I grew up around wellness and have always recognized the importance of holistic health. My mom was teaching yoga in the 70s when she was pregnant with me and the philosophy of food as medicine was a big part of my upbringing. My great grandfather was an Ayurvedic doctor and my grandparents had a daily meditation practice. I witnessed and experienced firsthand the transformative power of wellness but found it challenging to integrate it into my everyday life. In late 2009 on my way to a conference, I visited a destination wellness spa in Sedona, Arizona. That was my lightbulb moment and I knew I wanted to bring that integrated experience to New York City in a way that was easy-to-navigate and filled some of the gaps of what our traditional healthcare options lack.

A lot of it goes back to my mom. When I was in middle school, my mom started growing our own food, began composting and put up posters in our kitchen that warned of the dangers of food dyes, processed ingredients and other food additives. She’s an activist spirit, and that was infused into my upbringing. Food has always been a big part of my life, and when I got older, I started to realize how unique that was. I’ve been able to continue learning about food and nutrition science throughout my life, and I know that education is one of the most powerful tools we have to empower people to make better food decisions.

It’s highlighted the urgent need to change the way we make, distribute and eat food in this country. One major theme from data collected so far is that patients suffering from obesity and metabolic syndrome seem to have the most dire outcomes — and that’s nearly one in four Americans, or 23 percent. As Frank Lipman, MD, our Chief Medical Officer, says in this article, “Poor diet is a major contributing factor to poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients.” Yet we are not trying to point fingers or shame anyone — it’s a systemic problem of the food industry.

First, we can help educate. Information is power, and resources provide a great entry point for people to hone in on a mission that resonates with them. Secondly, we can also work on the language of wellness — the way we talk about health and wellness. Just as we look at health from a whole-body perspective, we need to look at wellness from a whole-society perspective, examining how the well-being of us each as individuals impacts the well-being of society at large. We need to get clear on “What is wellness?” It’s not just green juice and yoga. Don’t get me wrong — I love my green juice and yoga, but it’s also about civil rights, human rights, safe food, safe housing. We as a community have a responsibility to talk about collective care.

First and foremost: Get political. If you care about wellness, take it to the polls (or request your mail-in ballot). Our elected officials control a lot — from the food on our plate to our access to healthcare. Get educated on policy issues, talk to your representatives, support grassroots organizations and demand a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable healthcare system.

During COVID, we’ve seen a turn to telehealth, and I hope that technology will continue to be a big part of the future of wellness. My goal with THE WELL is to help people take greater agency for their health and empower them with products, courses and education, all of which we make available online as well as within our physical spaces. Beyond that, I think the future of wellness needs to be more accessible, in all the ways — more inclusive, less confusing, less complicated, more affordable and more integrated into a “traditional” healthcare model. My hope is that we move towards a model where wellness is part of healthcare, prevention is valued, food as medicine is part of every doctor’s office conversation, healthy food is accessible to all and our focus on self-care shifts to a more inclusive model of collective care.

Sleep! (Also, a diet rich in veggies, staying hydrated and bodywork treatments such as lymph drainage and acupuncture facials.)

Night owl. I get a second wind in the evening but try to be in bed by 10:30 and asleep by 11 most nights.

Nature. Whether it’s the ocean, mountains or woods, spending time outside is the quickest fix for my mood.

I try to eat food in its simplest form, and buy organic, local and seasonal foods when possible (but I know it’s not always possible). I focus more on abundance and what I’m adding in versus what I’m leaving out — I eat colorful veggies, tons of leafy greens, spices, herbs, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, whole grains and simple proteins.

Olive oil, himalayan sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, cumin

With full-fat organic milk or coconut milk

Spinach, half a banana, half a pear (or apple), blueberries, fresh ginger, cinnamon, filtered water and a spoonful of full-fat organic plain yogurt. Adding cinnamon aids digestion of the raw ingredients and stabilizes blood sugar levels. It also tastes delicious!

Every morning involves yoga, dry brushing and tongue scraping. (That last one is an Ayurvedic practice that is so quick and so important for the overall health of the mouth.)

It varies depending on season and what I have on hand, but typically it’s a combination of the following:

• Leafy greens: Bibb and leaf lettuces, spinach, kale, endive and radicchio
• Veggies: cucumbers, radishes, scallions, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers (I try to lightly cook some of my veggies before adding in, especially during the colder months)
• Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds
• Dressing: olive oil, white balsamic, dry mustard powder, dried herbs
• Extras: boiled egg, avocado, sprouts

The first thing I do is add extra garlic and freshly grated ginger to my diet — I make a tea with ginger, turmeric, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a touch of honey. I also get extra sleep and give my body downtime to rest. I'm beyond excited about our new Immune Health line, which was developed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Frank Lipman. I've started taking Clean-Up Crew daily and add the Immune Complex when I need extra support.

To thine own self be true.

Never not laughing.