Get Up & Go Breakfast - Awareness Health - Dr Wendy Christien

Deep breathing, which is also referred to as diaphragmatic breathing or abdominal breathing, is not only beneficial for out physical health but also for our mental and emotional wellbeing. Many of us don’t give attention to our breathing and we breathe more shallowly than we should be. When we don't breathe deeply enough, several physiological and psychological effects can occur.

Blood is a specialized body fluid that is essential to life. The four main components of blood are red blood cells, plasma, white blood cells, and platelets. Keeping our blood healthy ensures that our organs and tissues can function optimally. For this reason, it is important that we provide our bodies with the nutrients that are necessary to keep our blood healthy.

Wendy is a wellness practitioner and an health coach at Intergrated Health Solutions and she helps us ensure we manage our bodies well, to get the best out of them.

Food labels are crucial sources of information that provide consumers with details about the nutritional content, ingredients, and other important aspects of packaged food products. Dr Wendy walks us through the Nutrition Facts Panel, the Ingredients List, serving size and the calories and macronutrients:

Our diets play a significant role in the health of our eyes and our eyesight. Certain nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin and amino acids like taurine and L-carnitine, are essential for promoting good vision and protecting against eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts.

Fats are essential macronutrients, but their consumption often stirs debates due to their potential health implications. We explore the pros and cons of consuming too many fats.

When we consume a diet that is high in unhealthy fats and processed foods, and are exposed toxins from the environment, the liver and the gallbladder are overworked which can result in a toxic gut. Too much fat and not enough fiber in our diets puts a lot of pressure on these organs which can lead to gallbladder disease, which is a common symptom of a toxic gut.

This gut type arises from chronically poor digestive processes, the use of antacids, and the subsequent lack of absorption of nutrients which prevents the digestive system from sending nutrients to the organs. Many people with this gut type struggle with acid reflux, a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), bloating and gas.

The immune gut can be triggered by the use of prescription medication, antibiotics, and the consumption of an inflammatory diet. Emotions such as disappointment, grief, and depression can also contribute to symptoms associated with this gut type.

Emotional stress combined with the overconsumption of sugar and carbohydrates stresses the adrenal and thyroid glands as well as the kidneys, resulting in gut permeability and a stressed gut.