Keeping It Real with Dr. Roz

How often do you listen to the voice within? Or even better, the sensations deep within? Do you listen to your gut? Do you trust yourself? Our bodies often tell us exactly what we need but over time, we listen less and less. Oftentimes, especially with the visually dominant social media, self-care comes across as very superficial – mainly hot baths and manicures; if you’re lucky , fitness and clean eating. Dr. Roz opens episode 12 with a reading of some recent writing inspired after the loss of a friend to colon cancer. Vita opens up about the loss of her own mother to the same disease and stresses the importance of good healthcare. Dr. Roz highlights the importance of a healthy colon and shares some really simple tips that we can all follow to ensure we are physically, mentally and emotionally well. Their words focus on personal responsibility. Vita shares that she has become very faithful to a healthy diet and regular checkups; Dr. Roz shares that after a painful injury she actually took a course to learn how to prevent it from happening again. We speak a lot about accountability these days and it is so important that we start with ourselves. For some this means trusting yourself more, for others that could mean learning to ask for help.

The team discusses our obsession with instant gratification from fast food to fast results. We expect that as soon as we start something new, we will see an immediate transformation.  Victoria makes some powerful connections between lifestyle challenges, sedentary habits, and the impact of alcohol consumption. Vita comments on the increased drinking in Canada since the pandemic and Alisa shares that in Trinidad, one of the foremost demand was for bars and liquor stores to be open despite lockdowns.

As always, please share your thoughts and questions. And remember, you owe it to yourself to be well.

Ps. It may not have been clear:

A colonoscopy (koe-lun-OS-kuh-pee) is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon) and rectum.

Stop judging yourself, we are all human and all have stuff to work on. To start Episode 11, Dr. Roz reads a list of things she believes everyone needs stop doing. Though she doesn’t subscribe to “New Year’s Resolutions” Dr. Roz herself has set the intention to slow down and stop analyzing everything others do and say, Victoria wants to be less judgemental of others even when most times it comes from frustration and wanting the best.

Living in such a laidback society, Alicia ponders procrastination and how common it is that when we start to confront undesirable traits we punish ourselves. Both Mia and Vita share their aspirations to be less judgmental, particularly when snarky comments come to mind or the burning desire to give an opinion, offer advice or be the one to immediately solve every problem. Which item on the list stands out to you the most? 

"I'm afraid you're not going to play with me." Who remembers having this thought as a child? And similar thoughts throughout adolescence and even into adulthood. 'Play' may have changed to 'hang out' or 'accept' but the sentiment is the same. We all have feared being left out. Episode 10 discusses this feeling and so much more. 

Vita talks about how skipping self-care affects her mood, her interactions with others, and her productivity. Eventually we have to stop bragging about how hard we are working. We do not need to wear ourselves out to be worthy of care. Victoria speaks to how we’ve been groomed to expect 12-hour work days from women. It is all programming. We can be programmed to ignore and avoid ourselves, we can be programmed to care for ourselves. This conversation emphasizes the importance of having a group, a team, a sisterhood, a community to tell you “check yourself” or to check on you and remind you get back on track. The conversation goes deeper into how we often deny ourselves our truest selves due to fear of judgement. How important is someone in your life if all they do is judge you? It is not an easy road but as we trod along the road of authenticity we do learn and recover more easily, ultimately leading to a more fulfilled life.

In Episode 9, the team talks about the lesser known acts of self-care: accepting and greeting our emotions, which sometimes involves having a good cry. Dr. Roz shares a piece of writing about emotions and likens herself to a guesthouse temporarily accommodating feelings as guests. She says that we are all guesthouses and that being comfortable and being your own best friend allows you to be a good host. You never know when your guests are going to visit and how long they are planning to stay. Dr. Roz says we must be aware so we can manage them and decide how long each one gets to stick around. She cautions against resisting certain guests, like sadness leading to depression which becomes chronic, affecting our long-term health. We must acknowledge and work through all of our emotions. Alisa and Victoria share that they are criers while Dr. Roz cries once a year. Instead of “sensitive” Dr. Roz reframes the sentiment as “connected to emotions”. Victoria speaks about resentment briefly, which is something we often ignore the build-up of. Alisa and Vita talk about the pressure women traditionally take on, especially around the holiday season. They both discuss how they have adapted their lifestyles to their feelings, ensuring they are honouring their authentic selves despite what the norm is.

Dr. Roz opens Episode 8 by asking Vita to speak about her own recent blog post where she speaks about manifesting and says "Nothing Happens Until You Decide". Vita shares the excitement she feels being a part of this podcast and what happens when you are in collective where people are speaking the same language and on the same page. The conversation revolves around caring for oneself in order to be who one is destined to be - to actualize your personal greatness! The team realizes how much time was being wasted prior to the pandemic, how much time and money was spent on material things. Everyone’s daily routines and priorities completely shifted giving everyone a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. Listen in for a special surprise about Alisa!

Episode 7 is a very special one. After hearing your feedback, Dr. Roz really wanted to give you what you asked for. You asked, How do I know I am stressed? Dr. Roz shares stress test questions from her private practice and leads the team through the beginnings of a meditation practice. The team discusses chronic vs. episodic stress, good stress vs. bad stress, how stress affects health, and the value of self-awareness so that you can manage your stress and in turn, your life. This session is loaded with personal stories and several exercises you can put into practice right away. 

Do you accept all of your emotions? When you experience or hear of an upsetting incident do you lean more toward sadness or anger? 

Dr. Roz opens this conversation by sharing that during the early stages of the pandemic, she volunteered to conduct sessions with frontline healthcare professionals and noted that ALL the women said they were "sad" about the state of things, compared to 2 men who expressed being "angry" and "pissed off". Often times when women are assertive or passionate they are painted as "aggressive" and "angry". Could this cause women to be more inclined to sadness instead of allowing themselves to feel anger when it arises?

In Episode 5 Victoria, Alisa, Vita and Mia share their personal experiences and thoughts of anger with Dr. Roz. The conversation becomes quite therapeutic as each one considers the power of anger and the dangers of suppressing emotion. No emotion is wrong. Emotions do not define us. Emotions offer us immediate information. Acknowledging our emotions is a crucial aspect of caring for ourselves. 

Dr. Roz says, "Anger is not about throwing a plate or cussing someone or striking out. Anger is about ‘Aha something’s wrong here, I need to change it. Why am I feeling this way? What can I do to make a difference? Make it better?’” 

Warning: There is (brief) explicit language at 09:50.

In Episode 4 the team discusses what they feel fuels them and charges up their personal batteries so that they may Shine A Light for themselves and those around them. Thoughts flow from fitness to beauty to body image to the nuances of growing and aging. It is important to remember your authentic self and what makes you feel powerful before you can empower others.

"Whatever we think is a weakness can be our most powerful force (if we take it)." 

Episode 3 is a full one! First, we take a moment to introduce our dynamic team members to you. Meet Mia Temori, Alisa Kerry Desormeaux, Vita Nachtsheim, and Victoria Swindell! During this episode the ladies get personal and share their thoughts and feelings about learning to love and love on themselves. The team muses about how everything we do is for love - we want to be loved and accepted for who we are.

Dr. Roz Roach, "I'm a tree, a banyan tree. My roots are grounded in the soil of West Africa. My roots keep me grounded. I'm constantly growing. I bend before I break. I have a trunk, I bore two children on my trunk, a male and a female. I have branches, I reach out to all people. My branches sway in the wind and allow me to serve all people regardless of colour, race, orientation; regardless of how one eats, sleeps or sins.  I enjoy my own natural beauty, I'm a black woman."

Victoria Swindell is a feminist who worked in the anti-violence against women and anti-racism movement for over 35 years. She is a strong advocate for change and is willing to challenge and educate both individuals and institutions to evolve and become more inclusive. Currently Victoria operates her own Personal Training and Wellness business in Toronto.

Alisa Kerry Desormeaux, "My name is ALISA which means "great happiness" and I certainly try to live in harmony and happiness. I am a strong, confident mother of 3 precious children who have unconsciously made me stronger that I thought I could be. I have been a dedicated worker in the security field for the past 8 years but my real passion is helping women work through struggles with motivation and counselling. I am a trustworthy and honest friend, and strive toward becoming a better me. I'm an Executive Member of Women's Lives Matter in the Caribbean."

Vita Nachtsheim, "I am the founder and owner of Pinnacle Cosmetics, a Canadian private label manufacturer of luxury cosmetics and skincare, created in 1988. Pinnacle is a global business that was created to help entrepreneurs offer high-quality products under their own custom brand. But that's what I do, not who I am. 

Who I am is Vita Nachtsheim - Entrepreneur; Restless Person Motivated to Explore the Good in Everyone; Change Maker; and Believer in the Power of the Possible! My name means, appropriately as it turns out, "life". One of my goals is to grow into my name by embracing like fully and celebrating the beauty of difference. This is still a work in progress. You can follow me on my journey by reading my monthly blog at beautyisdifference.com and by following me on Instagram and Facebook.  I want to be remembered for leaving everything I touch a little better and prettier than before."

Mia Temori makes this podcast happen. Mia is passionate about hope, ambition, resilience, acceptance and not discriminating against others. She speaks about wanting to give back to the world and others, and having the opportunity to make a difference in life. Mia came out of the struggle in Afghanistan and fled to India with her family in her youth. Her dedication to learning and growing has been a true gift to Dr. Roz's Healing Place for years. 

In the second episode of 'Keeping It Real' Victoria, Alisa, Vita, Mia and Dr. Roz go deeper into their personal understanding of self care as well as the ways in which society makes us feel guilty for simple making sure we are in our best state.

"You're not selfish, you're selFULL." - Dr. Roz Roach

Dr. Roz says that the body is a container and that we are responsible for each and every layer. Often we overlook each facet but it is crucial to care for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual states in order to maintain our wellbeing. In the premier episode of our podcast Vita, Alisa, Dimple, Mia, and Victoria join Dr. Roz to discuss all things self-care. This conversation goes beyond aesthetics. The group touches on injury, boundaries with others and oneself, therapy, exercise, yoga and so much more as each woman unpacks their experiences and shares their wisdom on caring for the self.