Women Who Inspire: Lia Allen

Christian Women Living Magazine would like to introduce Lia Allen,  a coach for women business owners.   story of inspiration through holistic wellness.

Cyndi Kay: Please introduce yourself and give us a short history of you and your family.
Lia Allen: I am Lia Allen. I was born in Medellin, Colombia. We emigrated to the US when I was 6 and went into first grade speaking only Spanish. I learned early that I was different and had to be a fighter. Because my mom was American I was considered an American. The cool thing is I get to be both. My dad died when I was 12 and I had a series of unfortunate “dads” after that. Finally, my mom married an amazing man who we call our bonus dad. I grew up in the Bronx, NY, and to cope with a life that was extremely unpleasant, I turned to drugs and alcohol. I met my husband when I was 18, and we got married 5 years later. Our life was a roller coaster ride but with the help of God and some counseling, we have weathered some incredible storms which allows me to say we have been together 38 years. We now have two young men: Tom is 21 and David is 18.

CK: Tell us about your website/blog.
LA: My website is www.naturalsavvymama.com. I am working on bringing my two passions together. I am a marketing coach who helps women business owners market their business in as little as 15 minutes a day. I am also a Wellness Advocate for DoTERRA and have been able to build a thriving business organically. I want to take the two passions and help mompreneurs who are holistic minded reach their goals both personally and financially.

CK: Give us a brief testimony of your Christian walk.
LA: When I turned 30 I hit the wall. My life was not working; drugs and alcohol could not fix my life and I ended up in counseling because I became suicidal. Through counseling, I realized I needed a savior. I accepted Jesus into my life and over time and lots of prayer, God redeemed my life, my husband, and gave me the family I always wanted. Very abbreviated version!

CK: What led you to a holistic lifestyle?
LA: When my youngest son was seven he started showing signs that something was wrong. The school wanted me to medicate him to manage his behavior. That was not an option for us. Through divine intervention, we found out he was allergic to many things including gluten, dairy, and aspartame that were affecting his behavior and health. We chose then to homeschool and to find natural alternatives. That journey and joy I have been given because of that journey never ends. It was the worst day and the best day of my life.

CK: How dramatically has your life changed since you started Natural Savvy Mama?
LA: Walking into this new life has been one of the hardest and most rewarding things I have ever done. It changed the trajectory of my life. What came out of it is knowing that I am not alone. I have met many women who face the same situation as I did. I literally had to give up my business for a season as I navigated helping my son. I know some choose the medication route which seems like the path of least resistance. But for me and my house, we knew that was not an option. So I hope to use this website and business to come alongside women who want to have a career, business and still do what I believe God has called us to in Proverbs 22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go, [a]And when he is old he will not depart from it. As it turned out, all three of my men, hubby, and two boys were experiencing issues, and with the change of lifestyle and adding holistic practices to our life, it transformed my family and my business. God is so good.

CK: Can you recall a time when you know that God was the only way you had a provision through a certain situation?
LA: I am immediately taken back to a time when we lived in NY and the bills were mounting, we had run out of money and food at the same time. I literally only had oatmeal in my cabinet. I did not know what to do. A coworker called me and asked if she could stop by. I said sure. She had two bags of groceries. She said she won a shopping spree and since she still lived at home with her parents, did not need it and thought of me. If feels like a lifetime ago, and it was, but to this day it was a defining moment when I saw Jehovah Jira taking care of me in the flesh. There have been many other moments since then that God has shown up in a big way.

CK: Do you feel that taking a holistic approach to eating can help with food allergies?
LA: I believe taking a holistic approach helps no matter your circumstance but especially with allergies. I now know that because of the sensitivities and issues my men had, I know that simple things like children’s Tylenol were causing turmoil in my son’s body. How amazing to find a solution to help him instead of over the counter meds to manage and support his body.

CK: How do you see holistic living affecting the fight against Covid-19?
LA: All I can say is this, when dealing with any threat to our bodies, whether it’s a virus or disease, we are in charge of supporting our immune system. So making good choices each and every moment is critical. That includes eliminating things that suppress our immune system, such as reducing sugar and toxins or adding things like healthy, organic food and replacing chemicals with natural solutions. More and more research has been done that shows that we can actually change our family history and improve our future with simple changes.

CK: What inspires you?
LA: Wow, what inspires me? So many things! I think watching people have light bulb moments when they realize they are not a victim to their genetics or circumstances. When they make a simple change and see results. Sometimes it takes time, sometimes it is more instant, but regardless the improvement comes. For me, it was a decision and then never looking back. Helping people not see changes as a punishment where they are eliminating things they like but teaching them to love things that bring joy and health. When that happens, it is magical.

CK: What do you do to release the concerns of today’s chaotic society?
LA: Oh, that is easy. I turn off the news. I pray more. I connect with my uplifting partners in life, for we are not to forsake the fellowship is believers. I also eliminate or distance myself from people who zap my energy. I make sure I take time for self-care. I practice gratitude every day, as often as I can.

CK: Tell us about a time you had a measurable impact on someone through your personal ministry or through your organized ministry.
LA: Well I am not sure I can but what comes to mind is my best friend who happens to be married with four children. She was diagnosed with NET Pancreatic Cancer. I have been by her side throughout the journey including at the Dr. Appointment where she got the diagnosis and every step of the way. I visit her often, which means just sitting with her in bed sometimes on her not so good days. Also doing things for her and praying for her. I feel like God put her in my life to learn so many lessons, but mostly to give selflessly to her as she navigates this journey. She has told me many times how much it blesses her that I do this for her and make time for her in my busy schedule. Truth be told, she gives way more to me than I give to her.

CK: How do you unwind after a busy day?
LA: I honestly just sit in the dark and usually have a cup of coffee or tea and then reflect. I love quiet time with God. He meets me wherever I am.

CK: Is there anything else you would like to add?
LA: I want to thank you for the opportunity to share. I believe this season we are in is a great time to slow down and focus on what is important. We are all experiencing the same pandemic but with a different filter and different results. My husband lost his job and as did one of my sons. But also in that, it gave us time to take care of my dad who has Congestive Heart Failure. Had it not been for this time to slow down, we would not have been able to drive them to Florida to help them close up their home which they sold and bring their car back. We would not have had time to take him to doctor appointments and hospital stays. Each day God has revealed to me something new he is doing during this time. I have truly learned what it means to be content no matter my circumstance at a whole new level. So I guess I want to share to remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. Take time to count it all joy and remember this is not all there is. With an eternal perspective, we can live our earthly lives in peace. That being said, you might as well try to live it as well as you can. Make good choices, one at a time, and you will be thankful you did.

If you would like to know more about Lia and her holistic lifestyle you can find more information here www.naturalsavvymama.com.