February 14, 2025 • 37 mins
Melissa Coulier is a certified Function First Pain-Free Movement Specialist and breath coach. Melanie Samuels is a functional nutritionist and wellness expert, specializes in bio-individual nutrition. Together, Mel & Mel are on a mission to revolutionize women’s health in leadership through holistic wellness.
Imagine living with an autoimmune condition like lupus and learning how to manage it through mindful lifestyle choices. That's the journey Mel shares with us as we unravel the complexities of inflammation and its effects on our health. Mel and Mel from Live Well Lead Well bring their expertise to the table, discussing how acute and chronic inflammation differ and how factors like diet and stress can fuel the latter. Together, we explore how paying attention to our body's signals can reveal hidden food triggers and how making strategic adjustments can significantly improve well-being.
Balancing the demands of a busy life while maintaining wellness can be challenging, particularly for women managing both careers and family. Our episode provides practical self-care routines, like establishing bedtime rituals and incorporating morning exercises to manage stress and prevent burnout. Mel's personal health journey with lupus serves as inspiration for integrating professional expertise with personal challenges to create new business ventures. We wrap up with simple wellness solutions, ensuring that even with packed schedules, anyone can take the first steps toward improved health.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Redesigning Life.
I'm your host, sabrina Soto,and this is the space where we
have honest conversations aboutpersonal growth, mindset shifts
and creating a life that feelstruly aligned.
In each episode, I'll talk toexperts in their fields who
share their insights to help youstep into your higher self.
Let's redesign your life fromthe inside out.
Welcome to Redesigning Life.
(00:24):
This week I have Mel and Melfrom Live Well Lead Well, and I
want to thank you guys for beingon the podcast.
I'm going to ask you so manyquestions, but and it's kind of
I'm being selfish because a lotof them are just for me, but I
do believe that my listeners areprobably wondering the same
thing, so I'm just going to sortof inundate you with a lot of
(00:47):
questions.
But first, thank you both forbeing here.
Thank you so much for having us, sabrina.
We're so honored.
This is going to be a funconversation because I'm sort of
dealing with some issues rightnow in my life that it didn't
even occur to me until lastnight and I swear this is why
the universe always has perfecttiming for everything.
So I broke my hand like a yearago and last night it started
(01:11):
feeling really achy and I reallythought oh my gosh, what have I
been eating?
And I started thinking aboutinflammation.
And I know that you both talkabout inflammation a lot in your
practice and how you teachclients.
Can you sort of dumb down andexplain how inflammation works
and how there are certain foodsor maybe supplements or things
(01:34):
that we're ingesting that leadto inflammation?
Can you really kind of give usthe gist of it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, so there are two types of inflammation, first
and foremost of it.
Yeah, so there are two types ofinflammation, first and
foremost, acute inflammation andchronic inflammation.
So acute inflammation is likewhen we stub our toe on the bed
which I feel like happens to meall of the time and you start to
actually experience swelling.
So that's your body's immunesystem kicking in and protecting
(02:02):
you from that thing.
So we have inflammation is ourbody's way of protection.
Now, chronic inflammation iswhen there is an underlying
issue that's causing longer terminflammation.
So Melissa has lupus, which isan autoimmune disease, and that
is an example of chronicinflammation.
It's first important todifferentiate between the two of
(02:24):
those, and your injury wasacute inflammation, but is it
turning into chronicinflammation if you're noticing
that you're still experiencingthat swelling or if it's kind of
going up and down based on whatyou're eating?
So that's sort of the basic wayto describe what inflammation
(02:47):
is.
And when it comes to foods,everybody's body is different,
which is the concept ofbio-individuality which we also
talk a lot about.
So certain foods could inflameyour body, that don't inflame my
body or Melissa's body, and sothat has just so much to do with
where we came from what we'reexposed to on a daily basis in
(03:11):
our environments and how,actually how stress affects our
body.
So, obviously, so much to deepdive with that.
But I'll ask you a question,sabrina Do you notice that your
injury gets worse after eatingcertain?
Speaker 1 (03:27):
foods, no, Okay.
So this is my then nextquestion to you, because I feel
like people listening to this,because I never even thought,
could it be something I just ate?
At first I think, oh, I musthave banged my hand on something
and didn't notice it.
But if somebody is listening tothis and they think, oh, it
could be the things I'm eatingand everyone's different, then
(03:48):
how do you even figure out whatit is?
Is it food?
And how do you even?
Everybody talks about thiselimination diet, but I don't
want to not drink water and thenjust slowly bring a tomato in,
and that's not realistic.
So I think we all want to stopeating the foods that might be
inflaming us.
But how do we even start?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Well, I think it's from really tuning in to your
body's own cues.
So like, as you just said,right, you felt that
inflammation and you felt likethe achy, then doing exactly
what you are doing of likebacktracking Did you have
tomatoes?
You are doing of likebacktracking, did you have
(04:28):
tomatoes?
You know, like you were justsaying, um, when melanie and I
first started working togetherand I was trying to really dive
into figuring out what mytriggers were for inflaming, for
the inflammation that werecausing these flare-ups, it was
about being so extra like quietand in tune to everything your
(04:49):
body is.
Like speaking to you has likelittle whispers, and for me it
looked like, you know, glutenwas an inflammatory, tomatoes
were inflammatory, but, like Iknow my husband, for example,
he's not gluten intolerant, solike he was doing okay, or you
know he was able to havetomatoes.
(05:10):
Um, and to the point where it'slike overwhelming because, yes,
eliminating is is intense, butif you're, if you're doing the
work and then just thinking like, okay, this is cuing me and my
body, so I'm going to eliminateit for a week and we'll see how
my body starts to feel.
(05:30):
I mean, my number one thing wassugar caused migraines and I
never put the two together untilI just stopped doing refined
sugar.
And now I'm like I know rightaway if it's in anything.
I have that like tinge of aheadache and I know it's like an
onset.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Go ahead.
It's also about just looking atyour overall stress bucket, and
I don't mean just things thatmight be stressful, I mean what?
What are you?
What is your day look like?
What?
How long are you workingworking?
What is your diet like and whenare you eating?
How often are you eating?
(06:11):
Are you responding to hungercues?
There's so many things that alsocause inflammation as sort of
this total piece or total puzzle, and we have to sort of start
to pay attention to the piecesthat make up that puzzle.
So sometimes it isn't just apiece of fruit that you read
(06:33):
might be inflammatory because,let's face it, there's so much
information out there and theelimination diets are really
intimidating and, honestly,they're not sustainable for
somebody who has a lot going onin their life and cannot only
focus on that elimination diet,because it's like you have to
basically be in a cave and onlybe eating these foods and
(06:56):
preparing everything.
So I think a more realisticapproach to figuring out what
that is for you is, like I said,taking a step back and looking
at the full picture.
How often are you eating athome?
Are you eating at restaurants?
Are you eating on the go or areyou sitting down and properly
chewing your food and kind ofcreating this, this sanctuary
for yourself around meals, um,and it's you know.
(07:21):
I wish I could tell you exactly, but you can tell us more about
your day.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
It's like okay, so you're saying like, are you
sitting down and having asanctuary for your meals?
And I preach about self-care,and self-care, of course, is
being the even just sitting downfor lunch, which I never do.
I didn't even realize how muchI don't do it until somebody was
over my house and I actuallygave them a plate of food and
(07:49):
asked them to sit down.
And I ate over the sink becauseI'm just so used to eating over
the sink like an animal.
But I think that, yes, thatsounds great to be able to sit
down and properly chew your food.
But I feel like and I'm notjust speaking for myself, but a
lot of people that I know thatare just always on the go that,
(08:10):
unless I'm going to maybe do afood diary to figure out what it
is, or just eat at home forlike a week and make sure that
I'm like knowing what was goingin my meals, but that's just not
realistic.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Something that really worked for me specifically is
getting my body into aparasympathetic state while on
the go.
So if you are on set or if youare running from one thing to
the next, it's maybe taking afew really deep breaths.
So like the fastest way to getour body to kind of like in that
(08:43):
reset of our nervous system istaking an inhale for four count,
exhale for six, count and justdoing that like four to six deep
breaths beforehand, and thatcan really make a difference too
.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And even just paying attention to are you chewing
your food?
I think we all have time tochew our food right, so the more
that we chew our food, it'ssometimes the simplest changes
that make the biggest difference.
We don't always want to chewour food right, so the more that
we chew our food, it'ssometimes the simplest changes
that make the biggest difference.
I mean, I wouldn't put a numberto it, but you should chew
until you don't have big piecesof food to swallow, and I know
that's a lovely description.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I think the way you explained it was like chewing
until it's piece.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You might if you're not paying attention.
I trust me, I have seen it all.
But it could just be chewingyour food, because chewing your
food helps you digest better,and when you don't digest, you
can bloat, you can haveinflammation, and so, again it's
.
It's some of the simplestthings and, like Melissa said,
sometimes you just have to go.
(09:44):
It's some of the simplestthings and, like Melissa said,
sometimes you just have to go.
You know, work with what you'vegot, and even if that means
parking your car in the parkinglot and eating instead of eating
, you know driving driving.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Exactly Do you?
What do you with all theclients that you guys work with?
What do you see the most likethe issue that most people deal
with?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I would say that, with our practice together, it's
skipping breakfast and movingyour body, not moving your body.
Yeah, so not getting any sortof movement in.
So I'll speak to the movementside, since that's my side of
things, that's your side ofthings yeah, your side of things
(10:23):
, um, but just getting in, likeyou can achieve small amounts of
movement that will have hugeimpact.
Um, by just simply adding inmovement while already doing
things that you do so, whileyou're brewing your cup of
coffee, doing some lunges, whileyou're brushing your teeth,
(10:43):
doing some shoulder rolls orhigh knees, like, there are ways
that you can get in these likelittle, bite-sized moments of
movement that are going to helpcreate the body to crave more
movement, and that's, you know,and that's one big way that we
can introduce it, becausethere's so many of us there's
(11:05):
over 60% of us are not gettingthe amount of exercise that is
required, and so, if we're allstarting at ground zero, that's
an easy way of like a mini bootcamp, so to speak, of just
grabbing some ways of moving, ortaking a walk during meetings
rather than sitting in aboardroom that's another great
way.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Taking a walk during meetings rather than sitting in
a boardroom.
That's another great.
Yeah, I my friend, postedyesterday that she got a
treadmill for her desk and thenI was going to get it for myself
because I'm like that'sactually a good idea.
But I don't know if I would beable to focus on editing and
doing anything while I'm walking.
But I mean, it's probably agood way to get your steps in if
you can do two things at once.
(11:46):
But I agree, I mean, I thinkwhat you said is that your body
starts to crave movement whenyou introduce it to your life,
and I can attest like thatreally does happen, because once
I started getting more fit, I,if I don't do it, if I like,
miss a class I feel a little bitmore crabby.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
So, yeah, it's getting the oxygen into the
brain.
It's fueling your brain just asmuch as it is your body.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
What's the minimum amount of movement everyone
should be getting, especiallywomen in their 40s, a day, a day
, minimum, minimum.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
I mean, if you can get in 10 minutes a day, that's
great.
It would be better to do 20 to30 minutes.
But we also don't want to overcondition our body.
So I'm a big believer in doingexercise classes three to four
times a week, not every day ofthe week, because we're never
(12:41):
going to give our body that rest, recovery time and that's vital
for so many different things ofagain inflammation and when we
over condition, we can reallylike leave our whole system in
an inflamed state.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I went to a class this morning and it was pretty.
It was athletic conditioning atthe gym.
I like to go to classes becauseI feel like somebody's got to
tell me what to do or else Iwon't do it.
And I was in the locker roomand the two girls that were in
that class with me I overheardthem saying, well, like that
wasn't even a workout.
I swear, ladies, I was, Icouldn't.
No one size fits all.
(13:21):
I think if you can get in aworkout, like even just a walk
for a little time, I feel better.
But there are people that overcondition Maybe that's just me
saying that about those twowomen because I feel bad they
were saying that it wasn't aworkout.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
To your point.
It's so true.
What you're saying about thereis this it's not a one size fits
all Right.
So I used to go to this classwith a couple of actresses who
were like very in LA.
It was a super intense bootcamp, like Zumba slash boxing
(13:57):
class, and it was like I wasthrowing up mid class.
I'm not kidding, I would leavein this in the middle of class
we throw up and then finishbeing like I got this, why
didn't you just go home?
And then that's when I was likeI cannot do this anymore.
It's like trying to like youngerself.
I would tell like get on girl,like go, do your own thing, go
(14:19):
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
But in the moment you're just like trying to keep
up with doing the cool thingthat everyone else is doing, and
that's why there's so manyclasses, because not everything
is for you, I know, but classeswork for me.
And it's like my ego, because Ialmost have to, in my head,
pretend that everybody's staringat me and judging me if I'm not
doing my hardest.
No one, by the way, is lookingat me, no one in that class is
staring at me, but in my head Ithink they are, and then I work
harder.
So classes work for me.
But there are friends of minewho hate classes and love
(14:49):
working out by themselves, whichis why you can't pay attention
to what works for other people,because it might not work for
you.
So true, speaking of not a onesize fits all, how are you,
ladies, on supplements?
Because if I buy one moresupplement that I don't look, I
have right here NAD pills thatare just sitting here.
I haven't even taken thembecause they're so big.
(15:09):
But what supplements do youthink people should be with?
Like on, just like the bareminimum, if any?
Speaker 2 (15:16):
It's such a great question and it's so funny
because so we have, you know,Live Well, Lead Well.
And then I also have a privatepractice where I see clients and
the first thing I say is I amnot a supplement pusher and you
are not going to have to, youknow, buy a new cabinet for all
of the things that I recommend.
So here's the thing I alwayssay that supplements support,
they don't solve.
And the other thing is, if youare not absorbing those
(15:41):
supplements, they're just awaste of money.
They're going right through you.
So we have to look at,obviously, every individual and
their needs.
Sometimes, you know, they'llget blood work and say, okay,
I'm deficient in vitamin D.
Vitamin D is my favorite vitamin.
I'm super passionate about it.
So if a woman is deficient invitamin D and her doctor
confirms that, I think a vitaminD3 supplement is a really great
(16:04):
thing to take.
It's also easily absorbed bythe body and it just helps with
so many things I also love.
I love how I'm like I don'tpush supplements.
But here are my two favorites.
But I really just only havethose two favorites.
So vitamin D and then the otherthing that I would that
typically recommend is amagnesium supplement before bed.
So there are different types ofmagnesium.
(16:26):
Magnesium glycinate really doeshelp restorative sleep and,
again, easier for people toabsorb and something that I've
seen help so many differenttypes of people with all
different types of underlyingconditions.
So those would be the main twoand then the rest.
You know.
We have to remember thatsupplements are also moneymakers
(16:49):
and it's very trendy to say Anunregulated industry as well.
Yes, yes, and you know a lot ofholistic health is.
You know a lot of holistichealth is some which is also
good, but I think it's just goodto be aware of sort of the
advertising behind it.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, yeah, I agree, and but you said earlier about
and, by the way, mel, I have acabinet for my supplements.
I have an entire cabinet in mygarage for supplements, because
I, as I'm sure a lot oflisteners do the same thing.
You see somebody on Instagramtalking about how this stopped
their gray hairs, or now I'venever felt better, this mood
(17:32):
enhancing, and I'm like, oh, Iwant to feel that good.
So then I buy them and thenthey just like, sit here, they
just sit here, I don't even takethem.
But you say that your body, ifthey don't ingest it, it doesn't
work.
What does that mean?
Am I supposed to be taking themwith food?
So it ingests with the food?
How do I make sure that thesupplements I'm taking are
(17:52):
ingested into my system?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Well, it obviously depends on the supplement.
Some supplements are justeasier for the body to absorb.
It also depends on yourdeficiencies, because really
what we should be doing isgetting our vitamins and
minerals from food, and I thinka lot of people are not eating a
diverse enough diet andtherefore finding oh well, let
(18:15):
me just supplement with this.
And again, it's the supplementsare just because they're not in
their natural form from food,harder to absorb from the body.
So that's sort of what I meanby that.
Our body can digest and absorbthe nutrients in food easier,
just because that's how natureintended it to be.
And then, you know, on thatdigestive piece, sort of back to
(18:37):
what I was saying about the howportion of eating, was saying
about the how portion of eatingIn order for our body to
optimally absorb our food, wemust be in what Melissa said, a
parasympathetic state to start,because that full rest to digest
piece is so true.
And the more that our body isrelaxed and not producing extra
(18:57):
cortisol, which can actuallyinhibit the production of
stomach acid, which we reallyneed to digest our food properly
, we won't be getting all thegood stuff that food provides us
.
So I think for somebody who islooking to maybe cut back on
supplements.
It's like well, where can Isupplement pun intended with my
(19:18):
food?
Am I getting enough colors onmy plate?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Melissa, because you're like a movement and I
think that now everybody'ssaying you have to lift heavy
weights, eat 700 grams ofprotein.
Are those things reallyimportant in somebody in their
40s to lift heavy weights and toeat like 100 grams of protein a
day In order to physically getyour body into a state that's,
(19:46):
you know, the best for that agegroup?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Again, it's not a one size fits all.
So some people are going tohurt their body or their muscles
or whatever by lifting heavy.
I do believe that we should belifting weights regularly, and
that's I would say two to three,two times a week, if you can,
(20:11):
to start and then kind ofworking your way up.
But yeah, I mean, we startlosing muscle at early 30s and
then then from there, I meanevery decade we're losing a
decent amount.
And so, yes, muscle is veryimportant, because your muscle
(20:36):
then also supports your brainhealth, which helps against
memory loss and things, thingslike that.
So, as we age, the researchdoes show that that muscle is so
vital in order to aging well,um, and and living well in your
life for a long time.
With that said, um, you want topair it.
(21:00):
You know, protein is alsoimportant.
I'm a big believer in protein.
Now to how much, that alldepends on your regimen.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, and your weight you know.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
But then I was told that you should have as many
grams as you weigh.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
I don't practice that personally have as many grams
as you weigh.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I don't practice that personally, so again, that's
like it's another thing whereyou would want to.
Really, you know you should eata gram of protein per pound that
you weigh.
We really try to simplifywellness and make it sustainable
for people.
We both come from places wherewellness was overwhelming for us
, and so it led to sort ofextreme behaviors on each side
(22:02):
of the spectrum.
So what we really try to do andI hope that this resonates with
your listeners is try to tuneout some of this noise and just
do your best, and if that meansjust having a good quality
source of protein at every meal,instead of being so obsessive
about the numbers and the gramsand what that might do for your
(22:22):
80-year-old self, I think thatthat's a more sustainable model
because it feels like people canactually do it and that they're
successful at.
You know, staying to somestructure, and I just my advice
would be to not get so caught upon it, on it, you know.
(22:42):
Recognize the study, appreciateit, but try not to put that
pressure on yourself to thenlive this life accordingly.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
But it's like every day when I open up social media,
there's something else.
We should be cutting out Seedoils, you know non-organic.
The pesticides like the waterfilter your you know nonstick
pans.
Don't use your air fryer.
I'm like, oh my God, I like you, just I'm.
I am inundated and I think I'mpretty well versed in the health
(23:15):
.
You know what's healthy andwhat's not.
And sometimes I get overwhelmed, especially because I have a
nine-year-old daughter that Iwant to make sure I'm setting up
for success.
But you know, then I look ineverything that's in her foods
or, you know, in her snacks atschool, and it's all garbage.
So it's like I can see whypeople are overwhelmed and I can
see why people just want tosimplify.
(23:36):
But I also like, don't knowwhere people you know where do
you start?
Where do you?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
start yourself and you take note of exactly what
your body's craving so, forexample, what Mel was saying
about, like, the protein.
If you learn to listen to whatyou know, those whispers are
(24:05):
saying of like, oh, I'm cravingprotein right now and you're
fueling up protein, or I'mcraving movement.
You move, like trying to justkeep it so simple as like, just
do what your body says.
To just keep it so simple aslike, just do what your body
says.
To your point of the overwhelmLike we're both in this space
(24:26):
and it is beyond overwhelmingbecause every day there's new
studies and there's new thingscoming out and it is hard to
keep up.
And especially, there's a lotof loud people on the internet
saying what you should be doing.
But there's also a lot ofindividuals who are sharing
information who may not beeducated in to share that
information.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Right.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
So that's something to pay attention to.
There's so many influencers onthe Internet on TikTok and
Instagram that are telling youhow to move your body or what to
fuel your body with, who arenot qualified to do that that's
right, and I was thinking aboutthis yesterday.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I realized growing up we had magazines and the
magazines were curated byeditors who fact-checked all the
articles that were in it andhad fact-checked to make sure
that the people that werecontributing to the articles
were actually experts in theirfield.
And now we've you know, we'vewalked away from a lot of that
(25:20):
sort of those publications andwe're using Instagram as sort of
a magazine, but a lot of thepeople that are writing don't
have any idea what they'retalking about.
But we think that they do, andit's that's why I feel like a
lot of people are confused.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Yeah it's a wild world out there sort of avoid
most of what you just said.
There is some truth about theseed oils and there is some
(26:00):
truth about the plastics maybeyou know being found in non or
in your air fryer or non organicfood.
You know consuming thosepesticides.
There's truth to all of that.
But how do we sort of find thisbalance between not spiraling
and never leaving your house andthen also starting to do some
(26:21):
really good things for yourhealth?
And I think it really does goback to cooking most of the time
, and when you cook from yourkitchen, you are more likely to
be using real, whole foods.
If you have the opportunity togo to a farmer's market and I
know, sabrina, you and I arevery lucky living in LA, like we
can toss a coin and find afarmer's market.
(26:43):
But I think people would besurprised too that that is more
accessible in their area thannot, especially with produce
boxes that can be delivered andsimply just eating locally could
be a huge step in thatdirection.
A lot of local farms don't.
They can't afford the organiccertification, but they are
(27:03):
practicing organic practices bynot using toxic pesticides,
herbicides, fungicides, and youcan always ask, so that could be
a more you know obtainable wayfor organic food or organic-like
food.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
But you just sort of have to do the best you can and
it's true of like how expensivesometimes organic foods could be
, and I totally understand that.
I mean they're also the dirtydozen of you know.
Let's make sure at least to getthose in organic.
So even if you just work on thedirty dozen and you could
anybody listening can justGoogle that and you could see
(27:39):
the foods that you should buyorganic.
But you know, finding things onsale I mean I love a coupon and
I love a sale, but I do believethat you can.
Cooking at home does not have tobe taxing.
I have a joke with Olivia whenshe gets home from soccer
practice, I make 10 minute tacosand it's because she has to
jump in the shower and by thetime she gets out, tacos are
done and I have made tacos fromscratch in 10 minutes, so it
(28:01):
could be done.
Amazing.
I do feel like you know we areall so busy and I know I wanted
to talk to you ladies aboutburnout and I feel like more
than ever we are asked to do somany things in our lives.
As you know, busy professionalsand then if you have kids, kids
that on top of being a partneror maybe even just making you
know being healthy for yourselfand making sure that your house
(28:23):
is clean when you are dealingwith burnout.
How can women recognize sort ofthe early signs before it fully
takes over your life?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Some of those early signs are going to look like
just fogginess.
Tired.
Those early signs are going tolook like just fogginess, tired
maybe some like emotional,heightened emotion, yeah, and
then like our again, when our,our bodies speaking to us are
your shoulders tense, tight,maybe your stomach isn't feeling
(28:56):
well and you're having a hardtime digesting properly,
headaches, that sort of thing.
I mean there's a lot ofdifferent little cues and,
honestly, a lot of us are goingthrough all of these different
symptoms, thinking that it'sabsolutely normal.
But just because it's commondoes not mean it's normal, and
(29:18):
so we just have to kind of liketune in and cue into that like
stress and how we can, how wecan lower it, and kind of build
the stress resilience in orderto fight the burnout.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
What are your daily practices?
Like you must do this beforeyou go to bed.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Before bed.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah, like before the end of the night, like you must
get this like off your listbefore you go to bed.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
So I'm big on setting up a routine to get my body in
rest mode, because that's whathelps me, kind of like set
myself up for success, to getquality sleep.
So it's my non-negotiable islike kind of just like writing
everything out and like, whetherthat be on my phone or in a
(30:10):
journal, write it all out.
Then I have to do my like washmy face, brush my teeth, do the
whole thing.
I'm not wrapping my whole body.
I'm not one of those who'sliterally taping everything up
so that I, you know and shedding, but I do just like the.
I just can't go to bed unlesslike everything's clean.
(30:32):
Then, um, I usually put my feetabove my head for 10, 15
minutes just to send all of likethe blood flow back down into
my heart space, because we're soused to being on our feet all
day long and as a fitnessinstructor, I'm like moving a
lot and so it helps to reallylike lower the inflammation in
(30:55):
my body and get all of thetoxins like brought.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Okay, you need to do an Instagram reel about this,
because I that I have not doneyet, so I'm going to put my feet
above, so they're like kind ofsit on the floor against the
wall and put my feet up on thewall.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I just do it on my bed and then I'll like listen
to a podcast or you know, likejust meditative music or
whatever, but I have my feetabove my headboard and then my
head is like laying on the bed.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yeah, okay, I'm going to do that tonight.
Okay, mel, what are yournon-negotiables for your day?
Like, what do you need to doevery day?
To, like, keep you on your path?
Speaker 2 (31:30):
So mine is kind of a two-part answer.
The first thing is actually inthe morning, and this all has to
do with the fact that I have athree and a half year old
daughter and so I have to get upbefore she does and I have to
do some form of movement and Ineed to just like prepare all
systems in check for today,Otherwise I wake up a totally
(31:52):
different person.
So I usually wake up, what timeis that?
So I set my alarm for 545.
It doesn't always happen that I, you know, respond accordingly,
but I will say I'm up by sixand then I immediately drink
water and I do some form ofmovement.
So that could look from likeanything from 10 to 25 minutes.
(32:13):
I just do like some sort of avideo or my own self-guided
workout in my space upstairs andthen so that just sets me up
and that isn't total,non-negotiable, it sets me up to
be able to handle all thethings.
And then the second part of mynon-negotiable day is having
space to unwind after a full dayof working and parenting.
(32:37):
My husband works in televisionand so he has gone a lot of the
week.
Sometimes you knowunpredictable schedule.
So I'm doing dinner and bedtimeand all the things and it it's,
you know it's exhausting.
And so when she goes to bed, Ineed time to unwind, and that
(32:59):
could look different every night.
Sometimes that's just likefolding laundry and listening to
a podcast, sometimes that'swatching a show.
I know that's not like awellness answer, but it is me,
you know.
It's true to myself and it'strue to what I need to Well
that's what you're watching.
Yeah Well, we won't go there.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
But you're watching some Bravo show.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I mean maybe, maybe some nights Depends the city,
sabrina, it depends the city.
I love it, but it just it givesme some time to feel like
myself again.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Good, OK, I do want to ask like what made you guys
merge both of your specialtiesto create your new business?
Like what, what sort of?
What happened?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Yeah.
So I was diagnosed with lupusin 2006 and lived with it for a
very long time, with suppressingit instead of finding the root
cause of my flare-ups, and so Ihad gone down this long journey
with it and was in this constantburnout mode.
Enter my husband is an actor.
(34:07):
He was on Fuller House andMelanie and Full House, and Full
House.
Yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
So do you want to tell everybody?
Speaker 3 (34:20):
who your husband is, of course.
So Dave Coulier is my husbandand played the beloved character
Joey Gladstone, and so he metMelanie.
Because Melanie was working inproduction on Fuller House and
was like I think this, you know,I met a girl that I feel like
(34:40):
you're going to be fast friendswith, and so he kind of like set
us up on a little friend date.
And he was right.
We just started hiking andtalking about all the different
ways like where we were in ourpath during that time and for me
, I shared my journey with lupusand I really did not like
talking about it because I feltlike it was always limiting
(35:06):
opportunities if someone knew Iwas struggling with chronic pain
and with this autoimmunedisease.
So, and at the time that Ishared that, melanie shared with
me that she was getting intoholistic wellness and going to
become a holistic nutritionistand so I became her first client
and after a small amount oftime working together, I was
(35:33):
finding that things wereactually working for me.
That things were actuallyworking for me, so it became my
medicine.
After three years of workingtogether, I got off all
medication.
I have flare-ups maybe once ortwice a year now and I haven't
touched any sort of medicationin years Maybe an occasional
(35:57):
steroid injection if I'm like ina really bad flare up but so I
was like it was my biggest ahamoment of life.
I was like I feel like we haveto help other women realize that
like there is a way throughthis battle, and so many of us
(36:18):
are facing autoimmune issues orchronic pain and inflammation.
So then we, in our practice, weworked with a lot of leaders
and women who were, you know,producers and directors, and all
of these women were kind ofcoming to us of, like I have
(36:40):
this full plate, how can Ibalance, how can I maintain, and
also how can I feel better inmy body, and so that was like
how it all came about.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
I love that I am for anyone listening.
I will put in the show notesMel and Mel's information Live
Well, Lead Well.
Also the Instagram and how youcan get in touch.
Thank you, ladies, for givingme your time.
I know I probably was all overthe place with questions, but I
feel like it's what everybody islike wondering how we can start
(37:11):
, what we could do, Because Ifeel like, at the end of the day
, we all want to look and feelour best, you know, and
regardless of our schedules orwhere we live.
It's just about making itsimple and easy to digest.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Totally Thank you for having us.
Yes, thank you, we hope weprovide some clarity for people.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Thank you Bye.
Welcome to Redesigning Life.
I'm your host, sabrina Soto,and this is the space where we
have honest conversations aboutpersonal growth, mindset shifts
and creating a life that feelstruly aligned.
In each episode, I'll talk toexperts in their fields who
share their insights to help youstep into your higher self.
Let's redesign your life fromthe inside out.
Welcome to Redesigning Life.
(00:24):
This week I have Mel and Melfrom Live Well Lead Well, and I
want to thank you guys for beingon the podcast.
I'm going to ask you so manyquestions, but and it's kind of
I'm being selfish because a lotof them are just for me, but I
do believe that my listeners areprobably wondering the same
thing, so I'm just going to sortof inundate you with a lot of
(00:47):
questions.
But first, thank you both forbeing here.
Thank you so much for having us, sabrina.
We're so honored.
This is going to be a funconversation because I'm sort of
dealing with some issues rightnow in my life that it didn't
even occur to me until lastnight and I swear this is why
the universe always has perfecttiming for everything.
So I broke my hand like a yearago and last night it started
(01:11):
feeling really achy and I reallythought oh my gosh, what have I
been eating?
And I started thinking aboutinflammation.
And I know that you both talkabout inflammation a lot in your
practice and how you teachclients.
Can you sort of dumb down andexplain how inflammation works
and how there are certain foodsor maybe supplements or things
(01:34):
that we're ingesting that leadto inflammation?
Can you really kind of give usthe gist of it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, so there are two types of inflammation, first
and foremost of it.
Yeah, so there are two types ofinflammation, first and
foremost, acute inflammation andchronic inflammation.
So acute inflammation is likewhen we stub our toe on the bed
which I feel like happens to meall of the time and you start to
actually experience swelling.
So that's your body's immunesystem kicking in and protecting
(02:02):
you from that thing.
So we have inflammation is ourbody's way of protection.
Now, chronic inflammation iswhen there is an underlying
issue that's causing longer terminflammation.
So Melissa has lupus, which isan autoimmune disease, and that
is an example of chronicinflammation.
It's first important todifferentiate between the two of
(02:24):
those, and your injury wasacute inflammation, but is it
turning into chronicinflammation if you're noticing
that you're still experiencingthat swelling or if it's kind of
going up and down based on whatyou're eating?
So that's sort of the basic wayto describe what inflammation
(02:47):
is.
And when it comes to foods,everybody's body is different,
which is the concept ofbio-individuality which we also
talk a lot about.
So certain foods could inflameyour body, that don't inflame my
body or Melissa's body, and sothat has just so much to do with
where we came from what we'reexposed to on a daily basis in
(03:11):
our environments and how,actually how stress affects our
body.
So, obviously, so much to deepdive with that.
But I'll ask you a question,sabrina Do you notice that your
injury gets worse after eatingcertain?
Speaker 1 (03:27):
foods, no, Okay.
So this is my then nextquestion to you, because I feel
like people listening to this,because I never even thought,
could it be something I just ate?
At first I think, oh, I musthave banged my hand on something
and didn't notice it.
But if somebody is listening tothis and they think, oh, it
could be the things I'm eatingand everyone's different, then
(03:48):
how do you even figure out whatit is?
Is it food?
And how do you even?
Everybody talks about thiselimination diet, but I don't
want to not drink water and thenjust slowly bring a tomato in,
and that's not realistic.
So I think we all want to stopeating the foods that might be
inflaming us.
But how do we even start?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Well, I think it's from really tuning in to your
body's own cues.
So like, as you just said,right, you felt that
inflammation and you felt likethe achy, then doing exactly
what you are doing of likebacktracking Did you have
tomatoes?
You are doing of likebacktracking, did you have
(04:28):
tomatoes?
You know, like you were justsaying, um, when melanie and I
first started working togetherand I was trying to really dive
into figuring out what mytriggers were for inflaming, for
the inflammation that werecausing these flare-ups, it was
about being so extra like quietand in tune to everything your
(04:49):
body is.
Like speaking to you has likelittle whispers, and for me it
looked like, you know, glutenwas an inflammatory, tomatoes
were inflammatory, but, like Iknow my husband, for example,
he's not gluten intolerant, solike he was doing okay, or you
know he was able to havetomatoes.
(05:10):
Um, and to the point where it'slike overwhelming because, yes,
eliminating is is intense, butif you're, if you're doing the
work and then just thinking like, okay, this is cuing me and my
body, so I'm going to eliminateit for a week and we'll see how
my body starts to feel.
(05:30):
I mean, my number one thing wassugar caused migraines and I
never put the two together untilI just stopped doing refined
sugar.
And now I'm like I know rightaway if it's in anything.
I have that like tinge of aheadache and I know it's like an
onset.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Go ahead.
It's also about just looking atyour overall stress bucket, and
I don't mean just things thatmight be stressful, I mean what?
What are you?
What is your day look like?
What?
How long are you workingworking?
What is your diet like and whenare you eating?
How often are you eating?
(06:11):
Are you responding to hungercues?
There's so many things that alsocause inflammation as sort of
this total piece or total puzzle, and we have to sort of start
to pay attention to the piecesthat make up that puzzle.
So sometimes it isn't just apiece of fruit that you read
(06:33):
might be inflammatory because,let's face it, there's so much
information out there and theelimination diets are really
intimidating and, honestly,they're not sustainable for
somebody who has a lot going onin their life and cannot only
focus on that elimination diet,because it's like you have to
basically be in a cave and onlybe eating these foods and
(06:56):
preparing everything.
So I think a more realisticapproach to figuring out what
that is for you is, like I said,taking a step back and looking
at the full picture.
How often are you eating athome?
Are you eating at restaurants?
Are you eating on the go or areyou sitting down and properly
chewing your food and kind ofcreating this, this sanctuary
for yourself around meals, um,and it's you know.
(07:21):
I wish I could tell you exactly, but you can tell us more about
your day.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
It's like okay, so you're saying like, are you
sitting down and having asanctuary for your meals?
And I preach about self-care,and self-care, of course, is
being the even just sitting downfor lunch, which I never do.
I didn't even realize how muchI don't do it until somebody was
over my house and I actuallygave them a plate of food and
(07:49):
asked them to sit down.
And I ate over the sink becauseI'm just so used to eating over
the sink like an animal.
But I think that, yes, thatsounds great to be able to sit
down and properly chew your food.
But I feel like and I'm notjust speaking for myself, but a
lot of people that I know thatare just always on the go that,
(08:10):
unless I'm going to maybe do afood diary to figure out what it
is, or just eat at home forlike a week and make sure that
I'm like knowing what was goingin my meals, but that's just not
realistic.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Something that really worked for me specifically is
getting my body into aparasympathetic state while on
the go.
So if you are on set or if youare running from one thing to
the next, it's maybe taking afew really deep breaths.
So like the fastest way to getour body to kind of like in that
(08:43):
reset of our nervous system istaking an inhale for four count,
exhale for six, count and justdoing that like four to six deep
breaths beforehand, and thatcan really make a difference too
.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And even just paying attention to are you chewing
your food?
I think we all have time tochew our food right, so the more
that we chew our food, it'ssometimes the simplest changes
that make the biggest difference.
We don't always want to chewour food right, so the more that
we chew our food, it'ssometimes the simplest changes
that make the biggest difference.
I mean, I wouldn't put a numberto it, but you should chew
until you don't have big piecesof food to swallow, and I know
that's a lovely description.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I think the way you explained it was like chewing
until it's piece.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You might if you're not paying attention.
I trust me, I have seen it all.
But it could just be chewingyour food, because chewing your
food helps you digest better,and when you don't digest, you
can bloat, you can haveinflammation, and so, again it's
.
It's some of the simplestthings and, like Melissa said,
sometimes you just have to go.
(09:44):
It's some of the simplestthings and, like Melissa said,
sometimes you just have to go.
You know, work with what you'vegot, and even if that means
parking your car in the parkinglot and eating instead of eating
, you know driving driving.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Exactly Do you?
What do you with all theclients that you guys work with?
What do you see the most likethe issue that most people deal
with?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I would say that, with our practice together, it's
skipping breakfast and movingyour body, not moving your body.
Yeah, so not getting any sortof movement in.
So I'll speak to the movementside, since that's my side of
things, that's your side ofthings yeah, your side of things
(10:23):
, um, but just getting in, likeyou can achieve small amounts of
movement that will have hugeimpact.
Um, by just simply adding inmovement while already doing
things that you do so, whileyou're brewing your cup of
coffee, doing some lunges, whileyou're brushing your teeth,
(10:43):
doing some shoulder rolls orhigh knees, like, there are ways
that you can get in these likelittle, bite-sized moments of
movement that are going to helpcreate the body to crave more
movement, and that's, you know,and that's one big way that we
can introduce it, becausethere's so many of us there's
(11:05):
over 60% of us are not gettingthe amount of exercise that is
required, and so, if we're allstarting at ground zero, that's
an easy way of like a mini bootcamp, so to speak, of just
grabbing some ways of moving, ortaking a walk during meetings
rather than sitting in aboardroom that's another great
way.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Taking a walk during meetings rather than sitting in
a boardroom.
That's another great.
Yeah, I my friend, postedyesterday that she got a
treadmill for her desk and thenI was going to get it for myself
because I'm like that'sactually a good idea.
But I don't know if I would beable to focus on editing and
doing anything while I'm walking.
But I mean, it's probably agood way to get your steps in if
you can do two things at once.
(11:46):
But I agree, I mean, I thinkwhat you said is that your body
starts to crave movement whenyou introduce it to your life,
and I can attest like thatreally does happen, because once
I started getting more fit, I,if I don't do it, if I like,
miss a class I feel a little bitmore crabby.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
So, yeah, it's getting the oxygen into the
brain.
It's fueling your brain just asmuch as it is your body.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
What's the minimum amount of movement everyone
should be getting, especiallywomen in their 40s, a day, a day
, minimum, minimum.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
I mean, if you can get in 10 minutes a day, that's
great.
It would be better to do 20 to30 minutes.
But we also don't want to overcondition our body.
So I'm a big believer in doingexercise classes three to four
times a week, not every day ofthe week, because we're never
(12:41):
going to give our body that rest, recovery time and that's vital
for so many different things ofagain inflammation and when we
over condition, we can reallylike leave our whole system in
an inflamed state.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I went to a class this morning and it was pretty.
It was athletic conditioning atthe gym.
I like to go to classes becauseI feel like somebody's got to
tell me what to do or else Iwon't do it.
And I was in the locker roomand the two girls that were in
that class with me I overheardthem saying, well, like that
wasn't even a workout.
I swear, ladies, I was, Icouldn't.
No one size fits all.
(13:21):
I think if you can get in aworkout, like even just a walk
for a little time, I feel better.
But there are people that overcondition Maybe that's just me
saying that about those twowomen because I feel bad they
were saying that it wasn't aworkout.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
To your point.
It's so true.
What you're saying about thereis this it's not a one size fits
all Right.
So I used to go to this classwith a couple of actresses who
were like very in LA.
It was a super intense bootcamp, like Zumba slash boxing
(13:57):
class, and it was like I wasthrowing up mid class.
I'm not kidding, I would leavein this in the middle of class
we throw up and then finishbeing like I got this, why
didn't you just go home?
And then that's when I was likeI cannot do this anymore.
It's like trying to like youngerself.
I would tell like get on girl,like go, do your own thing, go
(14:19):
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
But in the moment you're just like trying to keep
up with doing the cool thingthat everyone else is doing, and
that's why there's so manyclasses, because not everything
is for you, I know, but classeswork for me.
And it's like my ego, because Ialmost have to, in my head,
pretend that everybody's staringat me and judging me if I'm not
doing my hardest.
No one, by the way, is lookingat me, no one in that class is
staring at me, but in my head Ithink they are, and then I work
harder.
So classes work for me.
But there are friends of minewho hate classes and love
(14:49):
working out by themselves, whichis why you can't pay attention
to what works for other people,because it might not work for
you.
So true, speaking of not a onesize fits all, how are you,
ladies, on supplements?
Because if I buy one moresupplement that I don't look, I
have right here NAD pills thatare just sitting here.
I haven't even taken thembecause they're so big.
(15:09):
But what supplements do youthink people should be with?
Like on, just like the bareminimum, if any?
Speaker 2 (15:16):
It's such a great question and it's so funny
because so we have, you know,Live Well, Lead Well.
And then I also have a privatepractice where I see clients and
the first thing I say is I amnot a supplement pusher and you
are not going to have to, youknow, buy a new cabinet for all
of the things that I recommend.
So here's the thing I alwayssay that supplements support,
they don't solve.
And the other thing is, if youare not absorbing those
(15:41):
supplements, they're just awaste of money.
They're going right through you.
So we have to look at,obviously, every individual and
their needs.
Sometimes, you know, they'llget blood work and say, okay,
I'm deficient in vitamin D.
Vitamin D is my favorite vitamin.
I'm super passionate about it.
So if a woman is deficient invitamin D and her doctor
confirms that, I think a vitaminD3 supplement is a really great
(16:04):
thing to take.
It's also easily absorbed bythe body and it just helps with
so many things I also love.
I love how I'm like I don'tpush supplements.
But here are my two favorites.
But I really just only havethose two favorites.
So vitamin D and then the otherthing that I would that
typically recommend is amagnesium supplement before bed.
So there are different types ofmagnesium.
(16:26):
Magnesium glycinate really doeshelp restorative sleep and,
again, easier for people toabsorb and something that I've
seen help so many differenttypes of people with all
different types of underlyingconditions.
So those would be the main twoand then the rest.
You know.
We have to remember thatsupplements are also moneymakers
(16:49):
and it's very trendy to say Anunregulated industry as well.
Yes, yes, and you know a lot ofholistic health is.
You know a lot of holistichealth is some which is also
good, but I think it's just goodto be aware of sort of the
advertising behind it.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, yeah, I agree, and but you said earlier about
and, by the way, mel, I have acabinet for my supplements.
I have an entire cabinet in mygarage for supplements, because
I, as I'm sure a lot oflisteners do the same thing.
You see somebody on Instagramtalking about how this stopped
their gray hairs, or now I'venever felt better, this mood
(17:32):
enhancing, and I'm like, oh, Iwant to feel that good.
So then I buy them and thenthey just like, sit here, they
just sit here, I don't even takethem.
But you say that your body, ifthey don't ingest it, it doesn't
work.
What does that mean?
Am I supposed to be taking themwith food?
So it ingests with the food?
How do I make sure that thesupplements I'm taking are
(17:52):
ingested into my system?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Well, it obviously depends on the supplement.
Some supplements are justeasier for the body to absorb.
It also depends on yourdeficiencies, because really
what we should be doing isgetting our vitamins and
minerals from food, and I thinka lot of people are not eating a
diverse enough diet andtherefore finding oh well, let
(18:15):
me just supplement with this.
And again, it's the supplementsare just because they're not in
their natural form from food,harder to absorb from the body.
So that's sort of what I meanby that.
Our body can digest and absorbthe nutrients in food easier,
just because that's how natureintended it to be.
And then, you know, on thatdigestive piece, sort of back to
(18:37):
what I was saying about the howportion of eating, was saying
about the how portion of eatingIn order for our body to
optimally absorb our food, wemust be in what Melissa said, a
parasympathetic state to start,because that full rest to digest
piece is so true.
And the more that our body isrelaxed and not producing extra
(18:57):
cortisol, which can actuallyinhibit the production of
stomach acid, which we reallyneed to digest our food properly
, we won't be getting all thegood stuff that food provides us
.
So I think for somebody who islooking to maybe cut back on
supplements.
It's like well, where can Isupplement pun intended with my
(19:18):
food?
Am I getting enough colors onmy plate?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Melissa, because you're like a movement and I
think that now everybody'ssaying you have to lift heavy
weights, eat 700 grams ofprotein.
Are those things reallyimportant in somebody in their
40s to lift heavy weights and toeat like 100 grams of protein a
day In order to physically getyour body into a state that's,
(19:46):
you know, the best for that agegroup?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Again, it's not a one size fits all.
So some people are going tohurt their body or their muscles
or whatever by lifting heavy.
I do believe that we should belifting weights regularly, and
that's I would say two to three,two times a week, if you can,
(20:11):
to start and then kind ofworking your way up.
But yeah, I mean, we startlosing muscle at early 30s and
then then from there, I meanevery decade we're losing a
decent amount.
And so, yes, muscle is veryimportant, because your muscle
(20:36):
then also supports your brainhealth, which helps against
memory loss and things, thingslike that.
So, as we age, the researchdoes show that that muscle is so
vital in order to aging well,um, and and living well in your
life for a long time.
With that said, um, you want topair it.
(21:00):
You know, protein is alsoimportant.
I'm a big believer in protein.
Now to how much, that alldepends on your regimen.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, and your weight you know.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
But then I was told that you should have as many
grams as you weigh.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
I don't practice that personally have as many grams
as you weigh.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I don't practice that personally, so again, that's
like it's another thing whereyou would want to.
Really, you know you should eata gram of protein per pound that
you weigh.
We really try to simplifywellness and make it sustainable
for people.
We both come from places wherewellness was overwhelming for us
, and so it led to sort ofextreme behaviors on each side
(22:02):
of the spectrum.
So what we really try to do andI hope that this resonates with
your listeners is try to tuneout some of this noise and just
do your best, and if that meansjust having a good quality
source of protein at every meal,instead of being so obsessive
about the numbers and the gramsand what that might do for your
(22:22):
80-year-old self, I think thatthat's a more sustainable model
because it feels like people canactually do it and that they're
successful at.
You know, staying to somestructure, and I just my advice
would be to not get so caught upon it, on it, you know.
(22:42):
Recognize the study, appreciateit, but try not to put that
pressure on yourself to thenlive this life accordingly.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
But it's like every day when I open up social media,
there's something else.
We should be cutting out Seedoils, you know non-organic.
The pesticides like the waterfilter your you know nonstick
pans.
Don't use your air fryer.
I'm like, oh my God, I like you, just I'm.
I am inundated and I think I'mpretty well versed in the health
(23:15):
.
You know what's healthy andwhat's not.
And sometimes I get overwhelmed, especially because I have a
nine-year-old daughter that Iwant to make sure I'm setting up
for success.
But you know, then I look ineverything that's in her foods
or, you know, in her snacks atschool, and it's all garbage.
So it's like I can see whypeople are overwhelmed and I can
see why people just want tosimplify.
(23:36):
But I also like, don't knowwhere people you know where do
you start?
Where do you?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
start yourself and you take note of exactly what
your body's craving so, forexample, what Mel was saying
about, like, the protein.
If you learn to listen to whatyou know, those whispers are
(24:05):
saying of like, oh, I'm cravingprotein right now and you're
fueling up protein, or I'mcraving movement.
You move, like trying to justkeep it so simple as like, just
do what your body says.
To just keep it so simple aslike, just do what your body
says.
To your point of the overwhelmLike we're both in this space
(24:26):
and it is beyond overwhelmingbecause every day there's new
studies and there's new thingscoming out and it is hard to
keep up.
And especially, there's a lotof loud people on the internet
saying what you should be doing.
But there's also a lot ofindividuals who are sharing
information who may not beeducated in to share that
information.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Right.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
So that's something to pay attention to.
There's so many influencers onthe Internet on TikTok and
Instagram that are telling youhow to move your body or what to
fuel your body with, who arenot qualified to do that that's
right, and I was thinking aboutthis yesterday.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I realized growing up we had magazines and the
magazines were curated byeditors who fact-checked all the
articles that were in it andhad fact-checked to make sure
that the people that werecontributing to the articles
were actually experts in theirfield.
And now we've you know, we'vewalked away from a lot of that
(25:20):
sort of those publications andwe're using Instagram as sort of
a magazine, but a lot of thepeople that are writing don't
have any idea what they'retalking about.
But we think that they do, andit's that's why I feel like a
lot of people are confused.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Yeah it's a wild world out there sort of avoid
most of what you just said.
There is some truth about theseed oils and there is some
(26:00):
truth about the plastics maybeyou know being found in non or
in your air fryer or non organicfood.
You know consuming thosepesticides.
There's truth to all of that.
But how do we sort of find thisbalance between not spiraling
and never leaving your house andthen also starting to do some
(26:21):
really good things for yourhealth?
And I think it really does goback to cooking most of the time
, and when you cook from yourkitchen, you are more likely to
be using real, whole foods.
If you have the opportunity togo to a farmer's market and I
know, sabrina, you and I arevery lucky living in LA, like we
can toss a coin and find afarmer's market.
(26:43):
But I think people would besurprised too that that is more
accessible in their area thannot, especially with produce
boxes that can be delivered andsimply just eating locally could
be a huge step in thatdirection.
A lot of local farms don't.
They can't afford the organiccertification, but they are
(27:03):
practicing organic practices bynot using toxic pesticides,
herbicides, fungicides, and youcan always ask, so that could be
a more you know obtainable wayfor organic food or organic-like
food.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
But you just sort of have to do the best you can and
it's true of like how expensivesometimes organic foods could be
, and I totally understand that.
I mean they're also the dirtydozen of you know.
Let's make sure at least to getthose in organic.
So even if you just work on thedirty dozen and you could
anybody listening can justGoogle that and you could see
(27:39):
the foods that you should buyorganic.
But you know, finding things onsale I mean I love a coupon and
I love a sale, but I do believethat you can.
Cooking at home does not have tobe taxing.
I have a joke with Olivia whenshe gets home from soccer
practice, I make 10 minute tacosand it's because she has to
jump in the shower and by thetime she gets out, tacos are
done and I have made tacos fromscratch in 10 minutes, so it
(28:01):
could be done.
Amazing.
I do feel like you know we areall so busy and I know I wanted
to talk to you ladies aboutburnout and I feel like more
than ever we are asked to do somany things in our lives.
As you know, busy professionalsand then if you have kids, kids
that on top of being a partneror maybe even just making you
know being healthy for yourselfand making sure that your house
(28:23):
is clean when you are dealingwith burnout.
How can women recognize sort ofthe early signs before it fully
takes over your life?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Some of those early signs are going to look like
just fogginess.
Tired.
Those early signs are going tolook like just fogginess, tired
maybe some like emotional,heightened emotion, yeah, and
then like our again, when our,our bodies speaking to us are
your shoulders tense, tight,maybe your stomach isn't feeling
(28:56):
well and you're having a hardtime digesting properly,
headaches, that sort of thing.
I mean there's a lot ofdifferent little cues and,
honestly, a lot of us are goingthrough all of these different
symptoms, thinking that it'sabsolutely normal.
But just because it's commondoes not mean it's normal, and
(29:18):
so we just have to kind of liketune in and cue into that like
stress and how we can, how wecan lower it, and kind of build
the stress resilience in orderto fight the burnout.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
What are your daily practices?
Like you must do this beforeyou go to bed.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Before bed.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah, like before the end of the night, like you must
get this like off your listbefore you go to bed.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
So I'm big on setting up a routine to get my body in
rest mode, because that's whathelps me, kind of like set
myself up for success, to getquality sleep.
So it's my non-negotiable islike kind of just like writing
everything out and like, whetherthat be on my phone or in a
(30:10):
journal, write it all out.
Then I have to do my like washmy face, brush my teeth, do the
whole thing.
I'm not wrapping my whole body.
I'm not one of those who'sliterally taping everything up
so that I, you know and shedding, but I do just like the.
I just can't go to bed unlesslike everything's clean.
(30:32):
Then, um, I usually put my feetabove my head for 10, 15
minutes just to send all of likethe blood flow back down into
my heart space, because we're soused to being on our feet all
day long and as a fitnessinstructor, I'm like moving a
lot and so it helps to reallylike lower the inflammation in
(30:55):
my body and get all of thetoxins like brought.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Okay, you need to do an Instagram reel about this,
because I that I have not doneyet, so I'm going to put my feet
above, so they're like kind ofsit on the floor against the
wall and put my feet up on thewall.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
So I just do it on my bed and then I'll like listen
to a podcast or you know, likejust meditative music or
whatever, but I have my feetabove my headboard and then my
head is like laying on the bed.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yeah, okay, I'm going to do that tonight.
Okay, mel, what are yournon-negotiables for your day?
Like, what do you need to doevery day?
To, like, keep you on your path?
Speaker 2 (31:30):
So mine is kind of a two-part answer.
The first thing is actually inthe morning, and this all has to
do with the fact that I have athree and a half year old
daughter and so I have to get upbefore she does and I have to
do some form of movement and Ineed to just like prepare all
systems in check for today,Otherwise I wake up a totally
(31:52):
different person.
So I usually wake up, what timeis that?
So I set my alarm for 545.
It doesn't always happen that I, you know, respond accordingly,
but I will say I'm up by sixand then I immediately drink
water and I do some form ofmovement.
So that could look from likeanything from 10 to 25 minutes.
(32:13):
I just do like some sort of avideo or my own self-guided
workout in my space upstairs andthen so that just sets me up
and that isn't total,non-negotiable, it sets me up to
be able to handle all thethings.
And then the second part of mynon-negotiable day is having
space to unwind after a full dayof working and parenting.
(32:37):
My husband works in televisionand so he has gone a lot of the
week.
Sometimes you knowunpredictable schedule.
So I'm doing dinner and bedtimeand all the things and it it's,
you know it's exhausting.
And so when she goes to bed, Ineed time to unwind, and that
(32:59):
could look different every night.
Sometimes that's just likefolding laundry and listening to
a podcast, sometimes that'swatching a show.
I know that's not like awellness answer, but it is me,
you know.
It's true to myself and it'strue to what I need to Well
that's what you're watching.
Yeah Well, we won't go there.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
But you're watching some Bravo show.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I mean maybe, maybe some nights Depends the city,
sabrina, it depends the city.
I love it, but it just it givesme some time to feel like
myself again.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Good, OK, I do want to ask like what made you guys
merge both of your specialtiesto create your new business?
Like what, what sort of?
What happened?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Yeah.
So I was diagnosed with lupusin 2006 and lived with it for a
very long time, with suppressingit instead of finding the root
cause of my flare-ups, and so Ihad gone down this long journey
with it and was in this constantburnout mode.
Enter my husband is an actor.
(34:07):
He was on Fuller House andMelanie and Full House, and Full
House.
Yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
So do you want to tell everybody?
Speaker 3 (34:20):
who your husband is, of course.
So Dave Coulier is my husbandand played the beloved character
Joey Gladstone, and so he metMelanie.
Because Melanie was working inproduction on Fuller House and
was like I think this, you know,I met a girl that I feel like
(34:40):
you're going to be fast friendswith, and so he kind of like set
us up on a little friend date.
And he was right.
We just started hiking andtalking about all the different
ways like where we were in ourpath during that time and for me
, I shared my journey with lupusand I really did not like
talking about it because I feltlike it was always limiting
(35:06):
opportunities if someone knew Iwas struggling with chronic pain
and with this autoimmunedisease.
So, and at the time that Ishared that, melanie shared with
me that she was getting intoholistic wellness and going to
become a holistic nutritionistand so I became her first client
and after a small amount oftime working together, I was
(35:33):
finding that things wereactually working for me.
That things were actuallyworking for me, so it became my
medicine.
After three years of workingtogether, I got off all
medication.
I have flare-ups maybe once ortwice a year now and I haven't
touched any sort of medicationin years Maybe an occasional
(35:57):
steroid injection if I'm like ina really bad flare up but so I
was like it was my biggest ahamoment of life.
I was like I feel like we haveto help other women realize that
like there is a way throughthis battle, and so many of us
(36:18):
are facing autoimmune issues orchronic pain and inflammation.
So then we, in our practice, weworked with a lot of leaders
and women who were, you know,producers and directors, and all
of these women were kind ofcoming to us of, like I have
(36:40):
this full plate, how can Ibalance, how can I maintain, and
also how can I feel better inmy body, and so that was like
how it all came about.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
I love that I am for anyone listening.
I will put in the show notesMel and Mel's information Live
Well, Lead Well.
Also the Instagram and how youcan get in touch.
Thank you, ladies, for givingme your time.
I know I probably was all overthe place with questions, but I
feel like it's what everybody islike wondering how we can start
(37:11):
, what we could do, Because Ifeel like, at the end of the day
, we all want to look and feelour best, you know, and
regardless of our schedules orwhere we live.
It's just about making itsimple and easy to digest.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Totally Thank you for having us.
Yes, thank you, we hope weprovide some clarity for people.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Thank you Bye.
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