Charmaine Shepherd Functional Medicine

11/10/2026

Found this old image of my clinical training in Shanghai, China. It made me laugh so much, especially the hairstyle, the poor fitting lab coat.

02/10/2026

23/08/2026

There’s something about getting out into the hills that feels like a complete reset. 🥾🌿

Hiking is such an underrated form of medicine — hours of steady movement, fresh air, daylight, changing terrain and time away from screens. It supports cardiovascular fitness, blood sugar regulation, bone strength and balance, while also helping to lower stress and give the nervous system a chance to settle.

And then there’s the mental health side of it. Being outside, surrounded by nature, with nothing much to think about other than where you’re putting your feet, can do wonders for the brain.

Of course, it helps when your playground looks like this. ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Scotland really was showing off this morning. Days like this remind me just how lucky we are to have all of this on our doorstep.

Movement doesn’t always need to happen in a gym. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your health is put on your boots and head for the hills.

MovementIsMedicine NervousSystemHealth HeartHealth BrainHealth Nature FunctionalMedicine

19/08/2026

20 years. One Edinburgh street. A few different names… and a little detour along the way. 💚

It’s just dawned on me that it’s 20 years since I first started working at 45 York Place.

From there I moved to 5 York Place, where I opened The Centre for Holistic Health, then later to St Colme Street and now Albyn Place, home of Edinburgh Health.

I did wander away from this street for a few years… but somehow, it pulled me back. And I rather love that.

The addresses have changed. The clinic has changed. I’ve changed enormously. My understanding of health, the human body and what it really means to care for someone has grown more than I could ever have imagined when I first walked through that door at number 45.

But the purpose has remained remarkably constant: to help people understand their health, feel heard, and find a way forward.

Thousands of conversations, countless cups of tea, a LOT of blood tests, many needles, some tears, plenty of laughter and so many extraordinary people later… here I am, still on the same stretch of Edinburgh. ❤️

To every patient, client, colleague and friend who has been part of these 20 years — thank you. You have made Edinburgh Health what it is.

Here’s to whatever the next chapter brings. 🌿

# WomensHealth HealthJourney

20/06/2026

I've just spent 3 incredible days at IPM2026. With over 3000 medical professionals gathering from all over the world, we can see how the worldwide demand for root cause medicine is exploding!

11/10/2025

Edinburgh'a first biohacking clinic opens today! Come and see The Recovery Room until 4pm today.

11/10/2025

Edinburgh'first biohacking clinic. This is so exciting.