The NutraChamps Team Discusses Mental Health – Part Two

If you’re reading this right now it probably means you’re following up on our part 1 titled, “The NutraChamps Team Discusses Mental Health.” If that’s not the case, and you’re reading this post first, I will give you a bit of background on what you can expect to follow. 

We reached out to our team here at NutraChamps and asked them to describe three things that they do for their mental health. We wanted to get everyone involved so you can learn more about who they are and maybe even get some ideas. The reason we decided to create these two-part blog posts is so you may feel inspired and see a wide range of ways you can implement different mental health structures in your own life. October 10th was World Mental Health Day, and in honor of such an important day, we decided to make October mental health focused. 

We aren’t only a nutritional supplement company. We care deeply about well-being as a whole. It’s important to feeling good physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you want to learn a little more about our team here at NutraChamps and what they do to keep their mental health in check, then keep on reading!

Roberta: 

I came to Toronto from Italy a few years ago for a 6 months internship. 6 years later, and I am still here! I love working out, doing outdoor activities, traveling, and investing. I am the supply chain manager here at NutraChamps and I ensure that all products are always in stock for you!

Here 3 of my favorite things that I do for my mental health:

1. Exercise: Moving my body not only improves my mood but also helps me combat anxiety and stress. I lost someone very special a few years ago and being active helped me get through it. My favorite activities are lifting weights, running, hiking, and swimming. I love walks and stretching sessions as well.
2. Socializing: Chatting with friends boosts my happiness almost immediately! If I am facing a hard moment my friends help me see things from a different perspective. Having people I can count on enriches my life and gives me a strong sense of purpose.
3. Healthy Eating: Eating healthy is essential in my everyday life because it not only nourishes my body but also my mind. In my experience, unhealthy food increases my negativity and anxiety. Remember the famous phrase “We are what we eat” (by Ludwig Feuerbach)? It says it all!

Hagai Maidenberg:

Hagai Maidenberg is the COO at NutraChamps. Overseeing daily operations as well as driving the growth of NutraChamps, Hagai is under constant pressure to deliver results. In order to keep sane, Hagai does the following:

1. Daydream: He dreams about the day ski resorts open up again so he can go snowboarding.
2. Exercise: Whether it’s lifting weights or running on the treadmill, regular exercise is one of the most important routines that keep Hagai calm.
3. Getting enough sleep: Sticking to a sleep routine that offers an adequate amount of sleep is important to him. Hagai goes to bed at the same time every night and wakes up 8 hours later on a regular basis.
4. Diet and supplementation: Hagai maintains a healthy diet consisting of all 4 food groups and supplements nutrients where needed. Critically, NutraChamps CalmSense helps Hagai keep calm in stressful situations.
5. Unplugging with mindless TV shows: Hagai likes to watch TV Shows and movies that don’t require much thinking. Alternatively, playing board games with his family is also an activity that relaxes and recharges him.

Chelsea Pineiro:

Hey all! I’m Chelsea, and I’m one of the Customer Success Coordinators. I do everything from helping you receive your package, choosing the best products for your lifestyle, and making sure our blogs are as engaging as possible for our readers! If you ever have any questions, comments, or blog suggestions, feel free to reach out to me at chelsea@nutrachamps.com.

The top 3 things that have helped me relieve my stress and mental health:

1. Exercise: I have a love/hate relationship with exercise, as I tend to over do it sometimes. Because my body is naturally quite low in endorphins, I overdo things that I know will give me a happy boost, like chocolate, pastries, and of course, exercise. The one healthy thing I’ve found worked for my routine and my lifestyle is exercise. I specifically love running (with a group of friends), yoga in the park, and hitting the gym a couple times a week to lift heavy.
2. Diet: I rely heavily on eating foods that give me energy and don’t weigh my body or brain down. There is an instant correlation between me eating something with little nutritional value and me feeling tired, groggy, lethargic, sad, moody, and a whole lot of other negative emotions. My body is pretty sensitive to certain foods, so when I eat foods with low nutritional value, I simply need to remind myself that I may not feel great after. Same goes for supplements. There are supplements that I take every day that are part of my healthy living journey, and I like to stick to them, even when I travel.
3. Sense of Community: Although I’d consider myself an introvert and lone wolf, it does not mean I don’t see the benefits of community. Whether it be a music festival, a book club, or even volunteering at a local shelter, I love being a part of something that can benefit the group as a whole. I have seen huge improvements in my mood simply by helping others (while also being able to ask for help in return!), joining a run club or bootcamp class, or even just hanging out with friends and supporting a local family-owned restaurant. Community can be built anywhere and by anyone. Go out and find yours!

Charles Park:

My name is Charles and I am the Channel Manager at NutraChamps. As the Channel Manager I oversee all activities that happen with our products on the Amazon marketplace. I spearhead the analysis of competitors, keywords, market trends and shopper behaviour in the ever changing marketplace. I work closely with all departments to make sure everything from supply chain to digital ads are working smoothly!

Outside NutraChamps, you may find me hiking/jogging, binge watching Netflix series, or at a bar trying out new beers. You may also find me growing non-photosynthetic gorgonian corals by direct feeding them in my 60 gallon saltwater tank along with some clownfish (aka Nemo fish), or trying to get my anemones to split. You could say I’m a pretty average guy!

1. Meditating: Meditation really helps me reflect on everything that is going on around me. It allows me to realize what I really need to be focusing on. Meditation also guides me through the times where I sort of “closed” my mind’s eye out of fear, disgust, shame, anger, or pain. This way I get a clearer picture of what actually happened and helps me heal or work through many of my internal issues. Look inwards to connect better outwards.
2. Running: Similar to meditating, the repeated motions, intense focus on the very ground I’m stepping on and mindfulness of my breathing helps all other matters dissolve away. It also has the added benefit of getting me fit physically, which definitely impacts my mental health and overall happiness
3. Coral farming: I own a tank of fish and coral, so I know this isn’t something everyone has access to, but this has been very beneficial to me! I love to pick one fish or coral and watch it swim or sway in the waves. The life forms that are unburdened by life’s stresses are so pleasing to watch. Two crabs fighting over a piece of shrimp meat while there is a clam right next to them is just something that really puts things into perspective. Maybe I’m fighting over a piece of shrimp when there is a whole world of clam meat to be had around the world.

Sumaihra M:

Hi, I’m Sumaihra! I’m the in-house Graphic designer at NutraChamps. I love creating exciting brand content and learning new creative techniques along the way. Some of my hobbies include cooking yummy foods (lots of experimenting in the kitchen), photography, and traveling!

1. Spending time outdoors/ in nature: This is very therapeutic for me because it helps me get away from my computer/phone/tablet and disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It helps me relax my mind and body (with the physical exercise of hiking or biking through a trail for example).
2. Gardening: (I’m not a crazy plant lady I promise) but this one gives me a sense of fulfillment. I find looking after and nurturing my (ever-growing; pun intended lol) plant collection always brightens my mood. Something about taking care of and seeing my plants flourish makes me happy so I recommend finding a hobby that allows one to create something meaningful and personal to them
3. Seeing close friends: Meeting up with a close friend that I can talk to openly without fear of judgment helps me when things get tough. Verbalizing my stresses and expressing my emotions helps lift that heavy load we all feel like we’re carrying from time to time. Going out and treating ourselves and just talking about life, listening, and learning from one another’s experiences really puts things into perspective and reminds me I’m not alone.

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Sanjay Pathmanathan:

I’m the EA to both the CEO and COO here at NutraChamps. I help to take work off their plate by helping to prioritize some of their tasks. I help to optimize operational processes and help to identify growth channels as well as spearhead new initiatives.

1. Talk it out: If you cannot deal with it alone, get help. Speaking to someone can make a dramatic difference when you are suffering or going through a hard time.
2. Take care of your mental health: Just like physical health, mental health needs to be tended to daily. It is important to set up structures and do things in your day that make you feel good and give you a sense of fulfillment and joy.
3. Keep your head up: Once you hit rock bottom you can only go up! We have all hit some low points in our lives at some time or another. When you’re in that low, the most important thing you can do is keep perspective and know that things can and will get better. 

We hope that you enjoyed learning a little bit more about who is a part of the team here at NutraChamps. We also hope that you discovered some new ways to prioritize mental health in your life. Everyone’s structures and tools for how they feel better look different, but as long as you’re making those things a non-negotiable in your life, that’s the most important thing.

What are some of the things you do to improve your mental health? We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this blog post and we’ll make sure to read and reply.