Wellness from Within: An Interview With Heather Ertel, Founder of The Glow Wellness

We are thrilled to introduce you to KNESKO VISIONARIES.  In this new series, I will be hosting 1-on-1 intimate chats with individuals who challenge the “normal” and bring a new approach and passion to topics that matter: internal and external wellness; preserving the environment; giving back to the community; and overall progressive thinking. For our series premiere, we sat down with Heather Ertel.

At KNESKO, we’re always looking for inspiration from like-minded women who have a relentless passion for living life to the fullest and a dedication to tending to the spirit, the soul, the body, and the environment.  We’re pleased to have found a partner-in-crime with Heather Ertel, wellness guru and founder of TheGlowWellness.com that brings healthy living advice and tips to her followers to enable healthful living.  I sat down recently for a chat with Heather to get the low-down on some of her tips – especially on healthy eating, just in time to prepare for the holiday binge! Read on for her helpful insights on how to eat your way to good health.

At Knesko, we’re huge fans of The Glow Wellness! Can you tell our readers about your philosophy and what inspired you to launch your website? 

I wanted women to feel empowered and realize that by making healthy lifestyle changes it can impact every aspect of their lives.  It’s only when you feel your best that you can tap into your best self. I think most women are being reactive rather than proactive with their health.  They don’t really realize how that spills over into every aspect of life; relationships, work, etc.  Health is the ultimate wealth and should be everyone’s #1. Without it we have nothing.  Seeing so much disease in people’s lives lead me to study nutrition, and ultimately I wanted people to not just feel better, but to feel empowered – to take back the control.

Tell us about your approach to mindful eating for overall wellness.

It starts with awareness in the present moment. When you start to practice this, you can begin to quiet the mind and tune in.  When it comes to hunger, most of the time now we are often missing connectivity – so we seek to be fulfilled in other ways.  Stop to ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?” and if not, ask, “What’s eating me?”.   I suggest journaling every day to just get it all out, especially now.

Sit with your emotions and get them out through journaling, movement and meditation.

Know that emotional hunger is in the head; physical hunger is in the stomach (i.e. stomach pangs).  You’ll quickly realize most of the time you’re not really hungry.

Mindful or intuitive eating can be a lot for people to grasp, but there are some simple tips around eating, besides trusting your hunger cues:

• Eat without distractions. No phone or devices.
• Chew, chew, chew! As you do, think about the taste, satisfaction and fullness.
• Eat to the point of satiety; chewing helps this.
• Eat simply so you can begin to see why and how foods affect you. Pay attention to how you feel before and after you eat.
• Keep a journal to track how you feel after meals (i.e. energized, bloated, tired etc.).
• Your goal is to move on to more advanced principles of true body awareness, starting to trust what your body wants and needs – and each day will be different.

We share in common the belief that what you put into your body reflects on the outside.  Can you share your favorite recipe for achieving glowing, radiant skin?

Good fat always! That’s important for feeling satiated.  I love tahini: raw from Israel is best (the brand My Sexy Veggies is the best!).  It’s full of good fatty acids that make you radiate! And I love spirulina, a blue-green algae full of nutrients, great for skin, immune health – literally everything.

Here’s a recipe for one of my favorite smoothies.

I’m also known for making sweet treats that are sugar, dairy, and gluten free; I have a major sweet tooth! Make sure to follow me on Instagram, @theglowwellness, which is where I mostly share all of my creations.

A favorite topic these days is eating foods that fight inflammation.  What are your biggest tips or secret ingredients for fighting inflammation from a diet perspective?

I have a few secret weapons:

• Eat from the earth and eat the colors of the rainbow. Try to incorporate as many different varied vegetables and fruits into your diet every single day to fight inflammation and build immunity that’s key to health.
• Minimize meats.  And when eating them, know the sourcing so you eat as healthfully and responsibly as possibly.
• Eliminate processed foods.  And eliminate dairy and gluten if possible (sadly, these are not handled correctly in the US. Most corn, soy and gluten products are genetically modified.  And dairy is best unpasteurized or raw).  If you love dairy, try kefir (fermented dairy), goat or sheep’s milk.

Any other advice to share with the KNESKO audience looking to achieve wellness from the inside-out?

Yes, practice being kind to yourself, especially now. You can eat well and exercise but if your mind is unhealthy you will be unhealthy. Treat yourself as kindly as you would your most treasured loved ones. ♥️

Don’t miss our live chat on IG LIVE on Wed., Nov. 25^th at noon PST @kneskoskin for more great advice, and to see what KNESKO is up to for the holidays (steals, deals, tips, and tricks ahead!)

Plus, follow Heather for inspiration and wellness advice!  In addition to managing her website, TheGlowWellness.com, Heather contributes to health-focused and lifestyle websites Sakara.com, Poosh.com, Byrdie.com, and TheThirty.com as a blogger and author.

XOXO,

Lejla Cas

KNESKO Founder, Holistic Healer & Celebrity Esthetician