Emma Butler - The Gutsy Coach

06/08/2025

This has been on my heart all weekend. 💚

You know when something shakes you, not because it's new, but because it hits you from every direction at once?

That was me this week.

As you all know, I work in wellbeing. I’m a women’s health coach, and every day I talk to women who feel exhausted, inflamed, disconnected from their bodies. Women who are told “this is just what happens with age.”

It’s not.

I see it all....

Hormone chaos.
Gut issues.
Weight issues.
Autoimmune flare-ups.
Mood swings that make them question their sanity.
Teenage girls with endo.
Women with no energy, no libido, no answers.

The stories are different, but the root causes often aren’t.

Then, this week, something happened that hit me harder than I expected…

I was watching a live event run by Tropic (the skincare brand I partner with) and thousands of Ambassadors were watching along. This year’s chosen charities include two cancer-focused ones.

Whilst watching, I was reading the comments...

“I’ve just finished chemo.”
“I lost my sister last year.”
“I’m living with cancer now.”

One after another. Hundreds of them.

It honestly left me speachless 🙁

These aren’t strangers. They’re women I work alongside, women who are already choosing cleaner, safer skincare... and yet still, so many are affected.

It made me even more determined to keep talking about the things we don’t talk about enough.

We are living in a world that’s making us sick ... slowly, silently, systemically.

One of the ways it’s doing that is through the everyday things we use without even thinking: what we eat, breathe, clean with… and what we put on our skin.

Your skin is your largest organ. It absorbs what you feed it, and those ingredients don’t just sit there .. they go in. They affect your hormones, your cells, your immune system, and some are linked to serious long-term health risks.

The beauty industry is still one of the least regulated. Most people have no idea what’s in the bottle ... just that it smells nice or comes in pretty packaging.

So whether you use Tropic or not, I’m sharing this list, because I wish I’d had it years ago.

💥 10 Ingredients I Now Avoid — and Why

(These are all still used in UK products today.)

1. Parabens – Synthetic preservatives that mimic oestrogen. Found in breast cancer tissue. Mess with hormones (especially during perimenopause/menopause).

2. Phthalates – Usually hidden as “fragrance.” Linked to infertility, early puberty, hormone disruption, and even miscarriage.

3. Triclosan – An antibacterial agent (actually a pesticide) that disrupts thyroid hormones and harms the environment.

4. Petroleum derivatives – Found in baby oil, lip balm, body creams. May contain 1,4-dioxane (a probable carcinogen) and block skin from breathing.

5. Synthetic Colours (FD&C / D&C) – Made from coal tar. Linked to skin sensitivity and long-term cell damage. Still found in bubble baths and makeup.

6. Oxybenzone – A chemical sunscreen that disrupts hormones and may reduce birth weight in babies. Still in many SPFs. Also kills coral reefs.

7. Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) – Found in some shampoos and body washes. Linked to eczema, skin reactions, and brain cell damage in animal studies.

8. Benzoyl Peroxide – Used in acne treatments. Can irritate the skin and may promote tumours in high doses (animal studies).

9. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – The foaming agent in many cleansers and toothpastes. Harsh on sensitive skin, especially during hormonal changes.

10. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
These include ingredients like DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15, which slowly release formaldehyde over time to prevent mould. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and can trigger skin irritation, allergies, and even hormonal disruption. Still found in some shampoos, nail treatments, and liquid soaps.

What does this actually mean?

These aren’t just long chemical names on a label.

They’re tied to:

- Heavy, painful periods

- Mood swings, PMT, or anxiety that feels out of control

- Midsection weight gain that won’t shift

- Perimenopause symptoms that hit like a truck

- Infertility

- Early menopause

- Acne, eczema, rosacea

- Thyroid issues

- Even hormone-related cancers

- Brain fog, and brain diseases

If you’re seeing any of this in yourself or the people you love, this isn’t about fear, this is about awareness.

We’re NOT meant to accept all this as normal. We’re meant to wake up and choose better.

Tropic will never use any of those ingredients. That’s why I’m proud to be part of it, but even if you never buy a single thing from me, please 🙏 check your labels. Ask questions. Protect your body.

If you ever want help, I’ll happily check your products with you. No judgement. No pressure. Just support.

Because now more than ever, we deserve better.

Emma x 💛

27/12/2024

🌟 In January, I’ll be celebrating my 57th birthday—a moment that feels particularly significant because it’s been 7 years since I found myself at a crossroads and decided something had to change in my life.

It was at my 50th birthday party in 2018 that a realisation hit me: I couldn’t keep going the way I was. I had spent the months leading up to that party trapped in a cycle of fear, constant dieting, deprivation and doubt, desperate to lose weight and look a certain way. But no matter how much weight I lost, I didn’t feel how I expected to feel. Instead I felt ugly and exhausted, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Anxiety, constant aches and pains, low self-esteem, and the weight of external pressures had left me feeling totally disconnected. My relationships, my environment, and even my thoughts had become toxic. I didn’t recognise the woman staring back at me in the mirror, I really didn’t like her and I felt broken.

That moment of clarity didn’t bring an instant transformation, but it planted a seed. I knew deep down that I was worthy of more and that single belief was the first step.

Over time, I started making changes, one small decision at a time. I stopped chasing perfection and quick fixes. I let go of the toxic patterns that were keeping me stuck. I started focusing on what my body, mind and soul truly needed to thrive.

What I find truly fascinating is: I weigh more now than I did at my 50th birthday party. But I feel healthier, more energised, and more at peace than ever.

I’ve learned that health on the inside is so much more than appearance on the outside. It’s about feeling strong, alive, and free in your own skin and mind. It's not about obsessing over numbers that mean nothing if you don’t FEEL good.

This isn’t about diets or deprivation or trying to fit into society’s expectations. It’s about choosing health, vitality, and a life you love. YOU are worthy of that.

You can achieve it. You have the power within you right now to make it happen. To get healthier, to feel younger, to find freedom, and to thrive in ways you might not even believe are possible yet.

Every moment offers that opportunity: to choose yourself 💜

04/11/2024

"✨ Feel like you’re stuck in cycles of ‘not enough’? This is for you! Swipe through to learn why diets and surface-level changes often fail – and how you can start creating real transformation from within. 🌿💫 Ready to break the cycle? Let’s do this together. Comment ‘READY’ below or DM me to get started! 💖 "

27/10/2024

Can I please have it now mummy!

16/09/2024

My garden view this evening 🥰

How beautiful is that!

💙💜💚💛🧡

14/09/2024

Prepare to be photo 💣 today everyone!

Biggest event of my year loading.....

Prep time!

💜💚💛🧡💙

07/05/2024

Just over six years ago, my life was incredibly hard. I'd been on the hamster wheel for 40+ years, stuck in a relentless cycle of low self-esteem, depression, pain, and obesity. High stress and emotional chaos ruled my days, leaving me feeling like a constant failure. To cope, I leaned into drastic habits like extreme dieting, overworking, binge drinking, and overspending, desperately searching for a sense of relief. But it never lasted, and I kept sabotaging my progress.

Then I made a choice: to dedicate myself to change, not just for me but for others too. Through my business, Encourage Wellbeing, I committed to learning about my body, brain, and mind. It was through this journey that I discovered what truly matters in achieving the health, happiness, and vitality we’ve all fought for our whole lives.

The brain is the one organ that directly controls everything else, yet it's often the most overlooked when it comes to health. We're constantly bombarded with toxins that can damage our brains over time, impacting our ability to think clearly and affecting the rest of our lives. If we focus on restoring and repairing the brain—the master board—we can rewire it through neuroplasticity, enabling us to learn new skills, break unhealthy habits, and adopt positive thought patterns. When this happens, everything else starts to follow.

The software (your mind) can be programmed for productive thinking, and your network (connections with people, environments, news, and social media) can be tweaked to nurture what you truly desire. Even your spirituality can be discovered or rediscovered, giving life a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.

This journey showed me that we can create a life of sustainable health and vitality, firing on all cylinders within. Boosting my brain health made me resilient, helping me manage stress and reframe setbacks. It sharpened my cognitive function, improving my memory and creativity, and brought clarity, sleep, reduced inflammation, and the strength to manage chronic conditions like migraines, panic attacks, ectopic heartbeats, muscular and joint pain, bloating, and the challenges of menopause.

Now, I'm the happiest and healthiest I've ever been and love the person I am today. I've come to believe I deserve a life filled with joy and health.

By gradually removing the toxins and replacing them with nurturing, healing habits, I saw positive changes ripple through every aspect of my life.

I know where you've been, and I have the way out.

Join my group, 'Restore, Rewire & Revive,' where I'm launching a brand-new, free challenge to help you break free from the grind and discover your true, vibrant self. Reclaim your energy, spark joy, and live fully. Let’s do this together. 🌟

Comment "I'm in!" below if you'd like an invitation to this free challenge, or message me directly! 🌟

12/01/2024

I love reminding myself how delicious eating plants really is.

What a difference this make to how I feel.

Over 20 plants on one plate .. wow!

02/09/2023

Yesterday I shared with you a meal that I made that had been preprepped. I said the reason I made it was because I had no time or motivation. In the moment it served a purpose for me, in that it meant I still ate a whole food home cooked meal.

Today, I see it served a bigger purpose. It made me action, which we know, leads to motivation.

So today ... I made my own dinner. It is Gluten free and Vegan.

I made the recipe up myself and I have to say it so seriously good.

oh my!

Take the first steps towards the bigger goal. It works every time 😊

02/08/2023

I have a question for you...

What would you say is the most toxic thing in your life right now ?

02/08/2023

Hey beautiful people!

Are you passionate about skincare and love sharing your experiences with others?

Imagine finding and using the most beautiful skincare products that make you look and feel amazing while also making a positive impact on the planet and its people.

If you're nodding along, this could be the start of something incredible for you...

💚💛❤️💜💙 Click the link to discover more! 💫

Join Susie Ma LIVE as she shares why being an Ambassador might just be the best thing you do this summer and what makes the Ambassador opportunity with Tropic Skincare…