Self-Care Sabbaticals

In this episode, I catch up with Lena Di before she jet sets off to her next adventure in Africa. Listen in as we talk healing through food and dance.

File: Yoga Wit The Ohmies - S01E01 - Lena Di - Draft.mp3

Length: 29:48

[Intro]: Our first Ohmies pulling up a seat to the table is Lena Di she's a wellness entrepreneur world traveler and founding owner of Lena Di Wellness. In this episode, I catch up with Lena Di before she just sets off to her next adventure in Africa listening to me talk healing through the lens of food and dance.

Jewell: So, let's kick things off. What started you [inaudible 00:24] this journey?

Lena Di: What started me was being laid off from my job, which started in bring us 2013 so in April will be eight years. And so around that time I was taking my eating seriously I started wanting to only eat organic foods and so I live in Atlantic City New Jersey which is south Jersey and it is what you consider a food desert. If you're not familiar with what a food desert is an area where it has limited or no access to nutritional foods and so at the time, I didn't know what that was but I found that I needed to drive an hour to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to have more options in terms of organic foods in general. And so, during this journey, because an hour way just did in fitness in my weekly schedule, I wouldn't do it once a month.

Jewell: Can we pause there for a moment because it is crazy to me how many food deserts there are across this country, I'm so grateful for the work that I've been able to work on it's interesting that you say you got into wellness after being laid off. Because I was same, I was working in corporate America I got laid off and it was, okay well let me start going to teacher training and building the foundation for my business but while I was working in corporate America, I was working at Nike sales office in Chicago and our territory was 22 states across the middle of the country so it was dope that we got to travel to states Detroit is not a state, my god.

But Michigan, Detroit was one of the cities we got to go to Cleveland Akron, a lot of different places that I would not have normally been exposed to, Detroit I have family there but Cleveland and Akron I've not ever been there living in Dallas going in south of LA, all of those pockets have complete food deserts. And even if you talk about like more rural parts of the country there are food deserts as well it is an issue and epidemic, I would say that we're not talking about enough so that's interesting that from your journey from getting laid off we started to prioritize your wellness and that started with food for you which I love that.

Lena Di: Thank you, it's so interesting because I've always been slim, I’m the same size basically since when I was in high school. I didn't even have a long-term mission because it seemed anything that I tried to start I never really finished or follow through with it after some time. Because I remember even before getting laid off, I was doing like a fitness challenge with my coworkers now my goal wasn't to lose weight like theirs were but it was just like go to the gym and exercise more and I wanted to get back to my athletic days when I kind of moved around a lot.

However, part of it was a trainer to be honest because he took on too many of us and he wasn't giving us the feedback or the attention that we required however it was something that I just kind of thought you know what I don't have time for right now it's just not meant to be. However, doing this specific time was a switch happen and weird enough the switch happened from watching a television show now granted I’m not big on tv however Law and Order SVU was something that was probably watched almost every episode. There was one particular episode I’m not sure if you recall this episode but it was like they were in this butcher shop or something and it was filthy and it was rodents everywhere and it was, I don't know it was chemicals or something I don't know. But that sparked me to say, I’m never eating meat again unless it's organic, that started my journey I kid you not.

Jewell: Something you had brought up just in the area of you living in Atlantic City and it being a food desert so many of these places’ people don't realize you think there's so much money coming into the city because of casinos to think that a place like that wouldn't have access to grocery stores that she would have to travel an hour away, how do people who don't have cars, access to food in that area.

Lena Di: No, it's not that they don't have grocery stores, it's just that there's no one in the city itself. There is one in the neighboring towns, however, you do have to take public transportation if you don't have access. And so, I grew up with my parents and my siblings, we would take the bus there. It was very inconvenient. Now, there are other local stores and certain communities, that much more bodegas and things like that, that kind of cater to a particular population, or, just in the area. It's just that, sometimes for me, there are certain things that I'm looking for, they might not have there. So, it's not people who don't have any access to food or anything like that. But because I'm very particular about what I get, and I'm really big on the quality of certain things.

That's what forces me to have to venture out further to other destinations. That's basically how the whole thing started. However, since over the years, it's evolved a lot. I went from strictly just everything organic to plant base. And I prefer as organic as possible when it comes to producing and things like that. However, depending on what it is, I'll be more flexible. Now, it’s like I've cut out dairy milk, I've cut out cheese, I've cut out meat, of course, fish, because sometimes I'll say meat, and people still ask me if I eat fish. I said, nope, that's included. For me, it's predominantly grains, fruits, and veggies that I incorporate into my diet. If you were to ask me even back then when I started, I would have told you this is too extreme veganism. No, I would never do that. And then now to see where I am is pretty insane to think about.

Jewell: What's your main source of protein?

Lena Di: So, for me, I don't focus on protein per se. Because you can get protein from all sorts of veggies and things like that. And mainly because your body has, parts of the chain that create the protein, it's, once you eat, produce, and certain things, those sources of food will finish the chain. However, if I want to get more abundance of it, hemp seeds are a good source that I go for.

Jewell: Yes, they're so good.

Lena Di: Yes. And I learned that they have more protein compared to meat sources. And they digest very quickly, they're chewable, kind of eating sunflower seeds to me, you issue them quickly, they digest in your system faster. And then it’s kind of easier I guess, to get them in, but for me, there’s a protein in many different plant sources. So, I kind of just trying to keep it as much of a variety as possible, for many reasons, with that being one of them, but then also because just to mix up the nutrients as well as you know, different minerals and stuff from the variety versus eating the same thing over and over again.

Jewell: Yes, I guess I would say for me, maybe I don't have the right combination of plant-based foods, because I eat probably 80 to 90% plant-based, but I don't the time, so I'm trying to go completely plant-based, I have felt so hungry, my body is just not had enough protein at all. And that has consistently been my issue throughout the years. And I would have probably been trying to go completely plant a base for five or six years now. It's just, no, you can't do it. And so, I just made my peace with eating still chicken and fish as protein when my body craves it. And if it doesn't, then that's okay too. And rarely I will have the rarest craving for red meat in the form of a burger or something like that.

When I do my body it just rejects it immediately and it's just, okay, we've had that experience moving on. And you know what it is to I like beans, but I've noticed during quarantine, if I eat too many beans, I get really bad heartburn. So, that has been an issue with finding a protein that can replace the beans, but I enjoy [inaudible 9:46] hearts Chia Seeds. I love chia pudding. I try to stay away from the nut butter. But it's interesting. I don't know. I think maybe I do need to try something different to see if I can push myself to that point of getting a 100% plant base. For me, it's with the chronic illnesses that I live with that I feel, I want to see if I can heal my body with the food that I'm putting into it. Because I have the mental stamina, so to speak, I'm very much so into my meditation practice and my yoga and movement practice, but I feel the food is the last piece of healing that I'm trying to access.

Lena Di: Hearing what you're saying in terms of, especially being hungry. Hunger seems to be the big thing that kind of people communicate to me in terms of why they can't stick with it, whether it's a client, whether it's a colleague or something like that, I will say for me that I actually will get hungry more often, since being plant-based than when I was on other types of eating diets, or whatever you want to call them. However, what I also realized for me is that eating plants, especially when you compare them to a meat source is going on to digest faster.

And so, you will get hungry more often, it's not a bad thing, to eat more often, or increase your meal portion size, or incorporate complex carbs into your system. So, that they will release energy over time, slowly versus immediately release all the sugar into your system. And then it's crashing your body. Now your body's, filled with like sugar in your bloodstream. There are different ways in which to do that. And I always have snacks with me, no matter where I go, and mainly because of the options. Even if I go to an athletic event, and I suppose track and field, ironically, usually at the food stand concessions and things like that.

They would never really have healthy options, except for maybe fruit, or maybe a granola bar or something like that. So, I was always bringing food with me. As long as you're eating good foods, I think that you'll be fine. It's just that, there is an unhealthy way to be plant-based or vegetarian or whatever it is, people just think is automatically healthy and it's not. It's just that researching and knowing that there are so many different types of options that you have. Because for me, some of the things I was even found at Whole Foods, I had never seen heard before I know what it was, but I was just, let me get it because I don't know what a melon it is. But you know what, you going to figure this out.

Jewell: Not to cut you off. But because I've been to the waves before shopping at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and then you might not always have access to those or maybe your pockets can't always suit those which I know. Now minds don't but I love a good local grocery store that has really interesting and unique options. But I've noticed that in my neighborhood where I live in Newark, it looks a lot different than if I go to the grocery store and Morris town that has roasted vegetables spreads, and they have a whole health and wellness center. And there were used to teach yoga at the grocery store in Morris town.

They have a small Fitness Studio where they had Zumba classes, yoga, it's right near their little pharmacist area. It's a beautiful little setup and they have an amazing spread of array before the pandemic they had to make your granola stations, a smoothie, and Acai bowl bar, there's a whole bar and that grows you start legit, you can have drinks and cocktails and happy hours at the grocery store in the bar beautiful grocery store. And these are the type of options that you're given in certain neighborhoods versus in New York. Yes, the shop right over here. It's very nice. It's new, it's only been here a few years, but is nothing compared to what they have over in Morristown.

And they have to your point multiple interesting food options that maybe I might try. I had been looking for gluten-free oatmeal because I love oatmeal, but I'm trying to cut more gluten out of my diet and I had to search to find I was even surprised that they even had it on a shelf in Newark because they don't typically carry stuff like that. Whereas if I would have gone to the one in Morristown, they have aisles and aisles of gluten-free and Whole Food options and things like that at your local shop. It doesn't have to be a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's but even then, not all of the grocery stores are created equal across the neighborhoods that they serve at It is.

Lena Di: Yes, it's very unfortunate. I'm really big on local as well. But I find that when I travel to, tropical environments, such as in the Caribbean or Africa, it's easier for me to support locals when it comes to producing especially. And there's an abundance of fruit stands you can just walk every 10 meters and you see another one. And it's cheap, it's very affordable. I wish it was the same here. Unfortunately, it's not. But I will say a positive is that locally, in my community, there has been a woman who has been working to build more urban gardens and things like that.

And I've been volunteering with her, last actually spring, maybe late spring, early summer. And because of her grew my own two plants for the first time, which is something I've always wanted to do. It was just what my schedule, and everything that I have going on, I'd never really had the time, but the pandemic actually, gave me that time indoors for a longer period. So, I grew kale, and I grew basil. I'm so proud to do these things, and but I wish she was around when I first started my journey, but it's good. That is at least this here. Because moving forward, she's expanding. She's growing and is something that more people in our community should have access to.

Jewell: Since you brought it up, we gone go there, you had touched on the different quality of foods that you get, and the Caribbean and Africa. And I had wanted to talk to you about your time in Africa and some of the life-changing experience you had there that you completely changed your perspective, is there one or a few or a handful or something you can speak to in that regard?

Lena Di: My gosh, It's just endless things, I guess. Any my first Africa journey started in Nairobi, Kenya. And that was back in the summer of 2019. And I was fortunate enough to go for 40 days, and I was staying with a yoga friend. And she put me in connection with so many other people and the environment. And I've been embraced since I was there. And I remember the first evening that I arrived, I was told that people would mistake me for a local and I'm looking, there's no way, I'm fair skin. I don't have any features that I would think anyone would mistake me for a Kenyan. And kid you not, there were so many people speaking to me in Swahili as soon as he saw me.

Jewell: [Inaudible 17:30]

Lena Di: Yes, it's so crazy because I fit in, I belong I blend in and I was blending in was the most critical part because being in the States, you don't always blend in many spaces, especially in health and wellness. And that's a whole other conversation. But so, that was the start of it is feeling welcome, feeling at peace feeling at home. But then also it forced me to tap into my dancing roots. Dance has been my number one passion for years. But because I got into teaching personal training and yoga and things like that, I've kind of gotten away from it. And especially when I moved back to South Jersey, because I spent a couple of years in New York, which is where I'm original, I guess where I was born.

But I grew up in Jersey, so I spend most of my time here. But being in New York had more access to different dance opportunities, whether it'd be a gig or music video or flash mob, whatever, anything like that. So, it was just amazing to go to Kenya and do more dancing than I did anything else. I was thinking I'm going to go and teach yoga everywhere and do these different things. And it was, I did more dancing. I was invited to perform in Mombasa, which is on the coasts of Kenya. And it was, wow, my first international performance, this was cool. It's so amazing. And that was the start of it.

And then more recently, in November of 2020, I had the opportunity to go to Tanzania, which was supposed to be for 30 days that lasted for 50 because I changed my flight twice because I just did not want to leave and again, I felt at home. And Tanzania is a neighbor of Kenya. And between Tanzania and Zanzibar, which Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, but it's about two hours off the coasts on a ferry or 45 minutes flying there. But it was, though, between the two environments, it was just so awakening, especially during this time that people are cooped up indoors and things like that. And because Tanzania has been open, it felt like normal life again and it's warm. Summertime, during our winter months, 's something that's been a goal of mine for a while to spend my winters in a warmer environment. Again, I'm dancing. It was similar things that I have access to an abundance of foods and introduces so many other plant-based dishes.

 And it's not as hard to find it when I'm out, which is good. And for the most part, things are local. Which and I feel good because I'm supporting a local business, which I find to be very important, and just feeling having access to that much vitamin D and feeling alive. My spirit is awake, and I'm inspired, I'm creative, I am physically moving around more than I wouldn't even once are here because most times I just want to be cooped up inside because I don't like the cold, not a fan. And so, connecting with people from all over the world who are very like-minded, either ex-pats or just people who just thrive on a continent. I would say those are the highlights of my African experience.

Jewell: I love it. Do you listen to Fabulous?

Lena Di: I used to.

Jewell: You got me in my head, told these hoes I'll be back around June. Damn, it's so cold in fucking winter. Find somewhere warm for the wintertime to your homeland. That's so beautiful.

Lena Di: And I will say, I was inspired a few years before family members because I have roots in Barbados on my maternal side. And it was a place that I finally got to visit as an adult, maybe six years ago. And instantly I touchdown. And I was, I'm home. When I started learning that I have relatives who go every year, I took my first week-long trip there. And I got to kind of learn, one area of the island and we did kind of hop around different places, but predominantly, we seed in that parish called Christ Church. It was so amazing, but I'm, a week is not enough. And I've been in many places in the Caribbean before, and I haven't been back but I always say young, get back fed up, please. But something about Barbados where I was, I can be here all the time.

And I learned that my aunt, would go all winter, and she's in her 80s. But they've been doing it for decades, and she would go for a few months at a time. And I was, wait that could be me. But I don't want to wait until I retire. And I'm not retiring and 60s. I'm going to start doing that in my 30s. Now, and so that's been my mission to be able to do that. And so, this even effect, I got the spin two months of the winner in a warm environment, even though it wasn't Barbados and Barbados were my original plan. It was still, was still something that I feel I needed. That's part of my self-care as part of my overall sense of well-being. And it's something I do not want to incorporate for the fun of [inaudible 23:08]. I need to incorporate.

Jewell: Yes, I love that. And we chatted offline a little bit that my grandma on my dad's side, her roots traced back to Barbados. At least that is where she enslavers from England they have plantations in Barbados before they took their property to the United States to set up shop after Haiti wreaks havoc across the Caribbean fucking shit up. Fucking a lot of money for the white folks so, thank you for that. My Haitian brothers across the Caribbean, across the states across the world. We are all connected across the diaspora, which is beautiful. I would love to spend some time in Barbados researching my family history there too. I went once on a cruise trip. But we got to spend the whole day on the island. It was so funny we were on the beach at the same time that they were filming Tempted to Touch video. [Inaudible 24:12] stand to the right, I would have been in the shot. It was amazing. 

Lena Di: [Cross-talking 24:17] come back there. I love that song. Yes.

Jewell: It was planned out at that time Susan's like, shit. They are filming this video. This is the best vacation ever.

Lena Di: That is awesome. It's a funny time you mentioned a cruise because that was my first trip there too was on a cruise.

Jewell: Yes, you got to go back and experience the island of our grandmothers. I love that. Okay, so we're at the point in our interview, we'll get to our final questionnaire with 10 questions. Number one, describe your style and one word.

Lena Di: Personal style is vibrant.

Jewell: Okay, what's one thing you wish you could change about the world?

Lena Di: Food accessibility.

Jewell: What brings you joy?

Lena Di: Dancing?

Jewell: What makes you cry?

Lena Di: Disparity.

Jewell: What type of impact do you want to have on this earth?

Lena Di: I want to make wellness, total body mind-body spiritual wellness available to people worldwide, and specifically to people of color.

Jewell: What's your favorite thing about being black?

Lena Di: Everything. We're just so dope. From the arts to the creativity, everything. I just love it.

Jewell: What do you hope for your community?

Lena Di: I hope that the community improves on its collectivism, working together, and building networks so that we can help generations moving forward.

Jewell: Yes, so that Umoja on Buddha spirit, yes. That it comes together to collect the work and responsibility. What do you love most about yourself?

Lena Di: I don't know why patience is the first word that came up. But that's my guess. I love that I'm patient.

Jewell: Come on. Patience is a virtue. What's your favorite book?

Lena Di: Okay. My favorite book is I don't know why The Alchemist.

Jewell: Yes, because you are an Alchemist.

Lena Di: Am I, I never thought about it like that. But I guess so. Thank you.

Jewell: Touching this earth Yes, you are the Ambassador between America and Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya. Yes, madam, you are.

Lena Di: I'll take it accept it.

Jewell: Miss Lena Di. Last question. If there were five songs on the soundtrack of your life, what would those five songs be?

Lena Di: Okay, that one. So, I was saying my current mood and where I am, I would say Happy by Pharrell one there. Let's see. I'm terrible with names. I just love Soca, like Afro beats and all that stuff.

Jewell: You can give me a genre or artists.

Lena Di: Okay. So, all of Soca, [cross-talking 27:19] I'm at four now. And then, MJ has always been an inspiration to me. And I feel a lot of his music has inspired me in many ways, in terms of, inspiring me to dance when I was so shy, I would never show my family but I would watch him secretly and practice routines. So, that when I started performing people were surprised that I was a good dancer as well as myself. But listening to the lyrics now as an adult, actually hearing the songs I think, definitely had an impact on me in many ways.

Jewell: Was that five?

Lena Di: Well, because I lumped genres together, so yes.

Jewell: Take that listen. Round up Joel round up. I appreciate you Lena Di, thank you so much. I can't believe I have my first ever podcast interview. This is amazing. I can't wait for the people to hear it. I so appreciate you and your time; I cannot wait to keep up with you and your journeys. I can't wait to travel with you. Because we're going to be in Africa. We're going to be in Barbados. We're going to be all across these lands. I am so excited. I'm so grateful that we connected. This is dope, please let the people know how they can get in contact with you keep up with you. Where can they find you?

Lena Di: I am predominantly on Instagram. Facebook, too, but the name is the same. It's Lenadiwellness. So, that's lenadiwellness email is lenadiwellness@gmail.com site coming soon. But if you cling to those accounts, you'll be able to access my website once it is officially up and running.

Jewell: So, and I'll tag both of those in the show notes so people can get to easily.

Lena Di: Thank you. I thank you for having me. I enjoyed talking with you. As always, I love your energy. I love your vibe. And in your mission.

Jewell: Thanks, keep it up. I'm excited safe travels alright love.

Lena Di: Thank you.