Get Up & Go Breakfast - Awareness Health - Dr Wendy Christien
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.
Dr Wendy Christien - Sleep Hygiene
Not everyone has a problem sleeping, but for those people who do, maybe some new practices nduring the day and leading up to bedtime could help. What is sleep hygiene?
Dr Wendy Christien - Surviving the Christmas Table
The Christmas season can often be a time of overindulgence. We could all do with some reminders and tips on how to take great care of ourselves so that we can survive the Christmas table as best as we can without setting ourselves back too much.
Dr Wendy Christien - Burnout
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion which is caused by excessive, prolonged stress. It occurs when there are constant demands that make you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained and unable to meet all that is required of daily life.
Wendy Christien - Memory and forgetfulness
Like our bodies, our brains change as we age. Some of us can find that our memory recall and remembering new information can be more challenging than it was previously. It is important to differentiate between mild forgetfulness and cognitive decline that leads to more serious memory problems like dementia.
Wendy Christien - Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that is important for the regulation of muscle contractions and nerve function, and it is also involved, along with sodium, in the regulation of our fluid balance. Every tissue in the body needs potassium so it is therefore an essential mineral.
Wendy Christien - Kidney Health
Our kidneys are located just below our rib cage on either side of our spine. The function of the kidneys, which are bean-shaped and about the size of a fist, is to filter blood and remove waste products and acid via our urine. When the kidneys function well, about a…
Wendy Christien - Toxic Mould Exposure
Exposure to chronic mould or mycotoxins can cause an inflammatory immune response in sensitive people. Mould-contaminated indoor spaces can negatively impact human health. An increase in upper and lower respiratory conditions is linked to chronic mould exposure. Mould spores can trigger the production of cytokines and chemokines, which mediate inflammatory…
Wendy Christien - Salt Intake
Salt, otherwise known as sodium, is necessary in small quantities for our body functions. Salt helps for the conduction of nerve impulses, the contraction and relaxation of our muscles, and it plays a role in the fluid and mineral balance in our bodies. Too much salt intake can cause health…
Wendy Christien - Spring Detox
Spring is a time of renewal and as the weather starts to get warmer it can be a good time to detox our bodies. Detoxification can help to alleviate the sluggishness that we can feel after eating too many comfort foods over the winter months and to help get our…
Wendy Christien - Blood Pressure Part 2
Blood pressure is the term given to the pressure of the blood that pushes against the walls of our arteries as it circulates around our bodies. Last week Wendy focussed on High Blood Pressure. This week she looks at the various types of Low Blood Pressure
Wendy Christien - Blood Pressure Part 1
Blood pressure is the term given to the pressure of the blood that pushes against the walls of our arteries as it circulates around our bodies. The arteries transport blood from our hearts to the rest of the body and this pressure can fluctuate throughout the day. When our blood…
Wendy Christien - Heart Health
Our heart is a very important organ. It is a muscular organ about the size of a fist, located just behind and slightly left of the breastbone. The heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system. If it stops or if something hinders its activity, we have a serious problem! What is helpful to heart…
Wendy Christien - The importance of sleep
Sleep is important to keep our bodies well and healthy. Good quality sleep protects our mental health and physical health and has a profound impact on our quality of life. The way we feel while we're awake depends in part on what happens while we're sleeping. Many metabolic processes take…
Wendy Christien - Diabetes
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are the two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the pancreas’s beta cells so that the body cannot produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is more commonly a lifestyle disease. Wendy tells…
Wendy Christien - Glucose
Glucose is a type of sugar we get from the foods we eat, and it is what our bodies use for energy. Insulin is the hormone that the body produces in response to the foods we eat and is necessary to transport the glucose from our bloodstream into our cells…
Wendy Christien - The negative effects of physical inactivity
Many of us work at a desk or spend a lot of time in a car all day, then we go home at the end of the day and sit down for dinner, then sit on the couch. Added to this most people travel to and from work and to…
Wendy Christien - Understanding Food Labels Part 2
Nutrient labels are there to provide the nutritional value of all the components and ingredients in the particular item you are buying. The nutrient quantities generally apply to a single serving, but some items will have double columns that state the categories per serving as well as for the entire…
Wendy Christien - Understanding Food Labels
What to look out for on food labels Nutrient labels are there to provide the nutritional value of all the components and ingredients in the particular item you are buying. The nutrient quantities generally apply to a single serving, but some items will have double columns that state the categories…
Wendy Christien - Types of Fat
Over the past few decades, we have been led to believe that fats are our enemy and that we should avoid them at all costs, but fats are not something we should be avoiding. Healthy fats should be included in our diets as part of a balanced diet.
Wendy Christien - Oils Part 2
There are a variety of oils available. Some are good for cooking, and some are good to use as salad dressings. Either way, healthy oils have several benefits and should be included as part of a balanced diet. It is, however, important for us to know whether an oil is…