Wellness Tips You Need to Know from the Medicine Chef
Have you ever wondered what are the key wellness tips you should be incorporating in your life? Look no further I chatted with Tina Martini a fitness trainer and author of “Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food”. Known as the Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness. As an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking and lifestyle show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen inspires people near and far to live a healthier life. Tina has assisted celebrities, athletes, CEO’s and others on their journey to restore radiant health and fight disease with the healing power of food.
Tina believes that maintaining balance in diet, physical activity, work, and spiritual life is the key to good health, happiness, and overall well-being and I couldn’t agree more with this concept! Keep reading to learn more about Tina’s wellness tips and how you can begin to make small changes towards a healthier life.
NMF: Why do you call yourself the Medicine Chef?
Tina Martini: The name was given to me by a group at a spa I was working at. A guest had come in on a 20 hour flight. The swelling in her extremities was so bad she could hardly walk, or use her hands. I went to the kitchen and pressed a small amount of fresh Cranberry juice. I had her sip the pure, tart juice. We followed that up with a cup of Chamomile Tea. Within thirty minutes she was able to walk and hold her drinking glass without discomfort. I was already known as "The Tofu Guru," but after that, I quickly became known as "The Medicine Chef." I help you heal yourself, using the power of nature.
NMFIT: What is the Pyramid of Power and how has it helped your clients?
Tina Martini: There are many tools that assist us in our quest to be healthy. The Pyramid of Power addresses the three areas of true wellness and radiant health. Nutrition-living on foods with no life force, creates disease in our bodies. We are an amazing work of chemical art. To live a vibrant and exciting life, we must replenish these energy-giving nutrients, several times per day. We can't run our businesses with a negative cash flow. How can we expect to run our bodies with a negative nutrient flow? Exercise-this is the catalyst that activates the nutrients, to do their jobs. We know Endorphins, released from our brains during exercise make us feel better overall. But, that's just the tip of the chemical iceberg. There are many different types of enzymes, hormones, and neuropeptides that do different jobs and send a variety of messages to all of the bodily systems. Movement helps to clarify and choreograph this intricate dance. And last, but certainly not least: Bodywork-One, one hour basic Swedish massage, increases the production of the Vasal Intestinal Neuro Peptide, or the VIP, by a minimum of 70%, for three weeks, after treatment. This very important peptide tells our bodies to be youthful, to retain moisture, build muscle, and all of the other functions our bodies do naturally, when in the growth stage. Restorative Yoga is a form of bodywork. Rolling your bare feet out on a tennis ball. Taking time to focus on your breathing. Anything that gently encourages the muscles, joints, ligaments, fascia, tendons and vital organs to stay moist and supple.
NMFIT: How do you personally blend physical wellness, nutrition, and spirituality to maintain overall health?
Tina Martini: I have always turned to movement, meditation, and spirituality, to manage stress. I learned this at a very young age, as my mother was in severe alcoholism. I knew I had a choice: to become trapped in the prison of addiction and self-loathing or choose to spend time doing things that enhanced my health and ultimately made me feel positive. Learning to surrender to situations I cannot control has had a huge impact on my life. Knowing that my health could change at any moment keeps my "attitude of gratitude," in the present moment. This is why I became so committed to assisting those who wanted to improve their lives. How we eat, how we move, and how we nurture and encourage ourselves, plays a huge role in the number of healthy days we experience on our journey. These are choices we generally can control. We're a work in progress. I am always gently reminding myself to maintain balance in these areas. If I overindulge in one area, I use my other tools to bring balance back.
NMFIT: If someone wanted to get healthy today what would be your top 3 tips?
Tina Martini: 1. Identify your top habit that does not support your health. Begin the steps to remove and replace this habit with something you like, that does support your health.
2. What did you do as a kid, that kept you active? Find something similar to add to your current life. Movement is a gift to ourselves. When we evolve our perspective from burden to gift, we begin to look froward to our exercise time. Just imagine how you would feel if you were unable to move.
3. Get present with what you are eating. Sit in a chair with legs uncrossed, feet flat on the floor. Now take a food that you think you would like to give up. Examine the items thoroughly. Smell it, take a bite and chew slowly. Notice the taste it leaves on your palate. When I do this exercise in groups, the participants are astounded at what they thought they liked. And, what they really like when paying attention. Being conscious of our choices is the best way to make changes, that will last a lifetime.
Our Radiant Health is the number one thing that we tend not to value until it's gone.
Tina Martini-The Medicine Chef, fitness professional and author of "Delicious Medicine-The Healing Power of Food"
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