LEEZA GIBBONS

The TV Journalist And Bestselling Author Shares Her Favorite Natural Health And Beauty Tricks

Leeza Gibbons’ Celebrity Apprentice victory this past springraised over $714,000 for her caregiver-based charity, Leeza’s Care Connection. But the win also hit close to home for the enterprising TV journalist turned bestselling author and health advocate. “It was the fulfillment of a goal I set so I could try to show up with the same kind of courage that my mother had when she faced Alzheimer’s disease, and the same dignity my dad showed as her caregiver,” Gibbons says. “I really wanted to bring awareness to those husbands and wives, sons and daughters who have to summon their strength and adapt to a new normal when someone they love gets a diagnosis that changes everything. Having a primetime platform gave me a tremendous opportunity to fulfill the promise I made to my mother when she got sick that I would tell her story and make it count. It was such a proud moment to be able to hold my head high and be victorious in a way that honored the difficult path of the caregiver.” Though her beloved mom, Gloria Jean, died in 2008, her legacy lives on through Leeza’s commitment to empowering, educating, and energizing caregivers.

“It’s so easy to become stressed, depressed, and depleted,” adds the author of Take Your Oxygen First. “Caregivers must nourish themselves mind, body, soul and spirit.” Here, Gibbons shares the natural products and remedies that feed her brain, her body, and her winning attitude.

Fueling Body, Mind, and Spirit

So how does this media maven turned wellness champion fit in fitness and a balanced diet? “I’m all about ease of execution because that gives me a stronger likelihood that I will actually make it happen,” Gibbons says. “I start my days with a walk for my dog and a tall glass of water before grabbing a decaf coffee and fruit.

I usually have a business lunch and will opt for fish or grilled chicken, or some yummy salad with avocado and nuts.” But smart nutrition isn’t her only replenishment. “When my brain is tired, I exercise my body, and when my body is tired, I exercise my brain,” she says. Dictating most of her e-mail responses during walks and otherwise breaking from her computer to stretch and breathe keeps her energy flowing from head to toe. “My mantra is ‘Breathe, believe, receive.’ It’s like hitting the reset button and giving myself a chance to reboot and start over. We forget that’s an option that’s available to all of us at any time.” Finally, she recharges with a sweat-worthy workout and cooldown. “Most days after shooting interviews or writing, I head to my little boutique gym—which I love—for my 10/20/30 workout: 10 minutes (or more if I have it) on the helix trainer, 20 minutes of free weights on the vibration plate, then 30 minutes in the infrared detox sauna pod. That’s the best meditation time, too. I go home feeling like I can do anything!”

Coconut oil “I ingest two tablespoons a day. It’s loaded with antioxidants, which are good for everything, including brain health.”

Epsom salt baths “Nothing like a good bath to wash the day away, but when you add 4–5 tablespoons of Epsom salts, you can rid your body of toxins as well.”

Turmeric “I love spicy foods that contain this, but I also take the supplements. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory that keeps your brain healthy. My mom and my grandmother died of Alzheimer’s disease, so I’m hypervigilant about ways to protect my brain.”

B12 “[This is great] for a healthy nervous system, energy, mood, and memory. This one is especially important for people my age and anyone who doesn’t eat a lot of dairy and animal products that contain this vitamin.”

Mayonnaise “My mother started using it to condition my hair when I was 9 and had stringy, dull hair. I apply a cup and a half of mayo to dry hair and add a teaspoon of vanilla to cut the scent. Then I wrap my hair in a hot, damp towel for 20 minutes. It works wonders!”

Argan oil “It’s my ‘go to’ for dry skin and cuticles. It heals any redness and itchiness, too.”

Chris Mann is a celebrity wellness and fitness writer, natural health brand storyteller, entertainment author and journalist, and digital-content producer (ChrisMann.TV).