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On our special health and fitness-themed show: Daisy Lewellyn from 'Blood, Sweat & Heels’ talks about her battle with cancer, celeb trainer Lita Lewis works you out, Andy Allo gives a special acoustic performance, and the 'Slayed or Shade' panel talk
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00:00Today on Essence Live, can't wait to rock your new bodycon, but still have a few extra pounds to shed.
00:07Certified personal trainer Lita Lewis is in the house to help us whip into shape.
00:12Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams help us celebrate Essence Magazine's 45th anniversary with a very special message.
00:18And Daisy Llewellyn from Blood, Sweat & Heels talks to us about her courageous battle with a rare form of cancer.
00:23This special health and wellness edition of Essence Live starts right now.
00:30Hello out there Essence family, I'm Dana Blair and welcome to Essence Live, your go-to destination for our stars, our styles, and our lives.
00:46We would be remiss if we didn't mention all of the love that we've been receiving via social media since our debut here on Essence.com.
00:52Here are a couple of our faves.
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01:07Black women inspiring their presence alone gives me chills.
01:09Hashtag Essence Live.
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01:23If you like what you're seeing on the show, let us know.
01:26Okay, so let's get into it, what this show is all about.
01:31Joining me to kick off the show is motivational speaker and fitness personality, Lita Lewis.
01:35Lita, thank you so much for being here.
01:36Thank you so much for having me.
01:38Now, it's the summertime.
01:39We're all trying to get our minds and our bodies right.
01:43Get everything fit and looking tight.
01:45For those folks that are out there, they might find it a little difficult to get motivated, to get moving.
01:50What tips do you have for them?
01:51Yeah, I always say, you know, when it comes to motivation, it's really important to make priorities.
01:56I think there's all sorts of things that happen in our lives that distract us or have us moving in all sorts of directions.
02:03But if you make priorities and make fitness our priority, we're always going to find the time for it.
02:07What about those women who are on the move, say, for example, they're professionals and they're trying to balance work and home life or, you know, running the kids here and there?
02:15Is there anything they can do while they're on the go?
02:17Absolutely.
02:17I think I always say if you have time to pick up the paper or check your email or tweet, be part of social media, there's always time for an exercise.
02:26Literally, there's movements that you can do that take eight, ten minutes and without any equipment to really get a great, great fat burning exercise in.
02:34And you are absolutely stunning.
02:36So I have to ask you, how did you get involved in fitness and health?
02:40Was this always a passion of yours?
02:41You know, health and fitness has always been a part of my lifestyle.
02:44I worked corporate America for many years and was really starting to build a brand and a business on social media.
02:51Oh, nice.
02:52And that became a huge passion and overrided my love for my job.
02:56So I decided one day that I was just going to quit my job and just go full time.
03:00Yeah, get your job.
03:02That's awesome.
03:03Okay, so I will be running the New York City Marathon under the Pitchin Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the lives of inner-city youth through educational and athletic activities.
03:11And I need to be in peak physical condition.
03:14So I recently just started running, but I hear that I have to balance my running and my cardio and endurance training with some other exercises.
03:23So, I'm a little nervous.
03:26I'm going to kick off my heels.
03:27There we go.
03:28And you're going to show us a couple of...
03:30Yeah, I got three movements for you today.
03:31Look how short I just got, Essence.
03:33You see that?
03:33You see that?
03:34All right, so what's number one?
03:36I'm ready.
03:36The first exercise is a really simple one.
03:38It's a ninja high kick into a full punch movement.
03:42That sounds like something I need on my ex-boyfriend.
03:43Let's go.
03:44There we go.
03:44So it's really fun.
03:45So what we want to do, right, is just high knee it out, high knee it out, left and right, punch, punch, punch.
03:52Again, high knee it out, high knee it out, punch, punch, punch.
03:55And I notice that you're kind of going up on your toe a little bit.
03:58I do.
03:58Is that for, like, the leg?
03:59Absolutely.
04:00We want to maximize the movement and really engage our calves as well.
04:03So again, nice and high, up on those toes, punch, punch, punch, again, high, punch, punch, punch.
04:11Now, when everyone out there at Essence.com is doing it at home, because I know you're going to, no pressure, no pressure,
04:17should they be concentrating on, say, a certain arm movement or the, what should we think about internally, focus on with our bodies?
04:24Well, this is a great move because it takes a lot of coordination.
04:26So one, coordination is important.
04:28So you want to focus on your rhythm.
04:30Okay.
04:30When it comes to a punch, I always say bring your punches right back underneath your chin after punch.
04:34So here and here.
04:36A lot of people tend to drop.
04:37Oh.
04:38I want to keep this nice and high.
04:39You can't do that in Mortal Kombat.
04:40Exactly.
04:41So nice and high, right back to the chin.
04:43Now, what's exercise number two?
04:44Number two, nice and easy.
04:46What we're going to do is going to be low in squat formation.
04:48Getting low.
04:49We're going to step to the side twice.
04:51That's one, two, and then jump.
04:53And then jump.
04:54Again, right back into a squat formation and then jump again.
04:57Okay.
04:58Are we trying to stay level here?
05:00Or what do we think?
05:01Is this for the bum?
05:02We're just going to stay in.
05:02This is for all lower body.
05:04Oh, this is like getting my Serena Williams on.
05:05Yes.
05:05And you're also engaging your core the whole time.
05:09Nice.
05:09Now, do you ever do this with weights or what's the next way to take this?
05:12If you would like, you want to ramp it up, you can hold light dumbbells.
05:16Okay.
05:17Another way to ramp it up or make it a little bit more difficult for yourself is to say a lower squat formation.
05:22Oh, I don't know if I can get that low.
05:23Do you want to like...
05:24Mama, mama may have to try to get that low.
05:26I don't know.
05:26Break down.
05:27Well, exactly.
05:27But if you break it down and come down lower than 90 degrees, it becomes a lot more difficult.
05:31Now, I have bad knees.
05:33Anybody out there that may have bad knees, is this an okay exercise for them?
05:36Or is there something they should think about when they have a knee joint problem?
05:39Yeah, if you have bad knees, it's definitely something to pay attention to.
05:41Okay.
05:41What I would recommend is doing it on a softer surface.
05:43Oh, okay.
05:44Whether or not you're at home and you can do it on carpet versus a hard ground.
05:48Or at the gym, there's usually surfaces there that absorb the impact of your jump as well.
05:53Okay.
05:53And about how many should we do?
05:55Again, I do at least 20 reps.
05:5820 seems like the magic number.
06:00Just saying.
06:00Just saying.
06:01Okay.
06:01Now, what's number three?
06:03Three.
06:03Okay.
06:03Last and final.
06:04This one, we're going to stay in squat formation.
06:08What we're going to do is going to call it a reach and twist.
06:10We're going to twist here and reach.
06:12Okay.
06:12You want to stay nice and low the whole time, engage your core, keep your spine nice and
06:18aligned.
06:19Is 20 the magic number here?
06:2020 is the magic number.
06:21Here's the thing.
06:22What?
06:22You're going to get a little faster.
06:23You want to ramp up the speed.
06:24Oh, oh.
06:25Yeah, girl.
06:26I don't know if I'm there yet.
06:28There you go.
06:29That's how we ramp up the little speed to that one.
06:31Thank you so very much for taking the time and showing us these tips.
06:34Where can our Essence.com audience find you?
06:36Yeah, I'm actually on tour at the moment.
06:37So I run boot camps in my local home city.
06:41Okay.
06:41Okay.
06:41And then next month in July 6th and 7th, I hit Houston and Dallas.
06:46Nice.
06:46And then Atlanta at the end of the month in June.
06:48Do you have a website where we can find you?
06:50Absolutely.
06:50It would be LitaLewis.com.
06:52And that's L-I-T-A-L-I-W-I-S.
06:55Dot com.
06:56Thank you so very much because, you know, I'm training for the marathon.
06:58I have my Samsung watch.
07:00It's a Gear S.
07:01And it's like I'm tracking like all of my steps.
07:03I look really fly at the same time.
07:05Awesome.
07:05But it's kind of holding me accountable.
07:07Yeah.
07:08Do you work out with anyone?
07:09No, I typically like to work out alone, to be completely honest with you.
07:13However, when it comes to a lot of strength training that I do, so a lot of heavy lifting,
07:17it's always great to have a partner.
07:19Someone to spot me when I'm really going down with those heavy weights.
07:22Okay.
07:22I'm definitely going to follow you and I'm going to keep you posted.
07:25And I'm going to send you like snapshots so that you know that I'm really doing my exercises.
07:28Please do.
07:28Thank you so much.
07:30All right.
07:31So here we go.
07:33I have to say goodbye to Lita.
07:34I'm breaking a little bit of a sweat, but I'm going to do this.
07:3720 is the magic number.
07:38Remember that, Essence.com.
07:39So coming up, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams help us wish Essence Magazine a happy 45th anniversary.
07:44And later, I'll sit down with Daisy Llewellyn from Blood, Sweat & Heels, who will share with us her emotional story of battling a rare form of cancer.
07:52Don't Go Anywhere Essence Live returns right after this message from hairstylist Mazay Jefferson on how to manage transitioning hair while working out.
08:00Watch this.
08:00All the time, ladies ask me how to keep their hair looking good in the summertime and when they work out.
08:10Well, Lisa here, she's in transition.
08:13She's going natural.
08:15And obviously, she's a runner.
08:17So we're going to give you some tips on how to keep your hair soft and shiny when you're working out and during the hot summertime.
08:23First off, start when you shampoo, have a good conditioning shampoo that will help keep the moisture in your hair.
08:31And then I'm going to tell you a secret to lock the moisture in your hair so your hair can be soft and fluffy like Lisa's.
08:38One thing that you're going to need is some oil.
08:40It can be any type of oil that you like to use on your hair.
08:44But if your hair is fine like Lisa's, you want to make sure it's something lightweight.
08:48And then you want to have your favorite conditioner.
08:50After you shampoo your hair, you're going to towel dry it slightly to get some of the water out.
08:55But leave it a little damp.
08:57Because for the next step, you're going to take your oil, apply it in your hands, work it through your hands real good.
09:03And then you're going to start at the ends and work the oil up towards the scalp area.
09:10Let that sit for three to five minutes.
09:12And then come back in with your conditioner.
09:15Apply your conditioner to your hands.
09:17And now you're going to work the conditioner all through the hair.
09:21And that is really going to seal the oil in the hair and seal in the moisture.
09:26Once you've waited three to five minutes, rinse the hair.
09:30And now you're ready to style.
09:31You can roller set, wrap, or blow dry.
09:34If you're going to blow dry like we did on Lisa, make sure you're using a heat protectant in your styling product on the hair.
09:42And that's going to lock in the shine and lock in the moisture.
09:47Also, at night, what she can do to keep the style without having to re-add heat is just take the hair and do some pin curls.
09:56And this will keep the style to the hair and it will keep the moisture in her hair.
10:02And the edges, I know women are always worried about their edges, and that was the first thing Lisa was worried about when she's going natural.
10:09Just take a little bit of your favorite edge tamer and apply that on your edges just lightly before you go to sleep at night.
10:18And then in the morning, when you brush it out and you style, you can just apply a little bit more for touch-ups.
10:24And you have a great style that's going to last and your moisture is going to be locked into your hair.
10:32And you have a great style that's going to be locked into your hair.
11:02Happy 45th Anniversary Essence Magazine.
11:10Happy 45th Anniversary Essence Magazine.
11:13One of my favorite Essence moments was last year.
11:16I was able to perform at Essence solo by myself for the very first time.
11:21I will never forget that moment, and I thank everybody at Essence for making that happen.
11:26Thank you, thank you so much for the many years of knowledge, of insight, of beauty tips, of wonderful secrets that I've been able to share with you.
11:36And so many millions of other women have been able to share with you for 45 years.
11:40Here's many more.
11:42Love, love, love, love, love, love you.
11:44Welcome back to Essence Live.
11:50All month long, we've been celebrating Essence Magazine's 45th Anniversary, and we want to send a special thank you to Kelly and Michelle for their very, very kind words.
11:59Joining me in studio is one of the stars of Bravo's hit show, Blood, Sweat, and Heels, airing Sundays at 10 p.m. Eastern, the queen of effortless chic.
12:07And Essence alum, Daisy Llewellyn is here.
12:09Daisy, thank you so much for joining us.
12:10Hey, Dana.
12:11I'm going to say something.
12:13Friend.
12:14I'm going to say something going totally off script here.
12:16Yes.
12:16You and I go way back, and you always sent me very kind and supportive messages.
12:21I want to say thank you for that.
12:22She predicted all of this.
12:24All of this.
12:24I knew you had all this.
12:26So thank you so much.
12:27It's a full circle moment for me that you're here.
12:29Yeah, I'm excited.
12:30I'm going to just jump right into it.
12:31The finale of Blood, Sweat, and Heels is right around the corner.
12:34Yeah.
12:34Three more weeks.
12:35Can you give us some scoop?
12:35I want some scoop.
12:36Well, you know, I mean, I think we've been scooping a lot this whole season.
12:40Definitely scooping a lot in my world.
12:43But, you know, when you see the show, I see the show.
12:46Mm-hmm.
12:46So, I mean, I think we're going to have some peaks, but we may have some valleys, too.
12:50Mm-hmm.
12:51But I think really just curving out and rounding out that just sometimes life happens, but no
12:57matter what happens, you keep pushing forward.
12:59Most definitely.
12:59Yeah.
13:00I can totally understand that.
13:00Yeah.
13:01You revealed this season that you've been dealing with quite a bit off camera.
13:06I mean, we see you on the morning shows.
13:07We know about your book.
13:07Right.
13:08And we see you constantly on the go.
13:09Right.
13:09But you were diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer.
13:12Tell us about that.
13:12Yeah.
13:13You know, you're so right.
13:15You know, season one, everyone who didn't know me, you know, got to see my life and champagne
13:19and fabulous heels and doing makeovers and my book.
13:23And season two, you know, was a total, total curveball.
13:26I was diagnosed with stage three bile duct cancer.
13:29Mm-hmm.
13:30Super rare.
13:31You know, no one's really heard about it.
13:33I mean, of course, my doctors know.
13:35Right.
13:35But I decided, you know what, if I'm on a reality show showing my life, life isn't always roses,
13:41you know.
13:42So I wanted to show this part, which was interesting for me because I was going through the journey
13:47as we were taping.
13:48So it wasn't like I went through it and I'm telling you about it after.
13:51No, you see everything as I was dealing with it.
13:54And can you tell us a little bit about bile duct cancer?
13:57Is that something that, you know, we're taught to get our mammograms, we're taught to, you know,
14:00go to our doctors and have our regular annual visits.
14:02How do you look for that?
14:04So I think the most important thing to do is to always listen to your body.
14:08You know, I realized that I had an issue when my makeup artist discovered that the whites
14:14of my eyes look discolored.
14:16So if there's anything that you feel like, you know, if your skin looks different, anything
14:20on your body that just feels or looks differently, it never hurts to just go to a doctor because
14:26I think so many times we're like, oh, don't worry about it.
14:28You know, I'll get some extra sleep.
14:29I'm working hard.
14:30Yeah, I'll take some extra vitamins.
14:32But, you know, it can never hurt to just talk to your doctor.
14:34Most definitely.
14:35And that's what I did.
14:36And how has treatment been going for you?
14:38Where are you now in your journey?
14:40Fortunately, I'm done with treatment.
14:42I'm done with chemotherapy.
14:44I'm done with radiation.
14:45I think I still, they may show a little bit more of me doing that on the show.
14:49So, but, you know, it's a journey.
14:51Like, but I celebrate every day.
14:53I'm not really waiting to celebrate at the end when you're like, you know, no more cancer.
14:58I have to celebrate every day because you know me, Dana.
15:01Like, we love life.
15:02We celebrate life.
15:03You always have this high energy, this big spirit.
15:05Yeah, yeah.
15:06And I do love life.
15:07And now I've even taught, you know, learned that life really is a blessing.
15:12And today I'm breathing, so I have to celebrate and just thank God for giving me another chance.
15:17No, I totally understand that.
15:18So, since your diagnosis and your treatment, how has your lifestyle changed?
15:22Have you, do you eat differently?
15:24Do you work out more?
15:25I think my lifestyle has changed mentally and spiritually.
15:32You know, I've always had strong faith.
15:34I love God.
15:35But now, like, it's like we're really in a relationship now.
15:38Like, I loved Jesus before, but now we are like really, really BFFs.
15:43I always ate really healthy.
15:45So, I think for me it was just important to continue that but not to drive myself crazy.
15:50Right.
15:50Because I think it can be overwhelming.
15:52You hear, don't eat this.
15:53You know, that will give you cancer.
15:54Don't have that.
15:54And it's like sometimes that can stress you out.
15:57And stress is so not good for the body.
16:00So, now I've just really taken on meditation.
16:03And that has been, I think, the biggest change where I'm like, I am stressed.
16:07Give me my meditation, my breath coach, Kathleen, and some lavender oil.
16:11So, like, those kind of changes have really helped me.
16:14And I've tried to sort of remove some toxins.
16:17So, like, I love beauty products, but I'm starting to make more beauty products just to help myself.
16:21You know, I'm making, like, shea butters.
16:23I was on Dr. Oz talking about how to make a shea butter with all organic products.
16:26So, little changes that can be exciting but also just not overwhelming.
16:31Right.
16:31And make a big difference in the long run.
16:32Yeah, definitely.
16:33And now, too.
16:34Right.
16:34You know, I'm really about celebrating the now and being in the moment.
16:38I think that's so important to do.
16:39I think that we worry so much about what happened before or some of us fret constantly about
16:44what happened in the past, things that we can't change.
16:46Or what's going to happen.
16:47Or what's going to happen.
16:48And sometimes we build it up to be worse than what's, you know, what's really going to be.
16:51Yeah, celebrate now.
16:52Celebrate your life now.
16:53And celebrate the fact that you can share who you are.
16:56Give a smile, give a hug, send a sweet text, and just encourage a friend.
17:00I still have that text you sent me over a year ago, by the way.
17:02Oh, my gosh.
17:02You're so sweet.
17:03Just saying.
17:04Just saying.
17:05I still do.
17:05Kind word.
17:06And you refer to cancer as the big C.
17:08Yeah.
17:08But the big C in your career, excuse me, the big C is in your career.
17:13Right.
17:14It seems like it hasn't stopped.
17:16How have you been able to manage both?
17:18It's tricky, Dana.
17:19You know, I used to work at Essence Magazine.
17:21We used to work together at Coco Fab.
17:23So, you know, I like to work.
17:25I'm a working girl.
17:27So, the big C was career.
17:28And then when the other big C came in cancer, I'm like, how do I manage both?
17:33Right.
17:33You know, the only two Cs I wanted was Chanel.
17:35I wasn't trying to merge both Cs.
17:37That's the Cs I'm wanted.
17:38Right.
17:39Exactly.
17:39So, it's definitely been tough.
17:41It hasn't been easy.
17:43You know, I've made some changes.
17:44If I'm just not up to it, sometimes I do have to say no to a job, which is hard for me.
17:50But you're listening to yourself.
17:51You have to put your body first, and your health has to be key.
17:55I think before you, you know, if you ever get sick, you realize my health is everything.
18:00My health is before money, my wigs, my flat clothes, my jobs.
18:03Because if you're not healthy, you can't be the fabulous person that you are.
18:06That you are.
18:07Definitely.
18:07So, you're first.
18:08And where can we find you next, Stacey?
18:10I know we can catch you at 9 p.m. Eastern, excuse me, on Bravo every Sunday.
18:15But where can we find you outside of that?
18:16You know, I'm all over.
18:18You know, I do a lot of television shows.
18:20I just did Dr. Oz, Steve Harvey, Meredith Vieira's coming up.
18:25And hopefully soon, and very soon, I'll be having my own show and having my own seat like you, Dana.
18:31Definitely.
18:32You have to have me on.
18:33Right, right.
18:34All right.
18:34So, Daisy, I want to thank you so very, very much for joining us and sharing your story with us.
18:38We wish you all of the best.
18:40You have to come back and visit us.
18:41I love you guys.
18:42I thank you for your support.
18:43All right.
18:44Coming up next, our health and wellness episode continues when we take on waist trainers
18:48in a special edition of Slater Shade.
18:50Don't go anywhere.
18:51There's more Essence Live right after this.
18:53Are you ready to bring the love?
19:00Get inspired at the Essence Empowerment Experience.
19:04Please join us for the free daytime destination of the 2015 Essence Festival in New Orleans.
19:12The Empowerment Experience is the stage where our most celebrated speakers and thinkers engage
19:19in conversations affecting our community.
19:22Last year, Alicia Keys, Robin Roberts, and so many more graced our stage.
19:28This year, you have the chance to be a part of the conversation with our special guest,
19:34Reverend Al Sharpton, Dietrich Haddon, India Ari, Nyanla Van Zendt, Kim Burrell, Lynn Whitfield,
19:45Sean T, and for the very first time, Deepak Chopra.
19:52Don't miss the Essence Empowerment Experience at the 2015 Essence Festival, July 2nd through 5th,
20:05presented by Coca-Cola.
20:07Encyclopedia 및
20:11en drink of coffee
20:13and alcohol
20:23en drink
20:25en drink
20:25en drink
20:26en drink
20:28en drink
20:28en
20:28en drink
20:59Welcome back to Essence Live.
21:04We've been discussing health and wellness and giving you some essential tips and tricks.
21:08We're going to continue that conversation right now into my favorite segment, Slade or Shade.
21:13Holla.
21:14Okay.
21:15I asked this extremely fit human being to stop exercising and to start shading.
21:19Fitness personality Lita Lewis is back.
21:21Are you ready to relax and Slade or Shade?
21:23I am ready.
21:25Thank you for coming back and joining us.
21:26You know him from 30 Rock and you can catch him in the movie The Cobbler alongside Adam Sandler and Method Man, actor and comedian Grizz Chapman.
21:34Hello.
21:34We have some interesting topics for you.
21:35We are ready to hear your opinion.
21:37Always have the lovely little opinion.
21:40Thank you for joining us.
21:42And lastly, she's no stranger to Slaying and Shading co-host of Hot 97 Morning Show, personality Laura Stiles.
21:49Thank you so much for joining us.
21:50I'm very happy to have you in the Essence video.
21:51I'm excited.
21:52I'm ready to Slayer Shade.
21:53Let's go.
21:53Let's get into it.
21:54Let's get into it.
21:55Okay.
21:55So let's get started.
21:57In a recent article on Essence.com, popular Atlanta OBGYN and reality star Dr. Jacqueline Walters, a.k.a. Dr. Jackie, gave us a 411 on how to protect and pamper our vajayjay.
22:09Grizz, just close your ears.
22:11Get this.
22:11She says to stop douching and to stop cleaning your fun zone with soap.
22:14Instead, she insists you clean your girlfriend with warm water and hands only.
22:19Do we slay this tip because we should be going back to our roots and cleansing our private areas in a more natural way?
22:25Or do we shave this tip because it goes against everything we've been taught, which is to clean all of your body parts with soap?
22:31All right.
22:31On the count of three.
22:32One, two, three.
22:33Slayed or Shade?
22:34Oh, I am.
22:37Oh, you're on the fence.
22:38You're on the fence.
22:38We have slayed two shades.
22:40All right.
22:40I'm going to start with you, Laura.
22:41Oh, I just think you need to just wash everything.
22:43Just while you're in there, just go for it.
22:45Yes.
22:45Yeah, I don't know.
22:46I mean, listen, I guess I pay attention also to my pH balance and I have to make sure that everything feels.
22:51That was a very good way to put it.
22:53And smells the right way.
22:54But I'm sorry.
22:55I'm just probably like, this is way too much to eat.
22:57All right.
22:57All right.
22:58I appreciate it.
22:59Clean it up.
22:59Listen, I go and I wash and I take care of business.
23:03So I'm sorry.
23:04I need to make sure everything is clean.
23:06But I also, you know, it's very important to me that I make sure that I'm healthy also.
23:09Right.
23:10I totally understand that.
23:11Grizz?
23:11I'm with her.
23:14Please clean it up.
23:15Please.
23:17He's like, doctor, I know a doctor.
23:18Clean it up.
23:19Nobody, nobody want to smell that.
23:22Please clean it up.
23:23Clean up your girlfriend.
23:24Clean up your girlfriend.
23:25I like that.
23:26Yes, please.
23:26Lita?
23:26You know what?
23:27I'm going to be full of what the doctor said.
23:29I, um, my grandmother always said that sometimes the most natural way to cleanse yourself is
23:35really just with, um, just water.
23:37Mm-hmm.
23:37So, um, you know, without being an expert or having some sort of expert opinion, I understand
23:42that the pH level, as Laura mentioned, is really important.
23:44Mm-hmm.
23:44But apparently, the vajayjay is self-cleaning.
23:47Okay.
23:48Girl, I don't even trust those self-cleaning curtains.
23:50I need to make sure it's clean in there.
23:52True.
23:52I think I'm just going to go with the natural approach.
23:54Oh, no.
23:54You're going with the natural.
23:55Okay.
23:56So, I'm going to move that along.
23:58Grizz is just shaking his head.
23:59He's like, what did I walk into with these ladies?
24:02I'm going to move on to topic number two, which is really, really big right now.
24:08Waist Trainers.
24:09They're all the rage.
24:11Celebrities like Tamar Braxton, Amber Rose, Sierra, and the list just goes on and on and
24:14on, all took to their Instagram accounts to post pictures in their waist-sinching corsets.
24:19And while the results show that these ladies do have great bodies, there are some health
24:22risks involved, like breathing restrictions, damage to internal organs.
24:26Hello.
24:26And if not worn properly, you could possibly fracture or break your ribs, which is pretty scary.
24:32So, do waist trainers get a slay because they give the illusion of a perfect body?
24:35Or do we shade waist trainers because there's just too many health risks involved?
24:40Here we go.
24:41Slade or shade?
24:43Oh, everybody's shading.
24:45Yes.
24:45Okay, Lita, I'm going to start with you.
24:47Yeah.
24:47You know what?
24:47This is a common question I get asked all the time.
24:50I'm not for them simply because I believe that when it comes to changing or morphing the
24:56body, it should be done with exercise and clean eating.
24:59It's very cliche, but it really is the best way to maintain and live a very healthy.
25:05And active lifestyle.
25:06I completely agree.
25:07Chris?
25:08I think it shows the wrong message to the young ladies that look up to these ladies.
25:14And it shows them that you don't need hard work.
25:17All you got to do is put some plastic on and squeeze yourself to death.
25:21And, nah, I think you, like she said, if you want to change yourself, work hard at it
25:27and make the change.
25:28And make it happen.
25:29Well, listen, with me as a Latina woman, do you know that this has been shoved down
25:34our throats since we were, like, teenagers?
25:36Right.
25:36In some cultural podcasts, it's been a big thing.
25:39It's just now starting to hit mainstream.
25:40Okay.
25:40So, you also have to remember, I agree with you because I think all these young girls feel
25:44like that's the way to go.
25:45And do you think these women are just putting these corsets on, putting them on Instagram
25:49for free?
25:50No, they're getting paid for it.
25:51That's a very good point.
25:52It's about money.
25:53And it's so, to me, at first, I was like, okay, so maybe I need to get one, too.
25:57But you know what?
25:57And it's so funny because before I found out that Lita was going to be on the show with
26:00me, I was going to quote her because when I first met her, I asked her about it.
26:05And it's like, I never really thought about the fact that it squeezes your organs.
26:09Right.
26:09And I'm not trying to pass out just to have a small waist.
26:12So, you know what I'm going to do?
26:13I'm going to eat better and exercise.
26:15Yeah.
26:15I saw recently online, there's like a picture of how your organs shift and move.
26:19And it's like, you know, there has to be some sort of long-term effect to constantly doing
26:23that to your body.
26:24Okay.
26:25Well, I'm glad we're all on the same page here.
26:26All right.
26:27Shade, shade, shade, shade, shade.
26:29All right.
26:29And speaking of bodies, move over washboard abs.
26:32The dad bod is taking your place.
26:34What's a dad bod, you ask?
26:36Great question.
26:37It's a balance between a beer gut and working out.
26:40It's not an overweight guy, but it isn't one with washboard abs either.
26:44And females are definitely feeling it.
26:45Do we slay this trend because who doesn't love cuddling with a soft teddy bear?
26:50Or as we shade these dad bods, if females are required to keep it right and tight, then
26:54the men should be too.
26:56So, are there double standards here?
26:58Let me know.
26:59One, two, three, slayed or shade?
27:02Bung.
27:04Slayed?
27:05Slayed?
27:05Chris?
27:07I'm in the middle.
27:08Are you on the fence on this one?
27:09You're on the fence?
27:10Listen to my reasons.
27:11Okay.
27:11One, I'm a dad, right?
27:13And I have a dad bod.
27:15But then in the same token, I think you should push yourself and, you know, make yourself
27:20better and healthy and all that other good stuff.
27:23But there's nothing wrong with a cuddly, you know, man.
27:27With a little cuddle?
27:28Yes.
27:28There's nothing wrong with a cuddly man.
27:29There's nothing wrong with that.
27:30I don't know.
27:31I just feel like, I mean, listen, it's lovely to look at washboard abs and it's even better
27:36to feel them, but I'm completely okay with somebody being not all the way, like, super
27:41fit.
27:42Like, it's okay with me.
27:43As long as you're healthy and you're comfortable with yourself, like, I'm cool.
27:46Come.
27:46Give me a hug.
27:47She's an aunt.
27:48I actually agree with that completely.
27:51I think that it's important that health is number one.
27:56And I think that when it comes to men anyways, when there's a lot of over excessive exercise,
28:02there tends to be a level of vanity that comes with that.
28:05And as somebody that, like, is a good type of man, it's like, no, just be strong and
28:11burly and it's okay to have, you know, a little beer gut here and you're like, I don't mind
28:16it at all.
28:16I'm all for it.
28:17Well, thank you.
28:19Chris is like, I knew you were looking at me.
28:22Do y'all think there's a double standard between male, what's considered attractive male
28:27body and what's considered attractive female body?
28:29I'm just...
28:29I mean, but if you really think about it, men love women that come...
28:32There's some of my guy friends love thick, voluptuous women and some of my guy friends
28:36like thin women.
28:37Some of them like fit women.
28:38So it's just a matter of taste, you know?
28:40Matter of preference.
28:40Gotcha.
28:41Absolutely.
28:42All right.
28:42Thick fit.
28:43Right.
28:45Thank you so much for joining me.
28:47That's a wrap for today's show, everyone.
28:49I'd like to thank all of our guests today for spending time with Essence Live.
28:52And I'd especially like to thank all of you who tuned in.
28:55Continue to reach out to us via hashtag Essence Live.
28:58Make sure to watch next week.
28:59Gospel superstar Marvin Sapp will be in the house.
29:02We're going to leave you with an exclusive performance from Andy Aloe, who will be at
29:05this year's Essence Festival.
29:07See you next week.
29:08Same time, same place, same fabulous host.
29:10I'm Dana Blair.
29:11See you next time.
29:12Hi, I'm Andy Aloe, and this is my newest single, Tongue Tied.
29:19Can't it be you got me trippin', trippin' every time you even walk away.
29:31And after all this time waiting with you, my walls are breakin' every single day.
29:38But you just can't fight it in sight when it just feels like fallin', fallin' into the underwain.
29:50Wish I could deny it in sight, but it just feels like fallin', fallin' for you.
29:58Ooh, you got me offense, miss my eyes.
30:02You hit me with your love, now I can't speak, can't speak.
30:08I'm losing my mind
30:11And I'm addicted to the rush
30:15Now I can't speak, can't speak
30:17You got me all, you got me all
30:21It's all I've got
30:22You got me all, you got me all
30:25It's all I've got
30:27You spill my body language
30:33My body language
30:36Just spill my body language
30:42My body language
30:44You got me all, you're tongue-tied
30:47Mess my eyes, hit me with your love
30:51Now I can't speak, can't speak
30:54I'm losing my mind
30:57Hypnotized, addicted to the rush
31:01Now I can't speak, can't speak
31:03You got me all, you got me all
31:07It's all I've got
31:08You got me all, you got me all
31:11It's all I've got
31:13Yeah
31:14Yeah
31:16You got me all
31:20You're a fresh
31:21Ain't got me all
31:23You're a darling
31:24You're a darling
31:25You're a little
31:26I dunno
31:26You're like
31:27I don't want to
31:28I'm like
31:30I'm like
31:31I am
31:32You're a boosting
31:33this
31:34This
31:35This
31:35This
31:36I'm
31:36Not
31:37You
31:38That
31:39This
31:40This
31:40This
31:40This
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