What is your healthiest habit and why are you investing in it? For the ladies featured here, the reply begins with food. A sudden loss, a diagnosis, a heartbreak, or health issues within the family pushed nutrition from the background to the foreground.
Now they cook from scratch and spend extra money on quality food. They set limits on what they will and can’t eat. These women don’t speak about weight loss plan trends. They speak about having the energy to think clearly and cope with what comes next. The following excerpts from “Health is Wealth: What is your healthiest habit?” have been evenly edited for clarity.
Melek Gür, a health and longevity coach in Istanbul At the age of 35, I used to be diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. “That was a real wake-up call for me. After 18 years in high-stakes finance, I knew how to function under pressure. I was disciplined, consistent and always fit,” explains Gür.
“But I was also constantly hungry – physically and mentally. I lived in gyms and offices, counting every calorie and spending years compensating for every meal,” she admits. On paper, she was advantageous. But she grew uninterested in pursuing health through restriction and control. “That’s when I decided to develop a different approach – one that works with the body, not against it.”
What is Gür’s healthiest habit today? “I never eat junk.” In Turkish culture, it is taken into account polite to eat what is obtainable, she explains. “But I set boundaries now and say, ‘No, I won’t eat that.” Gür has completely modified her weight loss plan and not eats gluten or refined sugar. “The important thing is that I prefer nutrition over convenience, even if it comes with a price tag. Healthy foods are expensive in Turkey.”
Azielia Anne, corporate strategist at Group Maybank Islamic in Kuala Lumpurrediscovered her passion for exercise when she began her profession in finance. “Long working hours have made physical activity a much-needed outlet. In the fast-paced world of finance, where Type A personalities often dominate, health is not just a habit, but a way of life. We need to be conscious of what we eat, how we rest and how we exercise.”
Anne’s healthiest habit these days is prioritizing nutrition. That’s a challenge in the company environment of Kuala Lumpur, she says, where irresistible food is each reasonably priced and in every single place. “After-work culture often encourages people to stay away from nutritious alternatives, and healthy options are both rare and expensive.” Small efforts like selecting higher meals are part of a bigger commitment to living with intention, Anne emphasizes. “Health, clarity and mindful choices shape what I define as a rich and fulfilling lifestyle.”
Cheryl Evans, director on the Milken Institute in Washington, DCHe was an only child whose parents ate healthy foods. They focused on the worth of eating vegetables and eating a balanced weight loss plan.
Evans’ mother earned a level in business administration and later passed the state nursing exam with the best rating. “Because she was very interested in health and science, I was able to ask her medical questions and because of her influence I know a lot about health.”
Her mother died suddenly on the age of 67 from a cerebral hemorrhage. “It got me thinking about the uncertainty of life. I did a lot of introspection and focused even more on fitness and nutrition.”
Evans says her healthiest habit is being conscious of what she eats. “I try to take note of it every day. Sometimes I avoid eating things I like, but try to maintain balance. I eat dessert, but try to do it right after a meal so my blood sugar doesn’t spike. Most days I prep food, and that can be time-consuming.” Evans says she spends extra money on quality food and eats out less often than most of her friends.
Based in Montreal Sévrine Labelle, diedGeneral Director at Lab Excelles and Fonds Excelles Repreneuriat, BDC CapitalShe was influenced by her father’s health problems. He was diabetic, had heart surgery on the age of 45 and never worked again. He ultimately died of colon cancer on the age of 67.
“I was pretty sure I had bad genes, so I decided to improve my chances by doing some research. When I was 39, I watched a documentary about the benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet and decided to go vegan at that time. I started exercising a little later in life, but now I do yoga almost every day, strength train a few times a week, and walk a lot.”
Labelle says her healthiest habit is a plant-rich weight loss plan with fresh, organic foods. “I see this as an investment. I know that an omnivore diet probably costs even more, but when I look in my fridge, I realize that I am a privileged person with all of my colorful and sometimes expensive fresh food. I have the responsibility of leading some intense work projects, and the way I eat gives me the energy I need to thrive.”
