In this episode of 'Building Function,' we take a dive into the world of NextStep New Zealand - a rehabilitation facility in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. We'll explore who they are, the individuals they assist, and their unique approach to breaking down barriers for those with diverse exercise and rehab needs.

Join us as we discuss the landscape of exercise physiology in New Zealand and how NextStep contributes to this field. 

Discover the inspiring work being done at NextStep New Zealand and their commitment to 'Building Function' for all. 

To learn more about what they do and follow the inspiring stories of their members - check them out at https://www.nextstepnz.com/

Meet Marissa and Taisia, general practitioners who've taken a fascinating detour into the world of lifestyle medicine.

In this episode, we sit down for a chat with these two about what sparked their shift from typical medical practice to the more holistic approach of lifestyle medicine. Ever wondered what it really means to embrace a lifestyle-based health strategy? They've got you covered, sharing stories, insights, and even a few "a-ha" moments from their journey.

So join us for a down-to-earth conversation. You might just discover a whole new way to think about your well-being. 


And before you go, make sure to peek at the awesome things they're up to over at https://www.yourlifestylemedics.com/.

In this episode of the Building Function Podcast, we had the privilege of interviewing Fiona Charlton, a remarkable individual who, despite living with chronic illness, continues to make a positive impact. Fiona, is the President of ANZMES (The ME Society of New Zealand) and Complex Chronic Illness Support Inc. 

We chat about Fiona’s personal journey with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and the important work being done by the organisations she is involved with. Fiona shares insights into living with ME, coping strategies, and the qualities of positive healthcare experiences. We also explore the missions and objectives of ANZMES, discuss barriers encountered, and learn how healthcare professionals can contribute to raising awareness and providing better support. Don't miss this inspiring conversation with Fiona!

AND don't miss out on the amazing resources available to you on the ANZMES website: https://anzmes.org.nz/

Join us on Episode 20 of the Building Function Podcast, as we dive into the world of building effective remote teams. Our special guest today is Lisa George, the visionary founder of Momentum Rehab, a leading remote team of Occupational Therapists in Australia.

Lisa's journey began in 2004 when she established Momentum Rehab as a purely remote business, long before remote work became mainstream. Inspired by her own experiences with breast cancer and personal loss, Lisa redefined the purpose of work and life, leading her to create a flexible and purpose-driven remote team.

In this episode, we'll explore Lisa's remarkable story and her insights on remote team building. Discover the key benefits and challenges of working remotely, not only for Lisa and her team but also for customers seeking remote services.

Delve into Lisa's wealth of knowledge as she shares essential ingredients for creating an engaged, sustainable, and thriving remote team. Uncover her strategies and practices for fostering teamwork, connection, and a healthy work-life balance in a remote work environment.

Learn more about Lisa and the work she does: 

Valuable resource for remote team leaders: Whitepaper | Remote Team Queen
Momentum rehab website: www.momentumrehab.com.au
Remote Team Queen website: www.remoteteamqueen.com.au

In this episode of the Building Function podcast, host Tessa sits down with Cara Leyton, founder of the corrective movement business, Intension. With a personal history of chronic pain, Cara spent her Master's degree studying lower back pain and posture. She spent five years as a Sports Therapist before launching Intension earlier this year. 

Tessa chats with Cara about her journey into the exercise industry, how her personal experience with pain shapes her approach to helping others, and the general process she goes through when working with clients. Cara shares some of the most common challenges she encounters in this line of work and addresses how she overcomes them. 

Finally, Tessa asks Cara the Fast 5 questions, where she shares her book recommendation, favourite stretch, and how she manages stress. 

Tune in to this informative and inspiring conversation!

Today, we are delving into the topic of chronic pain, why it is such a complex condition to work with, and some of the things we wish we knew when we first started practising as EP’s. We talk about the difference between trying to ‘fix’ someones chronic pain condition versus supporting and guiding them. Daniel’s openness and honesty about his learnings over the past few years is refreshing, and reinforces the importance of being brave enough to acknowledge that no-one has ‘all the answers’. Instead, we should aim to surround ourselves with a network of supportive health professionals and mentors that we can talk to, so that we can all learn and grow together. 

This is a really important conversation that every EP should listen to. We hope you enjoy!

https://www.tkex.org

“Connecting the dots between psychology and physiology in female elite sports”

In this episode Yolanda speaks to Dr Katie Schofield, Sport Scientist and Performance Nutritionist from Cambridge, New Zealand. Katie represented New Zealand as an elite track cyclist and it was during this time that she was diagnosed with RED-S. Katie decided to pursue a PhD in RED-S to investigate the interplay between the psychosocial and physiological aspects of energy availability in sports. 

Yolanda and Katie discuss her personal experience in elite sports, the symptoms of low energy availability and RED-S, and touch on some of the differences between males and females when it comes to exercise training, and fueling the body. We hope you enjoy!

***Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know are experiencing any mental health symptoms, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

“If it’s important to us, we need to make the time”

In today’s episode we talk to Alicia Gibbs, an incredibly experienced Sydney-based Rehabilitation Coordinator at a major insurance company, who is also a Mentor and Telephone Crisis Volunteer at Lifeline Australia. 

Brad and Alicia discuss all things volunteering, making specific reference to Alicia’s volunteer work at Lifeline, and shed some light on some of the challenges that Telephone Crisis operators face, and how the communication skills acquired as part of volunteering translate into everyday life. We hope you enjoy!

Relevant References:
https://www.lifeline.org.au
Lifeline: 13 11 14

Today we’re talking to Nicolette Ellis, an advanced practice pharmacist with specialised clinical experience in persistent pain, cancer pain, Substance Use Disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome and mental health conditions.

Nicolette is a Program Manager at Brisbane South Primary Health, in addition to being a Senior Clinical Pharmacist at Beyond Pain and the Vice President of Chronic Pain Australia. We chat about all things Pharmacy and medications in the chronic pain space, and their role in a patient-centred treatment approach. Nicolette also talks about the work she is doing with the ACTMed study and through the Pain Assist program with Anjelo Ratnachandra at Beyond Pain. We hope you enjoy!

Relevant links:
https://beyondpain.com.au/e-learnings/
https://beyondpain.com.au/telehealth-a-pharmacists-role/

On today’s podcast the team delves into the topic of mindfulness and meditation. Yolanda, Tessa and Dan discuss what mindfulness entails, and how they came to be aware of and practice mindfulness themselves. 

We discuss some of the literature and research supporting the use of mindfulness in various populations, in addition to some of the self-reported benefits and physiological adaptations that occur as a result of long-term mindfulness practice. We finish with some practical takeaways for listeners who are looking to dip their toes into the world of mindfulness. We hope you enjoy! 

Resources:

https://workresearch.aut.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/59841/Wrapson-et-al-Mindfulness-and-Resilience-powerpoint.pdf

https://specialisedhealth.com.au/meditation-for-chronic-pain/ 

http://www.sahajayogaportal.org/papers/whymeditation.pdf

Additional Links:

https://www.smilingmind.com.au/smiling-mind-app