Serenity Health - Health and Wellbeing Coaching

24/11/2025

Cold water swimming is emerging as a powerful natural therapy for mental health. A study from University College London found that regular exposure to cold water can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety even more effectively than antidepressant drugs. This is because the sudden drop in body temperature triggers a strong release of endorphins, dopamine, and noradrenaline which are hormones which lift mood and sharpen mental focus.

People who practice cold water swimming often report better sleep, lower stress and a deeper sense of emotional balance.

The cold also reduces inflammation in the brain, improves blood flow and strengthens the immune system. Due to these benefits, mental health programs across Europe are now testing cold water therapy as a drug free treatment for depression.

This is proof that Mother Nature provides the most remarkable healing tools which are free and amazing!

I personally LOVE cold water dipping. It makes me feel alive and I feel so calm and focused afterwards. It is so energising too. I love the sense of space and freedom that being in the sea provides too. I try and do it twice a week and I’m proud of myself for dipping throughout winter without a wetsuit this year

Have you tried cold water dipping? What’s holding you back? Why don’t you give it a go? Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Gill x

22/11/2025

In Aotearoa New Zealand, we’re facing a serious metabolic problem — rising obesity, rising Type 2 diabetes, and with it, increasing cancer mortality.

But there is a country quietly showing what’s possible… and it’s not magic.

Japan.

They’ve kept some of the lowest metabolic disease rates in the developed world through 2 means….

1. The Metabo Law — Prevention as a priority

Since 2008, Japan has required adults aged 40–74 to have yearly metabolic screenings — waist measurements, blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids.

If someone is at risk, they’re given support, not judgment: coaching, guidance, and accountability to help them return to health.

And instead of blaming individuals, Japan holds workplaces and local governments responsible for helping people improve.

Imagine if NZ invested in our metabolic health like that.

2. Shokuiku — Teaching children how to nourish themselves

In Japan, food education is seen as essential.
School lunches are part of the curriculum, nutrition teachers are trained professionals, and kids learn:

how to build a balanced meal

why whole foods matter

where their food comes from

gratitude for the land and the growers

No confusion, no fad diets — just lifelong food wisdom.

And yes… this links directly to cancer

Metabolic dysfunction (insulin resistance, inflammation, visceral fat) increases cancer risk and impacts outcomes.

Japan’s strong metabolic health is one reason their cancer mortality hasn’t climbed the way New Zealand’s has.

The real takeaway?

Japan hasn’t done anything NZ couldn’t do.
They simply made metabolic health a national priority.

And when a population is metabolically healthy, every cell is more healthy.

As a teacher I am often quite shocked by what children are having in their lunch boxes. It’s like parents have lost the ability to pack a nutritious lunch for their offspring. Vegetables are almost always missing and processed foods are the norm. Maybe this is easy for the “time poor” family, an excuse often banded about. It doesn’t have to be this way. Nutritious food doesn’t have to be hard. A carrot or chopped cucumber doesn’t take much to add to the lunch box and they will eat if you don’t provide alternatives.

34 per cent of adults in New Zealand are now obese compared with 3 per cent in Japan and 68 per cent are overweight in New Zealand compared with 14 per cent in Japan.

Let’s change this worrying trend. Face up, take responsibility for yourselves, your body and our future generations

Your health is your greatest wealth. Treasure it like gold.

04/10/2025

My beautiful, talented friend Lucy has just launched "Wave Wellness", a yoga/ pilates based business that enables you make movement a part of your everyday life. She is offering online membership options or studio based options. She is running her business from her stunning Waimari studio and her whole business has strong connections with the sea.
Check it out

Wave Wellness is about more than movement — it’s a place to build strength, clarity, and joy through yoga, Pilates, and mindful living. While we complete the site, this page is here so you can:

19/09/2025

You can now order your own blood tests to check anything you like. Visit BodyIQ.co.nz and you can order whatever test you like. This is an amazing service enabling you to keep up to date with your health status.

There are lots of tests and test bundles on there including iron, thyroid, liver, kidneys, prostrate for men, menopause bundle for women which includes the AMH test which tests your ovarian reserve to see how close to menopause you are. Not many women are aware this test even exists and it is very accurate!

You can now be the CEO of your own health

Dont wait for something to go wrong for you to make the change

No referral needed from your GP

Your health is your greatest wealth. Treasure it like gold.

31/08/2025

We live in a world where “luxury” is often defined by material possessions — fast cars, big houses, designer clothes, and exotic vacations. But the deeper truth is this: the rarest form of luxury today has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with peace.

Modern luxury is the ability to:

Think clearly – In a noisy world of endless notifications, opinions, and distractions, the mind is constantly pulled in a thousand directions. To think with clarity, free of clutter, is a true gift. It allows us to make wise decisions, live with purpose, and see life as it truly is.

Sleep deeply – Technology has blurred the lines between day and night. We scroll when we should rest, worry when we should dream. Yet, deep restorative sleep is the foundation of health, creativity, and joy. The wealthiest person is the one who wakes up refreshed.

Move slowly – Society glorifies being busy. We rush from one task to another, always chasing, never arriving. To move slowly is not laziness, it is wisdom — it means being present, savoring your food, enjoying a walk, listening fully, and actually living instead of just surviving.

Live quietly – Noise surrounds us everywhere — from crowded streets to endless digital chatter. But real luxury is found in stillness. A quiet home, a peaceful mind and moments of solitude are treasures beyond price.

Our modern world is designed to steal these four gifts away from us. It constantly pushes us to think faster, sleep less, move quicker, and fill our lives with endless noise.

Simplify your life.

Protect your peace.

Create boundaries.

Learn to say no.

Because in the end, the ability to think clearly, sleep deeply, move slowly, and live quietly is the highest form of wealth — a wealth that no money can buy.

09/05/2025

Like Coca Cola? Watch this….

18/04/2025

Eat mushrooms ladies to prevent breast cancer. Read link…..

Breast cancer can take decades to develop, so "early" detection via mammogram may be too late. The breast cancer you may feel one day as a lump in the

15/04/2025

It’s all about gut health and good nutrition for keeping us healthy…..

According to two new studies, gut immune cells called RORγt+ dendritic cells help “keep the peace” with food proteins and gut microbes.

Interestingly, they rely on RORγt, a protein that interacts with retinoic acid—aka preformed vitamin A.

💡 Which raises the question:
Could subclinical deficiency of preformed vitamin A (retinol) impair these critical peacekeeping cells? And could that help explain the rising tide of food allergies?

More research is needed—but it’s another reason to make sure you’re getting enough preformed vitamin A from animal foods like eggs, fish, and meat—not just beta-carotene from plants. (Be cautious with vitamin A supplements because too much can be harmful.)

Links:
https://medicine.washu.edu/news/researchers-find-intestinal-immune-cell-prevents-food-allergies/

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-immune-cell-key-food-allergies.html

15/04/2025

If you can want an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for hot flushes and night sweats then dry Liquorice root (not liquorice lollies) and passionflower

It really works.

Both are also superb at regulating the adrenals - soooo important during perimenopause and menopause and sleep and Passionflower helps to boost GABA which is an anti anxiety neurotransmitter

If you need any further information about this then reach out - gill@serenityhealth.co.nz

Serenity Health - helping you to be the best version of yourself

12/04/2025

In my opinion, the reason why so many women in the modern age are experiencing debilitating menopausal symptoms and massive weight gain is not because of the decline of the female hormones, but due to the adrenals and liver not functioning to their best due to stress. Or what they perceive as stress. Lets remember there is no such thing as stress in the universe, it is only our reactions to things which make them stressful or not. Let me explain....

Menopause is when the ovaries cease their production of s*x hormones which are predominately Estrogen and Progesterone. Small amounts are still made in other areas of the body- mainly the adrenal glands and body fat cells.

The relentless output of stress hormones in the lead up to menopause means that the adrenal glands have been receiving the message that they need to churn out a ton of stress hormones so they won't have been making any s*x hormones. So instead of going from normal amounts of s*x hormones to a gradual decline, women go from having plenty to having none. Couple this with a liver that is overwhelmed due to alcohol consumption and you have a recipe for insomnia, mood swings, and hot flushes and night sweats.

The functioning of the adrenal glands therefore plays a major role in determining how the menopause transition affects us. If the adrenals aren't up to producing s*x hormones, the body always has our back so thinking it is doing us a favour, body fat increases because body fat acts as a production for Estrogen.

The number one priority here is to manage stress. Learn to meditate, learn to delegate and say no to commitments (you don't have to be everything to everyone), belly breathe, make time for rest, plan days just for you, include self care into every day, journal, practice gratitude, eat a whole food diet and avoid or limit alcohol.

Calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D are great at helping hot flushes. Zinc is essential for s*x hormone synthesis.
Certain herbs such as Withania, Rhodiola, Wild Yam and Milk Thistle can be very helpful too and Liquorice (not the lolly variety) is very good at regulating the adrenals.

For specific symptoms, these are areas to focus on:

Insomnia - liver, nervous system and adrenals
Hot flushes - gut, liver and adrenals
Constant heat - gut and liver
Low mood - gut, adrenals and Thyroid
No libido - nervous system and adrenals
Weight gain - gut, liver, adrenals and Thyroid

If you have any questions or want specific advice re this transition, feel free to reach out.

gill@serenityhealth.co.nz
021 801 605

Your health is your greatest wealth. Treasure it.

20/03/2025

Get in touch for a free 50 minute health consult. You can then choose to work with me for 6 or 12 fortnightly sessions to improve your health and wellbeing