In this episode, Dr. Shanice Jones Cameron talks with Dr. Mary Alice Mina, a dermatologist and skincare expert. Dr. Mina shares her journey into dermatology and her passion for educating the public about skin health. She debunks the myth that sunscreen causes cancer and emphasizes the significance of prevention in skincare routines, particularly for those in their 20s. For people in their 30s and 40s, she recommends focusing on a solid skincare routine, incorporating vitamin C serum, and retinol. For women in their 40s, she suggests modifying diet and boosting collagen to prepare for the decline that comes with menopause.

Dr. Mina also discusses the different skin types and provides a simple skincare routine for each type. She also highlights the connection between skincare and overall health, including the impact of stress, inflammation, and lifestyle choices on the skin. She also shares what she does for self-care!

Takeaways

• Skincare routines can be simple and affordable, consisting of a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
• There are five main skin types: normal, oily, dry, sensitive, and combination. Understanding your skin type can help you choose the right products.
• It’s important to be skeptical of skincare information and consider the credentials and motivations of the source.
• Skin health is not just about aesthetics; it is a form of healthcare that should be prioritized. Balance skincare needs with personal goals
• Prevention is key in skincare routines
• Incorporate vitamin C serum and retinol in the 30s and 40s
• Modify diet and boost collagen in the 40s
• Consider the connection between skincare and overall health

Connect with Dr. Mina

• Create Skincare Habits that Help You Glow: https://www.theskinreal.com/habits
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drminaskin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drminaskin
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drminaskin
• Titktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drminaskin
• Medium: https://medium.com/@drminaskin
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drminaskin/
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/06k6qtsxj4uvtpulz6w5ghdc8l2gwo/
• Website: https://www.theskinreal.com/

The Skin Real Podcast

• Podcast: https://theskinreal.podbean.com/
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-skin-real/id1638619358
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fusqoOa7ghC7MNy27Payd
• Podbean: https://theskinreal.podbean.com/
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-skin-real/id1638619358
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fusqoOa7ghC7MNy27Payd

In this episode, Dr. Shanice Jones Cameron talks with Michelle West, a health and fitness coach and Broadway performer. Michelle shares her journey of balancing fitness, wellness, and a career in Broadway. She discusses the multi-dimensional aspects of self-care, the pressures of body image in the performing arts, and the importance of reframing setbacks as part of the journey. The conversation covers the challenges of healthy eating, strategies for breaking unhealthy eating habits, and the importance of self-love and lifestyle change in achieving fitness and nutrition goals.

00:00 – Introduction to Michelle West and Her Journey

03:00 – Balancing Broadway and Barbells

24:10 – Reframing Setbacks: Navigating Body Image in the Performing Arts

31:35 – Navigating Healthy Eating Challenges

37:20 – Breaking Unhealthy Eating Habits

43:51 – The Role of Self-Love in Fitness and Nutrition Goals

  Let’s Connect:

Website: https://herguidedevolution.com

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@herguidedevolution
Instagram: https://instagram.com/herguidedevolution

Connect with Michelle

Website: https://bianutrition.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelleywest/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/michellewestimi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelleywestw

  Free Resources:
FREE Quiz: What is Your Self-Care Personality? https://herguidedevolution.com/quiz/
FREE Daily Self-Care Plan: https://herguidedevolution.com/plan
FREE Journal Prompts: https://herguidedevolution.com/4

Dr. Zarya Rubin, a Harvard-educated functional medicine physician and burnout expert, shares her journey and the connection between early childhood trauma and burnout. She notes that burnout is characterized by extreme tiredness, cynicism, and decreased productivity. Early childhood trauma can increase the risk of developing burnout later in life. We also learn that the mind-body connection is crucial in understanding burnout and its physical impact. According to Dr. Zarya, functional medicine takes a holistic approach, considering the whole person and the interconnectedness of body systems. It focuses on achieving health and balance by addressing the root cause of symptoms. Functional medicine also emphasizes personalized care, taking into account an individual’s genetic makeup, biochemistry, and other factors. Dr. Zarya also shares practical (and brilliant!) advice on what we can do to reduce our risk of burnout, so be sure to listen to the end!

Let’s Connect:

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@herguidedevolution
Instagram: https://instagram.com/herguidedevolution

Connect with Dr. Zarya

Instagram: www.instagram.com/drzaryarubin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drzaryarubin/
Facebook Private Women’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/268114707221770/
Newsletter: https://drzarya.myflodesk.com/burnouttobalance
TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/xfubAfgkUzE?si=E9VwHS7uR6UtfNvn

Free Resources:

FREE Quiz: What is Your Self-Care Personality? https://herguidedevolution.com/quiz/
FREE Daily Self-Care Plan: https://herguidedevolution.com/plan
FREE Journal Prompts: https://herguidedevolution.com/4

In this episode, Shanice Jones Cameron interviews Mireille Siné, a certified running coach and lupus athlete. Mireille shares her journey of how she got into running and became a running coach, as well as her experience of being diagnosed with lupus. She discusses the challenges she faced and the emotional aspect of living with lupus. Mireille emphasizes that running is not just for elite athletes. Running can be what Dr. Shanice Jones Cameron calls an anchor practice, which is an activity that improves various aspects one’s health and well-being at the same time. Running can help individuals with autoimmune conditions build trust with their bodies and practice self-care.

She shares that self-care for autoimmune conditions can include setting boundaries, having a clear cutoff time for work, and prioritizing rest and social activities. Tips for individuals with autoimmune conditions who want to get into running include being open to different ways of restarting, keeping a running journal to track how their body feels, and being patient with the process. Mireille explains that the mental and emotional aspects of running with an autoimmune condition can be challenging, but it’s important to trust yourself, let go of old stories, and embrace the journey. Developing a strong running identity can help individuals stay committed to the sport and navigate challenges.

Takeaways

• Mireille’s journey into running and becoming a running coach started in college, where she initially participated in track and field for the social aspect.
• Running became an anchor practice for Mireille, providing consistency, discipline, and a sense of control in her life.
• Mireille was diagnosed with lupus after experiencing symptoms such as temperature regulation issues, bone aches, and inflammation.
• The diagnosis and treatment of lupus were challenging, but Mireille found solace in running and used it as a measure of her progress and well-being.
• Running has helped Mireille stay in tune with her body and advocate for her own health, despite the potential risks of inflammation.
• Running is not just for elite athletes; it can be a beneficial practice for anyone, regardless of pace or competition. Running can help individuals with autoimmune conditions build trust with their bodies and practice self-care.
• Self-care for autoimmune conditions can include setting boundaries, having a clear cutoff time for work, and prioritizing rest and social activities.
• Tips for individuals with autoimmune conditions who want to get into running include being open to different ways of restarting, keeping a running journal to track how their body feels, and being patient with the process.
• The mental and emotional aspects of running with an autoimmune condition can be challenging, but it’s important to trust yourself, let go of old stories, and embrace the journey.
• Developing a strong running identity can help individuals stay committed to the sport and navigate challenges.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background of Mireille Siné
• 05:02 Mireille’s Journey into Running and Coaching
• 12:47 The Emotional Aspect of Running and Lupus
• 29:54 Building Trust and Self-Care: Running with Autoimmune Conditions
• 35:48 Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Rest: Self-Care for Autoimmune Conditions
• 38:00 The Power of Journaling: Tracking Your Body’s Response to Running
• 44:27 Navigating the Mental and Emotional Challenges of Running with an Autoimmune Condition
• 51:07 Trusting Yourself and Redefining Your Running Identity with an Autoimmune Condition

Where to Find Mireille

• Website: https://www.coachedbymireille.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heycoachmireille/
• Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rqO9mW00hjAuYkMPb2geJ

Self-Care Mistakes

1. Not defining self-care for you.
2. Not being consistent with self-care.
3. Assuming you don’t have time for self-care.
4. Trying to avoid being perceived as selfish.

Resources Mentioned

• Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
• The Crunk Feminist Collective by Brittney C. Cooper, Susana Morris, Robin M. Boylorn

In this week’s episode, Shanice talks about common self-care mistakes that hold a lot of us back. Self-care is often associated with expensive trips or luxurious massages. But honestly, self-care can be a lot more simple than that, and self-care is different for everyone. Listen to this episode to find out if you’re making these self-care mistakes and how you can be introspective about charting your own path toward well-being.

Full Text

I think of self-care as a set of practices or things you do that contribute to your well-being and bring you joy. And I think self-care probably looks different for everyone. Self-care for me is eating nourishing plant-foods, moving my body (e.g., yoga, indoor cycling, running), allowing myself to feel my emotions, doing things that will bring me joy, taking a few minutes to open Photoshop and designing a graphic or following a web design tutorial because I’m a creative person or things that I find relaxing like soaking my feet with Epsom salt and lavender. I think self-care is giving up instant gratification (e.g., scrolling through Instagram or eating Oreos) to do some yoga poses or doing some CBT exercises or journaling for my anxiety which will contribute to my long-term peace not just short-term pleasure. Of course, self-care may look like something different for you. Which leads me to one of the self-care mistakes I think a lot of people make:

1. One self-care mistake I think you could be making, is not defining what self-care is for you.

We all have different talents, gifts, and things that bring us joy. I think journaling for your emotional well-being, taking care of your body with movement and eating nourishing foods, some type of spirituality if that’s your thing, maintaining healthy relationships, these can be looked at as a baseline of self-care for most people. I have a self-care plan that you can use as a starting point (herguidedevolution.com/plan).

But this is meant to be just that—a starting point. I also think being in touch with our purpose and things that bring us joy, that’s part of self-care.And these are things you have to take the time and figure out for yourself. For example, some people love watching movies or getting lost in a TV show. But for me, unless it’s a reality TV show that I don’t really have to pay close attention to or a documentary where I am learning something (I really like documentaries because of course, I’m a nerd), I’m just not interested. I like designing, coding websites, that’s fun for me. But my husband on the other hand, he loves watching scripted TV. He hates watching documentaries because he’s a professor, and he’s like Shanice. “I literally read, research, teach, and write books about history for a living. I’m not trying to watch a documentary about Ronald Regan.” He is always watching multiple scripted TV shows, and that’s something he seems to really enjoy. I’ll get into a TV show here and there because that’s how he likes to chill and spend quality time.

But it’s rare for me to seek out a TV show and watch it on my own. There are other things that I’d rather do with my time. However, some people like my husband genuinely enjoy watching TV, and some people are really passionate about movies. So, think about what really brings you joy and think about what you find relaxing.

Maybe you used to play an instrument in high school, or you really like drawing. Some people like organizing, crafting, decorating, or planning. I am getting back into digital planning with my iPad because I love the creative aspect of it. You might like doing hair and experimenting with different natural hairstyles and makeup tutorials on YouTube (I like to do this from time to time). Maybe you like experimenting with different scents and essential oils.

So, think about the little things that bring you joy. What do you get lost in? What helps you forget time is passing? Not knowing that answers to these questions and not defining self-care for yourself is something that holds a lot of people back from committing to their self-care. Which leads me to another mistake that I think a lot of people make…..If you aren’t even sure what self-care looks like for you, and you don’t know what brings you joy, then you’re probably going to struggle with consistency.

2. Not being consistent with self-care is another mistake a lot of people make.

Let me give you an example, one of the things I struggle with from time to time is meditating consistently. I have found that straight up sitting down listening to meditation music or deep breathing for 5 whole minutes is a struggle for me. But what has helps me a lot is combining meditation with my regular yoga practice. I do a lot better with meditating consistently when it’s part of my regular yoga practice.

There are all different types of yoga. I typically do Vinyasa Flow or Hatha yoga when I want more of a strenuous body workout type of practice. These are more focused on movement, flowing from one pose to the next, combined with breathing, you can work up a sweat with these more easily. But I’ll do Yin or restorative yoga when I’m in need of more relaxation and more meditation. Yin yoga calls for you to hold one pose for like 3 to 5 minutes, and this is a time where you focus on your breath while you’re holding the pose. This is so relaxing and nourishing, and it allows me to be relax into a meditative state for a longer period of time.

But if I had just got stuck on this idea of a perfect meditation practice that works for someone else and thinking I have to do this unguided meditation and sit in silence for 10 minutes; I would have never discovered that I really love restorative yoga and this is a form of mediation that works for me.

It’s a lot easier to be consistent with your self-care if you figure out what you like and what’s your vibe instead of thinking you have to stick to a narrow template of what meditation or journaling looks like for someone else. Absolutely, use what other people do as your starting point, but tweak and find your own way because that’s what’s going to help you be consistent.

I think you’re much more likely to be consistent with self-care if it’s something that you enjoy and figure out what works for you. Another thing with consistency, is if you are looking for results from your self-care be it in the form of feeling calmer with your meditation practice, getting into the zone, or having more energy because you’re moving your body and eating well, you are not going to see those benefits if you aren’t consistent. If you simply waiting until you feel like doing yoga or journaling then it’s highly unlikely that you are going to see the results that you’re hoping to see from your self-care. It takes time and consistency to benefit from self-care and nourishing yourself in all these different ways. So, a lack of consistency is a mistake I think a lot of people make with self-care.

3. Another mistake is assuming you don’t have time for self-care.

This is a big one especially if you’re a mom or someone who is working full time and have a lot of other responsibilities. “I don’t have time” is such a common excuse for not committing to our self-care or healthy behaviors. I think it’s so common for us to lean into “I don’t have time” because it’s to blame being busy than managing our minds and (by extension our time) and putting in the work to be consistent. And what I want to offer here, is if you are managing your time effectively, I think the vast majority of us have time for self-care or whatever else we want to do.

Let me preface this and acknowledge that having any measure of free time and the resources to indulge in self-care is an immense privilege. A lot of people don’t have the resources to survive let alone think about self-care. I have to acknowledge this because I know this, and I don’t want to downplay that at all. But the women I am targeting with this podcast, your basic needs are more than likely being met.

You have some level of support, you’re smart, you’re more than likely educated, and you’re probably ambitious and health-conscious, so I am assuming a lot this applies to you. And we all have things that demand our time and different responsibilities. We all have varying degrees of childcare and careers. I definitely get it.

I work full-time (I’m a professor). I have three small children. I am working on building a brand, so I get it. When I get a moment to sit down, a lot of times I don’t want to do ANYTHING but just fall out on the couch and put my feet up and scroll through Instagram. I like to do things that I find relaxing like foot soaks and self-massages with sesame oil, but IG feels like the move some days. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

But I also think the cost of not being intentional with my time isn’t worth it most of the time. I think many of us aren’t intentional about how we are using our time because being intentional with your time that takes energy. Being intentional with your time requires emotional work and being aware of how you’re thinking. Most of us would rather distract ourselves by chilling on the couch and scrolling through Facebook or binge-watching TV. And like I said, I’m not knocking anyone for watching TV.

I used the example of my husband earlier. He genuinely loves watching TV, that’s how he chills out. But if you are a person that sleeps in until your kids wake up, clunks out at the end of the night after you put your kids to bed or after you finish your work for the day AND you feel like you’re wasting time procrastinating and you feel icky doing that, I think that’s a signal that you could be managing your time more effectively. So, a self-care mistake is assuming you don’t have time for self-care when you could actually be managing your time more effectively and intentionally.

4. Last, another self-care mistake is trying to avoid being selfish or being perceived as selfish.

This is where most people will tell you that self-care is NOT selfish. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of other people. Look, forget that. I think self-care IS selfish. Self is literally part of the word. It’s SELF-CARE. Y’all know I’m a Communication scholar and a critical scholar at that, so I like to unpack words and the meanings of words all day long. That’s what I do. So, I went to the dictionary.

Selfish, and this is from the Oxford dictionary, is defined as “lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.” Yeah, so that sounds pretty negative. I get it. No one wants to be thought of as being inconsiderate or only thinking about themselves. But sometimes, it is appropriate to be selfish. I think this is especially true if you are a member of a marginalized group. I hate this idea that women are often fed— “we have to be well-rested and take care of ourselves because we won’t be good for our kids or our partners if we don’t.” “You can’t take care of other people if you don’t take care of yourself.” I hate that so much.

Women, and Black women especially, we are not mules. You don’t only deserve rest and care because you have other people to take care of. You deserve it because you’re a human being, and this society is already unfair and unequal to us as it is. I think you have to be selfish sometimes!

Let’s say you decided to let the dishes pile up, so you can chill and soak your feet, I don’t know, whatever you do for self-care. When you decide to prioritize yourself in that moment, it’s probably going to feel like you’re being selfish. You’re so used to everyone lacking consideration for you and just waiting for you to clean the kitchen or fold the laundry, it’s going to feel icky when you take a moment to self-care. And the truth is, in that moment, when you’re letting the dishes or the laundry pile up, you probably are being selfish because you are not considering other people.

And that’s why I’m encouraging you not to automatically associate being selfish with something that’s negative. Any time you operate outside of that expectation of being considerate of other people, you’re probably going to feel bad about that because it goes against the way you see yourself, and it goes against our social order.

Black women aren’t supposed to be selfish and thinking about ourselves. But I want to stress, it’s okay to be selfish sometimes. I think it’s necessary to say, look, mama is a person. And I’m not cooking tonight, the kids are just gonna have to rock it out with the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches tonight, so I can give myself a pedicure.

If you are stuck in this loop of thinking—it’s selfish for me to take a break or take some time out for myself, you’re probably not going to be consistent with your self-care no matter how many Instagram posts you like about self-care or if you download my free daily self-care plan. I also want to point out, choosing to be selfish sometimes doesn’t mean that you are a selfish or terrible person. And I want you to consider, does trying to measure up to this idea of: I have to be selfless. I have to betray myself and what I need, so that other people can be comfortable. I want to you to consider if that thought process is serving you? Does that thought process feel empowering?

Resources

In this week’s episode, Shanice opens up about navigating anxiety and depression while trying to cope during this unprecedented time. She shares some of her struggles with mental health (even though she felt VERY uncomfortable doing so) and offers some suggestions on how you might care for yourself after an emotionally draining week. If you are not okay, you are not alone. We’re all just trying to make it through this uncertain time!

FREE Daily Self-Care Plan: https://herguidedevolution.com/plan
4 Journal Prompts for Unproductive Days: https://herguidedevolution.com/4

The Conversation

How you might care for yourself after an emotionally draining week:

1. (10:24) Let yourself feel your feelings. They are temporary, and they will pass.
2. (13:15) Reach out for support. You are not a burden.
3. (17:01) Reconnect to your spirituality.
4. (20:06) Re-commit to your healing when you feel up to it.

Mental Health Resources

Find a therapist: Therapy for Black Girls

Find a therapist: Psychology Today

National Suicide Hotline (United States): 1-800-273-8255

Live Chat: Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Liberate App (Meditation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)

Books for Anxiety

Overcoming Health Anxiety: Letting Go of Your Fear of Illness

Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety

Timestamps

1:40 – It’s normal to struggle to stay motivated with exercise—especially if you have kids.

4:18 – Work on your mindset.

8:36 – Start small and easy with your workouts.

11:52 – Integrate your kids into your workouts.

14:45 – Take advantage of times where you have childcare.

18:26 – (Introspection) In this week’s Introspection, Shanice talks about the activities that have been bringing her joy (e.g. working on the podcast and her qualitative research project on Black women long distance runners). She also encourages you to be intentional about creating space for the activities that bring you joy.

Resources Mentioned

FREE Daily Self-Care Plan

In episode 3, Shanice reflects on her first two years as a Black vegan mom. Shanice distinguishes between a vegan lifestyle and a vegan diet and highlights the difference between a vegan diet, a vegetarian diet, and a pescatarian diet. Then, she shares her vegan journey (hint: she never thought she could stick to a vegan diet!). She also talks about what she has learned over the last two years as a Black vegan.

The Conversation

1:01 – Vegan lifestyle versus vegan diet.

3:05 – Difference between vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian diets.

3:49 – My Vegan Journey

8:09 – Vegan diets can be versatile and delicious.

11:14 – Failing (at a vegan diet) does not have to stop your progress.

15:12 – Being a Black vegan can feel isolating but also empowering.

18:00 – Tips on going vegan

23:14 – (Introspection) In this week’s Introspection segment, Shanice talks about the ups and downs of her well-being journey and the importance of anticipating the struggle.

Resources Mentioned

FREE Daily Self-Care Plan

Earthlings (Ethical veganism, animal rights)

Forks Over Knives (Health-focused)

Cowspiracy (Enviromental)

In episode 2, Shanice talks about why self-care is particularly important for Black mothers in hopes to inspire and motivate you to take action toward improving your well-being. Drawing from her personal experience and Black feminist theory, Shanice defines self-care and offers three reasons why self-care is key to our personal and collective well-being as Black women.

Follow the Conversation

4:48 – What is Self-Care?

8:28 – As Black women, self-care is an opportunity to define and empower ourselves despite controlling images (e.g. Strong Black Woman, Superwoman).

13:09 – Self-care can help you manage stress.

15:35 – Self-care can help you build trust with yourself.

18:45 – In this week’s Introspection, Shanice discusses raising young Black children in anti-Black society where European beauty standards are the norm.

Resources Mentioned

FREE Daily Self-Care Plan

Black Feminist Thought