Ep 73 - Nurturing Self-Compassion: Body Image and Spirituality in Diabetes Management with Marla Mervis-Hartmann

As the creator of Love Your Body, Love Yourself, Marla Mervis-Hartmann helps women access their yes! to that question.

After experiencing years of dysfunction in relation to food, exercise, and body confidence, Marla transformed her life through the radical act of self-compassion and friending herself. She has since used her experiences to help empower women as they choose appreciation for their bodies, honor themselves through nourishing lifestyle choices, and cultivate confidence along the way.

Marla works at Ai Pono a Eating Disorder Recovery Center sharing Body-Love Reiki Circles and was known as the leading body image expert and Reiki Master at Journey Malibu–a Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation center. Most recently, she has been featured at TEDx Salinas. Her dedication to women's studies has had several focuses including women's sexual wellness, postpartum care, pelvic floor support, tantra and yoga instruction, massage therapy, and lifestyle coaching through Love Your Body, Love Yourself.

Marla's mission is to inspire women to feel good about themselves as they pursue the lives they desire.

Currently, Marla lives in Maui with her husband, Olaf, and son, Aspen–where she works full-time as a professional coach, speaker, facilitator, and Living Light Reiki Master and Instructor. Marla will see her first book, Be-Friend Yourself on bookshelves October 1, 2024.

In this episode, Marla shares:

• How self-compassion can support women managing diabetes, especially as we age.
• Strategies for maintaining a positive body image while managing diabetes.
• The role of spirituality in supporting your health journey and diabetes management.
• Tips for cultivating a healthy relationship with food and a balanced approach to eating over 40.
• Practical steps to befriend yourself and supportive internal dialogue about your health

We'll also discuss the importance of community and support, share a success story from Marla's work, and explore her new book, "Be-Friend Yourself" https://www.loveyourbodyloveyourself.com/book that is on sale tomorrow, Oct 1st.

Tune in to discover how to integrate self-compassion and spirituality into your daily routine and start your journey towards self-love and body appreciation.

Connected with Marla:

On IG @loveyourbodyloveyourselfalways

Marla's Book: BE-Friend yourself

Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Eating Free Gift

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Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should be a substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.