In the era of COVID-19, personal wellness is more important than ever. Times have been hard on everyone, but it’s a well-documented reality that women are carrying a disproportionate amount of added stress and pressure through the pandemic.

For example:

• Women experienced more job loss and are staying unemployed longer for a variety of reasons, mostly related to caring for young children.
• In many households, childcare, home schooling, additional meal prep and other added household management and emotional labor has been disproportionately handled by women. In a survey conducted by University of Southern California, 44% of women reported being the only household member providing care, compared to 14% of men.
• Women have experienced greater levels of psychological distress during COVID-19. By early June 2020, just 19% of men (with and without kids) reported being at least mildly distressed, compared to 30% of women without kids and 34% of women who are moms.

Primary source: https://news.usc.edu/171617/covid-19-women-job-losses-childcare-mental-health-usc-study/

There is no simple fix for the short and long-term impacts these last 16 months have had on women’s mental and physical health. However, there are easy-to-implement daily practices and healthy habits that can empower you to deal with stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges that may be more burdensome right now as you navigate life through the pandemic.

This event will focus on tools, skills, and daily practices to stay calm, healthy, happy, and present. Join us as we explore and recommit to our mental health and physical wellness.

A Virtual One-Day Retreat Hosted by Chef AJ

This one-day event will be hosted by Chef AJ, who will present one of the main lectures and act as the MC and host in back-to-back sessions with ten leading plant-based teachers and speakers.

The entire event will be recorded for paying attendees. If you can only attend some of the live retreat sessions, you can easily watch (and rewatch!) the inspiring content after the event!

Retreat sessions explore the entire landscape of integrated wellness with an emphasis on these topics:

• Mindfulness
• Yoga for stress reduction
• Eating abundantly and enjoying a range of delicious, healthy foods without excess calories
• Habit changes to enhance immunity, energy levels, and mental health
• The power of self-love
• Inspiration from plant-based experts to thrive at any age on a plant-based diet
• Efficient meal prep and time-saving tips for the kitchen

Expert Speakers

Chef AJ

Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for over 43 years. She hosts the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ, which airs on Foody TV. A chef, culinary instructor, and professional speaker, she is the author of the popular book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight, which chronicles her journey from an obese junk-food vegan faced with a diagnosis of pre-cancerous polyps to learning how to create foods that nourish and heal the body. Her latest bestselling book, The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss: A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry, has received glowing endorsement by many luminaries in the plant-based movement.

Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles, where she was famous for her sugar, oil, salt, and gluten-free desserts, which use the fruit, the whole fruit, and nothing but the whole fruit. These recipes can be found in her upcoming book, A Date With Dessert. She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and bodies they deserve and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. In 2018, she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.

Tami Kramer

Tami Kramer is the author and editor of NutmegNotebook.com, a whole-food, plant-based cooking, and lifestyle blog, and is the on-screen teacher for the Nutmeg Notebook YouTube Channel.

In 2010, Tami started her first food blog and, at the time, followed what she considered to be a healthy version of the Standard American Diet. She blogged about her ups and downs with weight loss and shared recipes.

One day in 2012, after spending most of her adult life yo-yo dieting, she saw Dr. Fuhrman on a PBS special and bought his book, Eat To Live. She saw Dr. Fuhrman again in 2013 on the Dr. Oz Show, with some of his Eat To Live followers on the show, and started researching plant-based diets. At this time, her LDL cholesterol had been climbing each year, and she was determined not to go on a statin drug. A whole-food, plant-based diet was the solution for improved health.

In February 2015, Tami joined the UWL program, created by Chef AJ. She began eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet free from salt, oil, sugar, flour, alcohol, and gluten. She finally found the miracle cure for good health, a calm brain, and weight loss. Two years ago, she enrolled in the UWL Mastery program to grow and learn more.

She is happily married to Tom, the love of her life since 1979. Both are originally from Nebraska and have lived in Northern California most of their married life, and have two adult children and three beautiful grandchildren.

Plantiful KiKi

Kiki is the creator of PlantifulKiki.com and a multi-platform public figure chronicling life as a busy mom and plant-based advocate. Through whole food, vegan lifestyle, Kiki lost 70 pounds and transformed her life and health. She lives in mountainous Colorado and loves sharing adventures and simple, wholesome recipes.