Michelle Mitchum is a Digestive Health Specialist and also the Founder of New York City based Holistic and Wellness practice, The OrangeMoon. The OrangeMoon uses natural healing methods to promote healthy living (mind, body, and spirit) through nutritional counseling, meditation, herbal and physical therapies.
ShineMyCrown.com spoke to Michelle Mitchum about The OrangeMoon, her journey to good health and BlackGirlMagic!
ShineMyCrown: What made you decide to start The OrangeMoon?
Michelle Mitchum: I started The OrangeMoon long before it was launched in 2014. I started the practice, after I discovered some challenging news about my own health, and decided to use a holistic approach to the way I worked thru my condition.
Friends/family noticed the change in my lifestyle, and had questions, and discovered they also wanted to approach their own healing the same way I was dealing with mine.
I shared information and decided that I would credentialize myself to confidently support someone thru their healing process. I did just that and ultimately launched ‘The OrangeMoon.’ To date, we have helped heal over 100 people, and are still working to support more in their journey of health and wellness.
SMC: What are some of the most common dietary errors you find your clients make?
MM: Not fully vetting the information they receive. Seems, clients will watch a movie, or read a few health buzz words, and believe that is enough to create an informed decision about healing. There are many factors that go into how to successfully manage someone’s health, especially if there is an adverse health condition involved. Nutrition, culture, blood type, lifestyle are all associated with how physical health is manifested.
SMC: Do you believe that people can truly be healthy and still eat meat?
MM: Yes, I do. As humans, we do have the capacity to process naturally sourced meat, effectively and without concern about health, as long as the consumption of meat is a part of a balanced dietary experience. Nature is designed to ‘flow.’ Everything has a place, and purpose in the ecosystem, and within terms of biological science, human beings are omnivores. This means that gives us permission to eat both plant and animals. The problem with consuming meat, in this time of the world, is that most meat is not raised and sourced the way nature intended it to be. Genetically modifying both meat and vegetables exposes our internal environments (bodies) to respond to the unnatural conditions, and this is the cause for concern and disease.
I understand why people want to become vegan/vegetarian. Because the belief is that you are doing your body a great service by doing so. And YES, there are great benefits, however, if everyone subscribed to veganism, the world would suffer greatly. We run the risk of overpopulating the planet with animals, and that is cause for great concern.
SMC: What type of treatments do you offer?
MM: My area of specialty is holistic nutrition. I help people manage adverse health conditions, and meet their wellness goals, using nutrition and employing the support of other wellness practitioners, including clinical medical professionals.
SMC: Which of your treatments would you say is the client fave, and why?
MM: There is no real ‘fav,’ because I work with people based on what they feel they need support in. The most popular part of my program would be the detox. People often find it challenging. It is a bit rigid but effective.
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What’s next for The OrangeMoon?
MM: Community-based programs and service, and detailed and comprehensive wellness programming.
What is Black Girl Magic to you?
MM: I love the phrase! It is catchy and encapsulating. My wish is that people will BELIEVE it, and not just say it.
Black girls turn into Black woman. The natural loving, inherit unforgiving, and unapologetically loyal nature of the Black Woman, deserves to be acknowledged and respected, and I feel that this phrase does just that. From a spiritual perspective, woman are Magic (period). Female energy is the ONLY energy that can actually birth life. Plants…animals… NOTHING can come to be unless it is birthed by ‘female.’ Black adds an especially powerful dynamic to the female energy. Black people…. to be the most unappreciated group of people on the planet, and have others wonder, ‘how’ ….how can you be so ‘DOPE.’ Our resilience is the most important part of our magic. In spite of it all… We are always ‘good.’
Follow Michelle on Instagram and on Twitter @theorangemoon
