Tia Mowry is an actress, business owner, mom, and health advocate. She sat down with Healthline (virtually) to talk about her wellness journey and the launch of her new brand.
Tia is an actress who is known for her work on “Sister, Sister” and other shows. She can now be seen in the Netflix show “Family Reunion.” She also has a YouTube channel, cookbooks, a company that makes supplements, and a line of home goods.
Tia was full of energy right after her morning workout, which she says was due to more than just the endorphins she got from working out.
Tia told us in our discussion that she had health problems for a long time before she realized how important it was to take care of herself, both emotionally and physically.
During our talk, a key point became clear: taking care of yourself isn’t selfish.
“Self-care isn’t selfish” is the tagline for Tia’s new supplement line, Anser. But it’s also a theme that’s been clear throughout her life, including when she fought for her own health.
Read More: Tony Dow Illness: Is Tony Dow Still Sick? His Health Condition 2022
How Tia got healthy
Tia said that her health journey started when she was in her 20s and was told she had endometriosis, even though her symptoms had been going on for much longer. “I didn’t know what was wrong for years, and I was in pain,” she says.
Endometriosis is a long-term condition that affects up to 15% of women of childbearing age, but not many people talk about it.
It happens when tissue that looks like uterine tissue grows outside of your uterus. This can cause pain, and inflammation, and even make you unable to have children.
Symptoms are especially noticeable when you have your period because hormonal changes during that time make the tissue red and irritated.
Endometriosis signs can start early as they did for Tia, but it takes most women an average of seven years to get a proper diagnosis.
Getting a diagnosis can be expensive and painful (it requires laparoscopic surgery), and health professionals often brush off women’s worries as just bad period cramps.
Tia also says that you’re even less likely to get diagnosed if you’re a Black woman.
Tia says that in addition to having stomach pain, she had frequent migraines, and eczema on her hands, and was unable to have children.
Tia went to a lot of doctors, but none of them could figure out what was wrong with her. One doctor even told her to run to relieve her pain. Finally, she found a doctor who recognized her symptoms and told her she had endometriosis.
Tia said that even though she finally had an answer, her journey was far from over.
In fact, after she had two surgeries to remove scar tissue, her doctor told her that she would need more of these procedures if she didn’t change how she lived.
Read More: What Illness Does Bruce Willis Suffer From? Is He Still Sick In 2022?
Making sure her health comes first
Tia says that after her diagnosis, she felt it was her job to put her health first.
On her doctor’s advice, she stopped eating foods like added sugar that were making her swelling worse. She also talked to nutrition experts to learn more about how gut health and inflammation are linked.
Tia says that, like many people, she knew that some foods are healthier than others, but this experience showed her how important what you eat really is. “When you know what food does for your body, you can take charge of your health,” she says.
Tia says that in addition to eating more whole foods, she started meditating, working out regularly, and taking nutritional supplements. Almost right away, she noticed a change in her body.
She was no longer in pain, and her eczema and migraines also went away. She was also able to get pregnant twice.
“When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I had to talk about it. Tia says, “Even more so because I didn’t see any women of color talking about it.”
Tia wrote her first book, “A Whole New You,” because she wanted to share her story with other people. It has simple and realistic recipes to help people eat better and live healthier lives.
She also just started a supplement company called Anser, which encourages people from all walks of life to take charge of their health.
Read More: What Was Naomi Judd Illness Before Died By Suicide?
Anser
Tia’s goal with Anser is to get people to take charge of their health. Her slogan is “Self-care isn’t selfish.”
Anser used to be a company just for women, but now they make supplements and vitamins for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Tia says that one of the main goals of Anser is to make sure their products are of good quality and don’t have any fillers.
Tia says, “I also want people to feel like they are a part of the conversation about their health.” “For a long time, everyone had the same idea of what health is and how much it costs. The prices of healthy foods and supplements have always been high. These foods and items shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. They should be available to everyone.
Read More: Selena Gomez Is Afflicted With Lupus, An Incurable Disease: Everything You Need To Know
‘Self-care isn’t selfish’
Tia’s work, whether it’s her supplement line, cookbooks, or honest blog posts, is all about getting people excited and confident about making their health a priority.
“I feel like I’m in my 20s. I have a lot of energy, and I think it’s because I put my health first.
Self-care is often confused with self-improvement. It means paying attention to ways to take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health, like going for a run or soaking in the tub.
Tia says that this message of taking care of yourself isn’t always simple, especially for women. “When I was a child, I saw my mother and other women in my life always putting other people first… I wanted to tell a different story.”
She goes on to say that since she started putting herself first, she no longer feels bad about taking time for herself, like going to the gym or taking a quick nap. Instead, she feels good about it.
Research shows that taking care of yourself regularly is linked to lower healthcare costs, better overall health, and lower rates of disease and death from all causes. Taking time for yourself can also make you happier.
It has also been shown to help lower stress and improve relationships with other people (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
Along with feeling guilty, a lot of people think that taking care of themselves takes time that they just don’t have.
But, as Tia points out, taking care of yourself doesn’t take a lot of time. It can be as easy as taking a 10-minute walk, meditating for 5 minutes before bed, or drinking an extra glass of water during the day.
Tia ended the interview by repeating the message that is central to her brand: “It’s OK to take care of yourself and not feel bad about it because that’s how you reach your full potential.”
Tia also wanted to make sure that women of color felt like they were part of the conversation about their health because she didn’t see a lot of diversity in her own health journey.
She goes on to say, “When you look at my marketing, you’ll see beautiful women of color of all shapes and sizes, because I want them to know that they are also part of this beautiful journey.”
You can buy Anser’s products online or at a few stores in the United States, but Tia hopes that one day they will be sold all over the world.