Meet Alexis Holland | Holistic Chef, Health Coach & Food/Music Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexis Holland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexis, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I created Living by Intention to help raise the health standard. After I secured the LLC, I looked up all definitions for the word “Intention”, and to my surprise, it also means “to heal a wound”. This is so fitting because I strive to address generational healing with my brand. Throughout my life, I witnessed most people I love suffer from heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, depression, digestive issues and so much more. I recognized it was a pattern rooted in poor quality food as well as exposure to environmental toxins. It wasn’t long before I decided to find a solution… not just for my family, but to prevent illness within my body and from passing it down to my future children. Through Living by Intention, I teach individuals how to eat the foods that their grandmother’s made, but with ingredients that were more common to our great great grandparents – garden to table, as organic as possible. I also teach people how to move their bodies as a yoga therapist, and how to regulate their emotions through a variety of techniques that involve meditation, journaling, and self awareness. It is there that we can all begin to make better decisions not only for ourselves, but for future generations as well as the planet. This way of living is also a huge part of my business. The more green and sustainable our diets become, the faster the earth begins to heal and regenerate which is more important than ever before. As a brand, it is also important for me to continue to shine light on the fact that systemic racism has targeted black, indigenous and latin communities for hundreds of years. Food apartheid has forced BIPOC families into neighborhoods that don’t even have grocery stores with fresh produce. These same neighborhoods happen to be where the factories and toxic waste are as well. A huge part of my work is to give voice to this so that it can change. This crime is impacting generations of people that are getting sick and dying because they don’t have access to clean water, air, or food. Climate justice and racial justice go hand in hand. Living by Intention will continue to provide education to the people so we can regain our health and begin our journey back to generational health, wealth and wellbeing one day at a time. For ourselves, and the planet.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is all about generational healing and helping people understand the deeper layers of who they are, where they came from, and how to keep evolving to access their highest human potential.

Intuitively, I’ve always been guided to where I am today. Looking back, I can see I’ve become my favorite pieces of my favorite people… My grandmother, Donna Holland, who was a true Saint, leader in the church, head chef, and a sopranao in the gospel choir (same as my great grandmother!). My Godmother – Courtney LaNier Boyd – has also been a huge inspiration since day one. A drummer, photographer, as well as a preacher, she has always seen and uplifted the good in people around her.

My business and being today is a reflection of all they taught me. It is also a solution for what my grandparents didn’t realize when they were alive. Everyone in my family has suffered from severe health problems due to food apartheid, systemic racism and how people are positioned in proximation to environmental poisons and dangers.

I started Living by Intention out of a deep need to help my family heal, and to prevent myself as well as other young people from the harms they face every day with products that we are made to believe are safe. It is a direct action for change by educating everyone that food & mindset can heal! Fruit’s and vegetables alone have qualities powerful enough to combat cancerous cells in the body. By shifting the way we eat, shifting the way we think, and learning how to move and heal our bodies (past & present traumas), we can evolve, regenerate the planet, and change the genetic outcome of our children in a positive way.

Of course it’s not easy. Everyday we are faced with contradicting information that we have to sift through. With Living by Intention it is my hope to continue to share truth with my community about what their potential truly is, and help them along the way. Through sharing my food, my music, and mindfulness education, I hope to inspire people to work towards their best till the day I die.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d take them for a picnic at a park or nature preserve near by. I believe you can do all the things you love underneath an open sky with some sunshine, good food, instruments, activities and good conversation! I’m a huge fan of getting people to explore the outdoors more!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
At this point in my journey, I’d love to shout out Leah Pennimen and her textbook called “Farming While Black”. It has changed my life and has shown me I am not alone on my journey as an Afro Indigenous woman intuitively finding my way back to my ancestors greatness through my gifts, talents, and love of the planet.

Website: Www.LivingbyIntention.com

Instagram: @LivingbyIntention music: @A.l.e.x.i.s.Re

Image Credits
Intuitive Images Sun to Soul Photography Miranda Rossi Photography