My name is Liliana Andrade Hernandez and I am from Quito, Ecuador.
I have lived in the United States for 25 years. My parents brought me when I was 17 years old. I remember they took us on vacation and right at the end of the trip they asked us if we wanted to stay here. When I realized that women had a better opportunity to get ahead in this country, I said yes.
One of the health challenges in my life was when my 21-year-old brother was diagnosed with lymphoma of the stomach. It was a very hard blow for the family. We all had many questions and doubts. I remember that once he was in bed, with his lymphoma already quite advanced, he told us: “This can't happen to you. You can't see what I'm going through and not take care of your health." My brother is no longer with us today. That was the first time my health made noise in my head. Even with that red flag in front, I didn't pay attention. Before, I didn't pay attention to my nutrition or my physical activity.
When my brother got sick, the nutrition in my house changed for the better, but once he passed away we all went back to our old unhealthy habits. Paying attention to my spiritual health was the first step in taking care of the other areas of my health. I started by going to mass. Then the desire to walk twenty minutes a day woke me up, and then I integrated green juices into my diet. I started to see a change in me. I felt light and happy.
I moved from Los Angeles to Dallas and all those changes disappeared since it is very difficult to change environments and persevere at the same time. However, ROSAesROJO came into my life through a WhatsApp group from Avance North Texas. I saw that they advertised The Rojo Way, and I was encouraged to ask.
Now that I know ROSAesROJO, everything I knew about health was reborn. All the positive changes I had made in the past began to resurface, and I began to learn a lot more. Through The Rojo Way, I began to learn new health concepts and put them into practice. I was already familiar with nutrition and physical activity, but ROSAesROJO completely opened my eyes when it came to mental health. I learned tools to manage my emotions and get to know myself more. Now I feel complete.
Not long after, SuperVive Comunidad was born. So far, I think it was the best way to connect everything I had learned in the workshops. This application, downloadable to phones and tablets, it's very easy to use, with content in Spanish and culturally relevant to me as a Hispanic.
I decided to start participating in live classes with chefs, psychologists, and personal trainers; in the monthly health challenges, and even preparing healthy recipes with my children. It was not easy. I knew that following the path of wellness required a lot of effort, discipline, and support.
One day, on SuperVive Comunidad, they were talking about learning to walk or run, or both, with structure and discipline. And suddenly, I had an idea: conquer my first 5k. But how? I was barely walking, pushing my youngest son's stroller!
Little by little I started adding minutes to my walks in the park, pushing the stroller. First, walk, then do intervals of walking and running, then running.
For Thanksgiving 2022, I officially signed up for a Turkey Trot to run my first 5k. Before, I was a spectator, watching all the joggers pass my apartment. Today, it's me who is here: running. That day I met my goal.
Today it is clear to me that SuperVive Comunidad came to stay in my life. The best part is that what I'm learning, not only stays with me, but I share it with my family, friends, and people I know (my husband tells me that my eyes light up when I do it).
Starting at home, this learning is transcending, as I teach my 7 and 9-year-old daughters everything I have learned. I also make sure to take them for their annual physicals and dental cleanings twice a year.
My girls have already begun to integrate these concepts into their lives. For example, the other day my daughter drew a picture of fruits and vegetables as unprocessed food and she drew a picture of fast food as processed food. Seeing this filled me up a lot as a mom. This would not be possible if it were not part of the SuperVive Comunidad.
Also, I have invited my mother, aunt, and two best friends to participate in SuperVive Comunidad. I talk to them about how to read product labels, processed vs. real foods, physical activity, naming their emotions, and health empowerment.
Today I am living the power of a positive and healthy community, finding resources and sharing with others, engaging and inspiring.
Finally, I have not only decided to invest in more resources for my health by becoming a premium member of SuperVive Comunidad. I have also contributed with donations, so that other women take advantage of these resources, and the community continues to grow.
Today I know that if the community grows and prospers, so will I. I am grateful for ROSAesROJO and SuperVive Comunidad for teaching, inspiring, and motivating me to love myself and healthy life in an easy and practical way. Being part of this community is an investment in your health that will only give you many more years of life.
