By Selena Hill,

When Tia Mowry launched her new vitamin supplement line Anser in January, she had no idea that a public health crisis would shift the entire world just weeks later. At the time, the actress, wife, and mother of two wanted to ensure that busy moms like herself received a healthy dosage of daily nutrients. However, with the mass devastation and disruption caused by COVID-19, many people have become more health-conscious and are turning to vitamins as they prioritize their health.

In an exclusive interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the 41-year-old actress, entrepreneur, and best-selling author opened up about expanding her supplement line and the chronic health condition that triggered her to launch Anser in partnership with BioSchwartz. The self-professed workaholic also talked about how she and her family are adjusting to life in quarantine.

Tia Mowry’s Wellness Journey

Mowry became a household name when she starred alongside her twin sister Tamera in the hit 90s TV sitcom Sister, Sister. Back in her 20s, she was diagnosed with a life-altering health condition, which caused her to struggle with fertility. Today, she’s an avid fitness and health advocate and the co-founder of Anser, a line of multivitamins, beauty supplements, and prenatal care initially made for women.

“It was inspired by my personal wellness journey. I’ve been very open with telling everybody that I suffer from something called endometriosis, which is a highly inflammatory condition that causes infertility,” she told BE. The illness, which affects more than 11% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S., can also cause painful periods, chronic lower back pain, excessive and irregular bleeding, painful bowel movements, and stomach problems. After enduring excoriating symptoms and two surgeries, Mowry took her doctor’s advice and changed her eating habits and lifestyle.

“At first, it was hard to adjust to that, but I changed my diet. I started to eat more veggies, to eat more fruits, [and] to stay away from foods that caused inflammation within the body, which can exacerbate an inflammatory condition. I started exercising. I started meditating. I started taking supplements. And I saw this huge change within my health. I no longer had eczema. I no longer had migraines,” she said. “The biggest change, of course, was I was able to have children.”

After experiencing such positive results, Mowry said she wanted to share her holistic approach with others. “I didn’t want to keep all of that to myself,” she said. “That was one of the inspirations to why I came up with Anser.”

In addition, in 2017 she published Whole New You: How Real Food Transforms Your Life for a Healthier, More Gorgeous You: A Cookbook. The book includes a 10-day healthy meal plan, over 100 recipes, and lighter alternatives to comfort foods.

In March, she expanded Anser for men and children, professing that both her husband, actor Cory Hardrict, and 8-year-old son, Cree, love the supplements.

On Manifesting Success

During the interview, Mowry said she’s not surprised that her show, Family Reunion, has become the most-watched family series streaming on Netflix. The show, which was created by Meg DeLoatch, premiered in July 2019 and has been flourishing ever since.

“I have a vision board and I mediate and I manifested. I’m a huge Netflix fan and I said I want to be on Netflix,” she said. “And lo and behold, I ended up getting this show.”

She’s most proud of its multicultural representation both in front and behind the camera. After starring in four different television series throughout her career, Mowry says, “this is the only show that I’ve been on where I have seen huge diversity from not only having an amazing staff of writers that are black but also women [and] black women directors.”

On Adjusting to Quarantine Life

When she’s not cooking healthy meals for her family, working out, or creating content on her multiple media platforms, Mowry, like the rest of us, is adjusting to the new COVID reality.

“You have survival mechanisms. You have a bag of tools that you do to survive. But now that we’ve been put into this situation, you have to adjust and maybe change those tools,” she said. “With us focusing on that, we’re able to get by instead of just holding on to the old.”

Despite being locked down, she says she’s found a silver lining in the midst of the pandemic.

“I’m grateful for learning new things because I think that’s how you become a better person. It’s when you’re constantly evolving and constantly changing,” she said. “My goal for this pandemic is for people to come out changed and for people to come out with a whole new perspective.”

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Original article and Full Tia Mowry’s interview