By
Nicole Berrie
Photography by Libby Gray

TO VISIT LATHAM THOMAS at her home in Harlem could be akin to taking a field trip through the Museum
of Natural History’s Grand Hall. “Morning!” the noticeably glowing
yogi/doula/author enthuses as she opens the front door to her sprawling sixth
floor apartment. Barefoot, clad in a fitted hoodie and Lululemon leggings,
Thomas does not hesitate to ask us to remove our shoes before stepping into her
home. “I ask everyone to do that so they don’t bring any negative energy in
from the street,” she explains matter-of-factly. Inside, a den of curiosities
awaits. At each corner stacks of self-help books, miniature Buddhas and
inspirational notes await intrigued visitors. Above our heads hang strings of
rainbow-hued Tibetan prayer flags, on dressers sit Mexican Day of the Dead sugar
skulls—even her bathroom mirror bears affirmations scrawled in red marker reading:
“How will I play big today?”

Playing big is certainly no stranger to the author of Mama Glow: A Hip Guide to Your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy. When chic, holistic-leaning women in New York become expecting chic holistic-leaning women, they turn to the wellness guru who has worked with an impressive list of designers, musicians and the occasional Victoria Secret model. “The art of delivering babies is getting lost,” says Thomas relaxing into a lotus position on the floor of her rose-hued living room, which she painted pink for the Feng Shui meaning of love and romance. “I had such an amazing, peaceful experience during my delivery, writing this book to help new mothers find their inner glow seemed like a natural progression to my work.” When not whipping up vegan meals for friends or coaxing her A-list clients into flying crow pose, Thomas moonlights as momager to nine-year-old son Fulano aka DJ Fulano who has manned the decks for everyone from Diane Von Furstenberg to former President Bill Clinton.

Here, Bonberi caught
up with Thomas on an early Saturday spring morning where she divulged on all
her healthy habits from her daily smoothie to how she stays nutritionally sane on
the road. (Hint: It all fits in a Ziploc bag.)

When
does your day start?
At 6:45am. I like time in the morning so I lay
in my bed, meditate and I think about everything that is sweet in my life. I
have this amazing resin incense from Yemen called Bakur. I light that with charcoal
and it smokes up the whole room. It smells amazing.

How
often do you cook?
Everyday, breakfast and dinner.

What
does breakfast look like?
Fulano loves a strawberry banana smoothie with
mango with almond milk. I sneak in his little EFA oils like evening primrose, flax
and borage oil. I blend acai with blueberries and Maca powder for myself. I
love Maca because it’s amazing for the female reproduction and the libido. It’s
a little tuber from the Andes. I feel like it makes you horny. It also gives
you a lot of energy. Otherwise I’ll make granola and add blueberries and almond
milk. If it’s cold we do quinoa porridge with berries and blend it so it’s the
consistency of Cream of Wheat.

Have
you always been a devout vegan?
No, I grew up in Oakland, CA and I used to get
made fun of for it. The word vegan is so charged. It’s become political, almost
religious and there is so much judgment attached. It’s important to be open,
understanding and kind. But my mom was always a healthy cook. We grew produce
in a garden like tomatoes and eggplant and we’d make soup from scratch.

What
do you make for dinner?
If I’m by myself I’ll do a big salad with hemp
seeds, avocado, pumpkin seeds, radish and garbanzo beans. There are always
greens. We sautee kale and collard greens with a little bit of red pepper and
garlic. Fulano loves truffle oil so we add that. In the winter we do Brussels
sprouts, roasted squash or sweet potato with cumin. Fulano loves avocado and
plantains, he thinks he’s Spanish.

What
do you avoid?
Agave, dairy and soy.

Your
skin is amazing. What’s your beauty secret?
Tata Harper taught me how to do a home facial. I
put on her facemask and steam my face with calendula flowers, then I put on her
toner and massage in her products.

How
do you relax?
I do a phone and computer fast for either a
whole day or 8 hours at a time.

Speaking
of fasting, do you recommend a specific yoga pose to do while on a cleanse?
Twists are excellent for detoxing your middle
organs. A seated spinal twist compresses everything. Sun salutations also heat
up the body, which is cleansing and they are also spiritual movements.

Do
you only do yoga?
I like kickboxing and jump-roping. Sometimes
I’ll take an Afro-Brazilian dance class or go to Intensati.

You’re
always on the go. How do you keep healthy while traveling?
I pack a mobile pantry! It’s always a Ziploc bag
of raw nuts, cashews, cranberries and almonds or I’ll cut up fruit like mango
and berries. I have to stay up on my salads so I’ll make one with quinoa,
cucumber. When I’m flying, I usually guzzle a green juice right before security
and then afterwards I stock up on water and fruit. If I don’t have greens for
an entire day then I feel crazy.

Do
you have a bedtime ritual?
I don’t look at any kind of screen an hour
before bed. I am very sensitive to bad news so I filter the media. I like to
read something like Pablo Neruda or Sufi poetry then I pray and ask how can I
help the people in my life.

Is
there anything you recommend for moms-to-be who want a natural delivery?
Water birth. In the 1900s, doctors used to
prescribe all kinds of water treatments from baths to enemas but they were
banned because hospitals were losing money in prescriptions. When giving birth,
the water from the jets is therapeutic on your back and sides and just helps in
being buoyant. It’s smoother for the baby too.


LATHAM’S
TIPS FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS (AND EVERYONE!)

1.
Increase dark leafy greens
.
Our ancestors used to eat so many greens. Greens
are blood builders and produce a glow in your skin. It’s great to explore the farmer’s
market. Become best friends with kale and arugula.

2. Find a
sister circle.
Friends change like rites of passage and it’s
important to keep people in your life who make you shine brighter and reflect
who you are.

3. Weed
Out Your Garden
This is about taking stock of your life. Just
like clothes, it’s important to clear out the space in your life. Weed out the
wack shit!


FOR LATHAM’S GREEN APPLE, CLICK HERE

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