Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamika Smith.
Hi Tamika, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My natural health and wellness line started prior to receiving the diagnosis of Endometriosis, a women’s health disease in which the Endometrium is present outside of the uterus.
Healthcare is a business. Like any other business, you must follow the chain of command. Before you know it, I was seeing multiple specialists who were trying to figure out why I was having abnormal pelvic and rectal pain. The wait times to be seen by a specialty doctor and have specific imaging scans conducted were lengthy. Sometimes, the insurance provider denied requests for testing. That’s not okay. I was struggling to live a normal life with debilitating pain.
My healthcare team agreed that birth control or a complete hysterectomy would solve my problem but this was decided well before the appropriate procedure. I went along with the birth control method but my body rejected even the low-dose options without estrogen. Most doctors don’t want to understand that but the truth is no two cases are the same. When it comes to treatment, one size does not fit all!
When they ran out of ideas, I was just hanging in limbo. It had finally dawned on me the healthcare system is broken and I needed to do something different to help myself. When I was younger, my grandmother taught me about medicinal herbs and from there I created an herbal tea to address the root cause of disease: inflammation, gut health and mucus buildup.
I took to social media by documenting my journey with the product which immediately sparked the interest of others. Most of the individuals were black women with a similar experience. I continued to advocate for my health and shifted my platform into a mini-documentary. In 2019, I shared my results publicly. I have Endometriosis which was diagnosed through a Laparoscopic Surgery.
In my waiting period, I didn’t take the one size fits all route because my body was sensitive to side effects. I managed through natural alternative methods and Mone’s Healthy Eats has helped women from various states to improve their symptoms just the same. My natural health and wellness line of products has expanded within the last year and are used by men, women and children for chronic health illnesses and preventative care.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Someone once said, “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it…” and now I get it. This road is not for the faint of heart. The most challenging part of this journey has been the lack of support from people who look just like you. This makes it hard for the community to actually grow economically and socially. Some people are most concerned about the other person getting ahead instead of the bigger picture. Supporting a small business can lead to a more resourceful community. Instead of telling people how to eat to live, we can actually show them, supply the recipes and/or even purchase the groceries on their behalf because some people just don’t know where to start.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mone’s Healthy Eats ?
Mone’s Healthy Eats is a distinctive health and wellness line which provides all-natural products for inflammation, gut health and blood purification to clear out toxins from the body and maintain optimum health. We are most proud of the individuals who understand that our products are not a cure and actually work with us by adopting a healthier lifestyle because you can’t expect change by recycling old habits. We are always honored and humbled to be a part of our client’s health testimonials “No more lupus-induced diabetes, Bye Metformin, “My fibroids has changed so much it is not as heavy.” Our brand is affordable healthcare. It teaches people how to become in tune with their body in order to give it what it needs.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My relationship with God, my family, my support system and my health. There’s a divine connection in the midst which led to me understanding my purpose in life. I knew that something still wasn’t right following my Endometriosis diagnosis and a Rheumatologist was already a part of my healthcare team based on having Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) in the blood along with symptoms: chronic fatigue, headaches and weakness in the body. A year later, I was diagnosed with Lupus and suddenly lost my ability to walk. Six months later, I had exhausted all family medical leave and was terminated from my employer at my lowest.
Statistically, black women are more susceptible to medical gaslighting and I too was a victim. By the time my concerns received attention it was too late and I found myself in a sunken place depending on mobility aids as well as my mother to assist with basic hygiene care. The support that I received was overwhelming and God revealed a greater plan for my life.
Through natural alternatives and free virtual counseling services offered by the University of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, my Alma Mater, I was able to rehabilitate myself. There’s a great connection when it comes to the mind and body. Now that I’m in a better place with my health, I’m living and have reached back to help others restore their health with my line of all-natural wellness products.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moneshealthyeats.com/
- Instagram: mones_healthy_eats
- Facebook: MonesHealthyEats504
Image Credits
Cosey Photography: Nelson Cosey Rita Smith, Client Mary Sayles, Client
