Health advocate, TV host, writer, and actress Marianela Pereyra ignited her passion for healing through food during her journey of helping bring her father back to health. She now shares the message of health far and wide through her blog, The Fuddhist, as well as her work through ENRICHLA, a Community Wellness Non-profit focused on building edible gardens in local schools. Her interview inspires us to “go after the YES” as we seek to acquire publicity for our own practices, and to treat our morning routine with the respect it deserves.
You’ve had a multidimensional career as a TV host, writer, actress and health advocate. Can you tell us what led you into the field of holistic health?
My grandfather was a pioneer in preventive medicine and I’ve always had a strong curiosity for all things health and wellness. I started to really dive into nutrition after my family and I immigrated to the United States from Argentina. I noticed that my siblings and father were beginning to gain a lot of weight and were plagued by lots of health issues. That is when I turned to the healing power of foods and successfully helped them through their own health crisis. This sparked my desire to help others reach optimal health and live a quality life. Ironically, being on television, also led me to discover that raw beauty starts in the gut. I quickly learned that the best beauty secrets were the ones I could drink and eat. My Fuddhist rule is, “if I can’t eat it, then I won’t wear it.” My homemade facials and beauty drinks became my sacred beauty routine!
You started your entertainment career interviewing some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, such as 50 Cent, Metallica, Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, Usher, Eminem and The Cure. As such, you have such valuable perspective on what makes for a good interview. Are there any pro interview tips you can give to a practitioner trying to prepare for an upcoming opportunity as an interviewee?
I think it’s important to really know your audience/client. No matter who it is I’m interviewing, I’m always prepared. I also think the biggest part of interviewing someone is “listening.” You’d be surprised how well most interviews go without you having to say a word. People love to talk, no matter who they are! That’s why it’s always a great idea to ask open-ended questions, which require more thought than a simple one-word answer. I also like to match the energy of the person I’m interviewing; Metallica has a very different energy than say Gwen Stefani. You want to make the other person comfortable by not overwhelming them with an insane amount of excitement if they are low key, or by bringing them way down, if they are a bit more playful.
Do you have any tips for holistic health professionals who would like to go after publicity through a channel such as a television interview?
Like my mother always says, (in Spanish of course) “the NO is already there. Go after the YES.” You’d be surprised how much you accomplish in life by simply trying. Most programs are constantly looking for content, and could need what YOU have to offer! Find a contact person, and simply reach out. Sometimes you have to contact a few different people before you get that YES, so be persistent and venture out to as many places as you can! It’s a numbers game 🙂
You have a blog, The Fuddhist, where you share healthy recipes and wellness tips. Can you tell us what you’ve enjoyed most about running it, and if there have been unexpected challenges you may have experienced?
I absolutely love running my blog! I really enjoy writing, designing infographics, and sharing inspirational quotes. My hope is to inspire and help others lead a life of quality and happiness. I think making the leap into from ‘creator’ to ‘employer’ is difficult at first. As a perfectionist and one who pays close attention to details, I fell into the trap of trying to micro manage every single thing on my site. The reality is, if you want to reach a large audience you’re going to need a little help. Spend time thoroughly interviewing qualified prospects who will help you get all the busy work done, so you can focus on creating wonderful content!
What is your morning routine?
My morning routine is something I offer as an optin on my site, all you have to do is head to thefuddhist.com and enter you email address 🙂 I consider the morning routine to be sacred and paramount in shaping the outcome of your days, weeks, months, and ultimately your life. Every single morning for me starts with 5 deep breaths and ends with a 1 minute meditation to help shift me into a state of gratitude and joy. I do some pretty zany and Fuddhist things in between 😉
What is your favorite indulgence?
Dark chocolate with hazelnuts!
Most exotic thing you’ve ever eaten?
A blood sausage. Although in Argentina, that one is quite common 😉 Lots of iron!
Most memorable place you’ve ever visited?
The town of Valldemossa in Mallorca, Spain.
Last book you read?
“You can be happy no matter what”- Dr. Richard Carlson
If you could only have one kind of food for the rest of your life, it would be…
Fruits. Avocados and tomatoes to be exact!
What is your go-to breakfast?
Poached egg with cherry tomatoes, a little olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and half an avocado.
What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?
I love to create!
Marianela Pereyra is a T.V. Host, Writer, Producer, Health Advocate, and Creator of The Fuddhist based out of Los Angeles, California. You can find out more about Marianela and her blog, Fuddhist, by visiting http://thefuddhist.com and http://www.marianela.tv.
