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Meet Erika

Welcome to our monthly blog: Warrior Women Wednesday, featuring women who are making a positive impact in the holistic community. We seek participants, healers, teachers who are actively engaging in various healing methods, healthy food, physically active lifestyles and teachers of the soul. We want to create a community that shares a quest for a more rounded, holistic approach to life.

Welcome. Today we are excited to introduce you to our guest Erika Elizondo.  Erika is a Holistic Health Counselor, ecofoodiecologist, dancer, educator, avid researcher and real food advocate. She attended the New School University in Food Studies with a concentration in Food Policy and continued her studies at NYU Master's Post Graduate program in Food Studies. She developed the 40 Day Healing Journey in 2010 as a response to an autoimmune disease diagnosis. She helps people of various lifestyles and levels of experience become increasingly empowered in conscious food choices that affect the human body and the world we live in.

What led you to living a more holistic approach to life?

In 2010, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition. My labs were off the charts and at the time, was condemned to daily meds by my doctors. I refused to be on medication for the rest of my life, so I embarked upon a healing journey that challenged all of my traditional ideas of what a healthy lifestyle looked like (think low fat foods, fat free pasta and bread, and sugar free processed foods – albeit as organic as possible). I dug deep on a spiritual level and explored what chakra is represented through the thyroid, why my body was fighting itself, what beliefs were making me sick, etc., and began my work there. I realized that I gave more importance to the mind and the spirit and relegated my body’s needs to the back burner, viewing them as less important.

Through my work to heal, I began to understand that the body is the conduit for my soul’s expression, and deserves just as much love, care and attention as the other aspects of me in order for me to fully thrive and self-realize. I created a community cleanse based on these principles called THE 40 DAY HEALING JOURNEY and through it, successfully balanced my thyroid without medication.

What do you do to help others find this path?                                           

My love language is food. I love to cook for people and teach people about all things food related. I am a holistic health coach as well as a culinary and nutrition teacher for kids. So I give weekly healthy cooking classes to kids of all ages and lead my 40 DAY HEALING JOURNEY community cleanse once or twice per year. (Except this year, I offered free cooking tutorials since the pandemic brought out our need to be resourceful with what we have)!

How do you define what it means to be a warrior woman?

A Warrior Woman is a heart centered woman who forgives even the most egregious transgression for the ultimate goal of always being free. She is a woman with unwavering values who is authentic at all costs. A woman who finds value in beauty and courage in vanquishing injustices. She is an earth worshiper who recognizes her power of creation and seeks harmony in all environments.

Define what natural beauty means to you.

Natural beauty is cleanliness, kindness and authenticity. I truly believe the wisdom of the quote: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” The ancient Greek goddess Hygeia was the goddess of health and hygiene. Those two go hand in hand! Cleanliness equals harmony equals beauty. A woman who values hygiene is a beautiful goddess to me. As is a woman who is authentic kind and courageous in all ways, and finds her own personal style as a form of self expression. A woman deeply connected to the needs and rhythms of Mama Earth is also the essence of pure, natural beauty.

Define your view on aging gracefully.

Aging gracefully means integrating one’s life experiences with grace, compassion and wisdom instead of with rancor, resentment and regret. This breeds confidence and a palpable sense of inner peace, which is so sexy. The lines in the face soften when you surrender to what is, instead of longing for what you think “should’ve been.” Aging gracefully also means maximizing your beauty with natural skincare, wholesome food choices, softness in your heart and access to excellent med spas! 

You can learn more about Erika and connect with her below: 

IG: @40dayhealingjourney

FB: 40 Day Healing Journey

Website: ahealingworld.com

Email: erika@ahealingworld.com