everybody.

Shireen Botha:

And and again, I'm not. I haven't always been like that. I was quite different Before this, before I took the time to work on myself, and, from the inside out, quite, quite different. I don't think you would have recognized me, to be honest.

Tanya Scotece:

And what was the turning Like? What was the turning point Like for you, like, how did you go from? And, for example so like most, if most people that know me, I'm really casual. When I'm not casual, when I'm not working, when I'm not working, like there's no makeup, there's, you know, it's good. So for me it's like a look, it's like a funeral professional look, it's like a suit makeup, you know, just like the glam, like that soft glam look which is a look. That's all it is. So people think I'm like this 24 7. That's not true, that's a fallacyacy. But what is your turning point for you?

Shireen Botha:

Um, and also just take notes, you know. So started working on myself. You know, while I was, you know, always putting on makeup and making myself look good and trying to find ways to eat, well, I went to gym a lot, you know know, I was very focused on the outside. But, um, I've been doing therapy for a good few years, before the pandemic, and I think that's when it started. I started working on myself, um, but then the pandemic hit and I think there was a lot of things that came up because of the pandemic as well and that I had to deal with.

Shireen Botha:

Um, and then I just, you know, I think I just stopped wearing makeup. I didn't feel like it was necessary and great for the pandemic to teach me that. No, I think it was a mixture of all the factors putting together, because I think both things can be true at the same time. Yes, the pandemic, there was no reason for me to put makeup on. But then I realized I don't want to put makeup on, I don't enjoy putting makeup on, and then it just yeah, it just carried on from there. Now I'm just always in sports clothes or relaxed, chilled out clothes, as you know, and I don't again, just because that's me. It doesn't mean everyone's like that. I just right right Because I used to do it for the wrong reasons.

Tanya Scotece:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I thank you, shireen, I thank you for your collaboration. I just wanted to shed light, as people you know venture through their holiday season and into 2025, as far as what people are looking to try. So I just wanted to shed light on you know, sometimes, you know, we don't know what that looks like until you actually are there, and it's it was. It was quite scary, it was like quite a scary experience, if I can use that word. Our goal is to have people you know listen to our podcast, listen to the bonus content and just come away saying, you know what? I never thought of it in that way or I never looked at it in that way, and that makes us happy, makes us very happy for people to embrace their adversities and diversities and kind of come to a place of a new, a new thought process. So, on that note, that's what I have for bonus content this morning and I'll turn it back over to you.

Shireen Botha:

Shireen, thank you so much. Yes, tanya, so sorry you went through that and I'm so glad you're okay. You know your health comes first and could have been way worse, and I'm glad you're here with us, chatting with us and sharing your experience, because I think it's important for the listeners to hear that side of things, because, as you mentioned earlier, I don't think the bad side of these types of things ever really gets shown, because I think it will affect sales in a way. So thank you so much for sharing Tanya, and we really appreciate all you listeners for listening in. We will keep making the bonus content for you and remember you got this and stay wild.

Voice over:

Bye, guys you've been listening to friends from wild places with Shireen Botha. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast from the links to catch every episode and unleash your passion.

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Shireen Botha

Host
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Tanya Scotece

Co-host

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