Episode 3 of The Sunshine Project is now available on iTunes & YouTube. YAY!
My conversation with Bio Kinesiologist, Emma Hassan was the perfect lead on from the previous weeks ‘Mind, Body, Food’ with the wonderful Joanne Callan.
What a wealth of information Emma brings to this podcast. You’ll want to listen again and again, but with a pen and notepad to write down all the nuggets of brilliant information!
At the young age of just 29, Emma was diagnosed with breast cancer. She calls cancer ‘the greatest gift’ because it lead her on a journey of healing and empowerment. I could relate to that so much because when I had my own health challenges back in 2007 I felt exactly the same.
Emma and I talk a lot about gut health and how this can impact our immune system & mood. What I find most fascinating is our gut health is it’s link to our mental health. We produce the happy hormone serotonin in our guts. Serotonin is responsible for regulating our mood, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual desire and function. It’s a super important hormone!
We go deep in this chat. Even as far as the soil and it’s structure. Who would’ve thought muck and dirt are needed for our overall health? Who knew? Apparently it’s changed over the years and we just aren’t getting the same nutrition value from our fruit and veg that we would’ve done years ago! Thankfully there are solutions and that solution is supplements. However, not every supplement will be beneficial for our bodies. Emma explains why and I share what supplements I’ve been taking.
Finally, we discuss my beloved addiction to coffee and the impact this has on the body. I honestly didn’t realise the body releases cortisol and adrenaline when you consume coffee! I was horrified. We chat about how coffee is social acceptable and readily available. But that doesn’t mean to say it’s necessarily good for us!
Since our conversation I’ve reduced my coffee intake from 3/4 cups a day to just 1 cup.
I’ve been really surprised at how easy it has been to reduce this. Initially I thought I’d drink my rationed one cup in the morning, but I’ve actually re-framed coffee now as a luxury, a treat, something to be enjoyed, wholeheartedly. So, I’ve kept my one cup for later in the day when I’m perhaps meeting a friend or have a meeting, etc.
This morning whilst I was walking the beach I was reflecting on the ease at which I’ve reduced my coffee intake. I’m usually quite rebellious about any form of control or restriction! Haha! But this ‘restriction’ feels different. It’s my choice. I don’t feel deprived. I don’t feel like I’m losing out or missing out. In fact, I feel the exact opposite. It feels like I’m nurturing my body. It feels like a healthy choice. A kind choice. A wise choice. A loving choice.
Perhaps one day I’ll give up coffee completely. But for now I’m gonna indulge completely in my one cup per day and savour. Every. Single. Sip!
With love,
Michelle xx