Author Archives: rawgirl

THEM: We’d like you to talk about health all week. ME: (**insert dance moves**)

You ready to level up your wellness game this week?! Chile you invited, so come through 🙂 In my best @bishopjakes voice: **Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready!**

Wednesday I’m giving a private talk for members of my entrepreneur alliance @weareharambeans on Self-Care for Entrepreneurs: Wellness Hacks That Prevent Burnout and Maximize Productivity. Will be giving this talk again soon publicly, so that you or anyone you know who needs it can join, so stay tuned for a webinar date.

Thursday I’m chatting with the lovely ladies at Brown Girl Wellness Week @beautifullyshaded about health, longevity, slowing aging, ways to get your veggies in for you and your little ones, and more. 

Last but never least this Saturday!! Hanging out with the fam @blackloveexperience to chat Self-Care 102: Wait Til I Get My Diet Right. If you are utterly confused at the information out there on the internet and don’t know how to hone in on what diet may work for you, this one’s for you. I’ll give you some tools I use to determine the right diet for my clients, chat about why fad diets don’t work, why calorie restrictive diets are a waste of time for weight loss, and more.

Links are in my Instagram profile to register for ALL & catch up on Self-Care 101 which is now up on YouTube; hope to see you this week! -XO

My #Mood every single time a client makes progress! #MYHBA #ILoveMyJob

At the root of what I do for my clients is help them “detox their lives.” What does that mean? In addition to getting to the root cause of the holistic reasons their bodies may be off balance or not optimal – as we address their nutrition and lifestyle, every single time I watch the effects of our work transform their relationships, work, and more. Their entire lives shift for the better and it’s incredible to witness. I intend that through our work, they can level up body, mind, and spirit so they can go live out their wildest dreams. My clients are dynamic entrepreneurs, independent creative freelancers, health professionals (doctors, surgeons, nurse practitioners), actresses, writers, or power broking women moving up the corporate ladder who need someone truly in their corner to make sure their health is just as on point as their manicure.

An integral part of Making Your Health Your Best Accessory is assembling your personal preventative CARE team that you can call upon to hold you accountable, address concerns, and LEVEL UP when needed. This is the same team that should have your back if things get out of balance. Everybody, even health professionals, need support to stay healthy and on top of things. I believe the most effective preventative CARE Team includes health professionals who have mastery of several holistic disciplines. I personally have a chiropractor/ kinesiologist, Chinese medicine doctor / acupuncturist, and a massage therapist I check in with regularly to make sure I am staying on point. Who is in your care team? Comment Below. -XO

Photo @remowalrus | Dress via @ujuumedia | Veggie Juice @greenheartjuiceshop | Earrings & Bag @TargetStyle

Getchu some power juice to go along with that power suit. #MYHBA

Given the pandemic, we may actually NOT be getting adequate sunlight this summer. Remember we need exposure to the sun for our body to produce vitamin D3 and also to inform your circadian rhythm and create a regular sleep – wake cycle. If you are getting your much needed sun exposure, don’t forget to consider the effects of the heat and our bodies’ need for more hydration. The general rule of thumb is to consume in fluid ounces around half of your body weight in water, but if you are very active, and also outside often, I would increase your requirements. Just try not to exceed around 128 fluid ounces or one gallon of water unless activity level and weight requires it. 

Don’t forget you can also boost your hydration using food! I personally love to eat mostly, if not 100%, raw during the summer season because the lighter, more water-rich the foods, the better I feel. This is where juicing vegetables and fruits comes in and is great to incorporate. The summer season in Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine that originates from India, corresponds with the pitta dosha. In Ayurveda there are three major doshas and each person usually has two dominant ones. These doshas also correspond to the seasons. Pitta, which happens to be my predominant dosha is made of the elements fire and water, and expresses the qualities of hot, liquid, sharp, light, spreading or flowing, and oily. Because summer is pitta season, it is generally hot and humid in most places and the heat can push us out of balance in a fiery way. 

Eating cooling foods, and increasing our raw fruit and vegetable intake can help to pacify pitta and bring us back into balance. If you are like me, and have a pitta constitution, you are even more susceptible to pitta imbalance in the summer. Every person is unique, so it’s important that you find what works for your body. Type YES in the comments if you’d like me to teach more on the doshas. -XO

Photo @remowalrus | Dress via @ujuumedia | Veggie Juice @greenheartjuiceshop | Earrings @TargetStyle

Happy Monday! My Farmers Market Haul from last week 🙂  #farmersmarketforlife

A few reasons why eating seasonal & local is good for you:

More Flavorful Produce. If you have ever experienced the glorious sweet and juicy taste of a tomato that was plucked from a local garden you will understand this point completely. Local and seasonal produce just tastes better, hands down. This is primarily because farmers aren’t pulling the produce before it’s ripe. The other difference between local and seasonal vs. produce is less food miles! 

High Nutritional Value. As mentioned in the last point, there are several factors that can affect the nutritional density of produce. The produce may be picked before it’s ripe, and chilled and heated before it ever hits the shelves. When fruits and vegetables are stored for long periods of time, they will have a reduced amount of phytonutrients. In addition to this, some antioxidants such as vitamin C, folate, and carotenoids will rapidly decline when stored for long periods of time.

Supports Seasonal Nutritional Needs. Nature really does know best. In fact nature offers us produce during specific seasons that complement what we may need nutritionally to be at our best. For instance in winter we are provided with citrus and fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C; perfect for boosting immunity and preventing the onset of a cold or flu. Summer foods provide us with extra beta carotene and other carotenoids that help protect us against sun damage, provide more natural sugar to give us more energy to beat the heat, and vegetables that are great for cooling meals like salads.

Reduces Exposure to Contaminants. When you can look your farmer in the eye at a market to find out whether or not the produce is pesticide-free you are bound to get a more accurate answer than trying to research information about produce that was transported thousands of miles away. 

Supports Your Local Economy. By buying seasonal and local produce you are supporting businesses operating in your local economy. This reduces the overall cost, emissions, and time and means less transportation, less refrigeration, less hot houses, and less irradiation of produce.

When you see your ex food craving, but came prepared to glow up. #MYHBA

Once we move past the shock of a diagnosis, come to the realization that we feel low energy, or just not at our best, how do we move from a space of frustration and awareness to taking action? This is the moment you need to find your WHY. It almost doesn’t matter what it is as long as it is compelling for YOU and can sustain you until you reach your goal. My why developed thirteen years ago when I met a woman twice my age who looked like my peer, could drop it like it’s hot (she was fit!), had so much energy, and was living her best life. I said to myself, “I want that.” And after acknowledging I wanted it, I was ready to commit to the daily actions to allow the vision to come to pass.

Once you have a vision that drives you, and you are finally on the healthy living path, it can sometimes seem like everything is against you. At the beginning you may experience resistance from friends and family, feel lost in your social circle, or find it hard to find sustenance when you are traveling. But besides the external obstacles, one of the biggest things that gets in the way of progress is YOU. I see it in my practice all the time, my client can be making so much progress, but past limiting beliefs, bad habits, or coping mechanisms resurface. In those moments it can seem like you are back at square one. I work with my clients to get to the subconscious root of these behaviors so they can be transformed. I encourage prayer, meditation, mindfulness, and when necessary dynamic change therapy.

When you deal with the true root cause and clear those subconscious blocks, it’s like finally—you are FREE to get out of your own way and do the work it takes to reach your health goals. Today I hope you take a moment to get in tune with your WHY, and then brainstorm on some steps you can take to overcome any self-sabotage. Raise your hand in the comments if you are ready to get out of your own way? And tag someone that can hold you accountable. -XO

Photo @remowalrus | Dress via @ujuumedia | Veggie Juice @greenheartjuiceshop | Earrings from Brazil | Basket @TargetStyle

We all want to #securethebag so we can provide for our families and thrive, but many of us don’t take a moment to think about what we need to carry around with us daily to promote health, where our true wealth lies. Preparation is key. #MYHBA

If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. One of the basic fundamentals of habit forming is that we tend to do what is easy, convenient, and provides us with some sort of reward. If it’s easier for you to pop through a drive thru or order takeout to get dinner, you need to brainstorm and make an effort to make it easy for yourself to make a quick and healthy meal at home. That may mean picking up some pre cut veggies and making a stir fry, or finding a service that can deliver whole foods to you. If you want to stop drinking soda and drink more water, you can fill up water bottles and place them around the house and get rid of all soda. We respond to the visual cues in our environment, but sometimes our environment becomes toxic and supports habits that lead us down the path of disease.

Today take a moment to think about what changes you can make in your environment to support your goals. What’s in your bag daily sis? Are you planning ahead? How can you prepare today to meet your health goals? Comment below if you are going to take some action today. -XO

My theme for August is “Make Your Health Your Best Accessory.” So often these days we rely on “stuff” to make us look and feel good. Whether it’s the latest fashion trend or new tech gadget, we are programmed to find the next best thing we must have. This can become a vicious cycle of insatiable consumption unless we learn to stand in a centered and grounded space within ourselves knowing that who we truly are is powerful, whole, beings, who have everything within us that we truly need to thrive.

While I was studying fashion many moons ago, I came to the conclusion that for me, fashion was more than dress. It encompasses world view and self concept. In essence, my choice of clothing or accessories can give you a glimpse into how I see the world, myself, and what I aspire to.  Health is an accessory that many people do not have the luxury of flaunting these days. No amount of makeup can cover up a medical diagnosis that leaves you sick and tired. The media has taught us to make things like alcohol, cigarettes, and even processed foods our accessories, to up our cool factor. Well, it’s a new day, and the cool kids are wearing their healthy glow and toting their veggie juices on the way to move their bodies proudly. I hope that my theme this month, and focus on various aspects of #MYHBA will inspire you to join the club, and start focusing on creating the healthiest, most gorgeous version of you, starting from the inside out: mind, body, and soul. If true health is wealth, then God willing, I want to be a billionaire. Who’s with me? Comment AMEN below. -Xo 

Photo @remowalrus | Dress via @ujuumedia | Veggie Juice @greenheartjuiceshop | Earrings & Bag @TargetStyle