The Conscious Professional Series: Britt Martin

There are endless variations of health philosophy. Each of us need to develop a personalized total health philosophy that fits our goals and motivations. The more that we can learn about how our bodies work the more incentive we have to shift our lifestyles accordingly. Many of us stick to what we know and the habits that we have conditioned.

I've found that one of the best ways to break free from the comfort zones and unconscious mandates is to listen to a new perspective with an open mind. Britt Martin is a holistic nutritionist and alignment-based yoga teacher in LA. Our digital paths crossed and it was clear that she has a unique perspective and approach. I asked her if she would answer a short series of questions and that brings us to our micro-interview.  

Can you share a “little known fact,” about you?

I grew up playing roller hockey. I was a good + tough player and even played on travel teams. Of all the sports I played, it was the one that most resonated with me. I played all the way into high school. 

There are a bunch of exercise modalities out there. Why did you choose to pursue yoga teacher training? What is alignment-based yoga? How do you incorporate alignment-based yoga therapy as part of lifestyle medicine?

As a Holistic Nutritionist, I find yoga to be an essential component to having a holistic lifestyle. The more I studied holistic nutrition, the more I realized how beneficial it could be to offer it to my clients. I love that it is so much more than just a physical practice. It provides stress management, a spiritual connection, soul nourishment, stretching and more. 

Alignment-based yoga focuses on the body being aligned while in various asanas {poses} and I love that this style puts an emphasis on the importance of posture + proper alignment. 

I think yoga is for everyone and should be practiced by everyone as part of a healthy lifestyle since it is able to bring balance into many areas of one's life. I always encourage my clients to try it with an open mind and try a variety of classes, studios, and teachers until they find one that's right for them. 

Managing stress is an important aspect of health for all of us. Can you share one short-term and one long-term strategy that have been effective for your clients?

One of my favorite topics! I think when managing stress it is important to find what works for you, and then make time for those practices in your life...

As far as a short term strategy, taking 10 deep breaths when you need to manage stress quickly and on the fly can be very powerful. I also love tapping {or EFT}, it may sound "woo woo", but I have found it to truly work for myself and my clients. Brad Yates has a ton of amazing tapping videos on YouTube, and most of them are under 10 minutes. I always encourage my clients to rate how they are feeling before tapping and then again, after they tap. It's a great way to recognize the shift that happens to one's nervous system from this easy and accessible tool.  

As far as long term, I like my clients to create daily habits that help support and manage their stress levels. One of my favorites is having them cultivate a morning and nightly routine that gives them space to tune inward and check in with themselves. They may do this through meditating, journaling, reading and so on. Spending time in nature on a regular basis can also be very powerful and supportive. The most important part of stress management is consistently making time for it and doing what works for YOU. 

How would you define community? In your opinion how important is community for overall health and well-being?

Community is your tribe of likeminded people you can always count on that offer support, motivation, safety, a sense of belonging + connection, and more. I have 8 branches of a Holistic lifestyle that I teach my clients {an acronym for the word, HOLISTIC} and the C stands for community. So with that, I believe it is essential to one's overall health, and also important to know it is never too late to find your community. 

As a holistic practitioner, what are your thoughts on the current healthcare landscape? How do chiropractors, nutritionists, instructors, and other types of therapists increase our influence and utilization in the community?

I wish healthcare focused on diet and lifestyle more and getting to the root cause of people's health concerns instead of subscribing to prescription medicine that only addresses the symptoms one may be experiencing, and not the root cause of those symptoms. But I do think it is an exciting time to be in the wellness space, and that the general population and businesses are starting to focus more on health. 

I think it's important that we support one another and find fun, collaborative ways to work together in promoting alternative, more holistic approaches to managing one's wellbeing. I love that I'm seeing more wellness centers that offer an array of healing modalities under one roof. I'd like to see more of that, and would even love to open my own wellness center one day. 

If there anything else on your mind at the moment, please tell.

I think it's important to remember that your body is your only home {aside from Earth}, and to start living from that mindset. Honor your body and always treat it from a place of love. Pay attention to how foods + lifestyle habits make you feel. The more you take care of your body, the better it can take care of and provide for you. It's a win-win.

You can learn more about Britt Martin and  Fitbrittnutrition by visiting her website or following her on Instagram. I want to thank Britt for a quick snapshot on a few of her ideas around wellness.