Community Highlights: Meet Tranee Nicole of Ifemi Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tranee Nicole.

Hi Tranee, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I had been getting regular acupuncture to deal with a myriad of psychosomatic issues, and once I found some relief through Traditional Chinese Medicine, I was fascinated and wanted to know how it worked! My Western doctors, although helpful, could only do so much and a lot of the medicine they prescribed brought on worse symptoms and did not resolve root issues. And to be clear, I am not anti-medication, but I am all for a path that has the least amount of negative side effects. Plus, there is no magic pill anyways. Frustrated, I spent some time alone and set out to dramatically change my life for the better. It became apparent that no one can do the healing and “work” for you; the beef is between you and your own body, and the goal of a good healer is to just initiate the healing process within you.

So, I decided to become a healer myself. I enrolled in a Master’s program for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Key for me is that a medicine for one person could be a poison for another, and I want to fully know why. This year I stayed home, studied, and focused on my health. It has been overwhelming but exciting! I’ve always been an entrepreneurial, creative, and sensitive idealist, and this path fulfills my needs for stability yet offers creative control, spirituality, and intellectual stimulation. I am taking the concepts I learn in traditional Chinese medicine and creating products. Hence the start of Ifemi Wellness, my small online retail store centered on holistic medicine.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all! It is by God’s grace that I am even sitting here today! One of the biggest hurdles is my own body and managing my pain flare ups, anxiety and depression. I say it all the time, in a “captain obvious” yet humorous way, it is hard being human. My life’s main challenge to this point has been how to feel and be present without being overwhelmed or numb. Specifically, this year’s challenge has been how to do medical triage on myself while also studying, and then yet trying to not to spiral out of control with existential anxiety in the middle of a pandemic. Alas, I am here cracking jokes, learning Chinese, taking a bunch of herbs, and stabbing myself with sterile needles. What a fun journey!

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Ifemi Wellness?
My business is Ifemi Wellness: Where Traditional Medicine Meets Modern Needs. The name partially lends itself from Yoruba. Of my ethnic heritage, my largest chunk is Nigerian per an ancestry DNA test. “Ifemi” means “My Love” and I thought that was beautiful. I wanted to embody love in all forms, including self-love and community love through wellness. What Ifemi Wellness offers is herbal tinctures and natural wellness products inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Post COVID-19, I will also offer acupressure and ear seeds, and in a year or two, needle acupuncture, cupping and moxa treatment. I’ve linked up with other black practitioners, and I offer a wealth of information and referrals for customers/clients. Although I am not exclusive to the black community, I do recognize and see disparities in health unique to my demographic and our access to quality care. I want to make healthcare holistic, more effective, and accessible to the marginalized, especially for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and the economically disadvantaged. So, my business network is centered on specialty care, resources, and referrals for these populations.

What makes you happy?
A lot of things make me happy: seeing immediate desired results! Personal empowerment. Progress. Seeing people healthy and getting better, and if not, them making peace with reality. Shared laughter and mutual understanding. Spa days and massages. Order and structure in a world of chaos. Maybe it’s just that dopamine rush from “checking the box.”

Pricing:

• Love Rest (Suan Zao Ren Tang) Herbal Tincture – $30
• Love Immunity (Yu Ping Feng San) Herbal Tincture – $30
• Lemon + Ginger Foot Soak – $7
• Lemon Eucalyptus + Tea Tree Essential Oil Roller – $15
• Calm & Ease Lavender Rose Essential Oil Roller – $15

For Voyage LA readers, use discount code VOYAGE30 for 30% off your order

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.ifemiwellness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifemiwellness/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IFEMIWELLNESS
• Other: https://g.page/Ifemiwellness?gm

Image Credits
Juan Preciado