As part of my new web series, The Role Model In You, here is my most recent interview. The Role Model In You series discusses how individuals were influenced as a child to lead a healthy lifestyle. It covers who influenced these individuals, the changes they made in their life to be healthy, and the message they would like to convey to the youth of today. Our guests include doctors, soccer stars, Super Bowl champions, NBA players, Olympic gold medalist, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and just regular people looking to share their story. I hope you enjoy it!
1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?
Andrea R Frayser, 40, I am a trained Naturopath, I was the founder and CEO of ANDE Cosmetics and Balsam of Gilead Natural Wellness. I am a published author, a healthy eating, vegetarian and vegan cooking expert at a popular website and currently host an online healthy cooking show called “Healthy Cooking with Mama Renee”. I also teach, speak and conduct seminars and workshops on healthy eating.
2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?
My mother Connie Givens-Jones
3. What did they do to inspire you?
She lived a healthy lifestyle and always looked fantastic. When my friend’s parents would come to school, they would be ashamed of how their parent’s looked, I was always proud of how fantastic my mom looked, especially when people mistook her for my sister. I always wanted to have that same respect and admiration from people. She always said “You get out of your body, what you put into it” and she was living proof of the truthfulness of that statement.
4. How did their lesson change your life?
It really scupted the direction of my life. I grew up knowing how important it is to eat right and exercise, they were everyday parts of my life. My mother educated me on the dangers of artificial sweeteners, sodas and junk food, and stressed eating a healthy vibrant diet. It was such a part of who I am, that when I realized that not everyone thought this way, it prompted me to want to educate people so that they could live a better life.
5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?
Oh, yes! I have raised my children to eat healthy, be purposeful in their food choices and to exercise regularly. They carry that message with them, and have influenced their peers to try to eat a healthier diet and join us for exercise. So I get to reinforce the need for better eating to my children’s friends as well.
6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?
You are what you eat. If you want a quality life, then you must start with feeding your body quality food. If you eat junk food all the time- you will see it in your life. A happy life is a purposefully fed life.
7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?