Sometimes asking yourself the right questions will lead you on a completely different path.
This was the case for Audrey Martinez.
She knew that being active was the key to a healthy lifestyle. And while walking, hiking, running, biking, and swimming are all activities that can be enjoyed year-round in Arizona, sometimes it takes a little push to get going.
“It’s a mental game!” as Martinez says.
Having that little bit of extra energy or the right mental stamina can help you overcome the barriers between who you are now, and who you want to be. Audrey’s Chia Cookies are a delicious way to gain this extra push.
How did Audrey’s Chia Cookies start?
For my 50th birthday, I decided to run a marathon and started researching healthy foods to help me reach my goal. That's how I came across chia seeds and started testing [them]. I would just chug a tablespoon of chia seeds with water and go on my runs. I soon noticed that I felt more energized. To test this, I started to use it for one week on and one week off. The weeks that I did use chia, I felt so much more energized. It was a big difference, actually.
What is it about chia seeds that made the difference?
Well, it gives you stamina and endurance, it gels up in your stomach, and helps metabolize the glucose into usable energy. It releases slowly into your system and reduces the rate of carbohydrate conversion to sugar. If you are a runner, you can just keep going because right around mile 10, you know, you're starting to feel like slowing down. It's a mental sport.
What other things did you notice about it?
After a while, I started noticing all the other benefits, like gut health, hair, and nails—everything! I just felt so much better overall. I just thought, “Wow, this is an amazing seed! Gosh, how can I get everybody to eat chia?”
I felt [that] people didn't know what to do with it and thought of putting it in cookies because who doesn't eat cookies? Everybody is doing blending and shakes, and—to be honest—I don't think they're satisfying.
This is your first time as an entrepreneur. How are things going?
I got my first batch of cookies in the middle of 2018 and started getting on the shelves at the local stores in 2019. We did so well in Whole Foods that I'm asking them to take us into California. They are available in Arizona at Fry's on the local product shelf. We're also in a lot of independent stores around the Valley, some restaurants, and hotels.
