Wellness Clinic Hervey Bay

17/11/2025

Benign mole Vs Malignant Melanoma ✅

08/11/2025

06/11/2025

Digestion made "simple": where each nutrient gets in

Your gut isn’t just one tube. Different nutrients are absorbed at different checkpoints. Here’s the simple breakdown:

1️⃣ Mouth & Stomach

Carbs begin breaking down with salivary amylase.

Proteins start with stomach acid + pepsin.

Vitamin B12 binds to intrinsic factor here.
🟢 Example: Without stomach acid, B12 can’t be absorbed properly.

2️⃣ Liver & Gallbladder

Bile salts emulsify fats, making them easier for enzymes to digest.
🟢 Example: Bile acts like dish soap, breaking fats into smaller droplets.

3️⃣ Pancreas

Sends enzymes into the small intestine: amylases for carbs, proteases for protein, lipases for fat.
🟢 Example: These enzymes finish the job of turning food into absorbable units.

4️⃣ Duodenum (first section of small intestine)

Carbs → disaccharides.

Proteins → amino acids.

Fats → monoglycerides + fatty acids.
🟢 Example: This is where most chemical digestion happens.

5️⃣ Jejunum (middle small intestine)

Main absorption zone: sugars, amino acids, iron, calcium, folate, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
🟢 Example: Low stomach acid or no bile means nutrients here get poorly absorbed.

6️⃣ Ileum (end of small intestine)

Vitamin B12 + intrinsic factor absorbed.

Bile salts recycled back to the liver.
🟢 Example: People with Crohn’s disease affecting the ileum often end up B12 deficient.

7️⃣ Colon (large intestine)

Absorbs water, sodium, potassium, and leftover bile salts.
🟢 Example: This is why diarrhea causes dehydration. Water absorption fails here.

Each nutrient has its own “checkpoint” along the gut. Carbs, proteins, and fats mostly absorb in the jejunum, B12 in the ileum, and water + electrolytes in the colon. Smooth digestion depends on stomach acid, bile, enzymes, and every section of the gut working in sync.

05/11/2025

A groundbreaking study has revealed that certain proteins in the brain could act as early warning signs for dementia, years before any noticeable symptoms appear. Scientists have identified specific biomarkers that change long before memory loss or cognitive decline becomes evident, offering a potential window for early intervention.

These brain proteins play a crucial role in neural function, and abnormal levels may indicate the beginning of degenerative processes associated with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. By detecting these changes early, doctors could monitor high-risk individuals more closely and implement strategies to slow disease progression.

Early detection is considered one of the most powerful tools in the fight against dementia. Current treatments are limited, but targeting the disease before it takes hold could dramatically improve outcomes and quality of life for millions. Researchers hope that with further studies, simple blood tests or brain scans could measure these protein levels, making early detection accessible and practical.

This discovery also highlights the importance of ongoing research into the biological mechanisms of dementia, offering hope that one day we might be able to prevent or delay its devastating effects.

05/11/2025

Just 20 minutes of sunlight a day stimulates the production of over 200 antimicrobial peptides by the body which help combat fungi, parasites and viruses.

Sunlight triggers the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) through a process that starts with ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which are a component of sunlight. UVB rays in the skin convert a cholesterol compound into a form of vitamin D3, which boosts the immune system and helps the body produce AMPs that fight pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

Additionally, sunlight energizes T cells, which are a key part of the immune response, by making them move faster to sites of infection. This increased movement helps these infection-fighting cells travel more quickly to the site of an infection and launch an immune response.

NO PMID AVAILABLE YET. SOURCE: https://distance.physiology.med.ufl.edu/the-science-of-sunlight-immune-system-benefits-and-risks-explained/

04/11/2025

Pain doesn’t come from age — it comes from what’s building up inside.

03/11/2025

Your morning coffee may be more harmful than you think. Recent research reveals that paper coffee cups can release 25,000 microplastic particles along with chemicals like fluoride, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, BPA, and phthalates into your drink within just 15 minutes. This discovery raises serious questions about the safety of everyday disposable cups.

Scientists tested commonly used paper cups and found that heat and prolonged contact with liquid cause microplastics and chemical additives to leach into the coffee. These compounds are known to disrupt endocrine function, contribute to oxidative stress, and may pose risks to long-term health if ingested regularly. Even small doses over time can accumulate, highlighting the importance of re-evaluating common habits.

Microplastics are tiny particles that the body cannot fully digest or eliminate. They can infiltrate tissues, potentially causing inflammation and impacting organ function. BPA and phthalates are industrial chemicals used to strengthen cups and create waterproof coatings, but they are linked to hormonal disruption, metabolic issues, and other health concerns. The combination of these substances with microplastics in hot beverages creates a cocktail of exposure that science is only beginning to understand.

Reflecting on this, it’s clear that convenience often comes at a cost. Choosing safer alternatives, like reusable metal, glass, or ceramic cups—can significantly reduce chemical and plastic exposure. Small changes in daily habits, such as swapping disposable cups for sustainable options, can have meaningful impacts on long-term health.

Science reminds us that everyday choices matter. Your morning routine can either protect or expose your body to hidden chemicals. Awareness and simple substitutions are powerful tools for safeguarding your health in an increasingly industrialized world.

31/10/2025

How magnesium balance goes wrong

Magnesium is a key electrolyte for nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and heart rhythm. Because it regulates over 300 enzymatic reactions, both low and high magnesium levels can disrupt nearly every system in the body. This diagram shows how magnesium metabolism becomes deranged through dietary deficits, renal loss, or metabolic disease.

1️⃣ When magnesium supply is low
Poor intake, malabsorption, or chronic diarrhea reduce magnesium absorption from the gut.
🟢 Example: Long-term proton pump inhibitor use or celiac disease can cause gradual depletion and low serum magnesium.

2️⃣ Renal magnesium loss
The kidneys fine-tune magnesium reabsorption, but several conditions—such as loop diuretics, alcoholism, hyperaldosteronism, or Bartter’s syndrome—increase urinary loss.
🟢 Example: Loop diuretics (like furosemide) block magnesium and calcium reabsorption in the nephron, leading to hypomagnesemia.

3️⃣ Cellular uptake and insulin
Insulin helps drive magnesium into cells, so insulin deficiency or resistance (as in diabetes mellitus) causes extracellular buildup and intracellular depletion.
🟢 Example: In type 2 diabetes, magnesium inside muscle cells falls while serum levels appear normal, contributing to fatigue and insulin resistance.

4️⃣ Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium)
Chronic loss lowers magnesium in blood and tissues, increasing neuronal excitability.
🟢 Symptoms: Tachycardia, arrhythmias, cramps, tremors, depression, and reduced parathyroid hormone (PTH) release, which in turn lowers calcium.

5️⃣ Hypermagnesemia (high magnesium)
Usually occurs from renal failure or excessive magnesium intake (e.g., antacids or laxatives) when the kidneys cannot excrete it efficiently.
🟢 Symptoms: Muscle weakness, low reflexes, constipation, vomiting, hypotension, and in severe cases, respiratory arrest or cardiac arrhythmia.

6️⃣ Bidirectional relationship with calcium and potassium
Magnesium deficiency disrupts calcium and potassium transport—lowering both and amplifying muscle irritability and arrhythmia risk.
🟢 Example: Restoring magnesium is often the first step before potassium can be normalized.

Magnesium’s balance depends on diet, kidneys, and hormonal control. Too little excites the nervous system; too much suppresses it. The result is a tight physiological window where even small shifts in magnesium can alter the rhythm, reflex, and stability of the entire body.

29/10/2025

Hydration is essential, but the way you drink water can impact your body in surprising ways. Recent studies show that drinking water while sitting helps nutrients reach your brain efficiently, boosting cognitive function, focus, and mental clarity. Conversely, drinking water while standing may place additional stress on your heart and lungs.

When you sit, the body is in a relaxed state, allowing fluids to flow smoothly through the digestive system and into the blo*dstream. This optimal circulation ensures that essential nutrients and electrolytes are delivered to the brain effectively, supporting neural activity and improving concentration. Sitting also minimizes pressure on vital organs, creating a more balanced physiological environment.

In contrast, drinking water while standing forces the body into a less stable posture, which may increase strain on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Rapid intake of water while standing can sometimes lead to inefficient absorption, digestive discomfort, or mild stress on the heart and lungs. While not immediately dangerous, over time, these subtle effects can influence overall health, especially in individuals with preexisting conditions.

The science highlights the connection between simple daily habits and bodily function. Something as routine as how you drink water can subtly affect brain performance, organ efficiency, and cardiovascular load. Paying attention to posture during hydration is a small but effective way to enhance wellness and cognitive performance.

Reflecting on this, it becomes clear that mindful routines have a meaningful impact. By sitting while drinking water, you give your body the opportunity to function optimally, supporting mental sharpness, organ health, and overall balance. Small changes in daily habits, like proper hydration posture, ripple into significant improvements over time.

Science is showing that wellness isn’t just what you do, it’s how you do it. Hydrate thoughtfully, sit comfortably, and allow your brain and body to reap the benefits of every sip.