ONE LIFE - Mental Health and Wellbeing

10/11/2025

Last week, I zoomed up to Auckland to present to RTLB teachers in South Auckland.

The theme of the talk was 'Finding the Pause: Mindful Action in Leadership'.

Pausing, taking a moment, can allow us to check in with ourselves.

- How am I feeling right now?
- What am I bringing to this space?

It can also give ourselves space to:
- think
- gather our thoughts
- notice the moment
- give thanks
- be present with another

It can, as Viktor Frankl suggested, allow space between the stimulus and the response, and in choosing our response lies our freedom.

09/11/2025

I've been fascinated by the microbiome for many years.

Years of microbiome testing on adults have given me fascinating insight into people's gut health.

(I'm doing less of these nowadays, as often we can sort out the issues without stool testing)

Here is an article about the microbiome of newborns and how it can influence future health.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251103-what-a-babys-first-poo-can-tell-you-about-their-future-health?

Research is unveiling the surprising, lifelong impact of what enters a baby's gut in the days after birth.

09/11/2025

For those of you interested in the final outcome from the government in regards to DENs, the link is below:
https://selectcommittees.parliament.nz/view/SelectCommitteeReport/ea9ae78e-25e0-4e5a-7b28-08de12a2143d

01/11/2025

Why talk therapy might not be the answer

When I struggled with my mind health a few years ago, I went to talk therapy. It was great. I loved the person I was seeing, and she helped me get back on my feet.

Over the years, I have had a couple of ‘go-to’ people to do talk therapy with, and this has been invaluable.

But what if the reason why you are not feeling great isn’t because of a break-up, a trauma, work or life stress?

What if you don’t know why you’re feeling miserable?

What if it’s not in your head (or heart)?

Not all mind (or mental) health issues come from your head

Sometimes, when our mind health is not great, it might be coming from our body.

(When I say mind health, I’m referring to ‘not feeling your optimal self’. This can be your thinking, brain function, mood, mental state, concentration, energy levels and behaviours that aren’t in line with who you want to be.)

You may have heard this before, but let me remind you:

Many things can impact your mind health.

https://www.onelifenz.com/blog/2025/11/why-talk-therapy-might-not-work

Read more on the blog

You see, when we have so many things that might be impacting our mind health, why would we think that talk therapy and medications are the only answers?

Why not talk therapy? What if the reason why you are not feeling great isn’t because of a break-up, a trauma, work or life stress? What if you don’t know why you’re feeling miserable?

01/11/2025

A reminder about this, if you're looking for a light read. 🙏

29/10/2025

Sometimes we just get stuck.

We are doing the best we can, trying hard, pushing ourselves more and more.

But we feel tired, confused.

Maybe you have the same negative thoughts going around in your head.

Maybe you have this underlying anxiety you can't get rid of.

Maybe you have brain fog, a low level of feeling 'blah' a lot of the time and struggling with the feeling of wanting to hide under the sheets.

I am not one for 'pushing' yourself more.

I am for exploring why you might be feeling the way you do and looking at that.

❌ No energy? What might be going on?
❌ Brain fog? What is causing this?
❌ Gut issues? What's changed to cause this?

Is it physical? Is it mental? Is it due to other things in your life?

This is a space where we get to explore and ask questions. We dig a little deeper. We look at how you are living your life. What can we improve? How can we do things better (not harder!) What tips, tricks and tools can help you get to the person you want to be?

What future do you want to be living? How do we get you there?

We work together to help you live the life you want to be living. ❤️

You can see me face-to-face or online.
Let's do this!

23/10/2025

Did you know that if your workplace has an EAP service, and that service provider is:
- Clearhead
- Ignite
- OCP
- Vitae

That you can book an appointment with me for free?

Face-to-face (Tuesdays and Thursdays in Ohope)
Online Tuesday, Thursdays, any time!

(The monkey is just the first GIF that came up...But Yes, Yes!)

22/10/2025

Got gut issues?

A disturbance in gut microbes can impact you in several ways.

You might get: chronic indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea (or the joy of having both), gut pain, bloating, general discomfort, mood disorders, skin disorders, heartburn, odorous flatulence, immune system issues and a myriad of conditions that are indirectly related to your microbiome.

If you have several gut issues, you may go to your GP. They may run a basic stool test, do a few other tests as they feel they need to and will often say ‘ there’s nothing wrong’.

You may then receive a diagnosis of IBS. You may be given some suggestions about eating a FODMAP diet (FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) - a diet which is low in a number of carbohydrates - which may help relieve your symptoms, but in the long term can create other issues.

Read more here: 👉

The relationship between gut health (IBS, indigestion, reflux) and how this can impact our mental health, including simple steps you can take to improve your gut health.

22/10/2025

If you are a little like me and struggle with 'exercise'.... read on!

"I had a belief for a very long time about exercise -.we’re often made to believe that exercise has to be:

- Hard

- Uncomfortable

- Sweat-inducing

- Something you ‘do’

But actually, unless you are training or want to achieve a specific goal, exercise doesn’t need to be uncomfortable, difficult or even ‘exercise’. In fact, it’s everyday movement that is important when it comes to physical and mental health.

Movement is one of what I call the ‘three pillars’ of mental health (See more on this here). Movement is a fundamental part of feeling good. It provides mental and physical benefits and has been shown to be as effective as an antidepressant!

Exercise is one of the essential pillars for good mental health. So what should you be doing? And what if you hate exercising?

21/10/2025

Wahine discussing menopause!

(I'm in the last 15 minutes or so!)

Thank you to Ignite for hosting this webinar.

Ignite is proud to offer this insightful session featuring a panel of experts, as we explore menopause and its many facets from diverse professional perspect...

21/10/2025

If you are looking for a health related podcast to listen to -

Professor Julia Rucklidge joins us on the Sense of Hope podcast as we discuss the research she has conducted on the impact micronutrients can have on various...

21/10/2025

Experiencing fatigue and or depression and want to know what to look for?

It's not always in your head.

Some mental health issues (including depression, fatigue, low motivation and anxiety) can be caused by imbalances within our physical health - and blood tests can be useful in diagnosing some of these issues.

It’s important to have your blood tests reviewed by a health professional who will look beyond blood tests simply being ‘within range’. Being within range, may not be optimal for your mental well-being.

This is by not means an exhaustive list - but some good basic things to start with. You can find more information on blood tests for mental health here

Vitamin B12
There is some evidence of a relationship between low B12 and depression or anxiety. B12 is involved in general energy production, DNA syntheses - low B12 is associated with fatigue. Anemia can be brought on by a B12 deficiency. Anemia can effect energy levels, sleep, mood etc

Vitamin B12 supplementation with antidepressants significantly improved depressive symptoms in one study.

IDEAL LEVELS >350

Ferritin
Low iron can be associated with poor sleep, low energy and low mood. Iron is necessary for neurotransmitter production and the production of red blood cells.

High ferritin levels (over 200) - are associated with increased inflammation in the body (and other illnesses)

IDEAL LEVELS 30 - 100

Zinc
Serum blood testing of zinc isn’t necessarily that accurate - as the body is very good at ensuring homeostasis of blood levels and there are fluctuations of zinc levels throughout the day. However, a very low level (less than 7) may be indicative of low zinc overall.

Zinc is essential for neurotransmitter function. It is also important for the immune system, red blood cell production, hormone production and gastric acid production - lack of which can contribute to nutrient deficiencies. Not necessarily accurate in serum blood tests.

IDEAL LEVEL > 13

CRP C Reactive Protein
This is a common marker and an indicator of inflammation. Inflammation is associated with depression. CRP levels have been found to be significantly higher in patients with depression relative to control subjects

IDEAL LEVEL < 1

Cortisol
Cortisol is often thought of as the ‘stress hormone’ and although it’s released in times of stress - it’s also necessary to provide us with energy and ‘get up and go’ - especially in the morning when they are highest. They should then decline throughout the day and be lowest at night - so you can sleep.

You don’t want levels too high or too low. Cortisol levels ideally should be done first thing in the morning.

Blood sugar dysregulation is associated with abnormal cortisol levels (and visa-versa).

Folate
Folate is necessary for neurotransmitter production. Approximately only half of New Zealanders meet the recommended dietary intake of folate for adults.

Folate deficiency is also relatively common in depressed people, with approximately one-third of depressed individuals having an outright deficiency. Depressed individuals with low serum folate also tend to not respond well to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drugs.

IDEAL LEVELS: >17

TSH (Thyroid-stimulating Hormone)
TSH is - is produced by the pituitary gland in response to circulating thyroid hormones in the blood.

The thyroid produces various hormones which help to regulate general metabolism.

Abnormalities in thyroid production can cause depression, anxiety, weight, sleep, skin and many other problems.

If TSH is abnormal, I would recommend investigating T4, T3 & TPO & TG antibodies.

IDEAL LEVELS 0.5 - 2.5

Vitamin D
Needs to be self-requested. Studies have identified that up to 90% of those admitted to a psychiatric unit are low in vitamin D. (In NZ - in one study 75%). Low vitamin D levels have been associated with several diseases including arthritis, autoimmune disease and depression. For vitamin D to be absorbed - you require vitamin K2 and magnesium.

IDEAL LEVEL >75nmol/L

Magnesium
Serum magnesium is also not an accurate test to measure actual magnesium levels in the body - however, very low levels once again may be indicative of low magnesium. Low levels of magnesium can be correlated with depression and anxiety. Magnesium is an essential mineral for many processes in our body - including neurotransmitter production.

HbA1c
HbA1c is a marker of your blood glucose levels over a period to 10 - 12 weeks. Studies have shown that anxiety and depressive disorders in diabetic patients may be twice as high as in the general population. High levels of HbA1c (41 – 49 mmol/mol) indicate pre-diabetes and an HbA1c over ≥ 50 mmol/L indicates diabetes. Other tests can be done - for example fasting insulin - to get a clearer picture.

Check your HbA1c levels over time - they should be steady and not continuously increasing.

IDEAL LEVELS

What blood test are important in mental health? Some mental health issues (including depression, fatigue, low motivation and anxiety) can be caused by imbalances within our physical health - and blood tests can be useful in diagnosing some of these issues. Nurse & life coach from One Live takes