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Black Wellness Gurus Offer Advice On How To Protect Your Peace Right Now

Don't let the news zap all of your energy.

We are all in need of some extra self-care, especially during these times.

The year 2020, came in like a whirlwind and with so much weighing on our minds daily, it can be easy to overlook taking some time to practice good physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

Bless up! In efforts to assist you on your wellness journey, we’ve created a list of Black Wellness Gurus that you need to know. We’ve even gotten some of them to share their tips to help you find the rainbow on the horizon. 

  1. Danielle Alvarez, Wellness Advocate and Founder of 'Zelue'

    Danielle Alvarez created Zelue as a way to inspire WOC to practice self-care and to encourage her followers to live a life filled with joy. Mission accomplished! Offering her advice on conscious living and radical self-care, the wellness advocate has earned a follow from us! 

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    “Become a Plant Parent. Taking care of a plant is very therapeutic, it relieves stress and gives you joy. Plant care is self-care.”

  2. Brielle Merchant, Health Expert And Owner Of 'Well With Brielle'

    With a Masters in Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Brielle Merchant is more than qualified to talk about self-care.

    Considering wellness her education, career, and genuine passion, the owner of Well With Brielle is also a certified health education specialist (CHES) and a registered yoga teacher (RYT). Yup, #BlackGirlMagic at it's finest! 

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "Expressing gratitude is a natural way to boost your mood. It has been scientifically proven to reduce negative feelings like anxiety and stress.

    Each morning (or at any time!) write down what you’re grateful for. It will feel good to acknowledge the positive in your life.

    Revisit your list often to reflect. Maybe even start a gratitude jar that you can fill up throughout the year!

    I like to reflect and [I] am always astonished by how blessed I am. Often those blessings match my vision board or goals for the year without me even realizing it."

  3. Chelsea Williams, Owner Of 'That's Chelsea'

    Scrolling through Chelsea Williams' Instagram, it's clear to see that she's all about plant-based wellness and nutrition. In fact, the owner of That's Chelsea often shares her tips and tricks for making healthy foods that are also yummy. 

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "[Eat healthy.] Studies show that a plant-based diet keeps cholesterol down, aids in reversing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and reduces the risk of kidney stones or gallstones."

  4. Chelsea Coffey, Lifestyle Blogger For 'The Coffey Break'

    Looking for some positive affirmations? Chelsea Coffey is your girl!

    Thanks to her lifestyle blog The Coffey Break and newly-released book Speak Those Things, 52 Affirmations To Build A Life You Love, any Queen in search of a wellness boost can get exactly what she needs. 

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "Our words create our world, so whether it's first thing in the morning, a midday reset, or before bed, I take time to do a breathing exercise, renew my mind, and speak life into whatever it is that I'm believing for.

    We don't always have control of what the day may throw at us, but we do have control over how we respond and the narrative we tell ourselves. 

    There's power in self-healing and manifestation. Our greatest gift is remembering to be kind, gentle, and patient with ourselves along our journeys."

  5. Britteny Floyd-Mayo (A.K.A. Trap Yoga Bae)

    Trap Yoga Bae takes meditation workout to a whole new level! Transforming a regular yoga session into a party, the woman behind making meditation and mindset fun is definitely someone to add to your IG timeline.

    Who said you can't twerk out the stress? We didn't.

  6. Valerie Agyeman, RD, Women’s Health Dietitian

    Our bodies need love too! Women’s health dietitian, Valerie Agyeman caters to just that with her Instagram page, Flourish Heights.

    Sharing tips and tricks to help WOC flourish in wellness, this has to be one of our favorite IG pages. Not only is her information about eating healthy vital, but she delivers it in a fun and colorful way.

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "Life gets overwhelming at times. Don't be so quick to jump on the next diet and lifestyle trend. Use this time to stay in tune with your body, mind and spirit. How does your body feel when you eat certain foods? Are you well-rested? Have you checked in with yourself? How are you feeling? Slow down and take time to listen. Your body is talking to you. Be intentional about nourishing all parts of you."

  7. Jessamyn Stanley, Yoga Guru

    Who can forget yoga guru Jessamyn Stanley who successfully uses her social media platform to give fans inspiration to workout without feeling the pressures of looking a certain way? We stan!

  8. DeJanae Evins, Cannabis Educator And Owner of ‘Green Goddess Glow’

    With the goal to spark culture-shifting conversations around cannabis and self-care, DeJanae Evins has famously used her platform Green Goddess Glow to educate her fellow sisters about cannabis and its many benefits. A vibe!

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "Cannabis is a wellness tool with so many applications. But in this time especially, I feel it can be used to allow us to flex our 'let go muscle'.

    So many things in our larger society and our personal reality is up for renegotiation.

    A great wellness tip for using cannabis right now is to deepen your ability to process emotions and let them go. We don’t need to hold on to stress, or fear, or hate, or frustration any longer than we have to. But instead, channel those emotions and use them to create an impact, to go inward, and find an intentional course of action to be a part of the change."

  9. Jenell B Stewart, Lifestyle Coach

    As a lifestyle coach, busy mom, and keto enthusiast, Jenell B Stewart somehow finds a way to keep her Instagram timeline filled with inspirational photos/videos of her weight loss journey.

    We love watching a fellow Queen's health journey!

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "When it comes to any lifestyle change, I've learned that being passionate about how that change benefits you is key to committing to it. You need to understand your 'why'.

    For me, choosing to embrace a vegan-keto lifestyle required me to envision the rewards it would bring me healthwise, and then being consistently mindful about my choices as I worked toward those rewards--which is a happier, healthier version of Jenell."

  10. Aala, Healer And Founder Of 'aalaCare'

    During these stressful times, we need a fresh breath of fresh air. Aala, who healed herself of autoimmune illness, is just that. 

    As an advocate of healing your body naturally, Aala created aalaCare, a program that helps people heal their bodies internally. She also keeps her Instagram filled with healthy recipes and relaxation tips to try at home. Amazing!

    Her Wellness Tip For BET Readers:

    "A huge part of my work involves teaching my students about nervous system regulation, since chronic overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system drives the body into deep inflammation.

    There are lots of techniques you can use to self-regulate, and one of them is box-breathing.

    To do a quick exercise, follow these instructions:

    Sit up straight, drop your shoulders, release the tension in your jaw, loosen your arms, loosen your legs, and relax your body. Take a deep breathe--inhale--for 4 seconds. Now hold for 3 seconds. Then, exhale for 4 more seconds. Pause, then inhale again. Keep doing this until you feel calm. 

    This exercise is so simple, yet effective. It helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for your body's ability to rest and digest. Also, given recent events that inflict both emotional and chemical stress on our bodies (COVID-19 and the current Civil Rights Movement), this technique is especially helpful."

  11. * Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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