10 Questions With Lauren Abraham: Extreme Lifestyle, Extreme Body

It was ingrained in me at a very young age. My mom is the healthiest woman I have ever seen in my life. She encouraged my brothers and I to eat clean and "to the source" - meaning as close to Mother Nature and natural as possible. I remember buying and eating bagels with cream cheese in high school during my breaks.

My thighs began to touch and my face looked puffy, so I got off the bagels and did nuts and fresh berries instead. Sure enough, the extra pounds in my thighs went away and the inflammation in my face disappeared! White flour is a major cause of inflammation/puffiness in the body, and can also cause pain and arthritis.

Nuts help burn fat, curb cravings, slow down the aging process, and are great sources of good fats and antioxidants for women!

I study only from the best - like Dr. Schultz, Hulda Clarke, and Nicholas Perricone. I love the amazing knowledge that the leaders share with us. The true leaders in health and wellness do their homework, and so do I! It is my little secret/hidden passion, and luckily I have gotten the opportunity to share my knowledge and personal experiences with other women and men who desire to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

I have had 10 surgeries stemming from my professional athlete days in addition to overcoming many physical, mental, and emotional setbacks. If you desire to heal yourself like I have, then the ability to do so is there. One must simply seek the right knowledge.

For example, as I got older and still wanted to keep a fresh look, I longed to know the truest sources to anti-aging. We all hear about staying out of the sun and not smoking, but it goes way beyond that! We can be pro-active on a daily basis to keep our skin, hair, and bodies feeling and looking youthful - slowing the aging process to a crawl.

Salmon, olive oil, blueberries, cantaloupe, almonds... these foods are natural and affordable keys to reversing the aging cycle. I could go on for days about this!

Like I said, 10 surgeries starting at my shoulders (both have hardware in them) and ending with both my ankles is one example. I have also lived in a wheelchair a couple times do to breaking both ankles at the same time doing snowboarding stunt work.

Like most women, I have struggled with food obsessions and overeating. I also overcame the trauma of a 3-year domestic violence relationship in my early twenties and an addiction to alcohol. It has not been an easy road, but you would never guess I had gone through that just by looking at me.

That's the beauty of it! A life with wonderful health, balance, healing, and fitness can do wonders for the mind, body, and soul - it's all about how we love ourselves. Do we care to honor ourselves to the best of our ability? If so, then we will feel and see this self love.

My mother is. She is my hero and my biggest inspiration. She's 60 years old and barely looks 40. I remember when she was 55, her doctor told her she had the cholesterol level of a 16 year old and could live to be 120 at that rate. She has taught me that you truly are what you eat, and exercise is the fountain of youth. Together, these two things go hand in hand in reducing stress levels, keeping a healthy heart, and carrying you through life's challenges and blessings.

Yeah! For me, I have to stay away from the booze (HAHA!). But seriously, stay close to the source. Eating clean is a surefire way to keeping lean and seeing results. Another fun thing you can do at an event is see how many healthy proteins and antioxidants you can find on the tray of hors d'oeuvres.

If you have a choice, always order seafood. It is naturally the best for you in the short and long run. You can also substitute a high-carb side dish with a vegetable medley or salad. As far as dessert, if you have to cut it out, do it - but I'm a dessert gal. All ladies should be entitled to the two-bite rule. We aren't into health just to deprive ourselves, but also to enjoy ourselves!

My life has been a real manifestation of my dreams - a dream come true. I thought I would never be able to run again, and even running on the beach was just a fantasy after my accident in 2001. However, just this last month, I have been able to run. Why? I made yoga a daily commitment.

I never anticipated running again, but yoga has done enough for my permanently damaged joints and tendons to allow me to run once again. It's a true miracle, and I became a certified yoga therapist because of the undeniable results I have seen in my mind, body, and spirit. I want to educate and share this endless wealth of health and wellness I have discovered!

Also, I have honestly found the happy balance in my daily diet that allows me to eat whatever I want. But the truth is my body craves health! I have discovered the balance in a well observed diet. For example, if I don't eat bread and pasta for dinner, I might be able to splurge a bit on dessert.

Also, if I supplement my diet with wonderful vitamins, antioxidants, greens, and proteins, I can have the awesome energy to take on work or seize opportunities every day. Our health and wellness determines how life inside our body interacts with life outside of it. I can't pull long hours of quality work or charge through all of life's ups and downs if I am filling my body with meaningless calories and not getting my blood and heart pumping. I also take time for myself.

Tony Robbins calls it "the hour of power" - if we desire to execute anything in life at our fullest potential, then we must take the time to make sure we feel good and look good, so we are good!

Knowing it is my destiny to live a delicious and fulfilling life. We are blessed with the talents, so it is up to me to make them shine! If I'm naturally inspiring others to live a healthier life and be say, a better Jane, Joe, or Sally, then I'm being of service and doing my true job. My experience has taught me that "Success is when hard work meets opportunity."

I want nothing more than for my mind, body, and soul to be ready when magic comes knocking at my door. Our external self reflects what is happening internally - not only in our looks, but also our energy and wellbeing. Wellbeing is what people are attracted to, the sparkle they notice, and it comes from a deep well of self love and self nurture. Your health and wellness reflects all the areas of your life, and people notice without you needing to say a word.

1. Proper sleep is a must. It is the time of day when your body and mind are healing, growing, and rejuvenating!

2. Water & Greens. I make sure that my body is satisfied with a wonderful amount of greens to satiate and feed the body. If I don't have time to eat one of my customized salads or vegetable dishes, I make sure to take my Barlean's Greens drink or Trace Minerals Greens Pak. Both taste wonderful and give your body an amazing dose of Mother Nature's nutrients.

3. Exercise! Whether it is a 30-minute run, a 1.5-hour yoga class, 45-minute spin class, 2-hour gym session, 15-minute hike, or dancing at a party, I try to get my heart rate up one way or another. It is one of the most important personal gifts to make time for, every day. Not only is it the fountain of youth, but it's key in fighting depression and anxiety, giving us that healthy "glow" that everyone deserves to have, feel, and see.

It is said that health-wise, every person is an average of the 5 people they hang out with - looking at me, what would you guess? Of course! The people I hang out with are health conscious in some way. I like to be around people that inspire me to be better, and open my eyes to the opportunities in all areas of life.