The Health Network Podcast Marcus Matear

Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Nikki Ellis, a personal trainer, transformational specialist, gym owner, podcast host, and author. In this episode, they talk about weight transformations and how one can achieve them through consistent diet and exercise as well as its overall benefits.

[01:48] Introducing Nikki Ellis
[08:55] What is a Transformational Specialist?
[13:45] Nikki’s Clients’ Goals
[17:50] Assessment and Exercise for Low Bone Density
[22:34] Tips for Overweight Clients
[31:47] Muscle Mass Assessment
[36:09] Resistance Training and Cardio
[41:39] Healthy Eating
[45:19] Health Messages
[48:15] Wearable Devices
[53:06] Future of Health with Referrals
[59:35] “Am I Doing Enough Exercise?”
[01:08:26] Walking After Dinner
[01:11:24] Exercise as Medicine

Nikki is a personal trainer but has since rebranded herself into a transformational specialist 3-4 years ago; this is because one of the biggest points of improvement she has seen among her clients is their increase in confidence. They feel happier, better, and more empowered about themselves. Her clients are mainly women who feel lost because they have been out of their jobs for a while due to motherhood and a big part of her job is getting them stronger and feeling better in their own skin. Nikki thought it was fabulous seeing people transform with their confidence and not just seeing an increase in self-esteem, but also with how people view their bodies and seeing themselves as strong, functional beings.

Nikki recommends for people struggling with their weight with sugar and cholesterol problems to address it as soon as possible. She suggests weight training to lose body fat and work with a qualified nutritionist for a more holistic approach and to also look at a client’s cornerstone habits. It’s also best to look for more nutritious options for snacks. Weight training, nutritionists, and moving away from a sedentary lifestyle is one of the best ways to combat weight loss.

For those wondering if they’re doing enough exercise, Nikki recommends starting a healthy fitness lifestyle as early as possible and maintaining strength as best as you can. Wearable devices are also great tools to help track your progress. Daily activities such as 30 minutes of good quality weight training, resistance training, and aiming for 10,000 steps a day can all help in combating weight loss and help promote muscle mass and having an overall healthier lifestyle.

Follow Nikki on Instagram and find her links here.

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Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Gina McEntee, a senior clinician and occupational therapist who has been in the industry for 15 years. We talk about the importance of occupational therapy, how it can be integrated into different medical fields, and her vision for the future of occupational therapy.

[01:08] Introducing Gina McEntee
[06:00] Role of an OT
[09:28] OT and Mental Health
[12:14] Ergonomics for WFH
[17:26] OT and Physical Fitness and Driving
[22:21] Workload and Funding for OT
[24:02] Integration with Other Fields
[26:11] How to Receive OT Care
[27:51] Gina’s Vision for the Future of OT

Occupational therapists provide practical support to assist with people in their recovery or in overcoming barriers that might prevent them from doing basic, day-to-day activities. OT helps to support them in increasing their independence and satisfaction in all areas of their lives. Some of the areas are in self-care, productivity, or leisure which occupational therapists refer to as ADLs or “Activities of Daily Living”. These are things that occupies time during the day might be considered something that can be used as treatment in occupational therapy.

OT is often worked into multidisciplinary teams along with doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiologists, or dieticians on how to best support the patient. On mental health, there are many different areas that OTs look at and finding out the barriers that the person is facing. Goal setting and having a set plan on how to assist that person and have them be at the planning and implementation stage is also very crucial in recovery.

Gina’s vision for OT is having a holistic approach and helping all of society regardless of disability, age, or any marginalized condition. She aims to help people, gain or build their capacity to construct their own destiny, and improve their quality of life and participation in daily activities. It could be working in third-world countries or with a multidisciplinary team or having wellness clinics with GPs and other disciplines to work with the patient or client in one space. She envisions a future where there are plenty of opportunities for OTs to support their clients.

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Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Marie-Claire Ross, a leadership speaker, facilitator, coach, and consultant who works for global organizations. We talk about how leaders and organizations can create safe and fulfilling work environments built on trust as well as her vision for the future of the workplace.

[00:23] Introducing Marie-Claire Ross
[02:28] Workplace Examples
[09:14] Leadership Pledge
[11:18] Techniques to Creating Trust
[16:18] Common Issues and What to be Done
[19:23] Questions Leaders Should Ask
[20:54] Animosity Between Team Members
[25:40] Marie-Claire’s Vision for the Future of Work Environments

Marie-Claire believes that the success of an organization always starts with the leadership team. The top leaders of the organization need to look at how they communicate, prioritize, and work together as one as everyone in the organization looks up to these leaders and how they behave. Working with leaders in terms of getting them the skills to create an environment that people want is also important especially with the pandemic and a current shift in how employees want to be and feel cared for and supported given mental health issues brought about by the pandemic. Nowadays, it is important to create an environment where people can thrive.

Trust is at the heart of every successful team, and what organizations can do to help people thrive is to have leaders who know how to create safety and foster connections where people can see their future as a team as well as what the rewards will be. If you were to put it in a Venn diagram, at the top there’s safety, connection, and meaningful future and at the inner section between safety and connection is meeting one-on-one. Visibility is at the intersection of connection and future. As humans, we need to see that we’re safe and we naturally can’t trust a situation if we feel that information is being hidden from us. We also want to see our leaders and let them see us working so they understand our experiences. At the intersection of safety and stepping into our future, we have accountability. It’s about the leader being accountable as well as demanding accountability.

Marie-Claire believes that business is a force for good and when we do work that we love with people that we love, it’s good for our well-being and our confidence levels. Her vision for the future is for people to work not because it’s a job but because the work that they do is fulfilling, with leaders and a supportive team culture that helps them achieve their best. We thrive when we have goals, are learning new things, and when we have a leader that challenges us to be the best version of ourselves. She wants leaders who can create that environment with people excited about going to work, learning and sharing ideas, and contributing with others.

Link to Marie-Claire’s website and a link on where to buy her book/download free chapters.

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Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Lexi O’Dea, a pharmacist. In this episode, they discuss her expertise as a pharmacist, how the pandemic affected her field, and the benefits of medical cannabis in pain medication and lifestyle diseases.

[00:23] Introducing Lexi and How She Got into Pharmacy
[02:37] Community Pharmacy
[04:17] Common Mistakes in Taking Medication
[06:56] The Effect of the Pandemic
[09:27] How Pharmacists Integrated with other Health Professionals
[11:26] Changes in the Impact of Drug Companies
[12:36] What is Medical Cannabis?
[16:46] Medical Cannabis in Pain Medication
[19:02] Methods of Administering
[20:46] Approaches to Lifestyle Diseases
[24:52] Cardiovascular Diseases and Dental Health

Medical cannabis has been legalized in a few jurisdictions in Australia a few years ago and it allows patients to access prescription cannabis for therapeutic purposes. It is different from straight cannabis because the products have been processed in a way where you have a great deal of certainty around their content. Prescribing is not easy in Australia compared to the US and Canada, which has their own medical framework since 2016. Through this, patients can access cannabis products on prescription from their doctor. However, there’s still some regulatory red tape and doctors need to seek permission from the Therapeutic Goods Administration to provide prescriptions, on top of state health approvals. There are two main components: THC and CBD. CBD has effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and may have an effect at reducing anxiety.

The most common format of medicinal cannabis is an oil for oral use through a syringe. Patients can either swallow it or put it under the tongue before swallowing. The oils have a gradual onset and a longer duration of effect and start to work between 30 minutes to two hours which lasts for 6-8 hours. There are also flowers which are cannabis buds in a jar and vapor is produced through a vaporizer, grinding device, and scales. It is gently heated until it starts to produce vapor which is then inhaled. The benefit of inhaling cannabis is that it has a rapid onset and can start to work within 30 seconds and a shorter duration of action. This is beneficial for acute symptoms like breakthrough pain or insomnia where you need something to work quickly. The fact that it’s vaporized is important because smoking combustion can be harmful and produce a lot of harmful by-products into the lungs similar with nicotine in cigarettes. Whereas through a vaporizer, it’s a lower heat and it doesn’t burn the product but only gently heats it until vapor begins to form.

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Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Yogi Ella Thai, a yoga teacher. In this episode, they discuss mindfulness, the different styles of yoga, and how she teaches to a wide range of people.

[01:29] How Ella Got into Yoga
[03:40] Mindfulness and Pain in Yoga
[06:51] Ella’s Teaching Course and Approach to Teaching
[10:00] Styles of Yoga
[11:54] What is Mindfulness?
[14:56] How Yoga Benefits Others and Her Colleagues
[19:43] Ella’s Sisters
[22:18] Teaching Kids Yoga
[25:59] Ella’s Yoga Book
[31:46] The Future of Health
[34:10] Transformation in Yoga

Mindfulness comes in different definitions, but Ella likes to see it as having awareness. No matter what we say or do in our daily life, we should be aware of what we’re saying because what we say to people has an effect on them. There’s also awareness such as “are we being aware in the present moment?”. People are very good at multitasking, which is good in many ways, but we need to come back to ourselves and having that awareness and reset is something that we need, otherwise the mind will just keep going which could lead to a person not being present in the moment. Ella does a lot of pranayama or breath control in yoga because when a person focuses on their breath, it brings a person back to the present moment.

Ella wrote her book “Lantern Yoga” for simple ordinary people who are busy with their lives who are oftentimes parents and don’t have that much time for themselves but do want to practice yoga. She is surrounded by parents and found a way to empower them through yoga to be present, while nurturing their mind and body.

Ella is seeing more demand for yoga popping up in workplaces, events, and workshops simply because you can take it anywhere, whether you’re up in the mountains, in the studio, or travelling. In terms of the health industry, yoga is a booming industry and Ella thinks more people need to know more mindfulness and have that awareness because that’s what makes the world a better place—the better version of ourselves.

You can get Ella’s books here.

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Dr. Marcus Matear talks to Sarah Case, a certified optometrist and a trained physician in children's vision. In this episode, they discuss optometry, conditions that could lead to loss of sight, and the link between eye health and diabetes.

[00:25] Getting to know Sarah Case

[01:50] The Interprofessional Education and Practice Health Students Network

[04:10] Advice to Parents Whose Children Have Never Been to an Optometrist

[06:45] Conditions That Could Lead to Loss of Sight in Children and Adults

[08:40] Tips on How to Prevent Eye Problems

[10:42] Sleep Apnea in Adults

[11:30] How to Improve Sharp and Detail Vision

[12:12] Effects of the Smoking on the Eyes

[14:20] Migraines, Headaches, and the Eyes

[15:09] Interprofessional Collaborations Between Optometrists and Other Medics

[17:02] Autoimmune Conditions That May Risk Eye Health

[20:01] Patient Confidentiality and Why Doctors Don’t Send Patient Information Via Email

[21:03] The Future of Health and Technology

[23:07] The Link Between Eye Health and Diabetes

From a very young age, Sarah always knew she wanted to be an optometrist. She had really poor eyesight and experienced first-hand how amazing it feels when someone's eyesight is fixed.

Her mother is also an optometrist, and so she had a great role model to look up to. The fact that optometry makes a real difference in a person's life was the extra motivation she needed to pursue optometry.

Eye exams for children are a crucial step in ensuring your child's eyes are healthy. Early eye exams are also essential because children rarely know the difference between proper and poor vision. Plus, children need great vision for optimal learning, excellent visual acuity, and improvement of a child's ability to learn. Sarah recommends children should have their first comprehensive eye exam at six months of age. If no issues are spotted, the next exam should be done at age three and then at about age 5 or 6. School-going children, adults, and the elderly should have an eye exam at least every two years. People who need eyeglasses or contact lenses must visit the doctor annually or as recommended by the optometrist.

Unfortunately, not all parents see value in taking their kids to the optometrist. Nonetheless, Sarah believes that, even if your child looks okay, it would be best to have them checked at a young age to correct any issues on time. Many visual disorders in children can go unnoticed, and sometimes parents seek help when it's too late.

Eyesight is one of the most sensitive human senses that can be reduced or lost entirely. Sarah explains that certain health conditions can greatly increase a patient's risk of going blind. For children, "Lazy Eye" can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. The disease occurs when the vision of one eye is weakened by the brain, suppressing its line of sight and favoring the other eye. In adults, glaucoma and diabetes are the two diseases that can lead to potential eyesight loss.

Other than regular checkups, people can preserve their eyesight by spending at least two hours outside every day. However, care should be taken because the sun can also be harmful to your eyes, and thus sunglasses and hats are recommended. If you're also spending long periods facing a computer, Sarah recommends the 20-20-20 rule where after every 20 minutes, you spend 20 seconds looking at things 20 meters away.

Don’t forget to follow the Health Network Podcast on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. If you liked this episode, do leave us a review and share it with your friends!