My Why

My passion for WellBalanced actually comes from a selfish place, and I’m not ashamed to admit it! I was just 20 years old when I lost my Dad to lung cancer. As smoking took my Father, I learned what it’s like to lose and live without a parent at such a young age. This motivated my passion for health education. If I can help someone change their at-risk health behaviors and allow them to enjoy their loved one a little longer, then I’m all for it. Death is a part of life, just as much as living is, but I would hate to see lives lost at a young age or children and families left behind.

I created WellBalanced because I want people to live healthy lives and take better care of themselves. During my studies in college, I learned so much about the alarming numbers of deaths due to chronic diseases that health professionals treat regularly.

Did You Know: Many chronic diseases (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, etc.) can either be avoided or managed with regular physical activity and good nutrition?

I continued to discover the difference in quality of life and health status of those who are physically active and eat nutritious food regularly when compared to those who didn’t. It is important to practice preventative measures before you become sick. People tend to change their habits when shit hits the fan, but the goal is to avoid shit hitting the fan, if at all possible!

With all the information I learned, I take a hard look, not only at myself, but at my family, close friends, and my community. Knowing what I know about lack of physical activity and good nutrition - especially in the Black community - I felt like it was my calling to get this information to those I cared about. We all know there is a lack of education on standard health practice, access to education, grocery stores, doctor offices and so much more. I would be doing myself and my community a disservice if I didn’t bridge that gap or at least make others aware. Digging further into my studies, I learned that health is MORE than physical activity and eating right. It’s seeking care when needed, effectively managing stress, dealing with emotions in a healthy manner, etc....this is the importance of the wellness wheel, but I'll talk more about that in my next post.

That's my why! So think of me as your little or big sister who just wants you to take a little bit better care of yourself!