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Healthy Tech: Mary Pike
Texas-based nail tech Mary Pike says she feels healthier in her 70s than she did 20 years ago due to a proper diet and fitness routine, which was sparked by a suggestion she got from an employee 14 years ago.
by Nancy Kirk
November 6, 2019
3 min to read
Tell us a bit about yourself and your career.
I started my business as a one-woman nail salon in 1983 and it has grown into the largest salon in Hood County, Texas, set on two acres of land. The team has grown to 19 employees and most of them have been with me for 15 to 30 years. I am very innovative! When I started my business, I realized my customers weren’t completely comfortable at a normal nail table so I invented something better. I built two small nail tables that I put on each side of a reclining massage chair so our customers could fully relax or even go to sleep during their service. Another thing that made me stand out is that I took the time to walk each client to her car. I’d buckle the seatbelt so they wouldn’t damage their polish, which they appreciated. My customers have been thrilled with their natural-looking enhancements.
What are your health challenges?
I worked six days a week, averaging 10 hours a day. I sometimes worked on Sundays if I had a customer with a true need. Working so much can take a toll on your body. Before I started this health journey, I lacked energy and had extra weight on me.
Tell us about your fitness journey.
Fourteen years ago, one of my massage therapists asked me if I was interested in a nutrition program that he said changed his life. Some of our customers needed help with their weight and their health, but I was not open to his suggestion. I was even pretty rude about it because I’d heard a lot of different health programs out there, but I’d never seen anything that actually worked. I went back to talk to him at the end of the work day after I realized I was feeling very lethargic overall, and I decided to give it a try.
My results were unbelievable! I watched six inches melt off my waist in a month and my health kept improving. I began doing a lot of research on health and nutrition and learned the secret to slowing down the aging process is keeping your telomeres (protective caps on the ends of chromosomes). I also began learning about glutathione, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants. It’s produced by our own bodies, instead of being found in the foods we eat, like many other antioxidants. While the aging process reduces our body’s ability to produce glutathione, eating a good diet and maintaining strong mental and physical health can slow down the rate at which it declines. To maintain my glutathione, I drink a bioavailable protein shake and take special vitamins that include milk thistle and other powerful ingredients.
What’s your advice for techs who want to embark on a health journey?
Ask your friends for health and fitness advice. Build your community. I share my information with my staff, customers, and friends and I absolutely love changing lives for the better.
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