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.