Real Women on Health, Fear, & The Art of Living Well Series: Clarisa Alayeto And How She’s Kicking Diabetes’ Butt

 

 

 

When I first started moving into the health and wellness space, I was kind of amazed by the flurry of emotions that started washing over me on a daily basis. At first, it was kind of scary because I was moving away from some of the genres I started out with being that I was originally just a beauty and hair blogger/vlogger. But, it was also super exciting because I finally felt like I found my passion. I would literally watch and listen to anything health and medical related for hours upon hours.

I found it fascinating to think we could take control of our health by simply making better choices. Were these choices easy at first, NO! We as a people like being comfortable, I get it. But, as we get older and are bombarded by potential illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, (which by the way, I’ve become convinced many of which are mostly avoidable after months of research), we have to start taking responsibility for our own health and understand that a lifetime of taking medication is NOT our only choice.

With that said, I also became obsessed with watching and following women on social media that were doing exactly this. After being dealt a troublesome hand by doctors, these folks said screw it and threw comfort to the wind COMPLETELY CHANGING THEIR LIVES!! Through changes in diet, activity, and (most importantly) mindset, they have done phenomenal things…reversing diabetes, curing hormonal problems, increasing fertility, lowering blood pressure all without the use of prescription medications just to name a few.

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So, in celebration of my love for what these women are doing, I decided to start a short blog series titled Real Women on Health, Fear, & The Art of Living Well.

In this series, I will interview women who are taking their health into their own hands. Some of them were motivated to make a change based on a diagnosed illness, others were moved based on observing what was needed in their communities. Some just wanted to find a better, healthier version of themselves.

I will be releasing one story a week and will send it out automatically to everyone on my email list, so be sure to get on it by clicking HERE.

Today, I will be introducing you to a superwoman I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with when we both worked for Nike quite some years ago. Her name is Clarisa Alayeto and she was gracious enough to share her amazing story with us.

Clarisa was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in August of 2016 and REFUSED to take the news laying down. She immediately took the steps to fight and change her destiny. I am truly moved by her drive, grit, and willingness to become a voice and example of what you can achieve when you put your mind to it. As someone that’s a huge advocate of taking personal responsibility for one’s health, she is an absolute inspiration to me. She was recently featured on Bronx News12 this spring in a piece you can check out by clicking HERE.

 

 

I hope by sharing her story, you see yourself, your challenges, and how success stories like these are not as far fetched as many think.

Let’s get started…

Tiffany: Tell Us A Little About Yourself
Clarisa: My name is Clarisa Alayeto. I am 34 years old. I am an Afro- Cuban Latina from the South Bronx. I am a community activist. I dedicate most of my time to transforming the lives of young people, organizing around the importance of non violence in urban communities and fighting against injustices.

Tiffany: What was the one moment or thing that happened in your life which sent you down your new path and/or approach to life?
Clarisa:  In August, I was diagnosed with diabetes. My doctor said I needed medication but I refused. He told me to try losing ten pounds and see if it changes my A1C sugar blood levels. I grew up in a household that was very familiar with diabetes. I knew the consequences that I would face if I did
not make any changes. As a child and into my teen years, I saw the affects that it had on my grandfather. The diabetic comas, the amputations, and eventually the inevitable, death. When I was diagnosed all of that flash before me. I knew that I had to make changes, quick or I would be heading down the same path.
Tiffany: What is your definition of “going against the grain” when it comes to health and wellness?
Clarissa: Going against the grain to me means doing something different from the usual approach. I went against the grain when I stop eating the foods that were standard in my household growing up. These foods included rice, bread, etc. I had to eat differently, learn about healthier options. My grains were no good for my health so I had to switch it up.

Tiffany: What is your experience/feedback you’ve noticed when sharing that information with others?
Clarisa: I’ve noticed that a lot of people have a similar story. It’s like we have to unlearn and learn all over again, but a healthier learning.

Tiffany: How do you think fear plays a role in people’s exploration (or lack thereof) when it comes to their health?
Clarisa: I think people rather not know if they are sick or have some sort of disease. I’ve heard some say that once you get bad news about your health depending on your mental strength, it can do more harm than good. For myself, I did fear hearing bad news, but I also thought that if I could do something to prevent getting worse, then that’s what my goal was going to be. And sure enough, after hearing I was diabetic I made changes and was able to reverse it with no medication. Through diet and exercise I got out of the diabetic zone but am still pre-diabetic and not stopping until I am completing done with diabetes and even then I wont stop.

Tiffany: What advice would you give to someone just starting on their wellness journey?
Clarisa: Be patient with yourself. Do not compare your journey. Be creative and have
fun with it. Everyday will not be easy. Give yourself room to make mistakes, but be consistent. If you had a bad day with eating or exercise there’s always the next day to pick yourself back up

Tiffany: Where can we find more information on your journey
Clarisa: You can follow my journey on Instagram @Cool_Riss and also check out my story on BronxNews 12 HERE.

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