Welcome. i Am so happy you’re here. This space is my personal and continual conversation on fly shit iLike. i think it’s fly AF to be healthy, get your shit together, enjoy life, all while in a great fucking outfit having a beautiful experience. Simple. It’s beautiful to just be you. In this space, i Am an editrix of taste.
iAM
i Am a free thinker who lives for an elevated conversation and experience. I mean, who doesn't, right? I'm going to share some here. The subject matter always falls into one or more of 4 categories- Health, Wellness, Lifestyle, & Fashion, all curated by moi. It's a good time.
" I am" is an affirmation statement I live by. For starters, I am a Gemini, Cancer, Cancer- this is for my astrology people; you feel me here. I am chatty, witty, and sensitive about my shit! I feel it all. This is a moment we are having. Welcome to a safe space.
i Am a Creative Entrepreneur & Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (F.N.T.P.). For navigation purposes, click here to learn more about my company, The Fruit Stand LA, me, and what it means to be an F.N.T.P.
What can you expect from this space? Conversations on preventative healthcare, supplements, healthcare-related topics, therapy modalities, self-care, relationships (toxic & non-toxic), products, brands I fuck with, wardrobe pieces, books, film, music, culture, home décor, and so much more. I get to talk and listen.
I love when I find my people. This is for you, Mwah.
10 ways of living I freely believe in:
· Equanimity & Minding my business, I live for my peace mind.
· Nature is Everything!
· Preventative Healthcare & Bio-Individuality
· Respect, keep it cute with the feedback
· Emotional Maturity, getting your shit together is sexy
· Freedom, Humanity, & Free Thinking
· Life being a beautiful motherfucker! Live it!
· "Ain't nothing but a little bit of straightenin'"- Word to Migos #Culture3
· Art imitates life & life imitates Art
· Quality over Quantity
Health
i Am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul- Invictus, William Ernest Henley. A word & a fact.
i Am a foodie & I care. In my personal opinion, Health & Nutrition go hand in hand. The more I know about it, the more I want to correct and share what I know. Honestly, a bitch is on a mission to share what I know, lol. You ever heard the saying, get the mind, and the body will follow? Man, this is the root of some real shit. Here is a fact: All bodies are made up of cells, including my own. It's not specific to one individual; it's everyone. Humanism. I believe in the supreme power of nature. It teaches us everything if we could listen and open our eyes to the life around us and within us. Sounds like a simple thing to do, but in reality, the journey to doing this is quite challenging.
Therefore, I aim to guide in listening and participating. Attention is a precious commodity. Nutrition feeds the cells. Personally, I eat for their pleasure, mine, and homeostasis. I believe our bodies are capable of healing themselves through cellular and molecular repairing. However, it is my personal belief that you have to be an active participant in the recovery process. The more I take care of myself, the less I require of the systems. I choose where and how I participate. Freedom. You have to not be afraid to ask questions, even if they've never been asked before. I'm a bit concerned about the state of our culture when it comes to food, the food industry, the side effects, and basically how it's low-key fucking us all up. African Americans pretty much lead in all the major chronic diseases. I see the faces of these chronic diseases and untreated traumas showing up in my family, friends, and the families of my friends.
Why health & nutrition? Why not? I won't pretend as if I get it right every day. It's less about perfection, more about having a good time applying the understanding. The healthier my cells, the healthier me. Basically, the better time they are having, the better time I am having. Legit, in every area of my life. Everybody is made up of the same parts & if a piece is missing, another part has to compensate for it. All elements need attention. This is what I believe a proper healthcare system looks like. Preventative care. i Am also a realist. Currently, I see the state we are in, and I became driven to be a solution. It comes naturally for me, but maybe not for others. I understand.
I naturally gravitated to statistics. Still obsessed. Here's some: According to the C.D.C., although the death rate has decreased by 25% from 1999 to 2015, we are more likely to die at early ages from all causes. Namely, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, even fucking Covid. I see life for the U.S. I want to help with that. I believe in balance (homeostasis) and moderation of everything. I balance my weekly eating on an 80/20 percent scale. I am 100% aware of what I am putting in my body. 70% of the time each day, I am eating a "healthy" meal. The other 30% is whatever I want to knowingly indulge in. I named that side of myself Josie. You'll get to meet her soon. I maintain a specific weight range because I am of a particular height. I like it that way. All behavior leads to an outcome. Too much of anything can turn to addiction. It's more about what are the peaks and pits of me eating this at this moment? I like to help others make the same decision for their individual goal and daily performance.
I could get into the philosophy and the ancestors who came before us to teach us the way, but I really want to sum shit up, not get deep yet.
The more I can take care of myself, the less I require of the systems. I get to choose where and how I participate. Freedom.
Let's get Wellthy!
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."- Audre Lorde
WTF is wellness? Have you ever googled "the definition of wellness?" There are so many results. No one really knows & that's because it's really up to the individual, well-being. What is well for you might not be well for me. For the sake of conversation, let's get into it a bit. This category will primarily focus on mental health, self-care, exercise, healing modalities, wellness treatments, meditation, energy, addiction, supplements, pharmaceuticals, and most certainly food. Food/Nutrition is absolutely a thing on my Venn diagram that relates to all categories. Nutrition most certainly plays a role in how you think, feel & react. The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices, lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, believed that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
More recently, in a New York Times Magazine Op Piece, "Understanding Ourselves," Deepak Chopra, an expert in the field of well-being, declared, "The mind-body connection is another thing I never heard about in medical school, but there's some likelihood that it has filtered, however slowly, into current medical education. This is long past due. Decades of research show that thoughts, feelings, and sensations are communicated from the brain to cells throughout the body. If every cell participates in your mental life, there's no reason not to join mind and body into one system: the body-mind. When you feel sick at heart or breathless with wonder, your heart and lungs share those feelings. The only difference is that they speak in the language of messenger molecules coursing through the bloodstream." The American Psychological Association defines wellness as "a dynamic state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Some researchers and clinicians have viewed wellness as the result of four key factors over which an individual has some control: biology (i.e., body condition and fitness), environment, lifestyle, and health management.
The wellness concept is the notion that individual health care and health care programs should actively involve the promotion of good mental and physical health rather than being concerned merely with the prevention and treatment of illness and disease." All of these definitions, in my opinion, are valid- wellness is most certainly about the well-being and care of the entire individual, not just parts, and that includes mental health (encompassing emotional health) and the impact of daily choices. We'll get into all of this. Many internal and external sources impact mental health, and I am excited to have these conversations.
The nutritional therapy program, Self-ish, is about self-care, nutrition, preventative health, healing modalities, and supplementation. It's more, "Me Too" vs. "Only Me." Find out more about Self-ish here or set up a consultation. The mantra to the Self-ish program is- i Am my healing on repeat. This applies to each area of life every day. Each day is a new day to choose how you show up to create and participate in your life experience. Self-care is to say I am committed to showing up for me in an optimal way designed by me.
Lifestyle.
A life mantra- "Attractive people in attractive places doing attractive things"- Slim Aaron
i Am the subject matter in this quote. I enjoy life and a vibe. I am BEYOND excited to share all the fabulous shit I like, or that inspires me, including places and spaces. This category includes some of my guilty pleasures, inspirations, experiences, skincare, spas, retreats, restaurants, hotels, etc. I will highlight some guilty pleasures, products, and services I use in my everyday life, film, books, culture, anything I want that inspires me or that I actually use regularly. I enjoy new things and experiences, so I'll highlight some of those as well. Music is an essential part of my daily vibe so let's start there.
For instance, a few brands that played a crucial role in my childhood were Apple, aka Macintosh, my Walkman/Discman that eventually turned into an MP3 player, & Napster. i Am an 80s baby; the 90s raised me kind of girl. I grew up on technology and some of the best music genres ever! A proud millennial. In honor of these three, fast forward, and now my Powerbeats Pro Wireless Ear Buds by Beats are one of my favorite accessories. For someone who loves the game (music), they are fucking fantastic. I used to wear AirPods but often lost them because they didn't stay in my ear. There are certain things I hate buying twice, and these I replaced often.
I honestly purchased my Powerbeats out of frustration. I wasn't a fan of them wrapping around my ear, shit made me feel old, but I needed them for working out. I had a pair of Beats Wireless Headphones but wanted to go for a sleeker and smaller aesthetic. I am literally obsessed. I decided to stick with the Beats by Dre brand because I love the active noise cancellation feature the brand was built on. I also liked that they were created by a producer. The sound of music is essential to me as well. This is consistent with Beats products and keeps getting better. So anyway, I got the Powerbeats, and the experience exceeded my expectations. They stayed in my ear, and the noise cancellation was another level. I lowkey wear them all day, and the stability is excellent. The battery life also took me by surprise.
One charge, and I'm basically good all day. The case is very bulky, but the battery has a long life that makes up for it. They even work in the shower or the pool. The IPX4 certification makes them water-resistant protected. The shower is one of my meditation spaces. Now, I don't recommend just standing under the water with them, but they get the job done for me. The mic is also exceptional for all my Siri requests, playbacks, commands, or call responses. I also like to zone out when I am juicing, and these get the job done.
Grab your Powerbeats Pro & Stream A Vibe, a playlist I curated while working on this blog, on Apple Music here: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/iamchanti-dom-a-vibe/pl.u-EdAVK6dTMX2rba
Follow me @iamchantidotcom on Apple Music for more playlists.
The Category is Styl-ish.
"I don't do fashion, I am fashion"- Coco Chanel. Iconic!
Styl-ish is dedicated to the arts & the art of Fashun (fashion). It, too, gives me life. Who doesn't enjoy a good look? I love some good pieces and a fantastic wardrobe. It's always been a way for me to express my mood and uniqueness. Which changes. That's on, period! I live for a good vintage moment as well, mine or someone else's. I believe fashion is a beautiful art form. This shit is orgasmic to me at times. I mean, did you see Cruella 2021? Did they upgrade a bitch or what!?! Then there are just the icons- allow me to introduce Alexander McQueen, RIH. I mean, did you witness his epic 1998 show or even seen the documentary McQueen? To know his work is to learn the art. Or what about when Tom Ford was @ Gucci. Or Galliano @ Dior. Olivier @ Balmain. Rick Owens as Rick Owens. Karl Lagerfeld. Andre Leon Talley. June Ambrose. Lysa Cooper. Naomi Motherfucking Campbell. Each one fucking moment!! It's giving very much legendary! This category speaks not only of wearable art but home décor, nails, books, office décor, all kinds of accessories, etc. This space is about nails and ball gowns, fashions from movies, television series, period pieces; all of it lives here! J'adore, J'adore! It is also very stylish to be an empowered ass individual in a great outfit, so I'll talk about people who inspire me and why. Some of the individuals who set my fashion or humanitarian soul on fire. Salute to all costume designers. They are magnificent. I'm here for all of it & I know these conversations are going to be electric.
But for now…
I value time. Thanks for sharing yours with me. Hope to see you again, in this space in time. In the meantime, stay present.
I love it here! Hope you do too!
XOXO- iAmChanti
P.S. I love Gossip Girl…the Reboot Too
References:
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology, Wellness. Retrieved from website: https://dictionary.apa.org/wellness
CDC. (2017, July 3). African American Health. Retrieved from website: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aahealth/index.html
Chopra, D. (2020, November). Understanding Ourselves. The New York Times Magazine: Self Care, 4-5.
Global Wellness Institute. (n.d.). Wellness Defined. Retrieved from website: https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/what-is-wellness/wellness-economy-definitions/