Rooted

From health and wellness coach Amanda Brink Hull comes this collection of amusing, nostalgic stories from a time when life was simpler, when our bodies were stronger and our minds were healthier, when we understood one another better, and we were more aware of the land and community around us . Spun from these stories, you will find simple, healthy recipes, advice on how to live with more gratitude, methods to improve your overall well-being, and tips you can share with friends and family.

Growing up in Fenton, Iowa, Hull’s life in the 1980s and early ‘90s was simple. She and her three sisters spent their days outside, harvesting fruits and vegetables from their father’s two big gardens, hunting pheasant and deer, and helping out their parents with tasks around the family’s three acres. They did house chores together and, for the most part, loved doing them. Hard work was as fun as play, but rest in the evenings was just as important.

There were no cell phones, video games, or meal delivery services. They made calls on a phone connected to the kitchen wall, watched limited television, and filled the rest of their time with activities. They exercised their physical abilities and used their imagination and creativity. They were taught to appreciate nature, home-cooked meals, and meaningful connections with people and the environment. These were the foundations of their childhood, the roots of their resilience to this very day. They had structure, they had the basics, and they were happy.

Today, many of us are struggling to live in this extraordinary era where obesity rates, mental illness, and financial debt are at all-time highs. We have allowed technology and the media to invade our lives, undermining the development of human connection and understanding. We are more divided and confused than ever. Now’s the time to get back to the basics: nutritious food, life balance, good mental health, lasting relationships, and an overall optimum lifestyle. Rooted: The Down-to-Earth Basics of Wellness, offers a holistic health method fit for our times .

Amanda Brink Hull hails from Fenton, Iowa, population 300. Raised alongside her three younger sisters on acreage just outside of town, she was brought up immersed in hands-on experiences, working in her father's gardens, tending to the family's chickens, and learning the art of deer hunting. The foundational values of respect for nature, the importance of nutritious food, and maintaining a strong work ethic have guided Amanda and her sisters as they've grown into independent women with families of their own.

Amanda holds certifications in personal training, nutrition, and health coaching, dedicating her spare time to wellness coaching. Her career is marked by exceptional leadership, with several decades spent in the broadcast television industry as an advertising and marketing specialist. She has served on boards and committees from Iowa to Washington, DC, and attended the prestigious Hearst Management Institute and the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Leadership Training. Amanda holds bachelor’s degrees from the American Institute of Business and Simpson College, and a master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Walden University. From 2018 to 2021, in addition to her regular duties as General Sales Manager at the Hearts CBS Affiliate in Des Moines, IA, she served as a Hearst Wellness Champion. In 2020, she founded Hull Health to address the rigors of the pandemic, and through the small business, provided workout ideas, organized free community outdoor fitness sessions, offered wellness tips, and showcased healthy recipes through social media, a critical need that continues today.

Today, Amanda and her husband, Josh, split their time between Iowa and Florida. They have two grown children well on their way to leading successful lives.