Kroma Conversations: Q&A with Nutritionist Mona Sharma

As a renowned celebrity nutritionist and global wellness speaker, Mona advocates for an integrative approach to health optimization that combines ancient wisdom with the healing power of nature. You can listen to her Rooted in Wellness podcast episode featuring Kroma Founder and CEO Lisa Odenweller here.

Name three non-negotiables in your life.

Nourishment over restriction, always. Ask if your food/exercise/friendships/or even what you're watching is nourishing you or depleting you.
Sunlight walks in the morning and sunset walks at night to support my circadian rhythm and other bodily functions..
Daily self-care, which can be as simple as a cup of tea sipped with intention, a guided meditation or even a long embrace with someone you love.

Can you share how your personal health crisis changed how you live?

After undergoing heart surgeries and experiencing corporate burnout, I had to reevaluate my lifestyle, my happiness and the choices I was making daily.

Nothing matters when your health is compromised. NOTHING. My health crisis taught me the significance of slowing down and making space for healing practices that foster resilience and vitality. In short, I finally learned how to love myself fully in order to treat myself like someone I truly loved— only then could my body heal.

What's the first step to healing an unhealthy relationship with food?

Developing awareness. It's essential to recognize the patterns and behaviors that define how you interact with food. This means being mindful of emotional eating triggers, times when you might restrict food or any feelings of guilt associated with eating. Then, engaging in supportive dialogues through therapy, counseling or supportive groups can be incredibly beneficial for healing unhealthy patterns.

What's one wellness myth you'd love to debunk for good?

That extreme cleanses are necessary to "purify" the body. Our bodies are incredibly sophisticated and are equipped with their own powerful detoxification systems: the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin. This is why I love Kroma's 5-day Reset — it includes real food ingredients, tons of antioxidants, herbs that our ancestors used for balance, as well as options to modify your daily intake when you need more fuel. Your body is asking you for more ease and this gets you there.

What helps you stay consistent with your healthy habits or routines?

Consistency is Queen! Repeated behaviors strengthen neural pathways, turning actions into habits. The key is to connect these habits to your heart—finding joy and personal meaning so they become rituals. With this in mind, I schedule my walks, my workouts, my reading time and more because scheduling helps me keep accountable for showing up as the highest version of myself.

Do you believe in "cheat days" or is there a better way to look at indulgence?

Why live a life where you feel the need to "cheat"?! I've been there—what starts as a cheat day can quickly spiral into cheat weeks or even months. Instead, focus on nourishing your body with the foods it needs to thrive.

What's your go-to meal when you're short on time but need nourishment?

Scrambled pasture-raised eggs, avocado with sea salt and lemon, and a bowl of whatever organic berries I have in the fridge, and likely a Beauty Matcha Latte or a bowl with full-fat organic Greek yogurt with Super Granola and berries—my kryptonite!

Simple smoothie recipe?

Kroma Cacao-Banana Plant-Based Protein powder, 1 small slightly green banana (it has less sugar in this state), 1 celery stalk, 1 cup wild blueberries, 1 tablespoon hulled hemp seeds.

If you think you're getting sick you immediately...

Drink an organic all greens juice, increase my vitamin C, get a vitamin IV drip, use my red light therapy device and go to bed early! I immediately tend to my body with only things that soothe me. Warm fluids like organic bone broth and ginger tea are a must for me.

What's your favorite form of movement?

Yoga. I've been practicing with my dad since I was a little girl. When I did my yoga teacher training, my mat offered me so much release after my heart surgeries and it still does today. I've almost trained my body to instinctively know that when I'm on my yoga mat, it can turn off the stress of the world.

What's something you're never giving up even though it's "unhealthy"?

Coffee. I love everything about it— the aroma, the taste and the ritual of making it. Coffee isn’t unhealthy if you get an organic brand that tests for toxins and mold, and it can have health benefits. However, during times of stress it's easy for me to get anxious when I drink it so I have to monitor that.

Have any bedtime rituals for ensuring a good night's sleep?

At night, my family and I engage in restorative activities like walks after dinner or the legs-up-the-wall stretch with deep breaths to wind down before bed.

I always take a warm shower to wash the day off, followed by coconut oil mixed with essential oils all over my body, focusing on all my joints. It's such a grounding practice and cues my brain that it's time to unwind and prepare for sleep. I avoid screens two hours before bed, and when the kids go down, I spend time with my husband or read a book.

Most important thing to work on healthwise as we age?

Lowering stress and aligning our circadian rhythm with nature. Love on your mitochondria and you'll age well.

Instant mood booster?

Music, playing with my kids, calling my mom.

Wellness travel essentials?

A glass or steel water bottle, essential oils and my tongue scraper!

Do you have a mantra or affirmation that you use regularly?

“Remember Who You Are," which anchors me in my spiritual body or "Remember everything is unfolding for your highest good" so that I trust the journey.

How would you define living a life of radical aliveness?

To seek awe and wonder whenever possible. I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience, which is often full of distractions from the essence and beauty of life. I'm a mentor in one of Jesse Itzler's coaching programs where he reminds us that there are only 8,760 hours in a year.