We had a chance to chat with Health & Lifestyle Specialist from Cindy Rodriguez Health. She tells us about health goals, fitness training, eating habits and more. Keep reading to find out how your daily life choices are affecting you.
What is your goal as a Health & Lifestyle Specialist?
My main goal is to Effect Change in the following areas:
Educate – to teach, guide and support individuals in making smart choices with food and in daily life, so they can stop sacrificing, stop worrying, stop being confused about their bodies (and any symptoms they may be experiencing), and START LIVING. Educating on whole food quality, sourcing and imparting effective strategies that work with your lifestyle are key parts.
Raise Awareness – I like to create “health seekers”; inspire individuals to desire to be the best version of themselves and motivate them to take action with preventive self-care practices. Most people only begin making healthier changes in food, physical activity and visit their practitioner when presented with a health crisis. My goal is to change that concept towards one that provides true, complete energy and health; preventing any possible crisis such as obesity, hormone imbalances, sleeplessness, fatigue, skin issues, diabetes, heart disease and many more.
Create Collaborations – Consistently collaborate with other health practitioners to provide individuals with the complete care needed to be where they want to be with their bodies and health. I believe there is definitely strength in numbers and together, we can do so much.
Please explain how lifestyle and food choices define a unique individual.
I see it as the individual designs his/her unique lifestyle, which determines their choices in self-care practices and food. This, in turn, defines our quality of life based on the results such choices yield. This is gauged simply by how the person feels. We each have the freedom to design and define ourselves as balanced, loving, joy-filled, peaceful individuals and contributors to our ecosystem. It is up to each person to define him/herself.
What is the first step for an individual to improve their health, happiness and overall well-being?
I’d love to share my 5 points to jump-start renewed health
Identify your Main Health Goals – Know what you’re working towards and set clear action steps toward the path to accomplish your goals.
Get Your Numbers! – Make sure you’re on a level “playing field” by getting your labs done (hormone levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose and other tests).
Track Your Food & Mood – Be honest with yourself. It is a “reality check” about what you really eat & drink. This helps you make the connection between food habits and emotions (if it exists for you). You’ll connect the dots between what you eat and how you feel.
Get Support – Just like you need a financial advisor for your money, you can use the knowledge, experience and support of a health specialist, physical fitness trainer, a gym or a support group. Make sure you have the support that properly matches your goals.
Spiritual Fitness – Be it meditation, breathing, silence, or any other practice that nourishes your Spirit connects you to your Mind and Physical Body. This is about establishing a practice that centers you; it anchors you and really helps keep you balanced and focused. It also limits distractions from the outside, everyday world and promotes focus & visualization of your renewed health goals!
How can a relationship and/or a career affect an individuals sense of nourishment?
These aspects of life are part of what I learned to define as “primary foods”. Primary foods represent any non-food source in your life that nourishes you soul. Relationships and career are absolutely primary foods. If there is an imbalance in either or both of these, it will reflect in the individual feeling mal-nourished. The person will most likely compensate for the deficiency by overdoing or underdoing foods and eating habits. On the other hand, when relationships are loving and balanced, and work is fulfilling, the individual is feeling emotionally satisfied. This provides much better chances for food and eating habits to be healthy.
Is there such thing as a healthy dessert? If so, please share!
Absolutely yes! Head over to www.sweetearthcakes.com. Their simple delights (brownies, muffins and cookies) are gourmet, vegan & gluten free. In addition to being delicious, they are made with clean, nutritious ingredients.
Visit Cindy Rodriguez Integrative Health & Lifestyle to learn more information.