How To Release Intense Negative Emotions NOW

Anxiety, sadness, hurt, anger, jealousy, judgement, frustration, overwhelm, fear, panic, worry, insecurity, defensiveness, panic…

Firstly, before you read this… take a really deep breath in. Hold for a few seconds and then blow out all the air completely. Really empty your lungs.  Now breath in deeply again. Hold and release. 

You are feeling a negative emotion right now because of your THOUGHTS. 

I will repeat that because it is SO important: our thoughts are always responsible for the way we feel. 

Only YOU are responsible for how you feel right now. However victimised you feel, you must understand this in order to calm yourself now and avoid feeling like this again. 

Your subconscious brain is in fight, flight or freeze because it has recognised a familiar pattern that it believes will endanger your survival. This may seem dramatic but that is why you are feeling THIS terrible right now. Your body had to react this dramatically to your thoughts or you would not protect yourself from this imagined threat.

Take a moment now to be grateful that your mind and body are functioning perfectly. You are meant to have this intense a response to danger. If you didn’t there is a chance you would not survive. The issue here is that you need to communicate better with yourself so your brain can learn to decipher between what is a real threat to your life and what is a reaction to a past pain or trauma that the brain has stored and is being reminded of today? 

We must relieve you of this suffering now so try these incredibly powerful few steps to emotional freedom:

1. BREATHE! - In for for 4, hold for 6 out for 8.

2. Change your thoughts & change how you feel. Your negative emotions have been caused by your THOUGHTS. You are in control of your thoughts so you are in control of your feelings. 

3. These feelings WILL pass - when we’re caught up in a state of negative emotion we can’t believe that we will ever feel good again but we always do.

4. BREATHE! In for for 4, hold for 6 out for 8  

5. Create perspective as this will give you a calming sense of RELIEF. Do this by thinking of how the situation could be 10 times worse or think about someone you know who is going through something even more challenging. 

6. Think of yourself as a small child - either as the child version of yourself or imagine a child that you really love. What can you do or say to comfort this child (yourself) right now? Speak kindly to yourself, tell yourself that everything is going to be ok, that you are loved and this will pass.

7. Distract yourself - Can you think a kind thought about someone else. Can you sing your favourite up-lifting song to yourself and try and remember all the words? Can you notice something beautiful in the room and describe it to yourself in detail. 

8. BREATH! In for for 4, hold for 6 out for 8 x 2. 

9. Focus on soothing yourself - resist the urge to seek comfort from others - learn how to help yourself the same way you would help someone who reached out to you in this moment. Being able to soothe yourself is the most confidence-boosting, life-skill there is!

10. Think a positive thought about yourself - remember a time that you felt proud of yourself, you did well at something; you looked or felt amazing, or you did a good deed for someone else.

11. Think of someone you love DEEPLY - really feel your love for them - reeeeeeeally feel it. 

12. BREATHE! In for for 4, hold for 6 out for 8.

13. Remember that you have tools to help you to feel better in any situation. Realise that your only job right now is to take yourself from a panic state of fight, flight or freeze to a calm state of rest and restore.

14. Your ‘cave-man brain’ thinks it is protecting you but there is no real threat to your life so you are suffering unnecessarily.

15. Tell yourself that you have incredible coping skills - remind yourself that you know exactly how to calm yourself down in this moment. Think how good you’re going to feel about yourself when you look back on this situation and remember pulling yourself out of these insane emotions and calming yourself down.

16. BREATHE! In for for 4, hold for 6 out for 8 and SMILE.

Proactivity Slays Anxiety

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and the perfect time to discuss something that is very personal to me and to many of my clients:

Anxiety.

One of the best ways to slay Anxiety is to first take and deep breath and then take action! Do something immediately, which supports your personal development. Buy a book, listen to a podcast, write in your journal, sign onto a course or better still… book a session with me!

Anxiety is caused by a fear of the future, which is heightened by the failure to set clear goals, partnered with a lack of support and accountability while trying to achieve your potential.

Working with me (or any Coach with a proven track record of success) will allow you to become clear about what you want and WHY you want it and will help you to understand what you’re afraid of and the limiting beliefs or obstacles which are holding you back.

Having a Coach by your side will allow you to be supported and held accountable while you create and action healthier emotional and physical habits, behaviours and thought patterns. You will ultimately feel more motivated, capable and confident… feelings which are kryptonite to Anxiety and felling ‘lost’.
It is during this personal development process that the magic happens and you will start to grow into the best version of yourself.

Contact me for a complimentary 50 minute introduction session: charly@wellnesswithawhy.com and I look forward to helping you slay Anxiety and take back control of your destiny.

Charly With A WHY x

WHY High Performance Coaching will Transform Your Life

I have been a Coach for over 10 years and know how to help you to reach higher levels of potential and performance; to feel happier, more confident and more enthusiastic about life.

I have worked with entrepreneurs, executives, actors, and every day strivers who hired me as their High Performance Coach in order to help them improve their lives and reach new levels of potential and performance.

High Performance coaches don’t just repeatedly ask their clients, “So, how’s it going? What should we work on today? What are your goals, and where are you stuck?” If that’s what you think coaching is, then you’ve been blindsided by stereotypes or never been exposed to elite-level coaching.

I will help you to become clear on what you really want to achieve and WHY, while supporting you in changing habits and behaviours that have been holding you back from achieving your full potential and living your best life.

Please reach out to me at charly@wellnesswithawhy.com if you wish to book a complimentary introductory session with me.

What is “High Performance Coaching”?

Brendon Burchard, the world’s leading high performance coach, defines it as “succeeding beyond standard norms consistently over the long-term.”

To coach someone to high performance in their life means to help them go further than they have before—beyond the norm of their typical results and life experience—and then to help them understand how to continuously grow and succeed.

Brendon adds, “Besides that textbook definition, high performance is really a flow and a feeling. It’s the ongoing feeling of full engagement, joy and confidence that comes from consistently living from your best self. That’s the three senses of high performance: engagement, joy and confidence.”

What does a High Performance Coach actually do? 

I help clients reach high performance in six main areas of life—psychology, physiology, productivity, people, purpose, and presence.

This is an important distinction. My approach is a holistic one—far more encompassing than just helping you reach one specific goal like a standard accountability coach might.

People don’t want to just hit a small set of goals anymore. They want total life transformation and alignment. They want to know they’re just as high performing at home as at work.

I deliver coaching through a series of 60 minute sessions, delivered either one-on-one in person or on the phone, or in groups via webinars or meetups. I have been trained at the highest level to ask penetrating questions and deliver emotionally engaging sessions that help clients discover deep insights and have major breakthroughs. I follow a proven plan to help you accelerate your growth.

How can I help you to transform your life?

Coaching programs fail if they assume the client is always excited to talk, full of new updates, truthful about their challenges, patient with their coach, and open to all alternative views.

You can rely on me to direct you toward new habits and growth in every single session; even if you failed to take action or fell off the wagon the previous week.

I use a system for exploring important issues and finding new points of growth. I will guide you through a set of questions and offer tools to deliver breakthroughs and consistent high performance in all areas of your life.

I use a set of specific questions and a process, which is followed in each unique session to help you get clear on what you need to work on. Each session also has a training component, where I teach you a new habit, tool or concept that furthers your education and growth in that area.

In short, we will work together to create a roadmap for progress that allows you to consistently feel that each session is adding value and advancing you in your life, no matter your goal.

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The outcome I strive for, beyond helping you to achieve your existing goals, is to help you reach higher performance in all areas of your life and to feel that the process was truly ‘life changing’.

This is why I enjoy my career so much—it is such an honour to help people to feel happier, healthier and more confident so they can live a peaceful, fulfilled and purposeful life. I hope you allow me the opportunity to support you towards becoming the best version of yourself this year. 

Please email charly@wellnesswithawhy.com to book your complimentary 50 minute introductory session with me to discover how I could support you.

I guarantee you will find the introductory session extremely valuable even if you are not yet ready to commit to one of my coaching programmes.

I hope to meet you soon!

Charly (with a WHY)

Podcast Interview: How to Find Love

February's Pages podcast tackles modern relationships, featuring Nana Wereko-Broby, Founder of Mr Social (London and New York’s private dating events club), Matthew Milner, COO of CLiKD dating app, and Charly Harrison, a personal development coacha and former founder of a single members' club. Hosted by The Oblique Life's CEO Romi, the episode delves into the experts' advice, anecdotes and predictions about dating in the digital age.

WHY Power

To achieve any goal or overcome any issue that’s holding you back from becoming the best version of you and living your life to the full, you must work out

1. WHY the problem exists in the first place or why until now you have been unfulfilled in this area of your life, and

2. WHY your really want to achieve the goal or resolve the issue. What could you miss out on in your life if you don’t work on growth in this area of your circle of life?

Once you are clear on your WHYs and decide to take action, the ‘how’ will present itself in the form of simple daily physical and emotional behaviours and habits; and the results will transform your life in more ways than you can imagine.

I can help you to find clarity if you you feel lost, are lacking a sense of purpose or fulfilment or don’t feel fully connected to the people and/or activities in your life. If you are feeling frustrated by not performing at your best in your relationships, your career, your family, your physical health or emotional health and are ready for change, then maybe it’s not a coincidence that you should stumble upon this post.

I very much hope for the opportunity to help you to break negative physical and emotional patterns so you can feel the best you have ever felt.

Charly With A WHY x

Ps Apologies for the appalling editing & pretty scary image of me in the little clip attached:

Autoimmune Disease Detective

Autoimmune conditions have grown rapidly the over past years so I have listed some of the most common triggers to be aware of to avoid an autoimmune response which cause devastating symptoms in the body.

There are full-blown autoimmune diseases like Crohn's, Celiac or Hashimoto's disease but also more common "autoimmune spectrum disorders" that people often don’t take too seriously like acne, headaches or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can develop into far more serious conditions later in life if left unresolved.

It's important to learn YOUR personal triggers to avoid turning on an inflammatory-immune response in your body. Every person reacts differently, so it’s down to you to listen to your body and work out your safe-foods and triggers.

1. Gluten

Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, spelt, rye and other grains, which is scientifically linked to an increase risk of autoimmunity.

Many people and their doctors believe you have to have celiac disease to be gluten intolerant and when their test results for Celiac come back negative, they are told that avoiding gluten is not necessary. This antiquated misinformation keeps many people struggling with an autoimmune condition sick.

Beware that it’s not only the obvious food choices like bread or pasta that cause damage either. Foods cross-contaminated with gluten can be like gasoline on a fire for many people with autoimmune conditions…

2. Gluten-free grains

Many people with autoimmune problems already avoid gluten, but still consume foods like corn, oats and rice. As well-intentioned as that decision may be, these grains can be just as damaging as gluten because the proteins in these grains are very similar to gluten (e.g. gliadin), so it’s just too risky for autoimmune sufferes.

Just like gluten sensitivities, symptoms do not have to be gastrointestinal in nature; a flare-up of any autoimmune symptom can occur with exposure to grains.

You can have an immunological blood test to work out what you may be sensitive too but be your own detective and listen to your body.

3. Quinoa

A favourite in the health community, pseudo-grains like quinoa are high in proteins called saponins which can damage the gut lining causing an immune response in the body. Soaking and rinsing quinoa can reduce the gut-damaging effect, but for many autoimmune conditions this is not enough, so it’s better avoided.

4. Stress

Stress has many far-reaching effects on your health; one of them is your immune system. Research has proven that chronic mental stress to be a trigger for autoimmune diseases.

Many people report having noticed the onset of their health problems during a difficult time in their life. Caring for a sick child or parent, the loss of a loved one or an intense breakup can be the trigger point for an autoimmune response.

5. Toxins

In the last 100 years or so, our environment has been bombarded with toxins that we were never previously exposed to. Studies have shown that toxins found in every day foods, household products and even in the air we’re breathing. Examples of these include heavy metals in fish and amalgam fillings, toxic chemicals in beauty and self-care products and black mould found in many homes, which have been proven to play a role in many autoimmune diseases and the symptoms that

6. Sugar

It should be no surprise that sugar is on this list, but I'm not just talking about the stereotypical junk food. There are many products marketed as ‘healthy’, which contain too much sugar - even if it’s natural/unrefined, sugar is still sugar to the body and will not be good for autoimmune conditions.

7. Dairy

Casein, the main protein found in milk and other dairy products can also cause inflammation in the body. Removal of the dairy proteins in ghee or clarified butter can be a safer alternative for some people. Some autoimmunity disorders can also handle fermented dairy, like grass-fed whole yogurt or kefir.

8. Nightshades

A plant group that consists of tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplants, goji berries and some spices contains alkaloids in their skin which can cause an inflammatory response in the body. So sometimes, a food that’s a health food to one person could be a health hazard to another.

9. SIBO & Leaky Gut

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), occurs when normal bacteria of the microbiome grow from the large intestines (where they belong) into the small intestines (where they don’t). This can lead to a number of localised autoimmune spectrum conditions such as IBS and acid reflux. Chronic SIBO can also lead to a leaky gut which can then cause autoimmune problems throughout the body.

Functional medicine considers an increased permeability to the gut lining, which is commonly referred to as ‘leaky gut’, a precursor to autoimmunity. All of the aforementioned triggers can lead to leaky gut syndrome which can be both a trigger, but also the effect that proceeds from an autoimmune condition.

When your gut lining is damaged, tears appear and undigested food proteins and bacterial endotoxins can pass through the protective gut lining and into the bloodstream, turning on an autoimmune reaction throughout the body.

10. Weakened microbiome

The majority of your immune system resides in what's referred to as the microbiome. This highly sophisticated gut ecosystem consists of trillions of bacteria colonies. Your microbiome not controls your immune system but your brain, hormones and genetic expression.

Parasitic, yeast and fungal infections have all been implicated in a variety of autoimmune type conditions such as Parkinson's and M.S. It's also important to note that you don't necessarily have to be experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms to be affected by these pathogens.

If you suspect you may have an unhealthy microbiome then you can have a stool sample test to uncover these often undiagnosed factors in autoimmunity. I used a company called Viome.

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Become your own detective and work out what your individual underlying triggers might be. This will save you from the years of unnecessary suffering that millions with autoimmune conditions go through.

Speak to a functional medicine doctor and employ a Health Coach to help you implement simple changes in your lifestyle, on and off the plate, so you can get to the bottom of root causes (the ‘WHY’) and successfully prevent or reverse Autoimmunity.

These issues are common and can destroy lives, so I hope this post helps you to be able to work out your WHYs and end your suffering and frustration.

Charly With A WHY x

Training as a Health Coach Transformed MY Life

I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I am studying with some of the world’s experts in health and nutrition and I am using this alongside the art of transformational coaching to help people to turn any problem (health, relationships, career etc) into a goal in order to become the best version of themselves. 

It is the most rewarding job in the world, sharing my passion for emotional and physical wellness with people in a way that is both informed and practical. I encourage my clients to work on the two most important ‘whys’, hence the name of the business:

1. WHY the problem/block exists in the first place
2. WHY getting past it is an absolute ‘must’ rather than a ‘should’.

The improvement I have experienced in my own well-being is proof that what I am doing is effective, and I am excited to be working with people to achieve their goals, while making sure their health is firmly in the forefront of their minds because even if a health issue isn’t obvious or seems trivial (poor sleep, aches and pains, mood swings etc), it will be intrinsically linked to their lack of fulfilment in any other area of their life.

I had a tough year last year, physically and emotionally, and deciding to train formally as a Health Coach (despite having already Coached for over 10 years) was honestly the best decision I could have ever made. It has utterly transformed my health and my life in every way and I am so grateful to be able to help others by sharing what I’ve learned with those who are also struggling in some way. 

If you have an issue you are ready to overcome or a goal you are determined to achieve once and for all, then feel free to email me charly@wellnesswithawhy.com to book and introductory telephone call with me so you can see if my programme could be your (or someone you love’s) stepping stone to success. 

I have been coached and trained formally and informally by some of the most incredible Coaches in the world and I hope to create a ripple effect by sharing the transformative powers & life-changing benefits  of the techniques I teach my clients. 

My friends & family will tell you that I’ve always preached about how utterly amazing Coaching is (slightly biased, granted) but it wasn’t until I went through some seriously tough health, relationship and career difficulties myself that I really understood it’s true power.

I look forward to hearing from you and to sharing more about all the exciting things I have in store!

Charly With A WHY x

5 Ways to Feel Fulfilled at Work

1.Motivation
Know your big purpose. What is your WHY?? Pay attention to how you’re changing your customer’s lives.

2.Flow
In order to experience the flow state at work you have to set yourself a challenge that’s slightly above your skill level (4% according to the scientists). Attempt something that is slightly beyond what you know right now in order to push yourself to keep growing.  We are in flow when we are challenged and growing.

3.Risk Taking
Ensure that you set a goal for the year that you know you have a 50% chance of failing at. Unless we are taking a risk we are not aiming high enough. If you don’t take risks you are sitting in your comfort zone and will never fulfil your potential.

4.Learning
Constantly work towards developing your skill set and introducing new skills, in order to become an even better version of yourself. Study something. Teach others what you are learning.

5.Grit
Perseverance! There are going to be hurdles. Overcome these by practicing gratitude. Every morning before you start your day, think of things in your life that you are grateful for and better still, share them with your friends or team. Gratitude is the fuel for grit. 

Stop Fuelling the Fire of Inflammation

Inflammation is caused by many lifestyle choices but a major cause is what you eat. However, while your diet can go a long way, it's not the whole story. There are a few other tricks that will help you get rid of inflammation in your life. Here are 6 effective strategies to try:

1. Get the right nutrients.

Due to factors we don’t have that much control over, including mineral-depleted soil and food transit times, even the most perfectly designed anti-inflammatory diet doesn’t always provide optimal vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients. A few well-chosen supplements can provide therapeutic amounts of these nutrients. Among my favorite anti-inflammatory supplements include quality fish oil (quality really matters here), curcumin (the active component is turmeric), resveratrol, and tulsi (holy basil).

2. Reduce your toxic exposure.

Research shows that there thousands of chemicals that are registered for use in our everyday items like food, personal care products, and household cleaners. Many haven’t been tested on humans. We’re basically running a population-wide science experiment that is an inflammatory nightmare.

You might consider trying intermittent fasting and/or try eating a wider variety of colourful, nutrient-dense organic produce as important steps towards helping your cells consistently detoxify.

3. Exercise smarter.

Evidence shows exercise can be more effective in reversing inflammatory conditions. Whether you’re lifting heavy, doing burst training, or practicing Vinyasa flow, exercise can be powerful anti-inflammatory medicine. The sweating is also a necessary ingredient in any body detoxification program. Just be aware that longer than one hour of intense exercise can actually increase your body’s inflammatory signals.

4. Manage stress levels.

Chronic stress can trigger or exacerbate chronic inflammation. Super-stressed people nearly always have elevated inflammatory markers. Staying calm, collected, and laid back aren’t rewarded in Western society, but our do-more, better, faster mentality ramps up chronic inflammation. Slowing down and living in the moment reduces stress and affect overall health, lowering cortisol and chronic inflammation levels.

5. Sleep soundly.

Poor sleep triggers a range of inflammatory markers. Even the healthiest diet can’t override bad sleep, since both sleep quantity and quality play huge roles in overall health and even weight regulation. During deep sleep, the brain and central nervous system perform their housekeeping functions. Lymphatics help drain out by-products of metabolism and reduce inflammation. Without adequate sleep, the body and central nervous system cannot recover from the effects of stress. Quality sleep is an essential component of any plan to lower inflammation. Try to get seven to eight hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep every night.

6. Don't neglect the basics.

While it’s important to focus on optimal nutrients and a health diet, don’t forget about anti-inflammatory essentials like drinking enough filtered water. Regular sunlight makes a great way to build vitamin D which lowers inflammation, as do healthy relationships; so to cover both of these, why not go on a long walk with family or friends on a sunny day? It makes for an invigorating way to lower inflammation and have fun, not to mention the positive effects of being in nature (forests, seaside, waterfalls) for lowering stress hormone levels.

Chronic inflammation contributes to every disease on the planet—but the right anti-inflammatory plan that combines diet with crucial lifestyle modifications can help you feel better, lose weight, and live longer.

Your Genes Are Not Your Fate

Acne, muffin-top, painful periods, hairloss, pain, anxiety, achy joints, fatigue, IBS, migraines…

Are you experiencing any health niggles, which are holding you back from feeling your best?

These symptoms are like those annoying warning lights on your car… just a nuisance until the bloody thing breaks down & you realise you should’ve paid attention.

These warning lights are not only getting in the way of us living life to the full but are also a few road trips away from a write-off.

The good news is that Epigenetics has taught us that your genes are not your fate – you can turn on your good genes and turn off your bad genes with just a few simple lifestyle changes:

If you do nothing else, start by taking care of your gut - Hippocrates was on to something when he taught us that “all health starts in the gut”.

All lifestyle symptoms and diseases are preventable & reversible if only we’d look after our bodies half as well as we look after our cars. We often know what we should be doing but once you become clear on your WHY for wanting to be the best version of yourself, you will be able to turn willpower into WHYpower which turns your ‘shoulds’ into ‘musts’. With the right support you will create new daily habits which will change your life for the better, forever. It’s more a mindset shift than it is anything else.

My WHY: I came off the contraceptive pill at the start of January 2018 and my sex hormone levels (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) plummeted to ‘postmenopausal levels. I will write another post about this as it was a traumatic experience.

My WHYpower helps me to make better decisions which will heal and support my hormones, so that I can have (at least) 3 healthy babies one day, which has been my dream for as long as I can remember!

What’s your WHY for making good health a priority?

Charly with a WHY x

Brain Health for B-R-I-G-H-T M-I-N-D-S

B - Blood flow 

• Exercise to stimulate blood flow ❤️ Racket sports are particularly good because they challenge your coordination. 🎾🏸🏓🏑

• The more screen time the smaller the brain so spend as much time as you can outside in the fresh air to stimulate the production of BDNF - Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor - which helps your brain grow.

• Challenge yourself to add beets, cayenne pepper & rosemary to any of your meals this week.

• Consider supplements like Ginkgo, Vinposetine & Omega 3🐟

• Pistachios raise a chemical in the body called arginine. Arginine helps blood vessels become wider and increases blood flow.

R - Don’t Retire or negatively Ruminate

• Your brain will thank you for not sitting around & feeling lonely & unstimulated or over-stimulated by negative thoughts.

• Work at something you’re passionate about 📚📖

• Start a new challenging hobby like dancing, learning a language or playing an instrument 🎷

• What are you doing for new learning every day? 🤓 

• As you age, your brain gets less and less active. One of the ways to reverse aging is to strengthen the antioxidant capability of your body.

• Bee pollen and cloves are incredible antioxidants.

I - Inflammation

• Look after your Gut ⚖️

• Take a probiotic - I recommend the Symprove 12 week programme. It’s fairly pricey but the best probiotics are expensive for a reason and there’s no better invest that your gut health.

• People often ask me about the Keto diet. In my opinion it is incredible for neurodegenerative diseases & censures but there are not enough colourful plants in the diet, which are essential antioxidants to support your immune system. 

• Sugar causes inflammation - Alzheimer’s is being nick-named Type 3 diabetes!

• Omega-3 fatty acids, turmeric, and curcumins that come from curry all decrease inflammation. Curried salmon would be the perfect anti-inflammatory meal.

G - Genetics

• Your genes are not your fate. 

• Consider your Genes as a wake up call, not a death sentence 👨‍🏫  Email me charly@wellnesswithawhy.com if you would like to learn more about getting your genes tested.

• Some people are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease because thier bodies produces too much beta-amyloid but this gene can be switched off with lifestyle choices.

• Sage decreases the production of beta-amyloid.

H - Head trauma ⚽️🏈🐎 

• Football, rugby & horse riding accidents can all cause frontal lobe damage.

• If you have spent years playing these sports you can reverse the damage if you take the steps included here.

• Prawns boost choline, which helps our brain to make acetylcholine, which is very important for memory.

T - Toxins 💊 

• Air pollution / water pollution 💦 

• Watch out for chemical ingredients in your food-

• Personal & cleaning products contain chemicals such as parabens which are hormone disrupters.

• Alcohol - enjoy organic red wine in moderation but alcohol is a toxin to the brain. 🍸🍺🍷

• Heavy metals such as Mercury are often a result of eating too much fish such as tuna (the bigger the fish the higher the levels of mercury in their flesh) or can be a result of having amalgam tooth fillings. A simple hair test can determine your levels of heavy metals.

• Cauliflower and brussel sprouts help boost glutathione in your body, which help your liver work better, which improves how your body detoxifies.

M - Mental Health 😭

• Take care of your diet - sugar is the enemy of good mood.

• Monitor your use of social media - are you connecting with human beings in real life often enough

• Saffron is this great spice that has been shown to have anti-depressant effects that boosts your memory, decreases your appetite while taking care of PMS.

I - Immunity

• Lyme disease & other viruses 💉🔬

• Strengthen your immune system by eating eggs to boost your Vitamin D level.

N - neuro hormone deficiencies 👫

• If your hormones are playing up you will cause brain fog, memory and mood issues.

• Contact me if you would like to take a hormone test to determine your levels of major hormones such as thyroid, cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and insulin.

• Avoid hormone disruptors like BPAs, phthalates, parabens and pesticides.

• Pomegranate can improve testosterone levels.

D- Diet 🍔🍟🍦🍕

• The Western diet is a disaster: High sugar, highly processed, pesticide sprayed, high glycemic load, low fibre, ‘food-like substances’ (like artificial sweeteners) all stuffed into plastic containers. 

• Think of food as you would a relationship - you might love the food but if it doesn’t love you back then it’s not a healthy relationship... don’t stay in love with something that hurts you! 💔

• Cinnamon helps to stabilise your blood sugar, boost your mood, and it can decrease your appetite.

S - Sleep 🛏😴

• Blue lights off & turn brightness on phone right down at least an hour before bed.  

• Sleep ritual - be strict about setting yourself up for 7-8 hours sleep/night as often as possible (on non-party nights). 

• Cherry juice naturally has melatonin in it, the hormone that helps us sleep.

  Try adding a few of these suggestions into your routine for 10 consecutive days and before you know it you will have created some new brain healthy habits.
  
  Charly with a WHY x
  
  

Daily Habits For Health

Drink a large mug of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt and fresh lemon first thing each morning.

WHY?

Water: rehydrates & flushes out toxins in vital organs (created by body’s healing processes while you sleep) & delivers nutrients to cells.

Himalayan Sea Salt: replenish electrolytes & minerals lost during sleep.

Prevents gout, cramp & kidney stones.

Lemon: the juice and pulp offer multiple micronutrients:

Vitamin C *- prevents damage by free radicals which cause inflammation in the body.

Folate - prevents cognitive decline (which leads to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease), cancer, certain psychiatric illnesses and cardiovascular conditions.

Citric acid - cleans out calcium stones & prevents the production of excess stomach acid.

Tip: While the kettle is boiling do either of the following:

10 squats, some stretches or close your eyes and do four deep breaths like this - in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale through the mouth (really pushing out all the air) for a count of 8.

Your body & mind will be so grateful to you for acquiring this new simple but life-enhancing habit.

Charly with a WHY x

Buy organic lemons if you can and you can find Himalayan sea salt in any large supermarket or health food shop like Whole Foods or Holland and Barrett.

All Health Starts In The Gut

Are you experiencing any health niggles, which are holding you back from feeling your best?  

Acne, ADHD, weight gain, weight loss, mood-swings, inability to cope with even the most trivial of stressful situations, anxiety, depression, achy joints and muscles, fatigue, brain fog, insomnia, IBS, bloated/gassy after meals/all the time, migraines, asthma, allergies, rashes, hair-loss, lack of libido…

I would be bold enough to guess that ALL of us are living with at least one of these symptoms. Most of us just try to ignore them because we’ve tried everything and nothing helps, or we mask the problem with medication like painkillers, synthetic hormones, potions and lotions etc which we all know means the problem is still lingering. Worse still, we don’t even notice these symptoms anymore because they’ve become normal to us!

Think of these symptoms like those annoying warning lights on your car… just a nuisance until the bloody thing breaks down & you realise you should’ve paid attention and fixed the problem. Plus, these warning lights are not only getting in the way of us living life to the full but it may mean that we’re only a few road trips away from a total write-off.

The good news is that you have far more control over your physical and emotional health than you think. “Not me Charly, it’s in my genes” I hear you cry but in recent years we have learned that Epigenetics means that your genes are not your fate. You can actually turn on your good genes and turn off your bad genes with just a few simple lifestyle changes.

If you do nothing else, start by taking care of your gut. Hippocrates was on to something when he taught us that “all health starts in the gut” - to stick to the theme, we need to stop putting petrol in a diesel engine.

Nutrition is vitally important but in the same breath, you can eat all the kale in the world and work out every day but if you hate your job, don’t get enough sleep/sex/probiotics/prebiotic foods/water/love/fun (not in any particular order) and are frequently exposing your body to toxic chemicals, then your gut will be sure to let you know it’s unhappy and does so in the form of the seemingly normal and harmless ailments I mentioned.

The way I manage this is by pretending that my gut Microbiome (the colonies of good bacteria that live inside us all and keep us healthy) is a pet that lives inside me and I have to make sure I take care of her each day.

If you’re struggling with this one - think of your pet. My Golden Retriever Molly was my baby and I looked after her better than I looked after myself. I didn’t feed her junk food, ply her with tequila shots on the weekend, smother her in toxic anti-wrinkle creams every night, give her antibiotics when she was under the weather, never let her run around in the fresh air, antibacterial gel her paws or poke her every time she tried to sleep. You get the idea.

These symptoms often seem fairly harmless until they are not. Think of them as the trailer to a new Netflix series called ‘Chronic Disease’ with episodes which include 1) Cancer 2) Type 2 Diabetes 3) Alzheimer’s 4) Heart Disease 5) Crohn’s Disease… you get the picture!

Tip: Introduce one or more of theses ‘happy gut’ habits each day for 7 days:

1. Consume a spoonful of a fermented food such as sauerkraut, kimchi or live yoghurt.

2. Drink a large mug of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt and fresh lemon first thing each morning.

3. Get an extra 30 minutes sleep every night.

4. Order/cook one extra portion of fibrous veggies like leafy greens, cabbage, spinach…

5. Take 4 deep breaths for the count of 4, hold for 7 counts and blow out for 8.

6. Avoid gluten (but try not to replace with processed ‘gluten-free’ foods)

7. Write down 3 things you are most grateful for in your life as it is right now.

All lifestyle diseases & symptoms are preventable & reversible - please read that twice - if only we’d look after our bodies half as well as we look after our pets and our cars.

Please email me with a little information on your physical and/or emotional health concern at charly@wellnesswithawhy.com, if you’d like to organise a complimentary health consultation with me.

Wellness wishes from your ‘Microbiome-mad’ friend,

Charly with a WHY x
 

Look after your microbial friends and they will look after you.