Work-life balance comes with time management: Luke Coutinho

Luke Coutinho, Integrative Lifestyle Expert, speaks to Sidhi Kapoor in an exclusive interview around health, wellness, the importance of deep sleep and breath practices. One enlightening conversation you cannot miss!

What inspired you to pursue a career in holistic health and wellness?

From a young age, I was always fascinated by the human body and how it functioned. I considered going to medical school at one point, but I realized that what truly drew me was understanding the root causes of illness rather than just treating symptoms. I wanted to go beyond medicine and nutrition, to look at the person as a whole—their lifestyle, emotional health, and habits.

I spent years working in the corporate world, where I noticed many high-performing individuals—executives and CEOs—suffering from lifestyle diseases, even though they had access to the best healthcare and nutrition. It hit me that the missing link wasn't resources or treatments; it was lifestyle. Fitness had become a "check the box" task for them, but they weren't living a truly balanced life. That realization inspired me to dive deep into holistic health and lifestyle medicine.

I saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional healthcare and lifestyle practices, and since then, it has been my mission to educate and empower people to take control of their health in a more integrative way.

Can you share some tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

The key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance starts with time management. Most people struggle with balance because they haven't mastered how to manage their time, schedules, or distractions.

One of the most important things I tell my clients is that we don't have 24 hours in a day—because we must prioritize 8 hours for sleep. So, what do we do with the remaining 16 hours? It's all about planning your day. Break it down into segments: time for work, exercise, meals, family, and even leisure. If it's not on your schedule, it won't happen.

Planning helps you get more done in less time. There are so many distractions out there—social media, notifications—so I encourage techniques like ‘deep work,' where you block out one hour to focus solely on a task without distractions. That hour of focused work can be more productive than several hours of distracted work.

It's also essential to set boundaries. Don't overload your plate by saying yes to everything—learn to say no without guilt. Everything you say yes to means saying no to something else that might be more important, like your rest, family time, or self-care.

Lastly, procrastination is a huge obstacle to work-life balance. Use the ‘two-minute rule': if a task takes two minutes or less, do it right away. Break large tasks into smaller chunks, and avoid pushing things to tomorrow, because every day brings new challenges. When you respect your time, you automatically find that balance.

How do you stay updated with the latest research and advancements in the field of holistic health?

 In our line of work, staying updated with the latest research and findings is an absolute necessity. Science is always evolving, and so are the environment, technology, and the way we approach health. What we learned years ago in nutrition or holistic wellness has changed, and we have to keep up with those changes to offer the best care and guidance to our clients.

I'm fortunate to have an incredible research team dedicated to studying and uncovering the latest advancements in integrative lifestyle medicine. We spend a lot of time digging into new research, and I personally invest about an hour every day in learning something new. Whether it's listening to expert podcasts, reading the latest studies, or training the team based on new learnings and findings, I make sure to constantly upgrade our collective knowledge.

We also have a network of amazing doctors and experts from whom I continuously learn. It's not just about nutrition anymore; it's about understanding stress, sleep science, medicine interactions, and so much more. I encourage my team to do the same, spending at least an hour every day learning, because that's what it takes to stay on top of our field and provide the best care for our patients.

What's your favorite wellness practice or ritual that you recommend to everyone?

I love rituals. There's something so grounding about having these beautiful, intentional moments in the day. Whether it's a morning ritual, an evening ritual, or a bedtime ritual, it adds a sense of ceremony to everyday life, and I think that's really powerful.

For me, my mornings are sacred. I like to start slow, which is why I always try to organize my day in a way that allows for a grounded, peaceful start. The first thing I do is get some sunlight on my face and body to recharge all my cells and be in sync with the circadian rhythm. Then, I move into breathwork, starting with pranayama. Lately, I've been incorporating a metabolic drink into my routine, which has been a great addition. After that, I spend time on my affirmations and morning prayers. Some mornings, I'll also add pilates, stretching, or yoga into the mix depending on how I feel.

It's these little rituals—breathwork, movement, mindfulness—that set the tone for the rest of my day. I really believe how you start your day determines how the rest of it unfolds, and that's why my morning ritual is something I cherish and recommend to everyone.

 How is deep sleep connected to health issues? Can you elaborate on the same?

Deep sleep is fundamental to maintaining good health, yet so many of us underestimate its importance. Sleep is not just a passive activity where we close our eyes and rest—it's an active process where the body undergoes crucial healing and repair. During deep sleep, our body works on cellular repair, hormone production, detoxification, and even immune system strengthening.

When you're not getting enough deep sleep, the ripple effects show up across your life. It starts with unproductivity and poor concentration because your brain hasn't had enough time to process and consolidate memories from the day before. The lack of proper rest can impair cognitive function, affecting decision-making, creativity, and problem-solving. Over time, this leads to chronic fatigue and burnout, leaving you feeling tired and overwhelmed despite how much coffee or stimulation you seek.

Sleep also plays a vital role in mood regulation. A lack of deep sleep leads to irritability, mood swings, and even feelings of anxiety or depression because your brain hasn't had the chance to reset. You'll find that you're quicker to anger, less patient, and struggle to handle stress, leading to a cascade of emotional imbalances.

Deep sleep is also crucial for immune function. During these hours, the body releases cytokines, which help combat infections and inflammation. When you skimp on deep sleep, you're more prone to falling sick and your recovery is slower because your immune system hasn't had the chance to recharge fully. It's not just about being tired—it's about compromising your body's ability to defend itself.

Hormonal balance is another critical aspect that's deeply tied to deep sleep. Without adequate rest, your body's production of essential hormones like growth hormone, testosterone, and melatonin is disrupted. These hormones are necessary for tissue repair, muscle growth, metabolism regulation, and even appetite control. When you don't sleep well, your hunger-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin) are thrown off balance, leading to cravings and overeating.

How do you address common health concerns like stress, anxiety, or sleep disorders through holistic means?

When it comes to stress, anxiety, or sleep disorders, our approach is always to dig deep and understand the root cause. We don't just treat the symptoms—we treat the person as a whole. In our initial interaction with patients, we spend time understanding their current lifestyle, but more importantly, we explore their past. Often, unresolved issues from childhood, past trauma, or difficult relationships play a significant role in triggering emotional and mental health concerns like stress and anxiety.

We look into all aspects—what their relationships with their parents were like, any childhood trauma or loss they've experienced, and how they've been shaped by bullying or other life experiences. The truth is, physical health issues are often tied to these emotional roots, and until we understand the full picture, we can't offer lasting solutions.

For mental health issues like stress and anxiety, we sometimes refer patients to therapists or counselors, when necessary, within our team, while we work on rebuilding their health through nutrition and lifestyle. For sleep-related issues, we dig into the patient's lifestyle, habits, and medical history to find the root cause. Whether it is something as simple and straightforward as poor sleep hygiene or deficiency of a mineral like magnesium, which plays such a critical role in the process of sleep- these can be often corrected with lifestyle changes or supplements.

The key is addressing the root cause—whether it's something simple like a poor habit, or more complex emotional trauma—so that we can help build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle for each individual.

Can you emphasize on the sixth pillar 'Breath', which you have added to your five pillars? Its importance and how it contributes to our overall holistic wellbeing?

 Breath is our life force—our prana. We can survive without food for days, without water for a few days, but oxygen? We can't go more than 3-4 minutes without it. Every biochemical and physiological function in the body relies on oxygen, and yet, so many of us don't breathe properly. It's more than just air; it's the energy that powers our cells and our ability to heal. When we breathe shallowly or incorrectly, less oxygen reaches our cells, leading to sickness, low energy, weakened immunity, and even negative emotions like anger and frustration.

That's why we introduced the sixth pillar: the Breath. Breathing is medicine—pure and simple. Every conscious breath you take serves as a healing pill for your body, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is where all healing and recovery take place. Breathwork helps us shift from the stress-driven sympathetic mode to the calming parasympathetic mode, giving our body the ability to heal and handle challenges with greater resilience.

Breath practices like Pranayama and deep breathing are easy to learn, don't require fancy equipment, and have a profound impact on your health. It induces calm, oxygenates your cells, and allows your body to find balance, homeostasis. So, remember, while breathing might not take away life's challenges, it places you in the right system to heal, recover, and handle those challenges better.