Body Positivity Challenge: Meet Melissa Manilla
We can’t wait to officially kick off the Body Positivity Challenge ((the entire month of February!)). In the meantime, make sure you grab your spot [sign up here!] + meet our leaders! We are so excited to have Melissa Manilla on board — she is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine + has a specialization in functional medicine [which we love!]. Melissa will be covering the importance of being alone [+ traveling alone!], stress//anxiety, + holistic self-care practices!
Q + A with Melissa —
1] Profession + City:
Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine, Functional Medicine specialist + acupuncture certified, + Cleveland Ohio
2] Go to healthy breakfast:
Free range, organic egg scramble with TONS of spinach cooked in coconut oil + diced sweet potato
3] 3 things always in my pantry:
Olive oil, mixed nut butter, sweet potatoes
4] Favorite sweat sesh:
Hot yoga of ANY kind
5] Favorite restaurant in my city:
Well, I just moved from Chicago super recently-there my favorite restaurant was Beatnik. In Cleveland, it is Townhall.
6] Physical aspect of my body I love:
My hair!
7] Quality I admire in myself:
Extremely hardworking, my brain never shuts off + I’m ALWAYS eager to learn more.
8] Currently, I’m working on:
Finishing my master’s in Functional Medicine! So much to learn in this field but the academic portion will be over for me in March-yay!
9] Proudest wellness moment:
I created a habit of wearing a face mask, sitting out the couch doing absolutely nothing, drinking tea at LEAST once a week. Sounds crazy because you think you can do it more often, but easier said than done! This was all for my mental wellness of relaxation.
10] Wellness trend I love:
Gut health!
11] What I learned through my wellness journey:
It is never ending, it’s not about a final destination but a lifelong trek. You are always changing, your health is always changing, your surroundings are always changing. Let yourself grow through these changes + never let the journey of wellness end.
12] When I’m stressed out I:
Take a deep breath, then take some adaptogens to help ease my adrenals.
13] Habit that changed my life:
Reminding myself I need time for myself. It is OKAY to be alone + not go-go-go. Some days you just need to do nothing.
14] Body positivity instagram crush:
15] Body positivity tip:
Sticky notes! Write them everywhere to yourself. I still have a sticky note I wrote to myself probably 5 years ago that says “You can do this!” They are positive, personal affirmations we all need.
16] 3 resources every CHAARG girl should know about:
- Christina Rice has an amazing webpage of all things non toxic beauty, essential oils, + healthy eating + wellness. @christinaricewellness
- drhyman.com is an incredible resource for those of you interested in alternative medicine. He is the “creator” of Functional Medicine
- [Not sure if this is a resource, more like a thing], but Primally Pure is non toxic skincare products that are INCREDIBLE!
17] Advice I wish I could give my 20 year old self:
If deep in your heart you feel something isn’t right, change it. Don’t stick with something [or someone] just because those around you think you should, do it for yourself + stop explaining yourself to others. You are your OWN person, ++ make changes for yourself first. You can’t be your best version unless you deep down are happy with all aspects of your life.
