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W E L L N E S S Health and wellness are two terms that have risen to the forefront over the past year as people have sought some balance during the pandemic. Beyond the footwear world, what is health and wellness and what do the terms mean to the average consumer? We spoke to Tracy LaPorte, a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach based in Alexandria, VA, to get some insight. LaPorte is a holistic coach, working with clients on the focus areas they choose – which may include healthy eating, movement, sleep, relaxation, social connection, work, spirituality, lifelong learning and joy. How would she define the term wellness? "It's a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Often a person thinks about what they eat and how they move their body and stop there. I take a holistic approach to wellness by working with clients to assess nine different facets of their lives. Once we identify the client's wellness vision, values and focus areas, we start to work together on the stepping stones to get there. I believe that everyone is a whole and complete human working towards our best selves, and should be honored as such." When it comes retailers and brands that "sell" wellness, LaPorte says, "When I think about retailers, I ask myself a few questions. Are they good stewards of the environment? Are the people making the products paid fairly? Does the company support social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion? Those are the types of brands that understand that to be well, we must address societal issues that affect social determinants of health." She adds, "I would be happy to spend more money on footwear if I knew that the brand or retailer was actively working to ensure the gear landed in the hands of folks who cannot afford the products to move their bodies how they choose. If the right footwear to do activity x, y, z is one of the barriers to entry, how is the brand or retailer actively working to remove those barriers so that activities are more accessible? That is a critical piece of wellness, removing those barriers to support the health of all." When it comes to marketing, she notes: "I think the term wellness can often be overused. I am looking at brands to see what their values are. Are their catalogs filled with people of all races, genders, shapes and sizes? Something like that would indicate that the brand un- derstands that a one-sized fits all approach doesn't work." — Cara Griffin Health & Wellness in the Mainstream Are the people making the products paid fairly? Does the company support social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion? July 2021 • 33 sportstylemag.com • sportstyle

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