In the latest episode, Breath is life. We explore how breathing helps our mental and physical well-being while advocating for clean air which has an impact on our cities and on our health.

Dr Ela Manga is an integrated medical doctor who is focused on bringing heart back into the art of medicine. Her focus on breath work practice and breath in both mental and physical science has informed her unique approach to holistic health and wellbeing.

A/Professor Tolullah Oni is the Programme Lead of the Global Diet and Physical Activity Group and Network at the University of Cambridge MRC Epidemiology Unit and an Extraordinary Professor & Chair at Innovation Africa@UP, University of Pretoria, South Africa where she leads the Urban Better Satellite Studio. She is involved in a citizen science project that uses running to advocate for clean air in cities.

A special thank you to Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu for permission to use extracts from her ethnographic audio titled Hold For Sixty, None, Two and Seven: A Recipe For Disaster Management (2020) which reflects on the use of breath in personal and academic life during the pandemic. The full audio can be found on the Medical and Health Humanities Africa website.

The Academic Citizen (Season 6) is produced and funded by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication, hosted at Stellenbosch University. We welcome your feedback, guest and theme suggestions. Email us on theacademiccitizen@gmail.com or on our WhatsApp line on +27 76 608 3177.