Rooted & Rising

About Rooted & Rising

A weekly podcast where we tackle the stuff that actually weighs you down. From managing stress to fitness plans that fit your life, eating well, expanding your money mindset, and so much more. It's time to start setting your roots and rising. **Setting, not planning.** lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com (https://lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Lamisa Wellness Collective

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Oct 2025

Latest episode

25 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

35 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Aug 2026

   How to Build an Intentional Wellness Budget

   Wow. We started The Real Cost of Wellness series EIGHT weeks ago, and today, we finally reach the finish line. If you’ve been along for the entire ride, you know the difference between spending on your health and spending on your anxiety; how the wellness industry pulls on fear, complexity, and identity to get to your wallet; whether the organic premium is worth paying; that the grocery store is a marketing environment; and that supplements don’t need to be FDA-approved to hit shelves. Yes, I’m still shocked about some of these. Now, let’s crunch the numbers. Most Wellness Budgets Don’t Survive the Month, and it’s probably because they’re built on a lack of intentionality. You probably spent a large amount last month, and this month you think restricting yourself will restore the balance, but that’s a plan of deprivation. Or the budget was built on guilt, and that isn’t productive either. So let’s build a specific, value-aligned, flexible budget based on what we’ve learned so far. The Three-Tier Framework Every wellness dollar you spend has a home (or tier, in this case). Tier One: The Essentials This is where your non-negotiable wellness dollars go. Your food budget, medication or supplements that have been cleared with your medical practitioner, and daily movement that keeps your body functional. Don’t yell at me; this does not include your boutique-studio workout classes. When your resources shift, this is the tier to protect. Tier Two: The Optimizers These things improve your quality of life but are not a necessity. Things like supplements that have made a measurable difference, a grocery delivery or meal prep service that you actually use, and higher-quality proteins that keep you fuller longer. This tier is one that you should evaluate quarterly to make sure it’s still benefiting you in the same way. The optimizers earn their spot; these things do not live here only because the marketing is good. Tier Three: The Nice-to-Haves These are the things that bring you pleasure or comfort, but are nothing more than a trendy add-on to your routine. The fancy olive oil, $20 body wash, and adaptogen mix that you love live here. If your resources decrease, this is the tier that goes first. Turning the Framework into a Number Here are the raw, honest steps: * Pull the last three months of your spending, including bank statements, card records, subscriptions—everything. * Sort each item line-by-line based on the three-tier system. No need to feel judged. Just observe. * Set the tier one base so you know exactly how much you need to spend to function properly. * Set your tier two ceiling so you have boundaries. * See what’s left over for tier three. Add the three tiers together, and that is your intentional wellness budget. The Wellness Audit One final step. Go through your current spending and audit your feelings with these questions: * Does this nourish me, or does it reassure me? * Is this tier one, two, or three? * Does it pass the three-question supplement audit? * Is this what my body needs, or what the marketing told me it needs? Typically, this audit clears all confusion and ends up being a smaller budget, but more defensible plan that is entirely, consciously, unapologetically yours. That’s all folks! 5 episodes, 3 newsletters, and 8 weeks of knowledge, power, and wellness in several fonts. If this resonated with you, or you know someone who might love this series, subscribe, gift a subscription, share—we have options! Thank you so much for being here. Every piece from The Real Cost of Wellness series will be linked below in order. And remember, stay rooted. Keep rising. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Lamisa Wellness Collective at lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe (https://lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Your Grocery Cart and Your Copay Are the Same Conversation

   We’ve been taught to keep two completely separate accounts: the grocery bill and the healthcare bill. One is a household expense we compare, scrutinize, and optimize. While the other is ‘just the cost of having a body’. But the research tells a different story. Chronic disease is largely linked to diet, activity, sleep, and stress, and is the single biggest driver of healthcare spending in this country. Unlike your age or genetics, what you put in your grocery cart is one of the few variables you have control over. Preventive (or preventative) and reactive spending are two different sides of the same coin. Once you see it this way, the weekly grocery run looks a lot less like a household errand, and a lot more like a long-term investment. Preventive (Now) Spending: * The better olive oil * Organic berries versus conventional * Time spent cooking as opposed to ordering in * Invisible payoff until it isn’t Reactive (Later) Spending: * The copay you paid with little thought behind the purchase * The prescription refill * The specialist appointment * Urgency is involved Every grocery trip is either preventive spending or an opportunity for it. Food as medicine is a phrase that can make you feel empowered by your food choices, purchase things that make you feel better (mentally more than physically), or make you feel like every meal is a test you can pass or fail. However, the research points to something far more manageable than either of those things. Three Dietary Patterns With the Strongest Evidence * Consistent fiber intake — linked to better cardiometabolic health, more stable blood sugar, and meaningful improvements in both gut and cardiovascular function. * Adequate protein — especially in midlife, when preserving muscle mass becomes harder as estrogen declines and the metabolic consequences compound. * Reducing ultra-processed foods as a dietary majority — the research targets overall patterns; more whole-food options make a big difference. Worth noting what the research doesn't point to: eliminating entire food groups, cutting all sugar, or replacing meals with supplements or powders. Telling people to “just eat better” is not the supportive response those saying it think it is. There are barriers like cost, time, access, and family constraints, which make this statement dismissive. However, some of the most nutrient-dense foods available are also the most affordable. Eating well does not always mean eating expensively. Pre-cut foods, superfood branding, and premium packaging get dressed up as healthier, but they have the same effect. High-Nutrition, Budget Accessible Staples * Dried and canned beans and lentils — protein and fiber at some of the lowest cost per serving available * Frozen vegetables and fruit — harvested and frozen at peak ripeness; nutrient retention often equals or exceeds fresh produce that’s traveled to the store * Oats — fiber, complex carbohydrates, sustained energy, blood sugar support * Eggs — complete protein, B vitamins, choline for cognitive health * Canned fish — sardines, salmon, tuna — omega-3s and protein at a fraction of fresh cost * Seasonal produce — peak nutrition at the lowest price point, no organic premium required Managing a chronic condition costs more, for longer, than not developing one. Medication, monitoring, and specialist appointments are not one-and-done costs; they compound over years. Genetics, access, stress, and life circumstances all shape health outcomes in ways none of us fully control. But there are things, like eating habits, that we do have full control over. Building a cart that leans preventive doesn't require a nutrition degree or a bigger budget. It requires a simple filter. For most items, ask whether it's delivering protein, fiber, or ideally both. If a category of your cart, snacks in particular, is consistently delivering neither, that's useful information. Here are four questions to ask as you fill your cart: * Is this mostly one recognizable ingredient, or a list I need to decode? * Does this give me protein, fiber, or both? * Would this still feel like the right choice if the packaging were plain and nobody was talking about it? * Am I reaching for this out of habit or intention? There is one episode left in the Real Cost of Wellness Series, and it’s taking everything we’ve covered and turning it into an actual plan: a personal wellness budget built on knowledge. If this one shifted how you think about your grocery run, or if you know someone who would benefit from this episode, share it! Stay rooted. Keep rising! Did you see last week’s newsletter? This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Lamisa Wellness Collective at lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe (https://lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   4 Aug 2026

   Is Your Supplement Routine Working?

   If you’re like most of the women in this community, you probably have six to twenty supplements in your supplement drawer. For whatever reason, you heard all of these were amazing, so you decided to purchase them and change your life. That’s usually how the story goes, but answer me this: what does each of those supplements do, and are you still taking them? The gap between what we buy and what we can defend is what I’d like to dive into today. We’re talking about the supplement industry, what it is legally, what the research actually supports (especially for women in midlife), and how to walk away spending a lot less for a lot more clarity. The Law You Didn’t Know You Were Trusting Here’s a fact most U.S. citizens don’t know: In the United States, dietary supplements aren’t regulated like pharmaceutical drugs. The FDA does not approve supplements before they reach shelves, and manufacturers are not required to prove their products are safe or that they work before they sell them to you. This is the law. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that the FDA can only step in after a product on the market has been proven to cause harm. So, there’s a high chance that many, if not all, of your supplements have never been independently checked to confirm they contain what the labels claim and what the marketing promises. The Regulatory Reality * Supplements don’t require FDA approval before going to market * Manufacturers are not required to prove safety or efficacy before selling * Labels may not accurately reflect what’s actually in the product * Third-party testing exists, but it’s not mandatory * The FDA can only act after harm is demonstrated post-market This is not to say all supplements are scams. Some are third-party tested, backed by solid research, and do exactly what they claim to. The issue is that the industry is built in a way that makes it difficult to tell the difference between what really works and what’s beautifully packaged hope. The Three Pricing Levers If you’ve been following this series, you already know the wellness industry sells on three levers: fear, identity, and complexity. The supplement aisle uses all three more skillfully than almost anywhere else. “Your cortisol is through the roof” is one of many ways they embed fear and weaponize urgency around a threat you cannot see or measure, pushing you to buy a fix. For women navigating the disorienting symptoms of perimenopause, that language hits us hard. Terms like “Glow Protocol” and “Hormone Harmony” use identity to suggest that buying the bottle makes you a certain kind of woman. Proprietary blends that hide actual dosages are how the industry uses complexity to confuse the consumer. They use clinical-sounding language on products with no clinical research behind them and influencer partnerships that read like endorsements to get consumers to spend. A confused consumer is a spending consumer! Red Flags in Marketing * “Proprietary blend” hides individual ingredient doses behind a trademarked name * Before/after testimonials are not clinical evidence, and legally distinct from proven results * “Clinically studied ingredients” suggest the ingredient may be studied; however, the finished product rarely is * Influencer endorsements are often paid partnerships, disclosed or not * Urgency tactics like “limited batch,” “selling out fast” are classic fear-based conversion tactics What Actually Has Evidence Behind it for Women in Perimenopause and Menopause? Magnesium glycinate is best tolerated for sleep and anxiety. Magnesium citrate is great for digestive support. Magnesium oxide is cheapest but least bioavailable. Vitamin D3 + K2 supports bone density, immune function, mood, and cardiovascular health. Get your levels tested before supplementing. Omega-3s (EPA/DHA) support cardiovascular health, inflammation, brain function, and mood. Look for 1,000mg+ combined EPA/DHA and third-party tested. Algae-based for non-fish-eaters. Creatine monohydrate supports muscle preservation, cognitive function, and fatigue, all areas where declining estrogen creates real vulnerability. Probiotics support gut and immune health but are strain-specific. The Three-Question Audit Go to the place you keep your supplements, pull everything out, and for each one, ask yourself: * Why am I specifically taking this currently? * Is there peer-reviewed research behind this, or just fun marketing? * Have I noticed a specific, measurable difference since I started taking this? * Bonus: Does my practitioner support me taking this? After all of that, bring what’s left to your doctor, your OB-GYN, or a functional medicine practitioner that you trust for input. Supplements interact with medications, affect hormone levels, and can be contraindicated with specific conditions. No brand can replace a practitioner who sees your full picture. What Enough Actually Looks Like A clean, intentional supplement routine is three to five supplements, each with a clear reason and research behind it, chosen in conversation with someone who knows your health history, and purchased from brands that do third-party testing. Look for NSF Certified for Sport, USP Verified, or Informed Sport on the label. When I did this audit on my own routine, I cut my monthly supplement spending by more than half, and I cleared more than half of my supplement drawer too. The goal was never to be anti-supplement. It’s to become someone who spends on outcomes instead of anxiety and shift from reactive to intentional. Until next time. Stay rooted. Keep rising. If this one hit home, share it with someone who needs the permission slip and subscribe. Find me at Lamisa Wellness Collective on Facebook, Lamisa Carradine on LinkedIn, and @lamisacarradine on Instagram. I’d love to hear about your experience. Did you see the last LWC newsletter? Get full access to Lamisa Wellness Collective at lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe (https://lamisawellnesscollective.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

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