Oh Well!

Heals in Heels: Alyson Chu is using her title as Mrs. Winter Garden to facilitate Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles.

On a chilly January afternoon, the rare Central Florida day where temperatures don’t rise with the sun, Alyson Chu is standing in a vegetable garden, rake in one hand, crown in the other. Her bright, welcoming smile all the sunshine needed for the kale leaves to perk up.

It’s no wonder the former Disney entertainer and healthy living advocate was plucked off the treadmill and crowned the very first Mrs. Winter Garden. (This writer’s words, not hers.)

Alyson laughs. “Actually, I was nominated by my friend, Nina, whom I met at the gym. We would see each other at different classes and struck up a friendship. We were really just getting to know each other when she told me about the Mrs. Winter Garden opportunity.

“Most people don’t know that at the local level, women in the Mrs. America system are nominated and then selected by a committee to hold the title. Nina was connected to the Florida America Pageant system and when she found out about my history with Disney and my passion for health at every level—fitness, food, mental health, addiction, and recovery— she suggested I apply.”

Through a lengthy application and interview process with the local pageant committee, Alyson accepted the sash and crown in October 2021. For her, the opportunity is less about stage presence and more about community presence.

Indeed, advocacy is at the heart of the Mrs. America Pageant, and it’s here that Alyson’s passion becomes palpable.

“Healthy living is more than a weight loss goal or pageant platform,” she says. “It’s something my family and I practice every day, but it is a practice. It’s a skill we can learn, and teach, and cultivate. So, if my work as Mrs. Winter Garden and my advocacy for Shepherd’s Hope can empower others to be more proactive about their health, then it’s all been worth it!”

Alyson has been involved with Shepherd’s Hope long before earning the sash, but she’s thrilled to shine a larger spotlight on the newest program.

“I’m an ambassador for HEAL, which is Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles. Our goal is to reach every community—elementary school students, the homeless, families who are struggling and still out of work, even senior citizens. Every group has different needs, but HEAL helps meet them where they are. Maybe it’s learning about healthy eating, how to grow healthy foods, how to eat healthy on a budget. For other groups, it’s about getting outside, working more movement into every day, practicing mindfulness. Motivating people to take action on their health in simple, tangible, ways. It’s so much more than gym memberships and organic produce—both of which are good things—but they aren’t required to living a healthy lifestyle. And that’s what I’m excited to show people.”

It might seem that Alyson’s 13 years with Walt Disney Company would have been the catalyst behind this passion, but it goes much deeper. As a child, she had epilepsy. Seizures colored her childhood experience, and the medication needed to control those seizures impacted her weight, energy, and overall activity. “Early on, I had to be careful about what I ate,” she shares. “But that paid off. In fourth grade, my neurologist suggested weaning me off the medications to see how I responded, and I was medication-free by fifth grade!”

Alyson firmly believes that listening to her body, eating healthy, and staying active played a role in that early success, and those lessons stayed with her throughout life.

These days, Alyson chooses a vegetarian lifestyle, but Ryan, her husband of nine years—and high-school sweetheart—is an omnivore. “Everyone’s body is different. We all handle food in different ways. For me, I feel best when eating plant-based. My husband performs best when there is meat. And when it comes to raising Aliyah, who is 3, we are just encouraging her to be open-minded. We go to the farmers market each week and she picks out healthy foods that she wants to try. It’s been really fun to see her get excited about trying new fruit and vegetables.”

With fresh-from-the-garden being such a healthy pursuit, it’s only natural that the Chu family has started cultivating a small home garden. They have planter boxes full of herbs, notably parsley, mint, and basil. Peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant will make an appearance this year. And the Chus have a growing collection of edible trees— moringa, guava, citrus, and tropical cherry.

“It’s so much fun! Plus, growing your own produce motivates you to want to make something with it. Even Aliyah loves it. Right now, she likes to go out into the garden to pick herbs for dinner. And just like going to the farmer’s market, if she’s picking it our herself, she is more inclined to want to try it. For her, it’s just fun. Being healthy is fun. And really … shouldn’t it always be that way?”

You can cheer for Mrs. Winter Garden at the Mrs. Florida America Pageant April 22-24 at the Westgate Resorts. Meanwhile, you can learn more about healthy living and Alyson Chu by listening to Wellness Wednesday, live on Alyson’s Instagram page @_alysonpaige_

7 Genius tips to HEAL your way to wellness

1. Move your body at least 30 mins a day. Go out for a walk, ride a bike, take a fitness class. You can even borrow or download fitness programs from the library!

2. Hydrate! We need to drink half of our body weight in ounces a day. Not there yet? Make it a goal to add one more glass of water to your daily intake each week!

3. Grow your own herbs. If a garden feels overwhelming, start with herbs. They are easy to maintain in small spaces and can be incorporated into healthy meals and cooking.

4. Plant a fruit tree. Lemon, orange, avocado, papaya. My daughter loves our tropical cherry tree. She helps pick the cherries and eats the fruit as a healthy snack!

5. Avoid eating processed foods—but start small. It’s a challenge when packaged food tastes so good. So challenge yourself to incorporate more whole foods in at least one meal a day. If it grows in the ground or comes from a tree, it’s a whole food.

6. Practice self care. Even five minutes a day aids in confidence and mental health. This can be taking a relaxing bath, reading a book, or even stretching.

7. Take a breath. Incorporate breathing exercises to calm your nervous system throughout your work day and keep your stress level in check. There are great free apps available online.