About Telma
My story, in my own words.
Growing up in Luanda
It all began in Luanda, Angola, where I grew up surrounded by food: big family lunches at weekends, sweet pastries when visiting someone, a treat whenever I was sad or happy. For a long time, food was my main source of comfort. Watching the women around me diet constantly, it seemed normal to repeat the same behaviour, and from my teens into young adulthood my weight went up and down — and how I looked dictated how I felt.
“There's nothing sustainable about a restrictive diet.”
A turning point in Norway
After moving to Norway, I began to experience back pain that worsened over the years, together with digestive difficulties and poor sleep. I saw many doctors and specialists and received several diagnoses, but I still felt tired and unsure what I could do to improve my quality of life.
During a visit to my family in Angola, I watched a documentary about the environmental impact of meat, and it made me question what I had been taught about food. I gradually changed my eating habits towards plant foods — first dairy, which I had noticed upset my stomach, then red meat, poultry, fish and eggs. For the first time, I was changing how I ate for a reason other than my weight.
“It was the first time I altered my diet for a reason other than my weight.”
In my own experience, I felt stronger and more energetic and my sleep improved. My husband joined me along the way, and curiosity about what was happening led me to study nutrition. This is my personal story — not a promise of any particular outcome for anyone else, and not a substitute for medical care.
Why I do this work
Plants From Now On grew out of that journey: a way to share what I learned with women who recognise themselves in where I once was. Today my work is centred on practical education and sustainable habits — helping you understand your choices, feel heard, and take a more active role in your own well-being.
What I believe
- Informed choices matter more than perfect ones.
- Plant-based eating can be a nourishing choice — but there is no single approach that suits everyone.
- Small, sustainable habits outlast any short-term diet.
- You know your life best; my role is to guide and educate, not to prescribe.
Education, training & experience
Formal academic qualification
- National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry — Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Certifications
- Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition — T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell (2018)
- Pilates Mat 1 & Mat 2 instructor certification — Balanced Body, Sacramento, USA
Training courses
- Detoxification training — International School of Detoxification, Port Charlotte, FL, USA (2019)
- Applied Reflexology, Indian-head Massage and Hot-Stone Massage — Healing Hands Institute, Cape Town
Professional experience
- Founder of Eucalyptus by Christy, a spa in Luanda, Angola (2008)
- Founder of Plants From Now On — consultations, workshops, raw food cooking evenings and online mentoring for women
I am a plant-based nutrition and lifestyle consultant — not a doctor, dietitian or other regulated healthcare professional. I do not diagnose, treat or cure medical conditions, and consultations do not replace medical care. If you have persistent, painful, unusual or concerning symptoms, or fertility difficulties, please seek assessment from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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