Plan your budget, and then be comfortable breaking it to reach your goals.
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Asha Walker.
A community health advocate, and wellness entrepreneur, the through-line of Asha’s career is helping others be well. Her 17 years of nonprofit leadership prepared and led her to create Cured, a holistic wellness app designed to empower users to seamlessly integrate healthy habits. Asha’s passion for whole-person health is demonstrated in every chapter of her career, and she’s just getting started.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I’m a Miami native. 305 for life! A theater kid turned nonprofit founder, turned wellness entrepreneur. I grew up watching my mom doing Jane Fonda workouts and my dad lifting weights on the patio. Fried food was never on the menu, we grew our own vegetables, and I had two amazing role models who shaped my love for health and wellness. After college I started my career in the nonprofit world and dedicated myself to bringing health to underserved neighborhoods through urban farming. My 20s were all about making mistakes, dating awful people and deciding to never do it again, career shifts, and starting to find myself. My 30s were when I started doing “the work”. I started to prioritize whole-person wellness. And it made me feel the most like myself I’d ever felt. All my chapters have shaped who I am today, and prepared me to step into my next one as an app creator and wellness entrepreneur with the goal to spread the ripple effect of health.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
Everyday is a new story when you’re an entrepreneur! I literally learn something I didn’t know every single day of building a new business. One of the most poignant moments of building this model though was around my 40th birthday. I took four of my best friends to Sedona, to hike in the red rocks. I’d wanted to do this for years, so it seemed like the perfect time to go. We hired a tour guide who led us through canyons and mountain ranges that looked like what you see in a National Geographic documentary. It was simply magic. Being the hippy at heart that I am, I immediately took off my shoes to better connect with nature and to just listen. As I sat on red rocks, my feet warmed by the sun on a chilly February day, I felt an overwhelming sense of clarity. It was like any imposter syndrome, doubt, fear just evaporated. Up to that point Cured was already developed, but I was still scared to pull the trigger and launch it into the world. Sitting on those rocks though, something shifted in me, and I knew it was time. I got back home and it was off to the races — brand development, PR, marketing, amplifying the app features all fell into place and I never looked back.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Not trusting myself or my intuition! After hiring a few initial consultants that didn’t quite get my vision, or weren’t as invested as I was, I learned quickly that no one knows your brand better than you do, and that you’ve always got to advocate for yourself. Staying true to your mission is the best North Star you can have. Use that to always come back to and as the litmus test for finding the right team for your mission.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
Convenience is killing us. We’re victims of ultra processed food, a lack of movement and quick fixes for our symptoms that don’t actually address WHY we are sick in the first place. We are the most unwell we have ever been as a society, and that’s why I created Cured. I so firmly believe that we each have the power, and responsibility even, to spread the ripple effect of health.
By helping others live their healthiest and happiest lives we can actually make the world a happier and healthier place. By investing in our wellness and longevity, we’re investing in ourselves. What better way to impact your world and the world around you?
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?
Wellness is a forever thing. It’s an evolution. What I didn’t know when I started my wellness journey could fill a book and I’m learning everyday. If you’re starting yours or well on the way, here are my cheat codes that have shaped my wellness journey.
1. Sleep is the cornerstone of wellness. When you sleep, your body, brain and systems restore themselves. Lack of sleep equals lack of health.
2. Food is medicine. Colorful, whole food will heal you.
3. Moving your body daily is a gift, not a punishment.
4. Daily solitude is a necessity. Finding mindful quiet moments throughout your day can give you a center from which to operate.
5. Avoiding glucose spikes can slow aging. Balanced meals mean balanced glucose levels. Insert protein, fiber, healthy fat and complex carbs with every meal.
6. Practice mindful consumption for mind, body and spirit. What we consume, consumes us. Being mindful about what you consume, be it media, substances or any other vice, keeps you in balance.
7. Breathwork is a free tool you can access anytime, any place, to reset your nervous system.
8. Finding the root cause of illnesses is greater than using bandaids to mask symptoms.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Cured, of course! Cured was designed to serve everyone. A global application available for download on IOS and Android. I wanted to reach exponentially as many people as I could with this empowering tool. Cured is my contribution to spreading the ripple effect of health.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- Inflammation is at the root of most illnesses.
- Bloating is common but not normal.
- Clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident are better than restrictive clothes that box you in.
- Plan your budget, and then be comfortable breaking it to reach your goals.
- Trust your gut every step of the way.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
I like to call myself a “Qualitarian.” I strive to consume the cleanest version of whatever I’m eating. With endless possibilities to source wild, mold and toxin screened, pesticide-free foods, for the things I consume daily, I always opt for the healthiest version.
My motto is everything in moderation, some meat, some fish, some carbs, lots of plants.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
Sign up for our Mailing list
https://www.ashawalkerwellness.com/contact
Download Cured
https://www.ashawalkerwellness.com/cured
Follow AWW on IG for daily wellness tips and inspo
@ashawalkerwellness
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
