Plant Person Profile: @onelove.ourlove

Meet Mikey and Jana – LA based husband and wife, new parents to baby Zion Marley. With 16 years being plant-based, they're Plant People we love.

Tell us a little about the two of you. 

We are Mikey and Jana husband and wife, new parents to 2 month old
baby Zion. We are now currently based in Los Angeles, after living and working in Vail, CO where we met 14 years ago. Jana came to Colorado from Bulgaria to snowboard for one winter season and that’s where we met. I am originally from Atlanta but I was working in Vail during the winters. We started snowboarding together, we fell in love and the rest is history. Since the beginning of our relationship we started traveling the world
and we’ve been to over 50 countries. Now we hope to take Zion with us.

What makes you both unique?

We think it’s the way we live our life. We believe in living in the present moment and having experiences in life, rather than having things. We practice daily gratitude with positive thinking and that’s been very essential to who we are.

What are both of your goals in life?

In general, we share the same goal in life, to continue to progress, evolve and grow in all aspects of life. Staying healthy, traveling the world and always try to be the best versions of ourselves.

What has been the biggest hurdle you both have ever had to face?

Probably, when we first started traveling the world 12 years ago on a plant based diet. It was never easy to find a healthy vegan meal in many countries. The majority of the places we visited had never even heard of a vegan.

If you both were to go back in time and help your younger self, what would you do? Why?

Jana: I would probably try to help myself manage my worries and stress better. Why? Because knowing now, the damage it can cause to your health I would have trained myself to handle it differently.

Mikey: Although it’s great to try to see and do everything, I would have taught myself to focus more on just a few things and become great at them rather than spread my energy in a lot of different directions.

What’s the best advice you both ever received?

Mikey: Always be kind to people and do the right thing in life .

Jana: To always look at the glass as half full than half empty.

What does ‘taking care of you’ look like?

First of all, is to practice self love. Then having a morning routine, and starting your day positive. Waking up at or before sunrise, doing some kind of gratitude, deep breathing, and or meditation practice. Doing Yoga or mobility exercises followed by a work out and eating the most lively plant based diet possible. We do intermittent fasting and we drink plenty of water. Also not watching TV, doing things that make us happy and having time for each other. At night, eliminating the exposure of blue light and receiving the best uninterrupted night of sleep possible. 

What do you both do to improve your mentality and help reduce stress?

We try to be breath aware if we feel stressed, meditate, and practice the power of positive beliefs. Exercise, rest well and focus on the bright side.

Talk about the importance of food in relation to your health.

We believe food is the most important aspect of health. It’s at least the one thing we have control over and can make our own choices. However, if you are living in constant stress, that can actually wrecks havoc on your immune system. We’ve been plant based for over 16 years and we feel the most healthy ever since. You are what you eat, your body is your temple. Whatever you put inside it will manifest on the outside.

What is you alls #1 tip for good health?

With a risk to repeat ourselves, whole food plant based diet, good quality sleep, exercise as well as practicing some breath work.

What does being Plant Person mean to you both?

It means everything to us, it’s our lifestyle. We live and thrive on that. As you become aware and passionate about what you put in your body it also opens up so many more outlets of personal growth as well as conciseness about the environment and the world we live in. Our planet and oceans are in trouble. Our choices matter. By being plant people we not only do good for our health but we don’t contribute to the unnecessary act of violence against animals and we lower our environmental footprint.

What inspired you both to become environmentally conscious, plant-loving people?

Mikey: Seeing the environmental impact while living in Costa Rica that the meat and dairy industry was having on the pristine jungles was one reason. The influence of other long time vegan friends/ mentors had a profound impact also. The book “Diet for a New America” was a book that I read during my transition that helped make my decision to be a plant person, super easy.

Jana: After reading a couple of books I started questioning everything I knew and I was taught. Suddenly I woke up, opened my eyes and realized that the food I was eating were once living beings, who unnecessary suffer in order for me to feed. I didn’t want to be part of that. I love all animals and now I know that you can live a perfectly healthy life without any meat and dairy. 

What do you see as the greatest challenge in your day-to-day life in living a proactive, environmentally friendly life?

The biggest challenge of being plant based is being the minority of the human population. It’s even harder when seeing friends and family struggle with their health and don’t want to make a change. We would love to inspire and educate so many people and make a huge impact on the world!

What is the easiest sustainable tip people can integrate into their lives for quick impact? 

Most definitely without hesitation becoming plant based! People will say it’s not easy but we disagree. It’s all about your rituals and your mindset. Also, avoiding the use of plastic is a big thing.

What’s your favorite plant or your plant “spirit animal” and why?

Mikey: I think that would be bamboo. It’s somehow very calming and zen.It also has endless uses.

Jana: It’s got to be the cacao tree, I have a special relationship with chocolate :)

What is both of your experiences with cannabis?

It’s been a positive and pleasant experience especially knowing and seeing all the health benefits. My appreciation for it grew and evolved even bigger after growing a few plants back in Colorado. 

How has CBD influenced your daily lives?

It has a dynamic relationship with my body. I really believe it increases the balance between my mind and body.

What is each of your go-to Plant People product?

Our favorite is the salve, because we’ve had great results with it. You can target any area you have pain directly. I pulled a muscle in my lower back and I applied it three times a day and had a good night of sleep. My back felt much better and I even went surfing the next day. 

What advice would you guys give anyone that has not tried CBD yet, but interested in experiencing the benefits for themselves?

We would absolutely recommend CBD over anything. It has so many healing properties and many uses that can help most common things. It’s healthy, accessible, affordable, and good for the earth.

What are you both looking to try next?

We can’t wait to try the Drops + Sleep tincture. Since having Zion, Jana and I are not having long restful nights and we want to reclaim our healthy sleep patterns.

Follow Mikey and Jana on Instagram at @onelove.ourlove