When you master your health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), you will naturally have a positive aura. You’ll attract positive, like-minded individuals and the quality of your relationships are enhanced. You'll be in the right mindset to serve as an emotion coach to your children.
Grocery store game plan
If someone is trying to hold themselves accountable and eat healthier, it’s always helpful to plan ahead. Decide what you’re going to eat throughout the week and then make a list. It definitely helps with avoiding a second trip to the store. I spend $400 on grocery trips monthly, sometimes less, like $300–$350, for my two kids and myself. Coconut milk is always on my list for sure; it’s very versatile. Almond milk for smoothies, like the ones in my e-book; kale, rice, beans, and a variety of veggies are all staples. Go to the produce section first, and go to the frozen section last—if at all. That’s where things start to get unhealthy.
When people are interested in trying a plant-based diet, I always recommend starting with simple dishes. I call it humble food, some people call it a "burrito bowl": rice, beans, sautéed veggies (I like to use cactus or shitake mushrooms), and avocado, drizzled with some good homemade salsa or mole. I usually use the mole that my parents give me from Mexico, but a really good brand that I like is Doña Maria.
No shame in the checkout game
About five years ago, I was at Sprouts paying with my EBT card, and my partner at the time said, “That white lady was looking you up and down.” And I thought, what the hell? You can’t pay attention to that stuff, first off. I don’t want to throw my energy into that. I think it all comes down to not caring what people think. If you receive government assistance and food stamps, take advantage of the fact that stores like Whole Foods accept it—and be unapologetic about it. Some of us have times when we need it. There should be no shame in that.
People associate being vegan with having to shop at these specialty health food stores, but it’s not necessary. You can go to Northgate, Superior, or whatever mom-and-pop grocery store you’ve got in the area.
Get that REM sleep, honey
I go to bed at 10 p.m. to get my “juicy sleep” as Elizabeth Lambaer, a 61-years-young raw vegan YouTuber, likes to call it. It helps me feel vibrant and awake at 5 a.m., which is so important for me as a mom of two toddlers! When you're a mom, you need your quiet time. Also, my days are pretty busy during the week, so I like to work out early in the morning.
Visualizing the future
It’s important to me to read and listen to my life vision in the morning and at night. A life vision is how you envision your life to be in x amount of years — how you want to look, what you want to be doing, how much money you'll be making—then you write it out in first-person as if you're talking to a friend you haven't seen in a long time. I've written my life vision down with drawings and recorded myself reading it out loud. I learned this method from bestselling author and dear mentor of mine, Hazel Ortega. It helps me stay positive and clear-headed, and ensures everything I put my energy toward brings me closer to my goals.
Deeper than an “aesthetic”
In Chicano culture, hyna is a term for a young woman, but it also stands for being proud of your culture and where you come from. Healthy Hyna is a way of living. (If I could pick a song to describe it, it would be “L.A.” by Murs.) Healthy Hyna represents generational health, improving and maintaining mental, financial, physical and inner health. It’s influenced and inspired by Chicano culture, Lowrider culture, Black American culture, West Coast culture, and by my Mexican culture. The colors, the food, the traditions. It is what I am.
Other Articles
27 Summer Squash Recipes That Make the Most of the Season
My Anxiety Symptoms Were Ruining My Life
