58 minSelf-Care for Women Over 40: Why Slowing Down Matters
With Alexandrea Elman
Guest on the show
Alexandrea Elman
Alexandrea Elman is a certified health coach and wellness entrepreneur with over two decades of business experience, founder of the wellness brand Alexandrea's Pursuit and creator of the Pursuit of Health documentary series.
Episodes with Alexandrea Elman
58 minWhat Alexandrea talks about
Ep. 268: Self-Care for Women Over 40: Why Slowing Down Matters
Alexandrea Elman spent two decades building businesses, raising two girls and pushing through hard 5:30 a.m. workouts, fasting and caffeine. Then her gut issues came to a head. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and later had emergency surgery for intussusception that removed 13 inches of her small intestine. Coming out of the hospital, she had no choice but to slow down, and she says she has never felt stronger, healthier or more mentally steady.
In this conversation, Nikkiey Stott and Alexandrea talk about self-care as a way of moving through your whole day, not a spa appointment you rush to. Mindfulness, as Alexandrea puts it, just means paying attention to what you eat, how you move and how you feel. She shares what helped her own gut, with the caveat that every body is different: simpler plates, cooked rather than raw vegetables, calm meals instead of eating over your laptop, less cold water with food, and letting your body wake up before caffeine. She also explains why emotional health is the pillar people overlook most.
They finish with how to make self-care stick through micro habits, why your home and closet reflect your stress, how to handle relationships that don't support your changes, and a plea to keep advocating for yourself when you know something is off, even when your labs come back normal.
- Slowing down the pace of your day is self-care in itself, and you can build it into everything you do instead of stopping one thing to do another.
- Mindfulness simply means paying attention to what you're eating, how you're moving and how you feel.
- Walking is a form of self-care you can keep for life, and Alexandrea notes it's good for your brain and your metabolic rate.
- If your gut is reactive, simplify your plate so you can tell what you're not responding well to, and try backing off raw foods in favor of cooked vegetables and soups.
- Sit down, look at and smell your food before eating, and avoid eating over your computer so your nervous system is calm enough to digest.
In Alexandrea's words
Common questions
What does mindful eating actually mean?
Alexandrea says it just means paying attention: to what you're eating, how you're moving and how you feel. That includes eating slowly rather than shoving food down, and noticing how your body responds after certain foods.
What can help if your gut reacts to food?
Alexandrea stresses that every body is different, but she shares what helped her: simplifying meals so you can see what you're reacting to, backing off raw foods in favor of cooked vegetables and soups, slowing down before meals, not chugging cold water while eating, and cutting back on coffee.
Why does Alexandrea suggest not drinking coffee first thing in the morning?
She says reaching for coffee immediately means you're not hydrating your gut or letting your body wake up naturally. She now waits until she has something in her stomach, drinks a half cup of high-quality coffee, and also mentions it's not a good idea to take multivitamins with coffee.
What are signs your body is out of balance?
According to Alexandrea, it's not normal to be exhausted all the time or constantly snapping at people. Skin issues, digestion problems and changes in bathroom habits can also be signals, and she didn't notice she was losing patches of hair until her dermatologist pointed it out.
How do you start self-care when you're already exhausted?
Alexandrea doesn't ask people to change everything or wake up an hour earlier. She suggests small swaps like hot water and lemon instead of coffee, one minute of breathing and two minutes of stretching, which become integrated once you feel the positive feedback.
Which part of health do people overlook most?
Alexandrea says emotional health, because unprocessed emotions show up as stress and poor sleep. She notes doctors rarely ask about what's going on in your life, and therapists rarely ask about walking or eating, so she wants those pieces blended.