Growing up in Hawaii, I loved being at the beach and being constantly active.
As a professional athlete, I love living a healthy lifestyle and keeping my body fit. My passion for health has grown tremendously since my teen years and I’m so excited to share my excitement with this younger generation.
I took the initiative as a teenager to start educating myself on how to better support my overall health. I’ve learned over the years that the choices I make will affect me both in the short and the long term. Now as a mom, I’m continually listening to my body, problem solving, and learning so that I can better support my energy, my sleep, and my moods.
This life-long journey towards improved physical health, even though there have been ups and downs, is an investment I will never regret. I have seen changes in myself over the years that have helped me to thrive and enjoy more of the life that God has given me. I have been down so many “health journeys” and have learned so much and am thankful to be able to share what I’ve learned with you!
I invited some of my favorite health enthusiasts and speakers Josh and Jeanne Rubin to my ‘Ohana Mother and Daughter Live Call. I’m really stoked about their approach. They have taken “food as medicine” to the next level!
I’ve been following them on their social media platform realfoodgangstas on Instagram and their website eastwesthealing.com.
Josh and Jeanne bring over 20 years of research and experience and are pioneers in restoring thyroid and metabolic health. They have authored three books: The Restoration Thyroid Nutrition Cookbook, The Saturated Fact, and The Female Body Blueprint.
“Our goal and our message, whether it’s on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook…is to really teach people [that] one of the most important things is BALANCE”.
Balance in movement. Balance in rest. Balance in nutrition.
Balance means steering clear of extremes so that your life and your health decisions will be sustainable long term. It’s not sustainable to think that you can make perfect choices 100% of the time. It’s also not sustainable to force yourself to eat foods that you hate or push yourself into activities that bring you no joy.
Josh and Jeanne frequently talk about the Body Budget. It’s an easy, straightforward way to think about your body in terms of deposits and withdrawals. Check out this clip as Josh explains it in his own words:
I love this thought because, for myself, I like to follow an 80/20 approach to eating. Aim for clean, whole, nutrition-packed foods 80% of the time and give yourself the permission to enjoy the occasional treat 20% of the time. Hawaiian shaved ice is one of my absolute favorites!
I also really appreciate the wisdom that Josh and Jeanne offer when it comes to understanding womens’ health. For you teen girls out there, it is especially important to educate yourself and become in-tune with the messages your body is sending you as you develop. Your body uses hormones to let you know when something is up. Your cycle and your symptoms can tell you a lot about what your body may be needing.
In fact, Jeanne wisely said that each symptom we may feel is actually a beautiful gift – an opportunity to better understand ourselves AND make the changes we may need to feel our best.
Here are some quick take-aways that you can start implementing today:
- Balance your plate. Make sure you are getting enough healthy protein (especially at breakfast!) and not relying solely on carbs to fuel your day.
- Eat within the first hour of waking.
- Consider an 80/20 approach to your daily diet.
- Question cultural norms and trends. There are a lot of fads and conflicting opinions out there – you need to find what best supports YOU and will be sustainable in the long term.
Girls, I took my health into my own hands and you can too! It’s a journey – you can only do so much at a time, but small steps will lead to a lifetime of better habits.
I’m cheering you on to prioritize your health!
