Having a healthy and happy family is a goal most of us would like to achieve. In Tia Mowry-Hardrict’s mind, it is the foundation on which she is able to thrive in her personal and professional life. Being successful and constantly on-the-go does not deter Tia from making sure her family and their health are top priorities.
“Basically I’m a working mom. I am an entrepreneur, I am an author, I am an actress, I am a producer, I am a wife and I am a sister. I live a very, very busy lifestyle,” Tia says. “My family’s health is my No. 1 priority, and living a healthy lifestyle is something I have been extremely passionate about.”
The former Sister, Sister star recently teamed up with MedImmune, the makers of the nasal-spray vaccine FluMist Quadrivalent, for the launch of a Web video in which she portrays a busy working mother who needs to slow down and find time to vaccinate her family against the flu. While the “I Insist!” video takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to a day in her life, keeping her family healthy is very important to Tia.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 5 and 20 percent of the U.S. population contracts the flu every year. Fewer than half of adults and just over half of children get vaccinated. The flu, an unpredictable disease, can cause mild to severe symptoms that sometimes leads to more serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia.
Tia says that in the past she has overlooked flu vaccinations. But after learning about the toll that influenza can take on a household, especially on the household coordinator —mom—she makes certain that her family is vaccinated every year. And the fact that there are no needles involved makes that decision even easier.
“We all know that when the mom is out, being sick is like instant chaos in the house,” Tia says. As she understood more about them, “flu vaccinations became a part of my family’s annual routine. I was extremely excited to bring awareness and educate families about the importance of flu vaccinations.”
Taking preventative measures, combined with an organic diet and plenty of exercise, help Tia and her family stay healthy and maintain a sense of wellbeing. “My diet consists of predominantly organic foods; I am vegan. Also, I exercise on a regular basis,” she says.
This wasn’t always the case. Her decision to change her diet stemmed from her doctor’s advice that it may help alleviate symptoms associated with endometriosis. This painful disorder affects the tissue in and around the uterus, often making it difficult to become pregnant, and in some cases, impossible. Red meat, non-organic meat and wheat tend to exacerbate symptoms of endometriosis, while a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables coupled with plenty of exercise can have the opposite effect. After two surgeries and the looming possibility that she might not be able to have children, she decided to drastically change what she was eating. She believes that by eating more organic foods and staying away from damaging processed foods that promote inflammation, she was able to get her body healthy enough to become pregnant. “When I saw that there was a benefit from eating healthy, I realized that food can be medicine,” Tia says.
Eating healthy is now a big part of her life, and because she took the time and effort to research and essentially learn a new way to cook, she feels and lives better.
With all her exciting endeavors pulling her in so many different directions, you would think that she never has time to unplug and make room for the normal family experience with her husband, actor Cory Hardrict, and young son Cree. But staying dedicated, working hard and having the right attitude affords her the luxury to do what she loves while keeping an unwavering focus on what is most important to her.
“We realize that this a job that we have. It’s not our lifestyle. Our lifestyle is not about entertainment. We love what we do, but when we come home we shut it all off,” Tia explains. “My husband is my husband; I am his wife. All that other stuff goes out the window. I think what has helped me stay grounded is that I am a true believer in family. It’s what I value the most.”
