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Women In Wellness: Lauren Manaker of Zhou Nutrition on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter. Most of us are not eating enough fruit every day, which can be a concern. Using the visual cue of a filled fruit bowl may help people grab a piece of fruit when they otherwise wouldn’t, helping them meet their fruit intake quota.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Manaker.

Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, Registered Dietician for Zhou Nutrition. Lauren has a professional background that spans from the clinical setting to being a well-known nutrition communicator with her writing being seen in VeryWell, Health, LiveStrong, USA Today, The Kitchn, PopSugar and others. She received her Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition from University of Florida in Gainesville, FL and a Master of Clinical Nutrition at Rush University in Chicago, IL.

She serves on the executive committee member of the Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has been on the Executive Leadership Team of the GoRed for Women Campaign from the American Heart Association in Charleston, SC.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

I have been a registered dietitian for almost 20 years. I have always been fascinated with how what we put into our bodies can have a profound impact on our health and wellness.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

When working in a hospital setting, I encountered a patient that was having a hard time healing. Once we started giving the patient some specific supplements and nutrients, the patient recovered quickly and was able to be discharged. Simple nutritional interventions made all the difference.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

I have a bachelors degree and masters degree in human nutrition. And over my 20 year career, I have worked with people throughout the lifecycle, learning so much along the way.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

We develop habits over time, and the longer we practice them, the harder they are to break. New habits take a long time to create, so sticking with new commitments for longer than a few days can result in some major impacts.

Can you please share your “5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”?

  • Set a bedtime alarm clock to force yourself to go to sleep at a reasonable time. We all know how important sleep is, but we don’t always allow our bodies to get that sleep. Set your alarm clock for 9:30 PM every night and commit to winding down at that time.
  • Invest in a SAD lamp. In the colder months, we don’t always get the sun exposure that we need to impact our mental health. A SAD lamp can provide rays that can give your body the boost it needs.
  • Start your day with a quality multivitamin. Zhou Nutrition Daily Boost is one that is balanced with appropriate vitamins and minerals to help fill nutritional gaps in a simple way.
  • Call a friend. So many of us are glued to our phones, but we are only staring at our screens. Picking up the phone and calling a friend can help maintain social connection and help us improve our well being.
  • Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter. Most of us are not eating enough fruit every day, which can be a concern. Using the visual cue of a filled fruit bowl may help people grab a piece of fruit when they otherwise wouldn’t, helping them meet their fruit intake quota.

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

  • Exercise can have a profound impact on your mental health. Exercise can give your brain a “happy boost” that can help you feel better throughout the day.
  • Participating in certain exercise programs can be a social experience. Group classes and sessions force people to connect with each other, and in some cases, can foster friendships. Social connection is so important, especially during these uncertain times.
  • Exercise can support heart health. Since 1 in 4 deaths in the US are due to a cardiovascular-related event, supporting your heart health should be top of mind.

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

A combo of strength training, stretch, and cardio is the trifecta for fitness.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

Mindset showed me that we can all have the power to control how we approach all situations in our lives. A growth mindset can help people in their social, professional, and wellness lives in a profound way.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

They can follow me on social media:

@zhou_nutrition: IG

@LaurenLovesNutrition: IG

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Women In Wellness: Lauren Manaker of Zhou Nutrition on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.