Sometimes asking yourself the right questions will lead you on a completely different path - this was the case for Audrey Martinez. Being active is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Walking, hiking, running, biking, and swimming, are all activities that we can all enjoy in Arizona year-round. Sometimes, all it takes is a little push to get going. “It’s a mental game!” as Audrey says. Having that little bit of extra energy or the right mental stamina can help you overcome the barriers between yourself and the self 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 it. 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 one week on and one week off, you know. 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 useable 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 ten, 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 the 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 Shia?” I felt 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 middle of 2018, 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.