Well Honestly: Episode: 51: Well, Honestly… Replay – What’s Tea Sis?

Brown Women Wellness 

Brown women across the globe are suffering in silence. They are afraid to acknowledge what is going on within their lives, minds and bodies. The rise for communities embracing the experience of being a brown woman has become a necessity for survival. The founders of Brown Women Wellness are stepping up to the plate to heed the calling. With the launch of their new podcast; Well, Honestly- they are aiming to galvanize the voice of brown women globally.

What This Podcast Is About?

Well, Honestly is the weekly deep-dive conversation every woman needs. Led by mother-daughter duo Andretta and Aaqila, no topic is off-limits as they focus on honest, vulnerable and life-changing topics centered around health, wellness and womanhood. These thought leaders want to do more than share their insight on nutrition, herbs and essential oils. Well, Honestly features groundbreaking interviews with prominent industry stakeholders sharing insight into holistic healing and western medicine. Listen to your body and this podcast.

What is the TEA?
The first episode entitled “What’s Tea Sis?” lead by Andretta and Aaqila, a mother and daughter duo with different viewpoints but the same goals toward optimal health introduces the audience to the foundation of their podcast. AIming to talk things through with evaluating your health and wellness routines- the pair brings insight from industry leaders while also sharing the stories of women within their community.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Podcasts and safe spaces like this are necessary. Health.com released an article that highlights that 

“African American women are 60 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than non-Hispanic white women, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.” 

The reason for such a high statistic confirms why podcasts, businesses and communities fostered by women like Andretta and Aaqila of Brown Women Wellness are necessary. The headline suggests that this overwhelming statistic aims at discrimination being the leading factor of hypertension.

Key Take-Aways!
After listening to episode one of the Well, Honestly podcast you will want to do a deep dive into better understanding the prominent elements of your wellness.  The duo showcases a verbal blueprint to doing a self-diagnosis that outlines how you feel about your health and ways to hold yourself accountable for the work you put into being healthy. They also demonstrate what it is like to talk about what you are going through with someone that can understand and offer insight. This is a critical example being showcased that adds an extra layer of tenderness when you realize that the pair are mother and daughter. Lastly, they break down the need to do the research for yourself to find out how you can better your health beyond the word of mouth ministries and doctors advice you may receive. No one should care more about your health than you. Invest the time, energy and dedication needed to live your best life brown girl. And that’s us being honest!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

Well Honestly: Episode 31: The Dirty Truth About Condiments

Do you have questions about your body and how to navigate getting your health in order? We are in the same boat. 

During this episode we talk about the power of knowing what elements you need to keep your wellness in mind. We break down what to look for, talk about with your doctor and research when it comes to the being aware of what you put into your body.  We are all about community and wellness on this episode so lets jump right into it.

Introduction

[02:00] The side effects of your condiment ingredients

[04:20] What’s REALLY in your ketchup?

[06:15] Salad Dressings is made of WHAT…

[14:30] More About Us & Our Mission & How to Be featured on our podcast

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

Well Honestly: Episode 30: The Female Vs The Male Brain

Do you have questions about your body and how to navigate getting your health in order? We are in the same boat. 

During this episode we talk about the power of knowing what elements you need to keep your wellness in mind. We break down what to look for, talk about with your doctor and research when it comes to the BRAIN.  We are all about community and wellness on this episode so lets jump right into it.

Introduction

[03:30] What we learn about the BRAIN in school

[08:37] The Male vs. the Female Brain

[12:50] Therapy can do WHAT…

[14:00] More About Us & Our Mission & How to Be featured on our podcast

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

Well Honestly: Episode 25- #ThrowBackThursday -Our Most Popular Episode Ever?!

Brown Women Wellness 

Brown women across the globe are suffering in silence. They are afraid to acknowledge what is going on within their lives, minds and bodies. The rise for communities embracing the experience of being a brown woman has become a necessity for survival. The founders of Brown Women Wellness are stepping up to the plate to heed the calling. With the launch of their new podcast; Well, Honestly- they are aiming to galvanize the voice of brown women globally.

What This Podcast Is About?

Well, Honestly is the weekly deep-dive conversation every woman needs. Led by mother-daughter duo Andretta and Aaqila, no topic is off-limits as they focus on honest, vulnerable and life-changing topics centered around health, wellness and womanhood. These thought leaders want to do more than share their insight on nutrition, herbs and essential oils. Well, Honestly features groundbreaking interviews with prominent industry stakeholders sharing insight into holistic healing and western medicine. Listen to your body and this podcast.

What is the TEA?
The first episode entitled “What’s Tea Sis?” lead by Andretta and Aaqila, a mother and daughter duo with different viewpoints but the same goals toward optimal health introduces the audience to the foundation of their podcast. AIming to talk things through with evaluating your health and wellness routines- the pair brings insight from industry leaders while also sharing the stories of women within their community.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Podcasts and safe spaces like this are necessary. Health.com released an article that highlights that 

“African American women are 60 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than non-Hispanic white women, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.” 

The reason for such a high statistic confirms why podcasts, businesses and communities fostered by women like Andretta and Aaqila of Brown Women Wellness are necessary. The headline suggests that this overwhelming statistic aims at discrimination being the leading factor of hypertension.

Key Take-Aways!
After listening to episode one of the Well, Honestly podcast you will want to do a deep dive into better understanding the prominent elements of your wellness.  The duo showcases a verbal blueprint to doing a self-diagnosis that outlines how you feel about your health and ways to hold yourself accountable for the work you put into being healthy. They also demonstrate what it is like to talk about what you are going through with someone that can understand and offer insight. This is a critical example being showcased that adds an extra layer of tenderness when you realize that the pair are mother and daughter. Lastly, they break down the need to do the research for yourself to find out how you can better your health beyond the word of mouth ministries and doctors advice you may receive. No one should care more about your health than you. Invest the time, energy and dedication needed to live your best life brown girl. And that’s us being honest!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

Well Honestly: Episode 19: Cheat Codes for Healthy Living

Do you have questions about your body and how to navigate getting your health in order? We are in the same boat. During this episode we talk about the power of gut health, a few tips and tricks to increase your health and lastly an overview of how a healthy lifestyle can impact your quality of life. We are all about community and wellness on this episode so lets jump right into it. 

[2:02] What We Are Loving This Week

[4:50] Overview of Health

[15:15] Overview of Digestive Health

[19:22] Morning and Evening Health Hacks

[26:25] Overview of Aloe Vera

[37:25] Our Call to Action for Our Listeners

[35:58] Andretta Honesty Moment

[40:59] Aaqila’s Honesty Moment

[44:20] More About Us & Our Mission & How to Be featured on our podcast

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

When It Hurts to Be Healthy – Interview with Coach Pain

Do you have questions about your body and how to navigate getting your health in order? We are in the same boat. During this episode we talk about the fundamentals of knowing your triggers, how to motivate yourself and letting go of fear on your wellness journey. 

[4:30] What We Are Loving  Juice in the Raw and Can Emotions Trigger Health Issues?

[12:13] Coach Pain on His Journey to Fitness & Triggers

[19:17]  Coach Pain on His Fitness Approach

[21:51] Health Tips to LIVE By

[23:45] You Can’t Sugar Coat Wellness

[25:20] When It Hurts

[26:35] Speak For Yourself

[28:22] Coach Pain on the Battlefrog Program

[31:52] How to Connect with Coach Pain on InstagramFacebookYoutube

[33:16] Coach Pain’s Honesty Moment

[35:45] Andretta’s Honesty Moment 

[36:50] Aaqila’s Honesty Moment

[40:21] More About Us & Our Mission & How to Be featured on our podcast

 
Recipe of the Week

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

By ANDRETTA KENNEDY ROBINSON

Ingredients: 1 head of Cauliflower (organic preferred), 2 green scallions, 2 stalks celery, handful of  Cilantro, 2 boiled eggs,  Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Avocado Mayonnaise. 

Separate the Cauliflower into small pieces and steam  to tender about 5 minutes. I like to steam mine. Remove and add chopped boiled eggs. Cut green scallions, celery and cilantro into small size and add to bowl.  Add seasonings and avocado Mayo. You can vary this, it’s pretty much like potato salad except you use Cauliflower and Avocado Mayo.

What are 5 advantages Getting Your Emotions In Order

SOURCE: 

  • Supports Self-Reflection
  • Provides Physical Grounding
  • Hones Interpersonal Skills
  • Improves Personal Development
  • Improves Mental Health

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website

Learn More About Coach Pain By Reading His Bio Below:

I am honored to share my story with you so that you can see the path that brought me to where I am today.  You see, I believe that it is through difficult situations and great pain that the human spirit grows and character is developed. And my story is a testament to this.

I started in the fitness industry when I was only 18 years old, and I knew that it was where I belonged.  I had always been into fitness and enjoyed being active throughout  my whole childhood. I was involved in Martial Arts, Wrestling and Football throughout high school and was generally a very physical person.

I have been in the field for 26+ years and plan to stay here for many more.  While I always enjoyed my work and was successful with it, I was not as passionate then as I am now.  The passion didn’t come until much later.  The passion came through the most painful loss I have ever experienced…the death of my mother.

It was my mother’s life: her sacrifices, support and guidance that made me the man I am today.  It was her death that birthed a passion in me.  After I lost my mother, I had a renewed sense of purpose; I vowed that I would make her proud.  It was during this painful season that I realized that I was put here to help others, to guide others to be their best selves, and to continue striving to be my best too.

My parents were always an anchor for me.  They raised my siblings and I to be the best we could be, instilling  a deep faith and the principles of Respect, Love and Discipline; principles that I apply to everything I do even to this day.  After my mother’s death, my father became a beacon for me.  He demonstrated a great strength even through great tragedy.  He inspires me to push through the pain and grow stronger through difficult situations.

Since then, I redefined my purpose.  I became more passionate about helping others to reach their goals, but even more I longed to help them evolve into their best selves.  I work with clients to help them move forward towards their future instead of dwelling on the past.  One of my favorite analogies of this evolution is when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.  After the butterfly emerges from the cocoon, he never goes back to being a caterpillar.  Once you start living as your true self and growing into your best self, you don’t go back to who you used to be.

Since this awakening, my path has led me towards many great career opportunities.  I have worked as a Spartan SGX trainer and had the incredible honor of giving motivational speeches at Spartan and Battlefrog events along with at the OCR World Championships.   I have spoken to groups of first responders and to youth at schools.  When I speak, I do not write a script, I speak from the heart and in the moment.  My hope with each motivational speech is that I connect to the hearts of the audience, that they will be able to feel my energy and passion and that it will ignite something inside of them too!  I view every speaking opportunity as an honor and an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.

As far as training goes, I have developed my own unique style that represents who I am as a fitness coach.  I have built the foundation for my training on my years of experience with various approaches.  My training sessions are all about functional movement, but I am constantly changing things up to keep my clients interested and challenged.  This style is not for everyone, but those who want to be pushed and who want to become mentally…

Real Health Takes Guts

Do you have questions about your body and how to navigate getting your health in order? We are in the same boat. During this episode we talk about the facts, the myths and the legends regarding women of color and their health. 

[5:03] Why Baking Soda May Be Your Missing Ingredient

[12:05] Why Breastfeeding Sparks So Much Controversy

[28:50] Why Fibroids Are Attacking Women of Color

[42:00] More About Us & Our Mission & Who to Follow Online

 

Want the Baking Soda Recipe?

Sea salt (pinch)

2 cups of warm Coconut Water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon of Baking soda

Manuka honey to taste

Shake it up and drink

What are 5 advantages of breastfeeding?

Benefits for life, breastfeeding may result in:

  • Lower risk of breast cancer.
  • Lower risk of ovarian cancer.
  • Lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
  • Less endometriosis.
  • Less osteoporosis with age.
  • Less diabetes.
  • Less hypertension decreases blood pressure.
  • Less cardiovascular disease.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

+ @WellHonestlyPodcast on Instagram

+ Join the Facebook Community

+ Buy Our Tea

SUBSCRIBE + REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you for listening. We hope this podcast has been informative & an inspiring resource to create the kind of life you want with your health in mind.

To help get this podcast in front of more women like you, please consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here! The 10 seconds you take doing this means the WORLD to us and the women who will be helped by this show.

Click here to go to our Podcast Website 

They Lied to You About What’s Healthy

In this episode we break down the power in “studying to show thyself approved.” Oftentimes many of us take what we hear from others as truth without researching things for ourselves. One of the most dangerous areas to commit this mistake in is your health, wealth and time. If anyone should be diligent about the preservation of your quality of life, it should be you.  

We talk about the common misconceptions of what seems to be healthy based on smart advertising and marketing versus what is actually good for you. We share how we were able to decipher the rhetoric sabotaging the healthy food industry and ways you can avoid falling for the illusion. As brown women around the globe we are targeted continuously for our buying power. 

CNN recently posted that “new data released (shows that) employers cut 140,000 jobs in December (of 2020), signaling that the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is backtracking. Digging deeper into the data also reveals a shocking gender gap: Women accounted for all the job losses, losing 156,000 jobs, while men gained 16,000″. This means that more women will be looking for ways to deal and cope with sudden changes in their lifestyle.

 Many lean towards food consumption and engaging in health centered activities. We believe that a clear understanding of knowing who to listen to, what to believe and how to research for yourself will be vital for women in America within the coming months. Dealing with a virus that targets all people has prompted an uptick in the sale of vitamins and what is deemed “organic” and or healthy food. 

As we dig deep into making this year the best possible- we want to encourage you to sit still. Don’t run from your thoughts. Pour a cup of our amazing tea and have time to and for yourself to deal with how fast this life goes by. Know that you are equipped with everything you want and need to have, be and get everything you want and need.  We are here for you Brown Babe. Don’t forget to join our Facebook community to ensure you have the sisterly support you deserve and need. 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brownwomenwellness/
Buy Our Tea: https://www.brownwomenwellness.com

CNN Article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/economy/women-job-losses-pandemic/index.html

Interview with Dr. Ivana Parker – How HIV and Other Illnesses Can Be Tackled


Engineering Tools to Characterize Immune Responses Important for HIV Prevention

HIV remains a global epidemic, with 37.9 million people living with HIV worldwide (UNAIDS, 2018). Various prevention strategies, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral treatment in pregnant women with HIV have shown to be effective in decreasing HIV transmission. As these prevention strategies are becoming more commonly used, it is important to understand their effects on immune responses relevant for proper diagnosis and treatment.  In addition, elucidating inflammatory responses/mediators that can increase HIV susceptibility is also key to reducing HIV transmission. Altered immune responses in patients with HIV that occur as a response to novel PrEP modalities, are not well characterized and tools to characterize this altered response are lacking. Furthermore, as chronic inflammation is a factor known to increase HIV risk, it is important to understand mechanisms mediating these processes. This talk will discuss the methods I have developed to explore immune responses related to HIV prevention and diagnosis. These include characterization of HIV antibodies commonly used for diagnostic tests, and proteomics-based systems biology approaches used to analyze epigenetic mechanisms of inflammation shown to increase HIV risk in uninfected infants born to HIV positive mothers.

Brief Bio:

Dr. Ivana Parker is a Fulbright Scholar who recently completed a year-long study at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Her project assessed the risk of a commonly used tuberculosis vaccine, BCG, on HIV susceptibility in infants using proteomics and systems biology approaches.  She completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship as an American Society for Microbiology postdoctoral fellow at the Centers for Disease Control within the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.  At the CDC, she evaluated the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on current diagnostic assay approaches and identified trends to optimize assay design. Ivana received her PhD in Bioengineering from Georgia Tech in 2015. Her thesis investigated the effects of pro-atherogenic shear stress, HIV proteins, and antiretroviral therapies on the vasculature using in vivo and in vitro models. During her time at Georgia Tech, she received the NSF graduate research fellowship and was selected to be a trainee on an NIH Cell and Tissue Engineering Training Grant. She also received a Whitaker Grant to develop artificial aortic valves in Cape Town, South Africa and facilitated set-up of a lab in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during her PhD training. Ivana earned her BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida in 2009.

Source: 

ENGINEERING TOOLS TO CHARACTERIZE IMMUNE RESPONSES IMPORTANT FOR HIV PREVENTION

Connect with Dr Parker on Twitter: @DRIKParker

As we dig deep into making this year the best possible- we want to encourage you to sit still. Don’t run from your thoughts. Pour a cup of our amazing tea and have time to and for yourself to deal with how fast this life goes by. Know that you are equipped with everything you want and need to have, be and get everything you want and need.  We are here for you Brown Babe. Don’t forget to join our Facebook community to ensure you have the sisterly support you deserve and need. 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brownwomenwellness/
Buy Our Tea: https://www.brownwomenwellness.com

The Audacity Of Resilience W/ Farrah Bledsoe

In this episode we sit down with a long time family friend Farrah Bledsoe and talk about how life will offer you the chance to build a story of resilience. During our chat Andretta and Farrah share how continuous loss of family members, businesses and more forced Farrah to truly get in touch with her competitive side and grow out of the shell that others designed for her as she was growing up. 

While known to be the pretty one that always has it together – Farrah shares that her gifts of having a business mind, competitive spirit  and keen sense of opportunity have always been the core of her foundation. We dive deep into the power of knowing your story and how your story shows up in the way that you decide to live your life. We break down the power of resilience and the necessary mindset needed to push through everything life throws your way.

5 Ways to Build Resilience 

It’s common for people to credit their success to confidence instead of resilience. Resilience is one of the most overlooked character building attributes a person can have.  But not many people are able to explain how building one’s confidence is often based on how they  utilize resilience. 

It’s tricky, because life often throws different things at us, but overall we grow from the choices and accomplishments that feed our passion and make us feel proud of who we are. Discovering these fundamental things can be one of the most worthwhile pursuits of your life. Here are 5 ways you can begin building your resilience today and bounce back from tough times:

1. Get Things Done  

Resilience is built on accomplishment. If you achieve small and big goals, you’re going to feel much better about yourself after facing a hard time in life. Those day-to-day goals are what you need to accomplish things today, tomorrow, next week or three years from now to help meet your goal and heal from trauma.

2. Monitor Your Progress

Try to quantify your accomplishments: write down how you’re able to show up for yourself in hard times. If you’re able to exercise daily or be more mindful of the things you eat- write that stuff down. It is important to see how the small things can turn into big things while building up your strength at the same time.  Doing so  will help you stay on course, and you will build resilience as you see the progress you’re making in real time.

3. Exercise   

Besides benefiting your health in general, exercising helps memory retention, improves focus, helps manage stress and prevents depression. It’s harder to be anxious when there is no excess energy to draw upon, and outside of being difficult and uncomfortable at times, exercise improves every aspect of your life.

4. Think Long-term 

The foundation of unhappiness is a decision made for short-term comfort that impedes long-term goals. You have to decide if your short-term comfort is more important than your long-term goals, but know that long-term goals will bring you far more happiness in the long run than your short-term comfort. This is the fundamental element of resilience. The ability to have vision beyond where you are now and realizing where you need to be in order to truly prosper. 

5. Do More Of What Makes You Happy 

What do you love to do in your spare time? Whatever it is that you love, create space for it, because life is short- you need time to enrich your life and to recharge to be your best self. Living in the present is the best gift you can give yourself along with permission to enjoy your life. Time is precious- no matter how much life throws at you, your ability to take it, grow from it and move on better because of it will help you build a testimony that can change the world.