Michaella Mazzoni liked the idea of ​​living in London, but she realised that living in a crowded, polluted and stressful city was having a negative impact on her health.

Moving away from the capital and changing her lifestyle proved to be the medicine she needed.

“I was able to slow down and recover,” Michaella said.

In London, Michaella, 32, and her husband James Perrett, 34, rented a one-bedroom flat for around £1,400 a month in East Dulwich. They both worked – James is an art director and Michaella worked in HR – which meant long commutes and long hours – and Michaella was also studying dietetics.

To make matters even more difficult, Michaella had to juggle her busy life with coping with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes joint pain, exhaustion, and problems with memory and mood. Meanwhile, James was diagnosed with a terrifying condition called spontaneous pneumothorax, which caused his lungs to periodically collapse.

“My health was really precarious in London,” Michaella said. “I really struggled with fibromyalgia, but I noticed that whenever we went away from London for a weekend, I felt much better, probably because we were away from home and I was less stressed.

“James’ condition can be brought on by stress and pollution, so we started talking about whether we should move out of London for the sake of our health.”

In 2017, the couple gave up their lease on their flat and moved to Edinburgh. James negotiated a remote working arrangement, while the lower cost of living north of the border meant Michaella could quit her job, find a part-time job locally and focus on her studies. “The air quality there is much better than London, it’s a beautiful city and a bit of an adventure for us,” Michaella said.

In 2019, the couple paid £215,000 for a three-bedroom home in Borthwick, 16 miles southeast of Edinburgh, and thought they had settled down. Michaella set up her own business (www.michaellamazzoninutrition.com) and the couple enjoyed the secluded lifestyle.

But a series of blows caused a rethink. Michaella had a miscarriage and was struggling to cope with being so far away from her family, who live in Hertfordshire. James, whose lungs seemed to be doing much better in Scotland, had a serious attack.

“Being so far away from our families was isolating,” Michaella said.

In early 2022, the couple decided to move. They sold their house for around £260,000 and moved to a four-bedroom house in Hartford, Cambridgeshire, which cost £435,000.

The closeness of family has been a joy for the couple, and James’ condition has been resolved with surgery. Michaella’s fibromyalgia is in remission, which she attributes to a change in diet and a new, stress-free lifestyle.

“I tried a lot of medication and nothing helped,” she said. “Changing my diet, slowing down and working on my stress levels helped. I still run my own business in Cambridge, but it’s still a quieter environment than London. We’re close to a lot of the countryside, which helps, and I love having a lot of space. I do a lot of gardening, walking and baking, and we spend time with our families.

“A lot of things have happened in our lives in a very short time and I’m glad I have a little peace.”