Our Exclusive Interview With Heather John
She Talks About Motherhood And How Her Entire World Opened Up After Meeting Her Husband Daymond John
BY CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES AUGUST 24, 2020
Photo: Heather John and her daughter Minka John
In our interview with Heather John, it is clear to see that her life revolves around her family. She opens up about motherhood with her adorable four-year-old daughter Minka, and how her entire world opened up after meeting her husband Daymond John. In the current climate of racial tensions being brought to the spotlight due to the tragic death of George Floyd, she shares that Daymond, “taught me so much about the struggles communities of colors have faced and face today. To me, none of what is occurring with the civil unrest in our country is new to me. His childhood friends jailed for crimes they never committed, Daymond being pulled over because he was driving alongside ME in the car, the systematic racism that has always plagued the black community and so on.”
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also very important to Heather, and she gets into details about the homeopathic treatments she uses and says, “for me, it makes the difference between having energy and being depleted for the week due to autoimmune struggles I deal with.”
Q+A
1. CA: As a mother to a young daughter, what’s the most important thing you try to teach her?
Heather John: Confidence and empathy. I am preparing our daughter Minka to be a confident female and for her to be certain that she is important and that her voice holds weight. As a mother to a mixed race child, it is my responsibility to educate her on potential ignorance and build her up so she will be able to handle any situation she may encounter.
I also wish for her to have empathy. Empathy to always be able to relate to anyone’s situation with no judgement. Being empathic, to me, is to be a person of great character. Being empathic can change another person's life forever. I will remind Minka to remember to always think about others besides herself. Being empathic cannot only change someone else’s life, it can improve your own spirit.
2. CA: What lessons have you learned over the years that have helped you to evolve into who you are today?
Heather John: My entire world opened up after meeting my husband Daymond. Daymond is the most grounded, global human I’ve ever met. I’ve been with Daymond for 14 years and one thing I can say is that he has taught me so much about the struggles communities of colors have faced and face today. To me, none of what is occurring with the civil unrest in our country is new to me. His childhood friends jailed for crimes they never committed, Daymond being pulled over because he was driving alongside ME in the car, the systematic racism that has always plagued the black community and so on. I’ve been learning the true struggles year by year month by month and day by day and I can say one thing: Daymond changed my life. Learning and truly understanding how my white privilege measures up against the struggles of the black community has truly been life changing.
If I can suggest one thing it would be to ask questions. Learn. We don’t know what we don’t know, so ask. Never assume that you think you can relate, because most of the time you cannot, so listen and learn. Get uncomfortable and be the change.
Photo: Heather John and her daughter Minka John
3. CA: I know you are into natural wellbeing treatments like vitamin IV and PRP. Can you share any of these with our readers?
Heather John:Weekly, I get a general Vitamin C IV drip with several homeopathics, a glutathione drip, and often I do Ozone with the UVB machine. For me, it makes the difference between having energy and being depleted for the week due to autoimmune struggles I deal with.
A Vitamin C drip is a common choice for anyone seeking a nice boost. It works for overall health.
Glutathione is one of the strongest antioxidants / cancer fighting agents you can put into your body.
Ozone is something I started doing last year. I get reactivations of Epstein Barr. Ozone helps to kill the virus in the bloodstream. Passing it through the UVB machine acts as a double whammy to killing more of the virus. Benefits you can expect from Ozone is clarity, mental focus and increased energy. I know of many people who do Ozone simply for overall health, not for an exact ailment. You don’t necessarily need to be diagnosed with an illness to do Ozone. The way Ozone works is very interesting. They draw out an entire IV bag of your blood, then they push ozone gas into the bag, shake it up and send it right back into your body. If you are doing UVB, the tube with your blood passes through that machine and drips right back into your vein.
It’s great if you are able to do these IV drips but it’s truly not realistic for many people. For that reason, taking these supplements orally also works great. I usually take some of mine in slightly higher doses.
Also, always make sure to research the vitamin companies you buy from. Many are not clean and have fillers in them negating the true purpose you are taking them in the first place.
4. CA: What’s your workout routine for remaining so fit and full of energy?
Heather John: Living in COVID times has been difficult to maintain a strong routine, however I am back to lifting weights 3x per week. In addition, I try to add one day a week of Pilates in which case I do the zoom classes they now provide to stay safe. I often opt to walk wherever I need to go when the time allows. But hey! It’s a struggle! I’m far from perfect and there’s always room for improvement. To work harder, lift heavier, do more workouts...but let’s be honest, I’m struggling along with most other people. I like to eat, my 4 year old likes to bake all the time, there are junk food temptations around me daily but at the end of the day the most important thing is the INTENT and the EFFORT. That is really what I strive for. Some days I feel terrible, but I show up! I might not lift much but I go through the motions and that behavior alone keeps me in the game.
5. CA: Self-improvement is so important for personal growth. Can you share how you approach self-improvement and personal development?
Heather John: Traveling. It frees your mind. Learning about other cultures and how they live. Learning about what makes them who they are. The type of food they eat. Their morals. Their music. What makes them move the way they move.
“Have a conversation with someone, open your mind. And in return monitor how the exposure changes the way you feel, the way you move , the way you think. Learning is growing. Never stop” -Heather John
6. CA: What’s your favorite movie and book?
Heather John: “Maybe I’m biased but ‘POWERSHIFT’ by Daymond John is my favorite book. My favorite movie is ‘Minority Report’.
7. CA: Can you tell us a mantra you live by?
Heather John: “Sometimes circumstances must change so you can change.”