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In today's episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, host Angela Jenkins sits down with Functional Breathing Coach, Louise Brans Fitzgibbon. Together, they'll explore the fascinating connection between breathing, the nervous system, overall health, and dry eye. Listen in as they discuss functional breathing and why many of us just have to relearn how to do it.

Louise Brans Fitzgibbon is a Functional Breathing Coach and founder of Breath Coach, based in Oakville, Ontario. She helps people better understand how they breathe and how their breathing patterns can influence stress, sleep, anxiety, resilience, performance, and how they feel day to day.

Trained in the Oxygen Advantage, Buteyko Method, Nordic Flow, and Body by Breath, Louise brings a practical, science-informed approach to breathing. She works with individuals, groups, athletes, and corporate teams, helping people recognize breathing patterns they may not be aware of and giving them practical tools they can use in everyday life. Louise works with clients in person in Oakville and virtually around the world.

Welcome to Dry Eye Girlfriend.

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If you liked this episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, tell your friends! Find us on iTunes,Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit our website dryeyegirlfriend.com, and connect with Angela on Instagram (@dryeyegirlfriend) and TikTok (@dryeyegirlfriend). Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

Resources and References

• Instagram: @breathcoach_canada
• https://breathcoach.ca

Show Notes

0:52 - Angela introduces today’s special guest, and different things we are looking forward to talking about today!

2:32 – Louise shares more about herself and what led her to become a breath coach

7:54 – Louise explains why it is so important for humans to focus on our breathing, and Angela connects it back to dry eye

10:40 – Louise explains what it means to “breathe well” and breaks down a functional breath with some tips to optimize your breathing

20:30 – Louise discusses the association between breath and stress, and how to use breath to help manage stress

22:30 – Louise identifies some signs to determine that you are not breathing well, and ways to increase your quality of breath

29:00 – Louise divulges why she loves breathwork as a tool, and shares some practical advice to incorporate it into your everyday life

33:40 - Angela wraps up the episode

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In today's episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, host Angela Jenkins sits down with Board-Certified ophthalmologist and dry eye specialist Dr. Elisha Garg. Together, they’ll dive into why hormones are affecting our eyes at this stage, why it puts women at higher risk, and what evidence-based treatments are making a difference. Perfect for women experiencing dry eye symptoms and healthcare providers seeking insights into personalized care.

🎧 You do NOT need to be alone in this, or suffer – this episode is for you!

Dr. Elisha Garg is a Board-Certified ophthalmologist and dry eye specialist based in the Bay Area, California, with a particular interest in the intersection of hormonal changes and ocular surface disease. A graduate of the Stein Eye Institute at UCLA residency program and member of both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, she combines evidence-based treatment with a strong emphasis on patient education, believing that informed patients get better outcomes. When she's not caring for patients, she's hiking, skiing, or chasing her two young kids around the beaches of the Bay Area.

Welcome to Dry Eye Girlfriend.

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If you liked this episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, tell your friends! Find us on iTunes,Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit our website dryeyegirlfriend.com, and connect with Angela on Instagram (@dryeyegirlfriend) and TikTok (@dryeyegirlfriend). Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

Resources and References

• Instagram: @eastbayeyedoc
• TikTok: @eastbayeyedoc
• www.eastbayeyedoc.com

Show Notes

0:55 - Angela introduces today’s special guest, and different things we are looking forward to talking about today!

2:48 – Dr. Garg shares more about herself, and how she got into the dry eye space

5:25 – Dr. Garg walks us through her discovery regarding perimenopause and dry eye – and how people experience and approach her

6:46 – Dr. Garg shares what is going on, anatomically, when it comes to dry eye, and what can be done to relieve dry eye during hormone changes

13:32 – On the advice to not let dry eye affect you for too long (and why!)

15:15 – Angela asks Dr. Garg to share some of her prevention tips for folks to keep dry eye at bay

18:50 – Angela inquires as to what would happen if your tear film isn’t optimized (especially before an eye operation)

21:34 – Dr. Garg walks us through an exam with expected dry eye

25:56 – On the potentiality of having asymptomatic dry eye

27:57 – Dr. Garg shares what she is excited about in the world of dry eye

31:12 – Dr. Garg divulges her advice for folks who are curious that they might have dry eye, and Angela wraps up the episode

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In today’s episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, host Angela Jenkins sits down with industry insider and founder and CEO of Blinkjoy, Justin Mendelson. Justin shares his personal journey with chronic dry eye, frustrations in finding effective treatments, and how he knew he had to leave his job in Silicon Valley behind to create what he – and so many others – desperately need to alleviate dry eye symptoms. Together, Angela and Justin discuss the importance of community support, advocacy, and what we can be doing to protect and clean our eyes, even before diagnosis of a chronic condition.

🎧If you are ready to be proactive with your eye health – or finally find some relief to your symptoms – this episode is for you!

Justin Mendelson is the founder and CEO of Blinkjoy, a fast-growing therapeutic eye-care company helping people better manage dry eye and eyelid conditions through modern, doctor-backed routines and devices. After struggling with severe dry eye himself for more than 15 years, Justin left a career in Silicon Valley product leadership to build the solutions he wished existed. Today, Blinkjoy serves customers worldwide and is helping redefine daily eye care. Based in Encinitas, California, Justin spends his time outside of work surfing, enjoying ice baths, and getting outdoors whenever possible.

Welcome to Dry Eye Girlfriend.

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If you liked this episode of the Dry Eye Girlfriend podcast, tell your friends! Find us on iTunes,Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts to rate/review/subscribe to the show.

Want more? Visit our website dryeyegirlfriend.com, and connect with Angela on Instagram (@dryeyegirlfriend) and TikTok (@dryeyegirlfriend). Thanks for listening and joining the conversation!

Resources and References

• Instagram: @helloblinkjoy
• TikTok: @helloblinkjoy
• helloblinkjoy.com
• eyedropshop.ca

Show Notes

0:52 - Angela introduces today’s special guest, and different things we are looking forward to talking about today!

2:26 – Justin takes use through his dry eye journey thus far, and shares the cause for his diagnosis

9:43 – Justin shares what prompted him to leave his company and start a product line for those suffering with dry eye

12:38 – Justin details what products he offers, why, and how it makes him feel

20:46 – Justin reflects on how everything he is doing with and for dry eye is bigger than he could have ever imagined

22:55 – Justin shares what is being developed for people to keep an eye out for

27:27 – Justin divulges his closing thoughts with our listeners

29:54 – Justin shares where you can find him and his products online, and Angela wraps up the episode