Breathing Life into Wellness: Luke Tan’s Integrative Approach to Health and Well-Being

Luke Tan is a renowned integrative breathing and lifestyle optimisation coach, who has dedicated himself to helping people regain their health and break free from medication through movement, breath work, nutrition, and mind training. After facing depression and a suicide attempt, Luke turned to fitness and bodybuilding competitions, which taught him discipline and resilience. In recent years, he’s been particularly interested in breathwork and its ability to positively impact our physical, mental, and emotional state. He believes that conscious breathing helps people claim the present moment and optimize their body in ways they never thought possible. In this article, we’ll explore Luke’s holistic approach to healthy living, his tips for starting a healthy lifestyle, and his experience with Synbiotic15 – as Luke’s a big believer of the power of our gut.

A Life Dedicated to Health and Wellness

Luke Tan is father to two girls, an integrative breath & lifestyle optimisation coach, and on a mission to help individuals become the healthiest and strongest version of themselves, so they can live as free humans and show up confidently in the world. He does this through an integrative approach to coaching that revolves around breathwork, movement and nutrition. Luke has been coaching for over a decade now, yet he started his career in the corporate world. After losing his job during the financial crisis, he decided to become a Personal Trainer, as he had always been passionate about fitness. In 2010 Luke went through a tough time that included depression and a suicide attempt. This is when he turned to bodybuilding and discovered the power of channelling negative energy into something positive. For years, he competed in bodybuilding competitions, which taught him discipline and resilience.

These days, Luke wears many hats. From being the co-host of the Plant Fit Summit, to being a functional movement coach, specialising in plant-focussed nutrition and mind training. In the last 2-3 years, his focus is on teaching people about healthy breathing. This passion stems from his own experience with chronic asthma. By changing and relearning how to breathe, Luke was able to get off decades of medication and reclaim his health. As a coach, Luke takes an integrative approach to teaching. He pulls different experiences and lessons from his own life to help others transform their physical, mental, and emotional health. For Luke, health is everything, as it determines who we are and how we show up in the world.

“Health is everything. It determines who we are and how we show up in the world.”

A Personal Journey to Overcoming Asthma

When talking about the true meaning of healthy living Luke mentions that for him, in a way, it all started with his battle with asthma. Even though he was passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle, he still relied on pharmaceuticals to help him breathe properly. He realized that his respiratory system was his weakest link and started exploring breathwork as a means of overcoming this challenge.

“By tapping into the power of our breath, we can unlock our full potential and live life to the fullest.”

Through his own journey, Luke discovered that healthy breathing can do wonders for your physical, mental, and emotional state. By using specific breathing protocols to upregulate or downregulate, you can shift your mood and energy levels in a matter of minutes. For example, practicing holotropic breathwork can even move you towards an elevated state of consciousness. It’s really amazing how we take breathing for granted. The truth is that conscious breathing can help us claim the present moment and optimize our body and minds in ways we never thought possible.

Luke’s Integrative Approach to a Healthy lifestyle

For Luke, healthy living is about taking an integrative approach to health. He believes that our thoughts, emotions, values, and beliefs dictate our actions and habits. Which results in how we look, feel and show up in the world. By first tapping into the power of our breath, we can unlock our full potential and live life to the fullest. A healthy lifestyle is all about achieving optimal function, fuelling the body with nutrient-dense foods, firing up a positive mindset, and nurturing healthy relationships with family and loved ones. He explains further.

• Function is all about maintaining both physical and mental well-being through regular movement and mind training . This helps keep your body strong and resilient, while also improving your mood and cognitive function.
• When it comes to Fuel, Luke favours a plant-focused diet that’s rich in phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fibres. This type of nutritional perspective not only helps reduce chronic inflammation and supports athletic recovery, but also boosts long term health and wellbeing.
• Healthy living is not just about physical health though – it’s also about Fire which means nurturing a positive mindset and creating an environment where you live intentionally. This means paying attention to how you breathe and making conscious choices that help you stay aware and awake in your life.
• And last but not least, Luke emphasizes the importance of healthy relationships with Family and loved ones. Emotional stress can contribute to a range of health issues, from impaired sleep and mental fog to gut dysbiosis. That’s why it’s so important to take an inside-out approach to health and focus on nurturing emotional well-being along with physical health.

“A healthy lifestyle is all about achieving optimal function, fuelling the body with nutrient-dense foods, firing up a positive mindset, and nurturing healthy relationships with family and loved ones.”

The Seven Principles of a Free Human

In addition to the four beliefs Luke shares above, he’s very passionate about the Free Human Project to help people reclaim our health and break free from the medical system. The “7 Principles of a Free Human” are all about achieving optimal health and life balance. These principles cover everything from nutrition and movement to connection with nature and cold exposure. Luke says in addition to his four beliefs, these seven principles guide him through life on a day-to-day basis.

1. The first principle is all about thriving, and that means fueling your body with nutrient-dense foods that nourish your body and support overall health and wellness.
2. The second principle is movement, and Luke emphasizes the importance of daily movement to keep your body strong and healthy. He highly recommends using a standing desk to keep you on your feet and active throughout the day.
3. Of course, breathing is a key component of optimal physical and mental health and. Luke recommends conscious breathing exercises to help you stay grounded and present in the moment.
4. Recovery is another important principle, and Luke stresses the importance of getting enough rest and relaxation to help your body recover and repair.
5. Connection with people and nature is essential to living a free and fulfilling life. Spending time in nature, connecting with loved ones, and fostering a sense of community can all contribute to your overall well-being.
6. Luke is a big believer in the power of grounding, the practice of connecting with the earth by walking barefoot on grass or other natural surfaces.
7. And last but not least, cold exposure is an important principle that Luke embraces. He collaborates with a Wim Hof instructor to incorporate cold baths into his routine, which can help boost your immune system and forge mental resilience.

“Take charge of your mornings and choose your inputs wisely means giving yourself the gift of a positive and productive start to your day.”

Luke’s tips to start a healthy lifestyle

If you find yourself feeling inspired by Luke’s beliefs and principles that encourage a healthy lifestyle, but are uncertain about how to put them into action, we are here to help. Luke has generously provided us with useful tips and techniques to help you embark on your journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether you are searching for guidance on nutrition, exercise, or even mental health, Luke shares some great tips and tricks to get you started.

• Master Your Mornings | Your morning routine sets the tone for your day. Take back control of your mornings, by incorporating breathing exercises, meditation, and setting a positive intention for the day ahead. A little bit of movement won’t hurt either! If you’re unsure where to start, simply grab a glass of water and move your body for 2-5 minutes, or take a moment to be still and quiet. Lastly, and importantly , resist the temptation to reach for your phone for at least the first 30 minutes of your day. Think of it this way – would you invite a 1000 people into your bedroom the moment you wake up? Probably not! Take charge of your mornings and choose your inputs wisely means giving yourself the gift of a positive and productive start to your day.
• Prioritize Movement | Do you find yourself saying “I’ll workout later if I have time “? Let’s be real, that never happens! Instead, plan your day around movement and schedule it in like any other important appointment. Do this every day.
• Stand Up While Working | We all know we sit way too much, which is unhealthy and why Luke works from a standing desk. If a standing desk isn’t an option, try the Pomodoro technique to take regular breaks so you can get up and move around. Plus you burn 60 more calories per hour standing vs sitting.
• Try Time Restricted Eating | Eating out of habit is common nowadays. When you fast and restrict your eating to a set amount of time, say within 8 hours of the day, you often start to notice better if you’re eating out of habit or actual hunger. So perhaps skip your breakfast, which will save you time in the morning too! And try a 24-hour water fast once a month to reset your body and taste buds.
• Take Back Your Evenings | End your day with a light breathing exercise and journaling. Reflect on what went well and what you learned that day. Journaling can help clear your mind and prevent anything that has stressed you out during the day from bleeding into the night, leading to better sleep. And again, put away your phone and wind down before bed to prime your body and mind for a restful night’s sleep.

Luke emphasizes the importance to start small and take change one step at a time. Choose one thing to change and improve in your life and do that, do it well and consistently. Only then you add another thing to change. This way you can make changes last and really see improvements in the long run.

“Our gut is like a gatekeeper, protecting us from harmful pathogens and boosting our immune system. But it also affects our mental health and hormonal balance. Taking care of your gut is taking care of your overall health.“

Unlocking the power of your gut

When asked about the importance of gut health for your overall wellbeing, Luke gets very passionate. Your gut is so important. Firstly, it’s your second brain and secondly, 95% of the feel-good hormone serotonin is produced in your gut. Thirdly, did you know that we’re actually more bacteria than human cells? Unfortunately, our tendency to over sanitize these days is exposing us to harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc on our gut health and overall health. That’s why Luke believes in the “eat clean, live dirty” philosophy. Meaning he eats mainly unprocessed foods from nature that are grown responsibly while living dirty or strengthening his connection with nature and its trillions of microbes.

Luke compares our gut to a gatekeeper, protecting us from harmful pathogens and boosting our immune system. But did you know that it also affects your mental health and hormonal balance? A happy gut can lead to better mental clarity and emotional regulation. On the other hand, chronic inflammation and dysbiosis can lead to a host of lifestyle diseases, so it’s important to balance your gut health. This means paying attention to what you eat and avoiding pro-inflammatory foods that can cause issues like psoriasis and eczema. By taking care of your gut, you’ll not only feel better physically, but mentally too. After all, our gut health is our instinctual drive and an evolutionary mechanism to help us survive. So, take care of your second brain and prioritize your gut health.

Luke’s experience with Synbiotic15

First, Luke mentions, it’s important to note that it can take some time for the benefits to kick in. “But let me tell you, when I started eating inflammatory foods again, I could really tell the difference in how my gut reacted. One thing I really like about Synbiotic15 is that it comes in a sachet instead of a pill, so it’s super easy to mix into my smoothies or shakes. Plus, it contains prebiotic fibres which are essential for gut health.”

“Did you know that the RDA of fibre is 30g per day while most people in Singapore consume only 10-15g of fibre per day? “

“It’s also great that the product is backed by science, giving me the trust that the quality is there. Even though I follow a plant-based diet, I still notice significant improvements – less bloating and gas, more energy, and just an overall happier gut. Trust me, you don’t realize how good it feels until it’s taken away from you!”

Get Synbiotic15 with a 15% discount by using the voucher LUKE15 at checkout. Follow Luke Tan on Instagram or connect via luketan.co.

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